Rising Star - Week 2 - Live Blog and Recap

Welcome to the live blog and recap of Rising StarWeek 2! Last week's premiere was the most social show of the week, and that's primarily due to the socially-active nature of the format, which relies on the viewers to make everything happen in real time. A lot of talented singers got through last week, while still other talented singers went home. But who will be the ones to advance this week? Is our potential winner in tonight's group? Keep it locked right here, as Rickey will be adding videos as the night rolls on, and I'll be updating with my running commentary!

Credit: ABC

Let's get this show on the road!

RECAP

-We kick things off, and honestly, this is my first experience with the show since I was on my two-week trip when the show premiered. In theory, I probably should have watched it at some point, but I mostly just caught the highlights from Rickey's videos. Anyway, we're kicking off the show with two women touted as extremely skilled vocalists: Shameia Crawford and April Lockhart. Aaaaaand we're off!

SHAMEIA CRAWFORD is up first!

-Shameia is doing an arrangement of "We Are Young" by Fun, and the arrangement starts off kind of melancholy and slow. But it picks up very quickly. As do the votes. As she gets more soulful -- with rock influences kicking up the tempo significantly -- the votes pile up.

-All three judges add their votes, which help her. She's past 50. 55. 59. 63.

-No! The song is ending! AHHHHHH 69! SO CLOSE! Josh Groban is heartbroken to see her fail to obtain the necessary number of votes. Shameia is even more crestfallen.

-Ludacris doesn't get it, saying he thinks more people need to download the application and vote. He thinks the West Coast will save her, as does Kesha, who says this result just "is not right." Brad Paisley loved the performance, and theorizes that she didn't reach 70% because of the slow tempo with which she started off. He argues that this is "a momentum show," and that the song took too long to pick up.

VIDEO: Shameia Crawford, "We Are Young"

APRIL LOCKHART is up next!

-April grew up wanting to be a rock and roll girl, and has wanted this ever since she was little. However, she's faced adversity in the form of Amniotic Band Syndrome, in which the umbilical cord wrapped around her left arm while in the womb, leading to the hand never really forming. Yet she's got a prosthetic that allows her to play guitar, and she thanks the persistence and patience of her guitar teacher in allowing her to realize her dream. I like her already.

-April whips out her guitar and sings "Say You'll Be There" by the Spice Girls, and this is really good to start. The melancholy opening helps out here, but it doesn't take as long to pick up as Shameia's performance did. All three judges add their votes to her total, meaning she's racing up the "vote thermometer" (for lack of a better term). As the performance winds down, she goes for a bunch of really iffy runs that don't entirely hit their mark, but it makes no matter to the vote, as she achieves the necessary number to raise the wall.

APRIL LOCKHART RAISES THE WALL!

-April is understandably thrilled, and the judges are too, with Kesha talking about what a good guitar player April is, while Ludacris talks about being inspired by her story, even if the runs didn't always hit. Brad thinks she's an inspiration, and a great role model. No complaints from me. She could use polishing, but I completely understand this choice.

VIDEO: April Lockhart, "Say You'll Be There"

AUSTIN FRENCH is up next!

Austin is a full-time youth preacher who loves his job as much as he loves singing. He talks about his fiance Jocelyn, a girl he felt was "out of his league." However, she made the first move, happily surprising him. He hopes America likes him, as he's intimidated by the prospect of performing for votes in real-time -- especially if America DOES like him instantly.

-Austin sings "Georgia On My Mind" by Ray Charles, guitar in hand. This is really soulful and well-performed, even though I feel he overdoes it vocally in some places. But he's wracking up the votes.

-Ludacris and Brad add their votes! He's at 50! 53! 54! 55! Kesha votes for him! He's at 63! 66! 70!

AUSTIN FRENCH RAISES THE WALL!

-Ludacris talks about how much he enjoyed Austin's performance, and how soulful he is. Meanwhile, Brad talks about being sold on him from the start, but wanting to wait before adding his vote. However, Austin completely sold him on the performance. Kesha echoes the sentiment, and reiterates that she sucks at guitar. She loves Austin.

-This was a good call. I think he has serious potential to go all the way.

