Vonzell Solomon - Round One A La Clive Davis
Vonzell Solomon walked onto the stage wearing a long black shimmering gown with a robin's egg blue sash. She wore her hair down. For her first number, her voice belted out I'll Never Love This Way Again.
Clive was the first to judge. He said, "You hit the notes great. You have a real, real strong voice." He cautioned her about smiling during a song that spoke about "never loving this way again."
Randy called her piece a bit pitchy. Simon told her she looked nervous. He was encouraging however. He said, "You have two more songs."
Paula looked gorgeous in her multi-strand necklace and pink top. Her comments for Vonzell were equally as glowing.
Bo Bice - Round One, A Clive Davis Selection
Bo Bice was instructed by Clive Davis to sing Elton John's Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me. He put a Southern Rock spin on it.
Clive dug it. He called it "heartfelt, powerful and passionate." He said Bo made Elton and Bernie Taupin proud.
Randy told Bo he is forever in the Dawg Pound. Randy said, "You can do anything, baby."
Paula called his performance magnificent and brilliant.
Simon was confident after his first performance that we would see Bo move on to the Top Two.
Carrie Underwood - Round One Chosen By Clive
Clive Davis chose Crying, a gorgeous song for Carrie Underwood.
Randy called it one of her best vocals ever.
Paula called the song "haunting."
Simon gave "Round One" to Bo only because Carrie's performance was "a little wooden," he said.
Vonzell Solomon - Round Two, Her Choice
Vonzell chose Chain of Fools, the same song she sang during her audition. This rendition had even more personality than when she walked into the room with one pink and one green shoe.
Clive said, "She missed the soulful essence of the song."
Randy said, "That was what this show is all about..."
Paula told Vonzell that no one has ever nailed it better.
Simon agreed with Clive's comment about being "likeable." However, he did not agree with Clive's comment about her lacking soul. Instead Simon said, "With that we have a competition."
Bo Bice - Round Two, A Cappella
For Bo's second song, he chose to sing without the band. Great move!
Badlands Without A Dream sung a cappella was the right way to present it.
This gutsy move allowed everyone in the audience and at home to hear the range of his vocals. It was almost as if he was doing a solo in church.
Other than his voice you could hear a pin drop until he belted out, "Just Open My Eyes..."
And then the crowd went wild.
At home, we admit to having been in awe. However, our reaction was not as loud as when Clive complimented Bo.
Clive made a bold prediction. Insinuating that Bo would win the competition this year, he claimed they would have a lot of fun together cutting a record.
Randy and Paula were also full of praise.
Simon said simply, "You may have put thirty-four musicians out of work."
Lisa Hermansson, our au pair from last year who is visiting from Sweden, said: "Do you have his number?" And a second later, Bo's "Number" flashed on the screen.
Carrie Underwood - Round Two, An Air Supply Tune
Air Supply's Makin' Love Out of Nothin' At All was Carrie's choice this week.
After Bo's strong performance you could tell that Carrie is a competitor. She had fire in her eyes.
Clive heard the same conviction in her voice that we did.
Randy praised her ability to sing, or "blow" as he said.
Paula called her performance "unbelievable."
Simon said he thought she strained the song in the middle.
American Idol III top contestant George Huff was in the crowd to cheer on Carrie and the other contestants.
Vonzell Solomon - Round Three A La Simon
The mayor of Vonzell's hometown was the one to tell her the song that Simon had picked for her third performance of the night.
Donna Summer's On The Radio was the tune Cowell chose for "Baby V."
Clive praised her for being in her element. And he praised Simon for picking a real good song for her.
Randy let Vonzell know that he enjoyed her performance. Paula dittoed Randy's compliments. Simon said, "I echo every word of Clive Davis."
Bo Bice - Round Three A La Paula
Paula Abdul chose the Rolling Stones I Can't Go No Satisfaction. Who wouldn't love to sing that song?!
It's a tune we've all sung in our cars, in the shower, after a bad date.
Bo took the tune, slowed it down a bit in the middle and gave it his own signature.
Tim called it "a bit cheesy." (Maybe that's a compliment -- given that Tim comes from Wisconsin.)
Paula loved the performance so much she was on her feet.
Clive called it Bo's night.
Randy said, "I feel like I've just been to the Bo concert..."
Paula said, "Listen up. You get one more week for this free music. And then you'll have to pay."
Simon called it a bit of fluff like something you'd hear at a wedding.
Carrie Underwood - Round Three A La Randy
Carrie's final song of the night was chosen by Randy Jackson. His selection?
Shania Twain's I Feel Like A Woman
Carrie delivered the vocals but lacked the personality that Shania delivers.
Clive affirmed that Country Pop is her genre.
Randy said, "I'm just happy to see you have some fun up there."
Paula said, "I love when you have fun."
Simon said, "I think that was enough to get you into the final."
One American Family's Votes
Bo Bice - Jennifer, Malin, Lisa, Niki
Carrie Underwood - Tim, Jessie, Niki
While the rest of were willing to vote only for one, Niki insisted on calling in her vote for both Bo and Carrie.
Malin said, "Bo gets my vote hands down. However, I have to say I really missed Anthony tonight. It would have been fun to see how he would have done."
Linnea & Lisa -- Two Swedish "American Idol" Fans
Lisa Hermansson, our nineteen year-old Swedish au pair from last year who watched American Idol III with us, came back to America in time for this year's finals. After Tuesday night's performance we gave her a walk down Memory Lane by introducing her to the likes of Constantine Maroulis, Anwar Robinson and Nikko Smith -- three of our favorites this season.
After watching our tivoed episodes of American Idol IV Lisa proclaimed, "Bo's My Guy!"
I had to argue. "No," I said. "Bo's my guy."
In reality, he's neither. The truth is ... he's Clive Davis' guy -- at least until Bice get's his first American Idol record cut.
Inspire & Be Inspired.
Here's to healthy, adventuresome, soulful, "bodacious" living!
~ Jennifer Carolyn King, Rugged Elegance, LLC
fresh content posted
