Category: Live Performances

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Australian Idols Do Motown

This week the Australian Idols had the perfect platform to shine. It was Motown week: a theme that gave everyone the chance to wrap their vocals around some of the world’s greatest songs. And with Guy Sebastian sitting in as special guest judge and mentor they couldn’t go wrong! Or could they? So who rose to the challenge? Read on to find out!

Mark Spano was up first with “You Keep Me Hangin’ On.” I was a bit nervous about this, predominantly because I hate the song. It doesn’t matter who does it: The Supremes, Kim Wilde, Human Nature … I’ve hated every version I’ve heard. But I didn’t completely hate this. While he looked a little awkward doing the Motown dance moves, I was thrilled Mark embraced the theme and gave it his everything. It could have done with a little more life, but it was a solid start.

Sophie Paterson was up next with “Papa Was a Rolling Stone.” Again, this isn’t one of my favourite songs, but I really admired the attitude she gave it. It allowed us to see that sassy side which has been dormant for a little while, and I found that really enjoyable.

Luke Dickens channeled all the energy he felt from the birth of his new son into his performance of “My Girl.” Now I’m convinced I must be hormonal, because this gave me tears. It wasn’t the best performance. There were definitely pitchy moments. But the emotion behind it tipped me over the edge. It was awesome to see Luke trying something new and exploring his sensitive side.

Teale Jakubenko took on “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” this week. Vocally, he nailed it. But for me it was total cheese. I felt like I was watching something from a cruise ship. I was surprised no one called him on it, because for me it was cringeworthy. I was waiting for him to wink knowingly at the camera. I still like him a whole lot, but this just didn’t work for me unless I closed my eyes.

Chrislyn Hamilton told us all to “Get Ready” with the Temptations classic. It even scored a touchdown from Guy! I absolutely loved this. It was the first star performance of the night. It had so much energy and attitude, and we were all happy to go along with her for the ride. This was just so much fun.

Initially I felt Wes Carr copped out by choosing “If I Were a Carpenter.” Yes The Four Tops recorded it, but so many others had and I just knew Wes wouldn’t take the Motown route with it. But then he sang, and I just didn’t care. It was just so good, so sincere, so heartfelt. So what if he didn’t bring us Motown? He brought us a damn good rendition of a wonderful song.

I was so excited when I heard Roshani Priddis was singing “Reflections.” But sometimes hearing the spoilers can be a bad thing. Sometimes I think it can make you expect too much. I absolutely love that song, but it just didn’t work for me. There were flashes of brilliance, but I’m used to a whole song of brilliance from Ms Priddis.

It’s getting harder and harder to pick who’s going home, but I think either Teale or Sophie’s run might have come to an end. They’re serial offenders in the bottom three, and you just have to wonder how long they can keep on hanging in there.

Image source: Sunrise.seven @ Flickr

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Australian Idol Rocks

This week our Australian Idol hopefuls were ready to rock, with the help of special guest mentors Kirk Pengilly and Tim Farriss of INXS. Kirk also stepped behind the judge’s desk to offer his advice on the performances.

Luke Dickens is one of those performers who’s made to rock, and perhaps that’s why I was a little disappointed this week. “Are You Gonna Go My Way” is a fantastic song, but it was slightly underdone here. Maybe it was just lacking in those soul undertones? Once he stepped away from the microphone it definitely kicked up a notch, but it was all just OK for me.

When I heard Thanh Bui was doing Linkin Park’s “Shadow of the Day” I was a bit nervous for him, simply because I think Linkin Park are whiny and annoying. Thankfully this wasn’t. I was pleasantly surprised by this, although again it wasn’t anything that wowed me.

Sophie Paterson chose “Ana’s Song” and it was the first time I really cared tonight. Perhaps it’s because it came from such a personal place, but I thought this was very convincing. There were some pitchy parts, but the emotional intensity carried it through.

Teale Jakubenko chose one of my favourite songs, “Slide” by The Goo Goo Dolls. There wasn’t anything revolutionary here, but I think the awesomeness of the song chose through. Of course I’m kind of biased when it comes to this song, but I had great fun.

