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Now, that Katharine McPhee made the top 12 of "American Idol", we begin her 11 week run thru the finals at the Kodak Theater last year.
This week, the top 12 got to do the music of Stevie Wonder. We had to wait an almost hour and a half to Katharine perform on the larger "American Idol" stage.
This is how Ryan introduced Katharine's first performance: "And cue host. Two weeks ago, Katharine struggled with the Stevie Wonder song, "All Is Fair In Love", Let's see what she does with "Until You Come Back To Me". Here is Katharine McPhee.
What do you all remember of that performance?
An absolutely amazing performance. IMHO as good a performance as Idol had ever seen up to that point in it's 5 year run. If there were still any doubts as to who the star of the show was, that pretty much answered those questions.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=eSDntUh__Ig
This wasn't Katharine best look. I mean there were some positives (as shown in that picture...I think this was our introduction to "the beauty mark" we've grown to know and love ) but um, I know my first impressions when she walked on stage in that dress at the beginning of the show was, "What in the world are you wearing, Katharine?" And the makeup was all wrong but she sang the song wonderfully. She truly established herself as one of the top people to contend with this night (on the big stage...she did it with SIFFY & Think on the smaller one). And she kept on rolling the next week with CROCS.
Here's the text for this performance. I think I should do this since these seemingly aren't going to see the light of day elsewhere anymore....might as well put them to some use.
KATHARINE’S TOP 12 PERFORMANCE (STEVIE WONDER WEEK)
Song: “Until You Come Back To Me”
Performed: March 14, 2006
Original Performer: Aretha Franklin & Stevie Wonder (separately)
Written By: Morris Broadnax, Clarence Paul and Stevie Wonder
Year: 1967 (written), 1976 (released by Wonder), 1974 (released by Franklin)
PRE-PERFORMANCE
Ryan: Welcome back to American Idol, Stevie Wonder supplying the music tonight. Katharine McPhee is going to do the next song.
(Katharine’s intro clip)
Katharine: Out of anyone in the music industry if someone was to ask me who I’d like to work with I would automatically say Stevie Wonder without skipping a beat.
(clip of all 12 Idols singing “My Cherie Amour” with Stevie Wonder watching)
Katharine: When Stevie Wonder walked in the room, I think I just was in awe. I looked around me and everybody else was filled with tears and it was just like a really powerful intimate moment that we were all able to share with each other.
Katharine (to Stevie, shaking his hand): I’m Katharine.
Stevie: A pleasure to meet you.
Katharine: Originally we I found out we were doing Stevie Wonder week, my heart kind of sunk (laughs) because I’ve already attempted a Stevie Wonder song and it didn’t go over so well.
Stevie: What are you going to sing?
Katharine: I’m going to sing “Until You Come Back To Me”.
Katharine (singing): “I’m gonna rap on your door, tap on your window pane.”
Stevie: She has a lot of potential. I don’t think that Aretha would feel bad with her singing “Until You Come Back To Me”. I know Stevie wouldn’t mind.
Katharine: Hopefully this week, I did a better job with picking a Stevie song.
Ryan: Cue the host. Fingers crossed for better luck the second time around. Here she is with “Until You Come Back To Me”. Please welcome the one and only Katharine McPhee!
KATHARINE’S LYRICS
Though you don't call anymore I sit and wait in vain I guess I'll rap on your door (your door) Tap on your window pane (tap on your window pane) I want to tell you baby The changes I've been going through Missing you Listen you Until you come back to me That's what I'm gonna do Living for you my dear Is like living in a world of constant fear Hear my plea, I've got to make you see That our love is dying
Oh oh oh oh
Although your phone you ignore Somehow I must, somehow I must, somehow I must explain I'm guess I’ll rap on your door (your door) Tap on your, your window pane (tap on your window pane) I'm gonna count by your steps Until I get through to you I've got to change your view baby Until you come back to me That's what I'm gonna do yeah
POST-PERFORMANCE
Randy: Wow, so check it out. Alright, the Katharine McPhee that I fell in love when we saw you in the auditions. The first time we met you, America she’s back tonight and she’s off the chain! That was hot! We got a hot one tonight! That was unbelievable. I loved everything about it. Dude, you are the bomb!
Katharine: Thank you (big smile).
Paula: There’s something about your voice that just pierces through the heart. It really does and from the start when you open up your mouth…man oh man, tonight was your best performance ever.
Randy: Yeah, man.
(Katharine fixes hair, big smile)
Simon: Katharine, you’re good.
(Katharine enormous smile)
Simon: You know, you know, you know who you are beginning to remind me of. I remember the first time we saw Kelly Clarkson…
Randy: Uh oh, here we go.
Katharine: Oh my God!
Simon: At this stage in the competition and there’s something about you that’s reminding me, vocally, of Kelly Clarkson.
Katharine: Thank you.
Ryan: Katharine McPhee. You’re good, you know! Congratulations.
Katharine: Thank you. I (giggle), I, I broke my heels today.
Ryan: You did?
Katharine: It was right at the dress rehearsal, so I had to get new shoes and they were so nice to go get me new shoes. So I’ve had a lot of malfunctions in my outfit.
Ryan: The more famous you get out here, the nicer people are.
Katharine: So nice.
Ryan: They’re your true friends! How have you prepared differently for tonight’s show?
Katharine: Uh, I don’t know. I just, like I was really, really nervous and my dress rehearsal wasn’t the way I wanted it to go but I don’t know, I just, I don’t know. I don’t know.
Ryan: That’s alright. You don’t have to have the answers if you sing well. Vote for Katharine by dialing 1-866-IDOLS-09, 1-866-436-5709. You’re waving at Lance Bass over there, he’s watching you. Or you can text the word vote to 5709, voting at the end of the show.
(Katharine attempts to hold up nine fingers and keep hold of the microphone at the same time. She looks very goofy doing it).
(Ryan wraps up Katharine and sends show to commercial).