<p>I suggest someone interview her and see if she can respond to the questions:
“Goodnight, Melanie!”</p>
<p>“Oiy! There’s been a bit of melee about your accent. Have you heard about it?”</p>
<p>“Now that you have advanced again, are you feeling irie? Planning to go liming tonight?”</p>
<p>“Just wondering how it is for you to deal with Simon, who has a, well you know, reputation for being rather critical, rather demanding… are you letting him frig you up at all?”</p>
<p>I thought Drew’s last minute comments about Jesus were funny. It made me think they told her to stifle her love for Jesus, and she stifled it as long as she could until she was eliminated. It was very cute and very 15-years-old. I still think she was the right one to go, as her style just hasn’t had enough time to develop. In a few years, I’d love to see what she can do with a faster tempo piece, or maybe even a song she wrong herself. I do not look forward to seeing any clothing she designs, but then again I am not 15. </p>
<p>Melanie’s accent may be a little exaggerated, it was kind of shocking that her forced English and singing has no accent at all, and then when she let it out it was like a whole new person. Regardless, I still love her voice and performances more than anyone, but it would be cool if she did something reggae or similar to work with that accent.</p>
<p>I don’t like how the judges don’t support each other’s contestants. This should be about the contestants and their talent and not about which judge wins.</p>
<p>^ I had the exact same reaction about Drew’s Jesus comment- so her age and it was very cute. And I still think she has an amazing voice, even if she is a one trick pony right now; will be very cool to see how she might grow.</p>
<p>Something about the show is off. It may be because I don’t like the announcer guy. It could also be that I just like the American Idol format more. I do like Simon and LA Reed as judges. I little less I like Paula, and Nicole is pretty good at giving Simon some back talk. I don’t know quite why I am not digging the show.</p>
<p>Tonight my top 3 were Chris, Melanie, Josh. Josh started out rough but the last 2/3’s of his song was great. I’m giving Chris double points tonight because I’m judging him as a songwriter, too, and I like that he’s a musician in more ways than just his voice. Melanie’s voice can do anything, but I wish she would do something other than sing perfectly, because even that for some reason can get old, even though she’s perfect at singing. I really did like Marcus until I got choked up on the last 2/3’s of Josh’s song, and then I had to move Josh up a notch.</p>
<p>Rachel tonight was just not grabbing me, but I am old and she did say she’s doing it for the kids out there. She sure is a cutie pa-tootie though.</p>
<p>Steve Jones, the host, is in need of a good stylist. His suits in recent weeks have been both ill-fitting (too small), wore it wrong (had both front buttons closed so it didn’t drape correctly), and lacked proper tailoring. He needs a “raise and shorten collar” alteration on all of his suit jackets because of his body type. He doesn’t wear off-the-rack suits very well or, if in fact he is having those suits custom made, I would look for a new master tailor. I’ll have to watch the closing credits to see just who provides his suits. Maybe L.A. Reid should be his fashion consultant.</p>
<p>Round 1:
Didn’t love Melanie’s or Josh’s song choices tonight. Kind of ho-hum for a dance song performance. Thought Marcus nailed it, but why wouldn’t he? It was the perfect song choice and he gave a great performance in tonight’s perfectly suited theme for him. Rachel sounded okay but didn’t wow me. Chris Rene was a pleasant surprise and I’m glad he was the “rapper of choice” because he is more versatile than Astro. </p>
<p>Round 2:
Melanie chose a perfect song and delivered an emotional performance that really connected with the audience. The post-performance speech is getting tiresome, however. Marcus was better in round 1 but gave a good (enough) performance. Didn’t like Rachel’s song choice or delivery as much as the judges did. Can’t wait to see her on Broadway someday because that’s her calling, imo! Liked Josh, and he finished the night strongly, but not sure it was his best. Loved the fact that Chris did an original song that he accompanied on his guitar! The stripped-down performance was soooooo refreshing!! He’s getting “hot” at the right time…</p>
<p>Chris definitely moved up in my books tonight. I’ve always liked his creativity, but rap just isn’t my thing so much. But I actually want to download that song he wrote and sang. Loved that performance. </p>
