Category: Live Performances

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.

Last night the Australian Idol’s tackled the best of Britain. This new theme gave the Idols so many great songs to choose from, and they didn’t disappoint. That was especially true of Tarisai and Matt, who both earned touchdowns for their efforts.

Carl Riseley was first up, taking inspiration from Michael Bublé’s version of The Beatles’ hit “Can’t Buy Me Love.” Perhaps my being a Michael Bublé fan makes me feel a bit negatively towards Carl when he takes on this kind of challenge. He always just seems like the poor man’s version. His vocals are getting a lot better, but he still doesn’t seem to have the energy or charisma to pull this kind of thing off for me. 

Tarasai Vushe was next on the stage with the Queen epic “Somebody to Love.” When it first started I was a bit skeptical and craving a greater connection, but it seemed to amp up after the first chorus. From there it was amazing, but I’m not sure whether half an amazing song deserves a touchdown. Perhaps you had to be there, as everyone was standing on their feet for this effort.

I was also a bit nervous when I heard Ben McKenzie was tackling Oasis’ “Wonderwall.” Honestly, I’ve never liked this song. It’s so whiny, and it was released in my last year of high school so it always makes me think of that. Anyway, I really loved what Ben brought to it. I understand Dicko’s comment that it felt very Disney, but I think that’s why I enjoyed it so much. It was light, beautiful, and uplifting, and there’s nothing wrong with that. 

Marty Simpson’s performance will probably be remembered for the judges’ comments, rather than what he actually did. It’s a shame, because his cover of The Kooks’ “Naïve” was very cool. I think playing with a guitar last week marked a turning point for Marty, he’s seemed a lot more comfortable ever since. But Dicko has begged Australia not to vote for Marty. He says the competition’s not right for Marty, who agreed that he’d be happy enough to leave. Personally I’m torn. I think he is growing and learning, and he wasn’t the weakest performer last night. But then again, I’m a Coastie. I certainly wouldn’t mind him honing his craft and playing some local shows.   

Jacob Butler also decided to give The Beatles a whirl. His cover of “Let It Be” did show some vocal weaknesses, but it was also incredibly beautiful. I think every week he’s allowing us to see more of himself, and I’m really enjoying that journey. I also think he showed great bravery picking such a challenging song. It would have been so easy for him to cop out with more Oasis!

I loved what Daniel Mifsud did with The Police smash, “Message in a Bottle.” Daniel is another performer who’s really growing on Idol, becoming less imitative and pushing more boundaries. This was a really exciting arrangement which saved the song from flat lining.

After so many cool performances, I felt a bit sorry for Natalie Gauci. She sang well, as she always does, but Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab” was not the song for her. I would have preferred her to have delved into the archives a bit and pulled out some Dusty Springfield, Lulu, or even some Annie Lennox. This performance just wasn’t believable at all. 

Matt Corby closed the show with yet another touchdown-winning performance. The competition’s golden boy chose The Verve’s “Bittersweet Symphony,” and built it beautifully. This kid really understands music, and it shows. It’s so hard to criticise him – I can only fault him on his choice of jacket!

It was another great show and another verdict that will go down to the wire. Based on last night’s performance, I’d pick Carl to go. But the controversy surrounding Marty’s performance may see him make an early exit. Then again, if last week has told us anything it’s that no one is safe! Make sure you tune in tonight to see which way it goes! 

I’d been really looking forward to Australian Idol’s acoustic night, and it definitely didn’t disappoint. There was only one touchdown but several other performances that probably deserved them. One even moved me to tears! Of course, all this isn’t surprising considering the Idols had some help from Australian music legend, Ian Moss. If you’re going to perform acoustically, you can’t ask for a better mentor than Mossy.

Mark Da Costa was first up with his country-blues inspired interpretation of Coldplay’s “Yellow.” I must admit, this one lost me early. The moment he sang “thang” instead of “thing” I cringed, and I didn’t really recover. We certainly don’t say “thang” in Australia, even Chris Martin doesn’t say “thang.” It just came across very affected. I admire what he tried to do in terms of making the song his own, but I don’t feel he even came close.

