Week 4 - Live Performance - Who Has The Best Tribute?

Last night was, so far, the best night of the show. And when I say 'best night', I am referring to the totality of the performances. Most of the contestants were spectacular. Perhaps they were a little bit afraid not to show the complete respect to the late artists they were paying tribute to.

'Tribute' is defined as An act, statement, or gift that is intended to show gratitude, respect, or admiration. So who showed the gratitude, respect and admiration to the late icons? Here's my take on each performance:

Modesto Taran - Pure Imagination by Lou Rawls - The performance was good. But was I jumping up and down? No. His performance tonight was a little weaker compared to the previous two. I sensed that he lost the beat on the last part of the song. That is my problem with Mang Modesto, his versatility. No doubt, he can give me chills everytime he sings big ballads but cannot work his magic on songs with faster tempo. Rating: B+

Daddy's Home - All At Once by Whitney Houston - It is definitely a big risk to "male-ify" Whitney songs. But Daddy's Home definitely lived at par and delivered a spectacular performance. Their blending was oh so good and so were their vocal chops. Rating: A+

Allen Jane Sta. Maria - Waterfall by TLC (tribute for Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes) -It was definitely a comeback for Allen after her weak performance last week. But the song was not vocally challenging for her. However, the swag and the rap was right on the spot, so the performance was still good. Eventhough she was not able to show her complete vocal techniques, she was able to put enough character. Swaggernaut! Rating: A-

Jeric Medina - Can't Help Falling In Love by Elvis Presley - It was his best performance so far and I totally agree with Gary V and Charice that he should have stuck with his guitar to have more appeal. I think this is what Jeric should learn, to play on his strength and be that 'romantic crooner' that girls and gays would go gaga over. Rating: A-

Joan Da - Let Me Know by Aaliyah - The magic that she had brought when she sang Chasing Pavements was relived after her great rendition of this Aaliyah classic. Gary V and Charice, seriously? You do not know the song? MYMP has popularized it here in the Philippines. Moving forward, I am definitely a fan of Joan's unique voice. It was the type of voice that I would love to hear in my gadgets and in my car. Rating: A 

Kedebon Colim -  Yugyugan Na by Karl Roy - Ms. Pilita underlined that she would like Kedebon to sing a more serious song. Funny. You can't expect him to sing 'the more serious songs' because it is not his forte. Kedebon's expertise lies on his comedic act and his character. And serious songs would not showcase these. His performance was the weakest of the night - too many flats and lost words. I laughed hard when Martin said this: "The voice can be fixed". LOL. Is he admitting that Kedebon is indeed, the weakest singer in the competition? Rating: C

TakeOff - Dreaming of You by Selena - Like in the case of Daddy's Home, it is indeed a big risk to "male-ify" female classics. But to my surprise, TakeOff was able to deliver it that good! It was their best performance so far in the show. I loved the harmony and ad libs. Further, Jeric should learn from these guys. They know how to work on their charm. Although there were a few noticeable flats and sharps, they definitely left this to the viewers: "Do not count us out". Rating: A

KZ Tandingan - Rehab by Amy Winehouse - What can I say? Her performance might raise Amy Winehouse from the grave just to shout: "KZ, you are so damn good". This is character+swag+vocal chops. The performance was flawless. Rating: A+

Gabriel Maturan - Dance With My Father by Luther Vandross - I completely disagree with the judges. Was I moved by his performance? No, I was not. It was a very emotional song but his rendition did not make me cry. Perhaps, it was a wrong move to sing this song since this has been interpreted by most people in a reality singing show for like, gazillion times? So you cannot help but to compare his performance to the ones that you have seen on other shows.Though the performance was good, but he was not able to relieve himself from his last week's messy performance. Rating: B

So who will land on the bottom two spot? My thoughts on elimination, AGAIN, depend on how I perceive the Filipinos would vote not on how well/bad the contestants performed.

Definitely Safe: KZ, TakeOff, Jeric

Most Likely Safe: Joan, Daddy's Home

Probably Safe: Allen, Modesto

Bottom 2: Kedebon, Gab

KZ still leads the pack. Her fan base is very huge and it is growing exponentially because of her consistency. She makes her fan love her even more. Complacency is the only enemy of KZ. Her fans should not give up on voting. TakeOff and Jeric also has this growing fanbase mostly composed of girls and gays.(teeny boppers rule? LOL)

Kedebon might end up in the bottom two. Perhaps it is the time that his fans would get tired of his tricks. X Factor is still a singing contest.