<p>I absolutely adore Rachel and her bubbly personality, but felt her singing just isn’t up there with the others. But she will have so many options that I’m not worried about her success. Her EQ is through the roof. </p>
<p>Josh has always been my favorite. Such a distinctive voice to me. His first song was kinda weird for him but I loved his second one. I worry he won’t survive because he doesn’t have the appropriate shiny photogentics they seem to require in media-land. </p>
<p>Melanie sings so perfectly, so crystal clear. But I would never, ever recognize her from any other beautiful voice on the radio. Is it just me, or has her whole personality changed since she got an accent? She’s kinda creeping me out now.</p>
<p>I’ve never been a fan of Marcus other than he seems like such a genuinely nice guy. He seems to sing fine but he just bores me. He is the only contestent I wasn’t looking forward to hearing tonight. But that is just me and I doubt others feel the same way.</p>
<p>Seems like they are always popularity contests. I have never thought that the best talent wins, just the one that is most attractive to tweens and teen girls. </p>
<p>My vote is on Chris Rene. He definitely isn’t the strongest singer, but he seems to have some charisma that people like. I personally like Josh best, but he doesn’t have the looks to be a pop star. </p>
<p>Are they really going to give $5 million to the winner? Seems so outrageous, especially since none of them are really ‘all that’ as my kids would say.</p>
<p>criz, I believe it is a recording/performance contract worth $5 mil and not a cash award. I don’t think it is paid all at once.</p>
<p>I think Chris Rene will be safe tonight but any of the remaining singers could be in the bottom 2. If I had to guess, I would say Marcus and Rachel. IF that happens then Rachel will be going home. The “lady judge alliance” seem to have a preference for Marcus (or anyone that is not on Simon’s team). </p>
<p>Get ready for Simon to have another hissy fit…</p>
<p>"… the costs of recording and marketing the winning artist will be paid for separately from the $5 million initial contract payment. The $5 million will be paid directly to the winner in five annual installments of $1 million."</p>
<p>In Wikipedia We Shall Trust. ;)</p>
<p>Fwiw, it might have been nice to allow the 5 finalists to form an alliance and decide to split the 5,000,000. It’s obvious that each one would greatly enjoy 200,000 a year for the next five years. The winner can have the recording contract.</p>
<p>I’m not taken in by Rachel’s personality. I like kittens and puppies as much as the next person, but her cutie pie act is just … well, fake. I don’t buy it.</p>
<p>I won’t comment too much for the west coasters, but I did enjoy the sing-for-your-life songs tonight. </p>
<p>I agree about Melanie … while she has an amazing voice, I don’t think she should cut off the judges to explain what that song meant to her. When she does that she’s forcing her personality on us, and I only want her personality to come through in the performance. I hope Simon is coaching her on that … be humble, ha, that advice coming from Simon.</p>
<p>I agree, that was a sick episode. From the beginning the show has a heartlessness about it - how they drag out the suspense, create so much pain, just for drama. But tonight was unusually horrible to watch. </p>
<p>Nicole should have chosen Rachel and she knows it. Rachel wasn’t great last week (and the votes showed that) but she was far superior in the sing off tonight. But Rachel was destroyed just so that Nicole could avoid ‘bad feelings’ that come with taking responsibility.</p>
<p>Agree with ebeeeee and starbright. If Nicole cannot make a tough decision and “wimp out” like she did, she shouldn’t be a judge. I thought Rachel looked a lot more confident than Marcus did, that she had more votes than he, right before the final announcement. I thought the votes would fall in her favor since Marcus has been in the bottom two for three weeks in a row.</p>
<p>Hey, did anyone notice that Steve Jone’s suit coat fit him much better tonight?</p>
<p>All the online betting websites have Melanie winning, by quite a margin. I still think it was predetermined very long ago way back when she was mistakenly eliminated and brought back. </p>
<p>Maybe Rachel will come back…anything is possible in this stupid show.</p>
<p>Oh my. I stopped watching the show some time ago - just couldn’t stomach it, but I watched the ending on youtube after reading about it here and that was brutal. Rachel is just a little girl and it is cruel that the show puts kids through this drama. There really should be an age limit. Nicole, on the other hand, is an adult and she acted like a fool.</p>