Roshani Priddis left soul behind to tackle “The Pretender” by the Foo Fighters. There were some pitchy moments here and there, but I love the way she embraced the genre. She worked hard to perform the pants off it and give it all the energy it needed. She held nothing back, and that’s what rock is all about.

Wes Carr followed in the footsteps of one of the great rock bands, U2, with his version of “Desire.” Honestly, I’m one of the few people in the world who don’t actually like U2, so that might cloud how much I enjoyed it. In terms of song choice, it wasn’t my favourite, but he was an absolute rock star. I loved his energy and intensity in terms of performance.

Chrislyn Hamilton took on No Doubt’s modern classic “Don’t Speak.” I hated the first half of it to be honest, and I think that was mostly due to the arrangement. The arrangement never really picked up, but Chrislyn has such an intensity that it made it easy to forget about the music behind her. She is so gutsy and genuine and real, and that shone through despite the song’s flaws.

Mark Spano showed a return to form with the Kings of Leon hit “Sex on Fire.” I was relieved, because he was really flatlining. I haven’t seen him this committed in a long while. Everything was just as it should have been, and I ate it up.

Another fantastic night from our Idols makes it really tough to guess who’ll be the one to go. My pick is probably Thanh or perhaps Teale, but I really hope Mr Jakubenko manages to stick around a little longer.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Australian Idol Does ABBA

Tonight was ABBA night on Australian Idol, a theme that was sure to bring some fun, and surprising performances. These restrictive theme nights are always so interesting. We see what the Idols can really do when they’re forced to step outside their comfort. So who soared and who slipped up? Read on!

Chrislyn Hamilton stayed fairly true to the original version of “Mamma Mia,” but I didn’t mind at all. It’s a really fun song, and she definitely had fun with this. It wasn’t her best vocal performance but it definitely had its moments. She’s a real entertainer though, and it’s easy to forgive the flaws because she’s just a joy to watch.

I thought it would take a miracle to make ABBA cool. Instead it took Sophie Paterson. Her stripped back mellow version of “Gimme Gimme Gimme” took it out of the disco and into the 21st century. It was incredibly smart because people are going to remember it. Sophie’s really hit her strides in recent weeks, so hopefully we’ll see her out of that dreaded bottom three again.

Thanh Bui showed us exactly what he should be doing in this competition with his rendition of “The Winner Takes it All.” I think maybe sitting at the piano forces him to be still, and that gets rid of the cheese factor we’re used to seeing from him. I hope we see a lot more of this Thanh, as opposed to boy band Thanh, because this Thanh rocks. And it was enough to make Marcia give a touchdown! Is it just me or do they mean more this year because Mark isn’t around to give them out willy nilly?

Roshani Priddis took “Money Money Money” to musical theatre, with her fantastic performance. When I heard the song choices for this week this was the only pairing that automatically made sense to me. I’m glad it lived up to my expectations. Roshani is proving to be Miss Consistency in this competition and I’m looking forward to what she brings every week.

Wes Carr excelled with his interpretation of “Fernando.” Wes is always good, but this time he was great. Maybe it’s because I saw him really step out of his comfort zone, but I appreciated this so much. It was true enough to the original not to alienate the older fans, but it was so much cooler. I also loved seeing him play the acoustic guitar again.

Mark Spano rocked out with “Waterloo,” or at least he tried to. Sort of. This is the thing with taking a risk. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t. This to me didn’t really work. There were good moments there, but they were few and far between. I wonder whether he would have done better if he’d picked a less iconic song? I’m getting a little frustrated with Mark. He’s my favourite but he just doesn’t seem to be delivering which makes him awfully hard to support.

Madam Parker gave what should have been a fantastic performance of “Dancing Queen.” I really loved the arrangement, especially the start with the drums. But she was just so self conscious. It’s funny, because she really didn’t need to be. She said ABBA was so far out of her element, but it’s really not. If she’d really let go and enjoyed herself we would have done the same thing. Instead it was just OK.

