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Nicki's walkout semi-justified, promising singers abound again
Damage control: A day after she stormed off the "Idol" set, after some provocation, Nicki Minaj returns to face the microphones. All was peaches and cream at the auditions thereafter, for the most part.
Yes, this was the episode in which the big walkout took place. But it wouldn't be a recap if the events weren't recounted in sequence, so we'll take things in order. (If you just can't wait, it comes up about halfway through the post.)
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Actually, a teaser for the explosion kicked off the show: blurry TMZ footage discussing a huge conflict that shut down production. That segued into Ryan Seacrest on the Charlotte Motor Speedway "shutting down" some of NASCAR's finest drivers while grooving to Rupert Holmes' "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)." Could things get any more metro?
The auditions proper get under way with Naomi Morris, a fashionista who designs her own clothes, though apparently suffering from a material shortage in the clavicular region. Nicki Minaj teased her about "poppin' out" of her bra, which Nicki coveted, only to be told by Mariah Carey that it wouldn't fit her. Visual daggers were exchanged. (All of this banter occurred after Naomi sang wretched renditions of Aretha Franklin's version of "Respect" and the Temptations' "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" and was summarily dismissed.)
The second singer was a waste of time as well (a Charlotte ruse of sorts, as the talent level turned out to be quite lofty). Joel Nemoyer sang Nina Simone's "Feeling Good" from a supine position, which may indeed feel good but didn't enhance his tone, which resembled what Top 40 radio DJs used to call a "puker." Brian Rittenberry, whose wife had miraculously recovered from cancer, was the first ticket winner, though he sounded just passable to my ears (which were probably ticked off at his threadbare song choice, "Let It Be").
One of several country-oriented singers, Jimmy Smith, was also less than stellar, but his version of Rascal Flatts' "Bless the Broken Road" thrilled the judges so much that Mariah attempted a mock hillbilly accent, thankfully not repeated. A montage of winners briefly showcased Sarina-Joi Crowe, Haley Davis (who sang one of several offbeat and interesting song picks, Roy Orbison's "Crying") and Na'Chella Fullins-Lovell, who displayed a Mariah-esque ability to chirp stratospheric high notes better appreciated by dogs than humans. In response, Mariah sang a snatch of Billie Holiday's "Good Morning Heartache" after the vote.
Matthew Muse broke the winning streak by including an attempted octave leap within Brad Paisley's "When I Get Where I'm Going" that, unfortunately, spanned only six notes or so. But Isabel Gonzalez put things back on track with another surprising song choice – Sam Cooke songs are rare enough on "Idol," but "Nothing Can Change This Love" isn't even one of his better-known hits. Great to hear, though, and rather impressively sung by the high schooler.
Taisha Bethea also defied expectations, as African-American alternative-rock singers tend to do. But after declaring her intention to be a rocker, she sang Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues," prompting the judges to ask for another song. That turned out to be Alanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know," more in Taisha's stated wheelhouse, but the stylistic muddle so perplexed the panel (except for Nicki, who incisively cut through the confusion in a fashion befitting the show's most intelligent judge) that the vote was deadlocked at 2-2. That called for a tiebreaker, a role assigned to Keith Urban, who sent Taisha to Hollywood.
A montage of judicial disputes came next, featuring a few choice Mariah eye rolls, the better to set up the main event. The catalyst was Summer Cunningham, who sang Bill Withers' "Lean on Me" considerably better than Nicholas David on "The Voice" and professed to having "done the country thing," feeling she was better off adding some soul to her country tendencies. This harmless declaration, believe it or not, set off the fireworks. Randy Jackson and Mariah seemed to feel Summer was best suited to singing country, and proceeded to grill her for some time on just what she meant by having "done the country thing." Nicki seethed impatiently for a while, then accused the judges of "scaring her into line" by trying to force Summer into a country bag that she didn't necessarily want to be bound by. It was a perfectly accurate analysis, but probably didn't warrant Nicki storming off the set. Mariah reacted by saying (jokingly? Who knows?), "That was my move! I was gonna do that the next time she ragged on me."
Then, after more TMZ clips, footage of scandalized talk-show buzzing and forlorn shots of empty judges' chairs, the episode moved on to the second day of Charlotte auditions, and it was as if nothing had happened (except for a few exasperated headshakes from Mariah when Nicki wasn't looking). A sunny and whimsical mood prevailed, although first auditioner Brandy Hamilton, after wowing the panel with the superbly chosen and sung "All I Could Do Was Cry" (any Etta James song that isn't "At Last" is always welcome), couldn't resist admonishing the judges, rather inaudibly, "Please don't fight; it makes us sad." Maybe the producers fed her the line; Brandy should have been over the moon with excitement, especially after Mariah labeled her performance "pippetty pow."