Moving forward, Gary V is the only one doing his job as a judge. Burr. What about the others? He is the only one who can definitely pinpoint where the contestant should focus on, and even gave constructive criticisms not only to the others but also to his acts. Bravo, Gary! And as a mentor, he surely knows how his mentees would shine on the show by giving them the right song choices - risky but still doable.

Week 3 - Results Night: Another upset!

I am still appalled by last night's elimination that it made me speechless, making me blog my reaction this late.

I just noticed that everytime I try to put someone to be a frontrunner against KZ, they end up in the bottom two. Perhaps, it was a curse? LOL. I don't believe in supernatural things. It was pretty coincidental.

A.K.A. JAM and Daddy's Home are definitely not the weakest performers in the show. Both of them are groups of powerhouse vocals who can deliver harmony that sounds heavenly. Indeed, they were among the contestants who delivered outstanding performances last Saturday.

That is why, I cannot settle to the fact that they were both in the bottom two spots.  Here's my take on their survival performances:

Daddy's Home - Maging Sino Ka Man by Rey Valera - It was the first time that I heard this song sang by a group and it was good. It was not as great as their previous performances because I noticed some unsure notes. Perhaps, it was because they were nervous and disappointed at the same time after learning that they were part of the bottom 2. Nevertheless, they surely know how to harmonize. Rating: A-

A.K.A. JAM - "Missing You" by Brandy, Tamia, Chaka Kahn And Gladys Knight - I loved every bit of their performance. The growl, the harmony, the ad libs and the high notes were superb! It was another defining moment for them. I surely love this group because they never fail to impress me. Rating: A+ 

It surely broke my heart after hearing the two groups with their last chance performances. They are way way better than some other contestants. They are the creme of the crop in Gary V's category. And it was very sad to know that one of them would be leaving.

I feel for Gary V. It was very hard to decide on his part because like what he had said, it was like choosing who among your children should be sent home. Based on the final performances, Daddy's Home should be sent home. But if I were on his shoes, I would do the same thing. I would make sure that there would be a deadlock. None of these groups should go home and the judges knew it for sure. The people had chosen them to be their bottom two, thus, let the people decide as well who should be eliminated.

Sadly, the people chose to eliminate A.K.A. JAM. I was upset. But if Daddy's Home was sent home instead, I would still be upset. The result is an upset. I am upset. Many people are upset. :( 

 
The votes were really unpredictable. Not like other singing contests, this show does not usually have contestants who flirted with the bottom spot. So how did this happen? Was the show rigged? Let me share my insights on this.

I totally disagree that they were manipulated by ABS-CBN. Again, there is a third party tabulator, SGV and co., who verifies the text and online voting outcome. So how did the two groups ended up in the bottom two spot?

I think this is what usually happens: After one contestant paid a visit to the bottom two and survived the elimination, their fans make sure to vote their a**es off to save their idol. Just take a look at Joan Da and TakeOff. They never became part of the Bottom Two again. 

As for Kedebon and Modesto, Pinoys have this love for the underdogs. Modesto is surely the dark horse to win this contest. Further, I am guessing that many are enjoying Kedebon's funny performances and personality. But I believe that these "many" will surely get tired of his tricks. I just hope they'd realize soon that there are more acts who deserve to stay.

I am excited to see A.K.A. JAM gracing Kapamilya shows. I am also hoping that ASAP will sign them in because they will be a great addition to the show. I will just hold Gary V accountable to his words, thus, I am expecting a bright future for these ladies.

How about you? I want to hear your thoughts on another shocking elimination. Feel free to comment below.

Week 3 - Live Performance Recap - Who 'Rocked' the Night Out

Before anything else, I would like to give a standing ovation for the judges. At last! They had made some sense everytime they gave their comments. These are what the contestants need - constructive criticisms.

