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| Saturday 27th September - What The Panel Said |
| With a place in the final at stake the students must be as eager than ever to impress the Fame Academy panel. We love to hate some of them (you know who!) but nevertheless their comments seem to hold considerable sway with both the voting public and the voting students. Here's how they reacted to the student's semi-final performances… |
Click on any of the links below and find out what pearls of wisdom
the tutors had in store for the students this week...
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Song: "I don't want a lover" (Texas) |
| Patrick Kielty: She was singing her socks of is it good enough? |
| Richard Park: I don't think that will be good enough Carolynne, to get you through to the final. (Audience groans). After my usual positive reception from the audience… because I think as a rock chick I don't think that really works for you, I prefer the performances over the series, when you've been singing ballads. Tonight there, just looking at you and thinking in the back of my mind to the original by Charlene, and I know you're not attempting to do a cover, you're attempting to do something off your own bat, but I don't think it worked for you, I don't think it's convincing, I can't see you making an album... |
| Patrick Kielty: Everyone here was convinced... |
| Richard Park: Patrick don't interrupt here's the... |
| Patrick Kielty: I'm just saying everyone here was convinced... |
| Richard Park: I'm just coming to my moment here... which is to... |
| Patrick Kielty: Well don't let me stop you then. |
| Richard Park: Which is to say that now we've got to look ahead to see whether or not you're going to go out into the recording business and make some big songs that people are going to buy. That won't be one of the songs, I don't think that'll be your style, and I think people will agree with me tonight and that's going to give you a problem. |
| Patrick Kielty: Okay, Carrie... |
| Carrie Grant: Yea, we're not actually here... we're not actually here to judge the songs tonight and I felt that you got up there and you sang your heart and soul (audience cheers). That is the most commitment that I've ever seen you give any song up there. I think you know that your career depends on this... this career, up to this point depends on this stage right now... |
| Carolynne: I enjoyed that the most, that was the one I enjoyed... |
| Carrie Grant: ... and... I thought that you gave it vocally, I thought you gave it presence, and I think week on week you have built and I think you are a strong contender. (Cheers from audience... then Richard tries to speak) |
| Patrick Kielty: Richard please we've got... |
| Richard Park: Just let me say... |
| Carrie Grant: There's actually two other people on the panel there Richard... |
| Richard Park: Yea I know but hang on a minute because you got that wrong, the presence wasn't there |
| Patrick Kielty: Watch the mike, please |
| Richard Park: ...the presence wasn't there... |
| David Grant: Well that's, that's, that's a matter of opinion, there are certain things that are a matter of fact. The first fact is she got up there and she sang it brilliantly (audience cheers). The second fact is as a performer she's grown throughout the series, and now to a matter of opinion, I think she did have presence. |
| Richard Park: Well I hope you'll be buying the album. |
| David Grant: Well let me tell you I certainly will be buying the album and I look forward to seeing her on that stage next week. (Audience cheers) |
| Patrick Kielty: Okay Robin... |
| Robin Gibb: Unfortunately, what Richard is saying to a great degree is right, it is a tough business out there, and it is about making records and what people hear on the radio. The performance, while it was energetic and spirited as they've always been, it didn't really have what the other performances had... that you've done before... |
| Richard Park: Hear! Hear! |
| Patrick Kielty: Hang on, hang on. So what are we saying? Are we saying this is not good enough to be in the final next week? |
| Robin Gibb: Er, I don't think so no. |
| David Grant: when you say it didn't have what the others had, do you mean in terms of presence, vocally? Do you mean in terms of performance, in terms of attitude, what do you mean? |
| Robin Gibb: Well, everything in general, she didn't excel what she had in the other performances prior to tonight, (she) just didn't show it in that performance. |
| Richard Park: We're talking about making the final of Fame Academy... |
| Robin Gibb: That's what we are, yes. |