Ashley Smith channeled Carrie Underwood's "Cowboy Casanova," which in itself was not unusual, but she was another stereotype breaker, a hyperactive, blond African American. (Such musical surprises promise an interesting and rewarding season.) Nicki, a serial nicknamer, dubbed her "Blondie," naturally, which led to a montage of nicknaming contestants from several cities – a far cry from the earlier battle.
Janelle Arthur, a two-time golden ticket winner, nabbed her third with a medley of Keith Urban songs, "Where the Blacktop Ends" and "Walk in the Country." Keith then left for another engagement, but the judges were united in their decisions, ticketing charitable street singer Rodney Barber for his performance of Edwin McCain's "I'll Be." A similar vote greeted returning aspirant Candice Glover, whose "Syrup and Honey" (Duffy) was labeled the best audition of the season by Mariah, who got it right. Nicki told Candice, "I want to skin you and wear you," which turned out to be a strangely appropriate lead-in to the next contestant, Ja-Bria Barber (no relation to Rodney), whose avocation is frog gigging.
That recreational sport basically entails fatally sticking frogs and removing their legs to cook up, in case you missed the program's detailed explanation. Ja-Bria, just 16, proceeded to sing Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Pride and Joy" quite well and sailed through, a turn of events not duplicated by literal headbanger Brad Harris, whose "Whole New World" (from "Aladdin") seemed to alarm the judges.
The "Idol" audition tradition of closing with a heart-rending back story continued with Seretha Guinn, whose boyfriend underwent eight surgeries in the past year. To top off the sentimental appeal, she brought her young daughter, London, with her into the audition room. None of these embellishments were actually necessary, as Seretha stunned the judges with a nimble performance of the theme from "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" and added a fragment of Trisha Yearwood/LeAnn Rimes' "How Do I Live" to seal the deal. She became the 15th singer (counting the montage of three) to get a golden ticket and camera time; 22 others also made it through. Next stop: Baton Rouge, La.
What did you think of Wednesday's episode? Connect and sound off on Facebook and Twitter
"American Idol" airs Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on FOX.
Shakira's and Usher's teams teeter on the brink of a wipeout
'Adorn' shame: Shakira's choice of Miguel's hit 'Adorn' proved unfortunate for Kris Thomas on 'The Voice' Tuesday, while Usher's pick of Coldplay's 'Clocks' struck Josiah Hawley a fatal blow as well. The rookie coaches are down to one contestant apiece.
The teams of new coaches Shakira and Usher were reduced to one on "The Voice" Tuesday, as Shakira's Kris Thomas and Usher's Josiah Hawley were eliminated. Kris was a strong but idiosyncratic singer who wasn't getting the right songs, while Josiah was a pretty good singer, which doomed him in a season overstuffed with excellent vocalists
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Unwary viewers were first subjected to another of NBC's desperation "live recap" hours, rewarding only to those with a copy of my Monday recap close to hand so they could gauge how uncannily accurate and perceptive my takes on the performances were.
The results show itself started with a performance dedicated to the Oklahoma tornado victims. Blake Shelton (from Oklahoma) and wife Miranda Lambert did an acoustic version of their song "Over You" that may have been the most moving piece of music in the show's history. Miranda's aching vocal amply revealed why she's the reigning queen of country music.
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After another recap for the benefit of those who missed the previous hour and were pining for a nostalgic look back at the night before, Shakira and charges Sasha Allen and Kris sang the Pretenders' "I'll Stand by You," a song on the borderline of overexposure on these shows but saved by interesting vocals, particularly Kris's.
A plug for the film "Fast and Furious 6" ran on endlessly, but eventually the first two results were revealed, which were unsurprising safe calls for Danielle Bradbery and Judith Hill.
Blake's team – Danielle, the Swon Brothers and Holly Tucker – sang Alabama's "Mountain Music," a well-intentioned tribute to a great American art form, most of which is much better than the Alabama homage. Results came next: Michelle Chamuel survived the Pink cover curse that felled a couple of Idols this season, and Sasha Allen's first venture into contemporary music (Emeli Sande's "Next to Me") proved successful.
