Indonesian Idol 5 Spekta 3: Lagu Band

Setelah Dela pulang minggu lalu, sebenernya aku agak males juga nonton Indonesian Idol minggu ini. Cuman, ok deh, emang aku penggemar Idol setia, so aku tetep tune-in imediabiz buat nonton spekta 3!

Malem ini temanya adalahhh... Lagu Band! Ahhh... Suka sih ama temanya. Cuman agak bosen juga, secara tema ini agak general gitu sih.

Acara dibuka oleh Ari Lasso. Loh, bukannya dia udah solo career sekarang? Kok nyanyi di spekta yang temanya band? Buat pihak terkait, kalo bisa bintang tamu sesuai tema donk. ^_^

Ok deh, langsung aja review-nya yah...

Aris. Padi's Sobat.

I: Harusnya 10 besar ada peningkatan teknik. Masih keteter di nafas kamu. Kalo mau bertahan, harus lebih bagus.

T: Harusnya 10 besar nggak ada masalah teknik. Nafas agak menganggu. Harus dilatih lagi.

A: Karakter kuat. Kepedean, nggak harmoni, keluar dari band. Agak berantakan.

Chandra says: Teknik miking kurang bagus. False di beberapa tempat. Suara ngerocknya agak kasar. Agak bosen juga, hampir sama dengan minggu2 sebelumnya. Tapi, overall ok. Rating: 7/10. *Aris pendukungnya banyak bangettt... Penonton ndak respek sama juri yah...*

Aji. Dewa's Lagu Cinta.

T: Suara ada tekstur. Bermagnit. Penampilan kurang bersih.

A: Lagu bisa diartikan dengan baik. Penampilan kamu brilliant.

I: Unik. Nyanyi ballad, kamu bisa bawain dengan baik. Cuman ada serak2 yang nggak perlu.

Chandra says: Awalnya suara mirip penyanyi asli. Semakin ke tengah, colour dia keluar. Bagus. Rating: 7.5/10. *Dewi Sandra nge-fans banget sama Aji yah kayaknya... ^_^*

Ibeth. Gigi's Cinta Terakhir.

A: Di luar ekspektasi aku, kamu bisa nyanyi ballad dengan sukses.

I: Setelah Dela keluar, kamu yang terbaik teknik vokalnya.

T: Saya lebih suka kamu nyanyi lagu beat. Lagu ballad kamu masih perlu latihan lagi.Chandra says: Jarang liat Ibeth nyanyi lagu ballad. Denger ini jadi seger. Cempreng2 yang biasanya ndak keluar. Bagus. Rating: 7.5/10. *Sorry, cuman ekspos keluarga terlalu berlebihan...*

Andy. Dewa's Angin.

I: Jauh dari minggu lalu. Bagus. Tapi masih agak kagok.

T: Koreografi agak berlebihan. Penampilan kamu fresh.

A: Kamu nyanyi nggak enak. Di nada tinggi kamunya cempreng. Nggak dapet.

Chandra says: Malem ini suara sudah lebih terkontrol. Penampilan (wajah) juga lebih fresh. Lumayan nyaman. Rating: 7/10. *Videonya lucu banget, serius... ^_^*

Gisel. Padi's Menanti Sebuah Jawaban.

T: Malem ini kamu bernyanyi. Jangan salah pilih lagu lagi.

A: Minggu lalu 6, minggu ini 7. Belum begitu kuat.

I: Dari 5 penyanyi yang sudah tampil, kamu yang terbaik malam hari ini.

Chandra says: Tau Gisel mau nyanyi lagu ini. Aku penasaran banget. Dan ternyata, emang dia bagus banget bawainnya. Fresh. Penampilannya juga cantik banget. Rating: 8/10. *Ekspos kehidupan pribadi, cuman ndak berlebihan kok...*

Richo. Slank's I Miss U But I Hate U.

A: Kayak denger di kafe. Mirip sama Kaka.

I: Nggak ada kemajuan apa2. Pengucapan Bahasa Inggris kurang bagus.

T: Cuman mengandalkan lagu yang populer. Kalian harus sadar bahwa ini kompetisi bernyanyi, bukan hal2 lain di luar itu.

Chandra says: Stage act keren. Aransemen bagus. Suara bagus. Kontrol suara juga bagus. Rating: 8/10. *Agak banyak omong di akhir, cuman berisi kok. Wah, konflik nih sama Anang. Premannya keluar...* Karena komentar juri dan konflik di akhir penampilan, ratingnya jadi 7.5/10.

Beto. Ungu's Selamanya Untukmu.

I: Kamu berasa kayak tua lagi. Falset kurang bagus. Pitchy di sana-sini. Bukan penampilan kamu yang terbaik.

T: Ehemmm jangan di depan miks.

A: Kamu terlalu berhati-hati.

Chandra says: Aransemen bagus banget (entah kenapa kalo lagu slow pake violin gitu rasanya menyentuh banget). Kontrol suara bagus banget. Penjiwaan Beto bagus di lagu ini. Rating: 7.5/10. *Suka sama semangatnya!*

Patudu. Nidji's Kau dan Aku.

T: Beri energi yang lebih di lagu ini.

A: Ngartiin lagu ini jadi salah. Lagu ini jadi centil. Kok jadi gini ya lagunya?

I: Nggak spekta, secara teknik kamu aman. Ekspresi kok jadi manis. Nggak nendang.

Chandra says: Sebenernya lebih suka dia nyanyiin lagu Nidji yang lain, kayak Biarlah. Suara ok. Kontrol suara juga ok. Rating: 7.5/10. *Lucu... ^_^*

Dyna. Sheila On 7's Berhenti Berharap.

A: Lebih suka kamu berambut panjang. Nggak sebagus bawa lagu ballad biasanya.

I: Kamu top nyanyi lagu ballad. Semoga banyak yang SMS buat kamu.

T: Seneng banget sama penampilan kamu tadi. Penampilan bagus. Feel dapet. Semoga yang SMS banyak, dan kamu nggak harus pulang.

Chandra says: Emang bagus banget waktu Dyna bawain lagu ballad. Mantep banget reff-nya. Bagus banget. Rating: 8/10. *Suka makan ya, Dyn... Hehehe...*

Tifany. Nidji's Disco Lazy Time.

I: First aman. Reff masih sama, panjang2. Capek dengerinnya.

T: Nggak berhasil, Tifany.

A: Minggu lalu bagus banget, 90. Malem ini kebalikannya, 60. Jelek sekali kamu nyanyi lagu ini.

Chandra says: Hampir ndak ngenalin lagunya. Aransemen bagus. Cantik kayak biasanya... Ketinggian nada kayaknya ya... Mirip kayak dia waktu nyanyiin lagunya SHE. Kurang gitu bagus. Rating: 6.5/10.

Versi Chandra,

Top 3 malem hari ini: Gisel, Dyna, Richo.

Bottom 3 malem hari ini: Tifany, Andy, Aris.

Selang waktu satu jam...

