The S*Factor II Round #1

Congratulations for making it to Round 1 :) That was some tough judging. Overall the level of performances was greater than last year and definitely raised the bar. Going forward to this round, I will invest myself into your entry and try to find things that I think can improve your performance. It will be a suggestion only .. and completely up to you as to whether you take them on-board. I have a genuine interest in getting the best out of people and I hope you will accept my suggestions with that in mind.

Here are some things I noticed from the auditions that I am going to share. We asked for your best recordings ..Some of the submissions were fresh and possibly not your best. I heard a lot of entries from people who have enormous talent, but they over-sang and lost the melody , or they had just flat out chosen the wrong song for their vocal or their equipment/sound quality let them down.

This round is about performing a song. Not just singing.. but tone, emotion, connection. Considering the voices you are up against .. it would be a suggestion to you all to spend some time on Song Choice. I am really excited to hear all your entries this round.

Thank you to everyone that auditioned.

Beki

Hiee!! Again, thanks for the advance. I'm sad to say I wasn't able to listen to everyone's audition entry. I'm busy judging the Karaoke SuperStar contest. whew! Talk about talent!!! I am thrilled for this round and cannot wait to get started!!! Good luck to everybody!

congrats all judges did great job amazing talent hugs caz

Thank you so much for letting me stay with all these talented singers
Off to find that wow factor :)
Good Luck to you all
Thanks again ~hugs~

I am so honored to be part of this contest. And excited !! Thank you for the advance. Now to find a song.

Best of luck everyone :)

thanks for the advance!!

Flagging! Bringing this over from the Auditions thread!

Good Morning everyone! I have to say that I have been blown away by some of you! BLOWN AWAY!!!! I will give a little insight into what I personally am looking for. For me, someone with the "S" Factor is someone who can FEEL the music and take it to a wonderful place, while staying true to the essence of the song. Singing a sad song like its Happy Birthday just confuses me, lol. Besides being able to give some of you helpful advice to make you that much better, I think I can learn from lots of you also. This promises to be a rewarding experience for me (much as it was last year) and I really hope you guys enjoy it too.
Hope you all have a great day!

Ohhh this is so awesome!!!!

Congrats to everyone and good luck! I'm gonna try and keep up with listens as best I can. Some great talent here. Good luck to all!

Whoot! Thanks for the advance and congrats to all! I'm excited to get to work on a song! :o)

Thank you for the advance. I'm sad to see so many talented people go; but, am honored and excited to have the chance to move on. I'm looking forward to it!! Good Luck everyone!

Thank u for my Spectator status!
Congrats to those that made it in!!!!
I look forward to seeing all of you BRING IT HARD in this competition...
My husband would break my fingers if he caught me sneaking in listens on my phone....You will all give me something to look forward to when I get back :)
BEST OF LUCK to all of you!!!!!
I am officially off SS until the 29th or so....
God save me from my addiction!!!!...lol
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Kat

Thanks for the advance................

Thank you very much for the advance...i'm glad i made it through...so much talent on this site it's unbeleivable...

So off i go to seek something to sing....

Have a wonderful day.

Josée ;-))))))))))

flaggin'

Thanks so much....looking forward to this and so many of my great friends are in it this time too!!!! KEWL!!!!!!

Thanks for the advance... :)

Enjoy your vacation Kat!! HUGS

Thank you so much for the advance..Really looking forward to this :)

thanks for the advance and i too look forward to it...but i'm a little scart!!!...i know alot of these folks and i know they can sing too!!!....good luck to all.

Congrats and best of luck to you all!!! Now the search begins for just the right tune and wear it out ;)

thanks all!
And Congrats to those who made it through!
flaggin

flaggin

Congrats to all.
YAY let the fun begin, I look forward to an amazing show. Believe in yourself, the song you choose, and let the music take you to new elevations, my friends. Express the obvious love you have for music and that special song that allows you the FREEDOM to occupy the greatest range of passion, heart felt and soul delivered.

Thank you again for the advance. I will use these days while I'm still here in Spain to search for and practice the song I select.
I won't be submitting my entry until I get back on the 24th or 25th.

Congrats to everyone that made it here. I'll do my best to deserve being here.

Congrats to everyone that made it through im so happy so be joining you all and excited to hear what you all have to bring to the table :)

Very excited to be a part of this :) Thanks to everyone that listened/commented on my entry - I will be by your page SOON!

Congrats to everyone and thank you for the vote of confidence. It's always appreciated. Here we go....

