It looks like the enterprising kids at Idol Forums may have spoiled the entire Top 24. You can find a comprehensive list of the Top 40/24 here, complete with links to music samples and background information on each contestant.
Kudos to both Idol Maniac (who did some awesome and thorough research on all the contestants) and RickyHoeGuardian for managing to infiltrate the SuperSekrit Idol cabal. Kids, watch out. You might find a horse’s head in your bed some morning. I keed, I keed. Sidenote: I’m linking to information on a message board. I’m not revealing trade secrets. I also don’t negotiate with high-priced lawyers over the phone. I am not an idiot. thnxokbye.
Ahem. I have no idea if the list is accurate, so peruse at your own risk. However the list does reflect one I posted back in December here and here. At the time, I had no idea whether the list was correct or not, but now I see I may have been right on the money. Yay me.
On with the Season 6 Contestant update:
Entertainment Weekly ranks the Idol auditioners. You can check out their Top 20 list here, and then vote for your favorite. EW lists Sundance Head, Chris Sligh and Porcelana Patino in their Top 3. Currently, the popular vote has Chris Sligh out in front at 35%, Sundance Head 2nd with 14% and Sanjaya Malakar 3rd with 11%.
Here’s a short article about Chris Sligh’s university days at North Greenville University in SC. Until recently, Chis kept up a really interesting blog. It’s worth a read. And, his band, Half Past Forever has posted a music video on You Tube. Click the video link! You will not be sorry. The song, “Know” has a GREAT guitar hook and a fine melody. All in all, a nifty little power pop gem. Me likey. I’m very glad Chris is in this competition.
Brandon Rogers, the talented backup singer who auditioned in Los Angeles, like so many hopeful auditioners, has a My Space page. More and more Idols are using MySpace to network with fans, and get their music out to the public. Interestingly, with some research, and a few names, one can find a wealth of information about a contestant and the ongoing competition even before the details hit the airwaves.
For instance, the chatter between contestants mid to late January left many tantalizing clues about how the Top 24 selection was going. Marlea Stroman, for example–remember her from Season 4? Marlea was the contestant who cracked under pressure-claimed she missed her young child-and was shown leaving town. According to her MySpace, she auditioned again this year and made it to Hollywood. If you are interested in knowing what happens to Marlea, read the comments on her page…
Birmingham auditioner Jamie Lynn Ward made the shocking revelation on Tuesday’s show–with a scary lack of emotional affect–that her daddy shot her step-mother and then “hisself”. Afterward, she moved in with her grandmother to help take care of her dad, who was left paralyzed from the neck down. Of course, almost immediately, the press filled in the blanks. Here is a news account from February 2006, when the crime occurred:
A Reidsville man shot his wife, then turned the gun on himself early Saturday morning, according to police.
…The release states that North Carolina Highway Patrolman R.W. Hamilton, who was the first to arrive on scene, observed a muzzle flash from several shots fired inside the home as he pulled into the driveway.
Shortly thereafter, several Reidsville officers arrived on the scene and Beverly Emory Ward, of the residence, told them her husband had shot her.
After hearing Jamie Lynn’s story, I wondered what happened to the step-mom. After the show aired Tuesday, the press caught up with her here:
“I remember seeing blue lights,” she said Thursday from her home in Alamance County. “I remember looking back at my husband, and I remember him looking at me like I was somebody he didn’t know. I remember him saying, ‘God forgive me for what I’m about to do.’ I remember him pointing the gun at me, and I remember him shooting me three times.”
Beverly Ward, the stepmother, said she had told relatives to watch the show, unaware of what was going to be said. When Jamie’s audition aired, her phone started ringing. Relatives called to ask if she knew of Jamie’s comments beforehand.
“Emotionally, it just about destroyed me,” Beverly said. “She was on ‘American Idol.’ She should have been talking about herself and not dragging this back up.”
