I’ve yet to really blog about Brooke White’s elimination Tuesday night. I’m glad she left the show in a reasonably happy state, rather than that crazy train she appeared to be riding the week before. Watching Brooke crawl into a fetal position while her name is called for elimination would not have been a fun thing to watch. She did cry in the end, but it seemed more healthy release than skeery breakdown.
Brooke was either going to be eliminated this week or next (I think it will be Jason’s turn to go next week…), so I don’t feel sad that she was eliminated. She had a great run on the show, even though her nerves and her stamina seemed to wear thin toward the end. I will say that I’m thrilled that the folkies–both Brooke White and Jason Castro–made it deep into this competition. It would have been unheard of, even a couple of years ago. Keeping the talent diverse will keep Idol strong. So will making artistry in all it’s forms–rather than just good singing–the focus of the competition.
I see bright things in Brooke’s future. I can hear Brooke’s raspy vocals on the radio next to artists like Colbie Callait, Sara Barailles, Feist and all those other singer/songrwritery female performers on the charts right now.
Here’s a roundup of her exit interviews: Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Eonline, TV Guide, and Idol Chatter posted the entire transcript of yesterday’s satellite interview with the press.
Highlights after the Jump…
- She would have loved to sing a James Taylor or Fleetwood Mac song.
- She was considering singing Joni Mitchell’s “Help Me” next week.
- About the tour–the contestants will be singing about 3 songs apiece.
- Brooke had a re-sure of confidence going into Tuesday’s show, and she felt good afterward. But she woke up Wednesday morning feeling in her gut that she’d be going home.
- About singing “I’m A Believer”,”I knew that morning that I was going home. It was just a gut feeling. It’s funny, though — regardless of what Simon said about Tuesday night being a ‘nightmare,’ in the room it was not. It was really well received by the audience. For the first time in a couple of weeks I felt like I was completely present. I was in it. I had a confidence which I had been lacking. After the show Simon commented, ‘Maybe that didn’t work for you.’”
- On Simon Cowell, “Every week you go up there, and not that it always turns out the best, but I always give my best, and when you’re standing there in a place of vulnerability, it’s hard to know what you should take and what you should not take. I think sometimes he has some valid points and sometimes his delivery is just plain mean. And I like him; I think he’s a good guy.”
- On the judges criticisms, “It’s a constant contradiction. I appreciate that the judges have to do their jobs. They’ve given me great feedback, but some of it makes no sense at all. There is no formula to how this works. You try to stay in your zone and then you’re predictable. You get out of your zone and then it’s like, ”Well, you should stay in your zone.” At one point, I was getting pretty steady good feedback from them. But then it got rough. But all the while I don’t think I changed my strategy.
- On what she would like to do as an artist once the show is over, “I want to be a singer/songwriter. What I did on the show is as close to what I want to do, without performing my own material — I would love to write or at least co-write. Build an album around that organic sound. Keep it real, keep it raw, keep it fresh. I know it’s 2008 so you have to make it current. I definitely think that’s my avenue, I want to play the piano, I want to play the guitar and be very involved with the music and just connect with people on a very honest level.”
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MrRJ- LOL at your Marcia Marcia Marcia comment!! Agreed, Brooke deserves to keep this thread to herself! Interesting how there was lots of negativity directed towards her when she forgot her lines, but now everyone loves her again. No wonder these kids are glad to leave the show! I am heartened to see people are putting aside her emotional spiral towards the end and acknowledging her talent and potential in the music biz. Oh, and I LOVE the idea of her getting to do a duet with Carly Simon on the finale— THAT would be awesome! Getting the reclusive Carly Simon on stage would be a coup!
Sorry mj — I’ll attempt to rope in my ADD!
edited to add, like in ADD:
I agree that season 5 was the best.
1)The people who are power-voting for Jason ought to give some thought to the greater good. It would not be good for the show if Jason won, and it would not be good for Jason either.
2)People like Carrie and Kelly and Fantasia and Ruben and Clay made this show what it is. It lost credibility after Taylor won and got worse with Sanjaya and co in Season 6. That’s why the producers wanted to focus on talent this year. They want a big, huge star who will sell millions of records. I’ll bet they had no idea Jason would be this popular, and no, they don’t want him to win — with good reason.
The guy’s had a great run. Let him go home.
