realitymunches

31 May 2011

So You Think You Can Dance (US Season 8) - Auditions #1

Marko Germar - Contemporary (sounds like some James Morrison song)
Melanie Moore - Contemporary

Amber Williams - Ke$ha-style
Levi Allen - Turfin'-style

Labels: SYTYCD

# posted by Louis : 12:04 AM

29 May 2011

Glee - Favourite 10 Performances/Songs from Season 2

Landslide – Holly and Santana and Brittany
Loser Like Me – New Directions

Toxic – New Directions (can’t find a better version that can be embedded)
Teenage Dream – The Warblers

Telephone – Rachel and Sunshine
Jar Of Hearts – Rachel

Rolling In The Deep – Rachel and Jesse
Forget You – Holly

Thriller / Heads Will Roll – New Directions
Marry You – New Directions

Labels: Glee

# posted by Louis : 10:53 AM

28 May 2011

Sundown 2011 - The Prelude Playlist

Before doomsday (or rather, doomsnight) arrives, I was thinking of sharing my running playlist which I created yesterday, so as to motivate myself to run faster during the Sundown Half-Marathon. Here goes!

Jessie J - Do It Like A Dude

I would be telling myself to do it like a Usain Bolt.

Avril Lavigne - Bad Reputation

You don't wanna run so slow, or else you know the names you're getting get back in camp.

Rihanna - S & M

Let's just say we all need a little lashing to run that much faster.

Pitbull - I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)

His stamina at rapping, despite his old age, will serve as an inspiration to me.

Adam Lambert - Sure Fire Winners

Oh, what an anthem. Sounds amazing as I blaze the tracks at Changi.

Rihanna - Who's That Chick

It'll be more of 'Where's That Chick' since guys like me are running so fast. HAHAHA, kidding kidding, I'll probably be at the back of the pack.

Far East Movement - Like A G6

Now I betta run so fast like A G6.

Muse - Uprising

They. Will. Not. Control. Us...... We. Will. Be. Victorious!!!

My Chemical Romance - Na Na Na

This is what I'll be singing to myself whenever I overtake someone.

Nicole Scherzinger - Poison (Dave Aude Remix)

Just like how she defeats all her enemies in her music video, I'll be doing the same.

3OH!3 - My First Kiss (Featuring Ke$ha) / 3OH!3 - Don't Trust Me

Some party tracks to keep the heart pumpin'.

Ke$ha - Blow (Cirkut Remix)

OOHHHH, I love this remix, it'll probably get me so high.

Frankmusik - The Fear Inside

NOPE, there won't be any fear of collapsing, fainting, dying due to cardiac arrests. I will still be booking in on Monday to camp as usual and avoiding the things I wish to avoid in camp.

David Guetta - Gettin' Over (feat. Chris Willis & Fergie)

You just gotta love these beats as you conquer click by click.

Duck Sauce - Barbra Streisand

Perhaps I should start chanting OOH OOH OOH OOH OOH OOH OOH OOH OOH OOH OOH, OOH OOH OOH OOH OOH OOH OOH OOH OOH BARBRA STREISAND as I run.

Britney Spears - Hold It Against Me (Adrian Lux Remix)

Duh, how can Britney not be in the playlist?!

Rihanna - Don't Stop The Music

I wouldn't want my iPod to be battery-flat without any reason.

Enrique Iglesias - Tonight I'm Lovin' You

Just like how Enrique thinks he's not too old for dance tracks, I might tell myself I'm not too old for runs.

Black Eyed Peas - The Time (The Dirty Bit)

I must be having the time of my life running this race, and...

Jennifer Lopez - On The Floor (Low Sunday Remix)

...hopefully I am not lying on the floor at this point in time.

Florence & The Machine - Dog Days Are Over

Oh...it's the only slow song on this playlist, but the lyrics are the most relevant. RUN FAST FOR YOUR MOTHER RUN FOR YOUR FATHER RUN FOR YOUR CHILDREN AND YOUR SISTERS AND BROTHERS.

Janelle Monae - Tightrope

It's a timely reminder that even though it's 21km, I must still look my best and not look like some shag dog. Must try and balance on those white route markers found on the road.

