Okay, I really took my sweet time getting this posted so I apologize but here is my recap of the Top 10 Performance Night.
1) LeRoy Bell - L.A. Reid called him boring. Nicole rhetorically asked him who his fan base was before LeRoy said, "Women," and they both laughed. LeRoy was singing Bob Seger's "We've Got Tonight" to open up the night. I felt the song choice was awful for him. It's a great song and Bob Seger's entire catalog is very strong to begin with but the irony of LeRoy is that given how young he looks for his age, he doesn't really take full advantage of it with his personality when he's actually onstage. It was another vocally solid performance but without that "wow" factor to back it up. This one's on Nicole however. Even if LeRoy wanted the song, it was up to Nicole to nix it and do something else. Nicole needs to make sure he starts singing more upbeat songs going forward.
L.A. - LeRoy Bell...LeRoy...So we're no longer simply trying to get through to the next round. We're now looking for stardom. We're looking for the ability to sell records, sell tickets, own the stage. And man listen you ou look good and you sound great but you're still not working it like a rock star. You're not working it like that. You're good man, but I need more. 5 million dollars, this is the big time.
Paula - There is no mistaken darling that you have a beautiful voice. And you deliver. I think what L.A.'s saying and what I hear most people taking about everybody's is that it's live television and there needs to be more of a connection so that the people that are watching television feel exactly what you're feeling. And I saw that you got away from the mic stand which is nice and you're starting to engage with the audience. Keep it up.
Simon - Hi LeRoy. Nice song. Good voice. In terms of originality, in terms of what you've done with the song, hearing a new version... zero. This is my problem and I'm going to direct this to you, LeRoy: 5 million dollars, appearing in a Pepsi Super Bowl commercial will change your life. Right now, you're being mentored like a session singer. Basically., we have heard the same kind of songs now four weeks in a row. It's like you're in a cage. Rock week, you should have been a shark. You're actually like a dolphin. And y I say this to you not to be mean, because I want you to have a chance to win, but right now you can't win this competition.
Nicole - LeRoy. I believe in you and I think that tonight was the best you ever sang in this competition.
Simon and Nicole argued and then Simon and Steve argued.
2) Rachel Crow - Singing a very Martha & The Vandellas like rendition of "Satisfaction", and sporting a puffy heairdo with doo-wopping background singers and dancers, Rachel brought a very original slant to the classic Rolling Stones song. I'm a huge Stones fan so I wasn't all that fond of this too cute-sy rendition although she sang it extremely well. Plus the song's context is not cut out for someone that young and it really counters her youthful charm that makes her who and what she is in the first place. Call this a rare air ball for her mentor Simon Cowell.
L.A. - Aright Rachel...So listen...Last night you mad eyour offical retirun back to the cmption. The question is can you sell records. Can you sell tickets? And the answer is yes. I'm really proud. Great song. It wasn't some karaoke version. You brought energy to the room. I'm very proud of you.
Nicole - So rock and roll originated from R & B music so that was the absolute perfect song choice. For me, this is my favorite performance of yours out of all the performances...The reason is that R and R is supposed to be fun and you made it look so effortless.
Paula - Rachel, you are one of my favorites. There's no doubt about it. I love how you're starting to connect; not only with the camera - you have that done. You're connecting to the audience and you're reaching out to the audience and that's what I really love about you. My personal opinion is that it doesn't matter if you have 100 dancers. I only see you.
You know Rachel, you said this to me this week. I want to win this competition. And I actually can see you winning the show, I can see you in the Super Bowl commercial, and you know what - there's nothing wrong with admitting that you want to win. Too many people in this competition right now, and I have a bit of TV exposure, I'm going to get a record deal. That to mean is that you're a loser. I like winners. And now, we've gone over the facts, everybody likes you, most importantly now, people are going start to respect you right now as a singer and you did great.
3) Chris Rene - Singing Bob Marley's "No Woman, No Cry" with a half-rap, half-singing approach, his rendition fell very short of what I had hoped to have heard from him. I don't think he showed enough of his voice, although that might have been more comparative than anything. It wasn't terrible but it just felt too forced for my liking. The song arrangement was too Top 40 for my own personal taste but my guess is that he might just barely survive this week. It donned on me this week that since he has a background in not just rap and hip-hop, but also rock and punk, he should be guided towards the Beastie Boys, Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, and Kid Rock avenue.
