The We´Ani Show

Well, it only took one week for America’s votes – 80 million more votes than last year’s first voting show – for me to scream NSFW utterances.

It’s too early for a rant. Five of my Top 6 (so far) did make the top 20. And I found MY winner. So, let’s just get to the grades. At this point in the contest, I am very focused on post-Idol potential which is factored into my musings. To that end, uniqueness is a big part of that potential. And to add nuance going forward, grading will include pluses and minuses.

• A – Superior
• B – Good, often meaning positive moments out-weighed negative ones
• C – Meh, nothing memorable or distinctive
• D – Ugh
• F – A Gots-to-Go Situation

Round 1 (in order of performance)

Zachariah Smith (I Want to Know What Love Is Foreigner) One of my least favorite songs ever and not a good song choice for somebody who basically screeched his way through it. Top 10 material, Katy? Really?[1] F

Matt Wilson (Say You Won’t Let Go James Arthur) His voice is kind of thin. I like him less each time I hear him. C

Nailyah Serenity (Baby Love Mother’s Finest) Lawdhamercy we got some funkupinheah! Loved the updated sound on a late-70s deeeeeep cut. Girlfriend knows her music.[2] A

Warren Peay (Up There Down Here Zach Williams) He’s very listenable but in a meh way. C+

KAERYA (Bruises Lewis Capaldi) Uh, Lew, she OWNED your song! I’m with Katy – the arrangement was amazing. I still would like to hear a bit less of her vocal affectations, but she is a very polished, talented musician. A-

Mariah Faith (Cry to Me Solomon Burke) I thought she would have sounded more soulful given the song choice. The performance was bland. C

IAMTONGI (The Winner Takes It All Abba) He just stands there and simply sings. The purity of his voice is enough to hold his audience captive. A-

Haven Madison (Mean Girl Leanna Crawford) I’m very surprised she survived. Good song choice. Authentic performance. B-

Oliver Steele (original Too Soon) Nice song. The songwriting might separate him from others in the Chris Stapleton-ish lane like Warren Peay and Colin Stough. B-

Lucy Love (Original Boulders) I AM SHOCKED AT THIS VOTING RESULT!!! What a powerful song. Where did that come from? B+

Saying goodbye to Emma Busse (one of my Top Six); and PJAE and Elise Kristine (from my Worth Paying Attention To list).

Round 2 (in order of performance)

Hannah Nicholaisen (Somebody to Love Queen) Nice voice. Didn’t like the song choice. It came off cruise shippy. C

Olivia Soli (I Surrender Celine) Again, she’s a pretty girl with a big voice. Like lots of other pretty girls with big voices. And Katy wants her to keep singing Celine. Sheesh. C+

Marybeth Byrd (original People Pleaser) She can’t compete vocally, but her original song was powerful. B-

Michael Williams (Lose You to Love Me Selena Gomez) He’s got a very current voice and that falsetto is wow. B+

Paige Anne (Say Something A Great Big World) That was her best performance but I’m always gonna struggle with young girls singing big songs. Where is the market for that? But I guess I liked it better than I liked Olivia (above). B

Nutsa (Un-break My Heart Toni Braxton) After uttering some things not fit for print when I heard her name called, that performance wasn’t bad. (That said, I might melt if I heard KAEYRA do that song.) B

Tyson Venegas (original 180) LOVED THIS!!! Very current sound. His staging was fantastic. A-

Megan Danielle (Holy Water We The Kingdom) Her best performance. This is her lane. I hope the Contemporary Christian Music labels are watching. A-

Colin Stough (Pretty Heart Parker McCallum) He’s just not very good. D

Round 3 (The We´Ani Round)

We´ Ani (Skyfall Adele) OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG AAAAAAAAAA++++++++++

Seriously. Nobody is in her class.

Gotta go vote. See you (sometime) after the Monday show which gets us down to our Top 12.

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[1] Prayers up for hometown, though.

[2] Most people won’t probably recognize this historic but mostly unknown interracial rock/funk band from the 70s.