Caffiend - since coming on here I am so grateful to you telling me what is happening but i just have to open my big mouth again.
1)I swear I have watched and loved Idol for years and I am so disapointed in the way it is being run this year, I really dont think that AI is “the greater good”. Just for that I dont think that they deserve to receive the IDOLS they so blatently have been pushing down peoples throats. I really never knew who to love at the beginning - but by the major manipulation of ALL the contestants - I sure knew who I was SUPPOSED TO LOVE and that just didnt work for many as they have found out by the “popular vote” (I dont get that at all - I thought you dont want the UN popular person but who am I) - maybe most are pretty sick of how jaded this business of IDOL has become and saw a breath of fresh air in another. Seeing all the selective editing for ALL of them, Then catching Paula in a lie, sure she was confused and then all the covering up and more lies by Ryan - just got uglier and the whole show is just getting ridiculous and not because of Taylor or even Sanjaya - just the way it is formatted now. Maybe all of this will cause a good change in that and we can really enjoy it more next year, not that I didnt enjoy Cook just IDOL!!
2) They want a huge star who will sell millions - they have many signed already, why have the viewing public “vote” for them anymore. If they want JUST what THEY want leave the public out of the process and just pick your own. The “popular” voters want what they want and in this world right now maybe a lot of people are tired of big and loud and smoke and fire and wars and want and need something softer and soothing for a change. Too bad IDOL doesnt want that - They will probably get what they want and I hope it doesnt make a mess of a great artist like Cook, I personally dont think rockers are so “cool” and as popular in the long run if they are known as the American Idol Rocker” I would really like The Smashing Pumpkins or Staind’s opinion on that but oh well Idol will most likely get what they want, just leave the public out - you dont need us to get that anymore - you are pretty much doing the job for us. I am soooo sad about the show this year- they are becoming the biggest joke. ( I was just thinking that the one who has done the best is Carrie because Country is a not as “hardcore” as rock and roll and more forgiving of the Idol title, so she has done the best of all. )
3) and votefortheworst.com didnt even jump on the bandwagon against their latest so called Sanjaya until just this week, so even that group of ninnys didnt see the worst in the guy like they did with sanjaya, whom AI also used to boost ratings and use they did until they got a little scared that their pet monkey (who was just a young kid who loved to sing) might get further than they thought.
4) I thought the producers always focused on talent? I thought that was their main focus, getting great talent?
BLASPHEMY!
I’m sure this is the wrong place to post, since this is supposed to be about Brooke, but, I sure do take umbrage that we shouldn’t vote for Jason. No, the show lost no credibility in Taylor winning. They lost their credibility when they shoved him under the bus, because THEY didn’t get the winner THEY wanted. And, then the smear campaigns began.
I think people want Jason out of the running because it threatens their favorite winning. And, I don’t like being told who or who not to vote for. Nor do I like their picks to be shoved down MY throat. Like sumidol wrote, just let them scour the bars, nightclubs, hotels, cruise ships, theme parks or wherever, find who they want to sign, and, stop this nonsense.
I will continue to vote for Jason. On the same note, David A. has had a great run as well - cut him loose, let the boy go home and be a normal teenager for a while.
And, I liked Sanjaya. He didn’t do well singing on the show, but, I liked the kid. He was exploited to the max by TPTB. After he left, the ratings dropped. Not because anyone thought he would win, but, because after that, the show was dull, boring and predictable.
As far as to the greater good - just because someone doesn’t like a contestant, who is to say what the greater good is? To those of us who like Jason, we love to hear him sing, he is the greater good for us.
And, we happen to think he has talent.
They have started this smear campaign, and, people lap it up like a cat does cream. Jason is a threat to their final 2 they have chosen. Simon, himself has said that. So, sure they want him out of the way. I’m not a sheep who can be influenced by their manipulations. I will never buy anything that either of the Davids put out. Do I dislike them? No, they just aren’t my cup of tea. In the same way, Jason’s voice is my cup of tea, and, I intend to drink from that teacup for quite a while.
And, quite honestly, if people who think he can’t sing, would listen to his studio recordings, they would hear something beautiful. NO,he isn’t a belter, and, No I don’t need him to cross genres, however, Jason isn’t just a niche singer. He could very well do a Spanish album, pop, folk, or Christian. So, his style isn’t all neatly bundled like some think. There are many opportunities available to him.
cheese!