Britney Spears - Till The World Ends

Keep on runnin' till the world ends.

La Roux - Bulletproof

SHOOT ME, for Louis ain't giving up this fight.

Lady Gaga - Judas

When all hope is lost, I'll still remember that somebody loves me.

Kelly Rowland - Commander (feat. David Guetta)

At this point in time, my mind will tell my body that he'll be the commander...

Afrojack feat Eva Simons - Take Over Control

...after which he'll take control.

LMFAO - Party Rock AnthemI should start initiating a shuffle mob at one of the hydration stations.

Rihanna - Only Girl (In The World)

I want to make the woman in front of me feel she's the only girl in the world, after which, I'll overtake the crap out of her.

Justice - Civilization

They always play this song on ADIDAS' commercials, so I would like to believe it would make me as happy as Katy Perry does in the adverts.

Christina Aguilera - Bionic

This is the most high Xtina song - I should try pacing my steps according to each syllable she sings.

Nelly Furtado - Maneater

Eat up all the men in front of you, and women, but there better not be, or else BE ASHAMED BE VERY ASHAMED.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Zero

This song ain't gonna put me down. 'You're ZEROOOOO'.

Benny Benassi - House Music

The tune is equivalent to the feeling you get after drinking a RedBull - all psyched up for the last boost.

Beyonce - Run The World (Girls)

I have planned this to be my finishing song, so these runners in front of me better know who run this mutha****** world.

Kanye West - POWER

If Beyonce fails, this is Plan B. Louis needs all the POWER he got to finish it under 160 minutes.

Rihanna - Breakin Dishes

This would be what I'll be doing if I fail to complete my race before this song plays.

There are some other tracks I've left out in between, because they are for my personal motivation.

Labels: Playlist

# posted by Louis : 10:23 AM

26 May 2011

Top 10 Idol Performances for American Idol 10

#1 – Haley Reinhart – I (Who Have Nothing)

This was such a heart-stopping, major performance. It really defined Haley's season for her. Lady Gaga and Haley were a good team, and created a really special moment on Idol.

#2 Casey Abrams – Your Song
This will forever be Casey's "comeback song." He stopped growling and just kept it subdued and humble. It was beautiful.

#3 Pia Toscano – I’ll Stand By You

This was a classic Pia performance, but that only means that the standard is high and of course it was amazing. Pia was so effortless throughout the competition. She was definitely eliminated too soon.

#4 – Haley Reinhart – Bennie and the Jets

"Bennie and the Jets" was a real turning point for Haley, and it made it even more exciting to watch her finally nail it like we knew she could. This was a great song for her.

#5 Paul McDonald - Tracks Of My Tears
He silenced the critics when he stopped prancing around onstage, picked up a guitar, and delivered a heartfelt performance.

#6 Scotty McCreery – Gone
This performance was a fun addition to the Scotty McCreery Live! album. It showed he can loosen up a little but still keep it classic country.

#7 Pia Toscano – River Deep, Mountain High

Even though this was her final performance before she left American Idol, I still think it was one of Pia's best. It was fun and she has that big voice to nail every exciting note.

#8 Stefano Langone – End Of The Road
This was such a great performance from him, and it was the moment when he really started singing to win. It didn't keep him out of the bottom two, but that week it should have.

#9 James Durbin – Maybe I’m Amazed

This was a really stunning James performance, as much as I dislike him.

#10 Thia Megia – Out Here On My Own
We all hoped Thia would go farther than she did after this performance in the Top 24. It was just chilling.

Labels: Idol

# posted by Louis : 2:08 PM

American Idol 10 - Season Finale

Announcement of Winner and his post-win performance.
Winner - Scotty McCreery (do I even need to attempt creating suspense? No.)

Scotty McCreery - 'Check Yes Or No' by George Strait
Scotty did a good job, and I think he will do well regardless of how this season turns out. This was a simple performance that didn't have people on their feet or anything, but it was a nice middle ground between his two other songs.

Scotty McCreery - 'Gone' by Montgomery Gentry
This was fun, and one of Scotty's best performances. His voice was solid and the performance was all Scotty. He seems like he's already won, he's so comfortable on stage.

