Why Casey Carlson didn’t cut it
Posted on February 19th, 2009 – 6:06 PMBy Jon Bream
Ultimately, there are two things a contestant needs to succeed on “American Idol”: The ability to own songs and “It.”
Both are a bit hard to define but you don’t need Randy, Kara, Paula and Simon to tell you when you see them. You know those qualities when you see them. That’s obvious from the various comments that readers have made on startribune.com.
Casey Carlson, our homegirl from Eden Prairie, struck out on both counts. There was nothing original about her rendition of the Police’s “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic.” She didn’t make the song her own. She didn’t inject her personality into it. It was pretty much karaoke. Never mind that she had some pitch issues, as well.
Then there’s the “It” factor. Call it star quality, charmisa, magic. Or more often than not, Idol settles for a strong, definable personality. Being cute, as Casey was, is one-dimensional. It’s not personality. She projected theatricality (winking, smiling, etc.) more than personality.
Tatiana, Idol’s drama queen, has oodles of personality but it wasn’t necessarily likable personality. She got bounced, too, on Wednesday night.
Of the 12 singers who performed this week, Danny Gokey seemed the closest to having the American Idol goods. He took a Mariah Carey song, Hero, (probably the only Mariah song worth covering) and made it his own, taking a woman’s song and doing it from a male point of view with vocal flair. It helps if you know his back story as a recent widower — and all that kind of stuff factors into personality and the voting.
He sold the song as his own, he established himself as a memorable personality and he’s the guy with cooler-than-Randy’s glasses, a piece of identity that sets him apart from the two other kinda husky dudes who also sang on Tuesday.
Next week, our other homegirl, Jesse Langseth (or Jesse Lang as she’s been known in local clubs), gets her turn.
22 Responses to "Why Casey Carlson didn’t cut it"
who cares……..
ah … maybe the clothes she chose … what era were they from?!!?
People are still watching that garbage?!
She was AWFUL, and deserved to be cut! It was painful to listen to her, and the winking was pitiful.
Casey deserves our applause for taking a big risk — a person is highly exposed when out in front of an audience, and i think nerves got the best of her. any of you who are so negative should try putting yourselves out there to be judged, then you will find out quickly that you, too, could be shredded in a heartbeat. Keep on trying , Casey , you can make it yet !!
I agree. All the training in the world will not help a person with out talent. She sank like the Titanic.
That was terrible. It was the female version of a guy with a bad comb-over in a leisure suit singing “New York, New York.”
She’s not a great singer, but she’s still HOT looking! Hurray to MN!
Don’t the judges get to pick 3 of the final 12? So some of these people could come back?
I was embarrassed for her …yikes
Those cowgirl booties didn’t cut it;
and a good singer she is NOT! Maybe
she can get into a modeling career.
Jon-Weak review. Telling us she does or doesn’t have “it” and then describing “it” as “you know those qualities when you see them” is not very effective writing. You are being paid to describe stuff for us - please do so.
What are you talking about?
She had “it.”
What she didn’t have was a voice.
Did you hear that atrocious performance - totally off tune, high pitched, and sounded like some amateur singing karoake.
Amrican Idol is a joke anyway…Who cares. Its a rigged program for greed and the judges (with the exception of Randy Jackson) have little to now talent as REAL musicians…Let it go…Get a hobby….
I think it was her stance… stood with legs way too wide open…. weird…. makes a statement. I don’t know what the statement is, but it’s not positive.
She cant sing. I’m surprised that she even made it to Hollywood because there were other girls who sang way better than her.
I’m with Dave and Dan.
Casey evoked Sarah Palin with her performance. I thought I had turned on the Carnival Cruise Line network.
If you vocal coach signed off on that turd you need a NEW coach pronto. Better yet, just go back to school and get a degree. Who wants to end up like Rueben Stutter anyways?
Why do people write “Who cares….” when it is obvious by the very fact that they posted it means they do care.
Does it matter? Viewership is declining, and only a few of the winners still have record deals. This is more of a popularity contest than it is a singing contest.
She was horrible but at least she looked good doing it. She’ll have no problem getting by in life on her looks alone. Most beautiful women do.
Kara - the “new” edition to American Idol represents everything that is wrong with the music business with her instructions for contestants to “be young” and “make it now”….whatever… Here is my prediction: none of the “hit” songs she has written will be listened to by anyone in 10 years.
