UPDATE: Joesplace has added more contestants to the list of contestants rumored to have made the AI Season 8 Top 50. In January, the Top 50 will be whittled down to the Top 36 contestants who will compete live on the show.
Here’s my updated list.
More spoiler updates from the extremely reliable American Idol spoiler, JoesPlace. Check out her updated blog HERE.
New to the Top 50 list:
Angela Martin – Mom from Season 7 whose kid has Rhett syndrome. She’s featured in one of the AI Season 8 commercial spots. She’s a second chancer…we’ll see how far she gets this time… MySpace
Emily Wynne-Hughes - She’s from Los Angeles, and plays in a pop/punk band called Go Betty Go–they just finished a European tour. The music is faux-edgy–similar to Gina Glocksen from Season 6. Emily is well-known enough to get invited to Hollywood parties, like the recent Quentin Tarentino Birthday Bash in Las Vegas (photo above). The VFTW peeps dug up some interesting stuff–for instance, she worked at the salon where Britney Spears shaved her head, and was present at the time. Singing “Baracuda” outside the stadium HERE. You Tube channel HERE. Her MySpace. She’s the blond singing “Baracuda” in this AI promo HERE. Check out Go Betty Go’s MySpace Page. (via King Julien at Idol Forums)
Jacklyn à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Jackieà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Tohn – She has a Wikipedia page, and a list of credits for small TV and film roles, including The Nanny, The Sopranos, Strangers with Candy, Angel, Veronica Mars and Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Sheà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s done musical theater, released an EP in 2005, and performed acoustic shows in and around LA and NYC. Links: Myspace Website
Junot Joyner – Made it to Hollywood Season 7. On his MySpace, there are pictures of him hanging out during his audition with Carly Smithson.
Justin Williams – He appears to be a balladeer, judging by these videos – Video1, Video2, Video3
T.K. Hash – Terrence T.K. Hash made it to Hollywood Season 7. This link hints that T.K. may be a Christian music artist. (thanks anijsch)
New and Notable Hollywood Contestants
Adam Lambert – Adam, the “goth guy” has been identified, and he’s pretty out there. He’s got the 70’s heavy-metal androgyny deal going on, and it’ll be interesting to see how far he gets. He’s got crazy insane vocal ability, with an amazing range, but due to his “quirks”, my bet is that he’s been cast as a “personality” type who isn’t meant to advance very far. According to sources at Vote for the Worst, he does really well in Hollywood, but no word on if he’s made the Top 50 or not. Besides music, Adam also has stage experience, playing Moses opposite Val Kilmer in the Ten Commandments at the Kodak Theater in 2004. MySpace You Tube.
Ann Marie Boskovich - Add Ann Marie to the long list of female singer/songwriter types who’ve advanced to Hollywood this year. She’s based in Nashville and has a very commercial pop/country sound. MySpace.
Alexander Green - Alexander is part of a duo called James Alexander. They play kinda John Mayer-ish jazz pop, and Alexander appears to know his way around a guitar. James Alexander, Alexander.
Jacquelyn à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Jackieà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Mendez - According to VFTW, Jackie was a contestant on that failed ABC show The One that also featured Syesha Mercado, and Kara DioGuardi as a judge. Check out her video HERE. Jackie performed with Ricky Martin in the past and had a 5 year recoding contract with Elektra Records.
Jesse McCullagh – Acoustic singer/songwriter. MySpace. He’s in an adventurous acoustic/electric band called The Gentleman Outfit – MySpace.
After the Jump, a round-up of Hollywood Contestants featured in past posts. My list of the rumored Top 50 (It’s short–the leaks have been few and far between this year…) is HERE.
- Mishavonna Henson – She made it to Hollywood last year too. Hereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s her Myspace music page. Sheà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s got a good recording/pop voice, and she looks like she might have some personality.
- Felicia Barton, an awesome singer/songwriter, is one of my favorites, so far. Be sure to check out her My Space. You won’t be sorry. Video1, Video2, Video3. Rumor has it she’s taken down a bunch of her You Tubes…a sign that she may have made the Top 50
- Scott MacIntyre – Heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s the piano playing blind guyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’though that picture on his MySpace has him staring right into the camera. His songs are piano-ballady, and his bio claims heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s produced and recorded 6 albums!
- Joanna Pacitti is already causing a stir. Her family sued when, at the age of 12, she was fired from a Broadway production of Annie. She was previously singed to A&M and Geffen Records and had a song that was covered by Britney Spears. Sheà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s this yearà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“plantà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ a la Carly Smithson last year. Also, rumor has it she broke up DWTS pro Mark Ballas and his girlfriend. Wiki, MySpace, Video1, Video2, Video3.
- Kristen McNamara: She was a previous Star Search and Nashville Star contestant. ( Her music ? Not very country, although she does yodel) She boasts a 4 octave range and has been a regular National Anthem singer at 49er games. Her bio says sheà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s working/writing with Chris Trevett, (Backstreet Boys, Nà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢Sync, Britney Spears, Aaron Carter) finishing and indie record. Her Nashville Star Star profile says sheà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s opened for Lonestar, Collin Raye, Diamond Rio, Montgomery Gentry, Kenny Chesney, Kevin Sharp, Travis Tritt and Glen Campbell. Recording with John Stewart – Video.
