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Lea Salonga, the Philippines Pride and Joy who starred as the first Kim in Miss Saigon and Eponine of Les Miserables years ago... and this year's Fantine of Les Miserables, admitted that she watches American Idol and she voted for Blake's "little sister" Jordin Sparks.
-oOo-
We're watching American Idol... why am I generally underwhelmed this season? With the exception of Melinda Doolittle, none of the other Idol hopefuls really got to me. Having said that, I vote for Jordin Sparks to win over Blake "Beatbox" Lewis. Then again, it's all about the votes.
She was on Jay Leno and she said that during the last minutes of the finale while they awaited the results that Blake whispered "I love you girl, knock 'em out!" Also he said "If I forget the words will you sing with me?"
Catching up with Blake Lewis, post-finale: Though he calls ''Idol'' a ''blessing'' overall, the runner-up admits of the contest-winning ballad, ''That track would never be on my album''
Blake Lewis didn't win American Idol, but don't worry about his future: He's already talking about collaborations with folks like Nick Hexum from 311, whose ''All Mixed Up'' he covered early in the season (''As soon as we met, it was like we were homies already,'' reports Blake). In Mr. Lewis' immediate future, though? Pizza. We caught up with the 25-year-old backstage as he scarfed down a few slices after the big finale.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How did you deal with having to perform ''This Is My Now''? It seemed so... not you. BLAKE LEWIS: [When I first heard it] I was like, really? All right. I gotta sing this song, shake hands with it, make friends with it. And hopefully perform it well. It's definitely not my style. That track would never be on my album.
Did you think about rearranging it? They wouldn't let me do that, because it was the song that won the contest. If it had been a song for me and a song for Jordin, I think that would've been a lot different. They could've picked two songwriters.
Did you want to speak out? I don't care — it is what it is. You have your good, your bad, and your in-between.
Moving on to the songs that you were allowed to rearrange: How did you decide to remix ''You Give Love a Bad Name''? They say ''make it your own,'' so from a producer's standpoint I just remixed a song if I felt like the piece needed it. I'd do that with my own songs, whether I was on Idol or not. After you've been singing for a couple years, you want to revamp them and make them fresh. So I just tried to be true to myself and let my creativity take hold.
Do you think that taking those chances mostly helped you or hurt you during the competition? I honestly never looked at it that way. I did what they told me. They told me to make a song my own, and that's all I tried to do. So I don't think it was taking a chance. See, they contradict themselves a lot, the judges. With ''You Keep Me Hanging On'' [during Diana Ross week], I totally revamped it and kept the main ingredients of the song, but they gave me some criticism about that. So you never know — you can't win, you can't lose.
So what's next for you? I did some work with Nick already — a song I had written and another that he and Kevin Griffin from Better Than Ezra put together for me and I improvised over — which is like a dream come true. [Producer] BT is my other main inspiration. If we could get together and create a song, I'd be like a kid in a candy store.
One of the highlights of the finale was watching you and Doug E. Fresh together on stage... Hip-hop on American Idol, you can't beat that! The experience has been so amazing, I can't even explain in words. It's bittersweet right now, because it's over. Two seconds before I got on stage, it was like, ''It's done — this is the last time I'll step on the Idol stage.'' The journey was truly a blessing.
In the last performance show of season 6 of ''American Idol,'' Jordin may have clinched her victory over Blake with her version of a cheesy custom-made song, ''This Is My Now''
Blake was kicked around by the judges tonight, but on the other hand, he underperformed. Jordin got overhyped, but a year or two from now, she's probably going to be giving Kelly and Carrie a run for their record sales. And I still kind of miss Melinda — but not nearly as much as I do Elliott.
If all that sounds a little conflicted and contradictory, well, that's because those two words sum up exactly how I'm feeling at the end of a final performance night — and, indeed, an entire Idol season — that's continuously tested my allegiances, alternately enraged me, bored me, and thrilled me, and left me never quite certain where I stood. On most matters, that is.
