AMERICAN IDOL “Third 12 of 36 Compete” (Top 36 – Group 3) Review

Finally, the third group of 12 performed on AMERICAN IDOL Season 8. Once again a pretty disappointing night, no one really shined for me. My favorite of the night was Jorge Nuñez. I honestly have no idea which three will go ahead tonight. Let’s find out how the contestants did: Von Smith Song: “You’re All I Need to Get By” by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell Thoughts: I thought he did pretty good. It was an enjoyable performance. Judge I agree with the most: Simon Rating: 3/4 Video: Taylor Vaifanua Song: “If I Ain’t Got You” by Alicia Keyes Thoughts: I was really bored during the performance. And I have to agree with the judges, she really didn’t put any personality into it. Judge I agree with the most: Kara/Simon Rating: 2/4 Video: Alex Wagner Song: “I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues” by Elton John Thoughts: I half liked it and half didn’t. It was a little awkward in parts. Judge I agree with the most: Paula Rating: 2.5/4 Video: Arianna Afsar Song: “he Winner Takes It All” by ABBA Thoughts: I don’t remember her from Hollywood week, but I actually really liked her (I cannot believe I disagree with Simon on this). Judge I agree with the most: Paula Rating: 3/4 Video: Ju’Not Joyner Song: “Hey There Delilah” by Plain White T’s Thoughts: It was pretty good. I do agree with the judges that he was holding back a little, I wish he had let go a little more. Judge I agree with the most: Simon Rating: 3/4 Video: Kristen McNamara Song: “Give Me One Reason” by Tracy Chapman Thoughts: Wow, that girl can sing. I really didn’t think she would be that good, but I liked her a lot. Judge I agree with the most: Kara Rating: 4/4 Video: Nathaniel Marshall Song: “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)” by Meat Loaf Thoughts: First of all I love this song, but I don’t think he got what the meaning of it really was. There was absolutely no emotion, I just didn’t get it. Judge I agree with the most: Simon Rating: 2/4 Video: Felicia Barton Song: “No One” by Alicia Keys Thoughts: It started out good, but there was some pitchy moments in there. Overall, she was pretty good, especially for someone that was initially sent home. Judge I agree with the most: Simon Rating: 3/4 Video: Scott MacIntyre Song: “Mandolin Rain” by Bruce Hornsby and the Range Thoughts: I just didn’t think he was that good. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t that great. Judge I agree with the most: None Rating: 2/4 Video: Kendall Beard Song: “This One’s for the Girls” by Martina McBride Thoughts: It was ok, I enjoyed it. That’s about it. Judge I agree with the most: Randy Rating: 3/4 Video: Jorge Nuñez Song: “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” by Elton John Thoughts: Wow, that was awesome. He has a really great voice. My favorite of the night. Judge I agree with the most: Randy Rating: 4/4 Video: Lil Rounds Song: “Be Without You” by Mary J. Blige Thoughts: Well, I don’t like that song, so that’s a problem. It was just ok for me. I have to disagree with the judges on that one. Plus I actually find her a little boring (been there done that). Judge I agree with the most: None Rating: 3/4 Video: Related posts: AMERICAN IDOL Season 8 “3 Finalists Chosen” Review (2/18/09) AMERICAN IDOL – Top 12 finally revealed Daemon’s TV Copyright © 2006-2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. The use of this feed on other websites breaches copyright. If this content is not in your news reader, it makes the page you are viewing an infringement of the copyright. This is a post from Daemon’s TV . AMERICAN IDOL “Third 12 of 36 Compete” (Top 36 – Group 3) Review

Will Idol 8 Changes Keep Viewers Watching?

Probably trying to avoid viewer’s fatigue, the reality show American Idol made unprecedented changes for this eighth year’s season. They hope to continue getting viewers hooked to the talent search. Songwriter Kara DioGuardi replaced Paula Abdul as the only female judge. The show is also accommodating 36 contestants instead of the 24 selected in previous seasons. The long , dragging audition episodes have been reduced while more episodes on the Hollywood round have been added. The show will minimize the showing of silly audition performances. A wild card episode, which is set for broadcast March 5, will give cut off contestants the opportunity to fight for one of the spots in the final 12. There won’t be a telethon for charity this season. The top 36 are Adam Lambert, Alex Wagner-Trugman, Alexis Grace, Allison Iraheta, Anne Marie Boskovich, Anoop Desai, Arianna Afsar, Brent Keith, Casey Carlson, Danny Gokey, Jackie Tohn, Jasmine Murray, Jeanine Vailes, Jesse Langseth, Jorge Nunez-Mendez, Ju’Not Joyner, Kai Kalama, Kendall Beard, Kris Allen, Kristen McNamara, Lil Rounds, Matt Breitzke, Matt Giraud, Megan Corkrey, Michael Sarver, Mishavonna Henson, Nathaniel Marshall, Nick Mitchell, Ricky Braddy, Scott MacIntyre, Stephen Fowler, Stevie Wright, Tatiana Del Toro, Taylor Vaifanua, Joanna Pacitti, and Von Smith. It will be interesting to see what talent Idol finds this season.