Nicole - Hey Chris. I love that song. That was very original. And I rocked with it but it's not my favorite performance by you. I loved it but I was a little confused by it. I just gotta go with my gut. You did great but I was just confused with the track, the music, the hybrid. I love that you took a chance though.
Paula - L.A....I get why you chose this for Chris...What I love about you is that it doesn't matter if you're the best vocalist. I buy into you.
Simon - Chris, you know I loved the performance and it would have been great had the theme this week would have have been reggae. I don't care if he's been inducted into the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame or not. The theme is rock music, not reggae music.
L.A. - Where does it play? On what radio stations does it play? On a rock station. Listen, Bob Marley was a rock star...
(L.A. and Simon sparred.)
I was worried about you staying on key and you stayed on key. I completely defend what you did. Bob Marley was a rock star....
4) Stacy Francis - This week Stacy performed Meatloaf, choosing to sing "It's All Coming Back To Me" which prompted some incredibly music ignorant gibberish from Nicole Scherzinger when she referred to it as glam rock. Huh? I can't even write anymore on that front because it was just so atrociously ignorant of someone who is a seasoned veteran of the industry and as a mentor in this capacity failed to educate herself at the very least. Making matters worse was that it was just not the best performance from Stacy Francis and that now makes it two weeks running for her with sub-par performances.
L.A. - Alright Stacy, I know you think I'm about to be mean to you. I'm not going to be mean. You really sang that song really well. I'm really happy for you. I'm going to leave it at that.
Paula - Stacy, I'm going to be really honest. This was my least favorite song you've ever performed. (She and Nicole argue.) I just didn't feel it. I'm sorry. You look lovely though.
Simon - Let me start with the good news: Your hair looks better this week. Now the not so good news: I thought the song was a horrible choice. As soon as I saw the padded microphone I knew what was coming. I wanted rock; that was a pebble. It was soft, it's the sort of thing I'd expect somebody to sing at the Hilton hotel song turning their backs eating peanuts. You're going backwards right now. You've got to sort yourself out. This is not a cabaret competition. (Steve talks over Simon here)
Nicole - Stacy - there's a genre of rock music called glam rock and honey, you're a glam rock diva tonight. I hear what they're saying, I understand, I don't know if it was the best song for rock week but through this adversity, you continue to rise, your star continues to rise and you know what?...You wanted to be authentic and that was rock enough.
5) Melanie Amaro - Singing the recently broken up R.E.M.'s "Everybody Hurts" to just a piano, Melanie delivered the strongest performance of the night up to this point. She is becoming more and more of a favorite and the deeper she goes into the competition the more determined the Simon Cowell juggernaut becomes to promote her as marketably glamorous. And yet with other favorites like Drew Ryniewicz and Josh Krajcik it will be interesting to see if she breaks through that logjam.
L.A. - Okay, okay, okay...I get it. I was confused. That was rock, right? Melanie, I love you - you're my girl. That was so not rock.
Nicole - You sounded beautiful - of course - as usual. What I'm confused about right now is that this is one of my favorite songs and every time I hear it I cry and I don't know why I didn't cry in this performance right now. I'm always connected with you. I would have loved it if it were a little bit more and I would have loved to have connected to it even more but you sounded beautiful.
Paula - Melanie, you took us to church. Melanie, here's the deal. You have an unparalled voice; it's gorgeous. I want to see you let go and let loose now. That's all I ask from you now.
Simon - Melanie, that reminded me of Adele, Alicia Keys, (L.A. and Simon argue). I'm very, very proud of you. Trust me, the audience, as you can hear, are really going to support you on that. You did great.
6) Josh Krajcik - Singing Foo Fighters' "The Pretender", and initially appearing to have been sporting a guitar before it turned out the backing band would handle all musical duties, Josh came out with a fist-pumping, mentor jumping performance. His vocals actually seemed unusually subdued but the overall song feel was perfectly rocking. Despite my own criticisms, it was by far the best performance of the night and even with seemingly subdued vocals, he still brought a lot of emotion and feel to the performance and on top of that he gave a very faithfully steady version of the Foo Fighters' song.
