earsucker

Lakisha Jones performed in Lansing, Michigan on June 11, 2007 much to the delight of her fans. She belted out “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going” and “God Bless The Child” in front of her audience that day.

She made the “Idol” semifinals in February, got an on-camera kiss from sometimes-churlish “Idol” judge Simon Cowell and remained in the running until May 9, when she was outpolled by Melinda Doolittle, Blake Lewis and eventual winner Jordin Sparks.

Jones will participate in the “American Idol” tour this summer. She was to leave Tuesday for rehearsals in Los Angeles.

Michigan is proud of Jones, Granholm told the crowd. The governor also said she had voted for Jones.

Go Kiki, looking forward to that record. You can do it!

I read this over at CNN and was kinda baffled:

She was an “amazing talent,” a young singer with a wonderful voice who wrote beautiful songs. But she was no beauty, plus flat-chested and overweight to boot.

Remembering the aspiring star, music executive Jody Gerson still feels terrible about thinking: “She’s never going to get signed, even though she’s fabulous.”

They compared the two great wonders that American Idol ousted, Lakisha Jones and Melinda Doolittle, to the two remaining contestants, Blake Lewis and Jordin Sparks. Saying that Lakisha and Melinda were the two real talents of the show was indeed an understatement. Their talent alone should’ve been enough to end them up in the final two, but unfortunately, it appears that their look is not what the music industry is looking for.

I pride myself on oncovering some real talent, here and there, for my own amusement. I don’t care if you’re fat, skinny, or have a third arm. If you have talent, then you’re going to be on my Ipod.

That’s why when Melinda or Lakisha come out with a CD, I’ll be jumping on that. So what if one was compared to Shrek and the other one is picked on for having a gap in her teeth. So what if they don’t fit the industry standard of what’s hot. They fit into my idea of what a real singing competition should be, and that’s talent. I closed my eyes and listened to the entertainers on that stage while they sang their hearts out, and that’s what America should do, too.

Suck it, Avril.

Via The Shreveport Times, we’ve learned that Lakisha Jones will continue to be a good mom and a talented singer:

Besides, finishing fourth isn’t that bad. “All I can say is, ‘Look at Chris Daughtry,’” Jones said, referring to the singer who finished No. 4 last year, then jumped to No. 1 on the Billboard charts.

For now, she’ll stay in Los Angeles and go on the “American Idol” tour. That’s in the summertime, so her mother (a teacher) and daughter will come along.

From there she hopes to do a record of an undetermined genre. “I want it to be sassy and soulful.”

I’m sure whatever Lakisha Jones does will be classy and soulful. She has an amazing singing talent and she proved it when she sang the Dreamgirls song, “And I’m telling you”. If she can continue to channel Jennifer Hudson, she’d be an even bigger star than she is now. I was rooting for Lakisha since she got on Idol and wowed us every week. That kind of singing is so good that it just gives you chills. You can’t buy that kind of soul.

Go KiKi, we’re still rooting for you. Sell records like Chris Daughtry, we know you have it in you.

The top three on American Idol, Blake Lewis, Melinda Doolittle, and Jordin Sparks all have one thing in common: they are already winners. This season of American Idol has already made household names out of Sanjaya Malakar and Lakisha Jones, imagine if they would’ve made it further. I don’t think Sanjaya could’ve made it further, that was a time when America said enough is enough. Lakisha Jones will undoubtedly have a record deal soon, that girl can sing.

I’m not sure how the next show will play out, but I do have a guess: Jordin Sparks isn’t going anywhere. I’m thinking that unless Blake Lewis pulls something out of the sky and sings his heart out (minus the beatboxing), he’s a goner.

It’s the year for a woman to win American Idol, plain and simple. My money is on Jordin, but Melinda may surprise all of us.

Only time will tell.

Via the Baltimore Sun:

For American Idol’s Lakisha Jones, the past four months – a grueling and sublime ride as a standout on the country’s most popular television show – comes down to a set of ordinary house keys.

Fresh from her elimination the night before, the 27-year-old singer was asked by reporters yesterday whether she was planning any splurges in light of her newfound fame.

“I’m going to buy a new home for me and my daughter,” the former Millersville bank teller said during a conference call. “I don’t ever want to rent again. The house doesn’t even have to have anything in it. I just can’t wait to get the keys and open the front door and let my baby run through it.”

During the 20-minute interview, Jones struggled to speak through the hoarseness that afflicted her performances Tuesday.

“I knew on Tuesday that I was hoarse, and I tried to sing past it,” Jones said. “When you’re on American Idol, you can’t just say, ‘I can’t sing this week.’”

Throughout the interview, Jones sounded variously philosophical, tired, overwhelmed and satisfied. Idol, of course, is the most-watched show on television, a show on which each contestant attracts a passionately devoted cadre of viewers.

“I need to work on my breath control,” she said. “As far as phrasing goes, I think I have that down. I also probably need to work on song selection.”

Not that the Idol experience didn’t have its lighter moments. On a previous broadcast, Jones and acerbic judge Simon Cowell famously smooched for the cameras.

