Pilipinas Got Talent Season 4: Sixth Quarter Finals

The fans of Pilipinas Got Talent as well with the judges are excited to complete the top 12 semi-final slots. To add the thrill and excitement, the show will held its very first outdoor live shows were acts are needed to perform in a bigger venue because of the props and the number of members in a group. The six remaining acts to compete in an outdoor live show are Bughaw Folkloric Dance Troupe (cultural dance troupe composed of twenty-seven members), VMA Cultural Arts (dance crew composed of fourteen members), Balungao Robotic Dancers (dance crew with robotic costumes composed of ten to twenty members), Lateral Drift Productions Team (car drifting act where they are going to present car exhibition), GenSan Stunt Team (stunt motorcyclist duo to perform motorcycle stunts) and Rosenrei Synchro Sirens (synchronized swimmers to perform in huge aquarium).

Sixth quarter finalists of Pilipinas Got Talent: Bughaw Folkloric Dance Troupe, Rosenrei Synchro Sirens, Lateral Drift Productions Team, GenSan Stunt Team, Balungao Robotic Dancers and VMA Cultural Arts.

The first act of the night was the synchronized swimmers from Manila, the Rosenrei Synchro Sirens. They are exceptional in synchronized swimming individually especially they impressed the judges during auditions. They have that appropriate song choice in the auditions but in the quarter finals, I think they are good but they need to maintain their song choice.

The VMA Cultural Arts of Bacolod City leveled up their contemporary dance routine. They have the synchronized movements, the gracefulness and the masculinity which results into a very exemplary performance.

The Balungao Robotic Dancers of Pangasinan have the packaging and creativity in presenting their costumes, concepts and choreography. They are visually entertaining and they have the energy.

The Bughaw Folkloric Dance Group of Mendez, Cavite did an amazing cultural presentation for two minutes. They have the colorful costumes and props, live accompaniment of a rondalla, breathtaking choreography and they showed variety of Philippine folk dances from auditions to quarter finals. Overall, they did the best cultural performance in Pilipinas Got Talent.

The stunt motorcyclists GenSan Stunt Team improved a lot from auditions to the quarter finals. They have the synchronized and more death-defying motorcycle stunts which is very good to their performance.

The car drifters Lateral Drift Productions showed more intense car drifting exhibitions which are superb especially when they drift between the two persons passing by as well with the car.

In the end, Bughaw Folkloric Dance Group got the eleventh slot where they have the highest number of votes and Lateral Drift Productions won the unanimous judges vote which make them the last semi-finalist for season 4.

*** The review after the sixth quarter finals results night ***

Pilipinas Got Talent Season 4: Fifth Quarter Finals

The fifth quarter finals of Pilipinas Got Talent showcased a showdown of singing and dancing acts, from power belter to kiddie singing prodigy, from puppet illusionists / dance crew to bromance dance duo as well with the kiddie gymnasts and a ring man.

The fifth quarter finalists of Pilipinas Got Talent Season 4: Cris Bernardo, Frankendall Fabroa, Roel Manlangit, Crewckattz, Philippine Gymnastics and Athletics Academy and RMMC Dance + Site Project.

Cris Bernardo, the winner of TFCkat Middle East did a great job for starting the show with her rendition of "Queen of the Night" by Whitney Houston. She impressed the judges during her auditions with Jessie J's "Mamma Knows Best" and she is consistent with her range of vocal prowess and she is a power belter.

Crewckattz from Isabela stepped up to the next level with their puppet tricks dance routine with their mash-up of songs. The concept is very good, the costumes and the props are great and their talent is extraordinary.

Frankendall Fabroa, the metal ring dancer of Tondo, Manila received a standing ovation from the judges. He did an amazing job in his contemporary dance routine as well with the balancing and his movements while the ring is turning and rolling. Overall, his talent is superb.

The Philippine Gymnastics and Athletics Academy from Muntinlupa City individually stand out with their gymnastics routine. They have the basic steps but they need to improve the group dynamics.

Roel Manlangit, the singing prodigy from Bukidnon received a standing ovation during his auditions with his mash-up of Whitney Houston hits "I Have Nothing" and "I Will Always Love You." He's got the raw talent and a powerful voice in his age. He did a good job in his quarter finals performance of Fantasia's "I Believe" but he need to improve the low tones but he did a great job in singing.

Closing the fifth quarter finals night is the contemporary dancing duo RMMC Dance + Site Project where they entertained the viewers with their character as basketball players as well with the movements which is so romantic. They are entertaining and funny.

In the end, Roel Manlangit got the highest votes from text and online which he got the ninth slot in the semi-finals while Frankendall Fabroa did an amazing job in his performance where he get a unanimous votes from the judges where he got the tenth spot.

Next week, we will witness the very first outdoor live shows in our sixth quarter finals. Watch out for the Balungao Robotic Dancers with their robotic costumes and choreography, the VMA Cultural Arts where they showcase dance and discipline, the GenSan Stunt Team with the motorcycle stunts, the Lateral Drift Productions with their fantastic car drifting exhibition, the Rosenrei Synchro Sirens with their amazing synchronized swimming under the water and the Bughaw Folkloric Dance Troupe with their lively and colorful cultural show. Watch the sixth quarter finals of Pilipinas Got Talent Season 4 on May 11 and 12, 2013 on ABS-CBN.

Pilipinas Got Talent Season 4: Fourth Quarter Finals

There are six slots who filled the twelve semi-finals slot and the fourth quarter finals night was exciting due to new and unique acts competed for the magic twelve.

The fourth quarter finalists of Pilipinas Got Talent: Tito Cris Castro, The Cancan Group of Regidor Elementary School, The Fluma Viron of Cuerdas, Russell Figueroa, Lumina and D'Intensity Breakers.

The first act of the night was The Cancan Group of Regidor Elementary School from Santa Cruz, Manila. It was a new act to show a classical court dance in television. They have the grace and the pleasant personality because of their contagious smiles, sophisticated movements in their choreography and the classical and visually-attractive costumes.

Tito Cris Castro of Sampaloc, Manila showed a fresh routine for magic where he used mask change which is very mysterious to know the tricks. The mask change routine was amazing as well with the quick changing of costumes in different colors. Overall, he did a very good job in his act.

Russell Figueroa, the winner of TFCkat Canada showed a heartfelt rendition of Regine Velasquez hit "Kailangan Ko'y Ikaw." However, he need to choose a song which is appropriate to his voice which matches to R&B or soul. Overall, he is confident in performing and he's got the packaging.

Lumina, the aerial acrobatics trio from San Carlos City, Negros Occidental did an amazing job for their routine. It reminds me of Synergy, the grand finalist from season 3 where they are flying in the air as well with the acrobatics they showed in their act.

