Pandora's Box: A Random Idol Rankings Thread

[Crisis]

Idol Rankings II

 

American Idol Auditions

Honorable Mentions

16-13

12-09

08-05

04-01

 

16. Vonzell Solomon

15. Amber Fiedler

14. Dennis Lorenzo

13. David Brown

12. Sean Michel

11. Sundance Head

10. Doug Kiker

09. Ashley Hess

08. Megan Joy

07. Michael Johns

06. Jurnee

05. Katharine McPhee

04. Jovin Webb

03. Melinda Doolittle

02. Lindsey Cardinale

01. Paris Bennett

 

Idol Christmas Songs

28-26

25-22

21-17

16-11

10-6

5-1

 

28. Louis Knight - Last Christmas

27. Dalton Rapattoni - Happy Xmas (War Is Over)

26. Elliott Yamin - Merry Christmas, Baby

25. Kris Allen - Baby It Ain't Christmas Without You

24. George Huff - Go Tell It On The Mountain

23. Clay Aiken - Merry Christmas With Love

22. David Archuleta - Riu Riu Chiu

21. Gabby Barrett - The First Noel

20. Carrie Underwood - Sweet Baby Jesus

19. Ruben Studdard and Tamyra Gray - Have Yourself A merry Little Christmas

18. Kelly Clarkson - My Grown Up Christmas List

17. David Archuleta - Pat-A-Pan

16. David Archuleta - Winter In The Air

15. Clay Aiken - The First Noel

14. Kelly Clarkson - Underneath The Mistletoe (featuring Brett Eldredge)

13. Clay Aiken - Don't Save It All For Christmas Day

12. David Archuleta - Christmas Every Day

11. Carrie Underwood - Favorite Time of Year

10. Kelly Clarkson - Wrapped In Red

09. David Archuleta - Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays

08. Kelly Clarkson - O Holy Night

07. Elliott Yamin - This Christmas

06. Carrie Underwood - Hallelujah (featuring John Legend)

05. Clay Aiken - Mary, Did You Know

04. David Archuleta - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

03. Carrie Underwood - Little Drummer Boy (featuring Isaiah Fisher)

02. Tori Kelly - Joy To The World/Joyful, Joyful

01. Kelly Clarkson - Underneath The Tree

 

Controversial Eliminations

19-16

15-11

10-06

05-01

 

19. JAX

18. Gina Glocksen

17. Siobhan Magnus

16. Alexis Grace

T-14. Alex Lambert, Katelyn Epperly, Lilly Scott

T-14. Christina Christian

13. Mandisa

12. Colton Dixon

11. Angie Miller

10. Constantine Maroulis

09. Allison Iraheta

08. Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon

T-06. Melinda Doolittle

T-06. Michael Johns

05. Jennifer Hudson

04. LaToya London

03. Chris Daughtry

02. Tamyra Gray

01. Pia Toscano

 

Idol Friendships

Honorable Mentions

Honorable Mentions II

Set 1

Set 2

Set 3

Set 4

Set 5

Set 6

Set 7

 

Honorable Mentions

Paris Bennett/Kevin Covais

Katharine McPhee/Kellie Pickler

Gina Glocksen/Haley Scarnato

Colton Dixon/Phillip Phillips

 

Honorable Mentions II

Carly Smithson/Michael Johns

Joey Cook/Quentin Alexander

 

Set 1

Kelly Clarkson/Justin Guarini

Ruben Studdard/Clay Aiken

Clay Aiken/Kimberley Locke

George Huff/Jennifer Hudson

 

Set 2

Carrie Underwood/Anthony Fedorov

Chris Daughtry/Ace Young

Jordin Sparks/Blake Lewis

Blake Lewis/Chris Richardson

 

Set 3

David Cook/David Archuleta

David Archuleta/Brooke White

David Archuleta/Carly Smithson

David Cook/Michael Johns

 

Set 4

David Archuleta/Michael Johns

Adam Lambert/Kris Allen

Scotty McCreery/Lauren Alaina

Haley Reinhart/Casey Abrams

 

Set 5

Lauren Alaina/Paul McDonald

Lauren Alaina/Pia Toscano

Pia Toscano/Stefano Langone

James Durbin/Stefano Langone

 

Set 6

Jessica Sanchez/DeAndre Brackensick

Joshua Ledet/Hollie Cavanagh

Trent Harmon/Dalton Rapattoni

La'Porsha Renae/Dalton Rapattoni

 

Set 7

Dalton Rapattoni/Tristan McIntosh

Maddie Poppe/Cade Foehner

Gabby Barrett/Caleb Lee Hutchinson

Francisco Martin/Louis Knight

 

Disney Performance Rankings

37-31

30-26

25-21

20-15

13-11

10-5

4-1

 

