The Elite 8.

[Son of Simon]

So now it's down to just 8. Well, and Ryan...and the judges...and the guests...you know what I mean.

We've heard these people sing for several weeks now. We've gotten to know them. We have our own percieved strengths and weaknesses we attribute to them. And some of us are getting bored. I've said in many posts that there are clear frontrunners, and it seems like everyone including the contestants are aware of this, and so some of the Idol Faithful are starting to lose interest.

So really, the key for the remaining contestants is to give us what we've only seen hints and glimpses of prior to the theme-based shows: stardom. Forget that one contestant clearly singes better than the others. Forget that some contestants have solidified identities and fanbases at this point, we know what we're gonna know about identity and fans. We want to see our star spring forth fully grown like the Greek goddess Athena from the head of Zeus...or...Simon Cowell if you will...

Some contestants have peaked already. Some haven't found their peak performance yet. Some are waning and falling behind the herd, only to be preyed upon like the sickly gazelle about to be struck down by the cheetah. Enough imagery...let's have a look:

Chris: Chris has peaked already, and America loves him just the way he is. That said- he could use a tweak here and there. He took a big risk this week by just sitting and singing a song, boring-yes, but an excellent strategy to showcase some range. Chris should run through the gamut of emotions for the rest of the contest. We've seen angry rocker already, and I'm glad he wasted mellow on country week- now I want to see fun, excited, happy, and I think Queen week will show us some of his fun side.

Katharine: Katharine has a lot of damage control to do. Image seems to be a big thing with her borderline fans, and while her range has been impressive, we want more entertainment and more emotion from her. She needs to find a connection with her audience. She appears to be slightly goofy offstage- let's see her bring some silly to the stage (though not in Pickler fashion, PLEASE NO!!!). If Katharine can find a way to identify with a young female audience she'll not only collect Mandisa's votes but garner a few from the Kellie/Paris/Ace camps. The amazing thing about Katharine is- we have yet to see her peak, we don't have a clear identity assigned here, and yet she's still a powerhouse.

Taylor: Cloi4me is dead on- Taylor needs to stay the same. He's peaked already, and currently waning, mostly because it seems like someone has sucked the adrenaline and passion from him in the last two weeks. If this slump continues, it could signal a death-knell for our pepper-haired friend. Taylor needs to find something that will make him shake off the mic for a second and "WOO" the way he used to.

Kellie: For once, Kellie almost sounded mildly intelligent last week! Still- she's riding many other cards going into the late rounds, almost none of which seem to be her vocal. How many times have the judges said, "Wasn't the best vocal Kellie, but we like you." Kellie has fired off all her ammunition: her limited vocals, her country-bumpkin charm, and some sex appeal from the earlier rounds. While Kellie is physically incapable of putting together a performance that will blow us away at this point, she can show some development, and that's what we need to see from her.

Paris: I will say that I have nearly allowed myself to like Paris in recent weeks. Did I just say that? BAH- she makes my skin crawl, honestly. She has put together some good performances backed by solid song choices, but my problem with Paris is that she isn't pulling herself ahead of the pack, and of anyone she has the solid vocal to eliminate 4 contestants in a single night. When I watch her I think that I'm still seeing a very young girl mature on the stage, and it's evident that she's evolving, and she hasn't peaked. My question is, will it be before we get sick of her and throw her off?

Bucky: Does anyone else find it completely ironic that his twin borhter's name is Rocky? Because that's the movie I feel like I'm watching here. Bucky is like watching the Jamaican bobsledding team. He's like the only pickup truck at the Indy 500. You know he can't compete with Chris's charisma, Ace's looks, Elliot's vocals, or Taylor's soul but he's still here! And I LOVE that about him! Like the proverbial Rocky, ever taking it in the face and yelling incomprehensible words- Bucky has grown on me. Still, do we really want him as an Idol? He's peaked weeks ago, we know him, we know his deal, and yet we refuse to let him go. Love Bucky, but I think America will probably decide in unison when it's time to finally let him go.