Usher was joined by Josiah and teammate Michelle for Dusty Springfield's "The Look of Love," a Bacharach ballad that suited neither Josiah nor Michelle at all, and was a bit out of Usher's territory as well. Doling out the results stingily, Carson Daly announced that Sarah Simmons, who rocked the house Monday, was safe.
Adam's team, Amber Carrington, Judith and Sarah, concluded the musical portion of the evening with another odd musical relic, the Kiki Dee Band's "I've Got the Music in Me," which worked out well enough thanks to the participants' strong vocals. Holly Tucker's gamble in singing a hymn paid off with a safe call, leaving the final four for the episode's last segment.
Little time was left to drag out the proceedings, so we immediately learned that Amber Carrington was safe, the third member of Adam's team to make it to the top eight. That left the Swon Brothers, Josiah and Kris, and the underdog duo did it again, giving Blake a clean sweep for the night as well.
Eliminated: Kris Thomas, whose attempt to go contemporary ran aground when he couldn't match the intensely stylized Miguel original of "Adorn," and Josiah Hawley, who had a great song, Coldplay's "Clocks," but apparently didn't put his stamp on it.
Teams: Blake has Holly, Danielle and the Swon Brothers all still competing; similarly, Adam's Amber, Judith and Sarah are all in the running. Shakira's remaining contestant is the skilled but repertoire-challenged Sasha Allen. Usher has the appealing left-field contender Michelle Chamuel.
What did you think of Tuesday's show? Connect and sound off on Facebook and Twitter
"The Voice" airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.
Cain, Abel and streets full of the undead
Still reeling from it being "The Baron" (a chilling Reg E. Cathey) come knocking on Eric’s door at the end of the first part of the two-part season finale of "Grimm", rather than Renard, I braced myself for the exciting conclusion (as if there is ever such a thing as a conclusion on this show). Admittedly, the quote that kicked off part one’s episode should have tipped me off; for those of you who’ve already forgotten it, it read, "Papa Ghede is a handsome fellow in his hat and coat of black. Papa Ghede is going to the palace! He’ll eat and drink when he gets back." The palace clearly implies Eric, but while he sardonically compared Portland to Vienna at the end of the episode you simply cannot blame me for not thinking his hotel a palace.
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Part two picked up right there, with Eric and Baron seated for a chat. Stoically, Eric asked The Baron if he would be so kind as to show him what he does, i.e. "turn" one of Eric’s servants. That’s when Eric invited Lukas into his room, asked him how long he’d been with Eric (seven years), which Eric deemed long enough. Baron do his thing, Lukas went down, the pain he was in described flippantly as excruciating by his maker.
Across town Juliette and Nick picked up where they left off dinner date-wise, but never got to the actual meal. They declared their love for one another and apparently made up for a year’s worth of lost time in one night. Monroe, too, enjoyed a night of passion with his significant other, Rosalee, though they did dine together first.
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Across the pond Adalind was targeted by Frau Pesch, the Gypsy Queen, first seen seemingly concocting a potion. Not long afterwards, thanks to some assistance, she had Adalind unconscious and plunged a needle into the back of her neck.
As for the zombies, they were running amok on the streets of Portland come morning, unbeknownst to lovelorn Monroe and Nick, the latter of who was asked by Juliette if he could take the day off, to which he replied, "If people stopped killing each other." Little did he know! A call from Renard rendered a personal day impossible anyway, with Nick in quick enough to get brought up to speed by Renard about the myriad royal families all seeking out the key, his brother Eric simply being the most determined. Eric then called and he and his brother made plans for dinner, a modern day Cain and Abel.
In the first of what would be several stellar scenes in this outstanding season finale, we were then made privy to what the gypsy was up to. She downed what she had actually extracted from Adalind and they switched places. The phone rang. The "new" Adalind answered, while the real one remained unconscious on the floor, imprisoned in an old woman’s frail body. It was Stefania, enthusiastic to tell Adalind how they could take care of Frau Pesch. "I can’t wait to hear," she purred.
With zombies creating chaos in Portland and the danger of running out of uniforms looming, Nick responded to a scene only to watch one zombie bite an officer and then leap out a window, bounce off a car and knock three more out. Stunned but with his wits still in tact, he was then able to take one zombie down, plus transport him to the spice shop with Hank. It wound up being the tow truck driver The Baron turned halfway through part one last week. Rosalee found a solution, but it would take three injections and she and Monroe would have to do it all without Nick and Hank, who both had to get back to the precinct.
