Michael Lynche sings The Righteous Brothers "Unchained Melody" for his American Idol Season 9 audition:
Wednesday, January 8, 2020
With Michael Lynche & 3 other Idols sporting new ink, Season 9's Top 6 talk tattoos
Crystal Bowersox: Sporting fresh ink on her left wrist -- a beautifully illustrated gadfly-like twist on the classic medical symbol with a syringe down the middle and the words Type 1 Diabetic written across the top, Crystal said she got the tattoo because she is a "diabetic for life" and also "because I am really horrible about wearing medic ID bracelets and necklaces." But beyond practical purposes, Crystal says it sends a message to others and serves as a reminder to herself. "It's important now being in the position that I'm in," she explained after Tuesday night's show. "I have a responsibility to take good care of myself. There's lots of little kids out there with juvenile diabetes who need to take care of themselves, and they need a good role model." As for the art itself, she proudly declared, "I designed my own thing."
Siobhan Magnus: Ever the jokester, Siobhan first tried to convince us she had Michael Lynche's and Lee DeWyze's names written on her butt cheek, leaving "room on the other side for everybody else.... I'm sorry I can't show you," she said with a hilariously straight face. But in all seriousness, she couldn't show us the roman numeral IX she had stenciled on her "hip area," but she could explain the digit's significance: "It's been a really good number for me," said Siobhan. "I was 19 years old when I tried out in 2009 for season 9. And the more I think about it, then the more nines come up. Like memory vomit -- I was 9 years old when I figured out I loved to sing, and I was born in 1990, I could go on and on...."
Lee DeWyze: Fans first spotted Lee's adornment at a "Shrek Forever After" screening over the weekend. Lee explained the symbol: "I got a silhouette of the Chicago flag ... (because of) everything that's happened to me there, and that's where this all started for me."
Casey James: When it comes to future tats, the wheels are already turning in Casey's mind. One of which, he teased, involves "a symbol from a movie" on his arm. He later 'fessed up: it's a Star Wars thing, which he'll share with his brother and cousin. "I've got a few (tattoos) drawn up that I'm getting when I go back home," said Casey. "My brother has one on his arm that's my initials on music bars, and I'm going to get his, which is BC."
Aaron Kelly: Though he's now one year closer to 18, Aaron's mother would likely not approve of a tattoo on her little guy -- even if it said "Mom" -- but if he were to go under the pen? "I'd probably go (with something) like Siobhan's," said Aaron. "But she did a roman numeral IX and I'd probably get the (number) 9 for season 9 of American Idol."
SOURCE: Shirley Halperin, LATimes.com
'This Woman's Work': Story Behind Michael Lynche's 'Idol' Cover
American Idol judges often rail on contestants for not making the right song choices. But on Wednesday night, personal trainer and new dad Michael Lynche provided a textbook example of how to pick the perfect song.
The 26-year-old Florida native, whose wife gave birth their firstborn while he was performing during the show's Hollywood Week, moved judge Kara DioGuardi to tears with his sensitive take on British singer Kate Bush's "This Woman's Work."
On a night when the judges criticized some singers for not connecting with the words they sang, Lynche astutely picked a song that mirrored the tumultuous changes in his personal life. The combination of Lynche's velvety, gospelized vocals and the song's connection to his life's journey made for dramatic TV.
DioGuardi felt the emotion, tearfully telling Lynche, "I've never cried after hearing something like that. It's amazing. You were amazing. And it's so relevant for you and I can feel it. It's your life right now. It's your respect for your wife, what you've gone through ... and as a woman who doesn't have a child, I can relate to it so much and it brought me to tears."
"This Woman's Work" is one of Bush's most beloved tunes, and the biggest commercial success from an artist who has always followed her peculiar muse. Bush's career began in the late 1970s, when Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour turned label EMI on to the then-teenaged songwriting prodigy. In 1985, she released her most celebrated album, Hounds of Love. That album featured the hits "Running Up That Hill" and "Cloudbursting," and it helped cement her reputation as an enigmatic pop poet.
In 1988, Bush provided "This Woman's Work" to director John Hughes for his coming-of-age drama "She's Having a Baby" The song, reportedly written specifically for the film, plays during a scene in which new father Kevin Bacon is pacing outside the delivery room where his wife is having their first child, fretting about the changes his family is about to face.
