Why Wait?: Kristy Lee Cook's Debut Album Release Moved Up

True to the title of her debut album, Kristy Lee Cook's Why Wait is being released two weeks ahead of schedule. Her label just announced that the album will now be released Sept. 16 instead of the original date, Sept. 30.

A finalist in the just concluded 7th season of American Idol, Kristy Lee Cook made her mark as a country singer on the show singing songs like "God Bless the USA". The same song will be included in the album as well as "Not Tonight", a single co-written with Carrie Underwood. The single appropriately entitled "15 Minutes of Shame" has been available for download since Aug. 12.

David Cook's Philippine Concert Scheduled on January 27, 2009

As some of you might know by now, American Idol season 7 winner David Cook will be having his first concert here in the Philippines. He said on an interview that his Manila tour will be on January 27, 2009 before he starts his own tour (outside that of the official Idol concert tour) in America to promote his first post-Idol CD scheduled for release in November.

The announcement came as a surprise after David Cook himself announced it casually on an interview on Canadian ChumFM's DJ Richie saying "We just booked my first show, post-‘Idol,’ January 27 in the Philippines; a one-off show and then we start the tour in the States.”

Listen to the interview someone posted on youtube below.



There have been no official word yet from the people representing David Cook.

Gretchen Espina Is the First Pinoy Idol

Bwahahahahaha!!!

Unfortunately it's not a joke. It's sad that the first Pinoy Idol winner has to go on the defensive. “The viewers chose me as their idol. I hope everyone would respect their decision,” said Espina in an interview with the Inquirer.

And just how many viewers chose Espina as their Pinoy Idol? GMA has yet to reveal the numbers of their voting game not just for the finals but even for the previous weeks. Judging by how they've shortened the inaugural season of Pinoy Idol--with double elimination nights and a three-person finale--numbers may not even reach a million.

Not that Gretchen Espina doesn't deserve to win, it's just that she could have won in more favorable conditions. There wasn't much competition for her to prove her mettle since the show failed to capitalize on the international franchise's formula, opting instead to use the Idol brand to promote its personalities--from the host and judges to the artists it featured in the show--in dire need of an audience. It backfired, contestants were given insufficient time to perform with the kilometric commercial breaks, they weren't given proper input and training, and audiences were ticked off by the inconsistent, incoherent and feeble comments passed on by its judges. As a result, the better contestants got booted out early, and Pinoy Idol became a joke.

I'm not saying Gretchen Espina's win is a joke, I'm saying it's tainted by the show being a joke. Anyway, she seems to have a sense of humor about the whole thing. In the same interview she said: “Show biz can be really nasty. I’m ready for it. It’s not any different from politics.”

It just dawned on me. Gretchen Espina can also have a career as a comedian.

Pinoy Idol is Dead

Sorry for not updating. Will have American Idol and Pinoy Dream Academy news next time. I can't help but fawn over Liezel Garcia, that girl will make it big. She only has to play her cards well. Hopefully, she doesn't get muddled up in all the ugly media practices both GMA and ABS are subjecting us too. But for now, a quickie on the show we--or I--love to hate.

I passed in front of the GMA Offices in the intersection of EDSA and East Ave. recently, and the old publicity materials that over-glorified Pinoy Idol is gone. That, not to mention the double eliminations and a lack of forseeable talent in what's left of its cast is an indication of the show's failure. Last night's 'best' of Pinoy Idol performances was outright sad. I don't know why Pinoy Idol has to use excessive superlatives for their themes knowing quite well there's nothing to deliver: 'greatest performance of my life', 'best pinoy idol performance', bwah! It's mediocre. The best performances should have come from the eliminated contestants who did much much better but who were voted off for lack of an audience. Honestly, I've been to more town fiestas that featured better finalists than the travesty from last night. The show's stumped, and GMA is simply rushing its death so that they may sweep it under the carpet and forget about it because they f*d it up.

For now, all five remaining contestants deserve to win. There's just no way for them to salvage an individual singing career so let them form boy AND girl bands like the campy British group Steps (of 5, 6, 7, 8 fame... "My boot scootin baby is drivin me crazy, my obsession from a western--my dance floor date, my rodeo romeo, a cowboy God from head to toe, wanna make you mine better get in line, 5, 6, 7, 8!"). They have a rocker who can rap, a crooner and Gretchen Espina who would be perfect for Steps, in pig tails no less!