Sean and Eric’s reunion went unexpectedly smoothly, despite the fact that Eric referred to Sean’s mother as a "hexenbiest whore." Eric brought up Nick, inquired about his relationship with Sean and conveyed a sort of respect for the damage Nick had done to their kind. He asked Sean to return to the family, which Sean said he’d consider.
Nick returned to the spice shop, Juliette in tow (she announced she would no longer be staying at home and kept out of things), to find the tow driver fully recovered, thanks to Rosalee’s antidote. Nick instructed her to make more, as there’d be many more zombies in need of it. He then told Monroe of Renard’s brother being in town and how this could all somehow be related and, furthermore, about the key. He removed it from his neck and gave it to Rosalee to hide. (I must inject here that I found the next scene perplexing; she hid it with documents quite similar to the one Renard’s spy photographed in Vienna, along with a lot of cash. Am I reading into things or ... ?)
Back across the globe, the new Adalind met with Stefania. Stefania explained her plan, that she’d need Frau Pesch's heart and Adalind could get her powers back and her child could be born safely. But the heart would have to still be beating. Smirking, Adalind (Frau Pesch) asked how Stefania could possibly manage that. She said she’d lure her there to discuss uniting, only for one of Stefania’s seven sons to sneak up behind her and strangle her. And that’s exactly what happened next; Stefania knew it was really Frau Pesch there all along. The real Adalind then awoke on her hotel room floor, noticed the gypsy’s discarded clothes, pronounced the witch dead and announced another’s return: namely her.
Finally, the zombie confrontation commenced. Nick, Monroe, Juliette and Rosalee took on a legion of the undead. Ultimately overwhelmed, Nick left to single-handedly take on The Baron in an epic battle that ended with Nick losing him inside one of the vaults where the zombies were being stored. Nick stumbled upon the very same documents not only Renard had photographed and sent to him, but Rosalee also seemed to have in her possession (sorry, I can’t let go of it), only to then be surprised by The Baron, who spewed his green ooze in Nick’s face.
It all ended with Monroe, Juliette and Rosalee trapped in Monroe’s truck, surrounded by zombies and Eric peering into a defacto coffin, Nick laying there, ostensibly being shipped somewhere where a Grimm won’t continue to ruin Eric’s master plan. Or, perhaps, somewhere where he could be a huge part of it.
"Grimm" returns in the fall, on Fridays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.
Kellie Pickler and Derek Hough are the Season 16 champions
We have our winners! Kellie and Derek are the Season 16 champions! Kellie was beside herself, calling the victory amazing. Their last dance, a boppy jive, ended their season on a sweet note. This victory marks the fourth championship for Derek.
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In second place were Val and Zendaya. Poor Val was dancing with 17 stitches on his face after Zendaya accidentally elbowed him in the face hours before the finals began. Their last dance, a chirpy, upbeat jive, had the crowd rocking along with them.
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Third place went to Jacoby and Karina. They went out on a high note. Their "instant" salsa had the crowd on its feet, and Jacoby jumping over Karina's head! What a great season the two of them had.
Aly and Mark came in fourth and were eliminated before the final round of "instant" dances. Aly said the experience was the best of her life, words which prompted a standing ovation from the crowd.
Did the right star with the Season 16 Mirrorball Trophy? Connect and sound off on Facebook and Twitter.
Top singers glide onward while others stress to impress
'Reason' to believe: Michelle Chamuel ventured closer than usual to the mainstream on Monday's 'Voice,' singing Pink's 'Just Give Me a Reason.' Will the quirky singer's gambit give her enough votes to move on?
This "Voice" season is shaping up to be an interesting battle – the choices vs. the voices, if you will. (If you won't, I completely understand, but bear with me a moment.)
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There are seven standout voices: Judith Hill and Sarah Simmons appear to be the early front-runners, but Holly Tucker, Amber Carrington, Sasha Allen, Kris Thomas and Danielle Bradbery are no slouches.
The three others aren't quite in the same vocal league (though Michelle Chamuel may end up qualifying). To succeed, they must capitalize on non-musical factors (Josiah Hawley's looks, the Swon Brothers' novelty and rootsy country appeal, Michelle's quirkiness) and distinctive song choices that trigger that elusive "oh wow, I can't believe he/she did that song!" reaction from the voters.