Bush's self-directed video for "Work" parallels the story of the film. The primly dressed singer, seated at a grand piano, plays the haunting melody, and shots of her are intercut with images of a nervous man in the waiting room of a hospital. A ghostly image of Bush stands behind the man and hugs him as he breaks into tears and stares ominously into the dark. A flashback then reveals Bush collapsing and being rushed to the hospital as the man wails in agony. At the end of the clip, a smiling nurse comes over to the man and puts her hand on his shoulder, appearing to give him good news as Bush quietly shuts the lid on the piano.
"Work" later appeared on Bush's 1989 album The Sensual World, which contained a number of tunes about the perils and pitfalls of love ("Love and Anger," "Between a Man and a Woman") and a title track inspired by Irish author James Joyce's epic "Ulysses." In the years that followed, the song underscored dramatic scenes in a number of TV shows ("Felicity", "Alias" and "Party of Five").
In 1997, it was covered by Maxwell during his MTV Unplugged appearance. He later included a studio version of the track on his 2001 album Now, and it peaked at No. 58 on the Billboard Hot 100 that year.
Bush has rarely toured, and she took a lengthy break between her 1993 album The Red Shoes — which featured contributions from Prince, Jeff Beck, and Eric Clapton — and her 2005 double album Aerial to raise her family.
The 26-year-old Florida native, whose wife gave birth their firstborn while he was performing during the show's Hollywood Week, moved judge Kara DioGuardi to tears with his sensitive take on British singer Kate Bush's "This Woman's Work."
On a night when the judges criticized some singers for not connecting with the words they sang, Lynche astutely picked a song that mirrored the tumultuous changes in his personal life. The combination of Lynche's velvety, gospelized vocals and the song's connection to his life's journey made for dramatic TV.
DioGuardi felt the emotion, tearfully telling Lynche, "I've never cried after hearing something like that. It's amazing. You were amazing. And it's so relevant for you and I can feel it. It's your life right now. It's your respect for your wife, what you've gone through ... and as a woman who doesn't have a child, I can relate to it so much and it brought me to tears."
"This Woman's Work" is one of Bush's most beloved tunes, and the biggest commercial success from an artist who has always followed her peculiar muse. Bush's career began in the late 1970s, when Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour turned label EMI on to the then-teenaged songwriting prodigy. In 1985, she released her most celebrated album, Hounds of Love. That album featured the hits "Running Up That Hill" and "Cloudbursting," and it helped cement her reputation as an enigmatic pop poet.
In 1988, Bush provided "This Woman's Work" to director John Hughes for his coming-of-age drama "She's Having a Baby" The song, reportedly written specifically for the film, plays during a scene in which new father Kevin Bacon is pacing outside the delivery room where his wife is having their first child, fretting about the changes his family is about to face.
Bush's self-directed video for "Work" parallels the story of the film. The primly dressed singer, seated at a grand piano, plays the haunting melody, and shots of her are intercut with images of a nervous man in the waiting room of a hospital. A ghostly image of Bush stands behind the man and hugs him as he breaks into tears and stares ominously into the dark. A flashback then reveals Bush collapsing and being rushed to the hospital as the man wails in agony. At the end of the clip, a smiling nurse comes over to the man and puts her hand on his shoulder, appearing to give him good news as Bush quietly shuts the lid on the piano.
"Work" later appeared on Bush's 1989 album The Sensual World, which contained a number of tunes about the perils and pitfalls of love ("Love and Anger," "Between a Man and a Woman") and a title track inspired by Irish author James Joyce's epic "Ulysses." In the years that followed, the song underscored dramatic scenes in a number of TV shows ("Felicity", "Alias" and "Party of Five").
In 1997, it was covered by Maxwell during his MTV Unplugged appearance. He later included a studio version of the track on his 2001 album Now, and it peaked at No. 58 on the Billboard Hot 100 that year.
Bush has rarely toured, and she took a lengthy break between her 1993 album The Red Shoes — which featured contributions from Prince, Jeff Beck, and Eric Clapton — and her 2005 double album Aerial to raise her family.
When Harry met Casey ... and Lee and Crystal and Michael and Aaron
It's not every day you walk into the "American Idol" studio and find Harry Connick Jr. at the piano, but that's where the jazz legend was, dressed Monday casual in a baggy white button-down and loose black pants, walking Big Mike through his big-band arrangement -- one that Harry himself came up with -- and making sure the Top 5 contender was comfortable with the twists and turns of a Sinatra song. Judging from the fist bump at the end, it was all good.