- Von Lee Smith – His over-the-top video performance of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“And I Am Telling Youà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ went viral and he became something of a You Tube star. Consequently, he was invited to perform on The View and BETà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s 106 and Park. My Space, Video1, Video2, Video3, Video4, Video5
- Danielle à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Dannià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Roundtree – Danni was Miss New York, USA 2008. Links: My Space My Space Music Miss USA NBC.
- Perrie Cataldo (Also from S7à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’Heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s the single dad with a young daughter, and an arrest record)
- Otto Malone – This contestant should get a ton of screen time. Heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a chief warrant officer in his National Guard unit, and was seriously wounded in the leg by enemy fire late last year while piloting an Apache helicopter over Musa Qala in Afghanistan. He auditioned on crutches. MySpace.
- Jenisis Samoranos – Piano-playing R&B singer. My Space Midomi
- Natasha Valentin – According to IDF and VFTW, she was a contestant on Nashville Star. Her Videos and MySpace
- Allison Iraheta – Sheà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s got her own fansite, if that means anything. She won the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Celebrate Life with Hopeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ award from Childrenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Hospital in Los Angeles, and sang at the benefit with Babyface. She won a Telemundo reality show called Quinceaà ±era in 2006.
- John Twiford – His ex-band B.O.L.T (short for Breath of Life Tribe) are a bunch of new new-ager types, singing a bunch of jam-band hippie crap. The hilariously OTT concept theyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ve got going is worth checking out. MySpace.
- Aubrey Logan – She has a full scholarship to the Berklee School of Music. The Jazz/a Capella version of Radioheadà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“High and Dryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ sheà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s got up on her Myspace could have been dialed back a few notches.
- Ashley Anderson -Sheà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s another singer/songwriter type. Sheà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s really good! My Space
- Phoebe Holiday – Yet another singer/songwriter
- Kendall Beard – And yet another singer/songwriter. Am I detecting a trend?
- Tatiana Nicole Del Toro – Espanol!
- Nate Marshall – Seriously annoying music. But, this isn’t too bad
- Lacey Brown – Seriously NOT annoying music. check her out, sheà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s good.
Rumored to be cut…
- David Osmond – Check him out singing with his brothers and David Archuleta at a recent Christmas concert in Utah. HERE. He’s rumored to have been cut in Hollywood.
- Michael Castro, is Jason Castroà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s younger brother. He’s rumored to have been cut in Hollywood.
- Anna Kaelin is the daughter of David Archuletaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s vocal coach, Dean Kaelin. Dean, if youà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ll recall, played family mouth-piece during the competition, speaking out on the Dadchuleta controversy, and other issues. Also rumored to have been cut in Hollwood.
- Julissa Veloz – She worked with Gerry Williams, who produced Justin Timberlake and Celine Dion. Sheà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a model and did a test shoot for Abercrombie and Fitch. Rumored to be cut in Hollywood.
- Bikini Girl! – Katrina Darrell, chick from the commercial. Her singing is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“special.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  Myspace. Rumor has it she was cut in Hollywood…as well she should have been.
- Tom Korbee and Jennifer à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Jenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ Korbee – A husband and wife made it to Hollywoodà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’for the first time, I believe. Canà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t wait to witness the meltdown when one of them is eliminated! The song the husband’s got playing on his website, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“American Sonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ is third-rate Springsteen-lite. Wife Jennifer fares much better with the pleasant singer-songwriter material sheà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s got on her website. Jennifer previously released the out-of-print album, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Give a Girl a Reasonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ , and starred in a childrens show, Hi-5. More links: Tom My Space Face Book, Jennifer My Space Wiki. Rumor has it Jennifer was cut in Hollywood. No word yet on the fate of Tom.
I agree and thats was one of the reason what it hurts me when she did Bring Me To Life in tour… just no…
Well I really don ´t think that this girl will go far in AI, but is because she is way over the top… like it or not AI is a family program they will want something more family friendly… same goes for Adam, unless he tone down a bit the act he will be in trouble to obtain the more concervative people vote… I think he can do some Mika, he is doing great with all hte androgeny act…
For me, none of anybody’s earlier stuff matters. What matters to me is how they perform on the show and how they stack up against the others. I’ve listened to about 6 or 8 of the rumored contestants’ earlier stuff and some of it I like and some I don’t. I just want to see how they play the Idol game. In 6 years (didn’t see season 5) of watching Idol, there’s only one who got me invested enough to vote let alone stick around after the season. I’ve always had favorites, but they are just people on a reality show. Season 7 changed that, and I’m wondering if I will go back to my old ways or have a need to find somebody to invest in…time will tell. In any event, I’m not looking to invest yet.
To me, a large part of Carly’s problem was that her desperation showed blatantly and more so with each week. On top of that, the closeups on TV didn’t favor her because more often than not she looked as if she was snarling at the audience as she sang.
I understand AI is going for a younger demographic, but I don’t think the parents of those tweens would be really comfortable with someone way over the top as an “idol” for their kids. These singers need to appeal to a much wider audience to make it on the show than just the kids that might be their future audience. That’s part of the reason that some of the themes need to be centered on older music. But not all of them and not as narrowly as they did last year! Anyway, I think some of these potential contestants will not appeal to the kind of wide range of people they need to to win.
Well… looks like this season should be interesting. I saw Go Betty Go about 3 years ago and they were terrible, to put it nicely.