#26 jackalson
Sara Smile
Daryl Hall & John Oates
http://www.singsnap.com/karaoke/watchandlisten/play/b88a568bc

Congrats to everyone who made it through. I wish you all the very best of Luck for this Round. Consider these words that I am writing to you as a work in Progress.
I and the other Judges may stream more thoughts to you as we have them.
Listen... when that Record Button is Lit Up , you need to be Feeling what you are singing... because if you are not Feeling it, how can you expect anybody else to?
From the very Opening Line, you need to OWN your song. I think the Opening Line is the most important part of your Performance and if you are not able to sing your Opening Line with Conviction, you should stop recording and do it over.
Another Thing is Form. If you sing the Choruses like you sing the Verses, your Performance is going to be pretty lackluster. The Reason Choruses are Repeated is that they are the Focal Point of the Song and the Main Reference point of the Lyrics. Therefore, there should be some Lift into the Chorus and there should be Passion and Conviction as you are making the Song's Main Argument!
As an example, take the song "Open Arms" by Journey.... You should be Crescendoing as you move from verse into Chorus.. So> Now>I> ((((COME TO YOU WITH OPEN ARMS))) BUILD your Sound.. Get Bigger...SELL IT! Then as you transition from Chorus to Verse, you decrescendo and make it Personal and Real and Heartfelt. We want to Feel the Performances as if you yourself wrote those Lyrics.
Song Choice is very very Important.... If you pick a song that is bigger than your ability to perform it, you will be showing us what you CAN'T DO in addition to what you can and that's probably going to cost you your chance to move on. But if you play it safe and there were LOTS of Safe Performances in Auditions, you will lose out if somebody gives and equally good performance with a more challenging song.
So that's a few thoughts from me to get you started........
Best of Luck Everyone! - Rick

Hello everyone :) Thank you for advancing me to this round :) I think we all got our work cut out for ourselves ! Have fun everyone :)

wow Rick... that is really wonderful advice....You are very kind to the contestants giving them this advantage to assist them with their choices!!! Well said my friend :)

Some top singers in the 70+...i will be eager to listen. :) *jeanie

Very excited and looking forward to this!

woooohooooo congrats all i know this is gonna be realllllllllllllllllll tough !!!!!!!!!!

ok here is my round 1 entry

17.dee37uk
song & artist ~ Don't Speak by No Doubt (harmony)
link ~ http://www.singsnap.com/karaoke/r/b88f7cefc

flagged & off to finish audition listens :o)

Thanks for the advanceee. (:
Congrats to everyone who made it thru.
Now it's time to gooo. lol

Game on. :|

FLAGGING \m/

wow Rick... that is really wonderful advice....You are very kind to the contestants giving them this advantage to assist them with their choices!!! Well said my friend :)Greeneyedkat

You are supposed to be gone!!! I'm tellin' yer hubby.....and BooDuck!!! Never mind BooDuck just send me a text message from the club they are at.............."nothing but hula skirts.......oh wait, one has one of those flowery things around her neck". Not sure what club it is but sounds fun!!!!!

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now know why Adam Lambert didnt win Idol!!!

SINCERELY- Thank you to the FORTY EIGHT People who messaged me and offered apologies.... once this list was posted!! I was deeply humbled and highly appreciative.
There are some amazing singers here tho..... A lot of great singers who emulated the artist they sang!!!
I wish you all the very best contest possible...

Sing PRETTY, SAFE and DONT STAND OUT!! :)

flagged

Flagging!

FLAGGING! my issue is always my song choice!! :( so wish me luck!

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now know why Adam Lambert didnt win Idol!!!

SINCERELY- Thank you to the FORTY EIGHT People who messaged me and offered apologies.... once this list was posted!! I was deeply humbled and highly appreciative.
There are some amazing singers here tho..... A lot of great singers who emulated the artist they sang!!!
I wish you all the very best contest possible...

Sing PRETTY, SAFE and DONT STAND OUT!! :)MichaelCagle

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now know why Adam Lambert didnt win Idol!!!

SINCERELY- Thank you to the FORTY EIGHT People who messaged me and offered apologies.... once this list was posted!! I was deeply humbled and highly appreciative.
There are some amazing singers here tho..... A lot of great singers who emulated the artist they sang!!!
I wish you all the very best contest possible...

Sing PRETTY, SAFE and DONT STAND OUT!! :)MichaelCagle

WHATTTTTT????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

why???!! just why!!!!!

FLAGGING! my issue is always my song choice!! :( so wish me luck!FrostFoster

Michael sometimes less is more!!! And not in all cases!

When are you going to grow up Michael Cagle?
My suggestion to you is that ANY TIME would be a good time!
Are you comparing YOURSELF to to Adam Lambert ? Really????
now THAT would truly be something to type ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!! about!
Sorry you didn't make it through but I'm not at all sorry to not be burdened with your Bullshit!!!! GROW UP BOY.... and You are banned from ANY and ALL Contests in which I am a Host or a Judge