New idol song... Pwned by Damo!

[ac12309]

God Damien,

That was ****ing brilliant!!!!

We were wondering if you had lost some touch with the first two songs. Not that you didn't execute them well, it's just that they didn't have the same "idol moment" quality that was in Jessica's second song, Impossible.

And so we were thinking the unthinkable, that Jessica had done better. Especially since the idol song sounded a bit naff when sung by Jessica. "Oh, it's just another crap idol song", my wife and I were saying to each other. "And they've written something that suits Jessica" we told ourselves. Doesn't look good for Damien now.

And then YOU sang it.

You made that song your own, I got goosebumps and I'd never even heard it sung before! Bloody brilliant effort!!! What better way to win the competition than to put all your effort into making a song where theoretically, you are on an even footing, into your very own classic! That's got to be a first for idol!

I thought you did excellent versions of the first two songs. I just don't think that they were the sorts of songs that are capable of getting touchdown performances. However, I think from a career perspective they were very smart choices. The first showed that you could do contemporary rock, and the second was also contemporary, which showed that you can do modern stuff equally as well as older material.

Your decisions so far were great for showcasing your ability and versatility. And versatility is important; if you don't change it up, the audience gets bored, and it also shows you are a better talent if you can nail a few different genres. It also gives yourself more scope for an album. Your fan base isn't going to pick up your album and be let down because it wasn't what they were expecting.

Compared to your competition, Jessica has done two touchdown worthy performances... and both by Christina Aguilera. Very challenging... but still.

So all in all, excellent job and I'm looking forward to seeing your opera house performance (AND VOTING FOR YOU, AS EVERYONE ELSE SHOULD BE.)

Counterpoint: My sister in law liked the Ben Harper song the best of the night, then the idol song. She wants Angel played at her funeral. And my mother in law absolutely loved your version of the idol song. It already sounded like a number 1 hit.

They also are convinced that there is an "idol curse" where if you win, you don't do as well and also are limited by the studios as to what you can produce, but I don't buy into that. (e.g. just because Shannon Knoll (sp?) came second, doesn't mean if he had come first that no one would buy his records.)

---
p.s. just wanted to say that I think it was an excellent idea to go with the second song choice, you've certainly earned the right to sing a song that has personal meaning.

[winterlong]

Total frickin pwnership!

D, do you understand what has just happened?!?!

You are going to make me buy.....an Idol single!!!!


*drops dead from the thought*

[Trilly]

It reeeally scares me when people read my mind..but you have..that's EXACTLY what I wanted to say...

[songster]

yes I will be buying the idol single too..........I never thought that day would ever happen!!!!!!!!!

[songster]

I loved everything you did tonight...........I'm a very big Alex Lloyd fan and I thought your version was great and you really enjoyed yourself.........which made me love it all the more. I seriously love all your work man..... love you......love you ........love you

[erin]

Well said ac12309. That is exactly what I was thinking but couldn't find the words to express myself. I am a new contributor to this forum, although I have been reading all of the threads over several weeks just to get a feel for what people were saying about Damien. I am a great admirer of his talent, and no matter what happens next week at the Opera House I feel sure his career as a musician will skyrocket. I have already put my votes in, but suspect there will be a few more before the week is out.

[dededom]

That was just marvellous. The winner's single was a complete original interpretation and I want it to download NOW what is this waiting for a week craziness. Just call it now and be done with it, it's a done deal, surely!!!
Aint' he great???!!!

[shimmery]

I agree with the sentiments, except that I absolutely loved ALL 3 songs tonight and would love them all to be on the Winner's CD

[pinkgirl]

Damien,

What a beautiful choice of songs. How wonderful to have a talent such as yours and share it with the world.

Tonight, I loved your first song. Cried along with your second song - the most gorgeous song that I've never heard in my life and love it completely. Your idol song is one I will buy and cherish forever.

You are simply too good for all the words that I can offer.

Can't wait for your album, I'm still in tears and shaking at the thought.

[ac12309]

Thinking on it some more, I remember my wife exclaiming "He has fantastic interpretation" halfway through the idol song. To me that shows how much of a competitor Damien is. Rather than focus his energies on the other songs (which is what I think Jessica did, keeping her "ace in the hole" for the final), it's obvious that Damien must have seen that mastery of the idol song was what was necessary for him to win. Not only in this competition, but in his career.

That shows to any composer and record label that if you give Damien a decent enough song, there's a very good chance that he can turn it into a hit - his own, unique hit. (Kind of like from what I heard second hand from my wife, several A list singers passed over "Can't Get You Out Of My Head" and Kylie Minogue made it her own. And if that's not true, I know that there are dozens of other examples where it was.) Maybe Jessica has that talent; so far, I've only seen her copy other interpretations of songs that have went on to become hits.