It's Ol' Blue Eyes week, which means it felt a little like a Christmas rom-com and a lot like "When Harry Met Sally" on Stage 36. Only this was when Harry met Lee and casey, Crystal and Aaron, along with the aforementioned Michael Lynche. Truth be told, Harry Connick is one heck of a multi-tasker. Not only did he orchestrate all the parts of each individual song, but he also played conductor, cheerleader and vocal coach.
The process, however, was pretty much the same. Each contestant got at least three run-throughs plus an instrumental to sing along to sans amplification, with musical director Rickey Minor looking on from the judges' table. The band, which includes nine string players, 13 brass and one drummer, looks like it was put together by HCJ. And as we previously reported, no one is allowed to play an instrument this week.
How did that pan out? Kind of nicely, I must admit. Without the weight and obstruction of a guitar, however minor, it seemed as though the Top 5 opened up vocally -- like they got more power, volume and reach with that little bit of extra air. Or maybe that's just confidence taking control. After all, it's been a couple of months of high-stress competition.
And how was Season 9's guitar golden boy Casey James handling the adjustment? "We'll see," he said with a hint of skepticism, then explained how he'd come to terms with what he "signed up for." Meaning, he's not driving this well-oiled machine. Nevertheless, Casey was pleasantly surprised by this new guitar-less sound. "Walking around sounds different," he enthused in a moment of self-discovery. Leave it to stage manager Debbie Williams to chime in with a very important message for Casey: "You know who we should fix you up with? Kellie Pickler". As if Casey needs help in the dating department. Really, Debbie.
We kid, but in all seriousness -- someone's gotta go every week. This is what Casey James was explaining after mentioning our shiva for Siobhan. That's right, the guy in the bottom two was trying to console me. I'm not sure if that meant he'd resigned himself to the possibility that Tuesday is his last night or whether Casey was just speaking the truth, but I liked the way he ended his thoughts: "Well, you have two more days to mourn." And: "What matters to me me is what happens after the show." He's wiser than he even realizes...
Speaking of smarts, Aaron Kelly's got some, otherwise how would he have made it to the Top 5? With his sleeves rolled up (as always) and his schoolwork out of the way, he was down to big-band business and what he does best: belt. Last week, I asked him about hitting the "money note" -- that big sustain at the end of every one of his performances. "It's not that I'm trying to show off," he explained, "it's what feels right for the song. Sometimes, I feel like it's gonna be boring if it doesn't have a big, grand ending." And going one step further in proving he's Season 9's David Archuleta, little Aaron dutifully hugged everyone within arm's reach (Crystal, vocal coach Debra Byrd, Fox staffers etc.), vintage Archie style. No wonder he keeps getting all those votes!
As for our front-runners, needless to say, Lee and Crystal handled their starring turns with aplomb, even if somewhat fidgety without their instruments. So instead of the strum, it was the snap, which seems all too appropriate considering the genre du jour. Lee was especially thumb-happy and also looking quite chummy with Mr. Connick, while Casey, who held onto his microphone for dear life, was simply starstruck. "I'm not even alive right now, it's like I'm in a dream," he said while watching Harry have his way with a Hammond organ.
To that end, expect a little New Orleans groove in Tuesday's episode (it is, after all, Harry Connick's hometown), as evidenced by Crystal and Rickey Minor's impromptu twirl at the base of the stage while Lee sang his heart out. Similarly, Lee and Casey both stood at attention while Crystal ran through her Sinatra number. But even with only 30-some people in the room, the show's last girl standing garnered the loudest applause from this influential focus group. Next stop: final four.
-- Shirley Halperin, L.A. Times, American Idol Tracker
Order the American Idol Season 9 Album Now
Click the image below to order:
Track Listing:
1. Treat Her Like A Lady - Lee DeWyze
2. Forever - Andrew Garcia
3. Paint It Black - Siobhan Magnus
4. Me And Bobby McGee - Crystal Bowersox
5. Jealous Guy - Casey James
6. I Don't Want To Miss A Thing - Aaron Kelly
7. Ready For Love - Michael Lynche
8. Under My Thumb - Tim Urban
9. Play With Fire - Didi Benami
10. Let It Be - Katie Stevens
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