'Better Best Forgotten', just like Pinoy Idol
I don't think it would be wise for GMA to sign up just the winner because his or her future seems uncertain alone. So give a contract to the top 5, or the top 24 and take a chance on the likes of Bev Ejercito and Robby Navarro who deserve a shot.

Regine-ified Pinoy Idol

So they Regine-ified Pinoy Idol, finally tackling an artist after weeks of trying to whip out a decent performance from its lackluster contestants who have been bombarded with themes reeking of failed attempts to squeeze out melodramatic interludes on stage. Such attempts were outshined by Jolina Magdangal's stupid thumb-ups and incessant declarations of "Winner!", and Wyngard Tracy's pathetic critique of appearances confirming what we all know about talent managers in this country that look for people they and the public would want to bed.

I don't know if the minds behind Pinoy Idol are really stupid or if they're just plain arrogant to admit that they have one lousy show, but Regine Velasquez as the first artist to tackle? Come on, the girls who can pull it off and the boys creative enough to do something new to the Songbird's songs are all gone. Why would you want your remaining contestants to pale even more considering none of them were impressive singing songs culled from their 'greatest performance' or 'the song of their life'? Worse, why would you want to compare your remaining singers to Regine Velasquez when a lot of them may not even sing well enough beside the likes of Richard Gomez on SOP?

As a result, we have a putrid reggae version of "Urong-Sulong", fun but putrid nonetheless, the kind you enjoy on a videoke night with friends when you're all drunk and a little bit uninhibited than usual. We also have an amped version of "Tuwing Umuulan", nice but you have to admit Robin Padilla sang that song much much better. And then you have a bunch of sorry songs from girls who tried to outdiva Regine. Sorry, but they really didn't have it in them to begin with. Nor is it possible to imagine any of them growing in that direction.

Sue Ellen Cubing FINALLY got voted off. On the downside however, they announce that Jaya will be next week's theme. Another screamfest, and another opportunity for David Cook wannabes to showcase their mediocre musical rearrangements. A stupid attempt to salvage fans from the older and more successful GMA singing shows from the past or just plain stupid?

Seriously, Philippine music has a lot more to offer, do we really want these contestants and the audience to think that our musical fabric starts and ends with GMA talents or should we remind them that there are other materials that need to be resuscitated and appreciated? It's bad enough the show sucks, even worse for GMA to use the same lame show to promote itself.

The show's problem isn't technical. It isn't the audio quality nor the lights nor the space, nor the host. The Filipino audience can hear and see through these things. We have a plethora of experiences from local town fiestas to 5-peso karaoke machines that have given us discerning ears to know better. Nor should the audiences be blamed for who they vote. They should be commended for not participating in the whole process since they have unconsciously said no to something not worth believing in. The problem is much deeper. The show has no concept of what it wants for its contestants nor for music, and that much the audience knows that's why not a lot waste time anymore because its not clear as to how the people behind the show would define what their concept of what Philippine music is, and what kind of artist can help them and the audience achieve that vision. All it sees is a false sense of glory, and definitely money. I felt the show was in trouble when I didn't hear any of the judges articulate anything about the talent they are looking for in the first three performance episodes of the show. And they are paying for it dearly.

The real sad thing about it is that they seem stupefied that they don't know what to do about it. Clearly, the principle of establishing artistry through commerce is failing. It's such a pity for a big network-backed show not be able to have the tools to react to it and make the necessary adjustments convinced that their worn money-making ways are the way to go.

Whether you're Kapuso or Kapamilya, it doesn't matter. We are all duped by petty network politics that milk money out of us. And we shouldn't defend their mediocrity nor be satisfied with the practices they have naturalized. They get richer and powerful for it while all we get are a bunch of idiotic shows like Pinoy Idol.

Robby Navarro Voted Out of Pinoy Idol

I didn't watch the performances last weekend. And thankfully so, I heard from a friend Robby Navarro sang well only to be floored by Sunday's results. Oh well. At least Robby's in good company as all the better singers of Pinoy Idol's first season have left. I'm excited to see Gretchen Espina win this!!! I am so excited for her, I can't wait for the show to end so we can hope for better weekend programming from GMA starring Gretchen Espina, no less.

She also has a chance to represent the country in Asian Idol. I hope she sings "Respect" there and show the world how she's no Aretha.