VIDEO: Austin French, "Georgia On My Mind"

-Back from break, and Josh is in the audience with last week's performers. He explains that the winners of this week's show advance to the head-to-head duels, because apparently every singing show needs a Battle Round of some sort now.

TRINITII is up next!

-The group consists of three girls: Cassie, Lauren, and Jessica. Trinitii represents "three girls, three voices, and one sound." They're vocal/performance coaches, and they see the same passion in their students as they themselves have. Josh coaches them by telling them to focus on what type of image and sound they want to project, and to do their damndest to get people to take notice, since they've only got one shot.

-They sing "Problem" by Ariana Grande featuring Iggy Azalea, and it's really not a bad performance at all. The harmonies were tight, and the individual portions were solid. But, much like last week's boy group, they just didn't connect with the voting public. Or the judges. Kesha votes yes, but Brad and Ludacris voted no, reflecting America's vote. The girls finish with just 30%.

-Brad thinks they have potential, but still need to work on their vocals and choreography. Meanwhile, Kesha thinks they were great, and her only critique is that they seemed to be trying too hard to be Destiny's Child. Ludacris loves their shoes, but notes that they didn't really clique as a group. Before we head to break, Kesha suggests they drop the rapping, but notes they're great singers. Josh gives a shoutout to all teachers, and tells Trinitii to continue doing what they do for their students.

-The right decision. I didn't think Trinitii was bad at all, but it was clear that they weren't going to last in the competition. If they'd made it through, they likely would have just lasted one more round. So while I think they deserved better than 30%, this wasn't a winning act.

VIDEO: Trinitii, "Problem"

ALICE LEE is up next!

-Alice grew up on K-Pop since her parents came over from Korea. She's known since she was little that she's wanted to perform, and has done mostly musical theater while growing up. She quit "a great off-Broadway show" to be here, so she plans on doing her best. She and Josh have a cute moment where she gets modest about the strap to her dress coming down during their mentoring session. He likes her, and thinks her energy will come through to the crowd.

-Alice sings "You and I" by Lady Gaga. She can certainly sing, but I don't see the star potential there. She's simply a good singer doing a good version of a good song. None of it is great or particularly memorable. But she's already at 51% without any of the judges having voted for her yet.

-The song is nearing an end, and she's still stuck in the mid-50s. Until the judges suddenly rally around her. Kesha and Ludacris add their votes, and this gives her the last-minute burst of momentum she needs...

ALICE LEE RAISES THE WALL!

-Ludacris talks about being a bit uncertain about her, since she brought a bit too much Broadway to the performance. He gets a few boos before clarifying that he feels she brought something special to the competition, and changed his mind as the performance went on. Brad, who voted no, is less enthusiastic. But he's still polite because this show is only slightly less acerbic about iffy performances than The Voice. Kesha mostly echoes the thoughts of Ludacris, but adds a compliment to Alice for wearing the insane platform shoes she's got on. Um, yeah.

VIDEO: Alice Lee, "You and I"

RYE DAVIS is up next!

-Rye is a cattle farmer from Kentucky, and basically gives the impression of a good ole boy, which isn't a bad thing in a competition where large voting blocs are from the South. However, this competition is so reliant upon technology and social engagement that it's hard to judge it by the same criteria as American Idol and The Voice.

-He sings "When You Say Nothing At All" by Keith Whitley, and it's easily the most boring performance of the night. Vocally, he sounds very old fashioned, which isn't necessarily a bad thing in itself, but he doesn't really bring much to the table beyond that. He doesn't get very many votes either, ending the performance at 46% and failing to raise the wall. None of the judges voted yes.

-Brad compares Rye to Alan Jackson, saying that he's about where Alan Jackson was, vocally, when he first started. However, he encourages Rye to keep working at it, since Alan Jackson did the same thing and eventually became a country music legend. Kesha and Rye sort of flirt, talking about cuddling for whatever reason, before Ludacris brings the entire awkward business to a close.

VIDEO: Rye Davis, "When You Say Nothing At All"

SONNET SIMMONS is up next!

-My cable decides to cut out, causing me to miss Sonnet's video package. In lieu of anything substantive to write about it, I'm just going to imagine that her backstory involves being a government reprogrammed assassin who uses music as her weapon. She's deadly and poetic. She's Sonnet Simmons. Long may she reign.