Ada masalah di internet, so aku lanjutin aja dari yang aku liat yah... Jadi, aku liat lagi pas Ari Lasso punya penampilan berakhir, dan voting ditutup! Setelah nyanyi lagi, Ari Lasso kasih comment kalo yang favoritnya adalah... Aji!

Versi juri,

Yang akan keluar malem hari ini:

I: Patudu *malem ini pada di bawah standar*

T: Tifany *jangan fokus di popularitas, fokus di vokal*

A: Patudu *penampilan peserta pada menurun secara signifikan, dulu aku ada jagoan, cuman sekarang jadi masih 'kabur' lagi*

Versi Indonesia,Bottom 3 malem hari ini: Richo, Aji, Tifany.

Dan yang tersisih malam hari ini adalah... Tifany!

Chandra says: Setuju banget sama komentar para juri. Malem ini penampilan pada kurang ok. Bener banget tuh kata Titi DJ dan Anang, kayaknya Idol kali ini kok kayak kontes popularitas ya. Yang berkualitas kayak Dela, udah pulang minggu lalu. So, aku pribadi juga udah agak bosen sih sama season ini. Kontestan2 berpotensi banget kayak Twenty, Yuka, Indra, Dela, Nansy, malah ke-eliminasi di babak2 awal.

Malem ini juga ndak kalah anehnya. Masak Aji dan Richo di 3 terbawah??? I mean, dari penampilan malem itu mereka berdua lumayan bagus kok. Tifany juga, minggu lalu termasuk yang paling bagus, minggu ini dia ter-eliminasi. Beneran, Indonesian Idol season ini emang aneh! Ndak ada yang menonjol banget dari kontestan2 yang masih tersisa. Anyway, semoga semuanya bisa tampil lebih baik lagi minggu depan di tema: Idol in Action!

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Hope For Indonesia

Having postponed for some days, I really can't wait to tell you this fulfulling experience. Last Saturday, I was very happy attending the celebration for 100 years of National Awakening Day at Indonesian Embassy. I got more than I expected - common ceremony, with some ethnical performances, and delicious dinner. But, beyond my expectation, I could meet Mr. Aris Ananta, a researcher in ISEAS, and another speaker talking about the awakening Indonesia. I love the forum very much, and I also had an opportunity to deliver my thoughts and opinions.

Oh yes, forgot to tell you one thing. That day was very special too since they published a book entitled "Gema Kebangkitan Nasional - Catatan Harapan Anak Bangsa" ("Hope For Indonesia"). My greatest pride was that I could contribute to that book - one chapter with this title: The Indonesian Elderly and IT: A Complex Marriage.

I just couldn't believe I did it. Well, actually I just did this article last time just for fun - spend my spare time. But, well now that it was published I am really proud. My pride is not only because o its publishing, but more than that, I've learnt so much things.

Last time, I thought making article was easy - write, send, and approve/disapprove. Well, it's not that easy, I was involved in an editing loop - over and over again. It was improved in terms of grammar, clarity and... my 4,500 words article was cut-off to be about 2,000 words. Thanks to the great editors, Mr. Reginald Sumalong and Mrs. Kristia D. Sianipar for this. You Guy really be my inspirators!

Well, if you want to read my article, just buy the book! Hehehe... It's a very engaging article about how to support Indonesian elderly with IT - a topic which might not be a priority for the Indonesian government right now, yet very important - even Mr. Aris Ananta also talked in the same line with me!

Ok, Guys, the morale of this story is to grasp every opportunity in front of you! This will raise your level of confidence and the value of life. All the best. ^_^

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Indonesian Idol 5 Spekta 2: Boys vs. Girls

Hari Jumat yang indah! Dan malem ini yang ditunggu2... Spekta 2 Indonesian Idol 5! Dan tema malem hari ini... Boys vs. Girls. *hmm... tema yang agak aneh...* Langsung aja yah reviewnya...

Richo. Hey Gadis.
I: Lagu kurang cocok. Kamu bawain dengan baik.

T: Sepak2 ok. Nyanyi ok. Aman.

A: Kaget juga liat kamu bawain lagu ini. Kamu buka show dengan bagus.

Chandra says: Sisi lain dari Richo. Aransemennya fun banget. Nice performance. *ehm... agak over-talkative...* Rating: 7.5/10.

Tifany. Matahariku.
T: Bahaya buat temen2 kamu yang lain. Peningkatan naik. Lama di spektakuler.

A: Aku bisa mendengar kamu bernyanyi. Kamu bisa di 3 besar.

I: Kamu diberi kesempatan kedua oleh masyarakat. Bagus. 1-0 buat perempuan.

Chandra says: Aku pikir lagu fun gitu (liat dari judulnya). Kok aransemennya 'tua' banget ya... Aku pikir ketinggian, cuman memang suaranya tinggi. Suka endingnya. Rating: 7.5/10.

Andy. Kamu Harus Cepat Pulang.
A: Suara kamu bukan tipe yang slengekan. Kamu gagal membawakan lagu ini. Aku berharap kamu nggak pulang.

I: Kurang enjoy. Gaya agak kagok. Tempo agak lari.

T: Dibanding minggu lalu, kamu kurang lepas.

Chandra says: Lagi, aransemennya fun banget. Buat Andy, jujur kurang cocok. Rocknya ndak keluar. Gestur dan ekspresinya juga lucu (aneh). Shooting nada di akhir kurang pas. *agak emosian orangnya yah -> debat sama Anang* Rating: 6.5/10.

Dela. Cobalah Untuk Setia.
I: Seharusnya kamu tidak ada di 3 terbawah. Bagus banget. Perempuannya bagus2 banget malem ini. 0-2.

T: Bagus banget.

A: Sangat menarik. Bagus banget.

Chandra says: Register di nada rendah sudah lebih bagus dari yang dulu. Tempo ada yang kecepetan dikit. Jarang liat dia nyanyi lagu ballad. Yang ini bagus banget. Interpretasi lagu masuk banget. Suka banget. *ending lagu bagusan ditahan dikit* Rating: 8.5/10.

Patudu. Dealova.
T: Dinamika terjaga. Great performance.

A: Kamu bisa mengartikan aransemen Andi Rianto dengan bagus.

I: Kontrol kamu bagus banget.

Chandra says: Soft banget (lebih soft dari lagu aslinya). Penjiwaan ok. Nice performance. Rating: 8/10.

Ibeth. Bukan Salah Diriku.
A: Secara gaya panggung ok. Nggak merasakan enjoy kamu.

I: Paling ok nguasai panggung. Cuman lagu tadi kamu nggak dapet.

T: Loncatan2 nada ya perlu fokus yang tinggi. Gaya ok.

Chandra says: Dance awal lagu seksi banget. Aransemen lagu agak aneh (atau memang lagunya yah?), jadi inget Twenty bawain lagu Mulan dengan tipe2 mirip gitu. Stage act bagus. Bukan lagu yang bisa mengeksplor suara dia. Rating: 7/10.