"Rock" is the theme for this week. I was thrilled by the theme because I was looking forward to the interpretation of some contestants. And this night had lived up to my expectation. Bravo! Again, there were performances that you would easily like and dislike. So here's my review:

Kedebon Colim - Footloose by Kenny Loggins - Right on the spot Gary! Though I would disagree that he was able to retrieve himself on the latter parts of the song. The performance was completely shaky. It was indeed entertaining but would those be the type of interpretations that I would buy in record stores? I don't think so. Rating: C

A.K.A. JAM - Survivor by Destiny' Child - What did the judges eat tonight? They surely delivered comments that would be beneficial to the contestants. Although there were a few noticeable flats and sharps, these are the types of renditions that are not only entertaining but I would put in my playlist. They showcased the swag that the song is requiring and their vocal prowess was still at its best. Rating: A

Modesto Taran - To Love Somebody by Bee Gees/Michael Bolton - He is surely growing on me. Honestly, at first, I was upset that Pilita chose him over Paulo Castro but his performances tonight and last week left me at awe. He played thru his strengths by singing a slow song and I was surprise that his diction improved. He worked his magic together with the choir! Rating: A

Allen Jane Sta. Maria - Bitch by Meredith Brooks - This song, seriously? Poor song choice. I agree with Martin, Gary and Pilita that for a 16-year old girl to sing this song was not a good move. The song was too mature and racy. A teenager delivering this song was way too vulgar. She flanked on her high notes too. Not a good week for her. Rating: B-

Jeric Medina - Lips of an Angel by Hinder - I am still looking forward to "that moment" he might give during performances night. I think that was what the judges are looking for, deconstructing Charice's statement that she knew Jeric can deliver more. Because, they hadn't felt that magic yet. I agree that he was becoming more in tune (Gary admitted it! Finally) compared to his previous performances but it is still not at par compared to the other contestants'. Rating: B

Daddy's Home - Superstition by Stevie Wonder - They definitely rock the night out! Their high notes were crazy and their harmony, as always, was superb! The guitar tricks were amazing as well! They deserve a standing ovation but the judges were a reluctant to give it. Burr. Rating: A+

Gabriel Maturan - Breakeven by Script - Gary V was correct. Perhaps, rock is not Gab's thing. Indeed, there were unsure notes that fell flat. Also, he should learn not to put the microphone too close to his mouth because it made his song incomprehensible. Rating: B-

Joan Da - You Oughta Know by Alanis Morisette - Many, even Haley Reinhart of American Idol, stumbled into the tongue-twisting parts of the song, but she pronounced it very well. The words were very clear and she was pitch-perfect. Her only problem was the connection. If she had put enough emotions to her performance, it could have been perfect. Rating: A-

TakeOff - Makita Kang Muli by Sugarfree - I was glad that Martin pinpointed what I had noticed. Their harmony was a rollercoaster ride for me. Sometimes it was good, sometimes it was bad. As a group, they should learn to listen to each other because there were parts that they oversang, overshadowing one another. It was my favorite OPM song and I was disappointed that it was not delivered well. Rating: C

KZ Tandingan - In the End by Linkin Park - So, where was the standing ovation? I am definitely sure that Linkin Park would love her rendition. She made the song fresh from the usual metal version that we hear to a decreased tempo that was full of emotions. Wow. It was a clear definition of artistry and I was expecting for a standing ovation but it did not come AGAIN. Burr. Rating: A+

My thoughts on elimination, AGAIN, depend on how I perceive the Filipinos would vote not on how well/bad the contestants performed. KZ leads the number of likes in Facebook while Mang Modesto has the least likes.

Definitely Safe: KZ, Jeric, Daddy's Home

Most Likely Safe: Modesto, A.K.A. JAM, Joan

Probably Safe: TakeOff, Gab

Bottom 2: Kedebon, Allen

KZ is definitely the frontrunner of the competition. Now that Mark left the X Factor, Daddy's Home might be the one to threaten the crown from her. If her fans would not be as complacent as Mark's fans were, she might bring home the bacon.

I still believe that teeny boppers and gays will go on frenzy to vote for the "good-looking" male contestants so Jeric is surely safe and, TakeOff and Gab might avoid the bottom two spot. Mang Modesto had pulled off another wow performance so I am quite sure he would be safe eventhough he has the least likes in Facebook.