| Richard Park: The previous winner got a number one single, sold lots of albums and is just about to release a new very, very big song. I don't think, the way we've seen Carolynne perform tonight, that is on the agenda for her, but I do concede the viewers will make up their minds. I personally don't think so. |
| Patrick Kielty: Well thankfully they will, and hopefully they will be disagreeing with you. Okay, erm, (to Carolynne) now he's obviously for three weeks, he's kind of supported you, and now you know, at the second last hurdle he's kind of turning on you. What do you make of it? |
| Richard Park: The bar rises, the bar rises Patrick and Carolynne you know that don't you? |
| Patrick Kielty: Please... |
| Richard Park: You're trying to get... |
| Patrick Kielty: Pa...please I'm talking to... |
| Richard Park: I know I'm getting emotional about this because you're trying to get into the final, I was looking for greatness. |
| Carolynne: Yer I am trying to get into the final, I am trying my best to get into the final and... you know what I thought that was wicked for me. (Audience cheers) |
| Patrick Kielty: okay... Carolynne! There we go. |
Song: "Something" (The Beatles) |
| Patrick Kielty: (into Peter) Now we had a little chat earlier on and you think you're going out tonight don't you? |
| Patrick Kielty: You said that earlier now after that, okay, now what do you think? |
| Peter: er, I still think it's touch and go to be honest. Not the way I've performed, but erm, I think Alex and Alistair have been doing really well recently so it's always going to be a struggle to get into the bottom (top?) two. |
| Patrick Kielty: Okay let's see what they think then... |
| Richard Park: I think he was no better at that song than Carolynne just was at hers. (Groans from the audience) I think it's going to be an interesting vote... it's going to be an interesting vote, erm, out of tune singing is okay for a while but after a while it really is fatiguing. You're a bit of a rogue, a little bit of a charlatan as well. So when we add the whole thing together, I think Peter during your 11 weeks in the Academy erm, some of the standard you've shown have actually let yourself down a little bit, and tonight in the semifinal you've let yourself down from some of the great standards that you set earlier on. (More audience groans) So I would just say that in the vote now, just having seen the first two people perform there's a lot of nerves, a lot of tension and I'll forgive that, and I think the judgement is actually going to be on the end of the telephone. I have given mine and that was weak. |
| Patrick Kielty: Let's hope that it is on the end of a telephone because I think that it's not only the performance that is slightly fatiguing. Let's go to |
| Richard Park: And what do you mean by that?
Patrick Kielty: Well... go on...
David Grant: Richard we don't have time...
Patrick Kielty: We're tired of hearing it.
David Grant:... we don't have time, Richard we don't have time...
Richard Park: ... tired of hearing...
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| David Grant: Richard we don't have time... |
| David Grant: Okay, thank you, my turn. Erm, I think that Peter has got star potential, I think he's got star qualities and he's a great performer. (Audience cheers) I think that vocally... I think that vocally I found that a bit disappointing because I found the tuning disappointing. I think he's got a lovely voice but I felt that he didn't take... You know the mechanics of actually getting things right are important, and I felt that he does so much about the whole performance... the whole performance, that the simple things, the mechanics of singing the notes in tune... I felt a lot of that was missing. |
| Patrick Kielty: Okay Robin, he thinks he's touch and go tonight what do you think? |
| Robin Gibb: I thought it was a nice performance of the Beatles song 'Something' and I think you did your best on it. Errm, I don't say it was outstanding, but it was... it was a good version, it was nice to hear. |
| Patrick Kielty: Is he going to be here next week? Final next week, Carrie? |
| Carrie Grant: I don't think that whether he is here next week is necessarily down to that performance. I think that the public obviously see a lot more than just that performance. The first half of the performance was weak, I felt that you really picked up in the second half, but I do feel that Peter has come onto the scene at a very good time... in pop terms rock is the new pop and I think that Peter's style is really individual. I don't know that all his voters wi... I don't know that all his fans will necessarily vote. I think some of them are a bit too cool. |
