Scotty McCreery rendered a beautiful, moving and pitch perfect performance of Alan Jackson’s Where Were You? on May 11th’s American Idol.
Listen, I am not a connoisseur of conutry music by any means, but I know a damn good heartfelt performance when I see and hear one, and Scotty, you killed it for me!
The Idol judges agree:
Randy Jackson: “Dude, I think it’s the perfect song choice for where we are as a country. I applaud you for that. You set your mark on this stage this season. You are ready for super stardom and I hope you make it.”
Steven Tyler: “That was beautiful. I ditto what Randy said. Passion…that’s really important. I see it in your eyes.”
Jennifer Lopez: “I’m just in love with you. I can’t help it. What you stand for, what you bring to your music. I can tell you know who you are. I can tell you know what touches other people. It’s the mark of someone who is meant to do this. And I’m glad we’re here to witness it.”
For his second song, he sang a more up-tempo fun song by The Coasters Young Blood. Tyler said it best, “You made Gaga’s yaya go lala. How could you do that?” HUH?
On the May 11th episode of American Idol, Lauren Alaina was sweet and composed on her first performance of Anywayby Martina McBride, dedicated to the people from the “south recovering from the devastating tornadoes last week.”
The judges melted…
Steven Tyler: “Lauren you did it again. You broke my heart. That was the most beautiful thing. Your voice is so pure and perfect and right on pitch. You deliver a song like a blue plate special. You’re the whole package. I love you.” He also said he loves the buckle on her shoes and her dress. I love you Steven T for noticing and loving shoe buckles.
Jennifer Lopez: “That was very good, I am so proud of you baby. That’s exactly what you have to do. That was a great vocal performance. That was beautiful.”
Randy Jackson: “Last week, I was a little worried, but what you just did right there, the Lauren we all grew to love, that we met the first time that we met you, America, Lauren is back in it to win in. That was hot. You know what was wrong with that performance? Absolutely nothing. That was amazing!” Here is the video clip:
On her second song, Lauren channeled some Elvis by singing his Trouble…“I am evil, my middle name is misery.” Hard to imagine our sweet little Lauren singing those lyrics…
For her first song on the May 11thAmerican Idol, Haley Reinhart screamed her way through Michael Jackson‘s Earth Song and split the judges 2-1.
After I took out my earplugs, here is what I heard the judges say:
Jennifer Lopez: “I felt that song inspired you…Here’s where we are at the competition right now. James comes out and sets the bar. He does it with a great song and everyone is up on their feet. You have to think about that when you choose a song. That song has a beautiful message. No doubt. But I want you to be thinking about that when choosing a song: What everybody else is doing.”
Randy Jackson then pulled out his “Yo, listen!” phrase which he has barely used this season, so I knew it was gonna be bad news for Haley….”Yo, listen, just keeping it really real. Where we are at the competition is who wants to win this. Who is gonna take it home. The song does not suit you. I feel like you were screaming at the top of your range the same note at the end over and over again. My opinion is I didn’t like it. I felt like you were screaming.”
Steven Tyler interrupted: “Haley, don’t listen to them…They’re both wrong. That’s what you get from that. That song showed me that you can. You nailed it. You nailed the upper register. You pushed it to the top. The audience heard it. And America heard it. Don’t listen to them.”
Ya, Steven, I heard it. And I didn’t like it one bit. And I usually like Haley. How about you all? Did your ears hurt as much as mine or did I miss something? If you missed her performance, here is the video clip:
Instead of lying down and giving up, especially after Randy said Lauren, Scotty, and James had a three-way tie for first place tie after the first song, Haley came out angry and kicking but not screaming on her second song. And as she proved last week, when she sings angry she kicks ass.
Haley’s rendition of I Who Have Nothing by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller left me (and Casey Abrams in the studio audience) breathless. It was one of my favorite performances all season. THIS performance probably saved her from elimination this week. She should send a huge thank you basket of goodies for Lady Gaga for helping her bring out the theatrics in her performance.
Jennifer Lopez: “Look what you’re capable of. It was amazing. One of the best performances of the year.” Randy Jackson: “Everybody needs a moment tonight. Baby you just had a moment right here that put you in it to win it. That was amazing. One of your best vocals ever.” Steven Tyler: “I always knew it. It was a classic moment with classic Haley. You just Reinharted your way to middle of next week. That was beautiful.”
Spotted: Wednesday May 11 – Rapper and NCIS: Los Angeles star LL Cool J at The Grove for an interview with Renee Bargh of Extra. LL Cool J brought all the audience members a gift each of his favorite cologne and after the interview was over, he took the time to meet every fan there and take photos and sign CD/NCIS DVDs. WHAT A COOL GUY indeed.
Victoria’s Secret and Sports Illustrated model Marisa Miller opens up to Esquire magazine about sword fighting, her rockin’ body and why she loves summer.
Here are some excerpts from the magazine: On sword-fighting in a Captain Morgan commercial:
“Oh, it was crazy. I really like doing physical things — I’m a very athletic person — and there’s only been a few times in my career that I’ve been able to use that. We trained for a week. On set it was so hot, and we’re in these leather pants, and you’ve got all this sand — it’s the craziest feeling. We were so irritated by the elements that when we were fighting we were so mad. And it actually worked.”
On why she loves summer:
“Well, summer is my favorite time of the year. It’s warm, everybody gets outside, girls wear a little less clothing, and there’s lots of concerts. Everybody’s just ready to have some fun.”
On her body:
“For me, working out is the number-one thing. It just makes you feel so much better mentally. It’s not like you have to go overboard and train like an athlete. It’s just more about using your body so you feel good. And also — I don’t know, it’s kind of hard with guys and beauty products; I know you’re lucky if you just brush your teeth and use soap, so this might be going a little too far for some guys — but there are lotions out there that have self-tanner. It just makes you feel better any time you’re showing more skin.”
Go to Esquire magazine for the full interview and more photos!
Sarah Ferguson, The Duchess of York, told Oprah Winfrey that not receiving an invitation to the Royal Wedding was “so difficult because I wanted to be there with my girls and to be getting them dressed and to go as a family.”
Ferguson’s daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, attended the wedding with their father and Ferguson’s ex-husband, Prince Andrew. Ferguson herself went to Thailand on that day to get away from it all.
Ferguson blames herself for the royal diss. “I felt that I ostracized myself by my behavior, by the past, by living with all the regrets of my mistakes. That I sort of wore a hair shirt and beat myself up most of the day thinking and regretting why did I make such a mistake?”
The full interview with Ferguson will air on The Oprah Winfrey Show Wednesday May 11. Ferguson’s new series Finding Sarah will premiere in June on Winfrey’s new cable station, OWN.
Starting August 24th, Mr. Stewart will begin a two-year residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace where he’ll be performing Rod Stewart: The Hits.
How exciting is that?
The first 18 concerts of “Rod Stewart: The Hits” go on sale May 15.
Stewart says the show will be “90 percent songs that people know,” such as the iconic Maggie May, and The First Cut Is the Deepest.
“It’s a rock’n’roll show,” Stewart tells Billboard.biz. “We’ll try to give the people what they want, which are the songs that made me famous, plus a few surprises. There won’t be any magicians or midgets, just a good rock show.”
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