Goosebumps!! This 5-minute trailer looks unbelievably good. NBC is absolutely on a roll with The Voice and The Sing-Off, and now this! I just hope it is what it appears to be: a show about a musical that just happens to include musical performances. It’ll be extremely disappointing if they go the Glee route, adding music for the sake of adding music, thus making the plot the third most important thing about the show - at best.
Katharine McPhee looks absolutely phenomenal and this could be the role that makes her a bonified star. I seriously enjoyed the clip of her singing Beautiful when I first saw it, but the way it’s included in the trailer gave me goosebumps. Seriously. Plus, that singoff with Megan Hilty’s character, Katharine held her own. Good job!!
Oh, and this post officially makes Smash part of this blog - you know, when I started doing "Smash:" on the title of my posts. Haha.
Yes, another series will be added to this blog!! Katharine McPhee's debut series, Smash, will air on NBC this coming mid-season and the network's hit reality singing competition, The Voice, will be the lead in show of this new series. Very interesting no?
Based on an idea by executive producer Steven Spielberg, Smash, is a musical drama that celebrates the beauty and heartbreak of the Broadway theater as it follows a cross-section of dreamers and schemers who all have one common desire - to be a "Smash". It's more like a show about producing a Broadway show based on the life of Marilyn Monroe.
Among the characters in the drama are Christian Borle (Legally Blonde: The Musical) as a Broadway composer, Debra Messing (Will & Grace) as a lyricist, Anjelica Huston (Prizzi's Honor) as a producer, and Katharine McPhee (American Idol Runner-up) and Megan Hilty (9 to 5: The Musical) as dueling divas.
Obviously, I'm a HUGE Katharine McPhee fan and to see her in a series as big as this makes me all giddy. I heard some rave reviews about Katharine’s role in the pilot and I just hope that this will be the big break she deserves. I mean, this appears to be right where she belongs. She’s a beautiful girl with TV charisma, and I think she could find a lot of success in this medium. Besides, I like the premise of the show and the concept could be intriguing on its own. Plus, there are very respectable names involved. Could she be American Idol's next Jennifer Hudson? Let's see..
Pictures and Video Preview of the show after the jump!!
Arguably, the most drop dead gorgeous Idol finalist EVER! Seriously. If gorgeousness is the sole basis of topping this list, Katharine would most definitely be at #1. But of course, she's not just that because I think Katharine is a pretty talented individual - almost multimedia, if you ask me.
Ok. When Katharine's audition was being shown, I really didn't expect to like her. I mean, she seemed like she would be very stage school, over rehearsed, and too precise. Well, at least, these were my assumptions based on the fact that her mom teaches voice lessons. I figured she'd be everything I hate in these 'white girls' on Idol. Haha. But, when she opened her mouth and sang, I was shocked. Her audition was nothing short of brilliant. By far, one of the best auditions I've ever witnessed on Idol. I loved everything about it that she immediately kicked Paris Bennett out of my Top spot for Season 5 - although now, I still prefer Paris' audition.
Oddly enough, I actually didn't expect her to be much of a contender at that point. The edit she got during Hollywood week wasn't the best so I knew she'd have a hard time during the live show. Suffice is to say, McPhever was non-existent at that time. But going into the semfinals round, Kathatine definitely didn't disappoint with her first performance. She was clearly a force to be reckoned with, and undoubtedly the best of that night. Really. I was very happy to see her become sort of a front-runner after that.
Sadly, it wasn't all roses with Katharine. See, the thing about Katharine was that when she's on, she was freaking on. But, at some point, it became sort of a guessing game, "Will Kat be spectacular this week or not?" Yes, I love her for being so darn daring with her song choices, but she needed to learn her limits during her Idol run. Her upper register could just be so unbearably screechy at times, and she'd sound like she was going to lose all vocal control at any second. But her soft, medium range was absolutely phenomenal - possibly one of the best on Idol. Easily one of the most beautiful tones to ever grace the stage.
Heck, I can't even tell everyone how badly I wish she had stayed at her A game throughout the entire competition. I honestly think she could've won Season 5 if she had just played it smarter. Seriously. Take risks, but knew her limits. What a beautiful sight that would've been no? But as critical as I'm being right now, she's still at #3. Obviously, the good definitely made up for the bad. I have to say though that between Katharine and Taylor Hicks, she should've won. Really.
Now, I know that some people have always been quite critical of Katharine and her personality - heck, even now, 4 years after her run on the show. For me, I was never bothered by her personality. Really. You have to be a real a*shole for me to be bothered by your personality on this show, see Danny Gokey. Haha.
Well, somehow, I can see where the issue was. The moment the judges were being critical of her, she'd often have a slightly irritated face, or she'd have a very noticeably fake smile going on. Yes, that can be annoying to some, but I think people were jumping to conclusions calling her entitled and stuff. I mean, she's good and she knows it, but it's just harder for some people to listen to criticisms than others. So, bashing her for it is just plain stupid. That's really grasping for straws, and that's a crappy reason to not like her. But that's what you get when you leave power in the hands of the voting public. Haha. So, whatever.
