Last night during part 1 of American Idol‘s Las Vegas Round, 17-year-old Shubha Vedula took the stage to do a very different version of Lady GagGag’s “Born This Way.” Not only was Shubha’s version very different from the original song, but it was also very different from anything else done on the show last night.
Just about every other girl last night on American Idol sang a slow song or outright ballad. And there is nothing wrong with that. I have championed these songs, and the contestants who sing them, for a long time.
But every year, as the American Idol season gets closer to the finale, the judges begin taking the girls to task for repeatedly singing such songs. In addition, America seems to quickly tire of these performances, no matter how good they are. As a result, girls with really powerful voices end up going home before they should.
Last night, however, Shubha Vedula decided to go a very different route. And for doing so, she paid the ultimate price.
Watch Shubha Vedula’s American Idol Las Vegas Round performance after the jump, along with some additional comments by me.
Don’t get me wrong. The performance was far from perfect. Shubha struggled with breathing and phrasing in parts. And the song might have been better overall had she stayed at the piano longer.
But as Keith Urban pointed out when he first started critiquing Shubha Vedula’s performance, the live audience in the studio LOVED the performance. They were all on their feet just as soon as the tempo picked up, clapping along and thoroughly enjoying themselves.
And isn’t that, after all, what American Idol is looking for in their contestants? Someone who can get the audience on their feet, enjoying themselves, and wanting more?
Sadly, the judges didn’t see it that way. While noting that Shubha Vedula’s voice powered through, they took her to task for the performance as a whole. While most of the other contestants last night took refuge behind the microphone stand, Shubha got out there, sang a contemporary song, and showed that she, as the judges like to say, “could be current.”
I’m disappointed that Shubha was sent home last night. We got to see her twice in the episodes before last night, and both times I loved her voice. She has a powerhouse voice and, I think, could have helped the girls gain dominance over the guys this year. Hopefully the girls who did go through last night will be able to fill that upbeat void that is now missing.
So what did you think of Shubha Vedula’s performance last night on American Idol? Do you agree with the judges’ decision to send her home? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Source:
http://idolradioshow.com/ai-s12-shubha-vedula-born-this-way/