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So, having stuffed everyone into restrictive stereotypes, let's see how well they held up. After a Maroon 5 performance of "Love Somebody," the band's new single, which further illustrated how much the group has improved since its early days as an immediate radio button punch, Holly Tucker kicked off the show with perhaps the most unusual, though far from the most exciting, song choice of the evening. "How Great Thou Art" is a hoary hymn covered by multitudes of gospel (and many secular) singers; her version was sincere and soaring, but really more of a novelty than anything else in the context of the show. Usher thought it was an "incredible statement," but began to hedge, trying to find a way to express his unease with the performance (and ultimately not succeeding). Shakira thought it was "heavenly" and "heartfelt," Adam thought it showed off the "pristine quality" of her voice, and Blake said she "turned it up one more notch" and called it her "most important" performance yet. Which, since each performance now carries the risk of elimination, it technically was.
Judith Hill was "torn" about doing "The Way You Make Me Feel," the song by her former employer Michael Jackson that her coach, Adam, chose for her. That was because she didn't want to seem as if she were exploiting her connection with him, although she also could have had legitimate concerns about it being the third Michael Jackson song in the last 14 "Voice" performances, an alarming ratio in anyone's book. As it turned out, she needn't have worried on the latter count, since it was the best of the three MJ songs and allowed her to show off her upbeat, sassy side without blurring the impact of her formidable voice. And Adam assured her that the performance was "celebrating, not exploiting" Jackson.
Blake gave the Swon Brothers the boost they needed with Randy Houser's rousing recent hit "How Country Feels," and the duo possibly bettered the original thanks to their taut harmonies and a fiery arrangement. Shakira said they always lighten her mood and Blake theorized that their momentum is mounting and they "can be stars."
Kelly Clarkson's "Breakaway" proved a disaster (one of many) for Lazaro Arbos on "Idol" earlier this year, but Amber Carrington was far better equipped to handle the demanding octave leaps and express the song's emotion. Blake and Shakira applauded the song choice, while Adam posed a syllogism that went, roughly, A) "Kelly is one of the best singers out there," and B) Amber sang a great cover of a Kelly song, so C) Amber has an incredible voice. There was a certain logic to this formulation, even if the conclusion unfortunately echoed Usher's incredible overuse of the word "incredible," which he had earlier employed to describe Amber's talent and indeed found a way to use with virtually every contestant.
Shakira decided to take Sasha Allen in a contemporary direction, rightly worrying that Sasha had done too many creaking oldies. The one she and guest mentor Cee Lo Green chose, however, was Emeli Sande's "Next to Me," making the third time in as many weeks that the song had been performed on a TV music contest. (Not that "The Voice" acknowledges song choices on "Idol" and vice versa, but maybe they should take them into consideration.) Sasha sang it with verve and skill, though it was a bit overwrought, as her versions tend to be. Adam and Blake were glad she did a modern song, while Usher (after an "incredible") lauded her for putting her own texture into it. Shakira said it showed her versatility.
Josiah Hawley's song choices especially have to stand out, and Monday's did – Coldplay's haunting "Clocks." He rocked it up some, losing some of its ethereal nature, and although his falsetto was functional, he may not have completely pulled it off. Shakira had her doubts, feeling that "Coldplay is so distinctive, any attempt from us mere mortals to evoke the magic is almost mission impossible," and Adam agreed, adding that Josiah appeared uncomfortable at times. Blake faulted the song for its lack of a lyrical story, while Usher pledged to "continue to nurture your incredible talent."
Still, it was an unexpected and delightful song choice, and so was Blake's for Danielle Bradbery, his second triumph in a row: Jo Dee Messina's finest moment, "Heads Carolina, Tails California." Danielle reaches the seats every time on those upbeat, lilting country numbers. Usher upped the ante a little, calling it "100 percent incredible" and saying she made "country cool once again." Blake was pleased with how "carefree" it sounded and appreciated the way she delivers country lyrics.
Like Sasha, Kris Thomas has been focused on the oldies, so Shakira and Cee Lo went all 2012 on him with "Adorn," the breakout hit by the new Prince of R&B, Miguel. It was an adventurous and imaginative choice, but there may be a problem with asking these contestants to measure up to exceptionally distinctive artists such as Coldplay and Miguel. Kris's version was colorless, salvaged somewhat by a couple of neatly executed falsetto flutters at the end but no match for the original. Adam and Usher detected a tendency in Kris to "overthink" his performance, and Usher questioned the song choice. Shakira defended it and Kris so fiercely, talking over all attempts to respond, that Usher finally crouched behind his chair in abject terror.
Adam's diagnosis of Sarah Simmons' situation was that she needed to display her rock side. It's hard to figure why he thought Jessie J's "Mama Knows Best" was the song to fill that prescription, but Sarah gave it the full Joplin, setting her vocal intensity on "stun." It leads you to wonder how that assault would sound on a song with real meat on its bones. Blake said she "radiated sexy" and was a rocker, and Adam decreed that it was the performance of the night.
