Well this week Simon said next to nothing positive about all the girl's performances. Randy, too, for the most part seemed pretty unenthusiastic by most the girls, mainly giving out comments like "pretty good" - talk about damned with faint praise.

Now although I'd agree that Ramiele wasn't great, and probably was the right choice to go this week, I thought some of the other girls were great. I thought both Brooke and Syesha gave excellent performances. Carly also probably gave her best performance to date (although I'd never really been a fan), and even Kristy did a very good job this week. Yet Simon was either harsh or unenthusiastic. In fact he's been like that for some of the girls, such as Syesha, since the live shows started, even when Randy was giving good reviews.

Ever get the feeling Simon thinks he can sell more records with one of the guys, particularly David A? Judging from what acts Simon tends to like on his UK shows, I'd strongly suspect Simon wants David A as winner, and seems to want the girls out to clear the way for the guys. Anyone agree?

Well it's obvious that after 4 female winners out of 6 they want a male winner this time so the girls' momentum isn't allowed to be built up. I think that Carly will probably be the last female in the competition but she'll either be 2nd or 3rd.

Do you really think Simon cares who wins? As long as the people who are being promoted because they will be signed anyway make the top 4 or so, the result is the same weather they 'win' or not. Carly got less praise because she didnt need it this week, as there were others who were weak enough performers that they would be leaving before her regardless. Next week she will be praised more.She is actually wanted for the top 4.When she doesn't oversing, she is good enough to deserve to be there, so that's cool with me.

Brooke was not excellent - she gave a poor performance and exposed her limitations - she has a fabulous voice but only in a limited range and she isn't really any good at showstopping. Last week she had to start again because she duffed up the opening and every week since the second weeks she has been making excuses when the judges talk to her. She was justifiably in the bottom 3.

Syesha did sing well but we all know Simon and Randy will never say anything other than you cannot match Whitney so what she should have done was take another Dolly song and Whitney-ise it, then they would have raved.

I agree Kristy sang well and she looks great. I do like Carly a lot and I thought Simon was down on her, don't know why. He seems to have decided David A or David C is the winner already. Yes, neither have ever been in the bottom 3 but that is also true of Michael J and in previous series a bottom 3 (such as Fantasia) has come back to win.

I think all three girls in the bottom three were far better than Jason who at best is an average singer. I like the lad but seriously He's not great.

It's a shame when talented artists go out because of someone elses looks ( that's all I can think can possibly be keeping him in ) Bit like that Sanjaya ( not sure of sp there but you know who I mean)

Anyway Nice to end up with 4 boys and 4 girls

Did anyone think Dolly Parton was a bit desperate with her performance or Is It Just me.

X

There is zero indication Simon is sexist he has favoured far more female contestants over all series than males. If the now favours a male artist it is because they are performing stronger this series. I think he wouldn't be too upset if Brooke won either she just has to raise her game at this point. Just to mention I feel Kristy was brilliant this week and if she kept aiming hgihg she could be a suprise winner too.

I learnt a long time ago that this show is not about the best singers most of time. Its about who will make Simon and the AI machine money. Who is the chosen one? This is all part of the manipulation game. By this I mean Simon and co can seduce the public into thinking and voting for the people he wants to win.

As for the women some of you are right he/they want a man to win this time. Take Syesha for instance, she will never be praised as I see it she is not part of the 'in thing'. But to African Americans and the R n B crowd she is-they like what she does. I personally think she is not the same person I have watched on-line and seen on other shows. Her creativity and personality is stiffled the best of times. This is one main reason I want her off the show. Its not doing her any good being there. But again she is the only African American R n B singer left. She may have inherited Chikezie and Ramiele's votes to stay in for at least two weeks. Who knows.

As for Kristy, this girl knows how to seduce America regardless of what Simon and co says. How long will she stay? Its up to the 'heartstrings of America'. Or maybe the AI machine might just tweak it for her to go. Maybe this time she may have a successful country record.

In the case of Brooke she can keep 'cry me a river' as much as she likes, America refer to this as being vulnerable-the likeability factor. She is the 'in thing' right now. Although she needs a bit of a make over. She will definely sell a lot of records. She could make op 4/5.

Then there is Carly-this is a difficult one. Her history of selling records does not read too well. 400 cd's sold! Would Simon and the AI machine want to take on someone who has lost a record company $1million? This the question. But I tell you what I notcied this week. She has a great chance of shifting a lot country records. That voice of hers is as clear as crystal and one of the most versatile in the competition. Listening to her I felt that I could buy that album. This time she could hit the jackpot with that genre. She could be top 3/4.

Am not going to make an argument for the boys-because any of them is likely to win apart from my Jason.

Regards

Babeth

Simon is just eager to please this year, just watch the results shows, where he declares the Bottom 3 the right choice regardless of who's there and whos not.

Maybe Simon dont want the girls there as he is trying to get a spot for Leona Lewis in the last few shows to help sell more albums and what better way to make her look great than by have her the only female singer on the show.

