ETA: Blake’s numbers:
TEXT “VOTE” to 5702
866-436-5702
866-436-5705
866-436-5708
Discuss Blake’s top 3 performances here!
There is no “theme” in particular for this week. The contestants will each sing 3 songs. According to Ryan Seacrest’s morning radio show in LA, the format for tonight’s show is 1) Judges’ choice, 2) Contestant’s choice, and 3) Executive Producers’ choice. In season 1, each contestant only sang 2 songs - a song they chose, and a song the judges chose for them. Season 2 was all weird - they sang 3 songs: a song they chose, one the judges chose for them, and one picked out of a bowl. Starting with season 3, the format went to the contestant’s choice, the judges’ choice, and a song picked by Clive Davis, the head of Sony/BMG, which is the record company that will eventually sign the winner and runner-up. While Clive has not been particularly great at picking songs for the contestants, he has made some very good choices for at least one of them (season 3’s Diana DeGarmo). So, why the format supposedly changes this year, no one knows yet. But that is the word on the street as of right now.
See the last page of comments on the next post down if you want to know spoilers. No song choices, but there are artist names!
Tonight’s voting is SUPER important. If trends follow past seasons, there will be 3 lines per contestant. We’ll get Blake’s phone numbers posted for you ASAP once the show begins it’s east coast broadcast and we know the order of the performers. We’ll update the top of this post with them.
Remember that the most efficient way to vote, especially when the competition gets down to the wire like this, is text voting. If you have a Cingular or AT&T phone with a text plan, or have the disposable income to buy a Cingular Go Phone, text your votes as much as possible - each vote will definitely go through and there are no busy signals. If at all possible, text vote with one hand and dial on a landline or another cell with the other!
If you are unable to text, my suggestion is to utilize the 2nd or 3rd phone line that is provided for Blake. The “rest of America” will likely be using that first line. So don’t forget about those other 2 lines - you’re more likely to get less busy signals that way, and you should be able to get in more votes for Blake!
Also remember, if Blake’s voice is recorded, thanking you for voting for him - be rude to Blake! Hang up as soon as you hear his voice. The less you listen, the more you help him by being able to vote more. We all want to listen to his beautiful voice thanking us for voting for him, but I bet if we are REAAAAAALLY nice, we can get someone to snag it and make it downloadable. :)
Don’t forget to re-read our handy dandy voting strategies and tips here, which were provided a couple weeks ago by the Blaker Girls, and used by the Soul Patrol last year.
We can do this! Save the Beatboxer. Save the World!
GO BLAKE and GOOD LUCK!
Wonderful post Fionna. I hope this does great things for the Seattle scene - and for underground hip hop around the country. It pains me when I hear things like “hip hop is dead.” As if the entire culture revolves around record sales and mtv exposure. I certainly never thought anyone could represent on AI. It makes me happy to see how far Blake’s gotten, and hopefully this will inspire young kids who never would have gotten the exposure to learn about what hip hop really is.
That’s one crazy dream, but it sounds awesome.
This is why I started watching, and participating, in this show. It’s what keeps me coming back every year too. Well put.
fiona -
*snaps*
word. to my fellow blake supporter and namesake. ;)
–
i love blake’s style - with his fusion of old skool / new skool / and his own unique ecclectic blend of the best of the music genres … what more could you want in an artist?
–
the finale won’t be the same without blake … should he not make it … i’d much rather watch him on stage than anyone else … and its not just cuz i’m some crazed fan …
his exposure on ai will get him so far in his career and i’m sure he’ll be as proud as ever to be from what i hear to be one of the most talented cities in the country … definitely excited for him … and mos def gonna check out this crazy seattle scene :D
–
supporting blake is supporting music.
Blake continues to show his adventurous nature and music identity as seen in the 3 songs tonight. I have good hopes for your immediate future.
