Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-40260777-20190814030334/@comment-33029617-20190821030920

Saf95 wrote: Did anyone agree that tonight proved that Matthew Richardson should have been a wildcard instead of the Sents? Why he wasn't chosen is beyond me. Either him or Verba. The fact that Ansley Burns and The Sents made it through over both of them is almost an insult to both acts.

THOUGHTS -

Wow, this night was such a disappointment. Here we were, thinking this was an UNFAIRLY stacked week, and then almost EVERY act completely bombs. Sure, I wouldn't have buzzed as many acts as last week, but this was still a HORRIBLE episode for what it promised.

Charlotte Summers - She's a great singer, especially for her age, but she chose a song that doesn't showcase her voice really well, and that was very unfortunate. She felt devoid of personality this time, and it led to the entire act feeling just off. For some reason, the entire thing felt overproduced due to all of the production (the band, the triangular illusion, the spotlights, etc.)

Nick and Lindsay - [X] This is one of those acts where I can't even call it talent. It feels more like a comedy act than a serious act (they obviously take themselves quite seriously judging by their comments at the end of the performance.) The theming was decent, but the song choice was horrible. Nick's voice didn't make matters better, and the surprise factor wasn't present here. Nick's reactions to everything Lindsay did were honestly the best parts of the act. Everything was a hot mess. Only like, two of the knives actually stuck into the board.

Chris Klafford - The first part of the song was really boring in my opinion. It got a lot better near the end though. This man has an INCREDIBLE voice, and he needs to showcase that throughout the entire song instead of in tiny bursts. Singing an original is a HUGE risk, and I appreciate that, but that being said, I liked his last song a lot better. Hopefully, his next song tops this one.

Marina Mazepa - Honestly, I liked the creepy vibe she was trying to give off. The background perfectly suited it, along with the spider stage. However, the background music was AWFUL! I couldn't focus on her dancing because of how HORRENDOUS that background music was. I don't know if I count her as a contortionist dancer. I just say that she's an athletic contortionist because there wasn't any dancing tonight and it was just contortion. Still okay, but just not as good as her last two performances.

Robert Finley - This guy puts a smile on my face. He's as lovable as one can get. Yet ANOTHER great original song from Robert. His voice was also quite good, and the production helped elevate his act even more! Honestly, I really hope he makes the Top 5. He's unfortunately going to be robbed likely in favor of other acts though.

The Sentimentalists - [X] Their previous acts might have lacked in presentation, but at least they were passable. This, however, was HORRENDOUS. First off, there were a bunch of mistakes. I don't think that Gabrielle's candy was actually bubblegum because she didn't look too impressed. Also, when it got to Julianne, it took AGES for Steffie to guess Julianne's flavor. She even guessed the wrong fruit! The ending with the box and the writing on the napkin didn't even have any buildup or effect. It had no shock value. It was underwhelming. The entire presentation was HORRIBLE, and it was a HUGE mess. The only thing I thought of the entire time was that there was an obvious lack of rehearsing or preparation for this act. Not as bad as Nick and Lindsay, but still pretty bad. At least there was magic I guess.

Ryan Niemiller - This is kind of where the night started to get a little bit better in my eyes. Yet again, another act who wasn't as good as last time, but Ryan still delivered. He's got great charisma and great jokes to boot. He's pretty safe tonight.

V.Unbeatable - This was easily the best act of the entire night. It didn't feel as amazing as last night, but it was still INCREDIBLE. The tricks are INSANE, but the dancing isn't lacking either. They are so in sync, and the moves were pretty good too. I thought I was going to be disappointed by every dance act after watching The Kings in World of Dance, but these guys are actually almost BETTER than The Kings. Jaw-dropping.

Joseph Allen - Well, YET ANOTHER act who didn't step it up enough for me tonight. Aside from the part where he mentioned his family, the song didn't feel as emotional or even as good as his previous one. The song this time was passable, but it needed to be much more than it was.

Light Balance Kids - Easily the BIGGEST disappointment of the night for me. Their Judge Cuts performance was onpar with Light Balance themselves, but this performance fell flat and just felt boring to me. Where were the cool illusions and tricks created with the suits? They weren't here. It felt like the suits were almost an afterthought honestly. It was just normal dancing with light-up suits, and it shouldn't be like that. The point of the suits are to ELEVATE the act, and to create AWESOME illusions. They aren't just there for show and to look good.

Tyler Butler-Figueroa - Wow! Someone who actually stepped it up! I liked this song a lot better, and he's great and all, but I'm not as impressed as I would've been if I had not seen Brian King Joseph last year. He feels like Brian King Joseph Jr honestly, and not in the good way. He's great, but he really needs to bring it to the next level.

Ndlovu Youth Choir - This was a pleasant surprise. They were my second favorite act of the night surprisingly. AMAZING song choice. The entirety of the performance was just so soothing to the ears, and pleasant to listen to. Great performance!

Wants: Ndlovu Youth Choir Robert Finley V.Unbeatable Ryan Niemiller Chris Klafford Tyler Butler-Figueroa Light Balance Kids (I know they can do better)