Michelle Chamuel drew the closing slot and was given Pink's "Just Give Me a Reason," which proved fatal for "Idol" fourth-place finisher Amber Holcomb when no one thought she came close to the original. Michelle fared better, thanks to a more passionate and connected delivery, and it should ensure her survival. Blake loved how "dramatic" she was, and her coach, Usher, contradicted Adam's earlier pronouncement with one of his own: "I'll say that that was the performance of the night."
Performance of the night: I'll contradict both Adam and Usher by giving the award to Danielle, though Amber, Judith, and yes, Sarah and Michelle were all contenders.
Just look over your shoulder: Something (like elimination) may be gaining on Kris and especially Josiah, and the Swon Brothers, a duo that has reached unprecedented "Voice" heights, can't ever get too comfortable.
What did you think of Monday's show? Connect and sound off on Facebook and Twitter
"The Voice" airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.
Zendaya Coleman and Val Chmerkovskiy finish first half of finals with a perfect 65
The finals are off to a great start! This may have been a lackluster season but the stars seem determined to make up for it as the competition comes to a close. Several of the "supersized freestyle" routines incorporated background dancers, which was a fun twist.
Zendaya is in the lead by a single point. Kellie and Zendaya both received perfect 60s for their full-length routines, and it was actually the cha-cha marathon that made up the difference in their scores. This is going to be a nail-biter! Kellie is one point behind (64), and Aly trails Zendaya by four points (61). Jacoby is quite a bit behind with 56 points.
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Even though Val was injured in rehearsals just hours before the broadcast – Zendaya accidentally elbowed him – he insisted on dancing anyway.
The cha-cha relay was a lot of fun! Zendaya and Val owned the floor, placing first and receiving an additional five judges' points. Jacoby was the low man on the totem pole, earning only two extra points.
The freestyle routines tend to focus on technique, but Derek choreographed a very emotional routine for Kellie. The risk paid off! Mark and Aly went in the opposite direction, dancing a sky-high, pole-twirling, cartwheeling freestyle. The energetic routine earned them a perfect 30 as well.
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Here's a rundown of the performances:
Jacoby Jones
The judges' choice round had Jacoby and Karina attempting the jive. This routine was lively and fun, sort of a Broadway/80s hybrid. Jacoby had a bit of trouble with the jive in Week 5, but Len acknowledged that his footwork was much improved this time around. Bruno praised Jacoby's "unlimited supply of energy and power" before rather enigmatically quoting J.R.R. Tolkien to point out that Jacoby lost the beat a few times. Carrie Ann agreed even though she acknowledged that Jacoby brought "the swagger."
Jacoby and Karina's freestyle routine was wild – almost to the point of being out of control. Jacoby owned the dance. Len praised Jacoby's energy. Bruno loved the routine but pointed out a few timing errors. Carrie Ann said the routine "outshined" Jacoby and felt he got lost in the shuffle. This was by no means a bad dance, but Jacoby just didn't bring it the way the three ladies did.
Jive: 27/30
Cha-cha: 2/5
Freestyle: 27/30
Total: 56/65
Alexandra Raisman
Aly and Mark danced the samba for the judges' pleasure. They went for sexy and the risk paid off! Aly had a bit of trouble with samba technique in Week 5. Bruno called Aly "a scrumptious little tease" and praised her clean footwork. Carrie Ann enthused about Aly's all-around dance qualities, and Len liked the choreography.
Aly and Mark's daring freestyle routine had them pole-dancing at the top of the staircase. There were quite a few gymnastic moves worked into the routine as well. All in all, it looked exhausting! Bruno called the dance "futuristic with a touch of exotic." Carrie Ann said the routine reminded her of the days when she "danced the pole for Madonna." Len was also a fan, dubbing Aly "Alexandra the Great."
Samba: 28/30
Cha-cha: 3/5
Freestyle: 30/30
Total : 61/65
Kellie Pickler
Kellie and Derek danced an ultra-glamorous quickstep in the first round. Kellie's lines and footwork were gorgeous and she matched Derek step for step and silly face for silly face. The quickstep was an easy assignment for the pair as they were just one point away from a perfect score dancing the quickstep in Week 6. Len compared the dance to a stamp on a letter, presumably meaning that it was tight. Bruno christened Kellie "the Southern belle of the ball" and called her performance a "technical tour de force." Carrie Ann praised the improvement in Kellie and Derek's body contact.
