I will start with my never ending surprise when a singer that I know to be excellent, beautiful, and quite capable, is auditioning for American Idol and doesn’t get past the first set of producers. This happened again recently, when Dayna Kovicic went to New Orleans AND Austin, Texas to audition and nothing happened. This girl is as beautiful as Brooke Shields and has talent to spare.

I asked her who was going through? She said some people in costumes and some people who were seemingly normal. She had no expectations because we had talked about the process and I was familiar with other singers I knew to be great singers who also didn’t make the cut. She chalked it up to experience and enjoyed the ride. I was a little more upset and confused. What, I thought, do they want?

Cut to a few weeks later, my student Nancy is planning on auditioning in San Francisco. Nancy is a teenager, and only recently started with me, and I felt she wasn’t quite ready. I mean, once you get there, If you get there, the competition gets very intense and you need to be a great singer, not just good. That was the problem last season, it was filled with “good” not great singers. The ratings went down, and it lost a lot of it’s magic. There was no one to root for.

So, Nancy wants to do this and won’t wait til next year. Now we picked a great song that would be easy for her and showed her personality. Stupid Cupid by Connie Francis and more recently Mandy Moore. we worked hard on the song and I asked her to cut off the notes and clip them to make it authentic and 50′s. You see Nancy has a high Beehive hairdo, and even to lessons wears stilletto’s and her hair high, with cute little dress”s. Nancy would, I know get their attention. But I wanted her to also be able to be able to keep their attention once they saw her.  She always wears eyeliner and red lipstick, that IS who she is. She is what the show is about at the beginning when they find characters in line. But she is for real, and I did not want them to make fun of her or hurt her feelings.

Nancy called me from the first day,“She was handed a green sticker from a man who told her to wear it when she went to sing.” Nancy knew then, when no one else had a green sticker, she was probably juiced in. She accepted that and was going to sing great to make sure she stayed in the game. She and the two other people with her were rejected. Nancy was crying and going to get her mom when the man ran after her and said “Hey, where are you going?”

She told him she was rejected and he said “Oh no,” took her by the arm and went back to the table where she sang, and was put through. Now she was happy, she went through the second round of judges and flew home to Vegas , told to come back 2 days later for a third audition.

The third audition was the one where they told her she just wasn’t strong enough, and it was a tough competition. She came home happy, knowing she did the best she could, and knowing that her “Look” got her through the first round.

I am happy that she was happy. They also had her on camera in line and the cameraman did photograph her and ask about her hair. There is a chance she will be on TV from this interview.  I think Nancy has “it” and will be fine, and this experience was great for her.

American Idol has give us a few blessings,  Carrie, Kelly, Daughtry, Jennifer, to mention a few. So this is a recent complaint about the last 2 years. Before that I believe they were on track.

As far as America’s Got Talent Las Vegan contestant, Michael Grimm, is in the finals and deserves to be. He comes across very well, and having seen him live here in Vegas, I am a big fan. That show is also a circus. A singer going against a dance troupe going against a fire eater going against a duo and on and on! I just don’t get it.

Bring back Star Search, or anything that brought us real talent. Leanne Rhinnes came from star Search, Brad Garrett also. I just am so tired of seeing  people telling people how great they are, and then they get a million dollars for being mediocre. Here we go with another season of millions of singers trying to make it in the business we call Show.

Listen, it isn’t all it’s made out to be. It can be a real drag, hence Fantasia!!!   Have a back up plan, Take it from me!

Jessica Marciel
Las Vegas Vocal Training

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Ellen DeGeneres is gone, i understand, having two shows must have been gruelling. Also, she was too nice to want to hurt anyone”s feelings.

Why American Idol has let Kara DioGuardi go is a mystery? Perhaps she wanted Simon Cowell’s paycheck. We are left with on Randy Jackson. One is a lonely number indeed. Should it be Howard Stern? Were they pulling our leg?  They postponed the big press conference so we are left in the dark. All I know is, one of my best students auditioned and she is breath taking and sings well and she didn’t get through.

They do that all the time. I know many people who are truly good almost great singers that have not made the cut. Guess the pants down guy was more important than real talent. I predict “X Factor“ is going to wipe the stage away from Idol.  They lost what they were about. Finding true talent.  They want a sob story and a clown to tell it.

if they were smart, the new American Idol judges should be someone IN the music industry. Not an actor, spokesmodel, or dancer who lip-synced her way through life.  Not an easy task, but not impossible. I think  they underestimate our intelligence. Michael tyler, a contender, is not really a singer. Give us, Dolly Parton, Shania Twain, Cyndi Lauper, I think Whitney needs a job!

I don’t know about you, but last year was painful and not fun to watch. the summer tour was NOT the economy. People find the money to see concerts. Music is a priority in an economic meltdown. it lifts the spirits. people didn’t go because it was weak.

For the sake of millions of wannabe’s out there who need a venue to get ahead, i hope idol gets it together and gets us back on track to love it again. I for one, will be blogging X Factor and probably have a lot to say about each week, having peeked at the UK version. So, Idol producers, You are the ones who should go, bring back Kara and get Lyle lovitt, and let’s get this party started!

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OK, get ready, July 17th in Nashville, and August 19th in San Fransico, are the two locations that stand out. Los Angeles is on the map, but no date. The minimum age has been lowered the age to 15. Thank you Justin Bieber.

