News Articles May 20

[Sash]

This is directly from the BMG Website:

Guy Sebastian takes American Idol by storm
(20 May 2004)

Guy Sebastian has yet again triumphantly taken to the world stage following an invitation by the producers of American Idol to appear on this week’s live show. This morning (Australian time) Guy performed his debut single ‘Angels Brought Me Here’ to a live audience across America as part of the American Idol: The Finals’ results show, where the final two contestants of the series were revealed.
Renown nasty judge Simon Cowell is believed to have headed the charge to get Guy on the show, having been impressed by his talent at World Idol late last year. Randy Jackson & Paula Abdul were equally thrilled with ‘the Fro’s’ unique style, leading a standing ovation at the end of his performance this morning!

Currently the highest rating program on American TV with over 28 million viewers tuning in per show, the American Idol series is also broadcast across the world to several other countries, including Australia. Guy’s performance will appear on Australian television THIS SUNDAY (23rd May) at 6:00pm on Network 10.

It seems Guy’s enjoyment at spending the past month fairly unrecognised in the US, may have just changed overnight! Cutting short his stay in Stockholm to make it back for the show, Guy has spent the past six weeks songwriting with various overseas luminaries throughout the UK, Europe and US.

While working with his very own idol, Bryan McKnight, has certainly been one of the highlights, Guy has also been collaborating with Beau Dozier (Boyz II Men, Joss Stone), Thicke ("When I Get You Alone", Christina, Pink), Billy Mann (Pink, Kelly Rowland, Anastacia), Phil Thornalley (Natalie "Torn") and Cutfather & Joe (Jamelia "Superstar"). Returning to Australia within the next few weeks, Guy will be heading back to the studio to commence further work on his second album, slated for release in October this year.

www.click2music.com.au/news

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Jasmine's 1-song trick finally gone

FOX

We bet Jasmine isn't smiling anymore!

Aloha, Jasmine! Overheated conspiracy theories were put to bed and good sense prevailed as America came through and voted weak link Jasmine Trias off the show Wednesday night, leaving Diana DeGarmo and Fantasia Barrino to fight to the finish next week. Republic writers Randy Cordova and Suzanne Condie Lambert discuss Wednesday's American Idol.

SUZANNE: Excellent choice, America. Jasmine someday will make one special modeling agent a very happy person, indeed. But Diana and Fantasia are by far the better singers. Still, I was struck by how cute the three finalists looked together. If they decide to bag their solo careers, they could be the ultimate multi-culti girl group.

RANDY: At least they let Jasmine say goodbye by singing Natalie Cole's Inseparable, perhaps the only song the girl truly does well. She is the musical equivalent of a one-trick pony; one with a great hairdo, sure, but still a one-song wonder. And not even a one-artist wonder, after the way she manhandled Cole's poor Mr. Melody this week. Where's Scat Girl when you need her?

S: Guest performer Tamyra Gray should give ousted Idol contestant La Toya London hope for a successful post-show career. Also singing, the Australian Idol, Guy Sebastian, who is apparently Oz's revenge for Michael Bolton. Note to Guy: The Sideshow Bob hair didn't work for Justin Guarini, either.

R: Bad hair must be a prerequisite for foreign Idol winners. Canadian victor Ryan Malcolm had a strange Ed Grimley thing going on during Tuesday's show. I'm surprised Malcolm didn't get to sing Wednesday, because the show was packed tighter than one of Simon's T-shirts. We really didn't need to see each contestant go home and be greeted with awe-struck fans. At least they didn't drag out a guest psychic again.

S: Once again, the hourlong results show dragged. My thoughts couldn't help but wander to some of life's deepest mysteries, like Scoops: Can chocolate REALLY taste THAT much better when shaped like a potato chip, and does one eat them with Ranch dip or salsa?

R: No kidding. Fifty-four minutes of filler and six minutes of results? Fox has no shame. It makes watching the finale an almost-scary proposition.

www.azcentral.com/ent/tv/articles/0520idolchat20.html

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Poised for faceoff

'American Idol' fans boot Jasmine

By CAROLYN CALLAHAN
DAILY NEWS WRITER


Diana DeGarmo


Fantasia Barrino


Jasmine Trias

And then there were two.
It'll be a mike-to-mike showdown between Fantasia Barrino and Diana DeGarmo in the final, deciding round of "American Idol."