Scotty McCreery - Love You This Big (Winner's Single)
This song was a bit of a snoozer. Scotty sounded nice on it, and the words were meaningful, but it wasn't a particularly memorable performance.

Runner-up - Lauren Alaina

Lauren Alaina - 'Flat On The Floor' by Katrina Elam
Lauren seemed to struggle the most with this song. Her voice was really cutting out, and I didn't like it much the first time she chose it. I think I just don't like the song in general, and that's on me.

Lauren Alaina - 'Maybe It Was Memphis' by Pam Tillis
Maybe it was the strained vocal cord or maybe it was the release of finally getting to the end, but Lauren sounded very comfortable in this performance. It was a great song, she showed off a lot of vocal range and wasn't pushing too hard like she did in her other performances. This song could have won Lauren the competition.

Lauren Alaina - Like My Mother Does (Winner's Single)
I am all for mothers, but this song was almost too sappy. It relied so heavily on emotion that the vocal ability necessary to carry it off took a backseat. Lauren performed it well, even though the higher notes were a little crackly, and it sounded more like a single people would buy than "Love You This Big."

Alright, now that appetizer's over, here's moving on to the highlights:

Lady Gaga - The Edge Of Glory
Beyonce - 1 Plus 1

Beyonce and the Idol Girls - Crazy In Love
Taio Cruz - Positive

David Cook - Don't You Forget About Me (Idol Performance)
Lauren Alaina & Carrie Underwood - Before He Cheats

Bono & The Edge - Rise Above
James Durbin & Judas Priest - Living After Midnight / Breaking The Law

Scotty McCreery & Tim McGraw - Live Like You Were Dying
Top 13 - Born This Way

Jack Black & Casey Abrams - Fat Bottomed Girls
Haley Reinhart & Tony Bennett - Steppin' Out With My Baby
Jacob Lusk, Gladys Knight & Kirk Franklin - I Smile
TLC and Idol Girls - No Scrubs & Waterfalls, Lil Jon - Come Get Some
Steven Tyler - Dream On
Marc Anthony & Jennifer Lopez shakin' his booty - Shiela E

Labels: Idol

# posted by Louis : 12:51 PM

25 May 2011

The Voice: Battle Round #3

Christina Aguilera's Team
Julia Eason VS Raquel Castro - 'Only Girl In The World' by Rihanna

Raquel is definitely the frontrunner in this pairup. Julia just doesn't haev this marketable feel. Right at the get-go of the song, Raquel rocked it, and even when Julia was trying to blast her notes, Raquel was just grooving on stage. She may be small, but just like Christina, she's able to hold off her opponent. Julia was very pitchy too.

Winner: Raquel Castro

Blake Shelton's Team

Dia Frampton VS Serabee - 'Can't Hurry Love' by The Supremes

One girl writes children's novels for a living, another is some hardcore rocker. I have no idea how could Blake Shelton envision these two performing a duet. I prefer Dia when she goes more gentle, but oh boy, she was definitely tamed by Serabee. Dia just felt so darn awkward onstage, but I thought Serabee should have held back. She let it all out, and definitely intimidated Dia, which was sad. Blake obviously wanted to go with the countryish contestant, which makes it total injustice for Serabee. Oh well.

Winner: Dia Frampton

Adam Levine's Team
Devon Barley VS Rebecca Loebe - 'Creep' by Radiohead

What an interesting song choice for these two - one folksy singer paired up against Dr. Chicken Little! I really love Devon's laidback and sultry vocal quality, but Rebecca has much more poise and confidence onstage, albeit I'm not her biggest fan when it comes to fashion sense. I loved the performance as a whole though, very solid showing from both of them - some great chemistry going on there. Cee Lo Green made a good point - Devon doesn't sound like he looks.

Winner: Devon Barley

Cee Lo Green's Team

Kelsey Rey VS Tori & Taylor Thompson - 'Unwritten' by Natasha Bedingfield

So, it's the savvy girl who sang Estelle versus boring country girls! I wonder who's my choice? Sheesh, Kelsey must be like: 'Who are these random backup singers?!' The Thompsons were dragging their notes so badly because they knew if they staccato-ed it, they're gonna pop like they did during the rehearsals. Kelsey's voice, on the other hand, was so unique, so raw, and I mean she still displayed sportsmanship by dancing along with the girls! Xtina chose the country girls because she obviously wanted Cee Lo Green to lose HAHA.