So, if you have procrastinated about WHAT you will audition with, How you will handle it, or if you will do it online, it is time to get on it.

Every year  I get last minute singers who want a two week crash course in audition expertise. I’m not going to tell you that you should have been coming to me for months now, but , some people have thought of it, and they are ready.

Between America’s Got Talent, The X Factor (in 2011), American Idol, and finally YouTube, you have the venues and the visability to get noticed. So don’t just stand there, or, if you are sitting, go on, Get on You Tube, I tunes, figure it out. What singers songs makes you a better you? What shows off your range and your personality. what will dazzle them?

Number one rule of advice: Video yourself. look at how they will see you. Get others to chime in on how you are doing. No, not mom and dad, someone objective. So, if you don’t go to a pro for help and plan on a do it yourself crash course, your time is NOW!  See you  in Hollywood, don”t sign anything with anyone, that town will swallow you whole.

Jessica Marciel
Las Vegas Vocal Training

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I know more people who have been to a Daughtry concert, then a Carrie, or Kelly, Ruben, or Fantasia one. It doesn’t matter who wins next week. The final 10 or 12 have a better shot than the winner.

Why? Because the winner is under contract and has to record what they tell them, and won’t make a dime until the CD is released, and touring. OK, they probably give an advance for living expenses. The big number they can make for the CD,, drum roll,,,,,,, 100,000$ That is it.  That is not a lot of money. Not for being an American Idol!

The final 12 will make some money on the Ford commercials, and the short summer tour. Then they are on their own. The lucky ones, probably, Mike Lynch, and perhaps Casey, will be recording. No One will be as big as Adam Lambert.  So, Casey went home tonight, and that is right. He didn’t deserve to be in the finals. But I’m not buying those CD’s. I am buying the good stuff. There are enough little girls who will buy Casey‘s CD’s. That is our freedom as a nation, someone for everyone.

I am hoping that next season is more exciting, more surprising, and that whoever replaces Simon will be someone who helps and advices. I wish the Producers would change and let the voice coach’s actually HELP the contestants and not tie their hands.

I am guessing this will be a very close race next week. Lee has closed in on Crystal big time, and I am not sure she could emotionally handle winning. My guess is she is missing her child very much. She seems fragile to me. She reminds me of Janis Joplin, a small, talented, shy little girl, to whom fame came on blasting and blaring. I met Janis backstage at HAIR, when I was just 18.  She was a regular girl. Small and sweet, and much prettier than her pictures.  Whoever it will be next week, I will be very very busy getting people ready for the auditions coming soon to a town kind of near you. It is a busy crazy time for me, and I will start my vitamins tomorrow!

Jessica Marciel
Las Vegas Vocal Training

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The facts are in, Mike and Crystal were in the bottom two. These are the strongest singers in the competition. This is a telling verdict indeed. This is what happens.  The demographic is between 10 and 17-year olds. These are the oners who text and call over and over again. This is why Casey is still in the race.  This is why  people bought Hannah Montana for so many years and are growing up with Miley Cyrus and sticking by her.

It is a sad thing  when being just all right is good enough to become a big star and sell out concerts. I still believe that the stongest ones will out sell the winner. Example: Daughtry, he didn’t win, but he is the 3rd best selling Idol there is. Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson are the two top selling  Idols and they have  enormous talent.

It isn’t the winner who gets the long career, winning is a short step to opportunity, and a chance that few get. But the national exposure you get from being on this show can make or break you. Be ready when you audition to knock America’s socks off.

Fantasia was on the show tonight, not very impressive, has not done a thing for three years, and she was a winner. look at Jordin Sparks, she is very successful. She is amazing and I love her songs.

I won’t be sad and I am not too surprised about Mike leaving.  People like myself were not burning up the phone lines or texting. Sorry Mike, but you  will be fine. I will be expecting great things from you.

Jessica Marciel
Las Vegas Vocal Training

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First of all Kara looks good tonight with no bling. Second, Jamie Foxx will be fun.

I liked Mike singing the theme song from “Free Willy”. The judges were jerks. Crystal and Lee are dueting, how exciting, not. Lee really lost me with Seals, “Kiss from a Rose” He needs to redeem himself. Lee and Crystal did “Falling Slowly” from “Once”, never heard of it. Kris Allen did it last year, never heard of it then either.

The judges just can’t seem to have anything original to say. The same old stuff every week.

Casey did “Mrs. Robinson” and it was OK. Did he shave? he looks different. Isn’t it time for him to go?

This season is so boring. There isn’t a great singer among them. They called Lee and Crystal great singers, I think they are drinking too much Red Bull. The country is drinking too much something to be still voting. The one thing I agree with Simon on the song choices tonight are just crazy bad. Songs from “Caddyshack”??? Pulleeze.

If Mike doesn’t win, then I give up. He is the only hope of having true success.

So far, everyone but Mike should go home. The only good thing about tonight is that Glee is on next. If I am not bolding the names tonight, it’s because I’m having bold issues with the laptop. I just want to hear the great singers on Glee and find out who goes home tomorrow.

Will I be voting? Umm don’t think so. Come-on Glee is on!!

Jessica Marciel
Las Vegas Vocal Training

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