28 replies to this topic

[TWoP Tennison]

Hollie Cavanagh

[Dejana]

Top 13 Q&A

What sets you apart from the other contestants?
Hollie Cavanagh: People don’t expect my voice to come out of me because I’m tiny. A lot of people say I have a big voice.

What do you need to improve to win the competition?
Hollie Cavanagh: I definitely think stage presence and performing more, putting on a great show, not just vocally.

What one thing about yourself do you most want people to know that hasn’t been covered on the show?
Hollie Cavanagh: I don’t think I’m showing my full potential yet, so maybe as we proceed you’ll see more of my goofy side, and more of me coming out on stage and having fun and letting loose.

This is the point when contestants often get makeovers — anything you’d love or loathe to change?
Hollie Cavanagh: I’m actually really excited. I know my style. I love stilettos, glitter, and dresses — all of it. High fashion stuff, so I’m just gonna stick to me.

Any specific theme nights you’re dreading or looking forward to?
Hollie Cavanagh: Maybe one that I wouldn’t love would be rock because I’ve never sung a rock song, but I can try my best. And one I would love to do would be in the way of Mariah Carey and Christina, R&B soul, that would be really fun.

Who gives the most constructive and helpful feedback: Steven, Jennifer, or Randy?
Hollie Cavanagh: Jennifer Lopez. She told me I could win, so that’s a huge thing. But she’s still really tough on me. She really wants me to push forward and succeed.

[Airy Pits]

I really like her strong voice. She's tiny but can really command the stage with her voice. I hope she makes smart choices so she lasts long in this competition.

[the macguffin]

It's Hollie's emotional connection to her song that appeals to me; I think it's become apparent that just having a 'big ol' voice' isn't enough to turn viewers into voters. There's something about her face and eyes that I find so appealing- kind of poignant, yet strong. Jessica may have more technical prowess, but she's a little too 'contest kid' for my taste.
Hollie needs to stop playing it safe with her song choices, needs to show her versatility- and needs to show her personality, and yay! that she seems to realize that.
I was interested to see that Hollie is front and center in the official Top 13 photo (with Jessica and Colton on either side, hmm).

[Lokomotor]

I find it strange that Hollie had so little air-time prior to the Top 12 girls round. Especially when she was so emotionally rejected last year just at the last hurdle when final 24 was chosen and Idol this year never once chose to highlight that.

Could she be the stealth Chosen One? I wouldn't be surprised given her combination of vocal quality and ability to infuse a song with emotion. It's rare that anyone can do a Carrie Underwood song justice and quite frankly, I liked Hollie's version better than the original.

Hollie performing Carrie Underwood's "Change" for consideration into this year's Top 24

When Jennifer Lopez said that Hollie could go all the way and win Idol after she performed "Reflections" just this week, it was all the more poignant/prophetic given what she said to Hollie last year after delivering the news of her rejection.J.Lo basically told Hollie to come back next year(2012) and if she did so, she could well win AI11.

Jennifer Lopez in 2011 predicts Hollie to win American Idol 2012

[Rehabno]

Locomotor - I agree with your comments. Loved Hollies last Vegas performance. Change with Hollies voice had more of a cry and edge than Carrie's country version. She has real talent and I feel the most potential for growth. It's going to come down to song choice. If she plays it too safe and sticks to familiar ballads she could be eliminated. I know Reflection was a boring predictabl choice but I totally believed what she was singing. I'm afraid she will be overlooked by voters in favor of the Phillips and Colton's of the competition.

Trying to think which Whitney song would be the best for her. It sucks that Whitney's catalog is full of safe ballads. Not sure how Holly would fair on uptempo dancy How Will I know or I Wanna Dance. Hmm..

ETA: I also really appreciate that she seems to have put in alot of work since her last audition. She was a nervous wreck last season. Tons of nerves and shaking and crying. Now she seems solid as a rock on stage, barring the normal nerves of singing on live tv.

Edited by Rehabno, Mar 4, 2012 @ 11:15 AM.

[Brandy77]

Since I don't watch American Idol until they reach the Top 24, I had no idea Hollie (along with two of my other faves Deandre & Colton) tried out last season. The clip of her singing "Change" that aired on t.v. made me search her out on Youtube because it was a pure vocal performance. I hope she continues to choose songs that showcase her strong belting but doesn't fall into a ballad rut. For this week's performance I'd like to see her tackle "Run to You" which is a Whitney song that hasn't been done to death on American Idol like "I Have Nothing."