Thankfully, there are at least three subjects where I'm willing to throw down a definitive opinion:
For starters, this wasn't (as some media pundits have suggested) the worst group of Idol finalists ever; it's just that they suffered by comparison with the extraordinary folks of season 5, and from the producers' decision to devote way too much airtime to guest mentors, man-on-the-street interviews, and so much other hooey that had nothing to do with the actual contestants. I'd argue that every one of this season's top six was a stronger performer than at least one corresponding finisher from season 4 (Scott Savol and Constantine Maroulis), season 3 (Jasmine Trias and John Stevens), season 2 (Carmen Rasmusen), and season 1 (Nikki McKibbin).
Second, and with all due respect to Simon and Randy, if Idol really and truly is a singing competition, then the winner went home last week.
And finally, if the best song that America's aspiring tunesmiths can come up with is ''This Is My Now,'' then bring back the people who gave us ''Do I Make You Proud.''
I mean, if the goal here is to produce a viable hit single, then why not let Blake release ''Time of the Season'' and Jordin go with ''I (Who Have Nothing).'' Because no radio station I know (or want to know, anyway) is going to play a record with a chorus that goes, ''My fears behind me/Gone are the shadows and doubt/That was then/This is my now,'' especially when it's paired with a melody that tastes like a fondue made of melted Smarties, Skittles, and Jujyfruits.
Why not just drop the last ''w'' in the song title and call it ''This Is My No''?
Ugh!
As far as I'm concerned, it would be prudent to toss both Blake and Jordin's renditions of this so-called song directly into the same musical landfill where Katharine McPhee's ''My Destiny,'' Bo Bice's ''Long Long Road,'' and Clay Aiken's ''This Is the Night'' are quietly decomposing.
But since I imagine most voters are considering all six of tonight's performances, I'd have to give the ''This Is My Now'' round to Jordin. Granted, the opening three or four lines of Jordin's performance were almost as rocky as Ryan's failed attempt to score a laugh with that awful ''So the bitch is okay'' joke about Paula's Chihuahua. And of course, none of the judges seemed to feel it was their duty to call Jordin on it. But the last two-thirds of the performance was strong and sure — especially that massive, victory-sealing glory note. Oh, how I wish the kid had ended it there, instead of attempting the ''I'm overcome with emotion'' voice crack on her final two lines. Seriously, I might buy Jordin's first album come the holidays, but I am in no way buying her sob-sister act. On the plus side, though, Jordin's limited acting skills will probably dissuade Nigel Lythgoe from greenlighting From Blake to Jordin.
On the same note, Blake's not much of a thespian, either, seeing that he could barely hide his ennui while wobbling his way through ''This Is My Now.'' Yeah, the song was about as well suited to his style as Jordin's lacy black dress with organza overlay, but I still subscribe to the principle that if you're gonna bring it, you better sing it. Instead, as Blake opened the number seated at the back of the stage, his urge to lean all the way back and welcome a visit from the Lunesta butterfly was palpable, at least until he started that spastic bouncing fit. My guess is that Blake's inner hipster was overcome with the desire to infuse the moribund track with some of that beatboxing all the kids are talking about, while his inner nerd lobbied for a respectful line reading. The result was musical turmoil; it occasionally seemed that Blake was singing in a different key than the backing vocalists, and compared with Jordin's oil tanker of a big note, the spiky-haired underdog's was more of a dinghy.
Lucky for Blake, he defeated his rival in the ''greatest hits'' portion of tonight's battle — which was no small feat considering that Jordin's encore of ''A Broken Wing'' was every bit as strong as her stellar country-night performance of the track. I'd have to dispute Randy's claim that it was ''better than the original,'' but Jordin's emotional connection to the material (not to mention her ability to hit every note) was so impressive that I quickly stopped paying attention to the distracting eagle decal on her navy blue blouse, as well as the lighting and camera angles, which seemed to be signaling that the 17-year-old contestant was a glorious gift from above.
Blake got no such love from the camera crew on ''You Give Love a Bad Name,'' most of which seemed to be shot either through the crook of the drummer's elbow or from somewhere on the left side of row 37 in the Kodak Theater. But who cares? Simon was right that the beatboxer's nifty twist on the creaky Bon Jovi anthem was the performance of the night; I'd say of the entire season. I was worried that a second helping (on only three weeks' rest) would be less invigorating, but boy, was I wrong. Blake's beatboxing was faster and funkier, he seemed more confident and connected with the crowd, and, without the ''Wha?'' factor in play, it was even more obvious how Blake's ''Bad Name'' stands on its own as a modern, chart-worthy pop track, and not just as a gimmicky performance in the confines of a reality TV competition. (And Randy's ''just aiight'' critique merely proved that he's vastly less relevant than Paula — even on her loopiest night.