| Patrick Kielty: Okay, well if there's anyone out there who is just a little bit too cool the only way this guy, you know we saw Bob Geldof apparently is also a fan, we found that out this week, er... if you're too cool for school you need to just get off the sofa and pick the phone up give him your vote. The lines are open now... Peter everyone! |
Song: "I'm not in love" (10 CC) |
| Patrick Kielty: Okay this is the second last show, we've been on for a few months. What would it mean to get to the final next week, for you? |
| Alex: (clears throat) Erm, it would fulfil my dream of coming here. |
| Patrick Kielty: Okay, is she going to fulfil her dream? |
| Richard Park: I've just realised Patrick that she's got an unfair advantage. She's got an unfair advantage over everybody else and I think the viewers need to understand this, that you're the only one in this competition with a natural God-given talent and good luck to you, you were brilliant. (Cheers from audience) |
| Carrie Grant: I erm, I disagree with that, I think there's a lot of God-given talents over there that I can see lined up on those stairs, Alex is one of them. (Cheers from audience) However, erm, when Alex takes a song she doesn't think about it as a technical exercise she thinks about it from an emotional point of view and that's how you connect so brilliantly with the viewers and with the public, I'm sure that's why people do vote for you, because you... it starts from inside and comes out. And that happens even upstairs in the piano room, and that happens there again in that circle of fear. I feel you keep building week on week, but whether your voters vote more than once I'm not sure. |
| Richard Park: Of course they do, of course they do... (garble) |
| Patrick Kielty: Okay, Robin? |
| Robin Gibb: You started off a bit nervous, it sounded that way, but the quality of your voice shone through and (audience cheers)... it doesn't really matter sometimes some of the most successful art... some of the most successful artists in the world will be nervous and they won't do their best when they show up, but if the talent is there, if the voice is there, er, it won't matter it'll come through and you did tonight. |
| Patrick Kielty: Okay, very quickly David... |
| David Grant: Er, very quickly big players, big artists perform when the nerves are on and when it really matters, and she got up there needing to give a big performance and she gave a big performance. (Cheers from audience) |
| Patrick Kielty: okay. It was a big performance, remember it's not up to the teachers is up to you, the lines are open now pick up the phone. Well played you, Alex! |
Song: "Jealous Guy" (John Lennon) |
| Patrick Kielty: All right fella, well played, okay... a week to the final, erm, yea you had to go last your waiting for everyone else to perform... er, do you think it was good enough? |
| Alistair: (softly) I hope so. |
| Patrick Kielty: Yea, you happy with your performance? |
| Alistair: Yea, I was happy. |
| Patrick Kielty: Okay, he was happy, Carrie? |
| Carrie Grant: I think that Alistair is someone who really rises to the occasion. I think there's a lot of pressure here on you tonight and you look great, I think you sounded great, I think it was one of your best performances... (Cheers from audience)... and on top of that I think that's one of the first times I've actually heard your voice when you've been using more than just that one nasal tone that I know that Richard doesn't like, but I think that really suit you, using more colours in your voice. |
| Erm, whether you have the charisma to go on and on and make album after album I'm still not sure, but that was a very, very good performance. (Cheers) |
| Robin Gibb: Well again I have to say it, I've always loved your voice and that was one of the best performances tonight (cheers) . |
| David Grant: the only thing that I disagree with both Carrie and Robin on is I don't think it was one of his best performances. I've been waiting for 10 weeks for Alistair to prove to me that actually he can sing a song like he really means it, and finally tonight he did it, for me that was his best performance. Not one of them, the best! |
| Patrick Kielty: And finally… |
| Richard Park: Dull, bland, uninspiring, adenoidal. |
| Patrick Kielty: But enough about you, let's talk about the song... |
| Richard Park: Patrick, if you wish to treat my critique of the artist with that amount of childishness I feel really sorry for you and I think once again you're letting yourself down... |
| Richard Park: You are better than you're actually behaving as, I want to tell Alistair. |
| Patrick Kielty: I didn't realise that this was from Fame Academy for presenters as well, we're talking about the song okay? |