37. Julia Gargano - Beauty And The Beast

36. Alejandro Aranda - Remember Me

35. Wade Cota - You've Got A Friend In Me

T-33. DeShawn Goncalves - When You Wish Upon A Star

T-33. Cassandra Coleman - Go The Distance

32. Cade Foehner - Kiss The Girl

31. Ada Vox - Circle Of Life

30. Arthur Gunn - Remember Me

29. Alyssa Wray - A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes

28. Louis Knight - Can You Feel The Love Tonight

27. Arthur Gunn - Kiss The Girl

26. Walker Burroughs - When She Loved Me

25. Dimitrus Graham - You'll Be In My Heart

T-23. Uché - I 2 I

T-23. Madison VanDenburg - How Far I'll Go

T-21. Alyssa Raghu - Colors Of The Wind

T-21. Just Sam - A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes

20. Chayce Beckham - Baby Mine

19. Dillon James - Our Town

18. Caleb Kennedy - Real Gone

17. Laci Kaye Booth - I See The Light

T-15. Gabby Barrett - Colors Of The Wind

T-15. Catie Turner - Once Upon A Dream

T-13. Jurnee - How Far I'll Go

T-13. Hunter Metts - You'll Be In My Heart

T-11. Michelle Sussett - Remember Me

T-11. Francisco Martin - You'll Be In My Heart

10. Caleb Lee Hutchinson - You've Got A Friend In Me

09. Dennis Lorenzo - Can You Feel The Love Tonight

08. Casey Bishop - When She Loved Me

T-05. Laine Hardy - Oo-De-Lally

T-05. Jonny West - Almost There

T-05. Willie Spence - Circle Of Life

04. Maddie Poppe - Bare Necessities

03. Michael J. Woodard - Beauty And The Beast

02. Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon - Candle On The Water

01. Grace Kinstler - Into The Unknown

 

Favorite Performance Per Season

Seasons 1-4

Seasons 5-8

Seasons 9-12

Seasons 13-16

Seasons 17-20

 

Season 1. Tamyra Gray - A House Is Not A Home

Season 2. Kimberley Locke - New York State Of Mind

Season 3. LaToya London - Don't Rain On My Parade

Season 4. Bo Bice - In A Dream

Season 5. Katharine McPhee - Someone To Watch Over Me

Season 6. Blake Lewis - You Give Love A Bad Name

Season 7. Brooke White - Let It Be

Season 8. Adam Lambert - Mad World

Season 9. Crystal Bowersox - People Get Ready

Season 10. Pia Toscano - River Deep, Mountain High

Season 11. Elise Testone - Whole Lotta Love

Season 12. Candice Glover - Lovesong

Season 13. Caleb Johnson - Dazed And Confused

Season 14. Joey Cook - Fancy

Season 15. La'Porsha Renae - Diamonds

Season 16. Dennis Lorenzo - This Woman's Work

Season 17. Laci Kaye Booth - Love Of My Life

Season 18. Just Sam - Grandma's Hands

Season 19. Willie Spence - Diamonds

Season 20. Leah Marlene - Heal

 

Edited June 25, 2022 by Crisis

[Crisis]

1 hour ago, psterina said:

One of mine, shows up, in this list

 

10. Allison Iraheta - I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing - Allison, was my 2nd fav on S8. With that said ... yeah, I think this was her worst performance, mainly due to pitchiness

I didn't remember her going out of tune, as much as she did, on this

 

09. Maddie Poppe - Going Going Gone - Yeah ...  Twas I, who submitted this. I had the darndest time, trying to find a weak performance by Maddie, because .... there really isn't one. She really did have a flawless run. So .... I had to pick one, right? What finally made me pick this one, was because she herself, had said that this song, performed in this arrangement, was too pop for her. But,  Bottom line:  She had no weak performances

 

08. Syesha Mercado - Hit Me Up - My criticism of this, centers around song choice. Other than that .... I enjoyed her performance. I really like her presence

 

07. Carrie Underwood - Love Is A Battlefield - Since I didn't watch this season, I had no idea, that Carrie did this song. Taking on Pat Benatar ... brave thing to do. 

I really like the edge in her voice, a lot, but the pitchiness? No. Also, her movements, didn't align with the edginess in her vocals

 

06. Kelly Clarkson - It's Raining Men - I didn't watch the 1st season, and I had no idea, that Kelly did "It's Raining Men"  It was just an ok performance, and I saw, in Crisis write up, where she was sick. So .... yeah, that would explain the low energy level

 

1 hour ago, psterina said:

Looks like I submitted the bottom 2 and the top 2  

 

05. Elliott Yamin - Open Arms  - I didn't watch this season, and all I have to say is .... if this was his worst performance, he must have had some phenomenal performances. 