Winner: Tori & Taylor Thompson. WHAT THE FARK? FIRST BAD DECISION OF THE SEASON. VERY VERY BAD. FUMING MAD. My American Girl?!?! Can't believe he chose trash!

Labels: The Voice

# posted by Louis : 8:48 PM

2011: Soundmunches #21

The Feeling - Set My World On Fire
Oh Land - Sun of a Gun

Clare Maguire - The Shield and the Sword
Patrick Wolf - House

Fenech-Soler - Stop And Stare
The Saturdays - Notorious

Oh Land - Perfection
The Vaccines - All In White

David Cook - The Last Goodbye
Nero - Guilt

Justice - Civilization
Santigold - Go (feat. Karen O)
Vanbot - Make Me, Break Me
Friendly Fires - Hawaiian Air
Neon Hitch - Silly Girl

Labels: Soundmunches

# posted by Louis : 8:20 PM

24 May 2011

May 2011 - The 20 Soundmunchers

1) Beyonce - Run The World (Girls)
Earthy beats, hypnotising hooks and militant drums pound relentlessly as Queen B declares it's "GRLZ who run this mutha". With no identifiable structure, the uber-trendy, uber-squiggly Major Lazer 'Pon De Floor' sample - a staple on the underground scene since 2009 - is free to roam as it sees fit; adding up to an aggressive, head-spinning and ferocious club stomper that doesn't quite fulfill the task in hand, but it's not for want of trying.
2) Lady Gaga - The Edge Of Glory
This single is a song about Lady Gaga’s late grandfather and the celebration of life in the face of death. With the seamless blend of power ballad, smooth jazz, and electropop, “Edge of Glory” is a single with a moving theme, synthesizers that sometimes work, and a great saxophone solo courtesy of musician Clarence Clemons.

3) Calvin Harris feat. Kelis - Bounce
Calvin Harris has teamed up with R&B-turned-Eurodance diva Kelis for this thumping, '80s-flecked trailer from his forthcoming third studio LP.

4) Example - Changed The Way You Kiss Me
"Our love feels wrong, please wind me back/ Our love feels wrong can't hide the cracks," the 28-year-old sing-speaks over a hard-hitting bassline and techno synths - thrashing emotive lyrics about a failing relationship with a bang-on-trend Euro-trance backing track. The result? A euphoric yet bittersweet ensemble proving a bit of lyrical depth once in a while won't harm a raver's street cred.

5) Christina Perri - Jar Of Hearts
In a nutshell, the song could be described as an emotionally sweeping piano ballad. The lyrics are one of the best that I have ever heard in recent memory. Who do you think you are? / Runnin’ around leaving scars / Collecting a jar of hearts / Tearing love apart / You’re gonna catch a cold / From the ice inside your soul . . .

6) Frankmusik - Do It In The AM (feat. Far East Movement)
After the success of his top ten UK debut, Frankmusik is preparing to release his fresh blend of synth-pop, hard-knocking beats and flowing melodies in the US with "Do It In the AM", a new album inspired by the energy of his adopted hometown of Los Angeles.

7) Lady Antebellum - Just A Kiss

Lady Antebellum is about as close to a sure thing that country radio has, and the group is certain to add "Just a Kiss" to their list of country top 10 hits. If the enduring popularity of Taylor Swift at pop radio is any indication, it may not take much for Lady Antebellum to have another crossover hit with "Just a Kiss."

8) Avril Lavigne - Smile

Backed up by a punchy drum rhythm and electric guitars, Lavigne offers reasons why most normal guys would run in the other direction, then praises her guy for sticking around: “And that’s why I smile / It’s been awhile / Since everyday and everything has felt this right / And now you turn it all around / And suddenly you’re all I need / The reason why I smile.”

9) Take That - Love Love

Their latest single sees them hooking up with the new X-Men movie. "You bring me right back down to the earth from the promise land," they announce in the opening bars over mud-squelching synths in a camp, Pet Shop Boys-style operatic manner. Like their recent offerings, it's a style that has transformed them from cheesy boyband to tough manband.