Ace: Mr. song choice. Mr. live or die by his song choice. His looks are nearly a handicap for him at this stage, because he's so inconsistent on the stage that people say he's only on for his looks, and yet there were one or two nights where this author was like, "Wow, this kid might just be able to sing a little.." Ace hasn't peaked, but he's looking in the right direction. Forget the beanie kid, forget your Zoolander stare, FOCUS on vocals. Ace has the potential to be a frontrunner- and if he peaks at the right time, this just might be a competition.

Elliot: I want to buy an Elliot Yamin album today. Seriously. The funny thing is, mroe and more of America it seems is willing to do this as well. Is Elliot finally getting his bearings? Elliot is peaking...and right now is the time to do it. This guy has been putting together better performances of late, and America is starting to take notice, but again is it too late? I firmly believe that without Mandisa, Elliot is capable of bringing the house down, I just want to see him do it.

So, that's it for my thoughts on the 8 (ESPN 8, The OCHO!!). Some of these contestants have 5 gears, some have 6, and a couple have speeds we haven't even seen yet. I hope we see it soon, because this writer can get bored in a hurry...

[X1TX]

My take:
I'm hoping that this turns out to be an interesting week as the last two have only distinguished themselves by having no distinguishing performances.

Chris: Agree with Paula that he should be on tour already. He did appear to take the comment from Simon that he needs to get out of the "screaming rocker" routine and show he's capable of other things. He tried a ballad earlier in the contest and it didn't go well. This latest one was better, but it's an area in which he could improve. Good vocals (though not the best in the competition), and a very good entertainer.

Katharine: Agree, she needs to loosen up and show some of the joy and happiness that she exudes off stage. If she enjoys her performance so will the audience. Great vocals, average entertainer.

Taylor: His best to date was the "Takin' It To The Streets" week. He's yet to equal or top that. His performance last week was horrid and I guess it's just fan base inertia that kept him out of the bottom three. Good (though limited range) vocals, but probably the best entertainer of the lot. When he's on he can fire up the crowd better than anyone else in the group. He has peaked, but if he can get it back he'll keep going.

Kelllie: She'll squeek by this week even though I think she'll mangle anything by Freddie Mercury. If America does tire of her ditsy blonde country bumpkin routine she'll be gone. Above average vocals which are good when she's in her element. She has show good stage usage and the ability to fire up the crowd (like when she did the Melissa Ethridge song). If she can do that she could potentially topple Taylor.

Paris: Along with Lisa she seems to be the underachiever of the group. She has the vocal talent but seems to be growing slower than the rest. At the start of the contest she was one of the best. But the rest have shown marked growth while she's only marginally improved. It seems Simon says about the same things to her every week and she's not using the critique and going with it. If she doesn't step it up her time will be limited. I do think she has a good career ahead of her though. She has the talent, just hasn't learned how to use it yet.

Bucky: He is growing some, but don't think he'll make it a whole lot longer. His vocals are unclear and his range is fairly limited. Decent vocals and a decent entertainer. He's just being eclipsed by the rest.

Ace: I'm probably not the right person to comment on Ace as I find the whole falsetto thing terribly irritating no matter who sings it. But he's had a lot of off-key notes in some of his songs. Can't see him staying until the end. So-so vocals (with my caveat about my opinion of the falsetto above) and a decent entertainer.

Elliott: Agree that I'd buy and Elliott CD tomorrow. Only thing he lacks is the stage energy that Chris and Taylor tend to bring. If he steps that up, he'll be there unti the end. If not, he'll make it to the last four or five. Excellent voice, maybe the best of the lot here. Needs to be a little better entertainer. If he can pick his songs and stay with the blues style, he's very strong.