The all-girl violin ensemble from Bulacan, The Fluma Viron of Cuerdas did a great impression with their auditions. They performed "Sway" by The Pussycat Dolls which they played the violin with beautiful harmony and melody plus they danced in a graceful manner while playing. In the quarter finals, they performed "What Makes You Beautiful" by One Direction however, the problem is their song choice. Therefore, they are still my favorites.

The dance crew from Lipa City, D'Intensity Breakers stepped up to the new level in their routine. They used hula hoops plus the intense and energetic hiphop and breakdancing that they showed which amazed the judges and the audience.

In the end, D'Intensity Breakers got the highest number of votes where they got the seventh spot in the semi-finals while Tito Cris Castro won the eighth spot where he got the unanimous vote from the judges.

Pilipinas Got Talent Season 4: Third Quarter Finals

The third quarter finals night of Pilipinas Got Talent season 4 was held om April 20 to 21, 2013 where six acts competed for the fifth and sixth slots for the semi-finals.

The third set of quarter finalists of Pilipinas Got Talent (L-R): Florendo Macalma Jr., Symmetry, Randy de Silva, MP3 Band, Michael "Mifer" Fernando and Tahanang Walang Hagdan Wheelchair Dancesport and BMG Dancers.

The wheelchair dancesport group from Cainta, Rizal, Tahanang Walang Hagdang Wheelchair Dancesport and BMG Dancers did a great job from their auditions to the quarter finals. They have the clean and sophisticated dance routine with the use of wheelchairs as well with their ballroom dancers. They showed hope and inspiration because of their talent and it is proven that being handicapped had their own capacities and strengths to show their talent to the world.

Florendo "Randy" Macalma Jr. did his best job in entertaining the audience as the first act who showed dog tricks in the live shows of Pilipinas Got Talent. He had his passion in loving the dogs by training them and showing communication to his pets. He got the perfect song choice for his routine as well with the movements showed by his different dogs including the Poodle and Mini Pincher. 

The acoustic trio from Davao City, MP3 Band did a new twist for delivering an acoustic music. They have the singer, guitarist and beatboxer combined into one band. They are consistent since auditions up to the quarter finals. In the auditions, they have the mash-up of "Yugyugan Na" by P.O.T. plus instrumental renditions of the theme from "Mission Impossible" and the opening intro of "Hotel California" by Eagles where the judges impressed by their performance. In the quarter finals, they truly leveled up with their acoustic mash-up from instrumental accompaniments of "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson and the theme of "Pink Panther" plus their rendition of "Mahirap Talagang Magmahal ng Syota ng Iba" by APO Hiking Society. They have that cool performances which is something new for the mainstream in the music industry.

The five pairs of twins combined into dance crew, Symmetry from Davao City. They are not just your ordinary dance crew but they have the synchronized choreography and precision in their dance routine plus the energetic moves and the packaging. They received a standing ovation during the quarter finals because of the simple but extraordinary choreography in a mirror dance that they have. 

Randy de Silva, the singer from Olongapo City did a very good job in singing Michael Jackson songs as well with the packaging which reminds me of Michael Jackson. Exactly, because they are similar in terms of their looks. He is a familiar face in singing contests in TV especially he joined in Little Big Star where he competed with Charice and Sam Concepcion eight years ago. During his auditions, he sang "She's Out of my Life" where he didn't reach the high notes. However, he improved a lot in the quarter finals with his rendition of "The Way You Make Me Feel" where he proved that he can sing and dance plus he got the showmanship.

The last act of the night was the magician from Las Pinas City, Michael "Mifer" Fernando. He did a funny magic routine with his assistants where they are good actors in presenting a magical comedy routine. In fact, it is one of the memorable auditions in the fourth season and they have the humorous impact. In the quarter finals, Mifer showed his serious side through illusions and teleportation from the stage to the audience. In other words, Mifer is such a very good magician as well with his assistants.

In the results night, MP3 Band won the public vote and got the fifth semi-finals slot while Symmetry got the sixth spot in the semi-finals where they won the judges vote.

Next week, you will going to witness the fourth quarter finals night. Watch out for The Can-can Dance Group of Regidor Elementary School, The Fluma Viron of Cuerdas, Lumina, D' Intensity Breakers, Tito Cris Castro and Russell Figueroa as they battle it out for the seventh and eighth slot in the semi-finals.

Pilipinas Got Talent Season 4: Second Quarter Finals

The second quarter finals of Pilipinas Got Talent Season 4 held on April 13 to 14, 2013 where it is an emotional night among the contestants especially during the results night. 

The second batch of semi-finalists (L-R): Zilent Overload, John Neil Roa, Eumee Lyn Capile, SI.CO.GU., Sundee Vinas and EYX Point. 

The first act was Sinag Color Guards or SI.CO.GU. from Pasig City. This flag twirling group did an amazing job during their auditions with their flawless flag twirling routine plus their colorful flags and costumes. They did a good job in the quarter finals and they remain consistent.

The young crooner from Cebu City, John Neil Roa came back after he auditioned in second season but failed to make it in the top 36. He serenaded the audience with his renditions of "L-O-V-E" by Nat King Cole and "For Once In My Life" by Stevie Wonder during quarter finals. He's got the charming look that girls will surely fall in love with plus a classic voice for standards and ballads. He is a versatile performer and he truly never give up in reaching his dreams.

The sword balancer and belly dancer from Taal, Batangas, Sundee Vinas did a great job in her auditions because of her balancing of a sword plus a sexy appeal and moves of a belly dancer. During the quarter finals, her act is more dangerous because of balancing a sword using her body parts and sexier belly dancing which is proven that she leveled-up her performance.

The acrobatics trio from Caloocan City, EYX Point did a consistent and amazing acrobatic acts from auditions to semi-finals. They have the balancing and the coordination for their act.

Eumee Lyn Capile of Valenzuela City is not just your ordinary singer. She's got the packaging, the soulful and powerful voice, and the swag to perform. She performed "Dancing in the Moonlight" by Katy Perry in her auditions which showed her talent in singing upbeat songs. During the quarter finals, she delivered a blazing performance of "Girl on Fire" by Alicia Keys which brought her to the top 12.

The black light dance crew from Pasig City, Zilent Overload received a standing ovation from the judges and the crowd with their energetic dance routine matched with their groovy song choices. They truly light up the stage with their colorful props and the precision in their choreography. They are visually entertaining and captivating and they are one of the acts who did an amazing job with their black light dance routine.

In the end, Zilent Overload made it to the semi-finals where they got the highest number of text and online votes while Eumee Lyn Capile won the judges vote. 