10) Foo Fighters - Rope

Lead single 'Rope' is a great example of what their latest record 'Wasting Light' is all about - it's massive with smooth vocals, stop-start verses and a big hands-in-the-air-stadium chorus.

11) Benny Benassi - House Music

When asked how does his upcoming album 'Electroman' differs from the previous ones he has released, Benassi replies: "We wanted to work with American and British singers and writers from a variety of genres to bring our sound to the worlds of hip-hop, pop and rock. In this sense, it’s a continuation of what we were doing on the “Rock ‘n’ Rave” album, but we’ve got a bit better at it, I think, and we’re really happy with the result. We’ve also included a few club tracks not to forget where we’re coming from."

12) Vanessa Carlton - Carousel

In the words of Vanessa Carlton: "'Carousel' is the only song I've ever written in a dream that sounded lovely the next morning. [...] The origin of 'Carousel' is a dream, hence the dreamscape of the visual. I worked with an inspiring group of artists with impeccable taste. We were careful with its visual symbolism. There is nothing meaningless about it and I hope that comes across. The song is hopeful and it grew out of a very dark place."

13) Panic! At The Disco - The Ballad of Mona Lisa

Back after a three-year hiatus, the rock duo are looking to muscle their way into a chart currently saturated with electro-dance with their pop-rock powerhouse 'Ballad Of Mona Lisa'. The production is a bravado of punchy guitar strums and bolshy beats garnished with a haunting melody and an anthemic "Wo-oo-wa-oo-aah" chant from Brendan Urie.

14) Christina Perri - Arms

Much like her previous song, Arms is a stunning ballad that starts off docile and builds up to sweeping melodies, only this time around, Perri is crooning about insecurities and uncertainties that she feels when venturing into a relationship. While Arms doesn't possess the same pain that Jar of Hearts laid out, it's a clever narration of a very relatable story, and this kind of familiarity that Christina Perri's music holds makes it all the more beautiful.

15) Black Eyed Peas - Don't Stop The Party
The Black Eyes Peas have been becoming a staple in dance, electro-rap music as of late and their new single "Don't Stop The Party" leads them more into that direction.

16) Parachute - You And Me

'You And Me' set the direction for how the band wanted the rest of the record to sound: big, ambitious and soulful rock and roll.

17) Jason Derulo - Don't Wanna Go Home

Pushing on with his second album Future History, Jason Derulo is embracing the current trend of sampling early '90s dance classics by bravely utilising Robin S's timeless hit 'Show Me Love'... though it's not without obligatory "Jason Derulooo" intro, of course.

18) Matthew Morrison - Summer Rain

The lead single off his debut album, 'Summer Rain' is a good indication of what to expect from the rest of the album. Although not a bad single, with a nice melodic sound and progression, with good vocals from Morrison, it just fails to come together as this summer's pop song.

19) Jordin Sparks - I Am Woman

A newly-defiant Jordin proclaims over the crunchy, uptempo, beat of “I Am Woman”. This is a female empowerment anthem released to mark the arrival of a new Jordin Sparks; sexy, skinny, in charge, and all grown up. However, it feels as tough she is playing dress up as Beyonce: Like a little sister trying to emulate the older sibling whom she idolizes.

20) Steven Tyler - (It) Feels So Good

Just like J Lo, Steven Tyler is riding on the waves of Idol success as he releases a single after a hiatus. The punchy rock tune is fresh and fun, with heavy breathing, harmonica, cowbell and hand claps complementing Tyler’s animated vocals as he sings the hook.

Labels: Soundmunchers

# posted by Louis : 6:40 PM

23 May 2011

The Celebrity Apprentice 4 (Apprentice 11) Season Finale

You may watch the entire season finale here.

NeNe Leakes may have called LaToya Jackson "Casper the Ghost," Meat Loaf may have toggled between fits of anger and floods of tears, and Dionne Warwick may have squandered the legend status that we were repeatedly told she had.

But at the end of it all, it was about raising money for charity.

As the final two contestants — Academy Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin and country-music star John Rich — battled for $250,000 for charity, viewers were taken along with each star as they worked with their respective charities. Matlin travelled to Africa — where, exactly, on the continent they didn't make clear — to deliver hearing aids to deaf and hard-of-hearing children with the Starkey Hearing Foundation, her charity.