Asked to rate Cowell as a kisser, Jones said, “He is a good kisser, and I would do it again. His lips were really soft and thin.”

She added that Cowell offered words of encouragement after she learned that she had finished fourth.

“Simon told me that he was really proud of me and that I am going to have a successful career,” she said.

I rooted for her, too. I, too, think Ms. Jones will have a successful career ahead of her. She has a lot of talent! Go KiKi!

Oh yes, there’s life after American Idol, just ask Sanjaya Malakar. Newly ousted singer, Lakisha Jones, plans to go on Jay Leno tonight to discuss Idol. She also has other talk shows to keep her busy, per the Detroit News:

She will appear on “Live With Regis and Kelly” and “Ellen” on Monday, NBC’s “Today” show on Tuesday and VH1′s “Best Week Ever” May 18

Via RealityTVWorld, Lakisha had this to say:
Jones commented she “wouldn’t have sung” either “Run to Me” or “Staying Alive” if she could do it all over again.

“It actually was just the style of music was out of my comfort zone. It was a very difficult genre of music for me to sing. So I had some times with it, especially the Bee Gees songs. And I knew last night that those weren’t the best songs, but I did the best with what I was given. I went out there every week and gave it my all,” she said. “Everybody looks forward to me doing the big song, and when you’re given those types of genres of music, it doesn’t necesarily have those types of songs in country or rock. I’m a ballad singer… I love ballads. I like to be me.”

She also said that she knew on Tuesday that she was going to be voted off.

Here is your Top Three, America!

We are now left with beatboxing Blake Lewis, quiet and shy Melinda Doolittle, or surprise may-be winner, Jordin Sparks.
Now that Lakisha Jones has been ousted from the show, the top three are left to strut their stuff and prove to us and the judges, that they have what it takes to become the next American Idol.

So, we will see what next week holds for us….and did I mention that Barry Gibb sucked tonight?!?? Oh yeah, I did.

On tonight’s show, the bottom two came down to Blake Lewis and Lakisha Jones. I guess Simon called it when he said that Lakisha was going to get voted off. This bites, she was better than Blake, but they must keep their teenage girl audience or try to even up the ratio of girls to guys.

Oh yeah, and Barry Gibb sucked tonight, too.

In case you missed it, like I did, here is a recap of the action happening on last night’s Bee Gees version of American Idol:

Here’s Blake Lewis doing “This is where I came in”. He put his little beatbx spin on it, but I’ve never heard of this song before.

And here’s “You should be dancing” done by Blake Lewis:

Next is Melinda Doolittle doing her rendition of “How can you mend a broken heart”. Great stuff, as usual. Melinda is very talented and I don’t foresee her going home tonight.

Also, here’s Ms. Doolittle doing, “Love you inside & out”:

Great job, Melinda!

Up for your picking apart next, is Lakisha Jones, firstly doing, “Run to me”:

And, “Stayin’ Alive:

I’m boppin’ to that one, even though she didn’t do such a hot job.

And lastly, Jordin Sparks was on the scene, with “Woman in love”:

Pitchy and drab, just my two cents.

And again, Ms. Sparks, with “To love somebody”:

American Idol’s top four, Blake Lewis, Lakisha Jones, Melinda Doolittle, and Jordin Sparks are indeed a force to be reckoned with this season. Following last week’s ousting of Chris Richardson and Phil Stacey, America is left with a choice to make, who doesn’t make it to the top three. Certain websites have me thinking that Jordin Sparks will go all the way, primarily because she hasn’t really had too many messups and the judges drool over almost everyone of her performances.

Blake Lewis keeps it in step with his beatbox performances and shows the public just what it wants to see: a young generation bringing the groove back to some old classics, in his own way.

Melinda Doolittle is still a bit shy about the responses to her performances and keeps showing us that she is a performer. If American Idol doesn’t crown her the winner, I’m sure this diva will still get a record deal.

And last, but definitely not least, is Lakisha Jones. She is, unfortunately, Votefortheworst’s new favorite. I’d encourage everyone to call in and vote for Lakisha, not because she’s the worst, but this girl has talent.

It’s a hard choice to make, but it seems that America is following Simon’s advice and voting out whoever he says is horrible. Look what happened to Sanjaya, Simon finally cut out the crap and thought, this kid has to go, it’s time to get serious already.

We shall see what happens tomorrow night.

Woot. Go KiKi. This was the perfect track for her. And finally, we have a mentor that has an opinion. Bon Jovi rocks.

Enjoy!

First up on this special episode of American Idol, Ryan Seacrest and Simon Cowell travel to Africa to learn of the deplorable conditions of living in such poverty. Ryan looks like he could use a shave and Simon looks sad and emotional, for once.

To lead off the competition tonight is Chris Richardson singing, “Change the world” by Eric Clapton.

I wasn’t too fond of this version of the song. I’m a fan of Clapton’s music and this didn’t come close for me. The judges seemed to eat it up, but I don’t think so!

The judges visited Louisiana, Kentucky, Chinle, and Atlanta, to see poverty in our own nation.
Next up is Melinda Doolittle singing Faith Hill’s song, “There will come a day”.