Pilipinas Got Talent Season 4: First Quarter Finals Night

Pilipinas Got Talent once again is back for its new season, plus there are changes in the show's competition format. For the first time, the top 36 will be the Quarter Finals round where the twelve acts for Semi-finals will be chosen for six weeks. Then, the top 12 semi-finalists will compete for the six slots for the Grand Finals to determine the season 4 champion of Pilipinas Got Talent. 

Definitely, the top 36 acts this season is not more on the singers, but there are fourteen dance acts, seven singers, three musical acts and twelve variety acts which include magic acts, animal tricks, stunts, gymnastics, acrobatics and flair tending. They are truly deserving in that round and they have that impressive auditions.

Let us have a review of the first quarter finals night which was held on April 6 to 7, 2013.

The first batch of semi finalists (L-R): Segutier Triplets, The Miss Tres, Security and Escort Battalion Combo of the Philippine Army, All In One Crew, Marvin Arquero and Chaeremon Basa.

The first act to open the night is the transgender singing trio from Bulacan, The Miss Tres. They have the looks of beautiful and glamorous girls but they have the surprising and masculine voice of a male singer. They sang "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" by Elvis Presley. The song choice truly fitted for them but I never forget their shocking auditions with their rendition of "Sex Bomb" by Tom Jones. They are confident and they know how to move in stage while singing. 

Chaeremon Basa from Bacolod City is the first flair tending act who make it to the top 36 after three seasons. He had that flawless and careful flair tending skills as well with the fact that it is synchronized to the music. He's got that blazing performance in the semi-finals where he added fire in the table plus the synchronized movements of bottles in a flair tending. In addition, he is enjoying in his performance which is contagious and he is consistent from his auditions.

The black light dance group from General Trias, Cavite All In One Crew light up the stage with their energetic choreography. They did a clean, sparkling and glowing dance routine since auditions up to quarter finals. However, there are few technical problems during quarter finals but they did a good job in performing.

The musical ensemble from Taguig City, The Security and Escort Battalion Combo of the Philippine Army did an energizing accompaniment of "Proud Mary" by Tina Turner during auditions. They have that lively music from the Big Band era especially the brass section as well with the lead singer knows how to perform in front of the crowd. In the semi-finals, they performed "The Cup of Life" by Ricky Martin and they still remain consistent in terms of musicality.

The martial arts trio from Iloilo, Segutier Triplets did a Pinoy martial arts routine in the form of arnis. They have the synchronized movements plus the exciting fight scenes and stunts for their age. I hope that they encourage more children and teenagers to engage in martial arts especially in arnis.

Marvin Arquero, also known as Papa P. (stands for Payong, a local word for umbrella) did an impressive auditions. The magician from Bulacan showed an amazing magical act using umbrellas to tent, imagine from smallest umbrella changes into regular size then the huge and colorful tents used in stands and stores. In the semi-finals, he showed other magical tricks aside from umbrellas. 

In the end, Chaeremon Basa got the highest number of votes from text and online while Miss Tres got a unanimous votes from the judges to make it to the top 12.

Couch Potato Review: X Factor Philippines Review

From almost thousands of hopefuls who auditioned from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao and down to hundreds of aspiring singers who competed in the boot camp. Then, twenty of the best singing acts who stand out to become contenders in the Judges House up to the top twelve acts mentored by judges up to the final three. In the end, KZ Tandingan from Davao del Sur won the first season of The X Factor Philippines.

The top 12 acts of The X Factor Philippines Season 1.Left - The Groups mentored by Gary Valenciano: (Top to bottom) Daddy's Home, AKA JAM, Takeoff Upper Right - The Boys mentored by Martin Nievera: (L-R) Gabriel Maturan, Jeric Medina, Kedebon Colim Center - The Girls mentored by Charice: (L-R) Allen Sta. Maria, Jerrianne Templo, KZ Tandingan Lower Right - The Over 25's mentored by Pilita Corrales: (L-R) Joan Da, Mark Mabasa, Modesto Taran Source: Google Photos

The Top 3:

• KZ Tandingan (Girls, Davao del Sur).  She received a standing ovation during the auditions with her performance of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and "Ready or Not." She is one of the most consistent contenders in the first season because of her distinct style and voice which is jazzy and soulful as well with the fact that she can create her own version of the song she took. She stand out with her performances of "Rehab" by Amy Winehouse as well with her cover versions of "Eternal Flame" by Bangles, "In The End" by Linkin Park, "Kisapmata" by Rivermaya and "Make You Feel My Love" by Adele and she truly owned these songs and received positive feedback from the judges. In the end, she declared as the winner of the first season of The X Factor Philippines. Her studio version of "Killing Me Softly" reached number 1 in ITunes beating PSY's "Oppa Gangnam Style"
• Gabriel Maturan (Boys, Zamboanga). He is one of the coolest and versatile voices in the competition. Starting from auditions to the final 3, I considered him as the best male singer in the contest. He impressed the judges with his audition piece "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz up to the Bootcamp singing "On and On" by Stephen Bishop. He showed his tender side with Christian Bautista's "Everything You Do". Then, his best performances in the contest will be "One Day In Your Life" by Michael Jackson (Top 11), "Hinahanap-hanap Kita" by Rivermaya (Top 6) and "Moonlight Over Paris" by Paolo Santos (Top 5). However, during the top 10 week, he didn't gave his best performance with his rendition of The Script's "Breakeven." Therefore, he received a lot of positive feedback from the judges and he was never been in the bottom 2. His grand finals performance of Fantasia's "I Believe" was simply amazing, In addition, his version of Bruno Mars single "It Will Rain" (Top 12) was soothing to the ears and easy to remember that is why it is number one in the radio charts in the Philippines.
• Daddy's Home (Groups, Marikina City). This group of fathers composed of Doc Eric "Doc E" Dacanay, Allan Mitchell Silonga, Jerome Icatar and Herbert "Ebet" Silonga are professionals, performers and responsible daddies. They did an impressing job during the auditions especially with their rendition of Gary Valenciano's "Sana Maulit Muli"and they performed again with the Boyz II Men hit "I'll Make Love To You." They have that R&B vibe and each of the members are truly talented and musically gifted with amazing voices. They can own the songs they took especially with their rendition of the songs "Till My Heartaches End" by Ella Mae Saison (Top 12), "All At Once" by Whitney Houston (Top 9), "Will You Still Love Me" by Chicago (Top 7), "Tell Me" by Joey Albert (Top 5), "Against All Odds" by Phil Collins (Top 5 - Survival Performance) and "Gaya ng Dati" by Gary Valenciano (Top 3). Avid fans of the show and netizens tagged them as "Boyz II Men of the Philippines" because of their style which is R&B and their soulful singing voice. Although they finished 3rd place, they have regular guestings in some TV and radio shows. I hope that the songs they sang in the live shows will have a studio version especially "Tell Me" and "Against All Odds."