It was not a good week for Allen. As for Kedebon, I do not have any idea how he managed to survive the contest without delivering a great performance. Personality? Maybe.

As how the judges would vote if that would be the bottom two, I am clueless. Would they go for vocal chops or personality?

But then again, the power lies to the public. If we do not partake in the voting process, we would end up being disappointed and shocked just like what had happened last week.

(By the way, I am still hoping that Gerard Salonga would drop by X Factor. Ryan C would be a nice addition too)

Week 2 - Results Night: Surprise, surprise!

The disappointment that I felt upon learning that Mark was part of the bottom two was the same disappointment that I felt after the upset that had happened during the Brazil-Russia Men's Volleyball match. Brazil had it on the bag after winning the first two sets but Russia staged a comeback and won the gold medal. Burr. As the old saying goes, "bilog ang bola" - contests and games alike.

I knew Mark had it on the bag as well - looks, vocal chops. So what went wrong? I seriously do not know. As for TakeOff, after their final disastrous note that surely left a bad taste to the mouths of the viewers, it did not surprise me at all that they were not lucky to avoid the bottom 2.

So here's my review on the last chance performances:

Mark Mabasa - "There's No Easy Way" by James Ingram - This performance proved that the viewers made a wrong move on putting him in the bottom spot. His range was superb, the emotions were clearly depicted and the notes were right on the spot. Rating: A+

TakeOff - "Fall For You" by Secondhand Serenade - After hearing their great harmony that was full of emotions on the first part of the song, I told myself that they were putting up a good fight against the fantastic performance of Mark. However, first impression surely does not last. They went ballistic on the chorus where they oversang the rock part and lost their harmony. Rating: B+

If I were one of the judge, I would surely base my vote on their last chance performance and it was clearly a knockout round in favor of Mark. But Charice played it safe and instead of relying to the performance, proceeded to the "deadlock". I thought it would be payback time for Charice's team after Gary cast the decisive vote and chose to eliminate Jerianne over Joan last week. But that did not happen. Seniority? Maybe.

But it was not only Charice who played it safe last night. Sadly, Mark's fans were also complacent. Like how Jessica Sanchez was almost booted out after her stellar performance of Stuttering, the fans did not bother to vote presuming that many people would panic to grab their phones after hearing a great rendition of Gotta Get You Into My Life.

My jaw dropped after learning that TakeOff edged Mark by a matter of 0.18% of votes (3.90-3.72) hence, eliminating Mark on the early stage of the competition.  

Surprise, surprise! Was it staged? I don't think so. A third party tabulator is always there to verify the results. Was it because Mark is rumored gay that's why voters turned their back? I don't know. But if that would be the case, it would be a disheartening news because Filipinos chose gender preference instead of talent as their bases.

Nevertheless, Mark is a heck of a talented guy. With his looks and talents, given the right break, this guy would surely go far.


Indeed, we have learned a very important thing for this week's competition:
Vote! It can be anybody's game if we do not do our part to vote. And this might sound cliche but please, vote wisely. 

Week 2 - Live Performance Recap: Who Brought 'Life' to their Performance?

For this week's theme, each contestant should sing a song that carries "Life" or "Buhay" in its title. I was still hoping that they can adapt the American Idol themes where they feature the songs of a famous artist for a week. Well, I guess, AI is AI and XF is XF.

This night is a smorgasbord of sorts. There were performances that were surprising; some were 'meh'; some were 'WTF'. You could easily identify which would you like and which would you not. So here's my take on each performance:

Joan Da - "Gusto Ko Lamang Sa Buhay" by Itchyworms - It was a nice way of opening the show, much better than the opener of last week. Nice transformation too! (Though I am still wondering if the bangs were real or fake). However, the performance was plain nice. I am a fan of her unique voice but I was looking forward to the magic that she had brought when she sang Chasing Pavements last week. Also, I caught the moment where she was like counting 5,6,7,8, studying her blocking, when her backup dancers lined up. Rating: B+

Gabriel Maturan - "One Day In Your Life" by Michael Jackson - Any of Michael Jackson's song is a big shoe to fill in and as for Gab's performance, I didn't feel 'that moment' I was waiting for. Also, was it my TV or the show's sound system? I did not understand  the parts that he had to sing softly. The judges loved it but I totally disagree. Let me quote Jimmy Iovine on this (altering the names) 'No Martin. No Pilita. No Gary. No Charice.' LOL. Rating: B-

