Maneepat Molloy sings 'Your Song' on Rising Star (VIDEO)

Maneepat Molloy sang 'Your Song' on Rising Star Top 8 on Sunday, August 10, 2014.

In the pre-performance video, the other contestants talk about Maneepat's stunning vocals, with Audrey Kate adding that she's incredibly sweet and innocent. Joshua feels she has the best vocal tone in the competition, while April adds that she's like the female Josh Groban, and that everyone is just entranced by Maneepat. This is sort of like a poor man's version of American Idol's "The contestants riff on each other" segments, except somehow more toothless than what Idol does. Not that I want them to be vicious, necessarily, but I just don't really see the point in any of these segments.

Maneepat sings "Your Song," and it's closer to the Elton John original than the more modern Ellie Goulding take. The opening is done a cappella, and it's actually quite pretty. However, the rest of the song is fairly flavorless in its vocal arrangement. I love Maneepat's voice, and it's certainly lovely to listen to, but I worry this was just way too safe for her to stand out. Both Brad and Ludacris vote "no," and Maneepat ultimately finishes with just 46%. Oh COME ON now, she should have at least got above 50%.

Kesha says that "This is a singing competition, and you sing real good." And that's it. Brad says it needed "a little more soul." Meanwhile, we're running short on time so we skip Ludacris. I hope Maneepat manages to survive this week, but I could see how she might not, since this wasn't really the week for that kind of safe, understated performance.