Meet AMERICAN IDOL’s Top 36 Contestants

Now that the judges on AMERICAN IDOL have chosen the Top 36 contestants, it is time for us to meet all of them. But before I start, I need to let you guys know that even though Joanna Pacitti was shown as making it through, she was later found ineligible and replaced by Felicia Barton in the competition. Why? Well, I’m still not exactly sure, but from what I understand it had to do with Joanna having released albums before and even recorded songs written by none other than new judge Kara DioGuardi. Personally, I don’t care either way because so far none of the girls have stood out for me. But maybe that will change when they start performing on Tuesday. And now on to the interesting part, here are the American Idol Top 36 semifinalists: FEMALES: Alexis Grace Hometown: Memphis, TN Currently Resides: Memphis, TN Age: 21 Grace has been singing since she was 7 years old. She was a member of the Concert Choir at the University of Memphis, and enjoys dancing, playing the guitar and taking care of her daughter. Allison Iraheta Hometown: Los Angeles, CA Currently Resides: Downey, CA Age: 16 Iraheta is a junior in high school who began singing at age 5. She also enjoys playing the guitar. Ann Marie Boskovich Hometown: Thousand Oaks, CA Currently Resides: Nashville, TN Age: 22 Currently pursuing a career as a singer/songwriter, Boskovich began singing before she could talk. She also plays guitar and piano. Arianna Afsar Hometown: San Diego, CA Currently Resides: San Diego, CA Age: 17 Afsar is a senior at Westview High School. She has been singing since she was 7 years old, and loves acting, dancing and playing piano. Casey Carlson Hometown: Eden Prairie, MN Currently Resides: Minneapolis, MN Age: 20 Carlson is in her third year at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, majoring in Psychology. She began taking voice lessons in fifth grade. Felicia Barton Hometown: Virginia Beach, VA Currently Resides: Virginia Beach, VA Age: 26 Barton lives in Virginia Beach, VA, with her husband and son. She began singing before she could talk, and her first public performance was at age 2. Jackie Tohn Hometown: Oceanside, NY Currently Resides: Silver Lake, CA Age: 28 Tohn resides in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Silver Lake. She holds an associate’s degree in psychology from Santa Monica College. Her hobbies include acting, performing comedy and playing guitar. Jasmine Murray Hometown: Columbus, MS Currently Resides: Starkville, MS Age: 17 Murray lives in Starkville, MS, and attends The Mississippi School of the Arts. She loves being on stage and has been singing since she was 3 years old. Jeanine Vailes Hometown: Washington, DC Currently Resides: Sherman Oaks, CA Age: 28 A recent arrival to Los Angeles, Vailes began singing at age 4 and had her first solo performance in church at age 9. She also enjoys songwriting, motivational speaking and doing voiceover work. Jesse Langseth Hometown: Minneapolis, MN Currently Resides: Minneapolis, MN Age: 26 Langseth lives in Minneapolis, MN, with her 8-year-old daughter. In addition to singing, she also plays the piano and guitar. Kendall Beard Hometown: Lufkin, TX Currently Resides: Austin, TX Age: 24 Beard graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2007. In addition to singing, she has been studying dance for 12 years. Kristen McNamara Hometown: Napa Valley, CA Currently Resides: Nashville, TN Age: 23 McNamara is a singer/songwriter originally from Northern California. She loves to dance and has been performing her whole life. Her hobbies include playing guitar, piano, painting and baking. Lil Rounds Hometown: Memphis, TN Currently Resides: Memphis, TN Age: 24 Rounds lives in Memphis, TN, with her husband and three children. Music has always been a part of her life, and she began singing when she was 3 years old. Megan Corkrey Hometown: Taylorsville, UT Currently Resides: Sandy, UT Age: 23 Corkrey lives in Sandy, UT, with her 2-year-old son, Ryder. She has been singing since age 3, and is a self-professed “foodie.” Mishavonna Henson Hometown: Irvine, CA Currently Resides: Irvine, CA Age: 18 Henson has been singing since she could talk and sang publicly for the first time in church. Her hobbies include horseback riding, acting, dancing and playing piano and guitar. She also takes classes at a junior college. Stevie Wright Hometown: Phelan, CA Currently Resides: Phelan, CA Age: 17 Wright is a junior at Serrano High School. She works in a coffee shop and sings in a band with her youth group. Her real passion is singing, but she also loves to dance. Tatiana Nicole Del Toro Hometown: San Juan, PR Currently Resides: Los Angeles, CA Age: 24 Del Toro studied at the Manhattan School of Music and attended the New York Film Academy. Her hobbies include theater, acting, writing and dancing. Taylor Vaifanua