The X Factor USA – Trey & Nick’s Week in Review – Top 16
Credit: FOX
Welcome to Week In Review: The X Factor USA Edition, where writer Trey M. and I will give our views on each week’s performances and results. We'll answer a couple of the standard questions each week (such as who was the best/worst of the week, and whose chances have increased/decreased), in addition to a changing set of specialty questions about the week in particular. So hit up the comments and let us know what you think!
Credit: FOX
Best performance of the night?
Trey and myself were both in agreement, although our opinions on the act vary wildly. We gave the nod to Alex and Sierra's smoky, cool take on Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines," which radically flipped the #1 hit on its head. But while I love the act, and have since day one, Trey views this as the act he loves to hate, even if he has no trouble admitting that he thought they were really good this week. I'm still not entirely sure how far Alex and Sierra will go, but they're off to a hell of a start.
Credit: FOX
Worst performance of the night?
Again, Trey and I were in agreement. Poor Danie Geimer. Never has so much potential been squandered as the result of a crummy song choice. Danie's voice just doesn't have the power or grit necessary for "Wrecking Ball," and couple that with Danie's already troublesome nerves, and the performance just wasn't at all what it should have been.
Credit: FOX
Most disappointing performance of the night?
Trey felt that Danie was the night's big disappointment, and I'd be hard-pressed to disagree, given the skill of her performances in the competition so far (all two of them). But I'm going to disagree anyway, since Rion Paige's performance was technically proficient but largely empty, to me. I still think she can go far, and has the talent to do so, but watching it back after last night's show, I didn't feel there was nearly as much emotion in the vocal as her previous performances. Add that to the shakiness at the start, and this was a big disappointment to me. With that said, I'm still a huge fan of the girl. Talent, likability, and a killer work ethic can carry you far, and I think she definitely deserved to be put through. Hopefully, she can bounce back next week.
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Most surprising performance of the night?
Trey felt that RoXxy Montana was the big surprise of the night, and I have to agree. I was genuinely surprised at how much they improved, from their harmonies to their performance ability. It was definitely one of the strongest performances of the night, and it's a shame Simon couldn't put them through. However, I didn't necessarily disagree with his decision not to, since I think Sweet Suspense is the stronger act.
Credit: FOX
Whose chances have increased?
Trey and I both were really surprised by Sweet Suspense, not only by their performance, but by their high ranking in the fan polls. They led the vote throughout the entirety of the Group performances, showing that they're a clear force to be reckoned with, if social media is any indication (and given the social media presence of Fifth Harmony throughout season 2, it just might be). We both think these girls are here to stay.
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But they aren't the only act whose chances we feel have improved. Trey believes Rachel Potter made huge gains this week, not only killing it in her category's viewer polls, but in earning her way back into the judges' good graces following a disappointing Four Challenge performance. In addition, we felt Khaya Cohen was another big winner this week, as her new style and attitude put her neck-and-neck with Ellona Santiago for top girl in her category. For me, at least, Khaya delivered the best vocal of the girls.
Credit: FOX
Whose chances have decreased?
Although Lillie McCloud delivered one of the night's strongest vocals, we both agree with Simon. She'll need to scale back the theatrics and start picking different kinds of songs, or people are going to grow tired of her fast. Even if you can do the grand ballads, you shouldn't do them every week. Hopefully, Kelly recognizes this. With Rachel's resurgence in the category, and Jeff Gutt (in my opinion, anyway), Lillie is no longer the sure-thing she once was. She'll need to branch out to go farther.
But Lillie wasn't alone in losing steam, as we both felt that Rion Paige took a bit of a hit this week. Trey loved her performance, while I was a lot softer on it upon rewatch, but we both felt that the buzz on her has died down considerably since her audition. And right now, she's the weakest act in her category. She should at least be able to outlast most of Paulina's Boys, but we imagine she'll be in trouble sooner rather than later, unless she starts delivering A-caliber performances.
Credit: FOX
Which eliminated act would you bring back?:
Trey would bring back Josh Levi, as he believes it was the season's stupidest decision, and I'd have a hard time disagreeing, especially since I think he showed markedly more potential than either Tim Olstad or Carlito Olivero. Trey believes he was the most commercial act in the competition, and again, it's kind of difficult to argue that point. At the very least, he was the most marketable boy in the category.
With that said, if I could bring back one eliminated contestant, I'd bring back James Kenney. He absolutely floored me with his performance this week. In fact, he was just under Alex and Sierra in my own personal rankings. Granted, he didn't surprise me as much as RoxXy Montana did, but that's only because I always expect James to deliver. And deliver he did, as I thought he brought the goods above and beyond what I was expecting. Kelly was really put in an impossible position, as all four of her acts knocked it out of the ballpark, so no matter who she eliminated, a great singer would have been going home.
So what do you think of this top 12? Who would you bring back, if you could? Who's most overrated/underrated? Sound off in the comments!