Kellie and Derek turned in a ballet-like freestyle routine. The focus of the dance was emotional but difficult lifts were woven throughout the routine. It kind of looked like the end a "Dirty Dancing" sequel yet to be made. Carrie Ann gave Kellie a hug and praised Kellie for baring her soul on the dance floor. Bruno said that great dances engage the heart and then gave the couple a standing ovation. Bruno was equally effusive. This was a stunning routine.
Quickstep: 30/30
Cha-cha: 4/5
Freestyle: 30/30
Total: 64/65
Zendaya Coleman
The judges chose the samba for Val and Zendaya. It was a dance that gave them a tiny bit of trouble in Week 4. Their routine was flirty but awfully complicated. Carrie Ann cheered for Zendaya and called the routine magical. Len loved the choreography. Bruno called Zendaya fierce – is that still a thing? – and praised her transitions between fast and slow steps.
In the freestyle round, Zendaya and Val shifted seamlessly from romantic lifts and spins to a hip-hop line dance. They chose to include kids as their background dancers, which was adorable. Len loved how all the different parts of the routine came together as a cohesive whole. Len praised Zendaya's "unique luminosity." Carrie Ann said Zendaya "brought it home."
Samba: 30/30
Cha-cha: 5/5
Freestyle: 30/30
Total: 65/65
Who won over the judges: Zendaya
Who won over the crowd: Kellie
Who needs to step it up: Jacoby
Part 2 of the Season 16 "Dancing With the Stars" finale will air Tuesday, May 21 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.
After watching the final four perform tonight, who do you think should win the Season 16 Mirrorball Trophy? Connect and sound off on Facebook and Twitter.
Love it or hate it, this was the trippiest hour ever
Sansa discovers true marital bliss might mean a bed to yourself
"Game of Thrones" airs Sundays on 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.
All is right in 'Idol' world as voters choose the best singer
Transfixed: Candice Glover can't seem to take in her new status as 'American Idol' champion, but runner-up Kree Harrison and host Ryan Seacrest are thrilled enough to make up for it.
And in the end, all was right in "Idol" world. The best woman won. Candice Glover, who out-sang everyone throughout a long, often painful season, was crowned "American Idol" Season 12 winner Thursday night.
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Candice's victory over Kree Harrison breaks a streak of five consecutive male winners. But we've known that for more than a month, since the last guy was eliminated during top 6 week. She's also the first out-and-out R&B singer to win since Fantasia, nine years ago. And she won the way an Idol should win -- not because she was a pin-up or hunk or had a tragic back story, but because she was the best singer.
The finale, which ran more than two hours, vividly reminded us of what a long, often painful (but sometimes spectacular) season it has been, with musical horrors and highlights galore. It started with a charming, unplanned moment: Candice and Kree were posed in a solemn face-off to underscore the gravity of the situation. But Kree couldn't hold the stern face and broke into a wide smile.
Then the final 10 welcomed viewers to the celebration with a pallid performance of the Wanted's infectious "Glad You Came." The camera panned the audience to show hordes of former Idols. The Band Perry sang its current single, "Done," with attitude to spare and plenty of pogo-ing and pyrotechnics, plus guest vocals from Janelle Arthur.
The traditional "Idol" finale comedy bits commenced with one of the better examples of the form (though the bar has previously been set about as low as a dancer in a Flo Rida video). The top five guys were shown speculating about their early, consecutive departures, which they blamed on being "sabotaged" by their female competition. (Best bit: Janelle altering the musical score for Lazaro's stunningly inept version of "Close to You.") In the end, it turned out to be a plot hatched by the last female winner, Jordin Sparks, who when asked how she and the others pulled off the prank, told the guys, "It actually was pretty easy. None of you guys play guitar." She offered some consolation by telling them, "The good news is that 'Idol' leftovers have been doing really well on 'The Voice.' "
The guys went straight into a medley of Four Seasons songs, sounding like the Turgid Boys, so clearly the sabotage had not concluded. Fortunately, this presentation of a full cheese platter was improved by the appearance of Frankie Valli himself, who at 76 retains that piercing tone that cuts right through the "Grease" (and "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" as well).
The medley virus proved to be catching, as Mariah Carey made her long-delayed first performance of the season with a whole raft of her hits. Dressed in a gown straight from the film "Big Mermaid," she showed off all the vocal trills and frills that have ruined a generation of copycat "Idol" contestants, and even threw in one of her patented high notes for the dogs in the audience – specifically Randy, who may have been backing her up (didn't see him).