As for her post-Idol career, I somehow managed to keep up with it and I'd say I love almost all of her materials. Her critically panned self-titled debut album I thought was very underrated. Yes, it wasn't the strongest debut album to ever come out of the franchise but it was pretty decent - almost good actually. The record has a good mix of RnB and pop tracks that's not short of catchy hooks. Now, her sophomore album, Unbroken, is a totally different story. That record is possibly one of the best pop/adult contemporary albums to come out in a while. I'll go on the limb and say that album even easily ranks up there with KellyClarkson's Breakaway album. Oh, and I love that she's also into acting as she has done movies already like House Bunny and guest starred in Community and CSI. I heard NBS is cooking up a sitcom with her as the lead star. Let's see.
Favorite performance(s): Like I said, I loved Katherine's audition so much. I thought she started off really strong - sounding almost like a throwback singer - but when she got to that bridge, she took it too another level and it still gives me chills hearing her flawless runs and beautiful tone until now. Other than that, of course, her showstopper Over the Rainbow is a personal favorite. Simon hit it in the nail when he said it was possibly the most perfect song for her voice. It was beyond beautiful. I loved the arrangement, and I thought her tone laid on the song brilliantly. Similar to that, I think she also did a terrific job at staying within her limits in Someone to Watch Over Me, and it paid off in spades. It was such a subdued and gorgeous ballad. Black Horse and The Cherry Tree was also really good. It was modern and fresh - something I didn't exactly expect from her. Since I Fell For You was another one that seemed to fit her voice perfectly. She really made a name for herself with that one. Other ones I really liked were Until You Come Back to Me and the infamous I Have Nothing.
Here's Katharine McPhee's first Christmas album entitled, Christmas Is The Time To Say I Love You. Yes, I know, Christmas Day is still months away but this pretty decent album may come in handy when that day comes. So, enjoy!
Katharine McPhee is back, sans the blonde hair. Haha.
Well, I didn't expect her to make another music video after Terrified with Chuck's star Zachary Levi. But, what the heck, this is her new music video from her latest album, Unbroken. A few weeks ago, I actually posted this but the video includes with footages from the upcoming faith-based movie, I Am. Good thing, they released a separate video it deserves.
Now, I personally like the colors mixed into this music video. I think this one is beautifully shot and having Jesse Spencer (House) in the video makes this a little interesting to watch. I'm not so sure about the editing though. Well, at the very least, Katharine is back to her brunette self and I hope she maintains the color. Enjoy!
Christmas Is The Time.. To Say I Love You is Katharine McPhee's Christmas Album due to be released on October 12, 2010 by her record label Verve Forecast.
According to reports, the record is a mix of traditional and contemporary songs with a few surprises mixed in - an original song co-written by Katharine herself. Oh, and she's back to being brunette!
Are you ready for some holiday tunes? I am - especially if it's from Katharine McPhee.
Tracklist:
1. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
2. Jingle Bells 3. It’s Not Christmas Without You 4. O Holy Night 5. Silver Bells 6. Christmas Is The Time 7. Medley: O Little Town Of Bethlehem/Away In A Manger 8. What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve 9. White Christmas 10. Who Would Imagine A King
Look! It's the music video of Terrified - one of my favorite tracks in Katharine McPhee latest album, Unbroken. Here, she re-recorded the Kara Dioguardi-penned ditty with Zachary Levi.
Katharine, I think, is probably working some cross-promotion deal with NBC. Currently she’s filming her TV pilot debut with a lead role called The Pink House for NBC. She also guest starred in the Joel McHale comedy, Community, which is NBC. And Chuck - the series - is also in NBC.
As for the music video, I love the video, it's tastefully done and the chemistry between Zach and Kat is surprisingly palpable. Nice story line too! But what are Danny Gokey and Kara DioGuardi doing in a Kat McPhee video? Is that a cross-promotional thing too? Haha. Kidding.
Katharine McPhee re-recorded the Kara Dioguardi-penned ditty, Terrified, with Chuck's lead star Zachary Levi. The song appeared on McPhee's album Unbroken, with Jason Reeves as her duet partner.
While I do think the original version was good, this one was quite interesitng. I mean, who would've thought Zachary can actually sing. I’m not a huge fan of the arrangement for quite a bit of it - too much unison in octaves - but it’s sort of interesting when Zachary starts on the harmony.
I'm not sure what is this video particularly for, but it's interesting to know that Zachary Levi can actually sing. Haha. I mean, I don't know if this is the music video Katharine McPhee will put out for Terrified - since there are still no confirmation if this will be her second single next to Had It All - but I'm hopeful. It's about time for her to score a hit with this song.