[Watcher]

Elliott:

I have always felt that Elliott's the dark horse in this contestant. His personality is one that bespeaks humility and he exudes a certain warmth that may be alien to others because of their background.
He certainly has what it takes to be among the last three but that would depend on a certain extent on luck. Believe it or not, luck does play a part in situations like the American Idol.
Let's be frank, he doesn't have the looks but he has the voice and other pleasant personality traits. Perhaps he will overcome some of the existing drawbacks and soar. Who knows.

Ace:

This good-looking young man is lucky so far. He has had the experience of hitting the bottom three. So to some degree, he's vulnerable. As this season progresses, we witness that looks will not guarantee staying power.
Whether or not, Ace will still be with the show for the next three weeks will depend to some extent on how diligent he works on his stage presence, his vocal delivery and showmanship.
The judges are becoming more demanding. I wouldn't want to use the word "jaded". Paula, Randy and Simon have seen so much that they are finding it increasingly difficult to be impressed. So Ace will have to impress them, if he wants to get into the good books of the audience.
It will take some doing but it is not impossible.

Bucky:

Win or lose, Bucky Covington has got his fans. He's quite a likeable character. I reckon it won't hurt him much if he has to make his exit in the next two weeks because he probably thinks that it has been a very good experience to be part of a rapidly shrinking group of singers as the show grinds it way slowly towards a climax.
My impression of Bucky is he's a slightly above average singer who shows promise. If Lady Luck bestows some more gift on him, Bucky should have a great career ahead of him. He's not the type to feel sorry for him because he's having fun all the time.
For some people, that's more than enough and that's why they are always happy. A rare gift indeed.

Paris:

This little girl of 17 is born to sing. I wouldn't worry too much about her. Give her a few more years and some much needed experience in the right places, and Paris will be "burning".
I won't be surprised to see her name up in the lights by the time she hits 20. At such a tender age, she's already raising eyebrows. An enormously talented girl like Paris can't be kept down for long.
The American Idol experience for her is proving to be worth its weight in gold. My feeling is she won't grab the top prize but that's not that important to Paris, even though she may not realise it now.
The exposure is and will do her wonders. I love watching natural-born singers like her. It brightens up my otherwise lonely evenings and tells me that there are many unknown people out there with God-given talents.

Kellie:

Real, fake or just naive, Kellie Pickler is fun to watch and comes across as someone who wants to succeed on her own merit. And there's really nothing wrong with that kind of ambition.
So she has a country accent. Even if it's put-on, will it affect the show. I seriously doubt it. Can she sing? You betcha but not in the way, the ordinary people perceive.
With the right song, Kellie can bring the house down. Nobody expects her to sing every song every week and garnered an A+ rating. She's has her off-days. That's not unreasonable.
I suppose some people are right, Kellie would be a surprise candidate if she wriggles her way into the final top three. It may happen, and then it may not.
In the final outcome, if she comes up against the other competing friends who prove to be too strong for her, nature will takes its course.
The final word is if it helps to have a Texas drawl or Southern accent to win the contest, even I don't mind talking like Alvin & his Chipmunk friends!

Taylor:

Taylor Hicks is a popular guy among TV viewers and the audience, and you don't have to be a genius to know why. He's different from the others. Basically, he is not afraid to show all the sides to his personality.
So he likes to blow a tune or two from the harmonica. That's pretty endearing. He prefers to jerk his head sideways when he's feeling the emotion of a song. That's quite all right, too.
Taylor sort of reminds the rest of us that it could very well be us standing up there and singing away, even if half the world thinks we sound like a pond full of frogs, but we don't really care.
His vocals are not world standard but Taylor has what others would probably envy - undisguised popularity.
If his circle of friends and fans widens or explores in the coming weeks, he will certainly go with the flow. It's the American Idol contest, my friends, any number can play, like they say.