L.A. - Alright Josh. You have the authenticity, you have the stage presence, you picked the right song, and you're the only person that's really rocked the house tonight.
Paula - Josh, everything about tonight has worked unbelievably for you. Not only was this my favorite performance that you have done but was also by far the best performance of the night. Unbelievable. Amazing. So good.
Simon - Josh, never ever listen to a single person again on this show because that was - I used it last week and I have to use it again - bloody fantastic.
Nicole - Oh babe...you took me back....You're the ultimate rock star. That's how it's done, America. (Plugs her old band Days of the New.)
7) Astro - Singing "Every Breath You Take" by The Police, which was also covered by P. Diddy a number of years ago, Astro rapped his way to another successful rendition. I would actually have loved to have heard him actually sing for this one week given the week's theme but it's pretty clear that L.A. Reid didn't want to chance anything by straying off script. I wasn't terribly surprised by this however and it was still perfectly enjoyable. And technically, it still wasn't a rock song because he was clearly doing P. Diddy's (or Puff Daddy) version, not the original by The Police. This mess up was embarrassing and that is on L.A. Reid; not to mention that given how long he's been at the forefront of the industry, he should sure as hell know better.
Nicole - So...I think that was a very smart song choice...the question is, "Are you ready at this age for a % mil dollar recording contract?" And I definitely believe you are.
Paula - Oh..Astro, Astro, Astro...can you just suck for once? I don't think you can. You are phen. You are amazing. You are ready right now. In the studio. Selling millions of albums.
Simon - Astro, this is two weeks in a row...what's amazing is that you have more maturity and intelligence than some of the older contestants on the show because you know who you want to be. (Incorrectly attributed PUFF DADDY instead of THE POLICE!!! UGH!!!) You don't compromise and I'm with Nicole. I think you have a shot at winning this, young man.
L.A. - I couldn't agree with you more. Again, you knocked it out of the park. And I do believe you have everything it takes to win this competition but more importantly you have everything it takes to be an international star.
8) Lakoda Rayne - Facing the pressure of becoming the third straight, and last group, to be eliminated, the girls sang, "Your Love" and "Go Your Own Way" with their names in the background. Sporting some funky 80's outfits, the girls sang a perfectly able mash-up but I feared what the judges would say from the very beginning. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed it. They by far had the most fun of the evening, along with Marcus Canty, and I felt in a rare divergence of opinion with Simon, that his random backhanded remarks about how it was a mess even though he loves their potential, was a strange way to show his confidence in the marketability of a group he helped manufacture during boot camp.
L.A. - You know what? What I'm happy about is that this is the first time I've seen you have fun. FIrst time. Now, does it measure up to your competitors? Do you have what it takes to become global superstars? Listen, it was better. To me it was better. Was it amazing? was it great? I'm just not sure.
Nicole - Girls, I think you found your lane. country rock. I've been missing some of the edge, some of the rawness, and the fun from it, and tonight you did your thing. I want to see you let go even more. I know you have it. Vocally, your performance, you're holding back a little bit so let even more.
Simon - Girls, you know, I always thought you had potential. I thought tonight, overall, was a complete mess if you want my honest opinion. Fleetwood Mac twice? I really hope that America stick with you because I think there's a great performance waiting to happen but I've got to tell you. At the point where you jumped off those boxes, and those ridiculous dancers, did that stupid choreography, which was unnecessary, and made it gimmicky... (L.A. calls him mean and Simon tells him to watch his back with a startling glare.)
Paula - Boys...no disrespect but these girls have earned their place right here on this stage. I'm most proud of them because they came together as a group, they stood their ground and they chose the song and they did a great job and I am most proud. And there's a void in the marketplace where once The Dixie Chicks owned it and I really feel that these girls can own that space too. And I miss The Dixie Chicks and I hope that America loves them as much as I do.
