Hokay!

[teaberryblue]

So, liret and I just secured a hotel room in Philly for the weekend of the 24th so that we can go audition for American Idol.

Because why? Because it's my last year of eligibility, and when I'm old and saggy and have grandchildren, and there is a cable channel #585747484 that plays all reruns of old reality TV and it is considered totally retro, I want to be able to tell them that yes, Grandma did try out for American Idol and make a fool of herself like thousands of people in her generation.

Hooray for future-granny!Tea.

Of course, the last year I can do it is the first time that I know of when they haven't had New York auditions, so we're going to the closest one, in Philadelphia.

I will be perfectly honest here. I am an okay singer. I am fairly pretty and have an interesting personality. And big boobs. And big hair. I think that there have been contestants on AI in the past that I could compete with, but I don't think I'm anywhere near the level of the finalists. I'm expecting I won't get through the first round of auditions, if they pick me to audition. I'm doing it for fun.

On the other hand, I want it to be a lot of fun.

I've already asked phuck, because I consider him my favorite expert on all things AI-related, but for the rest of you:

I have a fairly low, jazzy alto. I sing jazz, folk, and blues well. I have a few songs prepared already but if anyone has any recommendations for songs they think I should have ready in case they ask me for something specific? Please recommend!

Comments

[butterbuns.livejournal.com]

Black Coffee - Rosemary Clooney
The Wind Cries Mary - Cassandra Wilson
Pale Blue Eyes - Joe Henry
Hang Down Your Head - Lucinda Williams

...and I totally just realized that these are all on the same CD. Bah.

[lextaci.livejournal.com]

I don't know if the American version is any different, but when I auditioned for Oz Idol I sang my little song, got a little applause...And was then asked to sing something 'disco', because it was going to be one of the themes and they wanted to see how I'd handle it. :P

I ended up singing a few lines of what the judges called a 'lounge version' of 'I Will Survive'. It was traumatic.

So. Maybe check out the sort of stuff they've done on the show before, and have a pretty wide selection of songs prepared. Just in case. I normally don't mind making a fool of myself, but for months I was dreading my horror-struck face showing up on national telly.

[teaberryblue.livejournal.com]

Oooh, I didn't know you'd done that! Awesome! But yeah, that's why I'm trying to have as many songs prepared as possible.

[spiralstairs.livejournal.com]

I keep coming back to Judy Collins for some reason, otherwise, BREAK A LEG! :D

[sea0tter12.livejournal.com]

If they ask for something modern (and they will), don't do that Black Horse and the Cherry Tree, or anything else that an Idol contestant made famous. Those people always do horribly, and the judges cut them down for trying and not doing as well as the previous person.

[sea0tter12.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah!! And good luck!!!

[teaberryblue.livejournal.com]

Oh, yeah, I'm definitely not going to sing songs that belong to a previous Idol contestant. Most of the stuff I'm picking out are actually men's songs right now. Because I notice that a lot of the female contestants tend to fumble when they have to sing something originally written for a man.

[liret.livejournal.com]

I really want to do Before He Cheats, though I know I can't.

Damnit! I need more modern songs!

[stoopid-silly.livejournal.com]

Eeee this is awesome! What a thing to say you've done! good luck, I'm sure you'll have a blast and a memorable time either way.

[henpecked.livejournal.com]

Honestly? Have two or three "modern" sounding or Pop/Adult-Contemporary songs ready. They almost always ask people who do jazzy/blues stuff to sing something contemporary. The only person I can think of who got by without having to sing a modern song after an older number was Kat McPhee, actually. Haha.

OMG BREAK A FRIGGIN LEG. I love AI! AND I LOVE YOU! MUAH!

_{PS: Are you aware of how the audition process works for AI? Because it's nothing like what's presented on TV. I'm sure Noah told you, though.}

[teaberryblue.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I have friends who've done it before; I know how it works!

[kitness.livejournal.com]

Hee! Awesome - I'm totally trying out for Canadian Idol when it comes 'round next.

Anyhoo, songs! I love band standards and that's what I'll be auditioning with I think - so songs like Somone to Watch Over Mer, Almost Like Being in Love, and Come Rain or Come Shine. I suggest these because I think we have a similar vocal rnage (I'm a mezzo-belt with a solid low range and I do best with stuff that veers away from "pop" and heads more into jazz). Um... I dunno, maybe Black Velvet by Alannah Myles?