Very nicely done, I like her vocals. She is going to be hard to beat this season.

Blake Lewis is up next to answer a viewer’s question as to what his biggest sacrifice, which is his family. He sings John Lennon’s “Imagine”. The song lends itself to blandness and I don’t think it was a good song choice for Blake.

Next up is Lakisha Jones, singing Fantasia Barrino’s “I believe”.

It was a little rough in the beginning and somewhat pitchy, but I don’t see this as a real competition if Lakisha goes before Chris Richardson.

Up next is Votefortheworst’s choice, Phil Stacey. He is asked what he misses most about home, to which he answers, his babies. He sing’s Garth Brooks’ “The change”.

I think he butchered it, just my two cents, though.

Finally and last, but not least is Jordin Sparks singing “You’ll never walk alone”.

I wasn’t as impressed as I normally would be with her singing. It seemed to me that she was shouting a bit and it sounded fake. I disagree with the judges on this one, too.

Woot! Finally, America has spoken, and Sanjaya Malakar has been voted off of the show! Finally!

With his crappy rendition of Bonnie Raitt’s “Something to talk about”, he found himself in the bottom two with Lakisha Jones. I just knew that they couldn’t kick Lakisha off of the show.

Yay! Now we can have a real American Idol and people won’t be in droves to turn off Fox when American Idol is on.

Starting off last night was Melinda Doolittle singing “Sway”. Very good performance. She picked on Simon saying that he was looking for something bad to say, when he said that she very cabaret. I disagree, this was a great performance.

Next up was Lakisha Jones doing “Conga”. I was singing at home along with this tune. She definitely pulled this song off and I don’t think it was a safe song selection at all.

Chris Richardson was up next doing his butchering of “Smooth” by Santana & Rob Thomas. Good lord, this guy was pitchy and this was the Sanjaya of suck. Covering this track made me cover my ears. Somewhere Rob Thomas is choking.

Haley Scarnato was up after that with her rendition of “Turn The Beat Around”. She looked like she was having a fun time, but no one noticed besides Simon, that she killed it.

Phil Stacey was up doing his version of “Maria, Maria” by Carlos Santana. There were parts of this song that I liked, but for the most part, he murdered it.

Jordin Sparks covered “The Rhythm Is Going To Get You”. She did a wonderful job and showed all of the enthusiasm a seventeen year old should have. She had a great time and did a great job. She’s not going anywhere.

Blake Lewis then did Mark Anthony’s “I Need To Know”. Very good choice of song and he performed it nicely.

Sanjaya Malakar did “Besame Mucho” last night and did half-way decent. I’ve never heard the original on this one, but it didn’t 100% suck. Simon agreed, stating that it “wasn’t horrible”.

The verdict and my prediction:
The bottom three will consist of Haley Scarnato, Phil Stacey, and Chris Richardson. I could be wrong on the Chris Richardson thing, but I really thought he pulled a Sanjaya last night. I don’t know what the judges were raving about.

Who’s getting the boot? My prediction is Haley Scarnato. We will have to watch tonight to know for sure. She should’ve known better not to tear up on stage, though.

Update: I was right!

I haven’t been a really big fan of American Idol, until maybe recently. This news is just crazy.

Via ABC News:

In the lawsuit, Olmos says the incident started when Vazquez “stared lasciviously, smiled lasciviously … and on one occasion followed him into a bathroom.”

The lawsuit alleges Vazquez “started to rub his genitals over his pants.” It also says Olmos opened the stall door and saw Vazquez standing in front of him with his pants down, masturbating.

The document says Vazquez pushed Olmos “further into the stall and continued masturbating with one hand while trying to pull down Olmos’ pants with another hand.”

Olmos says Vazquez touched his chest and stomach underneath his shirt, and touched his genitals as Vazquez “attempted to unzip” Olmos’ pants. Vazquez then allegedly asked Olmos whether he wanted oral sex.

In the lawsuit, Olmos says that as he “managed to get out of the stall, and attempted to leave the bathroom,” Vazquez grabbed his arm to stop him and continued to call Olmos to come back as Vazquez stayed in the bathroom with his pants down.

I’ve never seen Idol up until this year, but from the pictures I’ve seen floating around on the internet, this Vazquez guy doesn’t look as if he is too overpowering, or even strong. So, it looks to me as if Guy A. smiles at Guy B, with an ulterior motive and follows Guy B. into the bathroom. Guy B. opens the stall door where Guy A. is masturbating and asks if Guy B. wants oral sex. Thus, Guy A. gets sued because he was on TV and maybe he has some cash in a piggy bank somewhere? (Not that I’m condoning sexual harassment by any means, but if some guy gives you that all-knowing smile and follows you into a bathroom, would you:

• A. Beat the crap out of him?
• B. Beat the crap out of him?
• or C. Don’t leave asap and file a lawsuit later?

Something reeks about this story and we’ve yet to see what that is, but back to the REAL AI NEWS: Lakisha Jones has this contest in the bag. That’s my formal prediction, but we will wait and see.