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After Katharine got thru country music week with Kenny Rogers, this week, on our look back of Katharine's journey thru the "American Idol" season. This week, Katharine and the final 8 have their biggest challenge of the season. The music of Queen.
Katharine and the rest of the group were shipped this week about 45 minutes south of Los Angeles, to the Honda Center (formerly The Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim), to meet the group, Queen, whose hits include classics such as: We Are The Champions, Bohemian Rhaposdy among others.
Katharine did "Who Wants To Live Forever". What do you remember of that performance?
I remember that Who Wants To Live Forever was Mandisa's song and when she took the hit (voted off) the week before, Katharine decided to change songs. I thought she sang this one better than some but still not what I consider a peak performance for her. I have a couple of frame captures from the intro video in my PhotoBucket.
Katharine practicing Don't Stop Me Now with Queen:
Katharine talking about changing to Who Wants To Live Forever:
I remember thinking 'Good Job - you nailed it". Simon told her the lighting director made her look great - uh, no idiot....she already looks great without the lighting director....she wore a beautiful red blouse.
I had not heard the song before, after Paula said that only "you, Katharine McPhee" could sing a song that Barbra Streisand or Celine Dion sings - I went back and checked my ipod and sure enough I had this song on it sung by sarah brightman.......seriously, Kat's version and Kat's voice on this song - were better!!
I did think she struggled just a bit on a couple notes - not so much pitchy --- but could have headed into screetchy if she wasn't careful...
Although I spent 2 hrs voting for her - I was much more relaxed because so many of the others were horrible that night....I remember thinking Kellie (bohemian rhapsoday) did a really good job (especially after Constatine's performance the year before) and so did Chris (as usual).....I actually thought Taylor's performance was really weak and for a moment thought he might go home....but it was Bucky....
I love this performance! The presentation with the lighting and everything, very broadway. The vocal was amazing! It sounded like she shouted a bit on the two high notes, but other than that it was flawless! Definitely one of my favs.
Lots of screen caps here: >>Link<<
HQ streaming video: http://stage6.divx.com/user/Bigshady/video/1138677/Katharine-McPhee-Who-Wants-To-Live-Forever Youtube:
I know the vocals weren't perfect on this one but...just the whole thing. The lights, the look, the way Kat worked the camera with her facial expressions. And then that final note when he voice "cracks" (my term). "Who waits forever......anywaayayyayayyyyyy"
Loved this. And yeah, "It was almost the moment". You forget about all the praise the judges gave Katharine sometimes because all you remember is the garbage that started IHN night. Simon never went to what he said about Melinda last night "You give us nothing to criticize" but he may as well from all his glowing comments to this point.
I think people in general forgot how brilliant Kat was in the first half of the competition. In some ways she gets hurt by her looks when it comes to appreciating her singing ability. And her look helps her more than it hurts but you think people would look at Lakisha & Melinda differently if they looked like Haley? It was almost like it was difficult for some people to believe Katharine can sing like she does because she's so amazingly beautiful. And she didn't even flaunt it about 90% of the time!
She barely even let the legs out. Let's see...a little on Top 20 Night. A little bit for CROCS. Hello world, meet my luscious body on "I Have Nothing" night. A little for AAO (T5). A little for CHFIL. A little for IBICF. And then she went pretty sexy for AGNBTB with the boots and short skirt (prelude to an album cover). Then MD at the finale somewhat.
I think the only times you can say she "went for sexy" was I Have Nothing & Ain't Got Nothin' But The Blues. Haley's pulling it out every week now because she knows she has to. Katharine never did even if she got accused of things with the yellow dress.
Well and don't forget Grand Finale night but the competition was over then.
Just a side note...there's something about reading what was done in these things that's funny to me. You don't understand how hard it was to get all of Randy's "Yo's" down correctly. And then when the judges would talk over each other. Sigh. At least I have a place for these now. Hope you guys like them. I'm glad we're doing this. It's good to be reminded each week what we were looking forward to seeing. Even when Katharine wasn't perfect she was still....well, Katharine. And that was good enough for me. Wow, that was sappy.
OK then...and I'm not sure we've had the moment this year either. As much as I do enjoy Jordin & Blake. And I think Melinda's really good. I guess Jordin came close with "I Who Have Nothing". I think that was the best so far. Don't think we've seen the moment they'll be using in next year's commercials yet. We don't have the SOTR moment.
Side question...what was Taylor's moment last year? Purple jacket at the finale performance? I'll admit that was pretty good. And it did make Kat's BHATCT look a little tame. You almost wish Kat could have done Think at the finale (but it got hijacked in the previous week due to AI Compliation promotion). Not that it would have mattered. Taylor was going to win no matter what but...would have been more fun.
"It wasn't her fault at all...and it's all because she had to sing the song so many times. Any professional singer's voice would sound just as strained (or worse) after singing 'WWTLF' three times within a couple of hours. "
I disagree. You know I think that Kat has an amazing voice, in fact I would go so far as to say that she has one of the best voices in modern pop music. However, it was very inconsistent on Idol, and she had a few weak vocals on Idol e.g. Who Wants to Live Forever, My Destiny etc. I think the enormity of the situation got to her and she became very nervous at times, which resulted in her being off-key. Sometimes we gotta just accept that on the night it didn't go to plan.
A 'true' singer, someone of Kat's calibre could get up and sing that song three times in one day. It's all about singing correctly and wisely, and I'm sure Momma McPhee's coaching will have taught her all she needed to know.
Yes, yes it was.