Natalie Gauci helped to remove the bad taste in my mouth with her rendition of “Man in the Mirror.” It’s easy to forget exactly how good Michael Jackson’s music was, isn’t it? It was a great song choice and a beautiful interpretation. Natalie seemed so at home behind the piano, and that translated into a really breathtaking performance.

Carl Riseley was back in swing mode with his cover of the Cole Porter classic “It’s Alright With Me.” I really enjoyed hearing Carl play the trumpet, but I can’t say the singing grabbed me nearly as much. It was quite weak in a lot of places, and that distracted me from how much fun he seemed to be having.

Jacob Butler received a lukewarm response to his rendition of Keane’s “Somewhere Only We Know,” but I really enjoyed it. It was so refreshing to see him just stand there and deliver a song without the theatrics. This was definitely Jacob at his most honest and believable.

It was Matt Corby that made me cry with his amazing version of “The Blower’s Daughter.” The song choice already had me on side – it’s one of my favourites – and I was so impressed by Matt’s interpretation. He really does have a maturity beyond his years, and an uncanny ability to live in the lyrics of the songs he chooses. How last week’s performance was touchdown-worthy and this wasn’t I’ll never know.

Matt may have missed out on a touchdown this time around, but Daniel Mifsud didn’t. His surprising take on Kiss’ “I Was Made for Loving You” struck the right chord with Mark, earning him the ultimate compliment. I was so impressed by this arrangement – it really allowed the song’s romantic lyrics to shine. I also feel Daniel tends to imitate the original recordings, so it was lovely to hear him being himself.

Ben McKenzie managed to match the intensity of his cover of “Mad World” this week, with his take on Imogen Heap’s “Hide and Seek.” I was spellbound by this one, and probably would have cried again if my cat hadn’t started to play up! Like Matt, Ben also has such a gift for interpreting lyrics. He also manages to be mature, but still innocently childlike. A massive wow factor here.

While Ben wowed me, Tarisai Vushe underwhelmed me. I’ll be honest and say I’ve always found Des’Ree’s “Kissing You” a little on the boring side. Tarisai didn’t really bring anything to her performance to change my mind on that score. Yes she sang it very well, but I didn’t really care about it.

Marty Simpson has been hanging out to play with his guitar, and he didn’t disappoint with his cover of Snow Patrol’s “Open Your Eyes.” He seemed so much more relaxed on stage, and this made the whole performance very enjoyable. He really does need to watch his timing, but I could forgive that simply because he was doing the kind of performance he wanted to do.

Tonight’s verdict is going to be a really close call after so many outstanding performances. I’d like to think Mark will go, but that’s probably wishful thinking as his fan base seems to be very strong. The same goes for Carl, although I do find him a lot more likeable. I’m going to stick with those predictions though because I’m not ready to say goodbye to the others just yet!

After the wildcard round last night, Australian Idol is one step closer to the finals. Tonight we’ll discover the four singers who’ll round out the top 12, and the games will really start. All the singers last night knew they needed to really impress to earn their place amongst the chosen ones. Some people brought their “A Game,” yet others failed to live up to expectations.

Jack Byrnes kicked off the show with his take on The Doobie Brothers’ classic “Long Train Runnin’.” I love Jack’s energy, and he has a really distinctive voice. Yet I find his performance a bit affected. It seems like he’s more interested in the big notes and how the song goes together rather than what’s behind it. He just feels false to me.

No one could say the same thing for our next performer Husny Thalib. It was a very different Husny this week. The flashy campiness of his Lenny Kravitz cover was a world away from his take on “I Believe.” It certainly wasn’t perfect. This bare bones track exposed every one of Husny’s vocal weaknesses. But, for some reason, it didn’t matter. He was just so believable, so passionate, and I found that so much more compelling. You can teach someone how to sing with the right training, but you can’t teach someone how to really interpret the way Husny does. I loved it.

Carl Riseley really surprised me with his swing interpretation of The Everly Brothers’ smash, “Bye Bye Love.” I didn’t particularly like the arrangement, but his vocals were much stronger than I’ve heard before. This kid’s really improving. He’s got to learn some stage presence and how to move, but just look how far he’s come. Last night I finally saw him though Marcia’s eyes.