Eliminated Acts 

Over 25's

• Joan Da (San Pablo City, Laguna). At first, I expected that she will be eliminated in the bootcamp round or in the Judges Home because of her distinct style. Then in the top 12, she gave the viewers a surprise with her acoustic performance of Maroon 5's "Sunday Morning" and it was entertaining. She proved her versatility and musicality in the following weeks especially with her performances of "At Your Best (You Are Loved)" by Aaliyah (Top 9), "Nobela" by Join the Club (Top 8) and "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson (Top 7) and she owned these songs because of that character in her voice and she is creative in making her own versions. However, she is one of the contestants who is always making in the Survival Performance and she is always saved by the judges with her renditions of "Chasing Pavements" by Adele (Top 12 along with Jerrianne Templo in bottom 2) and "Grenade" by Bruno Mars (Top 8 along with Takeoff in the bottom group). She finished in the 7th place after Allen Santa Maria was saved by the judges. I hope that Joan sang "Nobela" in their compilation album because it sounded original and it showcases her vocal quality and musical style.
• Mark Mabasa (Manila). He is one of the strongest contenders in the Over 25 category because of his versatility (especially in singing rock and upbeat songs) and strong vocal prowess. He is a stand-out in the Bootcamp with his rendition of "It Girl" by Jason Derulo as well in the Judges Homes with "The Last Time" by Eric Benet. In the first week, he performed "Kiss From A Rose" by Seal and he received positive feedback from the judges. But in week 2, he was eliminated through deadlock by getting the lowest number of votes. His studio version of Jeremiah's "Nanghihinayang" was truly heartfelt and strong.
• Modesto Taran (Cagayan de Oro). He did an emotional impact (especially with Charice) with his rendition of Frank Sinatra's "My Way". He had that timeless classical voice suited for singing standards. He received a standing ovation in Week 2 after his performance of "Habang May Buhay" by After Image. His rendition of Anthony Castelo classic hit "Balatkayo" in their compilation album was truly suited his voice.

Groups

• AKA JAM (Manila / Cebu). This girl group was formed in the selection of top 20 during the Bootcamp stage. The members namely Alyssa Quijano, Katrina Velarde, Auriette Divina, Jhelsea Maine Flores, Ashley Campbell and Monique Lualhati originally auditioned as solo acts but failed to make it to the top 20. Most of the members are familiar faces in television especially in other talent search and singing contests as well with TV series. They have that best blending of voices although they have different musical genres, the packaging and the pretty looks and the song choices which all of them are considered as winners. They did great performances from Judges Homes ("Seasons of Love" from musical "Rent") as well with top 11 ("This is My Life" by Shirley Bassey) and top 10 ("Survivor" by Destiny's Child). Their best performance is their version of "Got to Be Real" by Cherryl Lynn in top 12 where the judges and the audience gave them standing ovation and positive reviews. But in top 10, they were eliminated via deadlock where they got the lowest number of votes against Daddy's Home. They got very good rendition of the song "Missing You" during the Sing-off that is why they are not deserving to go home. Therefore, they have regular guestings in TV shows and radio after X Factor.
• Takeoff (Manila). This boyband is formerly known as "Voyz Avenue" who appeared regularly in TV5 shows before they auditioned in The X Factor Philippines. The members of this boyband are Neo Domingo, Gerald Yranon, Russell "Ice" Medina, JZ Zamora and Raffy Calicdan.  They have that energetic and entertaining auditions where they took Taio Cruz's "Dynamite" proven that they have the total packaging and the talent where they can sing and dance as well with the fact that they are versatile. They passed the bootcamp with their performance of "Do You Remember" by Jay Sean. However there are some performances in the live show which are quite predictable and sometimes they did not hit the notes which leads them to bottom 2 twice. They were eliminated in the top 8 through deadlock over Joan Da. Their version of "Dreaming of You" by Selena was truly a knock out and definitely one of the best performances in the season. In addition, their rendition of the song "Stay" by Carol Banawa is beautiful and it reached the number one in a radio station in Dagupan.

Boys

• Jeric Medina (Paranaque). He did a good auditions with his performance of "Love of my Life" by South Border. His best performance during the live shows was in top 9 where he sang "Can't Help Falling in Love" by Elvis Presley along with his acoustic guitar and soothing voice. He proved also that he can sing rock and alternative especially he took the rock version of "Careless Whisper" by Wham. He's got the rockin looks and a soothing voice to sing ballads and soul. There are times that he did his best performance but there are times that he didn't reach the notes. 
• Kedebon Colim (Cebu). He made a spectacular impact with his auditions where he took "What Makes You Beautiful" by One Direction and there is a magic in his voice although it is not sounded great. He is one of the most controversial contestants where netizens and avid fans of the shows thought that he didn't deserve to stay in the contest because he is the least talented but he is funny. 

Girls

• Allen Sta. Maria (Nueva Ecija). When she auditioned, she is like a replica of another X Factor contestant which is Cher Lloyd because of the swagger and her radio-friendly voice. She proved that she is versatile where she sang dance hits, rock and even an OPM ballad. The most memorable performance that she did is her rendition of "Waterfalls" by TLC (Top 9) and for me her best performances are "Hanggang May Kailanman" by Carol Banawa (proven that she can sing ballads) and "Whip My Hair" by Willow Smith (where she proved her swag and confidence in stage).
• Jerrianne Templo (Mandaluyong). I remember her as one of the grand finalists of "Search for a Star" where Rachelle Ann Go emerged as a winner when she was 13 years old. Now, she auditioned in The X Factor Philippines with her powerful rendition of Adele's "Rolling in the Deep." She made it to the top 12 but she was eliminated first. However, I love her revival of Jaya's "Kung Wala Na' and she sang it with feelings and she owned the song.

