Two out of three last week was pretty darn good for round one. There’s no time to waste:
Kris Allen, 23 (Conway, Ark.)
Kris seems very much indistinguishable from the cookie-cutter crop of boy-band talent: nice-looking, nice voice, nice personality. But nice does not make for a superstar (usually). Expect Kris to go the way of last week’s Ricky Braddy, who sang rather pleasantly but couldn¹t manage a mere whiff of the top three. OUT.
Jesse Langseth, 25 (Minneapolis)
Yet another soul singer, Jesse was another one who instantly caught my attention; however, the advancement of Alexis Grace — who was dynamite last week — might limit the number of similar singers picked to stick around (though I say, ain¹t no such thing as too many soul singers, ya dig?). Given a toss-up between Megan and Jesse, Jesse draws the short stick. OUT.
Matt Breitzke, 27 (Bixby, Okla.)
In a related story, roughneck Michael Sarver became the top 12’s lone blue-collar nod with his advancement last week. (And undeservedly so, based on his lackluster performance.) This leaves his teddy bear brother-in-arms, Matt the welder, in the cold. OUT.
Jeanine Vailes, 27 (Sherman Oaks, Calif.)
There’s little information online about Jeanine, and I remember her from Hollywood Week like I remember what I had for lunch three weeks ago. Barring a strong performance Wednesday, she¹ll continue her residency in obscurity. OUT.
Mishavonna Henson, 18 (Irvine, Calif)
Folk/country/indie signer Mishavonna has an interesting look and an interesting voice. So why am I not interested? OUT.
Kai Kalama, 26 (San Clemente, Calif.)
Kai takes care of his ailing mother, which is good. He is also a mediocre singer, which is not good. This is where I make the obligatory joke about nice guys not finishing last but rather finishing somewhere in the top 36. OUT.
Allison Iraheta, 16 (Los Angeles)
Another entry from the easily forgettable files, Allison has an OK, smoky voice but is only 16 and too young to be as edgy and hip as she lets on. Strangely, I keep running across what looks like a Telemundo “Idol” copycat performance on the Internet. (It’s not worth searching for, if you’re wondering.) OUT.
Jasmine Murray, 16 (Starkville, Miss.)
There’s been buzz about Jasmine, a young former beauty queen, being an early front-runner. She’s talented, but what¹s all the hype about? It is with extreme hesitation that I say — Jordin Sparks, David Cook flashbacks! — it’s over. OUT.
Matt Giraud, 23 (Kalamazoo, Mich.)
A dueling piano player, Matt has been one of the early Scott Fuller Favorites, which is typically the kiss of death. I hold out hope that this Midwesterner produces the good work that I remember. But with Adam being a near-certainty, he¹ll have his work cut out for him. OUT.
Adam Lambert, 26 (Los Angeles)
Adam has a shrill, glass-shattering voice that turns heads. If this sounds horrific, consider that Adam is also a cucumber-cool, polished, professional singer who performed on a national tour of the Broadway hit “Wicked.” No, not the stuff of an “Idol” neophyte. He’s a shoo-in. IN.
Megan Joy Corkrey, 22 (Sandy, Utah)
Megan’s first audition, “Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man of Mine,” was soulful and skilled. If she¹s anywhere near that level Wednesday, she¹s a must-move-on. There’s a strong possibility of a letdown, but in the spirit of positive thinking, I’ll expect the best and offer the Scott Fuller Stamp of Approval. IN.
Nick Mitchell, 27 (Brookfield, Conn.)
Who will take the stage tonight: Nick, the shy, soft-spoken nobody, or Norman Gentle, his flamboyant, clownish, extroverted alter ego? It is a minor miracle that Nick has made it this far, but Nick (Norman?) has deftly balanced his slyly good voice with a comic act that is pure entertainment. The Sanjaya Effect is going full blazes here, and I am pulling for Norman even if he boots a better singer (e.g., Matt or Jesse) out of the competition. IN.
Scott Fuller’s “Idol Chatter” runs every Tuesday. E-mail [email protected].