Katharine McPhee is back.. and she's blonde!! Interesting look. The hair is giving me a Florence Henderson vibe circa Brady Bunch years. I mean, she is the most attractive person to EVER grace the Idol stage, but this look needs some getting used to. I don't know. Ha!
But listening to this album, I think material-wise, it is one of the best pop/adult contemporary albums to come out in a while. All round, she delivers perfect vocal performances, realistic lyrics, and a perfect mesh between up-tempo and ballads. I want to refrain from comparing her to Kelly Clarkson because of the Idol relation, but this album easily ranks up there with Kelly's Breakaway and their contemporaries.
Here's my track-by-track review:
This is probably the catchiest song on the album. All the right ingredients for an Adult Contemporary hit is here. An incredibly catchy chorus is only partly responsible for the positive vibes, though, as she does a solid job making somewhat dim lyrics sound upbeat. I also like the layers on her vocals. 8/10
People are associating this song as country. Seriously? This is a typical RnB tinged pop. There's nothing country about it unless we're at the point where anything with a melody that isn’t beat driven is considered country. I think that the song is light, breezy and pretty. I like that this song shows off the nuances of her voice and that there are no cringe-inducing runs in her upper register and her lower register has always been beautiful. A killer combination of minimal production and simple lyrics. 9/10
I'm not really crazy with this one. For some weird reason, this track sounds like a Daughtry song. Ha! I wish it was more acoustic and not trying too much to be haunting. I did like some parts of the song though. This is, at the very least, an ok song. 7/10
I feel that this song will be so underrated. I love the sass and how raw this track is. The second verse and the layering of her vocals is also a nice touch to the song. The big note on the bridge does bother me a bit though. 9/10
This is by far one of my favorite songs on the record. This just grabbed my attention right away. I totally love the minor chords, riffs and all that jazz. I also like the really cool piano line and bluesy organ accompanied by a really pretty vocal melody. She sounds really cool and this proves that she can lend her vocals to a blues-leaning ballad without coming off as insecure. One minor criticism though, she doesn't sound like herself after the key change towards the end. 9/10
This is a great example of how well her vocals blend on a duet. With a little help from Jason Reeves on this Colbie Caillat-eque track, both voices complement each other, and even though Reeves is more of a background presence, he still gives the song a feeling of completion. I heard Kara Dioguardi's version and I think I'm digging the changes shedid on the song. 10/10
Without a doubt, this lush track is the highlight of the album. I think that this fits right in her vocal sweet spot. Just breathtaking and quite hunting. In this song, she doesn't do much of those annoying runs and her vocal restraint is commendable. I love the drums in the second verse and the bridge where she just throws it down. She shines not just as a vocalist, but as a storyteller as well. 10/10
Vocal Perfection! I get chills everytime I listen to this. I heard the original demo of this song by Lucie Silva and I feel like the build-up at the end is more subtle here, which I like. I love how she gets slightly louder every chorus and adds more runs and riffs. The chorus is gorgeous and the I am really digging the guitar. This song is freezing, moving and the melody is just impressive. I also glad that she is able to demonstrate her keen sense of inflections in this track. 10/10
By the time I heard the piano and electric guitar intro of this song, I'm stuck. I think that this is a potential hit for her. It is a moving power ballad that allows her to reach for the high notes with her beautiful use of melisma. The rousing chorus and the pop-leaning arrangement makes this a good candidate for a future single. 7/10
The lyrics to this song is heartbreaking and obviously personal. I have to be honest, the first time I heard it, it drove me insane as it sounded too generic and cliched for my taste. But, I'm taking it back now. Ha! It is gently sung and I love her voice, the harmonies and how she connects to it. I can personally relate to the song, that's why I had a sudden change of heart towards this track. 9/10
LOVE this song and I've been listening to it for a while now. Cute. This lets her use that distinct breathy sound that she does so well. It has a very Jason Mraz feel to it. I think that her voice suits this style so well and the little vocal moments in the background help me find something new to appreciate everytime I listen to it. If this gets the right amount of attention, this could be a hit for her. A great sing-songy piece - reminds me of Kris Allen's Alright With Me. 9/10
When she lets the lyrics breathe, she shines. This requisite ballad is actually good. The production and instrumentation is just brilliant. I like the use of her upper register here, which she faithfully follows through on. I think the solemn, vulnerable arrangement magnifies the tenderness explored in the lyrics. Chills! 10/10
A throwback to the '70s. Honestly, it is such a dumb song but it is kind of cute and sexy. I love how funky the instruments are and her vocals here are just impressive especially her falsetto, which adds special flair to the recording. This track is truly flimsy and a great upbeat note to end on. 8/10
I just wanted to say that I am pretty impressed with her sophomore record. Personally, she really has found who she is with this record. It’s sophisticated, adult, well produced with great songs written by good songwriters.
Hopefully this CD will do very well for her, it certainly deserves people giving her a second look. She is an incredible talent and if she doesn’t do well with this, then America is completely ignorant. This is miles better then the first album and she’s really grown and found what kind of music she should be doing.
