AI Review, 2006/03/07

Winner:

• Mandisa: Okay, I mean really, why are we bothering with all this window-dressing? Let's just cut to the finals between Mandisa and Chris and have ourselves a big ol' sing-fest. Who's with me?

Very good:

• Katharine: She really showed off the beauty of her voice this week. That was an incredible pleasure to listen to. There is something about her performance style, however, that I find too amateur, too much like a giggly teenager unsure of what to do with herself on the stage. Hopefully she'll pick up more professionalism as she goes on. She will, however, sail into next week.

Good:

• Kellie: There is no doubt that the American viewing audience will vote her in this week. However, I felt that her performance was lacking in a few areas. I don't think her voice is rich enough to be able to pull that song off. And I don't feel that she is emotionally deep enough for the song. Plus, like Katharine, she performs more like an amateur than a professional. The other thing that bugs me about her is that she is so. Damn. DUMB. It's driving me CRAZY. I mean, she's obviously a lovely person but come ON, must we continue this trend America has these days of idolizing the stupid?
• Melissa: Wow. After hearing her in the top 24 performance, I wrote that I wanted to hear Melissa's voice singing some really classic rock stuff. This week she granted me my wish, and I was totally not disappointed. She sounded awesome and her performance was adequately intense for the song, except for two things. One, and I noticed this last week too, she's too frenetic in her movements on stage. Her arms move around too much without any seeming purpose, and I find it distracting. Two, Simon did have a bit of a point regarding the way she ended the song off - I thought she cut the performance aspect short even though she was still singing. Her stage presence just kind of...died away before the song actually ended. Mistake. She needs to see it right through to the end. However, overall I think it was enough to send her into the top twelve. This is a very big deal since I think the mass audience perceives her as a bit forgettable, even though she has a terrific voice. EXCELLENT song choice, very smart. Good on ya, Melissa.
• Paris: Great performance as always, I thought she pulled the song off really well. However, there were a few vocal/arrangement choices in there that I thought were weird and distracting. Also, it wasn't as oomphy a number as I know she can lay out when she really gets going. Nevertheless, I think she's totally safe.

In danger:

• Ayla: She sounded pretty horrible in the first part of the song. It stepped up a bit when the song moved into the higher notes and the faster pace, but unfortunately it still didn't showcase her beautiful voice very well, so all we had to go on was her performance...which, while bouncier than we've seen her, was still not fantastic. I think her decision to go upbeat was very intelligent, but I don't think she chose the right song to do it. I have serious doubts that we'll see her in the top twelve.
• Kinnik: Last week for her. She just doesn't have as much of that likeability factor as the others, unfortunately. Plus she chose a pretty bland song, and to top it off, she screwed it up really badly. I think my ears are still crying. I think she'll be first to go on Thursday.
• Lisa: Her performances seem to be getting more boring as time goes on. I think the judges were spot-on, she needs to choose things that will appeal to a younger audience. While she has a nice voice, it's her personality that really has the potential to carry her forward, so she has to play to that...and this week, she really didn't.