We're finally here! Tonight is the last performance night for Season 6. Tomorrow night, we find out which act wins the million dollar prize. Will it be the crooner, the light up dancers, the backlit dancers, or the band? There's a 75% chance we get a brand new kind of winner this season. Me? I'm banking on Landau Eugene Murphy Jr for the fact that he is a man who sings. That's an almost-guaranteed victory on a modern talent show in America. And, for the last time this season, we're doing it live. Check back for updates throughout the night. Share your own thoughts.
First up tonight is Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. He's the crooner who the show claims is shocking. Is it because he's black? Am I being too cynical here? The guy can sing and he never takes the easy way out.
Landau has a larger orchestra onstage. He's singing "My Way." It might be a little low-key for the finale. He's singing it beautifully. The crowd goes wild when he hits the chorus. He's straining a little bit when he tries to mix with a belt on the bridge. He's technique is insane. He has beautiful round vowels and excellent placement tonight. No X's.
Second up is Team iLuminate. They're the light-up dance team. Apparently some people think the woman in charge of the group is trying to claim credit for developing this technology. Neither she nor the show has ever said that. She programs the choreography, sews the technology into the costumes, and choreographs all the numbers. I could see this as a Vegas show if they can build a longer narrative into their routines.
There's a really cool heart effect starting out the routine. The heartbeat is mixed into the ballad they're dancing too. It's quite striking against the green and white costumes. Now they're using super-bright light strips for flashing effects. They are, quite literally, making the stage glow. It's beautiful. They're doing some crazy overhead choreography right now that's speeding up the music. They just bounced a person between two dancers like a game of pong. For the first time, we get to see all of the dancers onstage at once thanks to the super-bright costumes. It's so clean and exciting. No X's.
Third tonight is Poplyfe. They're the young band that Piers probably still thinks should be a solo singing act. They're good for their age and more hard-working than most other bands that have even come close to the finale on this show. If they choose the right song, the night could be there's.
Poplyfe is performing a Queen medley. They start with "We Will Rock You." The stage is a a big platform with an expanding pop art projection on the back. The backup singers are still tone deaf. They transition (not really, more like start the new song) into "We Are the Champions." It's another song that is really awkward in the lead singer's range. The verse was perfectly placed, but the chorus is in an awkward place. The backup singers ruin the effect at the end. No X's, though Piers was hovering over that button near the end.
Last tonight are Silhouettes. They're the childhood dance troupe that, bless their hearts, keep little girls who are going blind as their mascot. I don't like their instructors because of their attitudes and I don't like them because they are consistently sloppy in the live shows. Maybe they'll prove me wrong tonight.
The performance starts with a bed illusion. They're performing to "What a Wonderful World." I' going to assume that the "bed" is a prop and not dancers. I just saw them carry it offstage. Apparently this is all dreams this little girl is having. At least they figured out how to do projections that don't hide Silhouette's mediocre formations. Spoke too soon. There's a pagoda that I would not have known was a pagoda until they did the projection. Same with the Eiffel Tower. That wasn't even straight. How hard is it to raise your arms up straight. This is, without a doubt, their worst performance. Someone accidentally buzzes them after the performance. Good for you. No official X's.
Personal Ranking
- Landau Eugene Murphy Jr.
- Team iLuminate
- Poplyfe
- Silhouettes
Prediction:
Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. The show wants Silhouettes but they didn't deliver, made the show go over with a technical error, and didn't get a clip package to manipulate America with.
What did you think? Sound off. Love to hear from you.