I was a bit surprised that Teale Jakubenko picked “Thank You for the Music,” but I really enjoyed what he did with it. I loved the arrangement, and while his vocals weren’t as consistently strong all the way through it was really enjoyable. I also loved his positive attitude about the theme! Those good vibes really translated to a great performance, particularly when compared to some of those contestants who were a bit anti-ABBA.

Luke Dickens brought his gravelly rock voice to “Knowing Me Knowing You.” I have to admit, this is the first time I’ve really listened to the lyrics and the meaning behind the song. It’s always just sounded so happy, I’d never seen that darkness before! I did worry about how Luke would handle ABBA week, but he did it like a pro. He took all the cheese out of it and I loved it!

I’m actually surprised no one really slipped up! There were some amazing performances tonight, so it’s going to be tricky to pick who goes? I think Mark’s performance was the worst, but I think he’s got enough fans behind him that Madam might be the one who goes. What do you think?

Image source: Peter Forret @ Flickr

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Rob Guest Dies After Stroke

The Australian stage has lost one of its greats. Musical theatre star Rob Guest died last night at the age of 57.

He suffered a massive stroke on Tuesday night, and was taken to St Vincent’s Hospital suffering bleeding from the brain. He never recovered.

The English-born entertainer started his career as a pop star in New Zealand in the 70s before moving to Las Vegas in the 80s. But it was in Australia where he made his home. He came to play Jean Valjean in Les Miserables in 1991 and never left.

But he will be remembered most fondly as The Phantom of the Opera, a role he played a world record 2289 times over a nine-year period.

Before he passed away, Rob was playing The Wizard in the Melbourne production of Wicked.

Rob Guest is survived by his partner Kellie Dickerson and teenage children Christopher and Amy. He will be sorely missed.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Australian Idols Take on Local Hits

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi Oi Oi! It was all about patriotism on Australian Idol tonight as our newest talents paid tribute to our local legends. This week’s guest mentor was one of our finest, ex-Savage Garden frontman Darren Hayes.

Thanh Bui kicked it off with John Farnham’s “You’re the Voice.” I’ve always thought Thanh sounded a lot like Farnsy, and I thought this would be a great track to help him break away from the boy band mould. In the verses I felt like he didn’t quite sing with the authority the song called for, but in the choruses he soared. He’s got so much potential, and I just hope he gets the time on the show to realise all of it.

If they were still handing out touchdowns on Idol, Chrislyn Hamilton would have scored another with her take on Tina Arena’s “Chains.” As everyone else seemed to, I had my reservations about this one. I felt like she just hadn’t lived enough to perform this song effectively. Boy was I wrong. I got chills and a little teary watching her. She committed to this 100% and gave it her all. Wow and double wow.

Tom Williams came out next with Evermore’s “Light Surrounding You.” I will say this: it was better than last week. Having said that, I still hated it. It was just so boring. While there were some nice notes in there, there were also some clangers. I wasn’t engaged in any way, shape, or form. It all just operated on one level and I was glad when it finished so we could get on with the show.

I’m not quite sure what it is about Teale Jakubenko. When he stands behind a microphone I am so engaged, but then he steps away from it and he loses me a bit. Maybe he starts to think too much about performing rather than actually doing it. And I really don’t think the song helped him either. It’s a fantastic song, but one that spends a lot of time operating on one level. Personally I felt dropping to his knees at the end was complete cheese. But like Thanh, he’s really growing and that’s exciting. His voice especially is only getting stronger.

I’ve been saying all week that I really hoped one of our soul girls tackled Renee Geyer’s “Heading in the Right Direction.” I’m glad the one who did was Roshani Priddis. I loved what she did with it, the way she slowed it down and stripped it back and let the lyrics really shine. I was captivated from start to finish and I believed every word she sang.

Wes Carr rocked the pants off The Easybeats’ “Friday on my Mind.” Every week he just delivers a solid, confident performance and it’s a joy to watch. It looks like Wes enjoyed performing this one as much as I enjoyed watching it!