Gisel. Ratu Sejagat.
I: Cukup bosen sama lagunya. Aransemen Mas Andy bagus. Suara anak2 kamu harus diilangin.

T: Cari lagu yang lebih mature.

A: Nggak ada imut2-nya. Kurang asyik aja kamu nyanyiin lagu ini.

Chandra says: Aransemen musiknya fresh banget. Lagunya nempel banget sama Gisel. Mahkota kecilnya juga dipakai lagi! Overall ok, tapi ndak ada significant improvement dibandingin pas dia audisi. Rating: 7.5/10.

Beto. Naluri Lelaki.
Chandra says: Aransemen mantep banget. Di awal agak kejar2-an sama tempo. Harus lebih banyak di falsetto. Lumayan bagus. Rating: 7.5/10.

Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... Internet putus! Ndak mau buffer nih... Klik sini... Klik sana... Klik lagi... Ya udah deh, kebagian recapnya. Berdasarkan recap... (yang ini pastinya kurang akurat, soalnya belum liat full performances'nya... tunggu yah, bakal di-update setelah ada di YouTube...)

Aji. Ketahuan.
Chandra says: Sekilas lucu banget, pakai tongkat! Love jazz so much! Rating: 8.5/10.

Aris. Lagu Ada Band.
Chandra says: Sisi lain dari Aris. Ok. Predictable. Rating: 7.5/10.

Dyna. Tak Ada Logika.
Chandra says: Sisi lain dari Dyna. Kurang ok kayaknya. Rating: 7/10.

Personally, the best 3 of the night of the night: Dela, Aji, Patudu.

Prediksi 3 terbawah:

Chandra says: Andy, Ibeth, Dyna.

I: Ibeth.

T: Andy.

A: Andy.

Dan... Indonesia memilih... Tiga terbawah: Patudu, Dyna, Dela.

Dan yang harus pulang malam hari ini... DELA!

Chandra says: Secara kualitas, Dela ndak seharusnya keluar sekarang. Bahkan dia salah satu yang terbaik malem itu. Cuman kalo ngomong masalah sms... Yah kembali lagi ke orang2 yang lebih punya modal dan network yang luas... Jujur agak kecewa Dela keluar malem itu.

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Congrats, David Cook!

Phewww... After all happenings in this season of American Idol, last night the champion was revealed. Amazing, over 90 million people had voted for this biggest talent search show! Not to review what happened on the show (from superb duet of Michael Johns and Carly Smithson, to Reinaldo Lapuz singing 'I'm Your Brother'), but just to congratulate David Cook for winning this season of American Idol.

As I wrote in my previous post, I think David Archuleta was more deserved to win, but I realize that it might be just a matter of 'taste'. I personally don't like a rocker style, but well, honestly I could more or less accept this type of song because of David Cook. I love the way he sang 'Always Be My Baby' (Mariah Carey), and really appreciate his efforts to make every song his own.

More than that, I rethink again, and finally I found that maybe he won this competition because he is way more mature than Archie. Not to say he's older, but his mentality to be a star is more prepared than Archie. Anyway, Archie also has that 'x' factor, but he's not as ready as Cookie yet. But, I believe soon he will grow up and find himself as the real star. Well, I'll always be your greatest fan! Hehehe...

Well, my prediction of this finale may be wrong, but it doesn't matter. I love both, and just to quote a comment I found in YouTube: "The real battle is outside the competition!" Hmm... But I don't really think so, since each has different segment and fans. Anyway, congrats David Cook and David Archuleta! I'm waiting for your albums! ^_^

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The Two Contenders Did A Great Job!

So the Grand Finale for the best season of American Idol started. I was so crazy waiting for Wednesday morning to search their performances on YouTube. And the the two contenders really did a good job last night. This is my review...

Round 1: Clive Davis Song Choice

David Cook

U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"

R: It was hot, Baby!
P: Great voice tonight.
S: It was phenomenal!

Chandra says: He's a real star! This song is very suitable for his voice. One of the best performances of him. Rating: 8/10.

David Archuleta

Elton John's "Dont Let the Sun Go Down On Me"

R: The best performance of the season.
P: I got chills. A beautiful stunning performance.
S: Last week you're okay. Tonight performance is the best you've done so far. Round 1 goes to Archuleta.

Chandra says: He sings it very well like usual. But I feel more power and emotions put into that performance. Great! Rating: 8/10.

For me, Round 1 goes to... I think it's draw.



Round 2: Winning Song

David Cook

"Dream Big"

R: Nice.
P: Successful in delivering the song that we don't know.
S: It's supposed to be the winning song, but it's still not the winning moment for me.

Chandra says: Quite suitable song for his voice. But, I feel he sings it too rock, dry, and hard (not soft - you know what I mean...). Rating: 7/10.

David Archuleta

"In This Moment"

R: Another hot performance.
P: You're on fire.
S: The lyric was fantastic. Round 2 goes to David Archuleta.

Chandra says: Love this new song. Fresh, but I just feel this song would be more appropriate for Cookie (haven't seen his cover when I write this). But, yes, Archie sings it very smooth and lovely. Rating: 7.5/10.

Personally, Round 2 goes to... David Archuleta!



Round 3: Contestant's Choice

David Cook

Collective Soul's "The World I know"

R: Very sensitive side of you. Great.
P: Standing applause.
S: The wrong song choice. Should sing Billie Jean.

Chandra says: Good voice control. Nice performance. very emotional... But, I wonder why he didn't choose Always Be My Baby (Mariah Carey). I love his rendition of this song. Rating: 7.5/10.

David Archuleta

"Imagine"

R: The best singer in this season.
P: I'm speechless. You're stunning tonight.
S: We've witnessed the best singer for the competition.

Chandra says: Love his choice to sing this song. Reminds me of his previous performance of this song. Keep comparing... and I think this is much better, not in terms of vocal (always high-quality!), but now he sings it with heart! I can see it from his mimic, gesture, and interpretation of the song... Oh, just like Paula, I'm speechless... He's great! Rating: 8.5/10.

And round 3 goes to... David Archuleta!



Well, for me, objectively David Archuleta should win the competition, but subjectively... still Archie should be crowned as the American Idol! Hehehe... However whoever it is, I believe both of them will be great stars in the future! All the best. ^_^

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Indonesia Bisa!

Today, as usual, I visited this live tv streaming web-site, hoping to find some interesting drama, or talent shows, which I always found recently. But, hey, all Indonesian TV stations today were broadcasting the biggest celebration ever for “Hari Kebangkitan National” (What’s it in English? Hmm… “The National Awakening Day” maybe…).

Well, I used to be boring watching such celebrations, since the structures were usually very formal and predictable throughout years. But, not today. Today was very special, since we celebrated the 100th Hari Kebangkitan Nasional! And the theme was Indonesia Bisa! (Indonesia can do it!).

I didn’t know when it started, but when I started watching, I saw hundreds of armies, policemen, and all those professions gave some attractions, from making beautiful rows to a bit dancing, and even doing pencak silat!

