Katie Stevens
17 – Connecticut
Katie’s Portuguese Grandmother is starting to suffer from Alzheimers.
Audition Song – At Last
Hollywood Week Round 1 Song – For Once in My Life
Hollywood Week Group Song – No One (w/Andrew Garcia, JB Ahfua & someone else as “3 Men & a Baby”)
Hollywood Week Round 3 Song – not shown
Semi-final Week 1 Song – “Feelin’ Good” as interpreted by Michael Buble
Semi-final Week 2 Song – “Put Your Records On” by Corrine Bailey Rae
Semi-final Week 3 Song – “Breakaway” by Kelly Clarkson
Rigelseven’s Take:
I said in my preview of the top 24 that only a Sundance Head sized meltdown would knock Katie out before top 10. Well, depending on who you ask, she’s almost there. I’m of the opinion that Katie has performed better than most people give her credit for. Her main problem so far has been that the first song she picked was too old and too old-fashioned for what the judges think her image should be. Her performance of “Feelin’ Good” was good but the judges said it was too old for her. So she came back the next week and performed “Put Your Records On” which is a newer song but is done in the old school style so the judges criticized her again. In week 3 she’s now questioning herself and while she picked a Kelly Clarkson song that is more in the genre the judges were looking for, she picked “Breakaway” which is a good song but the beginning is kind of low and dirgelike and not the fun young thing the judges are looking for. The producers made Katie stand next Lilly Scott as she was being eliminated so there may be viewers who think Katie is undeserving of the top 12. The truth is that we don’t really know what kind of vote totals Katie has been getting and we won’t until they start revealing the bottom 3 every week starting next week. I still think Katie has the talent and the package to succeed on the show but it may be hard to overcome the slow start. The good news for Katie is that none of the other girls left in the competition overlap her singing style which make it easier for Katie to get and keep a fanbase. She obviously already has a fanbase built up by virtue of still being here while being constantly criticized. I hope she’s able to rise to the challenge as I don’t want to have to watch her get ripped by the judges every week.
Chindi’s Take:
In my Top 16 verdict I said I’d prefer Katie to go home, because I didn’t want to see her get beaten down week after week by the judges ala Jon Stevens. I think Katie is a great girl, with a good voice and I have every sympathy for her back story with her Grandmother. But this isn’t her year, the judges / producers should have put Angela Martin through in this spot and then made certain Katie auditioned next year… because she’s just not ready yet. In order to perform for other people you need to know who you are, if you don’t it’s difficult to really connect with the audience or the song and then you’re not performing, you’re just singing. Katie isn’t going anywhere soon, she’s a cute girl, the audience can sympathize with her and she’s living the dream of all the other young girls in the audience.
Semi-final Preview Projected Finish - Top 2 (RigelSeven) Top 4 (Chindi)
Updated Projected Finish – 6th (Rigelseven) 9th (Chindi)