Jamie Lynn’s step-mom refused to press charges against her husband. She claims that he had mixed alcohol with a Valium and, “That was just not my husband. That was just something I would have never expected him to do. If he hadn’t been drinking, and hadn’t taken that Valium, it wouldn’t have happened.” Jamie Lynn, incidently, was crowned high school homecoming queen later that year.
While Porcelana Patino, the New York auditioner who lost 20 lbs through a militaristic training regime, was featured on last Wednesday’s Idol, she was at her dad’s bedside in a New York City hospital ICU. Porcelana’s father was struck by a hit and run driver on January 22 at 5 am while he was walking to work. He suffered a broken shoulder, leg and ribs. Porcelana says, “My dad just woke up. My father’s response was ‘I’m going to miss the show, the show, I’m going to miss the show.’ All he is interested in is watching his daughter on the freaking show. Can you believe that?”
When Nichole Gatzman performed what I thought was a pretty good rendition of Bonnie Raitt’s “Something to Talk About” Simon inexplicably told her “You’re very old fashioned, and you sing through your nose. And it’s a shame.” Both Randy and Simon turned her down flat. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who thought Nichole should have been given a shot in Hollywood, as she explains here:
“Having America thinking I was good and wondering why I didn’t make it . . . I’m thankful people are calling and getting on the boards,” Gatzman said.
Nichole was a guest on an Idol-themed Larry King Live Thursday night.
Also featured on Larry King Thursday–Sherman Pore who I think may be everyone’s favorite Idol at the moment. Sherman is the 64 year old contestant who petitioned the show to audition-despite his age–by collecting signatures. He started the project as a way to keep up the spirits of his seriously ill girlfriend. She died two days before his audition. Here are some excerpts from his Larry King Live interview:
She helped me cook it up. About three weeks before I lost her, I found a little blurb in the newspaper that said “American Idol” was getting ready to audition. And she had been pushing me for years to do something with my singing. I would come home every night singing love songs to her.
I promised her I would [go through with the audition]. She asked me no matter what happened to her, she asked me to promise that I would go ahead with my singing and share it with as many people as possible, because I had done it for her so often.
She had ovarian cancer that metastasized everywhere. It moved pretty fast, and, you know, I used to call her at work and sing a love song to her every now and then. And one day I called her and I forgot to ask the — ask for her extension number before I started singing. About halfway through the song, the operator says, “who is this? Who is this?” And I finished the song and said, “you have just been serenaded by the phantom crooner.” Just got around the office and she laughed about it, but she didn’t tell anybody. She came home and told me that night.
Few days later, she called me and says, Karen is having a rough day today. This is her extension number. Would you call her and give her a — and she told me that night that this turned Karen’s day around. So every now and then, she would call me and I would fix somebody’s day.
Idol fans have started an online petition to get Sherman back on the show for the finale. Something tells me the petition isn’t necessary. I have no doubt Sherman will be back for the finale.
thanks lisab, as always, you rawk
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Cool stuff MJ. I did go listen to the Chris Sligh song and thought the band, and he, rawked. Good song! One of the commenter’s on youtube did mention the full orchestration behind the band and I wondered about that myself? Or did they add some synth backing to it? Hard to tell.
It is a good song though. Chris S. might just put the Idol audience in his chubby little hand.
That Chris is a sly one to get his original music out on youtube and anywhere else he can think of. I think we definitely have a strategist this year who has studied the game. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Can strategy help the winner win two years in a row?
I applaud anyone who has the nouse to get their music out there in advance. American Idol is such a manipulative show I think you’re within your rights to try and gain any advantage you can. After all, you could be more or less edited out of it before the competition even gets going - those who are not shown at the audition stages have a much tougher time getting the votes when the public finally becomes involved. Having that early buzz is very important, as Taylor showed. Cementing a loyal fanbase who are voting on more than just your weekly performance is wise too - Taylor may well have bitten the dust on a couple of occasions if he hadn’t developed such a strong bond with his fanbase.