I don't know that that is the case , Hitnmix. There are singers who have the same sound and range as Leona in the states, however, why would the producers want to waste their time and money promoting one of them right now, when they already have Leona doing so well?
Many of the singers who are as good as Leona aren't interested in being on Idol or XFactor anyway. They really lucked out having someone with Leona's talent deciding a reality show was the right path for herself.
Carly and Brooke are good in a different way, and I don't see many comparing Leona to them. Vocally, Carly has a stronger tone and more powerful voice, but completely different than Leona's,and nowhere near her range or clarity. Brooke is talented in an overall way, but not vocally in the same league.Syesha has a gorgeous voice, but couldn't match Leona for purity of tone, range, or control/agility. She strikes me as more of a singer/actress/all around talent than just a vocalist, anyway.
Vocally, Leona is as good as the best who have ever been on AI, and she has already got an impressive, if not yet long, track record. She doesn't need to be the only female singer to perform in order to stand out.

I think Leona is better than all of the females this year anyway. Carly is the only one that comes close. Amanda,Brooke,Ramiele and Kristy really don't challenge her vocally at all. I thought Syesha might do but the difference in her and Leona's version of I Will Always Love You was huge. Leona sounded powerful and smooth whereas Syesha was very pitchy , during the big notes at least. Carly probably has a stronger and louder voice than Leona but her range is extremely limited as is her control when she goes for the glory notes.

What does it have to do with Simon once its over anyway - they don't sign with Syco, they sign with Sony BMG its no skin off Simon's nose who wins or loses. AI is not Simon Cowell's show its Simon Fuller.

The artists will be signed to Sony, but Simon has strong ties with them.
I am under the impression that he wants Carly to do well.

Simon has stated in interviews that once the show is over he doesn't have anything more to do with them.

Because sony BMG is Leona lable and they are linked to AI therefor they have a good Advertising spot on AI and yes Leona is doing well but she still has a ablum to get to the top and what better way to do it that on AI.

As for why they wouldnt want a girl they would see it as competition in likablity for each girl eg Carly and Leona. But if they was to have one girl on the show it would cancel out all competition where no one would compare them and just like or dislike that girl alone.

But it dose not matter anyway coz by the looks of it they are not letting Leona on the show.

Simon doesnt want a female winner who will compete with his new no1 artist

the winner of AI will get a deal but no way will they get the promotion or backing Leona has

Hmm, not sure if anyone's trying to get them out, but three of the boys are consistantly outselling everyone else on itunes, so I suspect TPTB might be more interested in those who seem to have a commercial appeal already.

if Simon is trying to get the girls out its not because he wants a male to win for the sake of them being male, its because the male contestants are simply better.

Hitnmix, I think you misunderstood my question...maybe i wasn't clear in how i worded it...I meant why would they want to waste time and money promoting another similar singer when they already have Leona and she is doing so well? Essentially, if they signed another similar artist and were obligated to promote her as the 'winner', forget the artists competing, what would matter to them would be the foolishness of setting themselves up to compete with themselves.I agree the promotion would be helpful, though.
As for the record label, believe me, I know more than I need or want to as far as how they operate.:yawn:
Anyway, I would have enjoyed seeing Leona perform on the show, but , though potentially helpful,it's not like she needs to to succeed at this point...
Back on topic, at this point it would be counterproductive to 'get rid of' all the female contestants.A dynamic would be gone that does add to ratings. Add that to what I already posted as reasons who I don't think it's the case.

The whole purpose of being an "American Idol" is that the winner goes on to become a huge star. That is the criteria that Cowell uses to judge them and it is broader than just vocal ability.

It's also why he favours the guys more this year. He was quite keen on Brooke early on, but she's faded and it's clear that David A and David C have the best chance of being real American Idols (beyond the show).


Cowell does have an interest in who wins. His company (now wholly owned by Sony BMG) has rights to all American Idols. So better sales of Idol winners mean he can gain a better contract with Sony BMG and/or sell the rights for more.

Watching them on You Tube the girls are weaker this week. I think we are looking at a double David header final, with Michael third and possibly even Jason fourth. All the girls and jason have been bottom three now.

I think Carly may go this week actually and I would have said she would have got further, followed by Kirsty or Syesha next and Brooke fifth as the last girl standing.

Oh but they are

I actually think watching American idol puts Leona's win into perspective , let's face it her strongest competition was Ray Quinn whereas this year i've seen a whole clutch of performances that I personally found as good as if not better than Leona's . Watching Annie Lennox is like watching a masterclass in expressive singing . That's real artistry right there !

Ray was only competition for her voting wise in my opinion. Other acts such as Ben , Robert, Dionne and Eton Road were quite talented too but they somehow never managed to get the public on their side.

I haven't seen many great performances from the females at least this year although I've never been surprised pleasantly at a performance on AI ever as I was with Leona's Summertime which was the only one to actually make me sit up and notice a contestant.

And you can't compare Annie Lennox and Leona at the moment. Annie Lennox has had a very long and established career whereas Leona has just started out.

Vocally, I think Dionne was as good as Leona, but she didn't have the total popstar package . I don't think anyone on Idol is better than Leona, but Chikezie was equal vocally(though like Dionne, he lacks the marketability). Syesha could give Leona a run for her money,but likely wont get the chance.They already have Leona, and don't need to compete with themselves marketing another beautiful r&b vocalist with a reasonably large range with whistle ability as Leona is doing very well.
Annie Lennox is wonderful, and is one of those rare vocalists who are so distinctive and so talented that I just don't compare anyone to them.
I have to say I never understood why Ben was rated on XFactor. He was a shouting, pitchy, sloppy singer with no real range who bored me every week.