Notable Contestants

• Paulo Castro. A man with a quirky but sophisticated fashion and a voice which is similar to the late Michael Jackson. He is one of the most consistent performers from auditions where he sang "The Way You Make Me Feel" and "Smile" in Bootcamp. He proved his versatility with his rendition of "Kahit Kailan" by South Border but he was eliminated.
• Cristine Ledesma. I am rooting for her to make it on the live shows with her stunning and sophisticated looks and her classy and sultry voice to sing classical standards. She received positive reviews with her auditions with her performance of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" but she was eliminated in the Judges Homes. I hope she joined again in the second season.
• Sweet Bliss. The all girl singing trio composed of Noreen, Macy and Sor. They are also consistent in terms of their song choices and they have the blending, the vocal dynamics, the packaging and they got what it takes to be the next divas in OPM. They auditioned in Cebu with "End of Time" by Beyonce, "One Night Only" from the Dreamgirls and "Perfect" by Pink in Judges Homes. I am looking forward to see them in the second season.
• 5th Avids. They have the perfect blending of voices for a girl group especially with their auditions where they sang "Shackles" by Mary Mary.
• Jeffrey "Osang" Soliven. This guy is truly spectacular. He is a gay but he''s got a rockin voice!!! Wow! I hope that he made it to the final 20. He is very memorable with his performance of "Bombastic."

I'm looking forward this 2013 to have the second season of The X Factor Philippines.

Insights on X Factor Philippines Eliminations

For the past few weeks, we witnessed talented Filipino singers who auditioned in X Factor Philippines. Since auditions, I became a fan of some of the contenders who made it to the top 20 through final 12. However, there are some contenders who are deserving to make it farther than the other remaining contestants.

AKA JAM from Groups category. They are Jhelsea Maine Flores, Auriette Divina, Katrina Velarde, Ashley Campbell, Alyssa Quijano and Monique Lualhati. They auditioned as individual acts but the judges decided to form them as a group. Their elimination is one of the most controversial ever in X Factor Philippines.  Photo Courtesy of X Factor Philippines Facebook Fan Page

• First of all, in the Judges Homes round, the judges make a very good line up of contenders for top 20.
• I am having a hard time to choose who will make it to the top 12 especially in Groups Category mentored by Gary Valenciano. The five acts who made it to this category are Sweet Bliss, Daddy's Home, 5th Avids, Takeoff and Lucky Girls (changed their name into A.K.A. JAM). All of them did a great job in their auditions to bootcamp but in the end, Sweet Bliss and 5th Avids were eliminated. However, the two acts eliminated did a very good job in their auditions to bootcamp because of the blending of their voices and perfect song choice.
• The top 5 contenders who make it to the Over 25 category mentored by Pilita Corrales are Paulo Castro, Joan Da, Cristine Ledesma, Modesto Taran and Mark Mabasa. At first, I didn't accept the fact that Cristine Ledesma and Paulo Castro were eliminated. The reasons why these two contenders are deserving in the top 12 because Paulo made an impressive performance during the auditions because of his voice which is similar to Michael Jackson. On the other hand, Cristine Ledesma is also deserving in the top 12 for the reason that she is the total package singer: the beautiful looks, the classy voice and the sophisticated style. However, when the top 3 contenders (Mark Mabasa, Joan Da, Modesto Taran) started to show their talent in the live shows, they deserve their spot there.
• The first three weeks of eliminations were such a not so good nights for me. In the first week, Joan Da and Jerrianne Templo made it to the bottom 2, although Joan did a very good acoustic rendition of Maroon 5's "Sunday Morning" and Jerrianne did a soulful and powerful performance of "The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face" by Roberta Flack during the performance night, but they are the bottom two. In the end, Jerrianne was send home after the decision of the judges. 
• During week 2, Takeoff did a rendition of Backstreet Boys' "Larger than Life" although they have a good choreography but there are many sharps and flats in singing while Mark Mabasa did a very good rendition of The Beatles' classic "Got To Get You Into My Life" and they are the two contenders who got the lowest number of votes in top 11. However, Mark Mabasa, one of the frontrunners in the contest was eliminated via deadlock.
• The third week of the live shows was more shocking when two groups namely Daddy's Home and AKA JAM made it to the bottom two. Both of these groups from Gary Valenciano's category are very good and consistent from their auditions to the live shows. However, because of the shocking revelation, the judges were having a hard time to vote and AKA JAM was sent home through deadlock.

I am wondering why the very good contenders went home. Is that because of lack of support from the voters or other reasons behind the contest? Well to the top 9 remaining contestants good luck and more power. The nine remaining contenders are Kedebon Colim, Jeric Medina and Gabriel Maturan from Boys category under Martin Nievera; Allen Jane Sta. Maria and KZ Tandingan from the Girls category mentored by Charice; Joan Da and Modesto Taran from the Over 25's under Pilita Corrales and Takeoff and Daddy's Home from Groups by Gary Valenciano.

Couch Potato Review: American Idol 13

Stunning performances. Positive reviews from the judges. Standing ovations weekly. Wow! Definitely, it made a milestone in American Idol history, where the contestants of eleventh season is considered as the most talented bunch we ever had. From auditions to the final round, we witnessed the best talents across America and they made a remarkable impact to the fans and viewers of Idol. 

I would like to express my overall review for the top 13 contenders of season 11, as well with other remarkable contestants who deserve a spot in the final 13 but cut. 

Eliminated Contenders (Top 13)

The finalists of American Idol Season 11 L - R clockwise: Colton Dixon, Heejun Han, Joshua Ledet, Elise Testone, Phillip Phillips, Jermaine Jones, Shannon Magrane, Erika Van Pelt, Jeremy Rosado, DeAndre Brackensick, Skylar Laine, Jessica Sanchez and Hollie Cavanagh.

1. Jeremy Rosado. He is one of the standouts during Hollywood Week where he belonged to the group "Hollywood Five" with their rendition of "Mercy" by Duffy. He made it to Vegas Round with his solo performance of "I Know You Won't" where he received a standing ovation from the judges which made him advanced to the top 24. He did a heartfelt rendition of "Gravity" by Sara Bareilles during semi-finals and "Ribbon in the Sky" by Stevie Wonder in top 13. He was sent home first where the judges chose Elise Testone to save. However, he had that soulful voice which matches his R&B style.

2. Jermaine Jones. He is dubbed as the "Gentle Giant" of season 11. He had that very low voice which resembles to Scotty McCreery of season 10. His reinstatement which leads to the top 25 and his heartfelt rendition of "Dance With My Father" by Luther Vandross made him to the top 13. But he was disqualified because of previous criminal records. I think Reed or Eben is more deserving in his spot.

3. Shannon Magrane. She is the total package singer: a beautiful face, stunning height, a good family background and an amateur voice for a teenager. She reminds me of Carrie Underwood in terms of looks and vocal style. Although she forgot the words during Group Round in Hollywood Week, she received a standing ovation from the judges with her rendition of "What A Wonderful World" which makes her one of the early favorites. Her rendition of the Christian song "Go Light Your World" is considered as her best performance. However, she struggled in the top 13 stage where she didn't reach the high notes in her performance of "I Have Nothing" by Whitney Houston. She made a rebound in her studio performance of the song and her performance of "One Sweet Day" by Boyz II Men and Mariah Carey in top 11. She needs to improve her craft because she is young and someday, she will be a great singer.