Katharine:

Katharine McPhee's "weakness" at this stage of the contest is her perceived "Uptown Girl" image. It's not her fault. She was born into a good home, brought up right, her mum a voice coach and she's just not NOT ugly.
I don't think she should apologise for all that and we should begrudge her good fortune. But can she sing?
I think if you were to ask all the three judges, Paula, Randy and Simon, you will probably get three "yes-es" in one loud unison. Katharine has a way-above average voice.
It is to my bewilderment and some others as well, I am sure, why they keep poking their fingers in her eye, so to speak. This is afterall the American Idol singing contest. Her voice should be the most important factor.
Visually, most of us can't deny that her physical presence is not unpleasant to view. Her girlish manner charming and she has a certain ease with songs that some people may find irritating.
Barring all unforeseen circumstances, Katharine should stand among the last top three, otherwise life is not fair. Yes, sometimes it isn't.

Chris:

Chris Daughtry is still the favourite of many who believe that this season, a rocker should stand on the winner's podium. If only, life is that simple. Being consistent is of course good. True to his ideals is not a liability.
On his good day, Chris can only impress all and perhaps even bring everyone to their feet. His voice isn't the best in the world but right now, it's good enough for him to stare at the visible finishing line.
We won't know whether Chris will live up to expectations but based on my past experience with previous seasons of this show, I can only say time will tell.
For one like Chris to win, everything will have "to come together" on the last day. Not only his strengths and faith in himself, but also all his hardcore fans dialling their phones incessantly for two whole hours.
Don't forget the last person (that is if Chris makes it to the final two) singing before or after Chris will also have their own fans.
I wish Chris all the luck. He reminds me of a younger version of Vin Diesel.

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/nst/blogs/fillips

[AbsentElement]

He reminds me of a younger version of Vin Diesel.
I was thinking more along the lines of Howie Mandel... deal or no deal? Seriously, I went back and looked at couple of his past performances on my DVR, and thought "Man, this guy looks just like Howie!"

[bigd13]

Chris - and the winner is... He is the only one I can see winning this season. From singing to star power, he has the total package. He is the best person they have and if he doesn't win, the show will suck.

Katharine - once again, she has the looks and can sing, but she has no passion on stage. I would love it if she would really sing out and she doesn't evoke any emotion on stage. Her voice is on point, but she's got to work on actually performing.

Paris - I think she is underrated in this competition. I think she is one of the best they have and a lot of people are not into her because you think she's too young for the competition. She can sing and knows how to perform. I think she'll make the top four, but she's not going to win. I think she's a star in the making.

Elliot - The best singer they have if anybody disagrees then you have not been watching the whole season. If you have seen his audition, you know he is the best singer. I think him and Katharine are in the same boat when it comes to performance, it's like nothing there when they perform. Him and Chris are the best males they have, he doesn't evoke the passion that Chris has, but voice wise, he's better than Chris.

Ace - the ladies man I'll give it to him, he sounds good sometimes, but he has only had two good performances. I'm sure a lot of people vote for him because of looks, not talent. He does connect with the people better than Elliot, but voice wise they're 4 people better than him.

Kellie - poor, poor Kellie She needs to go already. She should've left when she horribly sang the Stevie Wonder song. Once again, she can only sing country music and that's is not what they're looking for. This dumb country nice act she's got going on is really annoying, but a lot of people like that about her. I don't think she's going to be cut for a while now, it's like no matter how bad she sounds, she's never in the bottom three and the last people who have gotten eliminated sounded way better than her.

Taylor - I'm not feeling Taylor, I was into the whole Stevie Wonder thing about him, but it's get tired after a while. I know he's toned down during the last 2 weeks, and it was still boring to me. I don't feel anything when he's singing or when he's moving all around the stage. Taylor has fell off to me.

Bucky - the male version of Kellie, just not as dumb or annoying as Kellie. I like Bucky, but he should've been the first eliminated. I actually thought he sounded the best he's ever sounded last week, but that doesn't make up for all his bad performances. I don't think him or Kellie should've been put on this season.