Platinum Hit 2011
May 30, 2011 21:51:10 GMT -5
Post by Q3 on May 30, 2011 21:51:10 GMT -5
adamlambert Adam Lambert
Ever wonder how a hit song gets written? Everyone watch #PlatinumHit this Monday 05/30 at 10/9c on @bravotv
27 May
More info: www.bravotv.com/platinum-hit
Next show: Monday 6/6/11
10:00 pm PLATINUM HIT Theme: DANCE FLOOR ROYALTY
Review
Both Paula Abdul and Kara DioGuardi were awarded the Head Judge title after leaving "American Idol," but neither of their new endeavors -- Abdul's "Live to Dance," and now DioGuardi's "Platinum Hit" -- stray far from that deep-rooted tree. A talent competition for aspiring singer-songwriters, the show has a touch of "Project Runway" in its conception but the usual assortment of stock Bravo "characters," each striving not only for the prize but eager to tell the camera how deserving they are. While a little tinny in the execution, at least the series exalts the hard work of crafting pop hooks.
In addition to DioGuardi, Jewel serves as host and judge, a role the singer handles with considerable ease. Beyond these two, other music figures -- including Leona Lewis, Natasha Bedingfield and Donna Summer -- will appear as guest judges, which should provide a hint of freshness each week.
Alas, that's the only fresh ingredient in the series, from the format to the cast, with a dozen participants -- all in their 20s and 30s -- who arrive spouting the usual "I'm here to win" platinum-plated platitudes. A challenge to write a song with L.A. as the theme in the premiere also yields pretty painful results. Where's Randy Newman when you need him?
For all that, the series does seek to explore the songwriting process in a way that's seldom shown, suggesting that crafting a catchy melody or memorable lyrics isn't as simple as it looks. The divergent musical styles are also interesting, with contestants vying for $100,000 and a publishing deal.
Bravo hasn't exactly been blazing new trails development-wise, repeatedly returning to familiar templates. In addition to "Hit," for example, the channel introduces "Million Dollar Decorators," whose title almost preempts any need to watch, unless you're terribly into color swatches.
Of course, the music-competition genre is so saturated producers have nearly exhausted ways to slice the apple, so at least this variation provides a hook, even if it's a flimsy one.
Then again, to borrow a Jewel song, the dreams of songwriters will last even after Bravo's "Hit" is gone -- proving, once again, all that glitters is not, er, platinum.
Contact Brian Lowry at brian.lowry@variety.com
Link: www.variety.com/review/VE1117945337?categoryid=32&cs=1&cmpid=RSS|News|LatestNews
'Platinum Hit': Bravo's new competition features singer-songwriters
Published: Tuesday, May 31, 2011, 12:06 AM Updated: Tuesday, May 31, 2011, 1:50 AM
Karl de Vries/The Star-Ledger By Karl de Vries/The Star-Ledger
In "Platinum Hit," Bravo's new weekly series that premiered Monday at 10 p.m., the successful formula of "American Idol" is retreaded yet again, this time pitting singer-songwriters against each other in the City of Angels.
Twelve contestants from around the country, serving to represent an eclectic blend of R&B, rock, and twenty-something sassiness, look to pen hit singles that could net them the show's ultimate prize: A publishing deal with Sony, BMI Songwriters The Writing Camp and a recording deal with RCA/Jive. Oh, there's also a $100,000 cash prize as well.
In "Real World"-like outtakes, we're given a short introduction to the contestants:
- Sonyae Elise, 23, of Newark: A would-be R&B diva who definitely leads the pack in regard to on-stage personality and attitude. "If people didn't view me as the competition," she says, "now they're aware."
- Scotty Granger, 23, of New Orleans, La.: One of the apparently nice guys of the group, he's a keyboardist who, according to his bio on the show's official site, wants to write a song for Celine Dion.
- Nick Nittoli, 23, of Burbank, Calif: Sporting a blonde mohawk, one green eye and one blue, Nittoli is probably the most self-assured telemarketer working today. Michael Jackson is his icon, he says: "I'm pretty confident that I will be the next King of Pop. Definitely."
- Nevin james, 22, of Pittsburg, Pa.: Counts Elton John, Billy Joel and Bob Dylan among his music heroes, which probably made him my early favorite in the competition.
- Melissa Rapp, 32, of Honolulu: Her biography on the show's official site tells us she achieved a 3.8 GPA at Stanford University and worked at Google, before leaving the corporate world to develop what she calls "her love-inspired writing style." So I guess we're led to believe she's real smart. But first, she'll have to remove the often bewildered look she wears on her face before she makes a dent in the competition.
- Karen Waldrup, 24, of Nashville, Tenn.: The "southern girl" of the show. How do we know this? Because she introduces herself as such in the opening minutes of the episode.
- Jackie Tohn, 30, of Oceanside, N.Y.: She's "dirty 30," she says, but sings with a Melissa Etheridge-like husk in her voice, which I like. Her bangs, not so much.