I was going to be disappointed if Luke Dickens didn’t bring out a little Barnesy. I was pleasantly surprised that the number he chose was Cold Chisel’s “Flame Trees.” It’s such a beautiful song, and I think Luke did it justice. To think that he went from being so sick he couldn’t talk to singing this well is phenomenal.

Sophie Paterson is back! I think that having Darren Hayes as a mentor couldn’t have come at a better time because he brought back the vulnerable quirky girl that we all originally fell for. I’m not a fan of “Don’t Hold Back” by The Potbelleez, but I loved this stripped back ballad version. I agree with Darren: if she’d done it up tempo I would have hated it. Instead I was mesmerised from start to finish, for not the first time tonight!

Mark Spano busted out a little more John Farnham: this time “Age of Reason.” In an Australian hit show too much Farnsy is never enough. It was good, but not great and I can’t exactly put my finger on the reason why. He sang well, he performed well, but ultimately it was forgettable. I’m still a fan, but with so many great people in the comp he really needs to lift his game.

Madam Parker closed the show with The Veronicas’ “Hook Me Up.’ It just didn’t work. The vocals were shaky and she just looked a bit lost out there. Even if she had nailed the vocals this isn’t really one of those songs that allows you to show off. It’s all about attitude, and Madam just didn’t bring any. I guess I admire her trying to step out of her comfort zone, but I also wonder whether she just didn’t have enough knowledge of Aussie music to pick the right song.

I’m almost ready to give away picking who’s going because I never seem to get it right! Again, I really think Tom’s time is up but I know to never underestimate the power of those squealing kiddies. Given that I think perhaps Teale or Thanh’s time might be up.

Image source: Newscom

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Delta Goodrem Wows Letterman

Delta Goodrem made quite an impression when she appeared on American chat show The Late Show with David Letterman last night.

Delta looked gorgeous in a black gypsy-style blouse as she performed her Australian number one “In This Life.”

David was visibly impressed by Delta’s performance, which he called “beautiful.”

If you couldn’t stay up late enough to see it, here it is!

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Cyndi Lauper Does the 80s on Australian Idol!

I have not been more excited about an episode of Australian Idol in its history. Two words for you: Cyndi Lauper. To have one of my idols mentoring these talented youngsters and sitting in on the judging panel was a real treat. I’m also a massive fan of the 1980s, so I was pumped. But could the idols match my anticipation?

Luke Dickens certainly did. When I heard he was taking on John Cougar’s “Jack and Diane” it seemed only natural. It’s a storyteller’s song, and that’s exactly what he is. This man just improves in leaps and bounds every week. He seemed more comfortable than I’ve ever seen him, engaging the audience and still remembering to enjoy himself. He’s definitely stepping up where it counts. It was a joy to watch, and it even made Cyndi cry!

Brooke Addamo revealed a whole new sexed-up side with one of my favourites, “Bette Davis Eyes.” Initially I was a little concerned that the band was getting the better of her, but she really took up the challenge and came home strong. I loved seeing this edgier side to her. Every week she brings something new and she continues to show us she’s more than just a pretty face. Cyndi’s also proving to be worth her weight in gold – she’s bringing such great performances out of our Idols!

Madam Parker took on Diana Ross’ “Upside Down.” I’m not sure whether it was her illness that brought this performance down, but it just felt very lacklustre. Even if you’re sick I sort of feel like you need to give it more than this when you’re choosing a high energy song.

It’s funny, my husband I were discussing the possibility of Mark Spano singing some Foreigner just this morning. We were hoping for something rocky like “Jukebox Hero” or “Cold as Ice,” but he opted for “I Want to Know What Love Is.” I love a good power ballad, but I’m not sure he brought the right degree of light and shade to this. It finished strong, but I don’t think it was anywhere near his best performance. I just can’t put my finger on exactly why. I’m still a massive fan.