The same passion was evident when Rich traveled to Memphis to visit the patients and families at St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, his charity. He became teary-eyed as he performed before a crowd of children stricken with cancer and their worn-down parents. It was incredibly powerful stuff, and it was a reminder that both Rich and Matlin were not just hard-working and persistent players in a game, but also decent human beings.

This week was centered around the conclusion of the challenge that started last week. The two picked their former competitors to team up to produce a commercial and an event for 7-Up's retro campaign. Matlin picked the 1970s, with a guest appearance by the Harlem Globetrotters. Rich had the 1980s and a performance by Def Leppard.

Both did an outstanding job, but I actually think that Matlin did far better. Her team's ad was pretty terrible though, because she gave far too much leeway to her teammate Meat Loaf. At the show itself, Matlin's team — including Meat Loaf, La Toya Jackson and Richard Hatch — greeted the executives, and things seemed to go off without a hitch.

And Rich's team — Lil Jon, Star Jones and Mark McGrath —made a few stumbles. For one, no one greeted Trump or the 7-Up executives. And a misstep in timing led Rich to introduce Def Leppard 20 minutes before they were set to take the stage. But in a rectifying moment — certainly proof of his leadership and resourcefulness — Rich returned to the stage with a guitar and put on an acoustic show until the "real" band could come out.

Despite Marlee's performance in the finale — and a million-dollar boon in an earlier fund-raising challenge — it wasn't enough to trump (pun kind of intended) Rich for the top prize. Rich had emerged as a favorite, among his fellow contestants and just in the setup of the show.

Labels: Apprentice

# posted by Louis : 10:06 PM

Soundmunches: Billboard 2011 Special

Beyonce - Run The World (Girls)
MOTHER EPIC OF A PERFORMANCE.
Britney Spears & Rihanna - S&M

Nicki Minaj - Superbass, with Britney Spears - Till The World Ends
Taio Cruz - Break My Heart & Dynamite

OneRepublic - Good Life, Far East Movement - Rocketeer & OMG (feat. Snoop Dogg)
Black Eyed Peas - Just Can't Get Enough / I Gotta Feeling

Ke$ha - Animal and Blow
Lady Antebellum - Just A Kiss

Labels: Soundmunches

# posted by Louis : 7:32 PM

22 May 2011

SYTYCD UK (Season 2) - Up till The Top 10...

The contestants this season aren't as strong as the previous ones, hence I didn't do a weekly recap. Here's some of the better performances leading up to the Final 10.

Final 10 Guys’ Routine – It’s A Man’s World
Final 10 Girls’ Routine – Fighter

Top 20 Routine – Don’t Stop The Music
Katie and Luke – Commercial (‘Who’s That Chick’ by Rihanna and David Guetta)

Katrina & Tom – Hiphop (‘Yeah 3X’ by Chris Brown)
Katrina & Tom – Hiphop (‘The Time’ by Black Eyed Peas)

Bethany Rose and Israel – Contemporary (‘Someone Like You’ by Adele)
Kirsty and Lee B – Contemporary (‘Turning Tables’ by Adele)

Labels: SYTYCD

# posted by Louis : 8:48 PM

2011: Soundmunches #20

Beyonce – Run The World (Girls)
Avril Lavigne – Smile

Nicole Scherzinger – Right There (feat. 50 Cent)
Keri Hilson – Lose Control (feat. Nelly)

Pitbull – Give Me Everything (feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack and Nayer)
Swedish House Mafia - Save The World

Labels: Soundmunches

# posted by Louis : 11:30 AM

19 May 2011

American Idol 10 - Final Three Perform!

Before we move on, here are just some thoughts:

I really do not want a all-country finale. It's somewhat like watching Nashville Star.
Apparently, there's a conspiracy theory going on, that the judges gave Haley to sing Alanis' 'You Oughta Know' so that Haley's forced to change the vulgar lyrics. RIGGED.
Beyonce is this week's mentor! Probably gonna tell Lauren and Haley to Run The World. (Girls).