-Sonnet sings "Wicked Game" by Chris Isak, and this didn't do nearly as much for me as it did for the judges, who all vote "Yes". It's very touch-and-go as the performance rolls on, as she gets up into the mid-50s, but stalls near 60. But, as the song reaches a close, she just barely inches herself over the 70% mark on the voting thermometer.

SONNET SIMMONS RAISES THE WALL!

-The judges are pretty enthusiastic about her, with Kesha comparing her to Stevie Nicks, and Ludacris saying that he voted yes more on his desire to hear more from her. Brad is also positive about Sonnet's performance, thinking that she has a lot to offer. Granted, they would probably know better than I would, but that performance was just all over the place, for me. I didn't get it at all.

VIDEO: Sonnet Simmons, "Wicked Game"

DEEDRA ERVIN is up next!

-Deedra is in the Army Reserves from Virginia, and talks about her experiences in a job she loves. However, she notes that her house has burned down, leaving her homeless. She feels strange being here while her family is back at home suffering, but she wants to give it everything she has for them. "Raising the wall would mean everything to me," she says.

-She sounds a bit like MK Nobilette. She has a lovely tone, although the pan flute-y arrangement of "Anything Could Happen" by Ellie Goulding is ghastly. With that said, I think she's much better and more raw (in an intriguing way) than Alice Lee, who raised the wall earlier in the show. Unfortunately, Deedra just never gets off the ground, finishing in the mid-20s.

-Josh thanks her for her service and for being here tonight as she fights back tears. Ludacris says that while he feels she allowed the performance to overtake her technique, she has it in her to get better. Kesha believes this was simply a matter of nerves getting the better of her. However, she also feels Deedra can, and will, get better. Brad, for his part, talks about how badly he wanted to vote yes, but it was just all over the place. He does think she's an inspiration, and even promises to come see her in Virginia sometime. As we close out, Josh says he's going to do everything in his power to help get her back on her feet, and help her get her house back. How sweet. Seriously.

-Back from break with Josh asking Ludacris what the contestants need to do to raise the wall, given how badly the nerves have been affecting them. Basically, he says "expression" is everything, echoing Josh's treacly observation that "we all have walls" we need to raise.

VIDEO: Deedra Ervin, "Anything Could Happen"

WILL ROTH is up next!

-By day, Will is a veterinary technician (and owner of an awesome beard). He does blood tests, assists with surgeries, administers medications, and other things. At night, however, he's a private investigator. He talks about being paid to follow people around, and describes all the interesting people he's met. He claims no one has caught him yet, but that's the point. (Dude, you did NOT need to make that sound as creepy as it did) Will says he thinks this is a good chance for him to meet a lot of people, which seems contradictory to why you'd do something like this, but he closes out by saying all the competitors are gladiators. "Let the best man win."

-Will sings "Sweater Weather" by The Neighbourhood, and I really dig his voice. He reminds me of Cole Vosbury from The Voice, with a combination of soulful pop stylings, and a fierce growl that recalls a really good indie artist whose name I can't recall. He ends it on a KILLER run, and while he doesn't get as many votes from America, all three judges vote yes. This gives him the momentum he needs to raise the wall.

WILL ROTH RAISES THE WALL!

-Kesha is in love with Will's beard, and also his love of animals. Oh, and his voice too. Ludacris echoes that sentiment, saying that it's incredible how someone can change a person's mind in the span of a two-minute song. He also praises the insane run Will did at the end. Meanwhile, Brad is basically enthusiastic about seeing how Will proceeds in the competition, as he's one of the more interesting vocalists they've had so far.

VIDEO: Will Roth, "Sweater Weather"

-While plugging the app, Josh is interrupted by Brad, who thinks there should be a drinking game made out of every time Josh says "app." Kesha wants to play, and Josh suggests there's a mini-bar under Luda's seat. Luda responds by voting no on Josh's socks. Kesha then relates a story about her big break writing a song for Miley Cyrus, and how she got a check for a little more than a dollar -- a check she now has framed. It's a bunch of silliness that doesn't contribute much beyond a vague cuteness factor. I'm kinda loving Josh Groban as host/mentor though. And Ludacris is a very astute judge.

