My take on Americal Idol Season 8

My favourite from the start of the show has always been Danny Gokey (even though he's out of the game last week).

There have been criticism about him, mostly saying that he was trying to pull sympathy votes with the passing of his wife during heart surgery just 4 weeks before the AI auditions. But honestly, who cares? It's a singing competition and what matters is whether one can really sing. I believe it's more of the production team who's milking the audience by highlighting it in the show.

Danny's perfect pitching with every song does him justice in my opinion. Everytime I thought he would go off-pitch or rather I feel that he can't reach that note, he does it effortlessly.  Not to mention the soulful raspy husky voice that touches me each time he sings. No tricks up his sleeve, just pure straight singing from the heart - that's quite rare nowadays in the music world (I think). But of course, when paired up with his clumsy dancesteps, it's a pain to watch, but never a pain to listen. =)

As for the other popular contestant Adam Lambert (who's obviously more popular than Danny since he's "still in the running for american's next top idol") - he has the most powerful lungs for screams and impossible high notes that aren't reachable in normal human sense. 

I was pleasantly surprised by his high vocal range in the beginning, and following which, I'm caught up by his raw emotions for his ballads. But weeks after weeks, there's nothing surprising to look forward to (in my opinion) other than his impossible high notes (yet again) during some parts in the song. However, I've got to be honest, that there are a few songs which he really did justice to: Mad World, One, If I Can't Have You, where he displayed his raw emotions.

The next remaining contestant (still in the game) is dark horse Kris Allen. 

In my opinion, he's simply just a pretty boy who's an average singer - he vaguely reminds me of Jason Mraz (of course not within that standard yet). He's singing with his guitar most of the time, and his technique is always the same, with the little "cry-accent" between lines. Boring for me, with nothing to look forward to his every performance - "unforgettable", quoting Simon Cowell. But one credit though: his rendition of Kanye West's Heartless is splendid - his only performance which I liked.

But a competition is still a competition, esp a reality singing competition. 

The viewers have the voting power - so maybe if you are cute and can sing, you'll win.

Just like America's top 2 choices - Adam Lambert and Kris Allen, both cute-looking dudes.

I was rooting for Danny, but I guess I have no choice now but to root for Adam now. Having said that, if he comes up with a rock album eventually, I don't think I'll buy it. May the best man win.

To sign off, here's my favourite song from Danny, ironically from his exit from Top 3 - His soulful yet powerful rendition of "You are so beautiful", which touched the innermost of my heartstrings.

Enjoy.

My Friends and YouTube

I was just talking to Kewei about some talented people I've chanced upon on YouTube, while queuing for popcorn at the GV Marina last weekend.



People like David Choi, Marie Digby, Mia Rose, Sam Hart - they are mostly singer-songwriters, who climbed to fame by posting videos of them singing covers. You'll be surprised at the number of hits they've reached on their posts (over a few million hits!)



And I too, have some friends who hit fame on youtube, with over a few thousand hits for some of their videos, but hey, it's a start!).



Some sing cover songs:







Some respond with the same cover song:







Others write original song, with crazy lyrics:








Maybe I'll do one up myself soon... as soon as I can get over how to look into the camera and sing.

Will you be waiting in anticipation? What song would you want me to sing? =P



But in the meantime, I'll sign off with a favourite song of mine which I chanced upon on youtube - Sungha Jung, a child prodigy on guitar playing "Moon River"

Till then!

My name is Lim Jean Ginny. Nice to meet you.

Honestly I haven't tried doing this before even though I've heard some of friends doing so for themselves.

So out of curiousity, I did it. =P

I googled my name and volia! ... a whole list of people with the same name appeared.

There's a financial advisor,a food reviewer, a dojo leader (for akido), a contact person for Guangzhao Industrial Forest Biotechnology Group Ltd, a property agent, etc etc.
But alas... it was only when I scrolled to the bottom did I finally see the very result that represents "the real me" - my Yours Truly classified ads!

Undeterred, I keyed in "Lim Jean Ginny" (thinking that my full name should be quite special la) and searched again. This is what I see:



Hffmmm...Ok, so my name wasn't so special after all. Damn.

Edmund, who was beside me all the while, laughing at my reaction, forced urged me to try searching for his name. He claims that his surname is VERY SPECIAL.

So I googled him too and typically, this pops out:



People always mistake his surname as "Chen" instead of "Cheh". Hahah!
But he had the last laugh... cos ALL the other listed findings are "the real him". DAMN.



Well, to add on to it, he asked me to take on his surname, since his is soooo special. Can you imagine me being called Ginny Cheh, Cheh Jean Ginny, Cheh Jean?!!?
Hmmm, I guess not, it simply just sounds and look weird.

So there you go, I'm perfectly happy to be anoymous on Google.

My name is Lim Jean Ginny. How nice to have finally meet you. q(",)p

Are you my PERSON?

Sometimes I wonder why I bother keeping a blog when I don't even bother updating it. And there isn't any audience either, unlike my friend's blogs, where there are healthy streams of viewers and comments, etc.

I guess I'm a perfectionist when it comes to certain things. I need to do up my photos in perfect layout, settings, have the perfect font, etc. And so, I've made a small decision to stop uploading photos onto this blog, unless I think it's really too good to pass up on sharing. I think I won't want this blog to be "dead" again.

Along the lines of sharing, I've been asking myself a question lately. I've always been a giver, a listener when it comes to problems. I listen intensely when my friends shares - be it good or bad. Not that I'm complaining.

And so the question is: if I had a piece of good or bad news, who will I share it (other than Edmund of course)

If I'm planning a robbery, who will I rope in as accomplice?
(of course this is just a metaphor, I'm not intending to rob a bank)

If I'm planning a wedding, who will I rope in as coordinator?
(of course I know I've gotten a wrong helper, but if I could turn back time, who will it be?)

If I'm planning a business, who will I rope in as partner?
(of course I have partners, but some really failed me)

If I'm dying, who will I want to spend time with?
(other than my family of course)

I've been really thinking hard on who it will be, which is weird seeing that I have tons of friends. The more I think about it, the more emotional I feel/ become. Reason? Well, I can't seemed to bring up a name. Which is sad. And disturbing. And puzzling.

Are you my PERSON then?

Reply please.
Am looking forward to it.