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Guys step it up in pursuit of ’American’ dream
By Ayla Brown/ Idol Thoughts
Monday, March 5, 2007

The boys did a great job on "American Idol" last week, unlike their performances during the previous round.

Chris Richardson, the Justin Timberlake look-alike, was impressive singing "Geek in the Pink" by Jason Mraz. He looked the part and sounded contemporary. He is someone to watch in this competition.

Before the contestants perform, they all wait in what is called the "Red Room," which is a sponsored waiting area. The room, if you look at it closely, resembles the top of a soda bottle. Red couches surround the room, and in the middle of the glass table there is a black tire. This room is located above the actual stage, and contestants can look over to watch their competitors sing.

When the cameras are not on, all the contestants sit nervously on the couches, waiting for the commercial breaks to finish. Deborah Byrd, "Idol"’s talented vocal coach, hands out throat coaters, which are similar to cough drops, to contestants who are worried about losing their voices during the four-minute break. During commercials, a comedian warms up the crowd by dancing with the band, and most of the contestants have fun as well. It sure relieves the pressure.

I think the elimination process is the hardest thing to endure. In a matter of seconds, Ryan Seacrest says, "And tonight this is the end of the road for you," and your dream of becoming the next pop star is stripped from you. Nick Pedro, the talented singer from Taunton, was eliminated after what I thought was a great performance of "Fever."

My advice to Nick is to keep on singing because many opportunities will come his way. And Nick, if you read this, I remember you well from Hollywood, and I don’t think you should have been eliminated this early. Congratulations on making it this far!

One thing I admire about Nick is that he did not talk back to the judges when they criticized him. I’ve noticed that many contestants feel comfortable speaking out to the judges, and I find that disrespectful. When Chris Sligh made fun of Simon about his production of "Teletubbies" and his group, Il Divo, my eyebrows raised immediately. I thought to myself, "No one has ever put Simon down like that." I don’t think Chris’ comments were appropriate for the show, and I’m glad he apologized the next night.

Nick Pedro
How did you feel when Simon Cowell said you lacked charisma?
I had to bite my tongue because last week he said I was charming. But I figured I'm going to take my bow, sing my song. I wanted to maintain my honor. I can see why people want to say some harsh things back. But I wanted to maintain class. I want to be someone that kids can emulate.

"I wanted to be like an American idol," he said. "I want to be someone kids can emulate and be a good role model, because that's lacking in the entertainment business."

Talent doesn’t always win out with ’American’ voters
By Ayla Brown/ Idol Thoughts
Monday, March 12, 2007

Sometimes America just gets it wrong.

Sabrina Sloan was eliminated last week after an almost flawless performance of "Don’t Let Go (Love)." I believe her talent is irreplaceable, and it is shocking she didn’t make it into the Top 12.

Sabrina had charisma, vocal range and the star quality to advance in the competition, but America did not vote her through. My advice to viewers who are voting: support someone who has pure talent. Personality is also important, but "American Idol" is a singing competition. There are Web sites that encourage people to vote for the worst singer, and sometimes those are the contestants who make it through. Sabrina was one of the most talented singers, and if it weren’t for those demeaning sites and the lack of votes for real talent, she would still be on the show.

Some individuals have claimed that this year’s crop of singers lacks the sparkle of previous seasons. I disagree. This season has some of the most-talented contestants in all the six years "American Idol" has been on-air. As I look through the top six girls, I believe five have a shot at winning the whole competition. On the male side, such singers as Chris Sligh, Chris Richardson and Blake Lewis also have a shot of pulling out a victory.

Within every group of singers, there are people who exceed expectations and those who have trouble keeping up with the pack. LaKisha Jones has stuck out in my mind every week since the beginning of the competition. She’s been vocally consistent, and she brings a different energy than anyone else in the competition. I predict she will go extremely far. Sanjaya Malakar, on the other hand, does not produce quality performances. I don’t see him standing in the competition much longer.

"American Idol" last week announced that the show would raise money for charities in Africa and America during the final six performances. This is a generous gesture that should not go unnoticed. The show generates an incredible amount of money, and I admire the idea of donating some to a worthy cause. I also loved the video clip they showed on Thursday night’s show because it showed Simon’s soft side.

I knew Simon had it in him!

I'm going to guess Haley, but who knows.