4. Erika Van Pelt. She is a versatile singer where her voice truly matches different genres of music such as rock, ballads and upbeat songs. She had that raw voice which is solid and she proved her versatility during the competition especially in the live shows. She proved her solid performances in her rendition of "What About Love" by Heart where she picked a rock song, "The Edge of Glory" where she sang in upbeat tempo and "New York State of Mind" where she showed her mellow side. She had an ultimate makeover during the contest because her hairstyle and color changed.

5. Heejun Han. He is one of the most memorable contestants in the show because of his humor and the talent that entertained the viewers. Heejun Han is the first Korean American who made it to the finals of American Idol (Paul Kim from season 6 and John Park from season 9 made it to the semi-finals). He had that romantic and soulful voice for a balladeer plus the clear phrasing and he puts emotions to the song that he rendered. Definitely, his best performance would be "All in Love is Fair" by Stevie Wonder and "A Song For You" by Donny Hathaway which gave him a standing ovation from the judges. 

6. DeAndre Brackensick. He is a returning contestant from season 10 where he was cut in the top 40. This season, he made it to the top 13 with his semi-final performance of Earth, Wind and Fire's "Reasons". He had that clean falsetto, soulful voice and a curly hair which made him as a soul / R&B singer. His remarkable performance of "A Woman's Work" by Kate Bush is also impressive.

7. Colton Dixon. He is the rocker of the season and a returning contestant from season 10 where he was cut in the top 40. He is musically gifted and he had that strong showmanship where he knows how to perform in stage with his rocking performance. He is one of the most consistent performers in the season with his performance of "Decode" by Paramore (top 24) where he truly rocked the stage. He showed his tender side with "Lately" by Stevie Wonder on top 13 and his musical talent on "Piano Man" by Billy Joel on top 10. He also showed his inventive side (which is similar to David Cook) with his rendition of "Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga and "September" by Earth, Wind and Fire on top 7 but he was eliminated during that time which was surprising among the judges and fans of the show.

8. Elise Testone. She is one of the early front runners during the auditions to Vegas Round with her group performance of "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes" along with Reed Grimm, Haley Johnsen and Eben Franckewitz plus her performance of "It's a Man's, Man's World" by James Brown which earn her a spot in the semi-finals. She is a very professional performer and she had that husky and rockin voice which the judges remind of Janis Joplin. Her best performances would be in top 11 with "Let's Stay Together" by Al Green, "Vienna" by Billy Joel during top 10 and "Whole Lotta Love" by Led Zepellin on top 9. 

9. Skylar Laine. At first, I thought that she was just a mediocre country singer who auditioned in the show. However, she emerged as one of the best and most consistent performers in the top 13. Her voice is similar to Reba McEntire and she had that strong showmanship especially in her top 24 performance of Faces' hit "Stay With Me." Her best performance will be "Wind Beneath My Wings" by Bette Midler on top 8 night. Her duet with Colton Dixon with the Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton hit "Islands in the Stream" is also memorable. Therefore, her performance of "The Show Must Go On" by Queen is such a phenomenal performance, which was mentioned by Randy Jackson.

Remaining Conteders (Top 4)

The remaining four contenders of American Idol season 11:
 Phillip Phillips, Hollie Cavanagh, Joshua Ledet and Jessica Sanchez.
Source: www.hollywoodgossip.com

1. Hollie Cavanagh. She is one of the returning contestants from season 10 who made it to the finals of this season. She improved a lot from last season and she is also a total package singer aside from Shannon Magrane. She has the pretty voice that matches her powerful vocals which she has the potential to become a belter. She had a lot of screen time in season 10 during Hollywood Week but in season 11 she appeared in the green mile round. Her best performances will be "Reflection" by Christina Aguilera (top 24), "All the Man That I Need" by Whitney Houston (top 13) and "The Power of Love" by Celine Dion (top 11). These three performances showed her vocal prowess and her exceptional craft in singing where I considered her as part of final two this season. However, she struggled in the following weeks because of wrong song choice and sometimes, she lacks of emotions while singing or even pitch problems. In top 5, she did a very good rendition of Ike and Tina Turner's "River Deep, Mountain High" which earned her a spot in top 4.

2. Jessica Sanchez. She is one of the front runners in the show with her standing ovation from the judges for two consecutive weeks with her semi-finals performance of "Love You I Do" by Jennifer Hudson and "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston. Other memorable performances she did including "Everybody Has A Dream" by Billy Joel (top 10), "Sweet Dreams" by Beyonce (top 9), "Fallin" by Alicia Keys (top 7) and "Dance With My Father" by Luther Vandross (top 6). She is one of the exceptional contestants because of her powerful and soulful voice and she has the makings of a diva. She is always earned positive reviews with her performances weekly. However, she was saved by the judges from elimination in top 7. Definitely, she deserved it because she will make a name in the music industry plus her heartfelt and powerful performances of her songs. Next time, I think she need to become careful in choosing upbeat songs which suited her voice and style. She is a Filipino Mexican contestant and Filipinos are hoping that she will make it to the finale where Jasmine Trias earned the third place in American Idol 3, the highest placement made by a Filipino in the show.

3. Joshua Ledet. He is one of the most praised contestants in the history of the show because every week he received a standing ovation from the judges and audience as well with the positive feedback. He is always consistent from his auditions to the final five. He is memorable with his performances of Christina Perri's "Jar of Hearts" where he received his first standing ovation and in Vegas where he performed "Blue Suede Shoes" along with Shannon Magrane which is out of the box. He had a lot of best performances and his song choices are truly great especially his rendition of "When A Man Loves A Woman" (top 11), "If You Don't Know Me By Now" (top 8), "I Believe" (top 7) and "To Love Somebody" (top 5). His voice and style is similar to Fantasia Barrino and Jacob Lusk that is why there are cases that he sounded the same every week and the song choices are sometimes predictable. However, he showed his vocal prowess and his soulful style every week. Best performance in a group or duet, definitely his collaboration with Jessica Sanchez with the song "I Knew You Were Waiting for Me" by George Michael and Aretha Franklin.

4. Phillip Phillips. He is one of the early favorites and most consistent contenders in terms of singing style which is similar to Dave Matthews. He is also popular among girls because of the looks, appeal and his music style is on the mainstream. He can be a rocker or an acoustic singer. He made a big impression to the judges in his audition where he played the guitar with his rendition of "Thriller" by Michael Jackson. He also had a quality of being inventive where he truly owns the song especially with his performances of "In The Air Tonight" by Phil Collins during the top 24. He also did an encore of his audition piece "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder in top 13 and his most memorable performances would be "Movin Out (Anthony's Song)" by Billy Joel in top 10, "U Got It Bad" by Usher in top 7 and "Fat Bottomed Girls" by Queen in top 6. I think he needs to have out of the box performances for Phillip because there are times that he sounded the same or singing the same genre every week. Therefore, he is one of the best singers in season 11.