Haley Reinhart - 'What Is And What Should Never Be' by Led Zeppelin [Contestant's Choice]
This was awesome for two main reasons: 1) Haley is singing Led Zepplin and 2) Her dad is shredding on the guitar next to her. Haley has really improved her once-awkward stage presence. She fell down a little bit and laughed it off. She really looked like she was having a good time, and the judges actually liked it too. Randy proclaimed that "this is what it is all about." Even after falling down, Haley was able to deliver a killer performance early on in the show.

Haley Reinhart - 'Rhiannon' by Fleetwood Mac [Jimmy Iovine's Choice]
To go with the spooky, seventies feel of Stevie Nicks, they turned on the smoke machine and Haley is backlit in hot pink. Then they turned on the wind machine. The effects used for this performance really added to the whole experience. It was so seventies and mystical and perfect. Lovely and haunting.

Haley Reinhart - 'You Oughta Know' (EDITED) by Alanis Morrisette [Judges' Choice]
The chorus of this song was great, and if the entire performance had been as strong as the chorus, it would be in the top third of performances. Haley's energy starting out was really low. The verses didn't have as much anger behind them as one might need to spit all the words out, but in the end she got it back.

Scotty McCreery - 'Are You Going To Kiss Me Or Not' by Thompson Square [Jimmy Iovine's Choice]
Scotty was really into it and the performance had more emotion and power than some of his performances have in the past. He works well with a guitar, and it seems to make him a lot less goofy. Jennifer requests that Scotty shave his head for the finale (does she want him to lose?). Randy, showing signs of self-awareness, realizes that he might have cried "in it to win it" too many times.

Scotty McCreery - 'Amazed' by Lonestar [Contestant's Choice]
This song really takes me back, but Scotty managed to keep it sincere when it could have been cheesy. It sounded great in his rich lower register, and was totally "in his lane." One thing though, he is always leaning against something, which makes me wonder if maybe he has a tilted diaphragm.

Scotty McCreery - 'She Believes In Me' by Kenny Rogers [Judges' Choice]
I'm not sure it was the right song choice for Scotty, but J Lo was totally having a moment listening to it. The chorus sounded too forced and a little out of Scotty's range. The verses were smooth and nice, but the big chorus lacked the maturity required to carry it through. The funniest moment, though, happened when Scotty's dad said how proud they were of Scotty, then reluctantly sang "baby lock them doors and turn the lights down low."

Lauren Alaina - 'I Hope You Dance' by Lee Ann Womack [Judges' Choice]
Ugh, this song. Even Seacrest was like, "it was a huge hit ... back in 2000." It's hard to do this song without it being sappy, and while Lauren's prom/pageant dress wasn't really helping the whole vibe of the performance, it was her best of the night. She added some unexpected phrasing to energize the song, and she seemed very confident. Random point: The judges agree that they are all friends with Lee Ann Womack.

Lauren Alaina - 'If I Die Young' by The Band Perry [Jimmy Iovine's Choice]
It's sad to see that Lauren has lost confidence through this process - she was so cute and fearless in that first audition. This was a good song choice for her, but there were a lot of technical errors along the way (and not just the ripped pantyhose beforehand). She lost track of the song at the key change, and after getting it back she had some pitch problems. I mean, seriously, after all that bashing at Haley, this gal deserves much worse criticism from the panel.

Lauren Alaina - 'Wild One' by Faith Hill [Contestant's Choice]
Beyonce helps Lauren with a dose of Sasha Fierce, because Lauren still struggles with confidence. This was short and incredibly boring while it lasted. Trying to be positive, the judges coax Lauren to be more fearless all the time.

Please be voted off tomorrow, Lauren. I would love some excitement in the finale and not an

Labels: Idol

# posted by Louis : 7:43 PM

America's Next Top Model 16 - Season Finale

Before reading the recap and spoilering yourself, you can watch the season finale here.

Before I proceed on to the recap, here are some things you need to know about the two finalists, Brittani Kline and Molly O'Connell.

Brittani: 19; 5'10.5''; from Beech Creek, Pennsylvania.
Molly: 22; 5' 10"; from Charleston, South Carolina.

Inspirational Backstory
Brittani: She grew up in a trailer park, and her mother is a recovering agoraphobic.
Molly: She was adopted at a young age and has dealt with anger and abandonment issues her whole life. They even led her to check into rehab at one point.

