We’re getting to the pointy end of Australian Idol. Our final seven appear calm, but the same can’t be said for the judges. I think the contestants all gave solid performances of songs released in the year of their birth, but it just didn’t seem to be enough to impress these tough critics.
Ben McKenzie was first in the firing line with his rendition of “Higher Ground.” Ben combined the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ attitude with Stevie Wonder’s soul, and it worked. However, it didn’t thrill Mark or Dicko, prompting Marcia to let fly with an explosive outburst. It’s a shame that this exchange ended up overshadowing a really good effort.
Marty Simpson brought a reggae vibe to Crowded House’s “Now We’re Getting Somewhere.” It was an interesting interpretation, and I’m still not sure whether I liked it. The verses definitely worked better than the chorus. But on the positives side, Marty looked very comfortable and managed to stay in time. I think this was probably his best performance.
All the judges panned Natalie Gauci’s rendition of “Endless Love.” I’m not sure whether my husband I were watching the same performance, because we thought it was brilliant. Maybe my Lionel Richie love makes me biased, but I’m not sure how this could have been any better.
Carl Riseley delivered his best performance of the season with George Benson’s “Turn Your Love Around.” It’s such a great song, and it suited him down to the ground. The vocals were still a little weak, and I agree that he does tend to just imitate the original artist. But ultimately, this was a lot of fun.
Matt Corby chose “Another Day in Paradise.” This is one of my least favourite songs, but he made it incredibly believable and touching. However, like Dicko I am starting to feel like he’s plateauing. He showed such diversity with “The Immigrant Song” and “Got to Get You Into My Life,” but his last few choices have been a bit samey.
Tarisai Vushe picked another of my favourite tracks, “I Knew You Were Waiting For Me.” I guess that’s what happens when we have so many 80s babies! I hated the slow start, but once it kicked into gear it was brilliant. Tarisai’s been boring me lately, so I was thrilled to see this joyous performance.
I agree with Kyle (for once) – on paper it sounded like Daniel Mifsud’s take on “Billie Jean” would be awesome. Instead it was a bit of a train wreck. He struggled to find the beat, and the song suffered for the lack of falsetto.
Daniel was probably the worst of the night, and given that he’s been in the bottom three for the last few weeks he’s my pick to go.