Tom Williams mutilated “Uptown Girl.” He turned one of the most wonderful pop songs of the 80s into a sugary-sweet piece of garbage. It lost all its bounce, all of its fun, and just became something from High School Musical. This is the worst thing I’ve heard him do, and I haven’t liked his other performances. My husband actually said I do this song better on SingStar, and my own mother begged me not to sing anymore as a child. The cop-out of not knowing any song from the 80s was just the cherry on the sundae for me. Terrible on all accounts.

Chrislyn Hamilton took on another of my favourite songs, “True Colours.” If she was intimidated by Cyndi Lauper’s presence on the judging panel, she certainly didn’t show it. She delivered a performance that was mature beyond her years. I believed it. I think I really needed to see this other side to her, to feel there was more depth to her than just someone who could belt out some big notes. This was very impressive.

What an improvement Teale Jakubenko has made. You would never imagine this was the same guy who stumbled into the bottom three last week. His version of “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” was masterful. He took command from the get go and floored us all. My only criticism is that he broke the spell when he stepped out from behind the microphone. Before that my macho husband had tears welling in his eyes! But if that’s the worse you can say … well I’m sure he won’t be in the bottom three this week.

It seems like this is the week that all our performers have decided to show a brand new side. This week Sophie Paterson stepped away from being our resident folkster to show a real strength. And they don’t come much stronger than Annie Lennox, do they? Her version of “Sweet Dreams” was incredibly powerful. She also looked sensational, although I really agree that she needed some more sensible shoes for that sexy strut!

It was yet another brilliant performance from Wes Carr with his rendition of Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark.” It makes me wonder though, where are everyone else’s instruments? I could have listened to this for a whole lot longer. There’s absolutely nothing to fault with a man so talented.

Roshani Priddis is one of those performers I could just watch forever. She has a way of drawing you in, and she did it again with “What’s Love Got to Do With It.” I felt every ounce of her anger. She did everything right, and again I was impressed. I have a feeling this girl might have been hurt before, and if she hasn’t she certainly made me believe she has!

Thanh Bui closed the show with The Police’s “Every Breath You Take.” I am so glad Cyndi set him straight on the meaning behind this song! The performance was a little patchy, but what was good was really, really good. He just needs to drop that act and really feel. When he did that it was urgent and sufficiently creepy. Just like all good stalker songs should be!

So who’s going home? Honestly if it’s not Tom there’s no justice in this world and all the parents need to confiscate their children’s mobile phones!

Image source: Jim Davidson @ Flickr

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Australian Idol Finals Begin!

The pointy end of Australian Idol kicked off tonight with the first finals show. Tonight was “Idol’s Idols” night, a wonderful theme which allowed the artists to play some tunes that really rev them.

First up was Wes Carr tackling U2’s “Beautiful Day.” On the whole this was another consistently solid performance. He fills a stage and really gets the crowd involved. The transition from piano to pure vocals jarred me, but I can understand what he was trying to do. Knowing that he’s got those piano chops, I’d love to see him just sit down and do his thing there soon.

Then we had crowd pleasing teen Tom Williams with Aerosmith’s “Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing.” I’m just not sure why young Tom continues to choose such big songs. They expose all his flaws and make me question how he landed in the finals in the first place. Oh that’s right: the teeny fangirl vote. I also think he needs to be really careful about choosing songs he can’t relate to on an emotional level.

Roshani Priddis followed with Joss Stone’s “Tell Me ‘Bout It.” It was a curious song choice for me, and I’m a little concerned that she might alienate viewers because of it. I’d heard it a couple of times, but there wasn’t so much in the song I could latch on to. Yet there was plenty to love about the way Roshani performed it. She’s got such personality, and an effortless way about her. I’d love to see more of her,

Teale Jakubenko took on Rick Price’s version of “Walk Away Renee,” and I’m sorry to say it was nowhere near his best performance. That song is so reliant on the falsetto, but they weren’t the only parts that tripped him up. Maybe it was nerves? I also felt that the emotion of the song was lacking. He does get points for admitting his Rick Price love publicly though!