I do see what the judges said, about loosening up, but his vocals, were really great

 

04. Kelly Clarkson - I Surrender - I realize, that I am going to get slammed for this, but .... Madison Vandenberg, did this better than Kelly Clarkson.  Kelly struggled to hit some of those high notes, so yeah ...  it's a weak performance.     Madison Vanderburg: NAILS a Celine Dion Showstopper! | American Idol 2019 - YouTube 

 

03. Pia Toscano - Where Do Broken Hearts Go - Vocally, Pia did great on all of her songs. Her vocals slayed.  I know, that one had to be picked, so  .... 

 

02. Elise Testone - Let's Stay Together - Elise, was by far, my fav finalist on S11. AGAIN .... I had such a hard time coming up with a weak performance. But ... I had to pick one, not that I actually consider this a weak performance

 

01. Candice Glover - Ordinary People - Guilty as charged. Again, Candice HAD NO WEAK PERFORMANCES. But, I had to pick one, right?  To me .... she had a flawless run. I can't help it, if my faves are great!! They just are  

 

10. She did appear to be out of tune at times during the performance.

 

09. Outside of If It Makes You Happy, she really didn't have a bad performance. However, this was one of her most underwhelming ones. Interesting about her saying the song was too pop for her in that arrangement...

 

08. Fair enough about the performance. The song wasn't the best, but she had no control over that.

 

07. There were some pitch issues in the performance. I see the point about the movements not matching the edginess; however, at least she tried to add something to the performance.

 

06. Her being sick was certainly a valid reason for the energy level. She would've definitely done better if healthy.

 

05. He did have some phenomenal performances. If interested, I recommend checking out It Had To Be You, A Song For You, and Trouble; they're my personal favorites of his, especially ASFY.

 

04. Personally, while Madison's was good, I still prefer Kelly's even with her sounding rough due to her being sick. With that said, if Madison's version is considered to be better, that's perfectly fine.

 

03. She did do great on all of her songs. She's one of the few contestants in which picking a bad performance is difficult to do.

 

02. She was my favorite S11 contestant as well, but I did think she did have a few weak performances during the season. Having said that, it's understandable if it's thought she didn't.

 

01. Haha, fair enough about thinking she didn't have any weak performances. She was consistently strong during her season.  

[miss denise]

10 hours ago, Crisis said:

 

Yeah, it was hard, but it's OK now. They beat them earlier in the season, and nearly beat them again last night. They played toe-to-toe against the reigning Super Bowl champions, and that's pretty much what one can ask for.

 

. Unfortunately, due to school and work, I really don't have any free time to enjoy them.  At least I should have some of that with Thanksgiving coming up.

 

  Reveal hidden contents

That would certainly be a blindside though there could be room for three.   These clues are tough. Even with the clarification of them not having to do with the name of the actor, I'm still coming up blank. I may throw the towel in on this one.

 

 

Good to hear.  And that is always good too! It's always tough playing again the reigning champions, so it's awesome they did so well.

 

Ugh, school and work need to take a hike so you can have more fun.    But that's true! Hope you have an enjoyable and stress-free holiday.  

 

 

Nobody would be more blindsided than me!   lol now you know how it feels with the clues.  But so sorry! Let me try to think of something else. I don't know why I have such a hard time coming up with clues.  No giving up yet!

[Crisis]

5 hours ago, miss denise said:

 

Good to hear.  And that is always good too! It's always tough playing again the reigning champions, so it's awesome they did so well.

 

Ugh, school and work need to take a hike so you can have more fun.    But that's true! Hope you have an enjoyable and stress-free holiday.  

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Nobody would be more blindsided than me!   lol now you know how it feels with the clues.  But so sorry! Let me try to think of something else. I don't know why I have such a hard time coming up with clues.  No giving up yet!

 

Yeah, especially since they haven't done well against them in the past few years. 

 

They do. At least I won't have to worry about one of them for at least two days. That'll give me enough time to do my schoolwork and have more time to do all of those tasks.

 

I've decided on my next topic. Earlier I did my favorite swan songs; now I'm going to do the opposite. I'll rank my favorite auditions (I should've done one this first, LOL). I'm not sure how many I'll do at this time; that'll depend on how many videos are available online.

 

That would be something to see!  I definitely understand how it feels to be on the other side. I guess one doesn't think how difficult the clues are because he/she is the one who is creating them.  OK, I won't give up yet. I'll wait for the next clue and try my hand at guessing again.

[miss denise]

18 hours ago, Crisis said:

 

Yeah, especially since they haven't done well against them in the past few years. 

 

They do. At least I won't have to worry about one of them for at least two days. That'll give me enough time to do my schoolwork and have more time to do all of those tasks.

