web analytics

Pop Rock Nation

Tag: Simon Cowell

  • The X Factor USA Recap: Season 3 – And Then There Were 3

    X Factor usa recap

    You have to hand it to the X Factor producers. They were able to stretch a show with just three acts left who were performing three times each, all the way up to the two hour mark. They sure stretched that first hour out, getting in just three full performances. But it was good TV.

    One of the things they do well is produce compelling human interest packages. It’s one thing to produce a talent show and it’s another to make people care about things they didn’t know they cared about. And it sounds like they’ll be back next year which is a good thing since this season was so excellent. The question is if Simon Cowell will have the same role that he’s had since the beginning of the US version of the show.

    We’re going to do this a bit differently than we’ve done this season. Who deserves to win? And who is going to win.

    Let’s get to the X Factor USA recap.

    Who should win?

    X Factor USA recap
    Via their Twitter page
    Everyone should know my love for Sierra by now. She’s all that and a bag of chips. While I jokingly say things like Alex doesn’t deserve Sierra and how when they break up I have dibs, he truly is the steak of the group. She’s the sizzle. But from the beginning of this show until now, she’s improved so much that if she were a solo act, I still think she’d be the front runner to win the show. She’s that magnetic.

    They also smartly performed Say Something which reminded everyone how their first performance of the same song was the best performance all season. They reminded folks who was boss.

    Carlito Olivero is the obviously not in the same class of singer that the other two acts are. But does he need to be? He probably doesn’t need to be now that he’s in the final three. I thought it would catch up with him before the finals, but his charisma carried him. He’s also clearly a hard worker. The man nearly sweats as much as James Brown in his prime. It’s all about the female vote. If he kills it with them, he could definitely win. But it doesn’t mean he deserves it.

    Jeff Gutt is also very deserving. I feel like Jeff wins last season running away and gives Melanie Amaro a helluva run on season one. He just has Alex & Sierra in front of him. But he also has a fantastic story. He was too big of a downer for me early on and while he has opened up his personality somewhat, there’s still some dark edges there. Will that hurt him? I think it will.

    I’m leaning Alex & Sierra with Jeff Gutt on their heels when it comes to who should win.

    Who will win?

    I think it comes down to a few things.

    1. Do the female voters love Sierra enough?
    It seems that they do. While the haters may be out there, I haven’t really seen them. I don’t think she did anything to irritate the young female voter on Wednesday, she and Alex are probably okay with the females.

    2. Is Carlito just cooler than everyone else?
    This is still a popularity contest. And you have to admit that Carlito is a cool dude. His performance with Prince Royce on Wednesday’s show wasn’t the greatest performance of all-time, but he looked like he belonged on stage. Now, I don’t really know Prince Royce’s work other than the popular cover of Stand By Me, but Carlito wasn’t overshadowed by him and belonged.

    3. Will Jeff’s tears overcome?
    I’m not sure if this was strategic or not, but Jeff Gutt cried his eyes out. He showed love for his mentor Kelly Rowand by giving her a photo of them together. He was cut previously. He does it for his son. His son gives him inspiration. If you’re looking to vote for someone based on story, Jeff has to be your guy. But to people like me, it came off a little heavy handed and I found myself a slightly lesser fan. It’s not because I’m cold-hearted. It just seemed a bit strategic, even if it wasn’t.

    Measuring all of those things, I still think Alex & Sierra win the entire thing. But if they don’t, I can see Carlito sneaking in. And if he does, we riot.

  • The X Factor USA Recap: Season 3 – And Then There Were 12

    X Factor elimination

    Oh X Factor. Why can’t you do anything right? And how much of this is to blame on Simon Cowell? Well, from a technical perspective, it’s not his fault that there was a technical slip-up, but this is his baby and the Mickey Mouse mistakes will all direct back to him as the face of the show.

    If you had invested two hours into Wednesday’s show like I did and then saw on Thursday that you weren’t going to get what was promised, which was an elimination, did you even bother with Thursday’s show? I don’t see why you would’ve. According to the ratings, no one did.

    The rhythm of the show is off. After eliminating someone tonight, they’re eliminating two people tomorrow. I wish the show was more organized. You have to think that this is probably the last season of the X Factor in the USA.

    X Factor Elimination

    Carlos Guevara was eliminated surprisingly. It made sense in that he was a great story, but when it came time to deliver, he didn’t deliver. Still, from a human interest story, they have to be disappointed that he was the first elimination. They could’ve told many more stories about Carlos.

    Performances of the night

    It was 80s night. This was both good and bad. It was good in the sense that most of the songs were fun and recognizable. But being recognizable made some of the acts try and change them up too much.

    Khaya Cohen performed Madonna’s Borderline, which was the perfect performance of the night. She has that Amy Winehouse twang. To me, it’s one of Madonna’s most fun song and Khaya’s performance was fun as well. However, she has the chops to sing it better than Madonna ever could.