Who among this remaining four contenders will be the winner of eleventh season?

Notable Semi Finalists who Deserve a Spot in the Finale


1. Reed Grimm. He is one of the most colorful characters I've ever watched in the show. He is quirky but a true blue and talented musician. His auditions impressed me with his piece the theme song of U.S. television series "Family Matters." He also received positive feedback and praise with his group performance of "Hold On, I'm Comin" by Sam & Dave along with Jen Hirsh, Creighton Fraker, Aaron Marcellus and Nick Boddington and in Vegas week with his performance of "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes" with Eben Franckewitz, Elise Testone and Haley Johnsen. He also did an amazing job in "Georgia On My Mind" in his second solo in Hollywood week with drums. (Note: He only had 30 minutes to prepare for that piece) In the semi-finals, he owned the Maroon 5 hit "Moves Like Jagger" in a jazzy accompaniment. But I am wondering why he didn't chosen for the top 13, although he has the talent and his identity as a singer and musician.


2. Jen Hirsh. She is having a powerful but sweet belter and she had that wide range of voice. She also deserves to be in the top 13 because she is one of the front runners in Hollywood Week where she received a standing ovation in her performance of "Georgia On My Mind." She also received positive feedback with her semi-finals performance of "One and Only" by Adele. She has the melody and the emotions while singing.


3. Eben Franckewitz. The youngest contestant of the season who sings like a pro. He is a total package singer with his looks (resembles to Justin Bieber or Greyson Chance) and having that angelic voice to sing classics. He is also deserving to be in the top 13 because of his consistency from auditions to Las Vegas Week. In the semi-finals, his performance was not so good because of the wrong song choice. Therefore, Eben is still young and he can improve his craft.


4. Hallie Day. She is classy singer which matches her look. She did a strong start in her audition with Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive." She remains consistent and she made it to the top 24. She also deserves to be in the top 13 because of her classy but powerful vocals. Her performance of "Feelin Good" in top 24 was okay but she is ready to make it on the music industry.


Related Articles:

• Couch Potato Review: American Idol 11 - Top 13 Performances
• Couch Potato Review: American Idol 11 - Semi Finals - Female
• Couch Potato Review: American Idol 11 - Semi Finals - Male

Couch Potato Review: American Idol 11 - Semi Finals (Female)

We also have the 12 girls who made it to the top 24 of the eleventh season of American Idol. They have different music styles that matches their look and packaging.

Chelsea Sorrell

Chelsea Sorrell did a great start with her performance of "Cowboy Casanova" by Carrie Underwood. She had a powerful voice which is applicable in other genres such as rock and country. However, she didn't showcase her vocal prowess and this was a safe song choice. Score: 8.0 

Erika Van Pelt

With her rendition of Heart's "What About Love" Erika Van Pelt showcased her powerful vocals and very good voice quality. She hit the notes and very good song choice. Score: 9.4

Jen Hirsh

Jen Hirsh proved herself once again as one of the best singers in the competition with her performance of "One and Only" by Adele. She has the clear phrasing and soft but powerful and wide range of voice. Score: 9.6 

Brielle Von Hugel

Brielle Von Hugel sang Roy Orbison's "Sittin on the Dock of the Bay" where she proved that she is a true performer with her movements and confidence on stage. She improved a lot from the previous season. Score: 9.3 

Hallie Day

Hallie Day delivered a classy rendition of "Feeling Good" by Nina Simone. One thing that I can say to her is sultry singer and woman. Score: 9.0

Skylar Laine

The country girl Skylar Laine performed "Stay With Me" with her strong vocals and country style of singing and she had a lot of energy in performing in stage. She had a strong confidence and she had the voice which is similar to Reba and the confidence in her performance which resembled to Tina Turner. She is a rockin country singer.  Score: 9.4

Baylie Brown

The comebacking contestant from season 6 Baylie Brown sang "Amazed" by Lonestar. She looks gorgeous and her voice is beautiful. She did an effort but not a good song choice for her. She reminds me of Antonella Barba but Baylie is a better singer. Score: 7.5 

Hollie Cavanagh

We also have returning contender from season 10, Hollie Cavanagh who sang "Reflection" by Christina Aguilera. She showed huge improvement from last season (where she cut before the top 24) where she had the clear phrasing and a crystal-clear voice. It was a perfect song choice for her. Score: 9.9 

Haley Johnsen

Haley Johnsen performed "Sweet Dreams" by Eurhythmics where she had an amazing voice but the performance is not good and definitely, wrong song choice. Score: 6.0 

Shannon Magrane

Shannon Magrane sang an inspirational song from Kathy Troccoli entitled "Go Light Your World" which showcased her vocal prowess. She's got the look and the packaging (especially her pretty face and height). Overall, she's got the the exceptional singing talent at the age of 16. Score: 9.8

Jessica Sanchez

Jessica Sanchez wowed the judges and the audience with her rendition of "Love You I Do" by Jennifer Hudson. She is the one to beat among the girls in this competition because at her young age of 16, she's got the powerful voice, soulful vibe, strong showmanship, stage confidence and the musicality. Definitely, she is one of the best American Idol contestants ever. Score: 10.0

Elise Testone

Elise Testone closed the performance night with her rendition of "One and Only" by Adele. She's got the musicality where she played the piano and an amazing voice. She is truly a professional and versatile singer. Score: 9.7


In the end, Jessica, Hollie, Shannon, Elise and Skylar made it to the top 5 highest votes among the female semi-finalists and made it to the top 10, while Erika, Jen and Brielle were chosen by the judges for wildcard round where Erika was selected for top 13.

Couch Potato Review: American Idol 11 - Las Vegas Week (Part 2)

This is the second part of my review for the Las Vegas Week of American Idol 11. The contestants were group themselves into two to four members to sing traditional 1950's hits. 

