There you go again X-Factor, making me look like a crazy person sitting in an office full of guys, trying to block the tears welling up in my eyes. Contestant Bella Ferraro auditioned for Australia’s The X-Factor with an emotional performance of “Skinny Love” by Birdy, originally by Bon Iver.
Bella left high school to pursue music. She nervously auditioned for the judges on her eighteenth birthday.
There are several reasons why her performance is so touching. First, she doesn’t realize how damn talented she is. Hands shaking at times, Ferraro seemed genuinely shocked when the audience applauded her within five seconds of starting. Her supportive mom looked on from the audience, tearfully proud. All the judges, including hard-to-please Mel B, gave the contestant a deserved standing ovation.
Yesterday the UK edition of The X-Factor made me angry when I saw Pink cover artist Zoe Alexander storm off the stage upon receiving constructive criticism. But you’ve reclaimed my love, X-Factor, with Bella Ferraro.
Watch it here:
Pink tribute artist Zoe Alexander loves her day job but decided to audition for The X-Factor UK to discover her own sound and identity. Her audition was going pretty well — she was chirpy and the judges loved her style. However, the panel thought her cover of Pink’s “So What” was too close to the original and gave her a second chance to put her own spin on a different song.
Unfortunately, Alexander blew her second song but didn’t take too kindly to the constructive criticism the judges gave her. Although they all voted no, they told her she could become a better artist if she took some time to discover her own sound. That’s when the tantrum started. Alexander was completely unprofessional. She not only fired off a false excuse (“You guys told me to sing Pink”) she abrasively threw her microphone offstage and pushed away a camera crew.
For some reason her dad decided to drag her back on stage (perhaps so she could apologize) but all girl did was swear, swear, swear. If the judges weren’t already confident in their decision I’m pretty sure Alexander’s bad attitude sealed it.
Watch it here:
On this week’s episode of So You Think You Can Dance — the 200th ever might I add — we’re finally introduced to this season’s Top 20. We’re also introduced to the adjudicating styles of princess of quirk, Zooey Deschanel, who looked lovely but in all honesty, had little to add to the panel. And Nigel, in SYTYCD’s constant attempt to change up the show, dropped the very big news that there will be not one but two winners this season! Now there’s no need to choose between your top guy and girl, you can have your cake and eat it too!
Here are the top five moments from this week’s episode of So You Think You Can Dance:
1. Team Ballroom makes it through — Throughout the whole competition thus far, one of the main concerns has been whether ballroom dancers and besties Whitney Carson and Lindsay Arnold would both make the show. And with their matching wavy blonde hair and tanned skin, they could easily pass for twins. They draw out the suspense, bringing both girls in at the same time and calling Whitney’s named first. But even the judges couldn’t split up these two hot tamales and the pair strutted their stuff right into the Top 20 with a fiery ballroom routine.
2. The baseball routine — Read more…
The rebooted X Factor team will be revealed today in NYC and will likely include Britney Spears (who we’ve theorized about for weeks) and Demi Lovato, who has reportedly signed on already. The two would replaced Paula Abdul and former Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger. Other names that have been thrown around include Avril Lavigne, Janet Jackson and Mariah Carey.
Here’s why we’re more like to watch:
1) Although Lovato seems too young to be offering advice to singers who may be twice her age, she’s been around since 2008 when she starred in Camp Rock with the Jonas Brothers.
2) Lovato would likely bring a much needed fresh edge to the show. She’s younger than the other judges and can offer a different perspective.
3) Both Spears and Lovato are relevant. While some judges are able to offer wisdom from their past successes, Spears and Lovato know the business as it stands right now.
4) We’ll just admit it. Part of us will be watching because we’re genuinely curious to see what kind of advice Spears will give.
5) Both of them have staying power. Lovato bounced back after going to rehab for cutting and an eating disorder. And Spears? Well… just watch this.
If the reports are true, will you be more likely to watch?
It appears that ‘American Idol’ judges Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez have succeeded the most out of the singing show, reports Canoe Jam.
Yep, that’s right. Although Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina have both begun their budding careers, it seems as though the two judges have had the ultimate career revival.
While McCreery and Alaina’s singles have both failed to debut in the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, Tyler and Lopez have seen a respectable spike in their cool-factor.
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Let’s take a look back. Before ‘Idol,’ Lopez had parted ways with her longtime label Epic Records and hadn’t had a Top 10 hit since 2003. Tyler had spent a good portion of the previous decade in and out of rehab and feuding with his bandmates, who hadn’t put out a CD since 2004.
Now, because of ‘Idol,’ Lopez debuted her ‘On the Floor’ video and performed it live on the show, which lead to a club smash on the top of the charts.
Tyler used his fame for different leverages, though, using the Idol platform to debut the first solo single of his career as well as selling his new memoir, ‘Does The Noise in My Head Bother You?,’ which became a New York Times best seller.
This was definitely a smart career move on their part. It seems as though today’s reality shows are more about reviving the judges’ careers than the hopefuls on the show (The Voice = Christina Aguilera, X-Factor = Paula Abdul, notice a trend?)