9) Drew Ryniewicz - Drew sang U2's "Without You", in the very same arrangement as her other songs, as L.A. Reid pointed out in her pre-singing montage, absolutely no new range was introduced. Drew is perhaps my favorite act in this entire competition, and I don't care if the audience sang along with her or not, but she must show a different speed. She's playing it safe for some strange reason when she already has one of the four or five best voices in the entire competition. She needs to create an even bigger buzz but perhaps Simon is saving that for a much later round because he (and almost certainly correctly) recognizes that she will be right there at the end.
L.A. - Alright Drew. You already know it. I'm going to tell you again. You have maybe the most original voice of every contestant we have. You're really special. I'm still in that place I was in last week, right? By the way, I loved you last week so I don't know why they're booing because I really loved you then and I love you now. I'm still pushing for more because the competition is stiff but you have what it takes to go the distance. Listen, just do you honey. You can do it.
Nicole - So Drew...you know how much I adore you. I love that song. But I was waiting as well; and waiting for the tempo to pick up and waiting for more...I understand if we were like doing acoustic or like rock; it had electric guitars and stuff...more energy...I've seen you do this. I knew you can do this beautiful. This is the slowest rock song...I just...I'm a little frustrated, actually. I'm a little frustrated.
Paula - Here's the good thing, Drew. You're in a good place because you have a big fan base. And when you have a big fan base, take advantage of these genres. I believe we're having genres so that you can show diversity. And diversity leads to long, long success; longevity beyond so take advantage of it and maybe up tempo would be great to hear from you. You have a beautiful voice.
Simon - Okay, Drew. What I would say is, is take no notice from the three witches on my right hand side; particuarly Cruela in the middle who thought that doing a Meatloaf song tonight with tempo was original. This is all about being unique, it's about appealing to your fan base, and doing something that no one's heard before. And that is what you do, that is why I support you, and that is why I believe you're going to be in this competition until the end.
10) Marcus Canty - Marcus, interestingly enough, sang Janis Joplin's "Piece of My Heart" with a slightly R&B tanged intro beat, Marcus sported more of an Usher look than a rock star. His vocals were unusually spotty but then again L.A. Reid did him no favors. It was not my favorite Marcus Canty performance but the blame for it, and I do think it was off base, lies exclusively with L.A. Reid. I think Marcus survives because he probably has a rather healthy female fan base but he could still be in trouble; especially if those girls and women decide to give their other favorites, like Josh and Chris, much more love. Still, upon watching it a second time around I felt that it was much more energetic and as fun to watch as it was as fun for Marcus to perform. And Marcus was sure as hell one of the three most enthusiastically embracing of the week's theme.
Nicole - Marcus...you took on the queen of roots rock...you took on the queen of roots rock, Janis Joplin. You know hard hard that is? And you lit that stage on fire! Literally! That was crazy. You know what? It was raw, it was you, you put everything into it; that's all I could ever want from this week with rock music. And don't you worry about a thing because I know you rocked your church out tonight. I know you rocked out proud.
Paula - Without question Marcus, you are the entertainer of this competition. You bring us in every single week - we don't even have a choice. I'm exhausted from watching your performances but they take me in and they take me all the way, all the way, all the way. You're amazing, Marcus. And by the way, you're very considerate too because you mopped up the floor for the crew and that was really awesome.
Simon - Marcus, so you said you were going to be a good boy and then I saw you looking up ten girls' skirts. I mean, your mentor, the devil, just put you in Hell. I mean seriously...(Marcus points up to the sky in a religious manner.) Yes, you need to. No, apart from that, I don't think the song suited you. I really, really don't. This is like you pretending to be somebody; not you at your best - too much temptation onstage. (Paula: I disagree.)
L.A. - Marcus, don't listen to any of that. You rocked!
Okay, I took my sweet time getting this put together and I already knew the results before finishing this up but I did in fact predict that Stacy Francis would be in the Bottom Two but I figured it would be Chris Rene headed home. So my laziness aside, I figured if not Chris then LeRoy Bell would finally be hearing his name in the Bottom Two but it's pretty clear now that his appeal seems to be cross-generational and he is probably polling very well with women between 30-60 and he now has to be considered a dark horse at this point.
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