Speaking of She Who Tripped Over Her Yipper, I'm going to do something really shameful (but honest) and, with the score tied at one-one, declare a dead heat between Jordin and Blake in the last category we're discussing tonight, the ''contestants' choice.'' Because, really, while both were perfectly good, neither performance was so definitively awesome that it's likely to sway voters from their predetermined candidates.
Jordin's choice of Christina Aguilera's ''Fighter'' was certainly the gutsier of the two. All season long, the perky teenager has struggled with up-tempo numbers, and syncopation has not been her strong suit. Indeed, Jordin was just a smidge behind the beat from the very start of ''Fighter,'' fell even further back on the bridge, then missed the words ''so cruel'' and found herself ahead of the music. But all that aside, the kid proved willing to return to the rock-tinged genre where she failed so absolutely on Bon Jovi night. And while she was really just coloring inside Xtina's lines, she did it well enough that it didn't quite smell like karaoke, either.
And, hey, her rival's cover of Maroon 5's ''She Will Be Loved'' wasn't his most innovative performance, either. Granted, Blake's vocal was slightly more laid-back than Adam Levine's original, and I loved the falsetto twist he put on that final ''broken smile,'' but as Simon said, it wasn't exactly the showstopper you'd expect for the finals — especially considering Blake had just covered the same artist exactly seven days ago. I mean, is this a man who dreams of, say, winning a Grammy someday or of fronting a Maroon 5 cover band? I know, I know, a lot of Blake fans have been saying their guy doesn't actually want to win the whole thing, but riddle me this: Four out of the five previous Idol runners-up (Justin, Diana, Bo, and Katharine) have all failed to go platinum, so how will second place benefit Blake? Given the fact that Jordin had a more sizable fan base heading into tonight's show, and seeing that Blake didn't do nearly enough to sway the Sparks-pluggers in his direction, I'm guessing we'll find out. Here's hoping Paula's ''we're all winners!'' mantra extends to the top two or, better still, the top four.
What did you think of tonight's show, and who's going to take home the big prize on Wednesday? What was more of a shock — Blake winning the coin toss and choosing to go first, Randy appearing on national television in that hideous gray jacket with the gold chains, or Paula's un-be-weavable hair? And who was your favorite bizarre celebrity sighting for the night? (My vote goes to Kathy Griffin!)
There was a time I packed my dreams away Living in a shell, hiding from myself
There was a time when I was so afraid Thought I’d reached the end Baby that was then I am made of more than my yesterday’s
[Chorus] This is my now, and I am breathing in the moment But I look around I can’t believe the love I see My fears behind me, gone are the shadows and doubts That was then, this is my now.
And I have the courage like never before, yeah I’ve settled forless now I’m ready for more Ready for more
The American Idol Finale finally aired last night after a long journey to find your American Idol it has come down to two contestants, Blake Lewis and Jordin Sparks. This Is Blake's Last Performance of the Night Singing, "This Is My Now" Which was the song that won the User Submitted Song Writing Competition.
Here is the last set of Vote For Blake banners! Pass them around like crazy! Special thanks to everyone who has made one all season. They've been so incredible!!!
Post these everywhere you can and get everyone to VOTE VOTE VOTE!
Who’s in it to win it? By Nestor Torre Inquirer Last updated 03:27am (Mla time) 05/19/2007
MANILA, Philippines—As of this writing (May 16), “American Idol”
is down to its last three finalists—Melinda Doolittle, Blake Lewis and
Jordin Sparks. The popular tilt’s “big reveal” of its winner is still
two weeks away, but avid followers of the singing competition are
second-guessing the voters and are figuring out who the “Ultimate Idol”
will turn out to be. See if you agree with the “logic” of this extended
argument:
On point of sheer singing talent, the favorite is Melinda. A
former back-up singer and the oldest and most experienced performer in
the troika, Melinda evokes musical memories of classy chanteuses of
old, like Dinah Washington and Lena Horne.