Got to watch my recordings of the show this morning, and it is getting pathetic. It has brushed up significantly on a lot of technicalities but whether the people behind it have any vision to impart remains to be seen. The contest has gone halfway and they still haven't introduced a musical genre, a significant artist or a memorable era for their themes. What's worse is that they insist on amateurish and, not to mention, idiotic themes such as "The Song of My Life" and "My Greatest Performance", both of which turned out to be disastrous. Raymond has gone stiffer and more self-conscious, Jolina Magdangal tries too hard but is still insubstantial, and Wyngard Tracy has become very articulate for a leech.

It would be nice to rant but I have to watch Rafael Nadal whip Roger's ass. Pinoy Dream Academy next time and I am falling in love with Liezel Garcia, who has been dominating the show, and Cris Pastor, who's a delightful talent whose metamorphosis I am anticipating.

Liezel Garcia: "Count on Me"

Over on Pinoy Dream Academy... this is a classic example of how to sing a Whitney Houston song without having the chops to sing it. Liezel Garcia does well singing "Count on Me" but somehow it was a little too stiff for me. Stiff because she's not as relaxed as she was last week. Technically, it's good and you can see all the mentors' work pay off in trying to let the contestants unlearn all the nasty pop habits they have accumulated through the years. As a singer, Liezel sounds more proficient now. On the down side, she also may be overthinking everything. Nonetheless, it was the best for the night.

The real down side to this is what Toni Gonzaga made Liezel do after Gerard Salonga gave his comment: she accepted her "small dream gift" for Liezel to give her aunt in Mindoro. Though the size of the gift is immaterial--it can be small to someone earning a lot, it can be big for someone who can't afford to buy one--it is tacky either way. Typical of most ABS-CBN shows, I really don't get why they have to squeeze in the opportunity to send a message and go explore (or exploit) the contestants friends and relatives when this could have been a simple singing contest. Drop the feigned drama, please.

Mae Flores Eliminated from Pinoy Idol

Mae Flores was eliminated from Pinoy Idol. The show officially sucks. I'm curious, how many votes does Pinoy Idol get in a week? A few hundred thousand? A million?

They never say. Nor do you hear or see people convincing each other to make voting urgent. The show doesn't make as much buzz as a Manny Pacquiao fight nor produce songs people rip into their music players. Coming from a station who has fought the war of network ratings, it's strange that Pinoy Idol has never boasted of its numbers.

Because there are not that much numbers to speak of.

And how many unique voters does Pinoy Idol get? I vote for contestants I like but I don't send 200 votes for them. Just a few, until my fingers get stiff, or I become cranky. And why are there so many bad contestants left there. To have a proverbial Sanjaya Malakar is understandable, but none of the less talented contestants have a hairstyle or a smile that's palatable and memorable for all of them to have survived that long.

Do people still vote for a Pinoy Idol? There isn't anyone in the show left to pull out huge numbers from a throng of believers. I maintain it's the friends and relatives of the remaining contestants who vote.

And why is this show taking forever to end?

I vote for the reinstatement of a Regine Velasquez-hosted pop star search. I think Regine Velasquez is meticulous enough not to let her work turn mediocre as evidenced by a number of singing contests she has starred in. They all are better than Pinoy Idol.

American Idol Sets Audition Cities for Season 8

With the recent coronation of David Cook as American Idol champion in the show's seventh season, the show prepares itself again for it's eighth season next year starting on Thursday, July 17 2008.

The audition tour will kick off at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, and will visit seven other cities, including a visit to the island of Puerto Rico on Saturday, Aug. 2. After San Francisco American Idol will proceed to Louisville, Kentucky on July 21 and to Phoenix, Arizona on July 25. Runner-up David Archuleta's hometown Salt Lake City, Utah will get an audition on July 29.

After the trip to Puerto Rico, American Idol will proceed to the mainland for auditions in Kansas City, David Cook's hometown on Aug. 8, followed by Jacksonville, Florida on Aug. 13 and East Rutherford, New Jersey on Aug. 18.

Auditions are open to men and women 16-28 years of age as of July 14, 2008.

Mae Flores: "You Oughta Know"

Mae Flores - You Oughta Know
by starmometer.com

Again, too short. Twenty seconds into the song, and Mae Flores is still into the crucial intro. If she had 30 seconds more, she would have had enough time to build it up and charge this into something really phenomenal.