The musical merry-go-round continued to whirl with Emeli Sande's "Next to Me," sung by Candice earlier in the season, being passed on to Amber Holcomb, who was joined by Sande, who provided a useful jolt of energy. Plenty of product placement for Ford Fiesta, in the form of a greatest-bits montage from the season's contestant commercials, culminated in the presentation of two Fiestas to Candice and Kree's designated family mentors.
On the previous night, Carly Rae Jepsen attempted to extend her time in the spotlight. This night, it was the Gangnam Stylist himself, Psy, trying to prolong his own fruit-fly pop lifespan with his current single, "Gentlemen," which is something of a Shakespearean classic -- sound and fury signifying nothing.
Keith Urban premiered his new single, "Little Bit of Everything," a pleasant if lightweight offering that was followed by a heavyweight offering: Candice and Jennifer Hudson dueting on Natalie Cole's lounge ballad "Inseparable." After Mariah's exhibition, it was the evening's second advanced crash course in over-singing, particularly Jennifer, who rarely strayed from a braying vibrato.
But just as on regular performance episodes of "Idol," when wretched excess can lead into unexpected brilliance, musical events took a significant turn for the better. Angie Miller launched into a grave version of Sia's "Titanium" and was quickly joined by Adam Lambert for a duet that at times approached the exquisite. Angie then achieved one of her goals by singing with Jessie J. Happily, it was Jessie's best song, the lively Katy Perry knock-off "Domino," which contains some of the raciest lyrics Angie has yet sung. Ryan Seacrest also announced that Angie had released a version of the original song she poleaxed the judges with during Hollywood Week, "You Set Me Free," but her planned performance of it had to be cut to make room for the Lambert and Jessie J duets. Jessie then invited her to the UK to perform it during one of her (Jessie's) concerts. So, good night for Angie.
More comedy: The contestants "dished" on the quirks of the judges. This was only occasionally funny, mostly when they poked fun at Randy's indiscriminate use of the immortal phrase "in it to win it." Randy more or less took over the show for the next several minutes, playing bass behind Kree and Keith on the latter's "Where the Blacktop Ends," which was enjoyable as a chance to hear Kree sing an uptempo number and Keith shred a little. Then came a full-blown farewell to Randy, featuring subtitled dogs and their video montage of the highlights of his "Idol" judicial tenure.
Beamed via satellite from New York, Aretha Franklin gave her propers to Candice and, with the top five girls on backups, sang a medley of "Natural Woman," "I Never Loved a Man, "Respect" and "Think" – a sublime moment. That, you might have thought, would have been a fitting performance conclusion to the evening before the results were revealed – what could top it, a Nicki Minaj number? (As it turned out, she was the one judge conspicuous in her absence from the musical stage.)
Nope. After Candice and Kree got the keys to their new Ford Escapes and a long and tedious montage of the season's highlights aired, Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull appeared to sing "Live It Up," their catchy dance number. Then Candice and Kree turned in a final duet on the dull Fifth Dimension hit "One Less Bell to Answer," before the envelope was at last opened. Candice managed to make her way through her new single, "I Am Beautiful," and the season came to a satisfying close.
Looking back at the final two, Kree was certainly a worthy adversary for Candice -- in most years she would have made a terrific crown bearer. (Same goes for the season's No. 3, Angie.) But Kree never quite put together one of those definitive Idol Moments that are a huge contributor to the show's longevity.
Candice, on the other hand, had at least three, maybe four depending on how highly you rated her version of "Somewhere." But without question, her first performance of "I (Who Have Nothing)," her brilliant transformation of "Lovesong," and her Wednesday reprise of "Nothing" were "Idol" performances for the annals. And, crucially, she was more than competent even on her least interesting moments.
As with all "Idol" winners, the big question is whether her triumph on the show will translate into stardom. It worked for Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood. Fantasia, Ruben Stoddard and Scotty McCreery have achieved lasting genre prominence, and Phillip Phillips is off to a promising start. Candice's challenge will be to find a contemporary style that will mesh comfortably with her retro-soul leanings, and that may not be a piece of cake. But for now, she's won one of the show's most well-deserved victories.
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Deanna Barnert | Los Angeles, Calif.
Entertainment journalist Deanna "TVDeeva" Barnert visits sets, interviews industry players and critiques the final product. Buzz's daytime TV queen covers it all for MSN TV, but loves her sitcoms, soaps and any juicy drama that doesn't call itself Reality TV.