The country said aloha to Jasmine Trias last night on the live selection show.

Trias, the 17-year-old from Hawaii who survived longer in the popular vote than the judges thought she should, kept her composure as she heard the news.

"It's been an honor to share the 'Aloha' experience with the rest of the country," she said.

Barrino - a 19-year-old unwed mother from North Carolina - sobbed over having to say goodbye to Trias, who sang "Inseparable" as her swan song.

For most of the hour, viewers were kept on pins and needles, sitting through two numbers by first season cast-off Tamyra Gray - and an interview and performance with reigning Australian "Idol" Guy Sebastian.

Video scrapbooks of recent visits to the finalists' hometowns also padded out the show.

While the competition has been dogged by controversy surrounding the voting system, pure talent seems to have won out in the end.

Trias - who was known for her sweet demeanor and winning smile - was widely believed to have been the weakest vocalist.

Barrino and 16-year-old DeGarmo were praised for the strength of their pipes, and their ability to wow the crowds.

On Tuesday's final singoff, each contestant performed three songs - one chosen by them, one chosen by a judge and one chosen by the guest judge, legendary record producer Clive Davis.

Davis chose "Don't Cry Out Loud" for dynamo DeGarmo, which put her pitch-perfect pipes in the spotlight.

After her rousing performance, judge Simon Cowell told the bubbly youngster she should write a letter to Davis and thank him for "booking me a place in the final."

Raspy-voiced Barrino, a favorite of the judges, once again delivered the goods, especially on Cowell's pick with the throwback tune "Fool in Love."

Davis told Barrino that if it were up to him, he'd sign her to a recording contract on the spot.

Cowell jokingly told her she bombed in an attempt to buy her some sympathy votes.

But Trias said she couldn't deliver "Saving All My Love for You." Cowell said the song was "rather like dinner with [fellow judge] Paula Abdul: sweet but forgettable."

The curtain comes down on the third season of "Idol" next Wednesday, when Barrino or DeGarmo will take her place alongside past winners Kelly Clarkson or Ruben Studdard - and will walk away with a lucrative recording contract.

For next week's finale, producers will extend the customary two-hour voting window to four hours to overcome some of the complaints by fans about continuous busy signals that make it impossible to participate.

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Fantasia Barrino and Diana Degarmo in American Idols Final

2004-05-19 22:41:02

Today the final two would be made known. Who would fight for the title "American Idol"? Of course we wouldn't find that out until the end of the one hour show.

At the beginning of the show Ryan Seacrest asked the audience who they thought who would go home. Almost the entire audience screamed: Jasmine.

Ryan asked each of the contestants if they thought they have done enough to stay in the competition. Jasmine Trias said: "I gave my best every week." Fantasia Barrino said: "I think so, Everyone worked hard every week, and I tried to be different each week". Diana Degarmo said that she gave her 100% each week.

Tamyra Gray performed a song called "You are a star". It sounded good, but it didn't move me. During the performance they showed videos from the auditions, and some video of the 12 top contestants at the Hollywood house they lived in during the competition.

The Australian winner of Australian Idol, Guy Sebastian was on the show to perform. Looking at his hair he looked kinda like Jack Osbourne (decide yourself if that is a good or a bad thing). His record is the best selling in Australian history, his record went platinum five times. His advice for the contestants was to take everything in. He then performed his song called 'Angels brought me here'. His performance was really good for an Australian, as you couldn't hear any Australian accent during his singing.

To fill the hour this week they played a video from each contestant featuring their trip home last weekend. They first showed Jasmine going back to Hawaii. There it was announced that May 13th would then be known as Jasmine Trias day. She went back to her high school called 'MaryKnoll High school' she said she got incredible amazing support. Then they did a recap of the songs and the comments.