Sophie Paterson followed with one of my favourite songs, “Mr Jones.” Isn’t it interesting … Sophie’s song also had some significant falsetto moments she couldn’t quite achieve either, but for her they just added character. This certainly wasn’t her best performance, but it was lovable all the same. Sophie’s a bit like chocolate: even when it’s bad it’s still pretty good.

There’s so much to like about Luke Dickens. He chose the perfect song in Joe Cocker’s “Feelin’ Alright,” something the crowd could groove to and one that showcased that trademark rasp. He seemed more comfortable than I’ve seen him, and it was a joy to watch. A really solid effort, and the exciting thing is that he’s only going to improve.

As far as I saw, Brooke Addamo  gave the performance of the night to that point with her rendition of “These Words.” It was joyous and pure, with plenty of attitude and such a pure voice. It wasn’t good enough for Kyle though, and I felt for her as he tore her down. Was he watching the same performance I was at home? I don’t know what more she could have done, and it’s especially cruel considering he was one of the two men who pushed her into up tempo numbers in the first place.

You can take the boy out of the boy band, but can you take the boy band out of the boy? That’s the question I found myself asking as Thanh Bui put his spin on Maroon 5’s “This Love.” I feel like you could have handed his arrangement to the Backstreet Boys and they’d have a hit with it. But it just didn’t work here. I think it’s important to show diversity, but I think he could have picked an up tempo song that showcased his voice better. I couldn’t watch it without imagining pretty boys performing cheesy dance moves behind him.

I’m not really into the dance floor R’n’B stuff, but I take my hat off to Madam Parker. Her version of Ne-Yo’s “Closer” was killer. Up until now I’ve felt like she was in cruise control, but she smashed this one out of the park. She could easily have a hit in the clubs with this one right now. To do that in week one makes me pretty excited to see what comes next!

Jonny Taylor paid tribute to his idols, Pearl Jam, with “Betterman.” Like Dicko, I’m fairly attached to this song too. It’s really hard when you’ve got this compressed format, but this didn’t build right for me. The song should start on two in terms of volume and build from there. But there wasn’t really a build, and I felt he never got to the emotional grit that Eddie Vedder has when he’s starting on two. This song is packed with emotion, and a husky rasp doesn’t necessarily equal that. Having said that, Jonny’s got a whole load of potential so I really hope he sticks around long enough for us to see it.

Chrislyn Hamilton was always going to bring out a little bit of soul, and she did it with Aretha Franklin’s “Think.” There was certainly nothing you could fault about this performance. Vocally it was superb. She performed the pants off it. But was I the only one a little bit disappointed that she gave us the same song she did in her audition?

Mark Spano closed the show with an awesome rendition of INXS’s smash “Never Tear Us Apart.” This guy has the whole package. His voice is sensational. He performs to the nth degree. I also find him super sexy. What a great way to close the show!

What a stellar night! It really makes it difficult to anticipate who’ll be leaving us. I’d love to say Tom will get the chop, but never underestimate the power of young girls with mobile phones. Teale may just be on shaky ground.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Mark Spano and Teale Jakubenko Join Australian Idol Top 12

I think it goes to show how much I love Australian Idol that as I sat down to watch tonight’s episode, I was already considering how much I was going to miss it over the next few days! We’ve got one half of our top 12 now, with Mark Spano and Teale Jakubenko the latest to head to the finals. They’re really good choices, particularly Mark.

Irae Schwenke was up with Jesse McCartney’s poppy “Beautiful Soul.” Irae’s voice reminds me so much of Guy Sebastian’s. The problem is, it doesn’t have anywhere near the depth. He also doesn’t have Guy’s stage presence. For me everything about this was lightweight.

Kayla Vanzetta did a really credible job of Leonardo’s Bride’s “Even When I’m Sleeping.” She has such a real presence. Her delivery is very genuine; she knows how to emote beyond her 16 years. There were a couple of little pitchy problems, but in the context of the entire song I didn’t care. She’s one these performers with so much potential, I’d really love to see her develop during the competition.