If Chris doesn’t win - and it might be better if he doesn’t
- I hope he gets a recording contract from somewhere. He’s certainly maximising his opportunities from the exposure by the seem of it.
I totally agree. It’s not only a competition, but a way to gain exposure. We’ve all heard how hard it can be to get a deal in the industry. I applaud contestants who do everything they can to make the most of this opportunity.
Plus, the Editors take every chance to mold you into the character they want you to be…why shouldn’t contestants try to let people know who they really are?
Wow MJ - GREAT POST. I’m gratified to see the two boys (Sundance Head and Chris Sligh) that I’ve been pimping. But Porcelana? She had an interesting backstory but honestly - I thought she was weird and I didn’t think she sang particularly well - yet EW has her as a top 3?? Ugh. Shades of Mchela all over again.
Kirstin - Couldn’t agree more.
Last year I hopped on the Taylor bandwagon immediately following the Las Vegas auditions. While I really admire these younger kids and the less experienced folks who come and audition, I think that working musicians have it over them in the long run.
As someone who sings in a band, I have been through excellent gigs and Godawful ones. After you’ve done it enough, you get a sense for what the “average” audience connects to and what they don’t. I thought Taylor showed that in excess last year - while “purists” roundly vilified the choice of Play that Funky Music, I knew instantly that it was a brilliant move. Our band plays a whole lot of challenging music that isn’t widely well-known - and people watch us and listen and applaud when we do it - but when we start just the first NOTES of Play that Funky Music, the dance floors is FILLED. Working musicians, I think, have an advantage in that they have experience with that kind of stuff.
And as to marketing themselves outside of AI, it’s another savvy move. There are so many changing and non-traditional distribution routes out there that have taken someone from obscurity to fame in a snap. Chris is showing his smarts in leveraging that, and if it builds buzz as he comes to the final 24, it can help him achieve some sort of sustainable momentum.
Rena,
I just stopped by your blog. I’ll be back! I won’t be voting this season, if I watch at all, but I enjoy watching how some of the contestants play the game. Taylor beat the PTB at their own game, and Chris Sligh seems to be following in his footsteps, strategically.
But I bet some cold Cristal at a candlelit table in a quiet corner of a pricey restaurant might bend your scruples a bit…
Erm…I’m not fond of either Sundance Head nor Chris Sligh. I hope neither wins or becomes the “pimped one”. I want someone different to win and be the “pimped one” this season.
Marlea Stroman, I remember her. She was pretty good and looked pretty good too. She would have definitely made top 24 if she didn’t jump ship after the first round of Hollywood.
What were they smoking at EW? Porklena or whatever her name was ranked 3rd?! She shoudn’t have gotten a golden ticket in the first place if I was the judge. My guess is she was eliminated pretty early in Hollywood.
Porcelana in Top 3? What is EW smoking over there? She was like Taylor Dayne but with pneumonia.
I hope that Chris S. and Sundance are not the best they have to offer as far as male competitors are concerned. I think Sanjaya is a cute guy with a nice voice but he is very young. Anyhow, I haven’t seen anyone so far that could compete with the Season 5 Top Ten.
Am i the only one surprised to find that Sean Michel didn’t make it through? i’m bummed
No one that could compete with the Season 5 Top 10? You have seen a few seconds of each. Maybe you should at least wait until you hear a whole song from even one of them.
But even just based on the auditions, it can be argued that Chris, Sundance, Melinda, and Brandon may be better than a large portion of last year’s Top 10, and Jordin is likely better than some of them, as well. Leslie seems to have promise, too. Sanjaya is clearly better than Kevin. Blake was just getting into the meat of the song when they cut him off, so we don’t even know how good he is yet.
And several others haven’t been shown yet. You honestly think Ace and Bucky are better? I would stop watching if I were you because it’s going to be a long season if you are disappointed now. You’ve seen many of the favorites already.
RenaRF:
I just read your blog and good work! I think your analysis of Taylor is spot on.
