Well, this is it! The three best performances in Idol history. This will be a pretty short post, as I will soon be blogging about my thoughts on the first live semi-final round of Season 8 (SPOILER ALERT! almost everyone sucked). So let's get to it!
#3: Clay Aiken - Bridge Over Troubled Water
Oh, The Gayken. I have to admit that I loved/HATED Clay throughout season 2. He was so saccharine, and cheesy, and obviously-closeted-homosexual-in-denialy; but that voice! This performance is great. Clay actually managed to rein in his gayface (kinda), and I don't think he sang a single note out of tune. On this night, I must admit, I LOVED/hated him.
#2: Jennifer Hudson - Weekend in New England
Fun fact: Jenifer Hudson is one of only four people to win an Oscar for acting, and a Grammy for singing. One of four people EVER in the history of those awards. Also, I am obsessed with her.
But let's talk about this performance. The only time I was ever awed during an idol performance comes at the 50 second mark of this song when Jennifer riffs the fiercest holleration that has ever graced the idol stage. This performance also features some sweet soulful notes at the beginning, a crazy-good glory note finish, and the fact that it makes you forget she singing freakin' Weekend in New England. Seriously, if you wanna know the talent it takes to make this song, soulful, powerful, and exciting, go listen to the Barry Manilow version. You'll see what I mean.
Yeah, having her at #2 might be a little biased on my part, although I hold that J-Hud is the single best singer EVER on this show. She's really this high on the countdown because I am obsessed with her, and because I'm still pissed that she actually got kicked off the show the night after this performance. I will never forgive you America. Never.
#1: Fantasia - Believe
Let's get one thing out of the way right up front. This song SUCKS. Really. Hard. That is why I think this, and not "Summertime", is Fantasia's best performance. She takes an awful song, and makes it an emotional gospel-ballad. Also, she's probably the most natural performer in the shows history. Nothing she does on stage looks forced, and she actually looks like she's feeling everything she sings. It's not an act. She might not be the most successful Idol ever, but she's probably the best contestant that show will ever have.
So there's my completely scientific and indisputable countdown of idol dominance. Here's to a great (or at least hilariously awful) new season!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Idol Countdown: #6-4
So I've realized writing about the best Idol performances isn't nearly as fun as ripping on all the crappy people who they put into the top 24+ every year. But alas, I'm basically halfway through so this labor of love let's continue to the amazing end.
#6: Tamyra Gray - House Is Not A Home
We'll ignore Tamyra's choice of rocking an oh so popular Maternity-shirt-with-bell-sleeves look (as that was apparently all the rage at the turn of the millennium). This was, by far, the best idol performance of Season 1. Granted, that's kind of like being the world's tallest midget, or the least gay dude on Gossip Girl, or...the best performer on Season 1 of Idol. But whatever, Tamyra is great.
I also think Tamyra needs a spot here as she totally deserved to win season 1, sorry Kelly, but got jobbed in the first ever surprise elimination. That, coincidentally, was also the first time I uttered the phrase, "Way to go, AMERICA" (it was not, unfortunately, the last. Way to go, Bush administration). In conclusion, Tamyra was awesome and it's a shame a quick wikipedia search let's me know her most recent credits include the role of "singing guest #2" in Rachel Getting Married. LAME.
#5: Elliott Yamin - A Song For You
At last, a gentleman on my countdown! I have to say I am biased towards the ladies, as I once said to my friend Luar, "If a female singer is really really good, she can make your nipples hard". But I also think it has to do with the type of male singers they put on this show. There are very few guys who are just great singers. There are "rockers" whom I admit I don't enjoy as much as others (the reason Daughtry and Bo Bice aren't on this list). There are the gimmicky guys like Blake Lewis or Taylor Hicks. And from the batch of good guy singers, they tend not to have the big singing "moments" that the ladies have.
But Elliott is great. He's not a classic idol belter. He has a wonderful soul voice, one that I still find hard to believe when it comes from that body. Also, I really love this performance because I KNOW I could never sing it. His riffs, and his perfect-for-soul-music tone are just beyond what almost all people can do. He's terrific.
#4: Melinda Doolittle - My Funny Valentine
This is probably the single-best piece of technical singing that's ever been performed on idol. Every note is in tune, in a song that practically begs you to go flat. All of Melinda's runs are perfectly executed and never over-done. Her tone is perfect, even when she's hitting notes in the top of her range they never sound screechy. There is absolutely NOTHING to critique about this performance. God damn it, Melinda. Why did you have to look like Shrek?
So that's it for this part of the countdown. Next week we'll get to the top 3 idol performances ever!!1
#6: Tamyra Gray - House Is Not A Home
We'll ignore Tamyra's choice of rocking an oh so popular Maternity-shirt-with-bell-sleeves look (as that was apparently all the rage at the turn of the millennium). This was, by far, the best idol performance of Season 1. Granted, that's kind of like being the world's tallest midget, or the least gay dude on Gossip Girl, or...the best performer on Season 1 of Idol. But whatever, Tamyra is great.
I also think Tamyra needs a spot here as she totally deserved to win season 1, sorry Kelly, but got jobbed in the first ever surprise elimination. That, coincidentally, was also the first time I uttered the phrase, "Way to go, AMERICA" (it was not, unfortunately, the last. Way to go, Bush administration). In conclusion, Tamyra was awesome and it's a shame a quick wikipedia search let's me know her most recent credits include the role of "singing guest #2" in Rachel Getting Married. LAME.
#5: Elliott Yamin - A Song For You
At last, a gentleman on my countdown! I have to say I am biased towards the ladies, as I once said to my friend Luar, "If a female singer is really really good, she can make your nipples hard". But I also think it has to do with the type of male singers they put on this show. There are very few guys who are just great singers. There are "rockers" whom I admit I don't enjoy as much as others (the reason Daughtry and Bo Bice aren't on this list). There are the gimmicky guys like Blake Lewis or Taylor Hicks. And from the batch of good guy singers, they tend not to have the big singing "moments" that the ladies have.
But Elliott is great. He's not a classic idol belter. He has a wonderful soul voice, one that I still find hard to believe when it comes from that body. Also, I really love this performance because I KNOW I could never sing it. His riffs, and his perfect-for-soul-music tone are just beyond what almost all people can do. He's terrific.
#4: Melinda Doolittle - My Funny Valentine
This is probably the single-best piece of technical singing that's ever been performed on idol. Every note is in tune, in a song that practically begs you to go flat. All of Melinda's runs are perfectly executed and never over-done. Her tone is perfect, even when she's hitting notes in the top of her range they never sound screechy. There is absolutely NOTHING to critique about this performance. God damn it, Melinda. Why did you have to look like Shrek?
So that's it for this part of the countdown. Next week we'll get to the top 3 idol performances ever!!1
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