Want to see Cincinnati? Watch this video to get an idea how it looks like. I've been in Cincinnati for so long I recognized most of the scenes in this video. Saw it in VH1 as the #1 video in the Top 20 countdown.

American Idol Season 7 was one of the best seasons of AI. It rivals Season 4 where Carrie won and Bo was runner up and the top 12 were all quite good. This year has been the same with unique syles and great performances. I even think the "worse" performers out-do the some of the best from last season.

These are the songs that I liked from all the finalists.

Woohoo! Amanda is finally out! I wasn't expecting it... but i'd take it nonetheless! She hasn't been in the bottom since but this week she was out! It only took one comment from Simon saying that she had to show versatility... and she basically said she won't do any other way of singing! I didn't like her from the start. If you see my previous AI blog, I wanted her out of there much earlier. All she does is shout the songs she did.

With her out the top 10 is set! And my core choices are still around! I fear for Ramielle though... although his top 12 performance i thought was really really good vocals... the judges comments really swayed people the other way and it would take some extra effort to lure them back to the fact that she has one of the best vocals in the competition. She has to do good this week or I fear she'd end up in the same boat as Camille Velasco :(

I got a copy of their live performances plus the studio version of the songs from the top 12 week. Some surprises... Syesha's studio song was amazing! I guess being first that week did her in :(  And now she'd have to fight extra hard everyweek to get to the top. Chikezies was just ok. Kristy's Eight days a week was even catchy! Carly wasn't good... very far from her live performance. Even with the studio version, David A's "We Can Work It Out" still wasn't good. Thus, even if he didn't messed up the lyrics, it wouldn't have been a good song for him.

With the exception of Kristy Lee, everyone else i'm having a hard time to say I want them out. Really speaks of the talent this year. But despite that, here is MY ranking which is different from my prediction (as of date).

My top 10 (my choices)

1. David Cook - this guy caught my attention during the semi-finals weeks and hasn't disappointed me yet.
2. Ramielle Malubay - granted, partly ranked high due to my pride to the Filipino talent... but I really love the quality of her singing voice. If only she improves on her on-stage performance!
3. Jason Castro - like Brook, his style of singing I enjoy. But unlike Brook, when he didn't have a great performance, he still did good
4. Michael Johns - quickly losing steam, I still like this guy. I still believes he'd be a great singer!
5. Syesha Mercado - really really great vocals. Hope she gets a chance to go further. Her top 11 performance was a start to the right direction.
6. Brook White - she had chosen good songs until the top 12. I like her style though when she sings the right songs that suits her voice. But her top 11 performance was simple horrible. Great singers don't get that bad.
7. Carly Smithson - originally one of my top bets... after hearing her studio performance, I don't think she had that much of an amazing voice anymore.
8. David Archuleta - honestly, to me he's good but his vocals is not as good as the judges and fans say it is
9. Chikezie Ezie - i initially wanted him first to go but he suprised everybody with his top 12 performance.
10. Kristy Lee Cooks - for me she's got good vocals... good enough to reach this far... but only this far
    

But of course, the reality is, I probably wont have it my way. It would depend on everybody else voting in AI, the performances (past and future) and the pre-conceptions or biases people already have. Thus I think (as of date) it stands this way:

My prediction:

1. David Archuleta - damn! this guy only has to do a little to win the judges over and he already has a horde of fans
2. David Cook - he's great! he's leading most of the polls right now so i definitely see him in the finale
3. Jason Castro - very very good performances thus far making me believe he can go all the way to the top 3
4. Michael Johns - when he's good, he's really good. i think he'd get he's bound to get his second wind
5. Carly Smithson - judging from the fact that she got to the bottom 3 this week, it seems she doesn't really have a good fanbase.
6. Brook White - her string of good performances upto the top 12 would be hard to forget
7. Rameille Malubay - the Filipino texting power can only take her this far... she has to win the judges quickly or she might be out earlier than this
8. Chikezie Ezie - his bluegrass style is a fad and should wear of soon enough unless another surprising performance comes along
9. Syesha Mercado - If she doesn't have another magic moment like last week, i'm afraid she's gone.
10. Kristy Lee Cooks - unless this week was country week and she does well, she's next to go

Well... after saying that the top 24 was the "best ever"... is the top 12 the best ever in the seven seasons of American Idol? I think there is definitely some truth to that. Definitely much better than last year which was the worst ever (in my opinion). Jordin wasn't the worst contestant to eventually win I think that award easily goes to... what's his face??? Oh yeah... Taylor Hicks! Well, eventually Daughtry (who was my favorite to win that season) proved to be the better one afterall hehe.