After that, hundreds of children came in… Oh, by the way, they used a football field for the event! Could you imagine how spectacular the event was?! Well, there were 250 girls dancing with different formats, from waves (meant the fluctuating conditions in Indonesia, but citizens would always be united), to Bunga Melati (Melati, flower), representing the beauty of Indonesia.

An emotional atmosphere continued with the rows of intelligent students who had won international competitions in academics as well as sports. This led to the greatest moment when President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono declared “Indonesia Bisa! Declaration”.

I couldn’t deny how emotional I was, put into that kind of situation which really raised my nationalism to my country. Or maybe since I was overseas, and that ‘excessive-missing’ feeling came together, and that’s it, I really wanted to cry a tear watching that short celebration. But, indeed, I love my country! I’ll try to contribute as much as possible to Indonesia. Let’s rejuvenate Indonesia!

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My Laptop Is At Risk!

Arghhhh... What's wrong with my cute laptop??? Windows Update turned into red with a white cross mark there, and being inactive since my computer is at risk! I tried to turn it on, but it couldn't work!

Well, I took the iniative to install Spybot, a well-known spyware. This is my first experience using such software, since I used to rely on trial edition of Norton, and recently AVG. But, I felt now it's never enough using such security suite. So, I used AVG for anti-virus, Spybot for spyware, and... firewall, I don't know what should I use (any suggestion???).

But then, I realized that Windows Security has also provided such features. Ahhh... Would it be conflicting each others??? Oh yes, another option is to install Kaspersky, another powerful security suite instead of AVG.

Anybody, please tell me what is the best for me to do? Since the notifications if my computer is at risk keep coming up, even I've used those security packages.

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Spekta 1 Indonesian Idol 5: Masterpiece

Senangnya hatiku bisa nonton LIVE Indonesian Idol! Well, spekta kali ini emang SPECTACULAR! Show dibuka sama Jaclyn Victor, Malaysian Idol, yang notabene juga salah satu penyanyi favoritku. I'd say she's one of the real idols!

Cuman ndak salah nih dia buat pembukaan? Biasa theme song Indonesian Idol kan? Agak aneh juga sih theme song ndak dinyanyiin.

Btw yah, awal2 tuh kamera puter2 ndak jelas, bikin pusing aja. Terus MC ya udah lebih ok sih, cuman tetep aja masih ada yang kurang. I don't why, but I prefer Atta, atau Bekti gitu. Lebih akrab gitu rasanya...

Dan tema untuk Spekta 1 kali ini adalah... MASTERPIECE! (i.e. lagu2 yang berhasil banget dibawain sama penyanyi aslinya, nyantol terus di telinga para pendengar)

Langsung aja ya reviewnya (dan komentar para juri, plus juri Chandra tentunya, hehehe...)



Note:
I = Indra
T = Titi *model kribo nih... hehehe...*
A = Anang
Y = Yovie *cocok banget jadi komentator, jeli banget*



Dela (Agnes Monica's Bilang Saja)

I: Lumayan rileks. Tempo kadang2 nggak pas sama musiknya. Not bad.
T: Layak di spekta. Tepat sebagai pembuka.
A: Nggak jelek, tapi bukan penampilan kamu yang bagus.

Chandra says: Cantik banget, cuman celana agak kependekan kayaknya... Teknik bagus banget. Cuman kok agak bosen ya? Atau gara2 lagunya sudah sering banget denger kali ya... Stage act keren banget.

Rating: 7.5/10.



Beto (Jikustik's Seribu Tahun Lamanya)

T: Suka sekali. Lebih anak muda. Nyanyinya masih bisa diperbaiki lagi.
A: Usaha baik. Perkembangan ada. Bisa lebih baik lagi.
I: Masalah di nada rendah. Bisa diperbaiki lagi di nada2 rendah.

Chandra says: Agak goyang2 suaranya. Dapet groove-nya. Suka bagian akhir, keluar R&B-nya.

Rating: 7/10.



Ibeth (Ratu's TTM)

A: Kamu memang layak di panggung ini.
I: Aransemen ganti2 kunci. Cukup berhasil. Cempreng sudah hilang.
T: Nggak mudah untuk pindah2 kunci. Bagus. Tapi energinya agak menurun. Belum terbiasa dengan high heels.

Chandra says: Agak kerendahan di awal. Problem di miking. Masuk reff ke akhir lebih bagusan. Suka banget sama dance di akhir lagu...

Rating: 7/10.



Dyna (Melly Goeslaw's Bunda)

I: Bagus banget. Sangat merdu. Sangat cocok dengan karakter suara kamu. Saya suka.
T: Kalau saya menjadi ibu kamu. Bangga sekali. Camera-genic! Suara merdu banget. Nyaris sempurna.
A: Prediksi kamu di tiga besar.


Chandra says: Cantik banget. Awal2 suara kurang keras atau kerendahan. Register tinggi bagus banget. Setelah reff bagus.

Rating: 7.5/10.


Andy (Ari Lasso's Badai Pasti Berlalu)

T: Dari lahir memang suaranya nge-rock. Natural rocker. Bagian coda, mestinya lebih berani.
A: Ada progress. Susah cari lagu lain dengan karakteristik kamu. Takut mudah dilupain orang.
I: Harus lebih ekspresif.


Chandra says: Awal2 lagu, biasa aja. Reff ke belakang bagus, rock-nya keluar.

Rating: 7/10.




Richo (Dewa's Pupus)

A: Medan akan punya superstar baru! Keren, Ric!
I: Saya suka sekali sama suara kamu. Banyak ruang buat eksplorasi. Kamu mampu lebih.
T: Kamu bagus sekali perkembangannya. Personality sudah ok, teknik vokal juga sudah lebih bagus. *bikang Ambon??? hahaha...*
Y: Rock harus ada di spirit. Reff kedua nggak ada perkembangan. *dalem banget...*


Chandra says: Pede banget. Santai banget. Ndak beda jauh sama suara Once. Keren banget.

Rating: 7.5/10.



Gisel (Sheila Majid's Cinta Jangan Kau Pergi)

I: Akhirnya saya bisa denger kamu nyanyi enak. Arah yang benar. Tingkatin terus.
T: Ini yang saya pengen denger dari Gisel! Lagu ballad menunjukkan kemampuan kamu. Tingkatkan terus. *aku dengernya ikut lega... hehehe...*
A: Lagu ballad yang lebih sekarang. Ngikutin umur kamu.
Y: Suaranya industri banget. Direkam ok banget.

Chandra says: Keren banget! Serius! Progress keliatan banget. Penghayatan lagu dapet banget. Salah satu favoritku malem ini. Keren!

Rating: 8/10.



Patudu (Ari Lasso's Misteri Ilahi)

T: Nyanyi bagus. Tapi ada sesuatu yang hilang.
A: Intepretasi lagu ini nggak enak banget. Kamu gagal nyanyiin lagu ini.
I: Kamu mencoba terlalu keras. Kurang rileks.