His Roxanne performance had the reggae influence that I had anticipated. He really wailed on this song. Those red lights. Is this what it feels like to have the laser and colored light show powered by 19E. Where were the flaming fires in the background screen a la DAUGHTRY? Blake really pushed his vocals to the forefront of this song, and that was very good to see. For some reason, he gave me a bit of a Terence Trent D’Arby vibe. There is this funk/reggae/r&b familiarity. Why is so much of the good music I have on cassette and vinyl format? You did the Police justice, Blake. And do I mention the plaid/checkered vest with the cobalt dress shirt and black tie. That is all kinds of hot. Reminds me of the good old days of writing 15-page papers for the economics/political science/philopsophy professors; although Blake is so stunning with his emo(love that your hair is so ever-changing) hair and his preppy (vests, plaid) look. Emo and professor. Next thing I know, we’re both reading Kierkegaard and Nietzsche and drinking espresso and eating eclairs.
The Maroon 5 - This Love - I can easily see him fitting right into that genre. Actually, he improved on his delivery in both the verses and the chorus, while seamlessly incorporating some of his Blake-ness and bit of beatboxing that works with this pop/rock, r&b style of band/singer sound. I feel that this performance is rather excellent in representing his recording future, as Randy would say. Although I do see an influence of The Killers/Brandon Flowers in Blake with the modern alt-pop-rock/dance sound. Overall, I like how this contemporary song and lyrical structure fits well for Blake. It has a good beat, catchy hook. And the clothes for this 2nd song- did Blake borrow some of Chris R.’s wearings from Idol Gives Back weeks when the finalists were in white for the group songs? What was that with the white dress shirt underneath a white hoodie inside a white blazer?
Now the Robin Thicke- 3rd song. I believe that this is his best interpretation of the 3 songs tonight. This with me not knowing what to expect after hearing that Blake was doing a RT song and seeing Robin Thicke’s performance on the results show some weeks back. I have been listening again and again to Otis Redding/Sam Cooke/Solomon Burke/Muddy Waters and Nirvana/Soundgarden/Nine Inch Nails/Pearl Jam and Cole Porter/Irving Berlin/Rodgers and Hart/Gershwins ever since after that one episode. I have not heard this song before tonight, and I must agree that Blake really emoted fully on this 3rd song. (I still like the 1st and 2nd performances as a whole, personally. I think The Police/Sting and Maroon 5 style suits Blake better.) And that argyle sweater shirt and those plaid pants are back together again. And wearing with what I could say is perhaps a golf jacket. We could go out on the fields with some 5 irons. That argyle/plaid combo is what the VFTW have on one of their caricatures. Beware Blake, of cheerful people giving t-shirts to you. That pic of Taylor with a VFTW t-shirt was given to him by a group of people from that site when he appeared at one of his television apppearances for the release of his major label’s album release. They gave him a t-shirt, snapped a quick pic, and left rather quicky while I stayed much longer. I was 3 feet away at that moment. It happened so fast. Love you Blake.
I got in about 762 votes tonight. I feel good and on edge at the same time. It is wonderful that you are all here and around voting for Blake.
That was a lot of pizza and bourbon and vodka tonight, and anything to help vote for Blake. During the AI commercials, Nigel’s SYTYCD previews appeared and they look promising (my preferences of Blake in S1 and Ryan in S2 hardly make it to the very end.) During the Blake vote-athon, I caught the DWTS results show and the third hour of the Association of Country Music Awards. Reba McIntyre sang and performed exquisitely on the Because of You duet with Kelly Clarkson. And more awards for the dear Carrie. It’s great that she thanked the fans and American Idol yet again. Carrie is such a treasure. Caught the Jimmy Kimmel episode on the bus and Paula is having so much enjoyment this year. Switched to Conan. And saw Carson Daly - I know it’s a long day and night, yet I am absolutely sure that I saw the actual real Taylor Hicks in a humorous sketch on Carson.
Blake’s voice recording is so immensly cute and just darling. Listened to it once at the very beginning, and lots of “tha…..” so lines are freed up and everyone gets more votes through.
Blake, I will give you raspberries and Sauvignon Blanc, caviar and Stolichnaya, and paint the town red; for brunch it will be veggie bugers with mesclun and orange juice and coffee and spring water; for dinner it is falafel in pita sandwiches with spinach and tomatoes and Sauvignon.
Let’s do hope that the collective votes add up positively. You guys are a great bunch. Blake, thanks for giving it the best and staying true.