TakeOff - "Larger Than Life" by Backstreet Boys - For a Boy Band, this is a perfect song for them though I would still be not a big fan of them because of the "corny impression" that most pinoy boy bands gave me. This was the first time that I heard the harmony that I was waiting for last week. However, their vocal ability still could not live at par with those of the other groups. And that last note was WTF! A screechy 'LIIIIFFFFFFEE' that destroyed my eardrums. Rating: D-

Allen Jane Sta. Maria - Bring Me To Life by Evanescence - Displaying that she could sing any song genre was a great move though I desperately waited for the 'rap'. It was the cherry of the ice cream for that song but they removed it. Like, burr. It was a good performance but it was a little weaker compared to last week's. Nonetheless, Allen really has the vocal chops. Rating: A-

Modesto Taran - Habang May Buhay by Wency Cornejo - With this performance, I would not argue with the judges. That standing ovation was well-deserved. I felt goosebumps especially when the choir came out. It was indeed the surprise of the night. I totally believe that he should stick to his strength to win this competition and that would be to sing slow Filipino songs. Rating: A+

Daddy's Home - The Best things in Life are Free by Luther Vandross and Janet Jackson - It was a breathe of fresh air for them to sing a song that has a faster tempo. But, this did not live at par with their last week's superb performance. Vocally, they did good. Rating: A- 

Kedebon Colim - I Live My Life For You by Firehouse - It was the type of performance that you would not remember 5 years from now. It was a complete 'meh'. Also, there were too many flat notes. I still believe that Michael Pangilinan would put up a good fight than him, sadly, Martin chose Kedebon over him. Rating: C

Mark Mabasa - Got To Get You Into My Life by Earth, Wind and Fire/The Beatles - Let me quote Randy Jackson on this: 'This guy can sing the phonebook!' He really is the definition of X Factor. It's like the show was made for him. Rating: A+

KZ Tandingan - For Once In My Life by Stevie Wonder - Two great performances in a row! What more could I ask for? If there would be one person who threatens to steal the X Factor crown from Mark, that would be KZ. She showed the world what she can do. Her songs are the ones that I would play on the car over and over again. I love her voice and her attack on a song. Rating: A+

Jeric Medina - Time of My Life by David Cook - I am a fan of this great song but Jeric did not live with its 'greatness'. It was a smooth sail from the first stanza up to the chorus but when it was on the moment when he had to sing his lungs out for the high notes, he.... failed it. And the judges all seem to agree that it was good. Like, what?? For him to be the 'next Martin' as what Ms. Pilita emphasized, 'marami pa siyang kakaining bigas' Rating: B-

A.K.A. JAM - This Is My Life by Shirley Bassey - The danger of having many talented female singers in a group is the tendency to overshadow each other and this was displayed last night. They lost their harmony when they hit the high notes. Though, each of them sounded great on their individual parts but as a group, it was not as good as last week. Rating: A-

So who would be eliminated tonight? My judgment on this would be based on how Filipinos often vote, not on their performance.

Definitely Safe: Mark, KZ, Jeric

Most Likely Safe: Modesto, Allen, A.K.A. Jam, Daddy's Home

Probably Safe: TakeOff, Gab

Bottom 2: Kedebon, Joan

I totally believe that Jeric and Mark already built their huge fan groups, mostly composed of teeny boppers, females of different age range and gays. So they are surely saved for tonight. KZ still delivered the magic that many people have seen on her viral video of her audition. These three are the frontrunners of this competition.

Joan failed to deliver another magical performance so I am guessing that most people would forget it. TakeOff and Gab might avoid the bottom spot despite their lack-luster performance, thanks to the female viewers again.

As how the judges would vote, I do not know. I cannot comment on that as I am starting to unlike them with their poor comments.

I do not know what the hell is wrong with the judges. No drama. No negative feedback. Are they afraid to lose their careers if they would be too harsh against a contestant? But these contestants need constructive criticisms. Seriously. You cannot expect someone to deliver more if you end up with sugar-coated words. Where is Gerard Salonga when you need him? (Still remember that controversial score in Star In A Million?)