Still AI is compelling TV entertainment and the occasional over-singing and trying-too-hard aside, there are some great musical performances and thoughtful song choices. Here is my brief rundown of the top 10 this year. From left to right:
Philip: I do not get his appeal. He is likeable in the looks department but none of his performances has stood out so far.
Elise: She does have a unique raspy voice that stands out amongst the girls, but uniqueness means she is limited in the type and variety of songs she can sing, as illustrated by her painful rendition of I'm Your Baby Tonight last week. From the way she gets sent to the bottom 3 for 2 weeks in a row, she is unlikely to go far in this competition.
De Andre: Another competent singer with unremarkable personality and forgettable performances. Will exit into oblivion once the season ends.
Hollie: My prediction for winner this year. She sounds like Celine Dion and looks like Carrie Underwood. There is a wholesome all-American likeability about her. She has only done ballads (Reflections, All The Man That I Need, The Power of Love) so far in the live shows. If she picks her songs wisely in the future weeks, steering away from the genre but still showcasing her beautiful voice, she may just win this competition.
Colton: My prediction for final 2. He is the heart throb of the competition and exudes a truck load of personality in his performances, which are consistently good. He is quite likely to be signed as a recording artiste, regardless of the outcome of the competition.
Skylar: After a rousing Stay With Me in week one, her performance seems to dip week after week. If she does not bring anything fresh to the competition soon, she will be heading for the exit soon. Still, she has the chops to be a country music star, and I will not be surprised if she achieve reasonable success in that genre.
Hee Jun: I find him really odd. In interviews, he is the joker with the witty one-liners. In performances, he is the sappy balladeer who delivers the song standing at a single spot with a serious expression on his face. It is quite sad to be an AI contestant and the audience is more interested to hear you talk than watch you sing. He can consider the career of a standup comedian when this ends.
Jessica: I really did not get the fuss about her pitch-perfect I Will Always Love You from last week. It just sounds like Whitney Houston Karaoke to me. I mean she is a very good singer but there is nothing that sets her apart from the other very good singers in previous seasons. Her horrendous Turn The Beat Around also shows her lack of versatility and inability to pick the correct songs. My guess is that she will probably get to the last few episodes and then her Asian heritage will to play to her disadvantage.
Joshua: Another example of the typical singer who has a great voice and gives impressive performances, but is likely not to go anywhere after the competition ends. Can you visualise him on the Billboard Hot 100 with his own songs? I cannot.
Erika: I kind of like her presence and her voice. but looking at how frequent she has been sent to the bottom 3, she is not going to go very far in this competition, unless she delivers a showstopping performance next week.
