The X Factor USA: Top 17
I simply can not describe to you all how excited I was last night for The X Factor USA's first show. The show has been getting less than favorable reviews in the past few weeks, mainly concerning it lacking originality and too much emphasis on the "bigger the better" mentality, but I was waiting for this week so that all that could be put to rest. I was not disappointed. The night started off with the Pepsi Live Pre-Show about an hour before the show started. If you know the UK version then you are familiar with The Xtra Factor which airs after each show, and they interview the contestants and judges and have lots of fun talking about the show, etc. The Pepsi Live Pre-Show is similar to this but with a much lower budget and not as impressive, but nevertheless it was still a fun show and I thought the hosts were perfect, especially Jim Cantiello from MTV. He did a superb job. It'll be great to see how the show progresses through the season. Then came the live show, and I could barely contain my excitement. First of all, the stage is gargantuan. I knew the show was going to be bigger than the UK version but never in my wildest dreams did I think Simon was going to take it to that level though. I thought it was perfect however, and I knew that that was a sign that the show was going to blow me away for the rest of night. I was not wrong. From Astro's incredible opening performance to Melanie's show-stopping finale the first live show of The X Factor USA lived up to my expectations. Just so you all know, I will be tweeting my thoughts every show night so if you want to get my thoughts in real-time then follow me! If you were following me then you will know that I guessed correctly four of the five acts that went home. Now it's time to review the talent.
Astro (Brian Bradley)
In the other episodes I have really found Astro to be an annoying, egotistical teenager who could rap decently, but after last night's performance he completely changed my mind. He had the crowd on their feet and I was enjoying every second of it. He put on an incredible show, and he is actually a very good rapper. I'd watch him anyday over Weezy or Kanye. I think he's going to do very well in this competition.
Philip Lomax
Astro (Brian Bradley)
Philip Lomax
Philip was actually the only one of the Top 4 boys that I actually cared for after Judges Homes. I felt like he had a great voice, and was like a more jazz version of Bruno Mars. I was expecting a lot from him this week, but I was severely disappointed. It could not have been any more blatantly obvious last night that L.A. Reid had his mind made up a week in advance that he was going to send Philip home. He totally threw him under the bus by giving him an atrocious song that did not fit him in any way. Chris Rene was horrendous last night and should have been sent home, but, like I said, it was obvious the decision was pre-made.
Marcus Canty
Marcus Canty came out of nowhere and delivered a superb performance. I could not for the life of me even remember who he was from last week, but now I will never forget him. He has some great silky smooth vocals and I think he will be the dark horse out of the Boys category. Watch out for this one!
The Stereo Hoggz
These guys definitely aren't the best boy band around, but they're tight as a group and their vocals reflect that. Yes, they are very old school and probably won't sell well on the radio, but they're good. Hopefully Paula will work with them and really bring them up to present day throughout the course of the competition.
Lakoda Rayne
These girls are definitely my favorite group this year. inTENsity are basically a Kids Bop group and The Stereo Hoggz are something we've already seen, but Lakoda Rayne is something new. I'd say they're a mixture of the Dixie Chicks and the Pussycat Dolls. They've definitely got the image to sell well in today's market, but I like that they counterbalance that by singing country music. I don't think there's ever been a girl group like Lakoda Rayne before so hopefully they'll make it far in this competition.
Stacey Francis
Stcaey is the only of the Overs that I actually like. LeRoy is "blah" and I just find Josh to be gross. Stacey has a big voice, but she's definitely not going to do well in the industry. Her performance this week was a little underwhelming because she has performed much better in the past (especially at Judges Homes). Hopefully next week she'll have a better song and bring the house down.
Simone Battle
I've loved Simone from the very beginning. I've always thought that she could be a great pop star, and she definitely does not lack the confidence needed! Her vocals were definitely not up to par last night, but I loved the whole production of the performance. Katy Perry and Rihanna are successful for performances like the one Simone gave last night. Keep your eyes peeled for Ms. Battle in the not-so-distant future.
Rachel Crow
Rachel is my favorite of the Girls, mainly because she is such a superstar although being so young. She can really belt it out, but I was severely let down by the choice of song. Bieber? Really? None of Justin's songs have a large enough of a range to accurately show off Rachel's vocal ability so I was a little let down. Let's hope next week she brings it!
Drew
Drew really impressed me in her audition with her rendition of Bieber's 'Baby' which was far superior to the original, but in the weeks following she had really let me down. I felt she was just very generic, but last night she proved me wrong. She gave a very strong performance and re-solidified herself in my eyes. I certainly don't think she's the best girl, but I think she'll go very far.
Tiah Tolliver
I always really liked Tiah because I felt she had an as-yet-unrevealed quality to her that made her alluring. She never had the greatest voice, but there was something mysterious about her that I loved. I felt the song choice was more than weird, and I didn't think that it did her any favors. But I still really enjoyed the weirdness. I'm not sure how long she would have lasted in the competition, but like Simon frequently said, she has something.
Melanie Amaro
Melanie was definitely incredible last night. This girl has some pipes, and it'll be interesting to see what kind of an artist she really is in the weeks to come. I feel as though she will be a Jordin Sparks type contestant. She will do well on the show, but once she's in the real world she'll be forgotten. We'll have to see how she progresses in the weeks to come.
Like I mentioned earlier, I guessed all the eliminations correctly except for one of the girls. I really thought Simon was going to keep Tiah because he really seemed to be fighting for her, but he ultimately got rid of her. I definitely agree with all the decisions that the judges made except for L.A. Chris Rene should have gone home, not Philip. If this first week is anything to judge the show by then I think we are in for a treat in the coming weeks.
BONUS: As you might have noticed last night on the show, as Simone was eliminated she stated that she was going to release her first ever music video and begin her career. Well, she did it and the video is for her first single 'He Likes Boys'. As you can tell from the title, it's about a girl's gaydar gone haywire. The song is actually quite catchy and the video is surprisingly great. Her recorded voice is much better than her live voice, and it actually resembles a mixture of Katy Perry and Nicole Scherzinger. It's very good, and it'll be interesting to see where she goes from here. Check out the video!
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