Chandra says: Denger opening, aku seneng banget. R&B banget. Sesuai yang aku pikirin waktu dia bawain lagunya Ungu. Agak R&B gitu bagus banget buat dia. Bawain lagunya sudah enak. Cuman aransemen agak over (terlalu nge-beat, rock, gimana gitu...) Kalo buat nyanyi, udah lumayan ok.

Rating: 7/10.



Tiffany (Melly Goeslaw's AADC)

A: Radio aku matiin. TV aku hidupin. Nggak memberikan apapun sama lagu ini.
I: Nada2 yang kamu ambil nggak jelek. Feel agak rata, kurang berani eksporasi. Terakhir sudah mulai dapet.
T: Kamu udah paket lengkap. Kalo bisa tetep bagus kayak gini, atau lebih bagus lagi, kamu bisa di 5 besar.
Y: Kamu yang paling cantik dari semua seasons. Ujung2 kalimat hampir semuanya false. Tapi saya mau jadi produser kamu. *iya, suka banget sama hair-style dia yang baru...*


Chandra says: Suka banget sama aransemen lagu ini. Bener2 fresh! Tiffany cantik banget! Bawain lagunya lumayan rileks, bagus banget, improvisasinya bagus banget. Beda banget sama lagu aslinya.

Rating: 7.5/10.



Aji (Romeo's Bunga Terakhir)

I: Agak kehilangan Aji yang saya tau. Kurang bisa enjoy. Jenis musik ini kurang pas buat kamu. Jazzy, swinging, R&B lebih cocok buat kamu.
T: Kamu berhasil menyampaikan pesan lagu ini.
A: Penampilan kamu yang paling jelek yang aku lihat. Gampang dilupain orang. Jelek.


Chandra says: Aransemen seger banget. Suka. Suaranya jazzy banget. Karakternya kuat banget. Penghayatan lagunya bagus banget. Ekspresi juga ok banget. Tapi, kok kayaknya bawainnya capek banget ya.

Rating: 7.5/10.



Safira (Shanty's Hanya Memuji)

T: Di awal2 sampai mendekati akhir lagu, cukup aman. Improvisasi failed. Kehilangan arah.
A: Kamu kayak belajar nyanyi. Jelek banget kamu nyanyi. Aku berharap kamu nggak keluar yang pertama.
I: Proses belajar kamu kurang sukses. Kamu sangat amatir di panggung profesional seperti ini.


Chandra says: Kurang fokus di vokal. Penggalan2 kalimat kurang ok. Nyanyinya lempeng aja. Paling lemah dibandingin yang lain. Lumayan banyak false.

Rating: 6/10.



Aris (Gigi's Terbang)

A: Kamu udah profesional.
I: Penutup yang asyik! Nada bisa lebih tinggi.
T: Tetep bisa mempertahankan jiwa kamu. Suara nggak ada lawan.



Chandra says: Awal lagu agak ragu2 kayaknya. Reff nge-rock banget. Sedikit problem di miking! Stage act bagus banget (tapi agak over juga sih lompat2 di panggung gitu).

Rating: 8/10.



Chandra says:
The best 3 of the night: ARIS, GISEL, DELA.
The bottom 3 of the night: SAFIRA, PATUDU, ANDY.



Well, setelah satu jam berlalu... Dewi2 masuk nyanyiin 2 buah lagu (dandanan malem itu pada ok2 banget...). Terus, Jaclyn Victor covered 2 lagu KD, Mencintaimu sama Pilihlah Aku (quite nice, ada KD-nya juga btw). Vote ditutup sama suara merdunya Jaclyn dalam lagu Gemilang (nah, ini dia kualitas suara dia sebenarnya!).

Tem... tem... tem... Wah, dengerin intro ini seneng banget... Kenangan Terindah by Samsons dinyanyiin finalis2 Idol! Salah satu lagu favoritku nih... Hehehe...

Prediksi juri untuk 3 terbawah:

I: Safira.
T: Patudu.
A: Safira.
Y: Andy.

*bukan rekayasa, cuman pas banget sama prediksiku... hehehe...*

Deg... deg... deg...

Ibeth... AMAN! Andy... AMAN! Dela... TIDAK AMAN!
Dyna... AMAN! Patudu... AMAN! Aris... AMAN!
Aji... AMAN! Beto... AMAN! Safira... TIDAK AMAN!
Tifany... TIDAK AMAN! Richo... AMAN! Gisel... AMAN!

Dela... AMAN!

Dan Indonesia memilih... Tifani kamu AMAN! Safira kamu PULANG malam hari ini!

Chandra says: Dela dan Tifani di 3 terbawah? Quite strange... Anyway, pilihan Indonesia dengan mengeliminasi Safira sudah tepat!

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Thanks imediabiz!

Wahhh... Senangnya hatikuuu... Bisa nonton tv Indo LIVE dari internet. Nih ada situs imediabiz! Ada RCTI, Trans7, Indosiar, dan lain-lain yang pastinya semuanya stasiun TV favoritku. Hehehe...

Waktu di Indo sih, emang nonton tv tuh kegiatan favorit. Dari nonton infortainment sampai acara reality shows yang keren2 banget... Hahaha... Nah, senengnya juga kalo ada siaran langsung dari Indo, aku bisa nonton Indonesian Idol secara LIVE! (yang notabene malem ini nih... :p)

Btw, kepikiran juga sih, kalo ada live tv streaming semacem ini, legal ndak ya? I mean... buat masing2 stasiun TV-nya sendiri, apa mereka dapet benefit dari channel semacam ini? Anyway, mungkin aku bakal research lebih jauh buat topik ini yah... ^_^

Pokoknya yang penting rasa kangenku ke Indo bener2 terobati! Thanks yah imediabiz! Hehehe...

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Being A Reporter

Today, I got a very great experience. Our Indonesian community club has a project to make a simple short video of the club itself, and this time the theme is sports. Well, it's not that I don't like the topic, but sports! I even don't do sports regularly! Hehehe...

I was asked to be, say, the mc of the 'show', and really I have never imagined myself as a reporter interviewing people in a more or less formal manner before. It's true that this is one of my dreams to be a journalist - or working in that environment. But, still, it's very hard for me to start and adapt with such role. I mean, yes, I love to talk, but I really don't have any experience in that area, especially when they recorded the session in the video.

I didn't know what to say. I was very nervous. Word-by-word flew, but sometimes it became out-of-control. Hmm... It's not that I didn't enjoy it, but I was really afraid of making people around me become disappointed.

Anyway, I just did it. I overcome my fear, and just did it the best as I could. I don't know whether they were satisfied with me or not, but the most important was that I've tried the best of me. Hope they would love it. And really thanks for the chance for me to learn!

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The American Dream

Everything was so emotional. I myself don't know why I wanna cry when I saw those videos. It was really overwhelming. In the result show last night, they showed each contestant went back home and was welcome by hundreds or even thousands of fans.