EGYPT DIXON is up next!

-Egypt grew up with her mom, her stepdad, and her brother, and recounts how they had to move out of their house because they couldn't afford to stay in it anymore. She recalls her mother supporting her when she first said she wanted to be a musician. In the mentoring session, Josh worries that "Fancy" by Iggy Azalea is not enough of a vocal showcase, meaning Egypt will have to make the most of each note. Egypt wants to succeed to prove that her mother didn't make all those sacrifices for nothing.

-Ultimately, I think Josh was right on this one. It's just not enough of a vocal showcase. Worse, Egypt doesn't really sing it all that well. It's just all over the place, a cross between rapping and singing that doesn't represent the best of either skill. Despite an endorsement from Kesha, Egypt finishes at 44%. She fails to raise the wall.

-Kesha notes that while she voted yes, she felt this was 100% the wrong song for Egypt. Yet she thinks Egypt is a great singer, and she also thinks it's great that Egypt had fun. Ludacris agrees with Kesha about the song choice, and says it was the reason he voted no. He wasn't impressed by the rapping, but he does think she has real potential as a singer. Brad encourages Egypt to keep at it, even though he admits he's not an expert at this kind of music. He thinks it's a rare and special thing to try rapping on a show like this, and he admires her for it.

VIDEO: Egypt Dixon, "Fancy"

ADAM JAYMES is up next!

-Adam has three dogs, and a lifelong passion for air guitar. And also real guitar, as his dad got him one for Christmas when he was a kid, instilling in him his love for music. Adam fights back tears recalling how his dad passed away in a car accident last year, and says his dad was his #1 fan, and has been there at every audition he's ever had, and has given him every musical instrument he's ever owned. Adam says his father's last words to him were "I'm proud of you," giving him the courage to continue in the pursuit of his dreams.

-Adam sings "I Won't Give Up" by Jason Mraz, and it starts out okay. Good, but unspectacular. However, as the performance rolls on, he grows more passionate and his vocal becomes more soulful. It's to the point where I found myself really rooting for him as the performance continued. He earned the votes of all three judges, and America as well, raising the wall with 87% of the vote.

-Brad talks about how his grandfather was the one who gave him a guitar, and so he shares a certain kinship with Adam. However, while it wasn't perfect, Brad like the performance and compares him to Justin Timberlake -- a comparison with which Kesha readily agrees. Ludacris says he almost voted no, but what changed his mind was seeing just how badly Adam really wanted it. It's a rare passion that poured through in the performance.

-All in all, I was all about this. It wasn't the best performance of the show, but I think Adam has insane growth potential.

VIDEO: Adam Jaymes, "I Won't Give Up"

MEGAN TIBBITS closes the show!

-When she was younger, she was in a family band that toured together, Partridge Family style. Her parents quit their day job, and the family band became their full-time career. Her experience in the band led to her interest in the harp, which Josh is impressed by, noting the uniqueness and bravery of bringing such an instrument into the competition. Megan is eager to show America, and her family, what she can do.

-She sings "All of Me" by John Legend. It starts off kind of pitchy, but man, does this ever pick up as it goes along. I'm in love with her voice, and the harp adds an ethereal quality to the performance that I haven't seen on a singing competition in some time. It's downright otherworldly. She earns the yes votes of Brad and Kesha, and America gets her up a bit farther...

-60! 62! 66! Hurry the hell up! 67! Aaaaand that's a wrap. She ends at 68%, sadly. Megan does not raise the wall.

-Josh notes that Luda's vote could have made the difference, but Ludacris defends his decision, feeling that while what Megan did was incredibly difficult and unique, she was better at one aspect than she was at the other. In short, he feels both aspects of the performance must be equally strong if she's going to bring them to the fore at all. Kesha hopes the West Coast saves her, and believes she did a great job. Comically, as the show comes to a close, Josh bypasses Brad's comments altogether, saying they're out of time. "That's live TV!" Josh says, by way of apology.

VIDEO: Megan Tibbits, "All of Me"

-And that's a wrap! What did you think of tonight's show? Did the right acts make it through? Sound off in the comments! And thanks for hanging out with me tonight.

GOODNIGHT!