I have a bit of a crush on James Spargo. I was a bit concerned about his song choice of “Chasing Cars.” It’s an awesome song, but it does operate on one level a bit. I felt he did as much to as he could with the material. There was a sincerity there, and I did like how he mixed up the notes a little. I also agree that he needs to watch over-enunciating. It’s nice to hear every word, but modern music needs a little sloppiness.

Brooke Addamo was up next with her amazing version of Jewel’s “Foolish Games.” I was captivated, and consequently I can’t disagree more with Kyle and Dicko. If she was to get up there and sing a vapid little pop song there is no way it would have had this kind of impact. I also think considering ballads are her comfort zone, it would have been foolish to step out and do something else for the sake of mixing it up. We haven’t seen her sing six ballads like the judges. And right now she’s trying to get our votes, not theirs.

Then we had Jonny Taylor with a decidedly different take on “Hound Dog.” Some may disagree with me, but I think this worked. It was brave and memorable, and when things are so competitive that’s what you’ve got to be. I love the deep resonant tones in his voice and think he could continue to surprise us.

Madam Parker closed the night with Alicia Keys’ “No One.” There’s no denying the girl can sing, but she bores me. I felt she was on cruise control here, and I’ve seen it all before. It was well sung, but there was not enough spark to get me to pick up my phone.

And there we have it, all the regular semi-finals with one of the most competitive wild cards we’ve seen to follow on Sunday. I think out of this lot Brooke Addamo and Jonny Taylor have secured their place in the top 12, but it’ll be interesting to see how the votes go.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Chrislyn and Wes Head to Australian Idol Finals

Australian Idol semifinal two got straight to business tonight, announcing Chrislyn Hamilton and Wes Carr have made Microphoneit into the Top 12. I’d suspected it might go this way, and I’m definitely not disappointed. They’re such different performers, but both so very strong. I look forward to watching their journeys!

Luke Dickens was up first to perform with “Mustang Sally.” I thought it was a perfect song for his big raspy voice, and I really enjoyed it. His performance was a bit stiff, but you can learn that sort of stuff. He’s so likeable and quintessentially Australian. A really solid start.

Oh Brooke Wilkie. My heart broke for her. I was really enjoying her take on Paulo Nutini’s “New Shoes” for the first verse, but then her lack of voice seemed to catch up with her. She’s clearly sick, and without the experience of knowing how to handle it the whole song came crashing down around her. She’s a talent and hopefully she’s feeling better for the wildcard round. It’d be a shame to have her journey end just through bad luck.

Tom Williams was probably thrilled to follow Brooke. It made his version of “You Raise Me Up” seem almost adequate. The truth is, he’s just not up to a song like this. It started out OK, but he by the end it was paling it comparison. I really hope the teenage girls don’t vote him through just because he’s cute.

Things really kicked up a notch when Natalie Colavito took to the stage. I’ve heard Idol contestants sing “Listen” time and time again. It’s one of those songs, with all the big notes and inspiration lyrics. Yet Natalie brought something different to her performance and I lapped it up. There’s a sincerity about her, a quiet strength, which is just so appealing.

Amanda Grafanakis followed with Pink’s “Who Knew.” I really like the different flavour she brings to the competition, but I’m not sure she really showed us what she can do here. It’s a shame. We need a rock chick. While it was enjoyable, I’m not sure she did enough to comvince the voters of that.

Thanh Bui closed the show with a rousing rendition of “One.” There’s no denying this guy has a killer voice. It reminds me a lot of John Farnham’s, which isn’t a bad compliment is it? He hits some big notes, but he also delivers them with the passion that I’ve felt has been missing in some Idol contestants of the past. The stand-out of the night for me.

If this was just a singing competition, I’d say Thanh Bui’s going through to the finals and that either Natalia Colavito or Luke Dickens will join him. But it’s not. And I’m a little concerned that because of that Tom Williams may just claim one of those elusive top 12 positions.

Image source: Guillame Leroy @ Stock.xchng