I usually don’t like female singers either!
I wonder why that is?
Speaking of an all-guy Top 3, when I think back to the first couple weeks of Idol this year Guys Night was FAR and AWAY better than Girls night was. I could barely stand Girls Night! And Simon did say it was the guys’ contest to lose. So in reality, it shouldn’t be surprising that it’s the way it is now. My only real shock is how Syesha made it this far having been in the bottom 50% of the time, and being told week after week to stop doing Whitney and Celine, but not following the advice. I don’t frequent any forum where people are crazy about Syesha.
There’s no conspiracy… Syesha WAS in the Bottom 2.
Those extra 5 or 7 million votes this week? Those were for Jason Castro.
People got mad after Paula threw him under the bus.
gabam – I agree that people will be very surprised about Jason, however I think he needs a publicist to help him frame his answers. He’s always trying to deflect attention by self-deprecation, so people get the wrong idea about him.
I love Brooke and will miss her. I also agree that Season 5 was the best ever and Taylor is still my favorite winner. Although I like others a lot, I don’t see that changing this season.
As to Jason and his status - I tell ya - it would do my heart good to see Jason make it to the top two JUST so I could watch TPTB have apoplexy! Can you imagine if they thought he would win? I LOVE it! The “best top 12 ever” and we again pick their “wrong” one?
And, I’d love to see Jason in the finale as well. Part of it is revenge, but, the main reason is that as a runnerup, he will have more opportunities open to him. I honestly believe it could happen. Why is it everyone has the 2 Davids as the final 2? Why bother watching any more? Just give one of them the title right now, and, stop wasting our time. You’d think they would try to create a little more suspense than this, wouldn’t you? No wonder their ratings are going down the crapper.
Demographics and vote splitting.
Syesha has been the last African American standing since Chikezie left at Top 10. She’s got a voting bloc all to herself. I’ve been predicting her in the Top 3 for a few weeks now. I’m sticking to that prediction.
There is a reason there wasn’t a bottom 2 this week. I’m guessing that Jason probably was in that bottom 2. But after Paula’s gaffe they didn’t want to reveal it–people would have blamed her for his poor showing.
I wholeheartedly agree. And, the producers’ manipulation was ever-so-subtle. I’m hearing that lots of his fans thought he was in the top 2, and Syesha was in the bottom two. Those who want her to stick around will vote rabidly next week. Those casual voters and on-the-fence fans who may have voted sympathetically after the Paula sitch but thought Jason was safe after this week might not vote as religiously next week.
Meanwhile, Cook was called out third. So, it would appear that he was in the bottom 3! So, he’ll incorporate those once again, casual voters, who think he’s good enough to win it all.
Very smooth thinking on AI’s part. I’ve been watching this show since season 1, so I’m well aware of how the manipulation works. They think they’re slick at AI. But, the game they play is a very psychological one.
Just like NO ONE knows who makes it to Hollywood, who the Top 50 and 24 are before the episode airs, right? JoesPlace is a very reliable spoiler, for your information.
Like mj and Gwendolyn, I wouldn’t be suprised if Jason really was in the B2.
I’m not crazy about her, but once Carly left she was the only female power singer left. I expect Syesha picked up a few votes from Carly other than mine. I like Brooke, but in my mind she didn’t have the stamina for the Top Two and Three, three songs a night. Same goes for Jason.
I want Cook to win it all, but I also want to be entertained on the way. That means I don’t want a David A/David C finale. So Syesha is my only real option. Unless I find Cook doesn’t have busy signals this week, I plan to vote for her again.
And I don’t think Syesha was in the bottom two, they never said she was. I was getting steady busy signals this week.
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I think Jason can sing three songs in a night if he has a lessrestrictive theme that allows him to pick songs suitable for his voice and songs that he is familiar with.
Since Jason is not a crossover talent he is particularly hamstrung by restrictive themes and songs in unfamiliar genres.IMO
Two things about Taylor:
If Taylor had sold millions of albums, TPTB would not have thrown him under a bus. That’s what they care about. My understanding is TPTB gave up on him b/c his album appealed only to the rabid fans that voted for him when he was on the show. It was not radio-friendly, and it did not sell well. Wasn’t he also rumored to be difficult?
And Taylor’s voice is just passable. He can carry a tune. I think he is fun to see live. But on a CD, his vocals just aren’t going to win him new fans.
