JESSICA SANCHEZ FALLS SHORT, LOSES TO AMERICAN IDOL PHILLIP PHILLIPS
By Rod Mijares
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 25 May 2012
After Tuesday night?s record-breaking 132 million votes cast, the 21-year old guitar-performing singer Phillip Phillips of Leesburg, Georgia was voted 11th season American Idol winner besting 16-year old teenage sensation and powerhouse Filipino-Mexican-American Jessica Sanchez of Chula Vista, California. No doubt, they are the two biggest names in America right now as host Ryan Seacrest declared based from the total votes tallied.
The wrong and the right choice of songs definitely spell the difference between winning and losing. Whether they were taken as a challenge or as a deterrent are up to the contestant to dwell on, act affirmatively, and perform to their best for the judges and the audience, alike.
At the finale, the performer who delivered and made the audience felt better and wanting more was the sure winner. Phillip Phillips did this beginning with his second song and finished it off with his third and coronation song, Greg Holden?s ?The Home? complete with a marching band accompaniment that earned him standing ovation from the judges and the 7,000 audience in attendance at Los Angeles? Nokia Theater. The third song by Phillip surely pulled the biggest votes as he captured the hearts of his listeners who were mesmerized and dazzled by his performance.
Jessica and Phillip have to sing three songs for the finale night. By virtue of a toss coin, Jessica has to sing first on each of the three rounds.
Simon Fuller, the ?Idol? creator, selected Whitney Houston?s ?I Have Nothing? for Jessica and chose Ben E. King?s ?Stand By Me? for Phillips. After the first round, Randy Jackson gave it to Jessica while Steven and Jennifer Lopez were noncommittal about their pick.
In the second matchup, Jessica sang Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli?s ?The Prayer? as her favorite performance and Phillips performed Billy Joel?s ?Movin? Out? as his favorite. It was dead even as Steven commented that it was Jessica?s round while Jennifer said it was Phillips? round. Randy said it was even for both contestants.
Performance wise, the third matchup was the deciding round and Phillip Phillips took his audience with his winning single ?Home? while Jessica Sanchez? ?Change Nothing? has really nothing to wow the audience to pull it off. The main difference is Phillip?s originality from singing style to outfit that even the famous designer Tommy Hilfiger could not change. When the judges stood up and rained praises to Phillip after his performance, everybody knew that he just nailed it and Jessica knew she just blew her chances.
Randy said, ?I love the song, I love you, I love the production, I love the marching band. It was perfect. It was the best performance of the night. Everything about that is perfect. Genius?. Jennifer said, ?It was Phillip Phillips? referring to his originality.
?By virtue of your vulnerability and style, you made the world your home, my friend. You were perfect tonight and I think you are the man,? Steven Tyler commented and cemented into the viewers mind that Phillip is their American Idol.?
Phillip and Jessica paid tribute to their music mentors by presenting them each a key of their new car. Surprisingly, Ryan Seacrest pulled out of his pocket and awarded one key each to the two final contestants of their 2013 Ford Fusion.
When Phillip was announced the winner, Jessica sort of jumped with glee and immediately hugged him with her back against the camera. There was no way to determine her facial expression at all while embracing Phillip.
If there was any consolation at all of being a runner-up aside from future recording contracts, Jessica?s duet with recording artist and Tony Award winning-actress and Grammy Award-winning singer Jennifer Holliday of Dreamgirls almost stole the awarding night as they both give it all in singing ?"And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going?. Their performance was so powerful and their exchanges were so phenomenal, jaw dropping and heart stopping. Judges and the audience could not help it but gave them their well-deserve standing ovation. Jennifer Lopez was heard shouting..?I love it?.
After all the hugging and the congratulations, Seacrest handed over Phillip?s guitar to him to render the winning song, ?Home? once again. In the middle of the song right after the band marched behind him, Phillips choked with happiness as tears engulfed him and could sing no more. He just continued plucking his guitar until such time that it was no longer bearable to him that he walked down from the stage to his waiting family and hugged them. Then, the three judges one by one. That was a very humbling gesture from an emotional winner who always says that he is just a simple guy.
America has voted, Phillip Phillips continued the boys? dominance as he was coveted the 11th season and 2012 ?American Idol? champion and truly deserving of his title.
As for Jessica Sanchez, you made the Filipinos proud and united. You may not be the champion but to them, you are their ?American Idol? and an inspiration to follow their own dreams.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rod Mijares.
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