Scotty McCreery is ultimate winner of ‘American Idol’ after Wednesday night’s finale.
After the public votes were counted, the country singer beat out competitor Lauren Alaina, despite an emotional performance that she dedicated to her mother.
20 million viewers tuned in to watch the country teen singers duke it out. Now in its 10th year, ‘American Idol’ has been a ratings boost for Fox and the nation’s most-watched TV show for the last seven years.
The winner was announced in a two-hour broadcast which featured performances by Lady Gaga, U2, Judas Priest, Tony Bennett and country superstar Tim McGraw, among others. New ‘Idol’ judges Jennifer Lopez and ‘Aerosmith’ frontman Steven Tyler also took the stage in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
McCreery, 17, was predicted the winner by a clear margin by DialIdol.com, which measures the busy signals on telephones used to cast votes and text messages.
I see a bright future for both stars. McCreery is so different from any past winners, so I’m glad he won. The runner-ups always go on to do huge things too, so I don’t think Alaina should be too disappointed in herself. They both deserved to be there and did a great job.
They’re the youngest final two in the history of ‘American Idol,’ but Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina both showed they deserve to be there tonight for the final showdown.
Both high-schooler country singers duked it out once last time, for the top prize to be announced tomorrow night.
The first round had both singers reprising their favorite song of the season. McCreery went with Montgomery Gentry’s country song ‘Gone,’ while Alaina sang Carrie Underwood’s ‘Flat on the Floor.’
McCreery worked the room with some swagger, ending with a powerful golf swing and more high-fives for the kids down front. Alaina sounded in fine form as well, adding some rasp to her voice and ending with a big, rich note that proved she was in it to win it.
The second round had the contestants’ own idols offering up their choice, with Country Hall of Famer George Strait suggesting one of his own hits, ‘Check Yes or No,’ for Scotty. Alaina’s idol, Underwood, suggested the 1991 version of ‘Maybe it Was Memphis’ by Pam Tillis. McCreery crooned his signature bullfrog voice, while Alaina went more theatrical and put some smoky emotion into the vocals. Both played what works for them.
McCreery’s final song of the night was the single he’ll release if he wins the competition, “‘Love You This Big,’ a swaying ballad. The camera even panned to his mother shedding a tear – a sure-to-win-votes tactic.
Alaina’s last song was ‘Like My Mother Does,’ a song mentor Jimmy Iovine said is the perfect encapsulation of Alaina’s journey on the show. The uplifting ode to maternal love and strength was also sure to catch votes. Nicely played.
Over all, the judges had favourites throughout the show, but all three say it’s too close to call at this point. Who do you think will win the top prize?
Tomorrow night’s finale will feature performances from this season’s top 13, as well as judge Steven Tyler and a number of yet-unannounced special guests.
Fan-favourite Haley Reinhart was surprisingly eliminated last night on ‘American Idol,’ leaving many fans confused and angry.
Fans must now get ready for an all-country music showdown on the ‘Idol’ season finale. Country singers Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina are now to duke it out next week, after the raspy-voiced Reinhart was eliminated from the singing competition on Thursday night.
Before announcing Reinhart’s elimination, Ryan Seacrest boasted to the crowd that this week’s voting numbers reached 95 million, the largest sum of any non-season finale in ‘Idol’s’ history. Maybe she wasn’t a fan-favourite, after all. But I do know many who are pissed about it.
For her farewell song, the Wheeling, Ill. native returned to Elton John’s ‘Bennie and the Jets,’ which she’d performed earlier this season.
The Pussycat Dolls leader Nicole Scherzinger performed last night, with an assist from 50 Cent on her single ‘Right There,’ as well as Italian tenor trio Il Volo with ‘O Sole Mio.’
Who do you think will win the top prize? I have a feeling that McCreery’s going to win it, just because he’s so unique and different than any other past winners.
Not surprisingly every contestant on Fox’s “American Idol” has to sign a contract to participate in the show. However some of the conditions within the contract are surprising.
TMZ has obtained a copy of said contract which clearly states contestants and their families and friends cannot have any relationships with the Judges. “Neither I nor any members of my family or my friends will enter into any personal, social, business, and or financial relationships with any of the judges, host(s), guest stars …” This apparently lasts for the duration of the show and 6 months after.
As American Idol gears up for a new series this fall, its roster of judges is expanding its horizons.
Katy Perry and Avril Lavigne will be the latest stars to sit alongside Randy Jackson, Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul’s replacement Kara DioGuardi during the last round of auditions in Los Angeles.
Throughout auditions, the show has welcome Victoria Beckham, Shania Twain, Joe Jonas, Neil Patrick Harris, Mary J. Blige and Kristen Chenoweth to have their say.
Abdul abandoned the show in August in a rather abrupt move that many speculated had to do with salary. But in an interview with the New York Daily News, Abdul said the decision was more about pursuing her career (whatever’s left of it.)