[whee whee piggy]

I remember Hollie from last year and glad to see her back with apparently TPTB's blessing. To me, part of the enjoyment of AI is to see a contestant grow and improve and Hollie has both talent and room to grow. Deandre and Jessica are too practiced, in a bad way, in their performances--very Mall talent show. Hollie standing stock-still but obviously feeling the song, can evolve.

To be totally shallow though, her over-plucked pale eyebrows remind me of a tweeker, which is totally not something I need to be thinking with a kid.

[Lokomotor]

OMG, I think I know what's Hollie's secret weapon.

She's a stealth country singer.

Fully 1/2 of her covers are mainstream country hits and she does a very convincing job at that. Of course, she also does a pretty mean Adele and Christina Aguilera.

If she busts out a crowd-pleasing country song at the right time, she may well capture a huge voting bloc on Idol. Given the fact that all other country singers at this stage have become extinct safe Skylar who seems more country-rock than mainstream country, Hollie's predilection for mainstream country could play well for her.

[hugafish]

I remember hoping she wouldn't make the top 24 last year because I thought she needed more time to develop and I hate seeing someone talented lose their shot by getting put through too early. I think she is miles better, and could take it all, but I definitely didn't feel that way last year.

[joeschmoe]

It makes me wonder how she could differentiate herself from the likes of, say, Jessica Sanchez, because these two are practically in the same genre. I'm guessing that, at best, she'll be a Jordin: someone who grows throughout the competition. At worst, a Pia: picks predictable songs that make makes her welcome worn out enough to be tossed soon.

As much as I love Jessica as much as the next person: I'm thinking Hollie is the "one to watch."

[Dejana]

I hope Hollie sings something uptempo this week. I noticed on her Youtubes that all the songs were basically ballads. Maybe this year there will be more tolerance for that and Pia was just on the wrong season. But variety is good and I would like to see how Hollie would handle faster songs.

Edited by Dejana, Mar 11, 2012 @ 7:44 AM.

[Lokomotor]

I think she's capable of uptempo :

Hollie performing Mr Sandman/Mr Postman mashup during AI Vegas round

[the macguffin]

Wow, that silver mini- Hollie has great legs.

[TotalMagnum357]

IMO, I thought Hollie performed better than Jessica did tonight.

[the macguffin]

I always think Hollie performs better than Jessica, whose wobbly voice I canNOT stand.

Nonetheless, I'm so disappointed in Hollie. She has no chance now of catching up and getting into the top, IMO. I'll never understand contestants who apparently grow up wanting to go on Idol, have years to think about/research/strategize, and then show up and randomly sing a bunch of songs they 'like'. Hollie basically has no clear vision of where she fits in the music business, or she would have long ago moved away from outdated diva ballads.

Also, she looks beautiful on stage, but overdressed and too sparkly. She has a girl next door appeal that really only needs some eye makeup and form fitting clothing to enhance. She should have noted Jessica's flashy stage costumes and gone in the opposite direction to differentiate herself.

[Lokomotor]

I'm not too worried about Hollie yet. She ended up in the bottom 3 because she's splitting votes with Colton,Skylar and Jessica. This week in fact, she's started to look fresh and current with her new styling. On the Madonna medley, she even managed to outshine Jessica. Of the 3 girls, she looked most like a star IMO and Jessica and Skylar looked and sounded like her backup singers.

As long as she's careful with her song choices(key is young and upbeat) and reaches country week(where she can steal Skylar's votes since Skylars' outlaw country style may not sit well with pop-country fans), then she can rebuild and gain momentum again. Next week however is crucial : it will make or break her

[BootStar]

Oh, man, I really like this little girl, but she's been losing me the last few weeks. I agree with much of the macguffin's assessment (although I don't dislike Jessica), but Hollie really needs a breakout performance this week, and she needs to find a costuming style that fits with her age now. I think her voice records so much better than Jessica's, but Jessica seems far more sophisticated in her tastes and her approach to the music. That could work either way if the two end up pitted against each other as "dueling divas." I think Hollie would be smart to position herself as more pop-country and find herself in a solid position genrewise between Skylar and Jessica. That way if either of them gets booted, she could pick up some of that contestant's votes.

[kerrey92]

Anyone else think Hollie looks like that Girl Jenelle from Teen Mom? That's all I can see when she sings!!

[Petunia]

I'd be pretty happy if Hollie won at this point. Josh is awesome, but I'd love to see a female winner for a change!

[lleykian54]

Haven't been invested in this season at all but at this point I'm almost rooting for her to take it all just because I think it'll be hilarious. Girl's like a cockroach, she just will not die. She's officially the Nikki McKibbon of this season, albeit with far, far better talent. I think the thing that hurt Hollie the most was some poor song choices mid-season that made her go from early favorite to being seen as cannon fodder.