Advantages/Strengths
Brittani: Strong runway walk; versatile posing; look chameleon; edgy, high-fashion haircut; more outgoing and personable.
Molly: Also has a strong runway walk; natural at high-fashion posing; amazing bone structure; more confident and assertive.

Weaknesses
Brittani: Tends to second-guess herself and can melt down rather easily; shows her emotions on her sleeve during competitions; disappointed Tyra when she verbally attacked Alexandria
Molly: Gives off an aggressive, disinterested vibe to clients and photographers; less accepting of criticism; confidence could be interpreted as cockiness.

Molly is worried she'll have to act like someone else (a nice, normal, happy person) for the CoverGirl commercial, which is a valid concern, though it's one that Top Models before her (Nicole & Ann) have conquered before. She nails it when she practices her script with Jay though. Brittani runs through it and immediately has a mini panic attack and cries, thus beginning the trail of tears that will take us through until the end of the episode.

Jay says Molly got "so concerned about being herself versus being a model and finding a way to make the two meet, that she forgot and lost all of her charm." Meanwhile, Brittani starts off awkwardly but recovers and nails it on her last take after Jay gives her the old standby advice: "Pretend you're talking to your three best friends." If he said it enough, it was bound to work for somebody sometime!

The next day, the girls shoot for Vogue Italia's "Beauty in Vogue" insert -- whoever wins will see their photos as a six-page spread. Brittani is all energy and light, while Molly complains to the camera and looks cranky, tired and sad on set. Brittani's getting a slight kick out of watching Molly's "half empty" glass get emptier and emptier.

The surprise visit from Molly's parents instantly puts her in a better mood, which only slightly annoys Brittani, who was hoping for the added edge of Molly's PMS (Pissy Model Syndrome).Brittani's mom has anxiety issues and recently had back surgery. Brittani is initially upset that she couldn't fly to Morocco for the finale, and says the saddest thing I've ever heard: "I'm so used to looking for somebody and having nobody there."

The runway show goes off without a hitch until the end, when Brittani and Molly walk side by side. Right in front of the judges, the girls slink up next to each other, and Brittani breaks out laughing because she thinks they look like they're in a "sex position." Then, when they're walking out of the room, she slips on the rose petals three prop-women have been throwing down from the balcony (it is unclear whether Alexandria hired them, for REVENGE) and falls into a giant wooden door.

Brittani's ankle is quite mangled, but they wrap it and she pushes on through the final runway lap, and manages not to look like she's in pain. Bravo.

Deliberation

Runway Show
Brittani's walk: The judges say she strutted with confidence, but they didn't like when she laughed. Tyra: "That's not cool." But she thinks Brittani's poses in the show were "divine."

Molly's walk: She's got a shake in her step, but Andre thinks it's "too much." Tyra likes it a lot but says she needs to transition smoother.

Covergirl Commercial
Brittani's best take: She sounds good, is energetic and enthusiast. And she smiles! Nigel thinks the two profiles work well for her and make good angles with her asymmetry. Jay was impressed with her focus on set.

Molly's best take: She's not as friendly, but she does seem relaxed and confident. Tyra thinks she comes off too mean, and Nigel says it's not inviting enough. Jay: "You read the entire script from memory, that was positive and charming."

Covergirl Print Ads
Brittani: Stunning, startled, beautiful. Jay likes the edge, and Tyra says Brittani gives the perfect focus on the body part (lips). She does a freaky demo with her face of how this works, obviously.

Molly: Stunning, beautiful, gentle. Jay: "You committed." Andre: "This is to be framed and put in the SALON!" Tyra compares Molly's face to the "enchanting danger" of a tiger.

Deliberation
The judges review the girls' body of work, and it's a tough call. Molly has an "it" factor, but Brittani is a chameleon. Molly has great movement and shape, but Brittani is fresh and endearing. Brittani's face is unique, but Molly knows how to sell clothes. Brittani is romantic, but Molly is more bookable.

And the winner, of America's, Next, Top, Model, is...

Rumours for the cast of America's Next Top Model: All-Stars are out!

Labels: ANTM

# posted by Louis : 6:53 PM