“American Idol” had never made a stop in Steel Town before this week, but its hopefuls were ready and waiting to show their stuff, and a possible “winner” has already been proclaimed. No “Terrible Towels” were flying, but someone was definitely horizontally inclined!
“American Idol” host, Ryan Seacrest, has many duties behind the scenes of his on-screen role, but until this week, measuring heads wasn’t one of them. Contestant Heejun Ye was convinced his head was of gargantuan proportions, forcing Ryan to be his standard of measurement, but nonetheless, when it came to singing Michael Bolton, he somehow overcame his nerves well enough. Reed Grimm showed why he was good enough to sing with his family from the age of two, and his scatting jazz vocals were just the unique jive that the night needed, and easily earned him his yellow ticket. Chase Likens didn’t take long to get mutual likes from the judges, either. Samantha Novacek had all the voice she needed for “Like We Never Loved at All,” but brought her champion planking sister along for support, literally, as she laid across the stage in front of the microphone. Upon being awarded her yellow passage, Samantha joined her whole family in a planking sendoff! Creighton Fraker more than pinches pennies as a New York street performer, but used his nine-hour bus ride to spark enough inspiration to create his own “Idol” judges’ tribute song, and still sang on, impressing Steven Tyler to repeatedly call him, “a beautiful man,” particularly a compliment considering Mr. Tyler normally bestows “beautiful” only to the ladies!
Teen Evan Frankewitz was aiming for a Justin Bieber look, and probably wouldn’t mind borrowing a few Bieber fans. But his sound was definitely more soulful on “Ain’t No Sunshine,” and he sailed to yellow. Irwin Delgado had mom cheering him on last season when he couldn’t quite measure up for the final cuts, but he and his family lost mom to another man since then, and their home, too. Living in a shelter didn’t quench his desire to sing, though, and with dad on dialysis, he came back to give it another go, and got his tearful chance with yellow. Erica Van Pelt belted out “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?” for all she was worth, and the judges lapped it up, and she snapped up her yellow ticket. At 19 years old, Shane Bruce already has years behind him working in the Virginia coal mines, but singing is his dream. He sang from the heart, but missed his mark for yellow, but left with the panel’s blessing to go for his break another year. It was a heartbreak to feel his falling, and that he knew when he lost his “Idol” future.
Hallie Day closed the night, with her voice soaring with her resurrection story from minor stardom to suicide, to true love and finding satisfaction, and Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler both used superlatives of “the one” and “win” following her closing notes. Time and the tally will tell, but Hallie has a story to tell through the weeks to come.
Source:
“American Idol” telecast, Jan. 19, 2012 FOX TV.