 

I've decided on my next topic. Earlier I did my favorite swan songs; now I'm going to do the opposite. I'll rank my favorite auditions (I should've done one this first, LOL). I'm not sure how many I'll do at this time; that'll depend on how many videos are available online.

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

That would be something to see!  I definitely understand how it feels to be on the other side. I guess one doesn't think how difficult the clues are because he/she is the one who is creating them.  OK, I won't give up yet. I'll wait for the next clue and try my hand at guessing again.

 

Aww.  All the more reason to celebrate their earlier victory and doing so well this time.   I'm curious - do they happen to be conference rivals? Those are always the toughest losses to take.  

 

Yes, that's good! lol this reminds me of how in high school one of my teachers would give us "Thanksgiving break homework", "Christmas break homework", and "Spring break homework", literally named after the breaks.   Holidays breaks should be actual breaks!  She was all "Here's your Thanksgiving break assignment!" and I couldn't believe it.   

 

Oooh.  That is a great idea! Haha don't worry about the order. Whatever comes to you when it does is fine.  

 

 

Sure would. Yeah, that can be true. I love giving clues, but am not good at coming up with them.  I have been thinking long and hard and this is what I have next, which is more straight forward: He has the same first name as an Idol runner-up.

[Bk1234]

19 hours ago, Crisis said:

I'll rank my favorite auditions (I should've done one this first, LOL). I'm not sure how many I'll do at this time; that'll depend on how many videos are available online.

Ooh, that’s an interesting one! I don’t remember too many auditions, but I have some favorites. I have a feeling I already know your number one.

Edited November 25, 2020 by Bk1234

[Bk1234]

@Crisis Are the auditions based off of entertainment value, singing ability, or both?

[Crisis]

4 hours ago, miss denise said:

 

Aww.  All the more reason to celebrate their earlier victory and doing so well this time.   I'm curious - do they happen to be conference rivals? Those are always the toughest losses to take.  

 

Yes, that's good! lol this reminds me of how in high school one of my teachers would give us "Thanksgiving break homework", "Christmas break homework", and "Spring break homework", literally named after the breaks.   Holidays breaks should be actual breaks!  She was all "Here's your Thanksgiving break assignment!" and I couldn't believe it.   

 

Oooh.  That is a great idea! Haha don't worry about the order. Whatever comes to you when it does is fine.  

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Sure would. Yeah, that can be true. I love giving clues, but am not good at coming up with them.  I have been thinking long and hard and this is what I have next, which is more straight forward: He has the same first name as an Idol runner-up.

 

I guess if you put it that way.  Not only are they conference rivals, they are division rivals, and it's one of the most heated rivalries in the NFL though it has been one-sided over the past decade or so.

 

Ugh, I remember those days.   We would be all excited because we wouldn't have to go to school only for the teachers to give us homework to do over the break. I agree that holiday breaks should be actual breaks; they are called breaks after all!

 

Thank you. Not worrying about the order makes sense. After all, this is a random ranking thread (OK, I'll see myself out ).

 

 

Understandable about loving to give clues but not being good at coming up with them.  For the next clue, I'll instantly eliminate any of the female runner ups, so that leaves about eight possibilities. While trying to come up with the guys, based on a previous clue about one being an actor, only one name comes to mind and therefore will be my next guess:

Adam Driver

I may be off, but it should be better than my previous guess.

 

4 hours ago, Bk1234 said:

Ooh, that’s an interesting one! I don’t remember too many auditions, but I have some favorites. I have a feeling I already know your number one.

 

Glad you think so! Maybe you can post some of them as I rank mine. As for my number one, it may or may not be a surprise and to quote Forrest Gump: that's all I got to say about that.

 

4 hours ago, Bk1234 said:

@Crisis Are the auditions based off of entertainment value, singing ability, or both?

 

I was thinking along the lines of doing a few entertaining ones as honorable mentions and the main one based primarily on singing.

Edited November 25, 2020 by Crisis

[Bk1234]

1 minute ago, Crisis said:

I was thinking along the lines of doing a few entertaining ones as honorable mentions and the main one based primarily on singing.

Yeah, that’s fair.

[miss denise]

Happy Thanksgiving everyone in this thread! I hope you all can enjoy the holiday with loved ones.  I'm thankful for meeting you all and the fun we have in here!  

 

 

[Bk1234]

1 minute ago, miss denise said:

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you all can enjoy the holiday with loved ones.  I'm thankful for meeting you all and the fun we have in here!  

 

 

[miss denise]

20 hours ago, Crisis said:

 

I guess if you put it that way.  Not only are they conference rivals, they are division rivals, and it's one of the most heated rivalries in the NFL though it has been one-sided over the past decade or so.

 

Ugh, I remember those days.   We would be all excited because we wouldn't have to go to school only for the teachers to give us homework to do over the break. I agree that holiday breaks should be actual breaks; they are called breaks after all!