I do believe Taylor forever changed Idol and I am sure Simon is a bit unhappy that the curtain has been pulled back to reveal the wizard who runs the whole thing. He, and the powers on Idol, cannot play their “game” with the viewers as effectively as in the past anymore.
I think this is one reason for all the distractions this year (50-year old yellow parade floats, Sherman Pore, etc.)
I like Sundance the most so far but also like Chris Sligh, Melinda Doolittle, and Brandon Rogers. I don’t like Porcelana at all nor Alaina (?) and don’t get the judges putting them through at all.
I know we loved season 5 and think that nobody can compare but we liked them because we got to know them each week. I look forward to doing the same with the new top 24. I can’t wait to get past the auditions and onto Hollywood.
Interesting that Sanjaya makes it but his sister doesn’t. I’m sure that will be a nice little made-for-reality-TV moment.
I’m thrilled to see Melinda Doolittle make it to the top 24. Her voice is amazing, and I hope her confidence level rises to where it needs to be.
* Top 24 spoiled by RickyHoeGuardian
Males:
1. A.J. Tabaldo
2. Blake Lewis
3. Brandon Rogers
4. Chris Sligh
5. Christopher “Chris” Richardson
6. Jared “J.L.” Cotter
7. Jason “Sundance” Head
8. Nicholas “Nick” Pedro
9. Paul Kim
10. Rudolpho “Rudy” Cardenas
11. Sanjaya Malakar
12. Philip “Phil” Joel Stacey (Possibly Disqualified)
Does anyone have any info on #12 and why possibly disqualified?
Isn’t Philip in the military? Or am I thinking of someone else?
Rena, I just read your post from yesterday. I haven’t created a user-id yet, but I wanted you to know that I agree, for the most part. I ‘m not sure that Simon really hates Taylor but he does seem to resent him.
That being said, part of Simon’s job is to cause controversy and rile people up. Last year he said he liked Kellie better than Carrie, when Carrie is clearly the better vocalist. He say’s it’s “not just about the voice” and then says “it’s a singing contest”. It’s part of Simon’s role, and I think Taylor understands that.
But I think Simon’s comments about Taylor on Oprah etc., reflect his lack of understanding about what Taylor represents. Taylor is a musician who has the self-assuredness about his music who like Bo and Daughtry and some of the new guys this season, brings a professionalism to the talent pool that will make it better, IMO. If it were really about who is best singer, the contestants would sing behind a screen without anyone seeing what they look like, and leave us to judge on vocal technique alone.
But Taylor also knew how to “take advantage” of the opportunity provided by American Idol in a businesslike manner. The PTB shouldn’t complain too much about Taylor “using” AI, because he was a major part of the high ratings last season, and the show is what brings in most of the revenue from this franchise. They got to “use” him too.
It will be interesting to see if more “calculated” contestants add spice to the mix. I think it’s already working out that way with Sligh who has shewdly gotten his product out there. Buzz is good for both Sligh and for American Idol.
I read the spoilers. Some of us are going to be very surprised to learn who doesn’t make it past Hollywood. Some of the very people you’re already arguing about got the boot, if these reports are correct. Let’s just sit back and watch the show. No need to battle. And as for Chris Sligh - I got the video in an email. Dude has possibilities. But I think Dean, the mad stylist, is going to have a partay with him!
I read the spoilers. Some of us are going to be very surprised to learn who doesn’t make it past Hollywood. Some of the very people you’re already arguing about got the boot, if these reports are correct. Let’s just sit back and watch the show. No need to battle. And as for Chris Sligh - I got the video in an email. Dude has possibilities. Dean, the mad stylist, is going to have a paaaartaaayy with him!
I think that people are going to be blown away by Phil Stacey.
He is not getting a huge amount of buzz, because his Memphis audition was only decent, but I have heard him sing many times and I can honestly say that he will be in the tops as far as vocal ability goes.