The sad part is she's vocally far more talented than Philip and I actually appreciate her tone more than Joshua and Jessica's but again because of some poor song choices earlier, mixed in with some harsh and dismissive criticisms from the judges, she's seen by some as having overstayed her welcome (or at least probably to the judges).

[BettyPoz]

Haven't been invested in this season at all but at this point I'm almost rooting for her to take it all just because I think it'll be hilarious. Girl's like a cockroach, she just will not die. She's officially the Nikki McKibbon of this season, albeit with far, far better talent.

The sad part is she's vocally far more talented than Philip and I actually appreciate her tone more than Joshua and Jessica's but again because of some poor song choices earlier, mixed in with some harsh and dismissive criticisms from the judges, she's seen by some as having overstayed her welcome (or at least probably to the judges).

I'm not really following your thought stream there lleykian54. If she's more talented than Philip and you appreciate her tone more than Joshua's and Jessica's why would it be "hilarious" if she won?

Your second quote makes me think she's actually listened to the criticism from the judges regarding song choice and emotions and when to sing to the audience and when to sing to one person.

Edited by BettyPoz, May 4, 2012 @ 5:52 AM.

[lleykian54]

It would be hilarious because no one in the history of this show would have won after being in the bottom that many times. It also would be hilarious after she'd been more than dismissed by the judges.

Truth is, I like Hollie. She's about the only one left that I do but she's been considered on borrowed time for weeks now. So if she can pull out some kind of miracle and even make final two, I'd be very plesantly surprised.

Edited by lleykian54, May 4, 2012 @ 8:41 AM.

[SisterOfSylar]

I think Holly should be nicknamed The Black Widow. Because it's getting to the point that whoever is standing next to her in the bottom is going to be going home. I knew Skylar was going to be sent packing the moment it was the two of them announced as the bottom.

Not a big fan of Hollie, but liked a couple of her performances.

[BettyPoz]

It would be hilarious because no one in the history of this show would have won after being in the bottom that many times. It also would be hilarious after she'd been more than dismissed by the judges

Oh I get it now! The judges must be surprised that a contestant actually took their advice!

[pk124]

With Skylar gone, I'm totally on team Hollie now. To me, at least, she's the most likeable contestant left and has the underdog thing going for her. Forget Jessica's "saved" storyline, Hollie's story about being cut last year with JLo telling her she could come back in win is a great arc for her. To see that come true would actually be pretty cool. The problem is, it seems like no matter what she does, she'll end up in the bottom. "Rolling in the Deep", "The Climb", and "Bleeding Love" were all great and yet she was still in the Bottom 3. I'm rooting for her but I'm not sure of her chances.

[MV007]

With Skylar gone, I'm totally on team Hollie now. To me, at least, she's the most likeable contestant left and has the underdog thing going for her. Forget Jessica's "saved" storyline, Hollie's story about being cut last year with JLo telling her she could come back in win is a great arc for her. To see that come true would actually be pretty cool. The problem is, it seems like no matter what she does, she'll end up in the bottom. "Rolling in the Deep", "The Climb", and "Bleeding Love" were all great and yet she was still in the Bottom 3. I'm rooting for her but I'm not sure of her chances.

In what context were those three performances great? I agree that they were great for her and especially great for her in comparison to what she had done the few weeks prior. But I don't think any of them would crack the top 5 performances of the entire season. It might even be questionable to crack the top 10 in my opinion.

I think the good news for Hollie is that she is improving and if she keeps improving at this rate then she might have a real shot regardless of her previous bottom 3 trips. Its going to come down to each week. She needs to do better then either Jessica or Joshua each week to survive. I'd say the same for Philip but it's a given for me that she'll do better then him and it won't matter. But if she does better then the other two I think she can survive.

Edited by MV007, May 4, 2012 @ 4:46 PM.

[pk124]

In what context were those three performances great? I agree that they were great for her and especially great for her in comparison to what she had done the few weeks prior. But I don't think any of them would crack the top 5 performances of the entire season. It might even be questionable to crack the top 10 in my opinion.

Yeah, I meant that they were great for her. Still pretty good overall though. WNTS actually has "Rolling in the Deep" in the Top 10 for the season, and "Bleeding Love" is tied for #11, which I think is fair.

Edited by pk124, May 5, 2012 @ 10:24 AM.

[heydude08]

Hollie came on late and is a strong singer and beautiful gal. She will probably do well in the music industry, she just couldn't compete with the final three. And have you all noticed that most of the "professional" groups and singers they bring onto the show can't sing as well as the final 4 contestants??