Dot's American Idol Blog - Episodes 8 & 9

Well this week, I enjoyed Idol, but I have to say, there sure was a lot of DRAMA, which makes for good reality TV!

Truth is, the nature of the Music industry can be very dramatic...nonetheless, I’m interested in the stuff beneath the surface, so I'm not going to mention the obvious here.

Isn't it amazing to see what people do when they’re under stress? Hopefully after viewing these episodes, we can recognize that this show is not just about finding pure talent, is it? Stress has a way of pointing us to our weakness.

Watching how these singers responded in the situation of being forced to co-operate, learn and come up with something to perform in a group, as well as let their light shine was something to learn from. I asked myself the question after certain people got cut - "why?" Then I rewound my tivo and watched more closely.

Some of the people who got cut were not quite present, or let someone else get the best of them. This wasn't always the case, I'm sure, but the parts we were allowed to see showed groups that had obvious conflict and obvious synergy.

If you want to know more specifics about why I thought some of the contestants got kicked off you can go to the Members section of my website, click on Dot's Idol Vlog and Dot's Idol Notes.

In the meantime....

Let's address how to help you as singers get through Hollywood week next year.

It’s always easy to point fingers at other people and see the obvious - but what would YOU do in those situations?

HERE’S THE KEY to becoming an authentic, empowered singer:

Recognize that SINGING IS NOT about you, it’s about how your energy allows others to feel.

After watching the show, you can ask the following questions and write about them in your vocal journal.

QUESTIONS:

1. How do you feel about yourself?

2. How much are you willing to allow your true VULNERABLE self to feel comfortable around others?

3. How much are you willing to SURRENDER to the moment and let go - while staying connected to who you are?

It’s easy to point fingers - but look at the people who made it through and think about if you have the characteristics beyond talent, such as: flexibility, kindness, drive, stamina, focus, presence, authenticity and diplomacy. If not, how will you develop these traits?

Well, it certainly doesn't mean that every person who made it to the top 36 is a fully developed masterful human, and that the people who got cut aren't, but I guarantee that having these traits will help you win as a singer, and keep you sane as a human being!

My ADVICE:

Get on a regular routine of inner-self improvement. If you don’t know what this means, visit my website at www.dotsvoicestudios.com. There's a lot of great info on there, from vocal health and well being, to the psychology behind great singing and how to master the mind. You can also get my "Practicing with C.O.R.E. Power CD", which teaches you how to center, breathe, resonate and enjoy the sound of your voice, as well as warm it up properly.

After watching this week's episodes, can you deny that there's more to making it, than meets the eye? I'm not saying that Idol is a true representation of the Music Industry, but one thing is very true about American Idol: the people are real souls, and their talents and spirits are evolving under a lot of pressure, and that aspect can be very true to the Music Industry. At the end of the day, it's about personal choice. Do you choose to believe you can do it and are you willing to believe in yourself and work towards your dream, no matter what?

These are some things for you to think about. The next time you have a stressful situation, or someone behaves in a way you wouldn't want them to, think about how you can effectively deal with that stress, and get the coping skills to stay sane, happy and balanced in an ever-evolving world.

To read Dot's Exclusive Notes on American Idol Contestants she took while watching the show, click here

Dot's American Idol History

I've been teaching for several years, but still, every lesson I teach is another learning experience because I believe humanity is evolving, shifting and realizing there is more than just the "outer" layer of who we are. Sure, you can sing a note, you can look great, but what does your spirit feel like?

As a Vocal Empowerment Coach, I'm interested in evolving the whole package. With popular shows like American Idol that have just begun (Jan 13th) their 8th Season, we'll see what Hollywood has to say about that. It would be nice if the standards got a little higher. I used to hate that show and purposely avoided watching it, but in 2007, I was at my Dad's house, and he was watching it on his 12 x 6 foot screen TV, so I had no choice. It was the beginning of a new season. I hated each moment of Simon Cowell's scornful, abusive, destructive words. In order to keep the show entertaining, I felt like they were just exploiting people, making most of them look stupid and ignorant. They'd show the odd talented person, but knowing what I know about the industry (because I work in it and almost every day for me is similar to "Idol Auditions"), more people can actually sing, but think they can't. This show was making it look like the opposite.

Just when I was about to stop watching, something seriously changed. I saw Melinda Doolittle audition and she touched my spirit. Suddenly, I began to care, because I experienced a talent that ignited something in me when I heard her sing. I continued to watch the show because I wanted her to win. That's how I got addicted to American Idol, and now I do believe that indeed, it is one of the most brilliant shows on television. I mean—it has to be if they got me to watch!

Low and behold, during that same season, Idol Chat called me to appear as a Celebrity Vocal Coach, to give advice to the contestants on their show. I was floored and quite happy I had been watching that season. I have to admit the day it aired, I was not feeling very well at all...but one thing I tried to instill was to KNOW YOUR VOICE, which really translates into "know yourself."

That was in 2007. Now, 2 years later here we are again. Another season emerges with a whole new format—not as many auditions this year.... and now I've got a full-blown website, which is reaching out to people who want the whole package. People who know that great sound comes from something much deeper within the human soul. Because, when we sing, we are sending out our energy—bigger vibes of who we are. If our thoughts about ourselves are not positive, everyone can sense it when we sing. Oh how interesting it all is.

This year, My goal is to provide useful, constructive, EMPOWERING information for the contestants on the show, the viewers (fellow singers and future contestants) and the judges! That’s right. Like most people, I agree with the judges sometimes, and other times I don’t. At the end of the day, it’s about respect. If I see anyone get dissed badly this season, you’ll be hearing from me! My standards: give people constructive tools that will help them get better. These are human beings here, and singing is the most vulnerable of all arts. Sometimes I wonder how many people had to go to therapy after auditioning for Idol. Scariest part for the contestants after signing their life away, is that they never really know who or what they’re going to put on the show. Makes sense why it’s the most popular show on television. People want to see themselves, their friends, family...go on a journey! Well, let’s all go together this season. If you have questions—write me. I’ll do my best to answer them. You’ll get more on my website if you’re not here yet.

Not only will I be writing vlogs, but I’ve got free advice on video http://www.dotsidolvlog.com, audio and blogs to come. I’ll be posting a lot up on youtube, but also on my website www.dotsvoicestudios.com.

DOT ON YouTube!
Click Here to view Dot's Idol Vlog from last night's (Jan 13, 2009) American Idol - Season 8 - Episode 1!