After the break Ryan first had a talk with Tamyra, where it was announced that she co-wrote a single for this years winner called 'I Believe'. Both finalists will sing it next week, and the winner will have that song released as a single. This is to clearly make a quick buck out of the AI-rage, but they of course did not mention that part. Tamyra's new album will be released next Tuesday and she sang a song from that album called 'Raindrops will fall' which was a good performance.

After that it was time for the clip from Fantasia's trip home. She went to Highpoint, N.C. where she visited radio, tv, and her old elementary school. She stopped by a furniture store where her grandfather worked. She was given a lounge chair. She also received the key to the city from the mayor. She went to her church for a pot luck dinner. Ryan asked if she ate chitlins (whatever that is) and she replied that she didn't have that, but she did have pig's feet. She got a recap of her songs and the comments aswell. And choked up with emotion. ( good emotions! )

Diana looked very nervous for her clips. She went to a TV station, where she also did the weather forecast, which was quite funny to see. You saw her being at home, with her two dogs. She was picked up by a limo to go to the mayor. For that trip she even had a police escort with their lights on during which she remarked "I got blue lights!". She had a CD signing at a store ( which to us looked like a Walmart. ). Then she went to her high school "Shiloh" and then she got her recap of the songs and the comments.

It finally was time to torture us with the weekly clip. This time it was the song "Somebody's watching me". And all of the contestants were followed by paparazzi. First when they woke up, up to where she was driving a car and finally when they went to bed. It was amazingly amusing. Either I lost my feeling for humor by all the bad clips from the weeks before or they actually made a good clip this week.

The judges were asked for advice for the person that would leave this week. Paula said that the person should "follow their heart and soul". Simon congratulated all the contestants as he thought the show from last night was one of hte best shows ever.

It was finally time to announce who would leave the show this week: It was Jasmine Trias.

Jasmine was smiling when she heard she was leaving, however her family looked disappointed.

Jasmine had to flip a coin to decide who got to choose who would go first next week, Fantasia choose Heads, and Diana choose Tails. The coin landed on Heads and Fantasia choose that she would like to go second next week.

Jasmine was asked to perform her song as a goodbye. Normally it has always been the song that they sang the day before, however Ryan asked Jasmine to sing 'Inseperable'. It was a good performance, her voice sounded great with this song. Most people will also agree that the best performance from her in the whole competition from her was that song. That is probably why they asked Jasmine to sing that song.


www.curlio.com/new_showarticle.php?id=5849&page=last

[Sunflower]

Skip said:

His performance was really good for an Australian, as you couldn't hear any Australian accent during his singing.

And this is what made it a good performance? Because an Australian didn't sound Australian?? I'm offended!

[DoVeScRy]

Sunflower said:

And this is what made it a good performance? Because an Australian didn't sound Australian?? I'm offended!

When will the yanks get over the fact that 99.99 percent of Aussies do NOT sound like steve Irwin?
Espesh GUY!!
They should be thankful that he has a normal accent and didn't ruin their precious show with bad-accented singing!
*puts on steve irwin accent, sings ABMH*
Nup does not sound very pleasent @ all!
Crikey!

[MaybeNext]

Sunflower said:

And this is what made it a good performance? Because an Australian didn't sound Australian?? I'm offended!

My thoughts exactly. Can't predict or assume anything can we. I thought the Aussie accent was a bit cool over there at the moment but it seems not so, at least by this reporter.

[Sunflower]

MaybeNext said:

My thoughts exactly. Can't predict or assume anything can we. I thought the Aussie accent was a bit cool over there at the moment but it seems not so, at least by this reporter.

Aussies are cool! I thought that Americans got all excited when they heard an Aussie accent.

[Skip]

Sunflower said:

Aussies are cool! I thought that Americans got all excited when they heard an Aussie accent.

We are cool, indeed... ;D

The Yanks are prob over the whole Aussie thing coz of Steve Irwin... even though we dont all talk like him!!! aargh! There's two things that the Yanks seem to think we're like : Steve Irwin and Croc Dundee... "throw a shrimp on the barbie"...

[Blissbomb]

that is so cool, Guy was good cause they couldnt hear his australian accent while singing haaa haaa haa haa