Sarah Lloyde did her best to show her diversity with the sassy Christina Aguilera hit, “Candyman.” She’s vocally very strong, but the arrangement really let her down. I know it must be hard to compress a song into one and a half minutes, but there was too much dead time here. Even when she was singing, most of it was just ad-libbing and wailing. She’s a real talent, but this just didn’t show us that. I absolutely loved her outfit though.

Another talent who suffered from another underwhelming performance was Dave Andrews. He tackled “The Dolphin’s Cry,” a risky move that didn’t pay off. He certainly had the right intensity in the first verse, but somewhere in there it became karaoke to me.

Early favourite Daniel Mifsud delivered the sort of performance I’d hoped he would. I must admit, I was nervous when I heard he’d chosen “Lay Your Love On Me.” It was more of the same middle of the road soft rock that saw him miss out last time. Yet the arrangement was genius, and that saved this from being more forgettable blandness. Yes, yes, yes.

Natalie Gauci was another early favourite who used the wildcard to show why she deserved to be in the top 12 all along. Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good” was the perfect song choice for her – strong, different, and feminine. I loved the way she used the stage, and she sang flawlessly. Natalie’s never really put a foot wrong in the competition, and I’m almost positive she’ll be in the top 12 after this.

Mark Da Costa closed the show with more straight-up rock, this time a cover of “Evie Part 1.” Mark’s another performer with great energy, but I still can’t see what the judges are raving about. His voice has a wonderful rock and roll rasp, but it seems like he falls off just about every note. He’s good, but I don’t think he’s that good.

So who’ll go through? My money’s on Daniel Mifsud, Mark Da Costa, and Natalie Gauci. The judges rave about these three so much that I’m sure they’ll choose whoever the viewers don’t. The fourth spot is really anyone’s guess. I’d love to think it’ll be Husny, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the safer performers like Sarah or Jack get a run.

After a couple of days predicting, I actually got it right last night! I was thrilled that the two Central Coast boys, Ben McKenzie and Marty Simpson, were voted through the top 12. Well done boys! Australia definitely got it right this time.

With the announcement out of the way, it was time to hear the final group of girls. Sarah Lloyd started us off with a gutsy rendition of Jennifer Hudson’s Dreamgirls hit, “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going.” I thought she performed really well, but I just don’t find her very interesting. There was nothing to fault here, but I wouldn’t go out and buy her albums.

Morgan Hosking is more my kind of performer. Funnily enough though, while she has the interest factor, the vocals let her down. She insisted a bad case of nerves marred her performance of Alanis Morissette’s “You Learn,” and maybe that’s all it is. The sad thing is, we hadn’t seen a lot of Morgan before last night so Australia’s going to take her on face value. I think she could have brought something very cool to the competition, but she won’t go through with this effort.

After some half-good acts, Holly Weinert was a breath of fresh air. During the audition rounds this chick from Mildura got lost amongst all the other guitar girls. Yet last night she held her own and established herself as a unique force in the competition. I loved everything about her stripped-back version of “Easy.”

While Holly provided a point of difference, our next singer Madison Pritchett showed she’s incredibly bland. Her voice is really nothing spectacular, and her stage presence didn’t impress me either. Her take on Avril Lavigne’s “When You’re Gone” was far too sugary sweet. I can see this girl modelling for Dolly magazine, not on the world music stage.

From the bland to the extraordinary, enter one of my favourite contestants, Brianna Carpenter. Some of my first loves let me down this week, so I was thrilled at this performance. Regina Spektor’s “Fidelity” was the perfect song for her: unique, kooky, and playful. I just hope that Australia understands how great this was and votes her through, as the competition really needs someone like her.

Seasoned Idol performer Rosie Ribbons closed with a very different take on REM’s indie anthem “Everybody Hurts.” There’s no denying that Rosie’s a great singer. But it feels like she’s putting together a collection of impressive notes, rather than really singing and connecting with a song. Maybe that’s enough to do well over in Britain, but this kind of superficial performance won’t impress Australia. I found it downright painful.

I really hope Holly and Brianna join the top 12 after last night. Their performances were the only ones that really had star quality for me. Having said that, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Sarah took one of their places. Disappointed, but not surprised.

So tonight we’ve got the girls’ verdict, and the wildcard announcements. Given the talent that’s been rejected, Sunday’s going to be one hell of a night!