Final Critiques from Simon Cleavage

Final Critiques from Simon Cleavage by Roxanne McDonald

Ryan introduced him with a glib tag, but Simon stayed true to his position, making his final critiques, predictions, and retractions, even.

Actually, Simon would likely say, he did predict Jordin to take the Idol title, way back in April. Then he backpedaled, when he decided his girl Melinda should be in the finals. When that didn’t work out as he wished, and after Jordin Sparks

brought the passion and sound to what they all keep reiterating is a “singing” competition (isn’t Blake using his vocal skills, as any scat-singing performer would, to be considered a “singer,” too?)—he almost outright named Jordin the winner.

Here are his final comments for the final week of American Idol 6:

BLAKE LEWIS

ROUND 1—PERSONAL FAVORITE
Blake does a super-beatbox rendition of Bon Jovi’s “You Give Love a Bad Name.”
Simon finds it “a bit fried in the middle…; you were shouting…, but it was your best performance,” he adds.

ROUND 2—COVER SONG HE has SUNG on IDOL BEFORE
Blake does a clear replication of Maroon 5’s “She Will be Loved.”
Simon shrugs that “It was good; it was safe; [but] it was not as good as the first performance, and I wouldn’t have chosen that song for the final because I don’t think it makes that much of an impact.”

ROUND 3—IDOL SONG-WRITING CONTEST WINNER NUMBER
Blake delivers the first-ever-performed “This is My Now” (by winning songwriting team J. Peabody & S. Krippayne).
Simon “thought it was all a little odd.” “How did you feel about it?” he asks Blake. Blake shrugs, silent, and Simon continues: “…all that jumping around in the middle…. But I’ve always said there was talent in Seattle, and I was right.”

JORDIN SPARKS

ROUND 1—PERSONAL FAVORITE
Jordin does an okay version of Christina Aguilera’s “Fighter”.
Simon begins, “On a positive note, I think it’s great you chose a younger song, because you are seventeen.” However, he continues, “I think the vocals were a bit shrieky in the middle…. I’m giving round one to Blake.”

ROUND 2—COVER SONG SHE has SUNG on IDOL BEFORE
Jordin delivers an evocative rendition of Martina McBride’s “Broken Wing.”
Simon makes one comment: “Now that was good.”

ROUND 3—IDOL SONG-WRITING CONTEST WINNER NUMBER
Jordin delivers a more articulate, more compelling version of “This is My Now” (by winning songwriting team J. Peabody & S. Krippayne).
Simon explains, “Jordin, last week—I’m going to be honest with you now—I didn’t think you were good enough to make the finals, and I want to say publicly now I was wrong.” He finishes with, “As we say, this is a singing competition, and you just wiped the floor with Blake [on] that song.”

Maybe, Simon, but maybe the public will appreciate that Blake’s using his vocal chords as a musical instrument does count as using his voice for a singing competition.

Again, some of us consider beat-boxing as we do scat-singing and shoobey- do-wopping…and find Blake equally capable of taking this competition.

I refrain, however, from saying my vote, as I am still getting over the loss of Chris Sligh, Lakisha Jones, and Melinda Doolittle, and am truly torn between the final two…both of whom have consistently delivered parallel performances. Blake will go on to rock the alternative milieu; Jordin will soothe the savage souls of pop; and we will all be better off because of both of these remarkable talents.

And yeah-yay, for having Chris Daughtry back for the signature Idol number!!!!! (See how a runner-up title doesn’t really hurt…if you’re truly gifted?)

SirLinksAlot American Idol links

Celebrity Spider Simon Cowell links

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