 

Thank you. Not worrying about the order makes sense. After all, this is a random ranking thread (OK, I'll see myself out ).

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Understandable about loving to give clues but not being good at coming up with them.  For the next clue, I'll instantly eliminate any of the female runner ups, so that leaves about eight possibilities. While trying to come up with the guys, based on a previous clue about one being an actor, only one name comes to mind and therefore will be my next guess:

Adam Driver

I may be off, but it should be better than my previous guess.

 

 

Glad you think so! Maybe you can post some of them as I rank mine. As for my number one, it may or may not be a surprise and to quote Forrest Gump: that's all I got to say about that.

 

 

I like to find the bright side of things.  Oh, yikes! I know how those rivalries can be.  Hopefully it can be one sided in your team's favor.  

Yeah, the worst.   Exactly! Some teachers just didn't get it.  

 

Yess, that is very true.  We embrace the randomness!

 

It's a catch 22.

   Yes, that is a good idea... unless any of the female names could also be guys.  Interesting new guess!  I'm not sure when I'll get the write-up done, but if anyone else comes to mind, you can feel free to guess. I'm probably out of clues on this one.

 

 at this last part. 

[Bk1234]

20 hours ago, Crisis said:

We would be all excited because we wouldn't have to go to school only for the teachers to give us homework to do over the break. I agree that holiday breaks should be actual breaks; they are called breaks after all!

[Crisis]

3 hours ago, miss denise said:

Happy Thanksgiving everyone in this thread! I hope you all can enjoy the holiday with loved ones.  I'm thankful for meeting you all and the fun we have in here!  

 

 

 

Likewise. 

 

 

[Crisis]

4 hours ago, miss denise said:

 

I like to find the bright side of things.  Oh, yikes! I know how those rivalries can be.  Hopefully it can be one sided in your team's favor.  

Yeah, the worst.   Exactly! Some teachers just didn't get it.  

 

Yess, that is very true.  We embrace the randomness!

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

It's a catch 22.

   Yes, that is a good idea... unless any of the female names could also be guys.  Interesting new guess!  I'm not sure when I'll get the write-up done, but if anyone else comes to mind, you can feel free to guess. I'm probably out of clues on this one.

 

 

 at this last part. 

 

I noticed.  Yeah, hopefully it'll get to the point when it's reversed.

 

You'd think the teachers would want a break themselves. It'd be less work to grade. Fortunately, I managed to finish all of my homework just now, so I should have plenty of free time to rest and catch up on some of my to-do list.

 

 

That could be true about a guy having the same name as the ladies. However, I don't think that's the case considering the names of the female runner ups:

Diana
Katharine
Crystal
Lauren
Jessica
Kree
Jena
La'Porsha

Based on the reaction to my guess, I don't know if it's a good or bad thing.  No hurries with the write-up. As of right now, I don't have any guesses. It's OK for not having any more clues; I doubt they would've helped.

 

 

Edited November 26, 2020 by Crisis

[miss denise]

20 hours ago, Crisis said:

 

I noticed.  Yeah, hopefully it'll get to the point when it's reversed.

 

You'd think the teachers would want a break themselves. It'd be less work to grade. Fortunately, I managed to finish all of my homework just now, so I should have plenty of free time to rest and catch up on some of my to-do list.

 

  Reveal hidden contents

That could be true about a guy having the same name as the ladies. However, I don't think that's the case considering the names of the female runner ups:

Diana
Katharine
Crystal
Lauren
Jessica
Kree
Jena
La'Porsha

Based on the reaction to my guess, I don't know if it's a good or bad thing.  No hurries with the write-up. As of right now, I don't have any guesses. It's OK for not having any more clues; I doubt they would've helped.

 

 

 

I like to cheer people up. I am not as good about using that logic on myself.  Yes, best of luck!  

 

For sure, although they don't have to worry about grading those assignments until after the break... so I'm sure they just kick back and enjoy that time off.   Oh yay, that's great! I hope you had a good holiday.   Let me know if you watch or look into any of the things we talked about here.  

 

I wasn't trying to throw you or anything, but just thought I'd mention it. I definitely don't know of any guys with those names.   LOL you'll have to wait and seee.   Sorry about that, but it will all be explained when I post him.  

 

[miss denise]

20 hours ago, Crisis said:

 

Likewise. 

 

 

 

Unfortunately, this was me last night.    

 

[Crisis]

4 hours ago, miss denise said:

 

I like to cheer people up. I am not as good about using that logic on myself.  Yes, best of luck!  

 

For sure, although they don't have to worry about grading those assignments until after the break... so I'm sure they just kick back and enjoy that time off.   Oh yay, that's great! I hope you had a good holiday.   Let me know if you watch or look into any of the things we talked about here.  