    Rachel Potter and her legs performed Heart’s Alone. It was a diversion from her country style, but it worked well because it showed off her vocals and stage presence. She was once booed on stage, but now she’s getting those cheers, deservedly.

    Rion Paige sang Pat Benetar’s We Belong very well. She’s such a ball of fire.

    Duds of the night

    Tim Olstad just doesn’t have it. He redid Phil Collins’ Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now) and if I closed my eyes, I’d think he did a pretty good job. But in watching him, I had to see how uncomfortable he was (which made me feel uncomfortable) and since this is a TV show, he just doesn’t have it. Demi said it best. He doesn’t have the X factor.

    No one else really did terribly. Even though Carlito Olivero is a mess on stage, I found his energetic performance of Rhythm Is Gonna Get You fine. Can you really do an outstanding performance of that song, or is it supposed to be a clusterf***?

    Who are the front runners?

    At this point, my girl Khaya is the best singer. Simon is propping up Restless Road as the best thing since Wonder bread. And Alex & Sierra to me, seem to be the best mix of solid vocals, excellent stage presence, and creative versions of the songs they’re singing. Either that, or I just dig me some Sierra. She’s the baddest girl in his history of this show.

    I wasn’t a fan of Josh Levi’s version of Straight Up, but he’s got a mini-Usher vibe going. Everyone’s favorite grandmother, Lille McCloud took a step backward by doing Chaka Khan, but she’s still really good. I still think Rachel Potter has her work cut out for her, no matter how well she’s done so far.

    Who goes home?

    I think Tim is done. He’s like Old Yeller after getting rabies. We just have to shoot him out of his misery.

  • The X Factor USA Recap: Season 3 – And Then There Were 13

    X Factor USA recapAfter last week, the top twelve was set. However, much like Simon used to do on American Idol, they kept a wild card. After being given the boot last week, Josh Levi came back to the show as the mentors thought he deserved another chance. Oh, how nice?

    The theme of the night was Motown which meant Kelly Rowland was looking as much like Diana Ross as she could look.

    It’s unfortunate that instead of trying to replicate the fun Motown sound, many of the singers chose to slow the songs down so that they could show off their voices. What happened is that instead of a fun night of television, it was a pretty drab night on the X Factor.

    Let’s get to the X Factor USA recap:

    Performances of the night

    You mean other than Rachel Potter’s legs?

    I will say that Khaya Cohen is my favorite voice in the competition because she sounds so much like Amy Winehouse and that’s a voice that we’re missing in music today. She unnecessarily sultry-ed up My Girl, but it allowed her to show off the voice. It’s hard to believe that she’s just sixteen.

    Lillie McCloud had to kill Motown night. And I think she did. I’m not sure how a 54-year old could not be outdated. Let’s not try and make her young. What’s special about her? She’s a 54-year old hot grandmother out-singing everyone! She performed one of the better versions of Stevie Wonder’s All In Love Is Fair you’ll hear.

    I’m a sucker for girl groups. Last year it was Fifth Harmony. This year, it’s Sweet Suspense. They remind me of an American version of the Spice Girls, which is right up my girl group alley. They performed You Keep Me Hangin’ On and it was fun, Fifth Harmony-y, and everything I want from a girl group. I hope they stick around for a long time.

    Duds of the night

    Carlos Guevara is very popular, partly because of his story and partly because of his crazy nice voice. It’s smooth and more powerful than it should be. But he was amateur to the core. He had zero stage presence with his What’s Going On performance, looked nervous and was out of his league. However, because of his popularity, there’s no way he goes home anytime soon.

    Tim Olstad is the weirdest contestant. He doesn’t look like he’s having any fun and he receives feedback in a very painful way. I’m wincing while the mentors are telling him what they think while he squints hard. Thankfully, Simon enjoyed his performance of I’ll Be There, which was just okay.

    Someone thought that Carlito Olivero should slow down Stop! In the Name of Love to a crawl. You mean, one of the most energetic and fun Motown songs ever? It was awful. There’s a good chance that Carlito may be on his way home.

    Who are the front runners?

    I think it’s fairly obvious that Restless Road is the main front runner right now, much like Emblem3 was last year. I find them a bit cheesy, but I get their appeal (definition: the girls love them).

    Alex & Sierra are easy to enjoy. They’re the only boyfriend/girlfriend couple in the competition and really, let’s face facts, Sierra is cuter than all get out. I can also see this backfiring on them, but for now, I think they’ll get major love from America.

    Who goes home?

    It’s quite possible that Josh Levi may leave again, even though his rendition of Who’s Lovin’ You was at the very least, the middle of the pack. I think it’s going to be between painful Tim Olstad and cheesy Carlito Olivero. The wild card here is Rachel Potter because it seems that the females hate her. But I do hope she sticks around for a while.

    If I have to make a call, I’m going with Carlito.