But i'm getting ouf of topic here... going back to this year, I do see 3-4 people who I am ok to see as champions. And collectively, they have all great talent! Unlike last year where there was 1 who i wanted to win but didn't, there were ho-hum and joke finalists (Sanjaya anyone?), but this year they are all good singers who can really sing and perform. Except for 2 people who wasn't on my list everyone else made it to the top 12.

The girls I had a hard time predicting who make it to the finals. My rankings have been shifting quite a bit every week. But my top choices were in tact including Carly and Ramielle. I was expecting (and wanting) Kady out for sure but Asia'h I thought was good enough for the top 12. In her place, I would have put Amanda... i don't care if she brings her unique rock style... after the first week, she started to bore me. I don't what the judges see in her though.

For the guys it was easier for me. I've predicted Jason Yeager and Robbie the previous week...  and my top favorites all made it to the finals. David Cook is my fave for the guys after all the semifinal performances. I was really sure that Luke must be the next to go and he was. I wasn't sure of my 2nd choice but settled for Chikezee. Although i'm not a fan of Danny, I liked him more than Chikezee since he is fun to watch.

Thus, my core Top 12 by grouping has been made. Of course, things may change after the performances during the finals. But for now i've group the contestants into my three groups:

My top choices
David Cook - Consistently impressed by this guy... under appreciated I think by most
Carly - Loved her from the auditions... she still has make that definitive WOW performance though
Ramielle - Wouldn't it be cool to have the first Asian-American idol to be Pinoy! But I am a fan!
Michael - Not the best vocals but one heck of a performer.

Middle group
David Archuleta - An early favorite and his rendition of Imagine was the best but too pa-cute
Jason - Unique. Too meek to be a champion
Syesha - Great vocals... she's got potential
Brook - Last 2  performances were great. Let's see if she continues to grow.
David Hernandez - Some very good perfomances just at the right time landed him to the top 12 but don't know if he'd be able to sustain it

Bottom pack
Kristy Lee - Just "ok" for me
Amanda - Like I said, i'm not a fan of her voice and her style is getting old quick
Chikezee - The guy who I wanted to go out first from the top 12 but even he has the pipes but he has an attitude... and not a good one.

All in all... it makes for an interesting season especially when we get to the top 6!

This is an original recording of songs covered by Mark and Rose with their singer friends, Jea Ocampo, Victor Timbancaya and Sharon Agoncillo. The songs were burned to a CD and given to the attendees of the reception as souvenir of the event.

All the songs were well rendered. Special mention is track 6 which was all performed by Rose... Piano, Vocals AND all backup vocals! Listen carefully at the latter half of the song where there are different backup voices... that was all her! Also Track 7 where they both surprised me how well they sang this Hugh and Drew classic.

You would think they've recorded this in a real studio but they recorded this in their home with the help of hi-tech equipment from Jericho Jensen.

Enjoy!

Rose, Pollie, Rona, Vic - Remember this?

It's December again! One of the things I love about this season is the carolling. This was the MTV we made before for an office carolling competition - White Christmas 2 years ago.

Unfortunately, there's a lot of background noise on this recording recorded during the live performance. We started out quite rough...but I think we finished "ok". We had one mic each which helped since there was no boom mic.

Merry Christmas!!!

Microsoft seems to have finally developed a decent enough video editor as part of Windows Vista. Took a stab at it today by creating this video.

About the video: Loved the song... but ever since the first time I heard it on the radio, I knew I heard that style somewhere before.

Fresh! Hot off the internet. Blake's new single - "Break Anotha"

Featuring my brother's own mix album... enjoy

Last night, just went to the Third Eye Blind concert in Covington KY (near Cincinnati). It was a good show! Eventhough i'm not a die hard fan, their old songs were very much familiar that i'm able to sing (more of shout) along at some point. Well worth the $27.

We did notice there that almost all were white... no blacks eventhough the Cincinnati area has a large black population... and we are the only Asians there.

Still, it makes me want to watch other concerts!

3EB Concert Pix and Vids