At any rate, break legs!!! Let us know how you do ^_^

[teaberryblue.livejournal.com]

Hahaha Black Velvet is one of the ones I have prepared, but I feel like it's too well-known?

[finchburg.livejournal.com]

SING HOIST THE COLOURS!!!

Um, seriously... I'm so bad at picking songs when thinking about AI so I have no idea what you could do. Does Bette Davis eyes get that high?

[teaberryblue.livejournal.com]

Bette Davis eyes is one of the songs I've been thinking about.

All the boys think she's a spy.

[twowishesleft.livejournal.com]

Want an AWESOME jazzy song for an alto? My Momma Done Told Me... or I think it may be called Blues in the Night... by Ella Fitzgerald.

It's cool, it's got range... and best of all: A white girl can sing it without sounding like a cat in a tin can.

[teaberryblue.livejournal.com]

The problem right now is that I have a load of oldschool jazz/blues I sing really well...I need new songs because generally when someone sings something old or a showtune, they ask them to sing something else to show that they can actually rock the modern music!

[lenfaz.livejournal.com]

Good luck with the audition! I do hope you make it so I can watch you later!

[teaberryblue.livejournal.com]

Haha, thanks!

[cheshire23.livejournal.com]

Hmm. For some reason, "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac is coming to mind.

[teaberryblue.livejournal.com]

Landslide rocks. I have to figure out if I can sing it.

[much-reality.livejournal.com]

FEVER. Awesome song.

Also? You are my hero. XD

What's Jess singing?

[much-reality.livejournal.com]

Oh, and POPULAR! From Wicked as your contemporary. Because it's modern and hilarious and you could rock that. You're funny.

[joannabanana23.livejournal.com]

What about Smile? I don't know your voice, but I think you'd perform it wonderfully for some reason. How exciting!

[joannabanana23.livejournal.com]

And by that, I meant the Charlie Chaplin one :-)

[sunnyrea.livejournal.com]

Crap now i may actually have to watch that show...

[teaberryblue.livejournal.com]

Only if I make it on! Otherwise you can boycott it!

[missbadexample.livejournal.com]

You are seriously one of the coolest people I know. This proves it.

[keladry.livejournal.com]

For some reason, "Sullivan Street" (http://www.keladry.com/oddsandends/08.Sullivan Street.mp3) by the Counting Crows popped into my head. I think a female take of that would be awesome, but maybe too introspective for something like American Idol... And the lyrics are too gender-specific, I guess. Still.

Looking through my music, I don't think there's much here that would make good audition material. :(

I'm not sure if it's in your range, but how about some Garbage (with your own twist) for modern, upbeat songs? "Only Happy When It Rains" (http://www.keladry.com/oddsandends/Only Happy When It Rains.mp3), maybe? I think that would be a song that would sound alright without instrumentation -- at least I assume your "American Idol" works like our "Deutschland Sucht Den Superstar" in that in the first round, it's voice only?

This might be an odd suggestion, but Sunrise Avenue (http://youtube.com/watch?v=77ey1aWDnyY), maybe? Unless that's been done to death already, but it might be good to have something really new and really popular with a high recognition factor?

[teaberryblue.livejournal.com]

Oh, gosh, I was thinking about Only Happy When it Rains!

I know Sullivan Street fairly well, I could try that one too.

And the other one I will DL when I get home! Thanks!

[rhikat.livejournal.com]

Some of Nini Camps stuff might work, although she's kind of country-ish, so I don't know if her stuff would be different enough from the folk and bluegrass to count if the judges want something else.

[teaberryblue.livejournal.com]

But I've never heard her so I will give her a listen! Thanks!

[gildedage.livejournal.com]

All the songs mentioned here sound pretty good, I also like "Feelin' Good", esp by Nina Simone, but I don't know if you can do that or whatever.

Good for you!

As for contemporary... hell if I know. I liked Lily Allen's "Smile", or "Unwritten", something funky and perky and snappy.

[valhearte.livejournal.com]

Back in my day, "AI" stood for "Artificial Intelligence"

[pierrelle.livejournal.com]

~Because it's my last year of eligibility~
I didn't know there was age restriction for AI!
*clearly a fan of the show*

GOOD LUCK! :D *crosses fingers*