For me, it was really like a dream comes true. I believe each contestant would feel so. They've had the greatest transformation in their lives. Three or four months ago, who knows Archie, Cookie, and Syesha? They are just student, bartender, and actress. Now, almost all people in America and all parts of the world would recognize their faces.

Well, it's okay to be emotional sometimes (Archie, don't feel embarrassed for that!). I hope this will reminds you, Guys, when you've achieved the American Dream, you will not forget where you came from, and all those people that love you so much. Good luck for all of you!

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American Idol Top 3 Performances - Just Okay...

That was last Tuesday, but I’ve watched it just now (well, Wednesday afternoon) on YouTube. I couldn’t get it LIVE, but that’s okay, still really entertaining. Thanks for you, Guys, who’ve uploaded the videos. Each contestant had to sing 3 songs. The first song was chosen by the judges, then their own choice, and the last song was some kind of ‘test’ from the producers. Hearing that I believe would raise our expectation of the shows, but I feel that night was not really good (personal opinion here… ^_^). This is my review of that Tuesday night “just okay” performances…

David Archuleta

Song 1 (Billy Joel's "And So It Goes")
R: You can sing anything. You’re in the zone! You’re in it to win it, Baby!
P: (not really sure what she said, but something’s positive… hehehe…)
S: It was good. A bit predictable. Not outstanding.
Chandra says: It was very mellow, and indeed so touching. The music arrangement was very ‘minimalist’ also. Nice… But, yes, Simon, it was very predictable, but doesn’t it mean that he has his own style? Well, I think this was his best performance of the night. Rating: 8/10.

Song 2 (Chris Brown's "With You")
R: Something new and young, but not the right song. I can’t believe you sang that song!
P: Perfect song in the right tone. Something new. Great job!
S: Good to try something new, but you’re just like a Chihuahua trying to be a tiger! It’s not David Archuleta!
Chandra says: Wow, really the biggest surprise of the night! He’s trying to be fresh, but I think it didn’t really work. Archie should practice his choreography more. He danced not really well. Rating: 7/10.

Song 3 (Dan Fogelberg's "Longer")
R: You can sing anything. Another hot performance of you.
P: Lovely. Expect nothing more. Very lovely.
S: Singing very good. But the song is not good. But, you’ve done enough for the final next week!
Chandra says: He looked very tired. Not very focus and a bit doubtful in this song. Nothing special. Rating: 7/10.

Syesha Mercado

Song 1 (Alicia Keys "If I Ain't Got You")
R: I knew that it would really work on you. You did an amazing job!
P: It’s so difficult to sing such an identifiable song by a very popular singer, but you look stunning!
S: Sang very well. I hope Randy would pick another song for you. By the way, you look gorgeous!
Chandra says: One of my favourite songs. Love her rendition of this song, but I expected more than just that ‘okay’ performance. I think she’s not well that night. Rating: 7.5/10.

Song 2 (Fever)
R: Interesting song choice. Amazing!
P: Looks lovely. I was surprised that you pick the song. It didn’t show the real Syesha.
S: I think you’re gonna regret your decision to pick this song tomorrow. You’ve missed the chance to show yourself as a contemporary recording artist. It was a lame cabaret performance!
Chandra says: Well, very sexy clothes! As usual, I always like her stage-act, and that night, she was dancing with a chair! I think she could do better than that. This really gave me clues that she was really not in a good condition that night. Rating: 7/10.

Song 3 (Gia Ferrell's "Hit Me Up")
R: Just okay. Just allright.
P: You did the song very well. But, it’s not good enough to make it into the final of American Idol…
S: Better than the second song. Last week was your best performances. It’s a little bit forgettable!
Chandra says: Some pitchy here and there… Not a very good song for her, but she danced very well! Rating: 7/10.

David Cook

Song 1 (Roberta Flack's "First Time I Ever Saw Your Face")
R: Don’t like the song. You’re a rocker!
P: This is one of my favourite songs. You’re the second favourite person who sings it.
S: One of your best performances today. Brilliant, taking risks, original! Round 1 goes to Cook and Cowell.
Chandra says: A very different side of him, just like when he covered the song in the orchestra night. Love the way he ended the song! Rating: 7.5/10.

Song 2 (Switchfoot's "Dare You to Move")
R: Good song. It wasn’t your best.
P: Want it more! The song was over-compressed.
S: Not the best melodic song in the world. Just okay.
Chandra says: Well, it’s him. Rocks! Just okay. Nothing’s more to say. Rating: 7/10.

Song 3 (I don’t Wanna Miss A Thing)
R: Love the song. It was okay. Very predictable.
P: A very great song with amazing beginning, middle, and end. See you in the final! That’s what I predict…
S: One of the great song of all time. David Cook wins the night!
Chandra says: Love this song so much. A very unique version of it, and I love the violin! Although a bit boring in the beginning of the song, but he succeeded from the chorus to the end. But, the electric guitar was too loud actually. Rating: 8/10.

So, for me…

FIRST ROUND GOES TO… David Archuleta!
SECOND ROUND GOES TO… No one. All got 7/10. Just okay performances.
THIRD ROUND GOES TO… David Cook!

Who won that night? David Cook! However, I feel that overall performances of each contestant were not really good. I mean not as interesting as I expected! Maybe they were very tired, or simply boring?

And correct… Just like what I’ve predicted before (indeed it’s very predictable!), the two David’s made it to the Grand Final! Congrats to you, Boys! Do your best in the Grand Final (can’t wait for the winning song!)… And for Syesha, don’t worry. I believe you’ll have a bright future: you can sing, dance, and act. ^_^

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Miss Indonesia 2008

Kemarin chatting sama temenku di Indo... Dia bilang kalo malem kemarin tuh malem final Miss Indonesia 2008. Kaget juga sih, cepet banget yah, tiba2 udah final (secara tahun lalu aku bareng temenku tuh liat final bareng2 di TW sekitar bulan Juni gitu kayaknya...). Penasaran banget sama acaranya, aku google deh di YouTube. Ternyata malah ketemu di AOL. Ndak nonton utuh sih, cuman pas bagian terakhir, pas last question for the top three candidates (bagian paling menarik buatku dari beauty contest semacam ini... ^_^). Ini nih pertanyaan dan jawaban mereka masing2, plus komentar juri Chandra, hehehe...

Pertanyaan:

"Indonesia dikenal sebagai negara yang kaya, namun masih banyak yang hidup di bawah garis kemiskinan. Negara agraris, namun nyatanya mencari sembako bukan hal yang mudah. Pendidikan yang bermutu sulit untuk dicapai oleh kebanyakan masyarakat Indonesia. Hukum tidak dipatuhi. Korupsi terus merajalela... Kalau Anda diberi kesempatan memimpin negeri ini, dari sektor mana Anda akan memulai untuk memberikan perbaikan kepada negeri ini?"

