Originally Posted by BuddyBontheNet:
“ALW chooses or at least has a say in song choice because throughout this series, he has often said "When I chose this song for you..." to a Dorothy.
My theory: I think that after Dorothy boot camp ALW has a good idea of each Dorothy's ability. Then throughout the series he tests those ideas with his song choices, adapting his choices as he sees more of each Dorothy. This is where he can be most effective in manipulating the outcome of the show. He can give a Dorothy a song he knows she will struggle with, as a way of exposing her weaknesses. If that happens she is not likely to last much longer and if she steps up to the task, then she will go up in his estimation. He can give a Dorothy a song he knows will suit her as a way of highlighting her talent. If that happens she is likely to last much longer and if she doesn't step up to the task, then she will go down in his estimation. He can also give a Dorothy a song because he genuinely wants to see how she does with it. He is in a win win situation, because if a Dorothy passed his test, that's great as she will probably have pleased the public too, but it doesn't really matter because he can always save her after the sing off.
As the Dorothys are whittled down by the public and his song choices, he ends up with a great final.
His two best choices are there - Danielle the raw recruit and Lauren who could step right into the role. The bonus is Sophie as she has stepped into the spotlight at the right moment. He will be happy with any of the three finalists and he has always been in a win win position because the public would never choose a 'bad' Dorothy.
This isn't really a conspiracy/manipulation theory, because it is what this show is about - auditioning for an ALW show.”
Its a bit more than that. The songs are picked by
someone. its not random. Its not the girls as one has already said she didn't even know/hadn't seen two of her songs in a row. As you say, ALW has said its him picking and if he's not picking he's certainly deciding. He's also commented how girls have done better than he thought they would and that songs didn't suit them and that some girls actually got songs outside their range.Its clearly not a case where the results are unexpected or unpredictable. There is an element of testing possible there and the girls who get the show winning songs have to do them well, but if a girl ends up with a song she can't sing or the voters dislke, its an act of ALW not an act of God.
The problem is that some songs are not tests - they are proven killers, others are plain dull, others are impossible for that singer to do well. There may be one unemployed actress who sings Bojangles at auditions, but I doubt it. You would expect people auditioning to be singing what showed them off or to be told to sing songs that tested what was required for the role. Thats not what happens here - because he can't just say go away to anyone he doesn't want. What happens here is that some people get songs that they will fail at, some people get songs that are dull and vote unfriendly, some people get songs that test them but his view remains unchanged if they pass, others get songs with potential and succeed or fail and some get easy songs. Sometimes things do go wrong but more often than not the song predicts its outcome. Many songs are nothing like the role requires and many imply the person singing them is nothing like the role. The test meets the objective of sending some home , rather than showing each one at their best as a potential Dorothy. Its like an A level where some students get GCSE papers and some get degree ones in another subject and where the aim is to reduce the pass rate not increase it.
The underlying problem is that he already knows who he wants and who he doesn't want before most of the live shows have happened.Thats clearly the case here. Its far from clear if his judgement is that good or imaginative given who he has missed previously and the silly arguments he often has to resort to to send people home.The result is that this audition process is ultimately unconvincing. People go because of things the public are not aware of (note the thing about regional accents this week) because he's making judgements about who is safe rather than good, he's guessing who will be like what in 8 months time and because he is interested in getting who he's decided is what he wants and who he can sell to the voters. If you did have an open audition where everyone was allowed to show off what their Dorothy would be like, things might be very different.
His two best choices are there - but the operative word is
his Danielle meets both requirements of being who he wants and being someone who meets the lookalike criteria the public have voted for in the past - the problem is that he has had difficulty selling her even after anyone similar and the major alternatives have been removed. Lauren is the best singer and you suspect appeals to the musician in him and would do if Danielle can't make it. Sophie is a mystery he may still be exploring.Its very like the first series - Lauren has a proven vote problem like Helena , Danielle with a good song may not, Sophie like Siobhan is the inexperienced candidate needing time. The major alternatives to Danielle and the other people who might have pulled out a series winner in the final - Stephanie, Jenny, Jessica and Steph have all been taken out by poor songs, comments and VTs when they seemed to have support or momentum.
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