As I write this column, the whole world already knows the winner of Season 11 of American Idol.
I was not a regular viewer of this show, mainly because of what I feel is the ambiguous method being employed by the three judges — Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez and, most especially, Randy Jackson — in appreciating each contestant’s ability to belt out notes. And of course, American Idol is more of a popularity contest than a singing competition.
I had to accede to the demands of the majority of my readers who have asked me to share my thoughts about Jessica Sanchez. “Is she the real deal?” they want to know. I started watching Idol when the contestants were trimmed down to seven. Instantly, I was drawn to Jessica, not just because she is half-Filipino, but because in all honesty I believe she is the only contestant who’s got the technical mastery of the art of singing. What will strike most people instantly is her wide vocal range, a rarity for her age.
I saw and was convinced that she’s also coachable and can easily learn any song that she is handed. Such a skill and attitude is hardly seen in most artists who are known to have egos bigger than their talents. I just shrugged it off when Jessica was nearly eliminated because that is how this contest goes. But the judges — doing the only commendable and most sensible thing they have ever done — used their only “save” of the season to give Jessica the chance to show more of the stuff she’s made of. No doubt about it: for a pint-sized 16-year-old, Jessica has a colossal musical talent and a fantastic voice!
That’s why I growled with disapproval when Jackson put a damper on Jessica’s explosive rendition of Proud Mary when he unfairly compared her version to that of Tina Turner’s.
Let me put it this way: If Tina and Jessica were cars; the former is of the Oldsmobile mold which packs a wallop of combustible energy; while the latter is of the direct injection and modern aerodynamic type which can give out the same amount of power with only a nimble touch on the accelerator. And yes, both easily cruise at more than 100 mph! If you’re asked to appreciate and judge a song rendition, there’s no point in pitting the original against the cover version. In my opinion, the judging should be based on how the contestant appreciates and interprets the song using his/her own style.
But being an Idol takes more than having a flawless and enticing voice. It’s all about the votes. Luckily for Jessica, considering the Filipino and Mexican communities rallying behind her and especially now that American Idol also allows online voting on Facebook (think millions of Filipinos logging on for 50 votes each), her fan base has carried her through to the finale.
From the week the Top 7 performed, when Jessica was almost eliminated, up to the week of the Top 3, I felt that Jessica had already won over Joshua Ledet and Phillip Phillips. Each time I watched, wearing my “audiophile hat,” I would close my eyes, and do some critical listening, paying attention to mid-range purity, presence, visceral impact, rhythm and pace, among other listening tools I have cultivated over the years. After the end of each episode I reviewed via YouTube Jessica’s performance and evaluated it against those of Joshua’s and Phillip’s. I also sought the observations of other audiophiles.
If I were to measure the Top 3 finalists’ voices using an oscilloscope, the male contenders would most probably have peaks and valleys, while Jessica’s would be a pure sine wave. I find the men’s voices too rough at the edges and not at all pleasing to the ears. Jessica uses more of the power of her lungs; Joshua and Phillip tend to scrape their respective throats to weave notes into a song. Perhaps, that is why Jessica has full control of a pitch even in long vibratos.
As I write the last few paragraphs of this piece, the last two standing — Jessica and Philip — have completed the three songs that would seal their fate: the first song chosen by the show’s producer, the second song their personal choice from among their past performances, and the third the song they would release as their first single.
Idol executive producer Simon Fuller chose Whitney Houston’s ballad I Have Nothing for Jessica for the first round, and the Ben E. King classic Stand By Me for Phillip.
For the second round, Jessica reprised Celine Dion’s The Prayer, the song, which put her through to the Top 24 of the competition; Phillip reinterpreted Billy Joel’s Movin’ Out.
For the third round, the ballad Change Nothing was Jessica’s choice for a potential first single, a pop ballad called Change Nothing, while Phillip sang Home and got a standing ovation from the judges.
If Idol were strictly a singing competition, my girl Jessica would win it hands down.
* * *
For comments or questions, please e-mail me at audioglow@yahoo.com or at vphl@hotmail.com. You can also visit www.wiredstate.com for quick answers to your audio concerns.