Priscilla (Sulawesi Utara):

"Terima kasih Mas Tantowi atas pertanyaannya, tentunya saya akan memilih dengan sektor pendidikan. Karena saya percaya dengan pendidikan yang baik adalah sebuah awal di mana Indonesia bisa membuat... ehm... maksud saya di mana Indonesia bisa menjadi negara yang lebih maju dan kita dapat mengembangkannya dan memperkenalkan Indonesia ke dunia internasional. Terima kasih."

My comment: Agak grogi ya, Mbak, kayaknya. Cuman wajar sih... Pendidikan aku juga setuju. Cuman in my opinion, Mbak sekedar memilih sektor pendidikan, tanpa memberikan alasan kenapa pendidikan itu penting. So, kesannya kayak menjawab pertanyaan pilihan ganda. Kalo bisa dibuat diagram: Pendidikan --> ? ---> Indonesia lebih maju dan terkenal di internasional. Tapi, kalo lagi grogi memang susah buat mikir sedetail itu. Anyway overall ok kok, Mbak! Rating: 7/10.

Indah (Maluku):

"Baik, terima kasih. Saya percaya bahwa yang terpenting dari sebuah bangsa adalah dalam sektor pendidikan. Jika masyarakat kita dapat dididik dengan baik dan dapat diberi ilmu. Maka semua permasalahan kita setidaknya dapat kita kurangi dan semoga suatu saat nanti akan dapat ditanggulangi dengan baik..."

My comment: Sebagai artis yang sudah lumayan terkenal, memang public speaking dia udah keliatan jago banget. Walaupun ada lag sedikit, tapi pembawaan diri dia bagus banget. Memilih pendidikan juga. Jawabannya ok. Cuman kurang dalem juga kayak Mbak yang di atas. Maksudnya kurang outstanding gitu. Mungkin sebagai artis, Mbak bisa beropini kalo sektor budaya yang harus dikembangkan terlebih dahulu, budaya dalam artian luas, termasuk rasa nasionalisme. Rating: 7.5/10.

Sandra (Jawa Timur):

"Apabila saya diberi kesempatan menjadi pemimpin di negara Indonesia tercinta ini, saya akan mulai dengan menertibkan hukum2 di dunia ini, ehm, di negeri Indonesia ini. Sehingga masyarakat tahu bahwa dengan mematuhi aturan, kita akan mempunyai kehidupan yang lebih baik. Dan untuk pendidikan, saya akan membebaskan harga untuk membayar uang sekolah untuk masyarakat yang kurang mampu, sehingga mereka dapat mempunyai kesempatan untuk belajar lebih layak di negeri ini. Karena saya percaya anak2 adalah awal dari sebuah bangsa... Terima kasih."

My comment: Jawaban yang paling panjang dari ketiga kontestan. Agak memberikan yang lebih, soalnya diminta cuman satu sektor, tapi dia jawab dua sektor. Kaget juga dia bawa hukum di pertama. Dan ini point yang baik. Apalagi 2 rekan sebelumnya bilang pendidikan. Being different is nice! Terus dia nyambung ke pendidikan, ngomongin kemiskinan, dan bagian terakhir yang bener2 nge-gong buat aku tuh waktu dia bilang "Anak2 adalah awal dari sebuah bangsa...". Overall, bagus jawabannya, cuman masih ada grogi di awal2. Tapi ok banget kok. Hehehe... Rating: 8.5/10.

Setelah para juri menilai... Miss Indonesia 2008 adalah... SANDRA ANGELIA dari JAWA TIMUR! Congrats ya! Memang kalo dari jawaban pertanyaan terakhir, kamu yang paling ok. Cuman juri juga pasti sudah mempertimbangkan dari penilaian2 sebelumnya. Pokoknya selamat deh. Selamat berjuang di Miss World!

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Sejenak Hati Indera

Setiap derap langkahku,
merasuk lembut dalam sanubari,
udara murni bersilang sejuk,
membelai deru emosiku.

Bertahan sejenak,
kulepaskan penat,
ia tetap mendampingiku,
sejuk...,
batas gores dingin,
begitu segar bertahta makna.

Hirup insani berkeliling hidup,
flora setiakan fauna,
semangat pengorbanan tidak akan tanggal,
berfaidah guna semua,
tanpa tertoreh rasa pamrih.

Aku mengaguminya,
aku menghargainya,
kuingin makna bebas berkorban tertanam,
hati suci lembut belaian udara.

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I Love You, Mom!

Yesterday was Mother's Day. Of course this reminds me of the most beautiful angel in my life: my mom। She's done a lot for me. Right, it is her responsibility as a mother, but I really feel that she's been giving me more than just a minimal effort to fulfill her duty. Her love is beyond rationality - an unconditional love.

I always remember when she's there for me every night, singing lullaby (well, Chinese old songs) before I slept. Feeling the 'dag-dig-dug', although those were not her exams anyway. The one I turned up to when I got problems in study and friendships, and she's there with all her patience, eventhough she'd been very tired working the whole day. And yes, she's the one who collected the acceptance letter for a university I'd applied to, although it took her more than six hours taking bus to Semarang. She's the Angel who realized my dream to study abroad with sacrificing herself feeling lonely at home - and yes, that first good-bye at Orchard Road was really hard for me, and even harder for her I believe.

I love you, Mom. So much... that I couldn't find any better words to express it. Thank you, Mom. Thank you for everything. You're always by my side, and I will always be. Although I'm overseas, my heart will always be at home, very close with yours, and yes, I can feel your warmth right now.

Just like you said to me. All I do is for my bright future, and it will be yours also. I promise to make you happy and proud of me, give you the best as much as I can. You are in the first place in my life.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom! May God always give you health, longevity, and prosperity. ^_^

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Tinkering

Phewww... After adding some features here and there, music, and all those cute widgets, finally this blog looks prettier and cuter! Incredible! Hahaha... Maybe not for experts like you, but an amateur like me is quite satisfied with this express beautification! ^_^

Well, one thing I learned from this is that I've been TINKERING! I found this special word from one of my school subject, which means to think and practice on the spur of the moment. Well, in simple words, this means that we have to allow ourselves to hands-on with real life experiences, and that formal theories often can not capture the 'naughty' problems in the real world.



However, this does not mean that we can just jump into the water without any basics. Well, when I was experimenting with this weblog, I did have some knowledge, at least of what the blog was and what it was for. But, yes, learning-by-doing is often (almost always, but depends on the individuals actually) more fun than learning theories.

What is the moral of the story? Let ourselves taste the real world of practice! Schools give us
skeletons, and we have to fill in them with juicy meats! :-)

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Top 3 American Idol Season 7: Two Thumbs Up!

American Idol this season is very COMPETITIVE. Just like what Paula said in the Idol Extra: "A series of Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, all potential stars are right here in this season..."

And yes, this season is really great and colourful! Colourful in the sense that each contestant has its own uniqueness on vocal and personality - from the experimental Cookie, angelic Archie, to the extremely emotional Brookie.

