The “Rising Star” Top 13 tackled some of their ambitious songs yet. (Photo property of ABC)
By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com
For the past six weeks, stars were made or fell from grace because of your votes, America!
Now, we are down to 13 acts.
In order to make it to the Semifinals, each singer must perform for your votes. The show’s panel of experts (Brad Paisley, Kesha and Ludacris) will also their two cents worth into the voting process and their votes will each count five-percent towards the final number.
However, that artist might remain in jeopardy! If their competitor receives a higher percentage, they might be eliminated from the competition if the West Coast does not save them.
So, who made it to the next round? Which artists are in need of the West Coast save? Read on to find out…
Up first to face the crowd was Florida’s Macy Kate! Her best friend on the show…April Lockhart! While she is competing with her best friend, she needed to deliver a knockout performance. Unfortunately, her cover of P!nk’s “Who Knew” was very warbly and it was not a star-making performance. Want to see this song right? Watch De’Borah’s larger than life cover! D+
I was very excited to learn that Shameia Crawford was moving on to this round! She deserved to be on that stage. In order for her to move on to the Semifinals, Shameia needed to slay “Next To Me.” The 30-year-old former background singer soared with her octave leaps! In fact, this performance put many of this year’s Idol performances to shame! A-
Joshua Peavy is the last parent standing! He was ecstatic to learn that his kids will be watching him perform live! He tackled Michael Bolton’s “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You.” While he had a lovely tone, I believe that it was the wrong song choice. Steve Perry’s “Oh Sherrie” or Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror” would have really suited his voice better. C+
April Lockhart is very hands-on with her fans and inspiring them to chase their own dreams! She dedicated her cover of Goo Goo Dolls’ “Iris” for one of her fans! A couple of nights ago, another contestant on a rival TV show tackled this tune and in all honesty, April did it better! Her conviction and vocals were spot on and I thought the arrangement was awesome! B
Maneepat Molloy was the next artist to prove that she was worthy of a spot in the next round. With inspiration from her sister and family, she tackled Grace Potter and the Nocturnals’ “Stars.” This is a tall order because Amanda Brown made this song her own on The Voice. Unfortunately, Maneepat did not connect with me at all and I hope that she redeems herself in the future C-
Dana Williams received a second chance thanks to the West Coast! The former elementary school art assistant bravely took on Disclosure and Sam Smith’s “Latch.” It was very courageous of her to tackle such a new song. I think she redeemed herself from her Duel round. Dana brilliantly weaved a story that impressed all three experts as she unleashed her inner siren. A-
The Great White Way’s Alice J. Lee sang Brandi Carlile’s “The Story.” She dedicated this particular performance to her parents. While I enjoyed Alice’s previous performances, I thought that Alice did not live up to her potential and it was an overall train wreck. D-
As Alice sat down in the Hot Seat, fan-favorite Jesse Kinch had to raise the wall in order to gain a seat in the Top Seven. I am so happy that Jesse went out of his comfort zone and delivered a powerful cover of The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army.” He tore the studio up and I cannot wait for him to hit the recording studio! A+
With Alice eliminated, Macy Kate headed into the Hot Seat. Megan Tibbits had to raise the wall with her cover of Marc Broussard’s “Home.” I was extremely bored during her performance; she did not interpret the song to the best of her ability. F
One of the show’s most powerful vocalists is Lisa Punch! While she barely defeated Sarah Darling in the West Coast save round, Lisa delivered a powerful cover of Alicia Keys’s “Girl on Fire.” I enjoyed her phrasing and the Caribbean soul that was influenced in the song. Shame America…got it wrong!!! A
New York bartender and yoga enthusiast Audrey Kate Geiger tackled an intriguing song: ‘The Big Bang.” It was an interesting selection for her and it showcased both her unique artistry and vocals. She could be a dark horse. B+
Austin French got married this week! Now with two livelihoods in the balance, he hoped that Alicia Keys’s signature song,”If I Ain’t Got You,” would be his ticket to the Semifinals. While I thought that the tempo was too fast for the song, I thought that Austin’s energy helped him raise the wall. B
The final performance of the night belonged to Sonnet Simmons! She tackled Lana Del Ray’s “Young & Beautiful.” It was a very interesting selection, because I thought she would have chosen “Summertime.” While she started out great, pitch became a huge problem for her and it caused her downfall. D
Next week, the Top Eight perform!!!