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

I wasn't trying to throw you or anything, but just thought I'd mention it. I definitely don't know of any guys with those names.   LOL you'll have to wait and seee.   Sorry about that, but it will all be explained when I post him.  

 

 

I guess some people are better at lifting other people's spirits than their own. I can definitely be like that at times. Thank you.

 

You would think. However, knowing some of them there's no such thing as a break. They're most likely working on future lesson plans and lectures during their time off. My holiday was fine; I hope you had a good one as well.  I just finished marathoning Nicole's DWTS run and will most likely post my rankings and thoughts on her routines before I get into the next topic.

 

Oh, I see.  Regardless, I look forward to when that person is posted.

 

4 hours ago, miss denise said:

 

Unfortunately, this was me last night.    

 

 

[Crisis]

As mentioned in the previous post, before I get into my favorite auditions ranking, I promised I would watch Nicole Scherzinger's run on Dancing With The Stars and share my thoughts on it. I'm going to get right into it.

 

14. Viennese Waltz

It was certainly a good start for her and Derek. It was a lovely routine, and she was able to keep up with Derek, though Len appeared to think otherwise.  From the few seasons I watched, the first routines are the most raw because it’s the first time the star and the pro are doing a routine together on the floor. Though I have it at the bottom, I have to say this is one of the best starting routines the show has ever had. On a superficial note, she looked really elegant and beautiful here.

 

13. Rumba (Week 4)

Unfortunately, there is no video on YouTube (I guess it had to do with a copyright issue ),  so this one will just have a write-up. 

 

This appeared to be a tough one for Nicole. I could tell from her smile at the beginning she was nervous about the routine. There were some moments of apprehension during the number because she didn’t appear to be all that confident. With that said, however, there were some moments where she had some great lines and solid technique. Though the judges pointed this out, they still gave her some generous scores, and I agreed with them. She didn’t appear to be happy with her performance, but I didn’t think it was bad by any means.

 

12. Quickstep

OK, I get that it wasn’t a quickstep in the traditional sense, but this was an enjoyable number despite it being the lowest scored routine of theirs during the season. The parts that incorporated the quickstep elements were good I thought. The other parts were creative and hilarious. It really highlighted how innovative Derek is as a choreographer, probably more so than any of the other choreographers. Finally, the costumes were nice and creative. At the end of the day, I pretty much agree with Carrie Ann when she said it would be great to watch despite not being a traditional quickstep.

 

11. Jive (Week 2)

That was certainly a unique start to the routine with Derek sprinting across the dance floor. If that was a non pro, that person most likely would’ve been winded before even getting into the routine. Speaking of which, I try to watch the star because I expect the pro to be good. In this case, however, my eyes were mainly on Derek (considering who his partner is, that’s saying a lot ). With that said, Nicole was able to keep up with him and despite her reservations about the changes to the routine, she did a great job. Overall, it was a very fun routine.

 

10. Waltz

After two hot numbers from the previous two weeks, a traditional waltz was in store for the tandem. I have to say I enjoyed this performance a lot. Despite the minor technique flaws the judges pointed out, I thought it was beautifully done. When Bruno said they could be dancing royalty, he wasn’t kidding as the two looked as if they were royalty from a Disney movie. Even with the flaws, it was still a performance worthy of a high score which it fortunately received. While not quite perfect, it is a solid routine from them.

 

9. Cha Cha Cha

Before I get into the routine, I have to say the singing was absolutely terrible. I’m surprised Prince didn’t sue the show for butchering his song. As for the routine itself, I have to say Nicole certainly showed off some sensual moves when it was just her and the chair and wouldn’t have minded if it were just that (it’s probably the only time I wished I were a piece of furniture ). The rest of it wasn’t too bad either. Finally, I have to say I loved the costume. It was a great way to pay tribute to the Purple One himself. While it wasn’t my favorite routine of the two that evening let alone overall, it was still a very solid number from her and Derek.

 

8. Freestyle

This was definitely the most fun routine the two had! It had a lot of styles incorporated, including jive, quickstep, and salsa. The only thing that would’ve made it better is if there were more non traditional ballroom styles in it, though that may have caused Len to have a heart attack. Despite that and while not as technically sound as their other numbers, the two certainly gave it their all in this one. The only blemish was the slip on the last lift at the end. Either way, it was yet another great routine of theirs.

 

7. Rumba (Finals)

After being nervous during her first Rumba, this was much better (though the previous one wasn’t all that bad). She had some beautiful lines in the number, plus those legs were . In addition, she brought some serious sensuality in the routine. The last thing I’ll mention about the routine was that move at the end when she wrapped herself around Derek with just one leg. As for the judges comments, I thought Carrie Ann made too much of a big deal about the lift at the end. Granted, he lifted her right before the music stopped, but it didn’t really affect anything overall. Regardless, it was a great way to start the finals for the two.