Too mature
Could it be, however, that Melinda is too mature to win the
top prize? Going by the salt-and-pepper-topped Taylor Hicks’ victory
last year, not really.
Still, Taylor was “old” but edgy and irascible, while Melinda
comes across more like—a librarian! If most of the show’s viewer-voters
turn out to be teens and young-adults, this could prove to be a problem
for Melinda.
To be sure, she’s shown in the course of the tilt that she
can sex it up some—but, to some extent, her natural sweetness and
shyness remain. So, the word’s out to all lovers of innate musical
ability: They’ve got to go all-out in “defending” Melinda with their
gazillions of votes, otherwise the younger “final-finalists” will rule
the day.
Comparing the two younger finalists, Blake comes across as
more experienced and versatile, and his signature “vocal calisthenics”
enable him to score extra points with some viewers (others think they
can get a bit much, though).
Blake could also benefit from the show’s predominantly female
viewership, as did Sanjaya Malakar some weeks ago. Since he’s the last
male finalist standing—and cute, besides—so, all those giggly
adolescents who flipped for Sanjaya could decide to support his bid for
top “Idol-hood.”
Debit side
On the debit side, however, Blake’s singing occasionally
comes off as (in Simon Cowell’s kiss-of-death words) “too karaoke.”
—And, on a singing tilt, that’s not OK!
For her part, Jordin is the youngest finalist in the tilt at
only 17, so it’s a marvel that she’s survived this far. The reasons for
this include her hugely compelling vocal instrument, her height and
heft (which make her look older than her tender years), her
versatility, and her precocious self-confidence.
All of these plus points, plus the youth factor in the
voting, suggest that, when the final votes are added up, it’s Jordin
who will emerge as “AI’s” Ultimate Idol.
Relevance
Of course, some things could still go wrong during the
tilt’s last performance episodes. Barring major catastrophes, however,
Jordin could turn out to be “it.” Her victory would go a long way in
further “youthening” the singing contest’s ethos and relevance, despite
its having extended its age limit for contestants upwards.
In the past, other teens also made it to the finals, but
Jordin’s advantage over them is her relatively more mature projection,
which makes it easier for both judges and voters to see her as a winner
who’ll be in the biz to stay.
Postcript: It’s Thursday, May 17, and the two remaining
Idols have just been announced. Shockeroo: Melinda’s out! It looks like
our “youth” argument has ruled the votes, hence the survival of “young
ones,” Blake and Jordin.
Who will win in the “final-finals”? Oddsmakers bet on Jordin
over Blake—but the show’s millions of viewer-voters always have the
final say, and they could have yet another shocker in store for
everyone—before “AI” 2007 finally reaches its slam-bang conclusion!
Which photo you like best? Image one? Image two? Oh... come on... make up your mind! *sighs* Okay I know... why don't you just vote for the Entertainment Weekly cover you like best for Blake?
I'm serious!!! Haha! The Entertainment Weekly cover depends on you!
Original message from Kristi... and I totally agree with her.
There has been some talk about how blake shouldn't be in the final 2
because he doesn't have the 'strongest' voice or that melinda shouldn't
have been voted off because her voice is better than blake's. i think
that blake has proven time and time again that he is a competitor to be
reckoned with. i know that the judges continually say that this is a
'singing' competition and i think that is valid. HOWEVER, i think that
someone needs to have the whole package in order to be successful after
the show is over.
i don't think it's fair to say that blake is still there because this
is a 'popularity contest'. i know for a fact that the majority of his
fans vote for him because of his talent. because he's a true artist. i
don't know about you, but i sure wouldn't vote for 2 hours a week JUST
because i thought someone was cute. that novelty wears off after a
while. blake fans vote because of his TALENT.
it's important to remember that being the most talented singer ever
doesn't mean anything if you don't have other things backing it up.
think about some of the most successful singers out there. they don't
necessarily have the BEST voices, but what they do have is good voices,
personality, talent, business savvy, marketability, etc. look at
performers like madonna, britney spears, etc. definitely not the best
voices, but they have the IT factor.
anyway, just something to consider while questioning blake's 'right' to be in the final 2. :)