Well, not to mention the gossips and Cinderella story from that naughty ex-night-dancer Hernandez, beautiful strangers coming to America - the lady "tattoo" Carly from Ireland, and Johns, the Australian rocker guy. Not to forget the nitty-gritty-girly hmm... I forgot his name, the funny boy which put his thumb on his head - trying to copy Simon's style... Hahaha... Very funny... And also the country lady selling her horse to get popularity in Idols (reminds me of Kellie Pickler, whose conflicts with her mom let her launching her "Red High Heels"...

This week comes to the top 3. Great! American has really shown their fair-judging for all the contestants. I'm really in line with what American had chosen. Cookie and Archie are definitely the best of the competition. Syesha, although judges - pointing at Simon - said that she was a copy-cat, I personally think she is a GREAT copy-cat singer! I was impressed with her nice performances, especially her rendition of "I Believe" (Fantasia Barrino). But, yes, I think Carly or Brooke might be in her position now - the top 3, but anyway whoever is she, I think the grand finale would come to the two Davids!

This is my review for the top 3 American Idol Season 7:

1. David Archuleta - Young, pure, angelic, great voice... What's more could I say... Perfect voice, perfect personality, and deserved to be the next American Idol! I love his shyness, "politeness" to the judges, and down-to-earth, low-profile personality!

2. David Cook - What I love about him is that he is very brave in exploring and making every song his own! Love his make-over (fashion huh... hahaha...) of "Always Be My Baby" (Mariah Carey). Two thumbs up! Motivated me to search more that Mariah's song... Personality... Star personality - but sometimes seems a bit arrogant (sorry, just what I feel...)

3. Syesha Mercardo - A bit hard to spell her name, reminds me of "Sasya", the funny girl in this comedy shows, "Office Boy". She's my type. Singing with hearts - just like Mariah, Whitney, Celine, with nice improvisations and emotions. One thing I admire about her - she's very tough against judges' comments, and yes, she's a good performer!

AND THE TOP TWO WOULD BE... Yes, just like what I wrote before. I personally think that the two Davids deserves to be in the Grand Final for this season. A bit predictable though, but you know anything can happens... Syesha might be able to catch American's attention next week...

Who would be the next American Idol? I have one name in my mind - not really fixed actually - but I'll keep it for the next post when they've announced the two Grand Finalist.

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Pilar

Merasuk lembut lembaran sukma,
Goresan hangat melebur asa,
Untaian pribadi beralaskan sendi,
Buah nurani bunda selami.

Telapakmu bukan sepihak,
Haruslah seiring irama,
Layaknya sebaran Dewata bersarang.

Kala rotasi tersendat,
Pastikan keringat membakar kasih,
Setiap terpaan padang membentang,
Eratkanlah cinta sanubari pedoman,
Telaga hikmah kian merona.

Bukan hanya tulus semata,
Kudusnya sebongkah intan samudera,
Luas serta tidak berkesudahan.

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Indonesian Idol 5 - Banyak Kejutan!

I love Indonesian Idols 5! Banyak bibit2 yang bener2 berbobot dan berbebet di season kali ini. Untung ada AllAboutIdolShows, so walaupun jauh dari kampung halaman (ndak jauh2 amat sih sebenernya, cuman di Singapura... hehehe...), tetep bisa nonton acara favorit yang satu ini! Langsung aja yah reviewnya...

Indonesian Idols 5 kali ini lumayan banyak kejutan (atau perubahan tepatnya). Dari posisi Atta yang digantiin sama si "I Love You" Dewi Sandra (yang kayaknya masih dalam masa "penyesuaian" bawain acaranya), sampai acara non-stop yang, hmm... berapa jam yah? Sekitar 3-4 jam gitu kayaknya, dan langsung eliminasi! Nah, problem juga yah mungkin buat peserta yang dapet giliran terakhir gitu, soalnya selang waktu dari penampilan mereka sama waktu nge-vote cuman selisih sekitar 45 menit...

Yang beda lagi, sekarang kehidupan pribadi masing2 kontestan bener diekspos. Over sih kalo aku bilang... Dari yang latar belakang pengamen, sampai ibu yang sedang ada di penjara, dll... Hmm... Boleh sih biar lebih tau latar belakang yang bakal jadi "idola" kita, cuman tetep aja kan ini kontes nyanyi, dan penilaian utama tetep harus di kemampuan menyanyi donk seharusnya, baru ditunjang personality, dll...

Then.... Ada lagi yang lumayan unik... Ndak tau kenapa yah... Eh, bentar2, iya, Jamie ndak ikutan lagi jadi juri (sebenernya udah ndak sreg juga waktu dia jadi juri season kemarin, kayaknya ndak obyektif gitu). Nah, terus kali ini, Indra sih ok (tetep juri favoritku), Anang (perfeksionis banget yah, agak terlalu over aku bilang), dan Titi DJ (yang emosi banget yah, mulai dari ninggalin meja juri waktu Elimination Round, sampai "memusuhi" salah satu kontestan cewek, si Gisel...).

Anyway, ndak akan ada habisnya kalo ngomongin yang baru2 di Indonesian Idol 5 ini! Cuman overall, kayak yang dibilang Mas Indra, kalo standar kualitas para kontestan meningkat di season ini! SETUJU! Dan satu lagi... Para kontestan bener2 unik satu sama lain... Standing applause buat semuanya deh... Congrats!

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Good Morning, World!

Thanks for visiting my weblog! Well, actually this is not my first... But, you know, the previous blog was a bit messy, so I decided to refresh all the things and published this little cute blog! ("little cute" huh... :D)

Where should I start? Ok, let me introduce myself first. My name is Chandra Gunawan. "Chandra" means "moon", and "Gunawan" means "being useful". Ehm... Maybe my parents gave me this name with a hope for me to be like a "light in the dark" for everybody. And of course, I'm always trying to realize such hope. Well, at least now people see me as very entertaining! (hope all of them feel so... ^_^)

I am currently an undergraduate student of Singapore Institute of Management (SIM), pursuing BSc Information Systems and Management, a degree awarded by University of London (LSE). I'm very happy with what I'm studying now: a hybrid knowledge in IT and soft-sciences (management, business, and organizations). These really enrich my perspectives in life!

Hmm... Oh, yes, I'm Indonesian. I come from a very traditional, yet very beautiful (and "delicious") city, called "Solo". Well, you should know this very well-known phrase: "Bengawan Solo"! (the song as well as the cake shop! hahaha...) Please do contact me when you're visiting Solo!

I love studying, singing, reading, performing, and of course watching REALITY SHOWS and ROMANTIC DRAMA! Hehehe... And I love Idolsss! You'll find a lot of articles on Idols in my blog!

Ahhh... Very boring huh... Very standard ASL (reminds me of MIRC those days... :P)! Well, you'll know more about ME, MYSELF, and MINE from my posts anyway... Please do enjoy reading my articles! And give some comments, please... I really need feedback to improve myself. :-)

Last but not least... KEEP YOUR BALANCE!

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