 

6. Tango

Well, that was an intense number! After being disappointed in her performance from the week before, Nicole bounced back big time with this number. Not only was the dancing on point, the acting and the selling of the story was great as well. From looking at the number, one could potentially think there was actual sexual tension between the two. In addition to the tension, I liked the levity that was added to the routine, such as Derek slapping her on the rear and Nicole slapping him later on. I thought this should’ve been a perfect score, but of course Len had to be the one preventing it.  Regardless, it’s one of my favorites.

 

5. Foxtrot

This was another great number by Nicole/Derek. The dancing was once again great, and I loved the story aspect of this routine. It showed that the two weren’t playing around and were aiming for the Mirror Ball trophy. The two were in-sync with one another, and again it looked like the two were enjoying themselves. I would probably say my favorite part was Nicole pretending to faint and Derek catching her. This was another routine that should’ve received a perfect score, but of course Len had to be the party pooper as usual.  

 

4. Samba

 

 

And I thought the Tango the week before was hot! While it wasn’t a samba in the traditional sense, it was still a really hot number. Nicole brought some real sensuality to this number with her gyrations and technique. In addition, the costume certainly didn’t hurt. When I wasn’t busy ogling and drooling, one thing I noticed was that the two looked like they were having a blast with the number. Their joy was certainly contagious. When I was shown a gif of a preview of the routine, I had some high expectations regarding this number. I have to say they were definitely met in more ways than one. Oh, and  at Len giving the routine only a seven.

 

3. Jive (Finale)

As great as their first Jive was, this one topped it by a mile. Nicole’s sensual dancing at the beginning was captivating (not to mention her facial expressions were funny), and once again Derek had to sprint across the dance floor before the two were able to get into their routine. This time he added a cartwheel and a back flip for good measure. The rest of the routine was fun to watch, plus Nicole’s hair flailing all over the place was sexy as you know what.  Overall, this was a great dance to end their run and based on everything, it was a definitely a much deserved winning one.

 

2. Argentine Tango

Well, what do you know, another great routine from our power couple. I’ve always liked the Argentine Tango over the more traditional one because of the emotion and technique. With all of the footwork that needs to be memorized let alone executed, this is certainly one of the most difficult dances to pull off. However, Nicole was up to the challenge and delivered big time. Not only was her dancing on point, she once again brought the intensity and desire that the dance called for. This was a routine that deserved its perfect score. Also, their reprisal during the finale was as equally great. Lastly,  at Len saying it was more delicious than his grandmother’s apple pie.

 

1. Paso Doble

The Paso Doble is one of my favorite dance styles. When done well, it can be absolutely mesmerizing to watch. Needless to say, this one was certainly that. I think the main selling point of the PD is the attitude, and Nicole certainly pulled it off (she still looked like she was in character during the judges' comments ). In addition, the technique and steps were pretty impressive as well. I have no idea how Derek was able to choreograph a 50s PD routine, but I knew I shouldn’t have put it past him. They finally got their first perfect score, although Len had a nice fake out during the critique. Also, how precious was Carrie Ann’s laugh during the judges' comments? Overall, this was my favorite routine of theirs although all of them were great in their own right.

 

(In case anyone wants to comment)

14. Viennese Waltz

13. Rumba (Week 4)

12. Quickstep

11. Jive (Week 2)

10. Waltz

09. Cha Cha Cha

08. Freestyle

07. Rumba (Finals)

06. Tango

05. Foxtrot

04. Samba

03. Jive (Finale)

02. Argentine Tango

01. Paso Doble

 

Overall, Nicole had a great run during her season and despite not really watching the other routines, her victory was well deserved. I would put her up there with Kristi Yamaguchi as far as the best DWTS runs are concerned.

 

I will most likely start on the Idol auditions topic either tonight or tomorrow.

[Bk1234]

1 hour ago, Crisis said:

 

As mentioned in the previous post, before I get into my favorite auditions ranking, I promised I would watch Nicole Scherzinger's run on Dancing With The Stars and share my thoughts on it. I'm going to get right into it.

 

 

I won’t be sharing my thoughts on this as I’m not into dance. 

[Crisis]

3 hours ago, Bk1234 said:

 

I won’t be sharing my thoughts on this as I’m not into dance. 

 

Fair enough. This was more for @miss denise since she wanted me to watch her DWTS run and share my thoughts on it.

[Bk1234]

Look what showed up in my YouTube feed though @Crisis... 

 

 

[Crisis]

Before I get into the main list, I'll share a few honorable mention auditions. These are mainly joke and entertaining ones.