| Richard Park: If it was you'd be off. |
| Patrick Kielty: Okay thanks... (garble) |
| Richard Park: Alistair... Alistair it was... (aside) well maybe I'll get my chance... it was dull, uninspiring, a little bit boring and I think that there is an issue about the nasalness and of the adelnoidalness that when you would come to work, yes those are big words that probably aren't absolutely right to know what I mean, nasal, adenoidal, when you come to work with A&R in the record company, if that happens for you, there's going to have to be some big changes. You look like one of those artists (clears throat) excuse me, you look like one of those artists who does those albums, you know 20 greatest hits by somebody we've never heard of singing covers. That's where I think we are. |
| David Grant: Oh no hang on, hang on, no, now hold on Richard I know... okay, let's... let's face this all right, there are people who one like, there are people who one doesn't like. There are lots of artists who I don't like, doesn't mean other people don't... he's just not your cup of tea, he's not your type... |
| Patrick Kielty: I think we've worked that out... |
| Richard Park: He's got great personality... he's... he's Alistair McGowan not Alistair Griffin he's NOT a great singer |
| David Grant: But wait when you come on... |
| Carrie Grant's: He's getting the votes so someone must like him Richard. |
| David Grant: People, people like him and tonight's performance was the best performance he's given. (Cheers) |
| Peter and Carolynne |
Song: "I only want to be with you" (Dusty Springfield)
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| Alex and Alistair
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Song: "Everybody's Talking" (Harry Nilsson) |
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| Patrick Kielty: Two very different performances, where would we like to start David? |
| David Grant: I want to start, I want to start with the first performance. Erm, Peter, Peter you sang! Peter, let me tell you something about Peter alright. Peter is a great performer, he has a really really distinctive voice. What that showed me is you've got two singers there who have really distinctive, identifiable voices and that whenever Peter decides he wants to sing he actually can. Thank you for doing that Peter. (Cheers) This one (Alex and Alistair's duet), it's funny because it's like there are two people I didn't that they'd necessarily work together 'n it's like there is one... one style which is Alistair's that seems to be all about really trying and there's one that is Alex's which seems to be all about eff-effort-less-ness... but it kind of worked. |
| Robin Gibb: What's that word again? |
| David Grant and Patrick Kielty: Effortlessness |
| Patrick Kielty: Okay... Robin which one did you prefer? |
| Robin Gibb: Erm... I preferred the second one...erm I liked... I liked the first one "I only want to be with you" but it was just a strange song for a duet, I don't know why it didn't work that way... erm, for a duet, it didn't for me anyway... |
| Patrick Kielty: Maybe they only want to be with... |
| Robin Gibb: Maybe they only want to be with me... yea. But I think they were both very good... |
| Carrie Grant: I think there was an obvious chemistry between erm... Carolynne and Peter that really worked on stage and I thought that the second number lacked that chemistry. |
| David Grant: Yep, I agree. (Groans) |
| Patrick Kielty: okay, and finally Mr Park. |
| Richard Park: Well everybody tried hard to work with each other. The Fame Academy competition however is for a solo winner, so I keep that in the back of my mind. Everybody gave it a bit of a go but I shan't be writing letters home about either effort. (Carrie laughs, audience boos.) In fact the word I would use to be honest is "poor". I thought it was really bad, both... in fact, I do... I thought they were both really poor, because I think they are concentrating on the solo, the solo effort... |
| Carrie Grant: It's true, actually. |
| Richard Park: And a lot of nerves, and a lot of tension. |
| Carrie Grant: He's not wrong, he's not wrong. |
| Richard Park: Let's hear it for me! (Boos) |
| Patrick Kielty: I think we can see what everyone thinks of you. |
| David Grant: Now this isn't part of the Academy, let's hear it for them... it was, it was right. I mean their focus has been on their solo stuff and this was fun. But I thought the first one was better. |
| Patrick Kielty: Okay. Well it is not up to you guys it is entirely up to you at home. Peter, Carolynne, Alex and Alistair everybody! (Cheers) |
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