Naima Adedapo - Fox photo Ashthon Jones - Fox photo Stefano Langone - Fox photo

Video Beat Part 1 - AMERICAN IDOL'S CHOSEN THREE

James Loving - National Radio Text Service

Not voted into the Top 10 by the viewers the American Idol judges gave six of the 14 eliminated Top 24 contestants a chance to sing for their supper and earn a spot on the regular season show. Of those six the judges chose three - Recommended TV Listings

Friday March 4, 2011

THE JUDGES CHOICES

It's a new day and a new way for American Idol. The 10th season has many changes other than upgrading the judges. The elimination rounds from the Top 24 to 20 to 16 to 12 have been dropped. In its place was a cut to the chase format of eliminating the top 24 to 10 in the first pre regular season show. The Top 10 were voted in by the public and the judges saved six others in a sing off to remain on the show. Three survived thus we deem them the Chosen 3 who are Ashthon Jones 24, Naima Adedapo 26 and Stefano Langone 21.

Jones is one of our three choices in the Hollywood audition stage when 168 remained in the competition of the 327 that received yellow tickets to Hollywood at the regional auditions. Jones faltered in the final elimination round when she sang Monica's "Love All Over Me." After the judges saved her to sing again to qualify for the regular season shows she redeemed herself singing Jennifer Hudson's "I'm Telling You I'm Not Leaving. Her diva attitude and good looks got her over more so than the quality of her vocal. Her voice lacks the power to carry that song as does Hudson.

Adedapo deserves to qualify for the season. At 26 she's more mature and sings pop/standard songs more applicable an older audience. AI's skews a younger generation who are more familiar with songs on the charts during their teen years.

The Milwaukee Wisconsin native has had a rough life but has a good voice. How long she survives remains to be seen. Her life has been rough including having formerly cleaning toilets at rock concerts. Her preference was to be on stage and show what she could do. American Idol is that vehicle that could help raise her out of poverty and to a better life that she deserves.

Langone was the only male to qualify. His performance in the regular show and sing off were strong. The judges mad a good decision in saving him he has a good voice but won't win nor be in the final three.

With so much talent to sort through in the audition stages we couldn't see how the show claimed once again that this is the shows best talent ever. They claim that every season but this season the got it right. Half of the talent that failed to make the cut from the Top 24 is talented enough to be on the regular show. Some have better voices than some who survived. Their failure was in going away from their strength and vocal styling that got them to the Top 24 as well as choosing the wrong song to compliment their talent.

The wrong song taboo is indicative that the talent doesn't really know who they are as a talent. Judge Jennifer Lopez repeatedly asked that question to these who feel into that trap, "Is that who you are is that who you want to be," referring to their song choice and performance style.

Our other two choices from the early audition stage of over 100 to succeed were voted in by the public. Thia Megia 16 and Casey Abrams 20 were in the Top 10. Megia has a great voice that is still developing. Abrams voice is not so great but he's a very talented entertainer. His acoustic bass playing is excellent so much so that he challenged Jackson to a bass off to see who the best is. Abrams works at an actor's camp in Idyllwild, California which is a throwback to the 60's era of peace and love and creativity. He is a very talented guy with a great personality that he could lead him on a path to become a great actor in Seth Rogan type films.

It's such a breath of fresh air to watch American Idol without having to see judges compete and argue with each other. Now the focus is on the talent and not destroying them mentally with cruel comments when they mess up.

Randy Jackson is playing the role of the bad tough guy with his critiques while Steven Tyler and Lopez are not as critical but more supportive. They are singers and understand what singers go through. Jackson is a musician and has produced singers such as Mariah Carey but he can't relate to the craft as well as those who are singers. His negative critiques are spot on and in many cases agree with our notes that we take when a contestant performs.

Overall after seeing American Idol self destruct over the past several seasons it has been born again. This is the best talent we've ever witnessed since season four our fist exposure to the show. This talent includes who we think has the best ever voice that has performed on the show. Who is it? Stay tuned...

Part 2 - IDOL CONTESTANTS THAT F'D UP!!!

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