Jason and Brooke are proof, to me at least, that no matter what the producers try to do to manipulate voters, it’s still a popularity contest. The winner is the winner, and although that sometimes means that person won’t sell millions, he or she still gets the most votes in the final two. It’s the way the show is supposed to work and so far, it has. Daughtry was certainly one of the chosen ones and look what happened to him two years ago this week!
Jason has fans who want him to stay in. That’s why he’s still in this thing. I also think these fans are going to vote like crazy this week. I won’t be surprised at all to see Archuleta go this week. It’s shocker week, after all. And what a shocker that would be. It could happen. We’ll see!
No offense to Jason’s fans but this post is about Brooke White, let’s keep it that way please :)
She’s my all time favorite American Idol contestant and I think there are definitely big and amazing things ahead of her. I’m praying for her success. Her pre-AI album “Songs From The Attic” is already charting well on iTunes… I think it’s at #15 in the iTunes Pop Charts already. Quite the achievement considering there’s hardly any promotion for it.
The album is a very solid effort considering she wrote the tracks on it when she was about 19-20 years old…. I’m sure if she’s given the chance now, she’d come up with much better material. SFTA is definitely a good listen if you like artists such as Colbie Caillat, Sara Bareilles and the like. Go buy it at www.brookewhite.com or iTunes… definitely a must-hear!
hardkandy - MJ said the same thing in an earlier post, yet said to carry on because she had brought Jason up in here, so it was ok. No disrespect to Brooke - sorry
Don’t attempt to mod posters or dictate the discussion. You can still talk about Brooke. No one is stopping you.
Exactly.
Can’t you understand why Brooke’s fans might be annoyed? The title of the post very clearly says Brooke White and yet you come in and everything’s a discussion on Jason’s place in the competition. I mean, can’t there be a separate post for that?
Well I’m sorry I said something. I thought things were supposed to stay on topic here and I thought the topic of the post was Brooke White, not Jason Castro.
Anyway, I appreciate all the efforts you put into the site MJ. Thanks for everything especially since I’m from the Philippines and I don’t get to see Idol Extra and other news stuff about Brooke so I pretty much rely on bloggers like you for the vids. Thanks lots!
There is a reason there wasn’t a bottom 2 this week. I’m guessing that Jason probably was in that bottom 2. But after Paula’s gaffe they didn’t want to reveal it–people would have blamed her for his poor showing.
yeppers
We should all know by now that this Idol thingy has a little to do with pure talent and a lot to do with fan bases. if you can make yourself stand out early on, usually with a back story or with something that may make you seem like an underdog in the competition, you are on your way to building a loyal fan base.
Just think back to every year on Idol, looking back I feel as if the one true phenomenal talent IMHO, who WON, was Kelly Clarkson. There was no way howdy doody was gonna beat her cause by the time the show ended that season her fan base was bigger than his but it wasnt always that way that season. Her voice and her personality grew with each passing week. Both had great voices, one ended up with a larger fanbase. Thats not rocket science, it is what it is.
Brooke annoyed me with her (what seemed like incessant crying jags) but she was good and I threw a few votes her way early on but then, like in other seasons, I put all of my energy behind one Idol, Jason. There is something about him. Yes, he is much too pretty for words but beyond that there is something unique and vulnerable about his voice and when he sings he takes me to a place I would like to live. He is smooth, calm yet seems (for me) very intense and when given the right song he does what James Taylor used to do to me. Ewwwww, Im old. Anyways ya need a gimmick to get the attention EARLY ON in this game. A strong voice alone will seldom do it.
I hope Brooke does well in the music world, I loved her voice but she better toughen up cause I can already see the sharks circling.
I pity whoever wins Idol, and yet like a bad car wreck I cant look away. (except for last year).
There will be plenty more about Brooke when she hits the talk show circuit next week. Those posts will stay all about Brooke, I promise. :).
I don’t want bloggers telling other bloggers what to do. That’s my job. Read the guidelines. I also don’t want threads to veer off into discussions about the blog itself. For those of you who have not read them. Read them:
http://mjsbigblog.com/?page_id=1172
Yay thank you so much :) I can’t wait for her guesting on Ellen, I heard she’s gonna perform “You’re So Vain” again which is my favorite performance from her and for the entire season.