Hometown: Hurricane, UT Currently Resides: Hurricane, UT Age: 17 When Vaifanua was 2 years old, she and her family moved to Samoa and lived there for five years before returning to Utah. She is a junior at Hurricane High School, and her hobbies include sports, singing and dancing. MALES: Adam Lambert Hometown: San Diego, CA Currently Resides: Los Angeles, CA Age: 26 Lambert grew up in San Diego but currently lives in Hollywood. He began singing at age 10, and has been involved with musical theater for the past eight years. Alexander Wagner-Trugman Hometown: Studio City, CA Currently Resides: Studio City, CA Age: 19 Wagner-Trugman is a sophomore at the University of Miami. He began singing in high school, and he plays piano and guitar. His hobbies include playing video games and basketball. Anoop Desai Hometown: Chapel Hill, NC Currently Resides: Chapel Hill, NC Age: 22 Desai is working on his master’s degree at the University of North Carolina. During his undergraduate years, he was a member of the UNC Clef Hangers, an a cappella group. Brent Keith Hometown: Blanchester, OH Currently Resides: Nashville, TN Age: 29 A guitar player, Keith lives in Nashville, TN, with his wife. He has been singing all his life but started performing publicly when he was 13 years old. Danny Gokey Hometown: Milwaukee, WI Currently Resides: Milwaukee, WI Age: 28 Gokey is the president and founder of a non-profit organization. In addition to singing, he plays the piano and loves salsa dancing. Jorge Nuñez Hometown: Cidra, Puerto Rico Currently Resides: Carolina, Puerto Rico Age: 21 Nuñez is in his fourth year at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras. In addition to English and Spanish, Nuñez is also fluent in French. Ju’Not Joyner Hometown: Baltimore, MD Currently Resides: Bowie, MD Age: 26 A native of Maryland, Joyner owns his own business with his fiancée. He enjoys acting, comedy and songwriting. Kai Kalama Hometown: Redlands, CA Currently Resides: San Clemente, CA Age: 27 Kalama began singing when he was 5 years old at his church. An accomplished musician, he also plays guitar, ukulele, bass, piano and drums. Kris Allen Hometown: Jacksonville, AR Currently Resides: Conway, AR Age: 23 Allen is a student at the University of Central Arkansas. He has been singing and playing the guitar since he was 13 years old. Matt Breitzke Hometown: Bixby, OK Currently Resides: Bixby, OK Age: 28 Breitzke spent his childhood in Hobart, IN, and later attended flight school in Tulsa, OK. He has been singing and playing the guitar since the fifth grade. Matt Giraud Hometown: Ypsilanti, MI Currently Resides: Kalamazoo, MI Age: 23 Giraud is a life-long resident of Michigan who graduated from Western Michigan University in 2007. He sings and plays piano in local clubs and hotels. Michael Sarver Hometown: Jasper, TX Currently Resides: Jasper, TX Age: 27 Sarver is married with two children and works on an oil rig. He has always dreamed of being a singer/songwriter. Sarver also plays the piano, drums and guitar. Nathaniel Marshall Hometown: Malone, NY Currently Resides: Malone, NY Age: 19 Marshall began singing at age 2, and sang publicly for the first time in his high school choir. He is a cosmetology student in New York. Nick Mitchell Hometown: Brookfield, CT Currently Resides: Brookfield, CT Age: 27 Mitchell attended Marymount Manhattan College and Western Connecticut State University. He is a sketch comedian who performs in Manhattan and Connecticut. Ricky Braddy Hometown: Nashville, TN Currently Resides: Elizabeth City, NC Age: 25 Braddy graduated from Belmont University in Nashville, TN, with a degree in Commercial Vocal Performance. He began singing when he was 4 years old at his church. Scott MacIntyre Hometown: Scottsdale, AZ Currently Resides: Scottsdale, AZ Age: 23 MacIntyre earned his bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University at age 19, and attended graduate school in London, England. He also plays piano, guitar and drums. Stephen Fowler Hometown: Cleveland, OH Currently Resides: Beachwood, OH Age: 26 Fowler has been married for six years and has two sons. He has been singing his entire life, and began playing piano at 11 years old. He is a full-time musician who teaches piano at the Rainey Institute in Cleveland. Von Smith Hometown: Kansas City, MO Currently Resides: Greenwood, MO Age: 22 Smith plays piano and is fluent in Spanish. His other hobbies include dancing, acting and songwriting. Related posts: American Idol On The Decline? AMERICAN IDOL – Top 24 Elimination Daemon’s TV Copyright © 2006-2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. The use of this feed on other websites breaches copyright. If this content is not in your news reader, it makes the page you are viewing an infringement of the copyright. This is a post from Daemon’s TV . Meet AMERICAN IDOL’s Top 36 Contestants