<p>^I NOW think the two remaining contestants with the THICKEST skin will remain… Scotty and Haley.</p>
<p>^ I second that. Lauren’s crying and just overall attitude are not winning her any points. And seriously, do we really need another ditzy blonde country singer? It’s so mundane to me. Scotty and Haley both offer something at least remotely new.</p>
<p>When someone says that they don’t like these Idol’s personalities, what do they mean? Stage persona?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>That’s a good question. I didn’t find any of the top 20 - or whatever number they started with - interesting enough to walk around the corner to hear. I can’t describe why that is but it is. I saw a 19 year old singer from DC at a festival yesterday who was so fresh and appealing and talented and I thought right away that not one of the singers on AI could hold a candle to her.</p>
<p>I’ll bite at this ^^^^ re: personalities.</p>
<p>Haley: When she sings I feel like I’m watching a burlesque show. When she talks she seems void of much personality(ditto for Lauren). Don’t think she has showed much love to others when they were eliminated (ditto for Lauren). Totes a bit of a attitude that just rubs me the wrong way.</p>
<p>Lauren (in addition to above) : Dumb blonde syndrome. (I know that sounds terrible, but not sure how else to explain it) - it’s not just cause she’s 16 but she just doesn’t offer any talk of substance etc., when she is talked to. Don’t see her emotional connected to anything other than the fact that she “doesn’t want to go home!!!”</p>
<p>Scotty: I think Scotty carries a bit of an attitude too - hard to put my finger on it but it annoys me. Can’t stand his facial expressions when he sings. The Joe Cool factor is a turn off. Sometimes the whole “being from the south” excuse or whatever turns me off - feel like we see that ALOT with Scotty and Lauren. </p>
<p>And most of all, I absolutely don’t like country and the whole “country” aura. </p>
<p>Finally, I really feel all 3 of these contestants lack the maturity and perhaps the drive (especially Scotty and Lauren) to work HARD after Idol. Scotty doesn’t seem to have worked overly hard during Idol - he just saunters in and does his country thing. Just about every past Idol or almost-Idol has had to push HARD to make it where they are. I don’t see the initiative or drive or realistic picture of what they will have to do in these people.</p>
<p>Of course, these are a lot of generalizations based on what I see on my tv or read about them each week - but it’s my take!</p>
<p>“Of course, these are a lot of generalizations based on what I see on my tv or read about them each week - but it’s my take!”</p>
<p>And it is easy to generalize, based on snippets of information that you are allowed to see. I suspect the reality of AI is that these kids are working their butts off with little sleep, constantly doing the publicity stuff, practicing, performing in front of millions with such intense pressure. I doubt most of us would have the stamina or will, the ability to conquer our nerves the way they do. Especially at age 16 and 17. Anyone remember being that age, agonizing about an upcoming speech in English class, oh the pressure. And here we are, being critical of how their hair or clothes look, disappointed if, after their two days of practice, they don’t sound as good as the original singer of a song (30 years older, been singing the song for years). Sometimes I watch AI and see a “superstar” sing pretty poorly, and be quite nervous because of the pressure. And it amazes me that these kids can pull it off.</p>
<p>Well said, busdriver. I know a few music majors that would would be horrified to have to sing or play 2 or more new songs a week in the public eye before they perfect them … musicians are often perfectionists for what they know sounds good, and these kids are trying to be pop stars and musicians, so they also have to have the look and the stage persona. And two of them are 16 or 17! I give my hats off to all of them for showing us what they have each week.</p>
<p>abasket, you’ve said exactly how I feel about the remaining three.
Scotty’s voice never changes and I don’t like the dropping off words or notes when he sings.If this is good country singing, then I hate country.</p>
<p>They made a mistake lowering the age limit in my opinion. Charisma has been sorely lacking in the last two seasons. I think it is also clear that AI is just not attracting the talent it once did. There were never more than a few really talented kids who had a prayer at a commercial career on any of the seasons, but I didn’t see any that I felt that way about last year or this year.</p>
<p>I was in Nashville this weekend & the hotel hosts a singer/songwriter night every Tuesday-Saturday. Some of the singers there were better than anything I have heard on AI in the last couple years. I finally stopped bothering to watch AI, as it seems filled with good-but-not-outstanding-or-even-special singers.</p>
<p>abasket just summed up my feelings too! I felt like James was the one who had the most to gain out of winning. Scotty’s reaction to Lady Gaga and Lauren’s not wanting to say she was ‘evil’ in a song (which she chose and was filled with the word) just showed their immaturity to me. </p>
<p>Frankly this whole season it has been less about the contestants than about promoting different shows, artists, etc. Gordan Ramsey really?? I watched the show to see what James & Casey would do week to week, now that they are gone, no desire to watch them promote their own judges and multiple other artists.</p>
<p>I have gotten the impression that they are constrained in song choice. And now for top three week, they are calling these Judges’ Choice Songs -</p>
<p>Alanis Morrisette’s hit, “You Oughtta Know.”
Lee Ann Womack’s “I Hope You Dance.”
Kenny Rogers’ “She Believes In Me.”</p>
<p>^ are those the songs they’ll be singing?</p>
<p>That is another problem with AI generally. IMO, the songs are just so lame week after week.</p>
<p>What’s working with AI–the comments of the pros they bring in show you how they really have great knowledge and instincts about what makes a great performance. Sheryl crow’s advice to Hayley to do the first part of House of the Rising Sun a Capella…genius!</p>
<p>Those^^ are the judges choices. Alanis for Haley, LeeAnn for Lauren, Kenny for Scotty.</p>
<p>I think I also heard one of the three songs will be the contestants choice of the song THEY thought they sang best this year. And then I think I heard that Jimmy Lovine gets to pick a song for each of them.</p>
<p>Could be wrong, but that’s what I read.</p>
<p>Well, what do you think of those Judges Choices?</p>
<p>IMO two very soft balls and one hard ball with dirty er I mean inappropriate lyrics.</p>
<p>I just read eleven pages of comments at the youtube video page titled “Alanis Morissette - You Oughta Know (Video)” regarding this song choice. Wow.</p>
<p>Wow. ^^^</p>
<p>Agreed on the soft balls. Lauren will probably kill (in a good way) “Dance”, but to me it is a safer than safe song.</p>
<p>They have cleaned up the lyrics before for “You Oughta Know” for American Idol. Chrystal Bowersox sang it with Morissette in a previous season. Chrystal sounded more like Morissette than Morissette did.</p>
<p>Our local paper reported on Scotty’s home visit. I can imagine that for all of these Kids it must be overwhelming to see the home-town support. My favorite part was that at his Saturday night concert Josh Turner made a surprise visit and sang with him. How great for Scotty!</p>