 

Honorable Mentions

 

Keith Beukelaer

Keith was someone who was told by people around him that he was a good singer, so he decided to audition for S2. However, his audition was a sight to behold and not in a positive way. He sang Like A Virgin and I Wanna Dance With Somebody really poorly. He had this weird nasal tone and some awkward sexual moves, not to mention sticking his tongue out in some random moments. Needless to say he didn’t get a Golden Ticket. I saw that he auditioned in S3 of XFUS as a rapper, so I watched the video and saw that he got four yeses from the judges, including one Simon Cowell who told him he was the worst singer in the world on Idol. It appeared to be a feel good story for him. I didn’t watch that season, so I don’t know how he did there. Regardless, his AI audition is one of the more entertaining ones.

 

William Hung

What is there to say about William Hung? He definitely had one of the more memorable Idol auditions with his energetic yet hilariously bad rendition of the Ricky Martin hit She Bangs during S3. It is one I definitely had fun watching. I think Paula had the best attitude and response to it. Outside of that he appeared to be an earnest and down to earth person who knew he wasn’t the most talented singer. However, that didn’t stop him from trying his luck. It eventually paid off because he managed to score a record deal and even released a couple of albums. He retired from music in 2011 and went on to become a technical crime analyst for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and a motivational speaker. He even has a Ted Talk video online. Finally, he got to perform during the S15 finale after the Randy, Paula, and Simon reunion. Overall, his audition is one of my favorite bad ones.

 

Renaldo Lapuz

Renaldo appeared to be a nice guy, and I have to say he didn’t have that bad of a voice. However, it was clear his audition during S7 wasn’t going to be a serious one, especially since he was well over the maximum age limit. With that said, it was still an entertaining one. I’ll admit his song was kind of catchy despite the repetitiveness, and he performed it so earnestly. It was taken to the next level when Randy brought Ryan into the room, and those two along with Paula joined him on the platform.  However, the best part was definitely Paula’s dancing. I completely lost it when that happened. I couldn’t choose which was funnier: the dancing or her facial expressions. During the audition, I thought to myself we will definitely see him at the finale and what do you know, he got to perform it then. It is definitely one of the more entertaining auditions.

 

General Larry Platt

Here is another iconic audition. General Larry Platt closed out the Atlanta auditions in S9 with his audition of his extremely catchy song Pants On The Ground. Like Renaldo Lapuz, I knew his audition was going to be a fun one because based on his age he would’ve been ineligible for the competition. With that said, I have to say he really got down here. He had some hard hitting moves despite his age. It was easy to see the judges were having a blast during it. As with Renaldo, I thought to myself we will see him in the season finale. Once again, he was there and got to perform this song again. Simon said his song was going to be a hit, and he turned out to be correct in that regard as it became a viral sensation with his audition having over 11 million views. In addition, the single sold 150,000 copies on iTunes. Lastly, as with William Hung, he performed in the S15 finale. Overall, Pants On The Ground is another one of my favorite entertaining auditions.

 

Koby

I’ll start off by saying Koby was someone with an impressive range. However, she went way overboard during her audition in S16. She had really poor technique as she used too much melisma and runs in that song, if it can be called that. With that said, it’s here because her delusion and overall attitude was fun to watch. What really had me in stitches was the way the piano player looked at her while she was singing. The sad thing is, if she humbled herself and listened to the judges, they might have told her about going on Broadway or perhaps even given her another opportunity with a different song. Nonetheless, they were on the mark when they told her that style was not right for the competition. Her reaction to her rejection was funny, especially since she herself said she would be rejected more than accepted. While I am not usually a fan of these type of auditions, Koby’s is one I found amusing for some reason.

 

Keith Beukelaer

William Hung

Renaldo Lapuz

General Larry Platt

Koby

 

One I would've added to list but there is online video of it was Marcus Behling's audition during S5. His was funny because he claimed he learned how to sing from the DVDs Randy and Paula took part in. He was rejected after singing a shouty and off-key version of She's Out Of My Life. I would say my favorite part was Simon shaking his hand after he learned about the DVD.  After he was rejected, he went outside and destroyed the DVD.

 

I'll try to start the main list tomorrow. I'm still deciding how many I want to rank and if there any videos of them online.

[Crisis]

17 minutes ago, Bk1234 said:

Look what showed up in my YouTube feed though @Crisis... 

 

 

 

I listened to it, and I thought she sounded great on the song despite not understanding a word she was singing.  It appears Pia has recorded a song with Troy Laureta as well. I'll definitely check hers out.

[Bk1234]

1 minute ago, Crisis said:

 

I listened to it, and I thought she sounded great on the song despite not understanding a word she was singing.  It appears Pia has recorded a song with Troy Laureta as well. I'll definitely check hers out.

Yeah, that's probably why Nicole's song popped up in my feed.