Idol 90 - Danny Noriega

90. Danny Noriega

Season 7, Top 16 Finalist

Now, this dude cracked me up on the show. I mean, the way he performed, his actions and mannerisms were all genuinely hilarious - even if he wasn't even trying.

If personality is the sole basis of winning American Idol, this guy would probably be the front runner of Season 7. Haha. However, in the real world, good vocals weigh much more than personality and admittedly, he lacked in that department - well, based from most of his performances.

Hate me now, but I really used to LOVE the flamboyant Danny Noriega. I mean, his audition piece alone made me a fan. Really. Danny's version of Proud Mary was shockingly powerful and his vocal control was impressive. During Hollywood week, he continued to perform really well and that was the time that I actually considered him as a possible Top 12 contender.

But suddenly, he went out on their first live performance and sang an absolutely horrendous version of Jailhouse Rock. Haha. Who would've thought that a dude as flamboyant as him would even dare to tackle an Elvis Presley hit? Well, not me! Vocally, it was a disaster but performance-wise, I thought it was truly entertaining. You know, the so-bad-it's-good type of thing?

The week after that, he pulled a pretty decent song choice but opted to be very safe with Superstar. There was definitely a good vocal somewhere but he sang it so low on key that the whole thing felt flat. I thought that it was a missed opportunity to show his range.

Then, the Pussycat Dolls' version of Tainted Love happened. Haha. This performance was epic and completely one of my guilty pleasures EVER. Sure, some may find him annoying because of his nuances but among all the guys - at least that season - he was, arguably, the most interesting to watch.

So when he got eliminated just before the Top 12, I must admit that I was surprised. I was totally expecting him to make the Finals over Chikezie. Well, good thing it didn't happen because I eventually adored Chikezie. Haha. Now, I think Danny left just at the right time.

Favorite Performance(s): His audition, to me, was his best - vocally. Oh, and I'm not exaggerating when I say that this is probably one of my favorite auditions EVER. On his live performances though, Tainted Love is above everything else. As I've said, a total guilty pleasure of mine. Enjoy! Haha.

Audition

Tainted Love

#89 - Won a 'Straight to the judges ticket' at Disneyland's American Idol Experience attraction