So in the scheme of things,
consistent, on key vocals... check
perfect dynamics... check
charisma... check
emotion, movement and expressions match the music... check
touchdown performances... check
unique and great interpretations of songs... check
can do old songs... check
can do new songs... check
can do opera... check
versatility (capable of touchdown or near-touchdown performances in multiple genres)... check
ability to take a never-heard-before song and turn it into a hit... check

Yep, he's the whole package. And it's obviously rare. There's a reason Pavarotti weighs as much as a small car, and yet people will still pay money to hear him sing.

BTW, did anyone else laugh at the "I come from a small country!" line near the start of the show? We were in hysterics for about a minute after that one.

On another note, erin, while hunting around for things Damien might sing I chanced upon the original lyrics to Advance Australia Fair. It actually mentions your handle, Erin! (which according to the internet and context) is the "ancient, poetic name for Ireland".

When other nations of the globe.
Behold us from afar,
We'll rise to high renown
And shine like our glorious southern star
From English soil and Fatherland
Scotia and Erin fair
Let all combine with heart and hand
To Advance Australia fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing
Advance Australia Fair.

lachlan.bluehaze.com.au/aaf/aafa.html

While there is an Irish connection there, it might not be appropriate. Crass populism or a way to refer to his own story through a well known song? I think it would take more balls to do that than to sing Nessun Dorma, especially at the opera house. It would also be more ballsy to sing "I wander today through the hills, Maggie". That doesn't make it a good idea.

[doppelganger47]

firstly, i've never liked any idol single from the past 3 series and when i heard Jess sing it, i thought it'd be another typical idol song. but i was wrong, Damien made it not so typical, not to mention the vocal range, it was definitely my favourite performance of the night. i'm not one to cry or shake or get tingles or anything when listening to music, but i couldn't stop smiling, cos i enjoyed it that much...yeh, and i have important exams to learn for, which i put off to watch the show and post this message...so excellent job.

i would only listen to that idol single if it were released by you, so goodluck for next week...and if you don't win, don't despair, all your fans will still be waiting (how many months on) for your album.

[flynn]

I thought Damien was great tonight and his interpretation of the winners single was brilliant.

BUT I agree he was a little off in the first two songs.

Dont get me wrong - he sang them well and the second one in particular was fantastic (I hated the original version I heard on YouTube but Damien made it beautiful and haunting)

But I felt like he was a bit distracted or not quite focussed on what he was doing. I also thought he was very quiet and down-beat when he was talking with the hosts (while Jess seemed to be on speed or something LOL). At one point it seemed like Jess took over the conversation and Damien seemed at a loss most of the time.

I have to wonder if having his mum arrive from Ireland a few weeks ago and now his dad and ( someone else from his family) having just flown in, on top of all the emotional roller coaster ride of the past few months (which he normally handles so well) - maybe Damien was a bit emotionally drained.

Fortunately he pulled out whatever energy he had stored away for emergencies for his last performance. It was awesome and turned a bland generic winners song into something cutting-edge and gorgeous. How clever for him to have the winners single as his last song and the last song of the night. Not sure who was responsible for that but THANKS whoever did it

Oh and I remember Damien's "Ireland is a small country" comment well - and have quoted it to whoever will listen to me rant about Damien for weeks!!! I had already fallen for the voice but when he said that on the show I fell for his personality too. Such a delightful sense of humour

[shimmery]

Erin! (which according to the internet and context) is the "ancient, poetic name for Ireland

Ireland is also known as Eire, and Irish as Eireann - "Erin" (pronounced similar way) became a way the Irish could sing about their country by personifying it as a woman's name. So quite a lot of songs referring to "Erin" mean Ireland

[teresa2006]

A job well done Damien, hoping to hear some fantastic work from you in the future, I loved everything you did,

[ac12309]

flynn,

It's always distracting to have your family show up like that to watch you do anything competitively, if they haven't been there from the start. And it doesn't always make you perform better. I'd forgot about them being there, but yeah, it's probably either his family or having to choose between allocating arranging and practicing time between 3 different songs, all in one week. Something's got to give.

I didn't notice much of a change in attitude of Damien's. He did seem a little distracted, at least, initially. Perhaps he's telling himself not to get too big a head, or at least, to not let it show in public.

And that's where Jessica's age is showing. She knew she knocked it out of the park with "Impossible", she saw the standing ovation, and let it go to her head. She lost focus on the Janet Jackson song.