Wendy Taylor, Mathenee Treco and Lauren Gray

Let us start with the   group of Lauren Gray, Wendy Taylor and Mathenee Treco performed "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" by The Shirelles. Take note, they trained by the "vocal coach from hell" which results into a good performance especially Lauren nailed it and Wendy did a job well done performance. Unfortunately, Mathenee was eliminated after that performance. Rate: 7.6

Jessica Phillips, Courtney Williams, and Britnee Kellogg

We also have the girl trio of The Neapolitans composed of Britnee Kellogg, Courtney Williams and Jessica Phillips with their mashup of The Supremes hit "Where Did Our Love Go" and "You Keep Me Hanging On." Each of the showcased their vocal prowess where Britnee has a powerful voice, Courtney has a soulful voice and Jessica with her R&B tone. The song matches their group but Jessica and Britnee was eliminated. Britnee deserves to be in the top 24 where she is the total package singer where she had the looks and powerful voice. Rate: 8.5 

Clayton Farhat, Scott Dangerfield, Adam Lee Decker and Curtis Gray

Then the songs of Elvis Presley lives on with the following groups. We have the all-male group of rockers composed of Scott Dangerfield, Clayton Farhat, Adam Lee Decker, and Curtis Gray with their version of "Jailhouse Rock." They have the guts to sing that song because they are rockers plus the packaging and the entrance which they are in character plus the costume. Rate: 8.0 


We also have the group of Caleb Johnson, River St. James, Blaire Sieber and Joshua Sanders with their rendition of "Burning Love." I think the four of them did a very good job in performing as well with the packaging. I noticed that Caleb stand out in this performance because of his rockin and powerful vocals. Rate: 8.3 

Aaron Marcellus, Nick Boddington, Jennifer Hirsh and Creighton Fraker

Last but not the least is the performance of Creighton Fraker, Jen Hirsh, Nick Boddington and Aaron Marcellus of Bryan Hyland's "Sealed With A Kiss." They have the perfect blending and one of the most harmonized groups in Las Vegas. However, Nick was eliminated at the end of this round. Rate: 9.0


Unaired Performances:

Marisa Pontecorvo, Naomi Gillies and Hollie Cavanagh

One of the unaired performances in Las Vegas Week was the mashup of "Mr. Sandman" and "Mr.Postman" by Hollie Cavanagh, Marisa Pontecorvo, and Naomi Rae Gillies. They have their individuality in this performance where Hollie sang with her clear diction and powerful vocals, Naomi with her wide vocal range and Marisa with her effort in singing an upbeat tempo song. They have the perfect mashup of song choice which is very good. Rate: 7.7


Watch American Idol Season 11 for the semi-finals round of your top 24 plus one contestant will make it to the semi-finals which turns into 25.

Couch Potato Review: American Idol 11 - Las Vegas Week (Part 1)

This review was based on the Las Vegas Week performance of contenders in American Idol where 10 is the highest and 1 will be the lowest.

Right after the auditions and Hollywood week, the 72 hopefuls went to Las Vegas They were able to group themselves into duos, trios or quartets to sing classic songs from the 1950's. Most of them became potential stars and stand out in Vegas Week and made it to the top 24. 

Cari Quoyeser, Chase Likens, Colton Dixon, and Skylar Laine

The first group to present were Cari Quoyeser, Skylar Laine, Chase Likens and Colton Dixon with their rendition of "Dedicated to the One I Love" by The Shirelles. The song suits them individually where they show their mellow side and it is such a good combination of country singers (Chase and Skylar) and a rocker (Colton) in a group singing a 50's classic love song. Rate: 8.0

Ariel Sprague, David Leathers Jr., Gabi Carrubba and Jeremy Rosado

The next group composed of Ariel Sprague, David Leathers Jr., Gabi Carrubba and Jeremy Rosado did a soulful and upbeat performance of Jackson 5's "Rockin Robin" where they have the choreography and they can sing while dancing. Rate: 8.1 

Adam Brock, Erika Van Pelt, Shelby Tweten and Angie Ziederman

Then we also have the group of Adam Brock, Angie Ziederman, Shelby Lynn Tweten, and Erika Van Pelt with their groovy rendition of "Great Balls of Fire" by Jerry Lee Lewis. Adam did a great entrance while playing a piano, Erika matches the song with her low alto voice, Angie has a strong showmanship and she acts while singing (but there are times that she oversing) and Shelby did an ok job for that. Rate: 8.0 

Schyler Dixon, Brielle Von Hugel, and Molly Hunt 

We also have the all-girl trio of Schyler Dixon, Brielle Von Hugel and Molly Hunt sang "Why Do Fools Fall in Love." They have the total packaging - from looks to their costumes and they have the blending. Brielle truly stand out in the group but Schyler and Molly became back-ups that is why Molly and Schyler were eliminated. Rate: 7.5 

Haley Johnsen, Eben Franckewitz, Elise Testone and Reed Grimm

One of the most outstanding performances in Las Vegas Week came from Reed Grimm, Haley Johnsen, Elise Testone, and Eben Franckewitz with their rendition of "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes" where each and everyone of them stand out. Reed's quirky character, jazzy voice and groovy moves made a very excellent entrance, Elise's husky tone and Haley's simple vocals which is similar to Kelly Clarkson matches the song and Eben's angelic voice and new found confidence makes him a versatile performer. Overall, they received a standing ovation from the judges as a result of perfect harmony and strong showmanship. Rate: 10.0 

Neco Starr, Jairon Jackson, Heejun Han, and Phil Phillips

We also have the cool rendition of The Flamingos' "Only Have Eyes For You" sung by Neco Starr, Heejun Han, Phil Phillips and Jairon Jackson. They have the melody where Neco, Heejun and Jairon did a soulful vocals and Phil's husky, rocking voice which proves that he is not just a rocker or acoustic star but he can sing soul classics. Rate: 9.8 

Candice Glover, Deandre Brackensick and Jessica Sanchez

Then our first part of the review caps off with the trio of Deandre Brackensick, Jessica Sanchez and Candice Glover with their powerful and soulful performance of Buddy Holly's "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" where it received a standing ovation from the judges. Jessica's soulful, jazzy and powerful vocals, Deandre's clean falsetto, and  Candice's strong vocal prowess match the song choice with their talent. Unfortunately Candice was eliminated in this round. Score: 9.9

Unaired Performances:

Chelsea Sorrell, Janelle Arthur, Aubree Dieckemeyer and Baylie Brown

The group of four beautiful girls composed of Baylie Brown, Aubree Dieckemeyer, Janelle Arthur and Chelsea Sorrell did a rendition of The Ronette's "Be My Baby." The four of them did a great job. They were able to show "girl power" in this performance. Baylie stand out with her smoky and smooth vocals, Janelle shows her strong showmanship and clear vocals, Chelsea with her clear voice and wide range and Aubree with her smooth quality of voice but the song didn't match her vocals. In the end, Baylie and Chelsea made it while Aubree and Janelle was eliminated. However, Janelle gave her best performance in this group but why she was eliminated after that performance? Rate: 8.0