- Johnny Marnell, 29, of Brooklyn: A self-professed "computer dork" by day, Johnny's bio says he plans to "out nerd" the competition. We'll see.
- Jes Hudak, 29, of Saratoga Springs, N.Y.: The quirky one of the bunch, who says "writing music gives my life purpose." And yet, her bio says Kelly Clarkson is the singer she most wants to write a song for.
- Blessing Offor, 22, of New Haven, Conn: A keyboard player and falsetto singer, Blessing lost his vision around 9 years old and said music has provided a way to cope. He's accompanied by a cute Labrador Retriever.
- Brian Judah, 33, Studio City, Calif: Says Elvis is his inspiration. Yes, really: He says he was conceived the week The King died, and that when he shaves, he looks like Presley. Uh huh.
- Amber Ojeda, 27, of San Diego: Doesn't play an instrument, but hopes her lyrics, inspired from the likes of Billie Holliday and John Legend, will carry her throughout the competition.
The first half of the premiere episode started off with a "hook challenge," a free-for-all that pitted the songwriters against each other to come up with a catchy chorus about Los Angeles in just 30 minutes.
The results ranged from the flat and uninspired to the somewhat catchy, and ended with judges Jewel and Kara DioGuardi (formerly a judge on "American Idol") selecting Nick, Sonyae, Jackie and Scotty to head up songwriting teams to flesh out their choruses.
In the subsequent clips, we watch as the three-person teams go home to their shared apartments for the night, then spend eight hours in the studio the next day to build on the choruses. The expected friction ensues as we visit each recording session, and watch as the contestants both support each other and then backbite during private interviews.
By the episode's end, it's time to perform.
Scotty, Brian and Nevin joined to sing "Make Believe," a keyboard-driven ballad that tells the story of a would-be rock star who feels he's owed stardom after all his years of toil. The song was panned by the judges, which also included guest spots from Jermaine Dupri and Trevor Jerideau. "Your song was not memorable, it was not emotional and it did not speak to us," said DioGuardi. Jerideau heaped on, saying the chorus was "vapid and dull."
Led by Sonyae, Blessing and Amber put together "Love it or Hate it," a tough R&B stomp anchored by Sonyae's strong vocals. In fact, Sonyae, who doesn't play an instrument, took to the stage all by herself, which is probably just as well, since her charisma is more than enough of a viable stage presence. As for her song, well, lyrics like "Stage lights/Up there where my name is/Stage fright/Ain't got none of that %#@$" leave room for improvement.
The song did not satisfy the judges. "Your song was trite, confusing and uninspiring," DioGuardi remarked.
Not everyone fared so badly, however.
Jackie, Johnny and Melissa put together "City of Dreams," yet another ballad about a hopeful songwriter trying to make his/her way in Los Angeles: "Caught a train bound for L.A./I packed my stuff and now I'm on my way." Although I thought the song was sort of lifeless, DioGuardi praised its structure.
Meanwhile, Nick, Jes and Karen rounded out "My City," a brisk guitar-led light rock song that was actually kind of fun. "If you didn't catch my face in a magazine/You'll be sure to see it later on a movie screen," Nick sings. Nothing terribly inspiring, perhaps, but definitely a suitable hook.
At episode's end, it's time for some critical response. "My City" was selected as the competition's best song, while "Make Believe" was singled out as the worst. For analysis, the judges pressed Scotty, Brian and Nevin for an explanation as to the song's shortcomings, which led to an amusing scene where the three losers tried to assign blame for the musical disappointment.
In the end, though, it was Nevin who received the boot from the judges, with Jewel handing down the sentence.
"Nevin, it's time for you to go home," she said.
So who will be the next performer to exit stage left?
Link to entire review: www.nj.com/entertainment/tv/index.ssf/2011/05/platinum_hit_bravo_kara.html
Ever wonder how a hit song gets written? Everyone watch #PlatinumHit this Monday 05/30 at 10/9c on @bravotv
27 May
More info: www.bravotv.com/platinum-hit
Next show: Monday 6/6/11
10:00 pm PLATINUM HIT Theme: DANCE FLOOR ROYALTY
Review
Both Paula Abdul and Kara DioGuardi were awarded the Head Judge title after leaving "American Idol," but neither of their new endeavors -- Abdul's "Live to Dance," and now DioGuardi's "Platinum Hit" -- stray far from that deep-rooted tree. A talent competition for aspiring singer-songwriters, the show has a touch of "Project Runway" in its conception but the usual assortment of stock Bravo "characters," each striving not only for the prize but eager to tell the camera how deserving they are. While a little tinny in the execution, at least the series exalts the hard work of crafting pop hooks.
In addition to DioGuardi, Jewel serves as host and judge, a role the singer handles with considerable ease. Beyond these two, other music figures -- including Leona Lewis, Natasha Bedingfield and Donna Summer -- will appear as guest judges, which should provide a hint of freshness each week.
Alas, that's the only fresh ingredient in the series, from the format to the cast, with a dozen participants -- all in their 20s and 30s -- who arrive spouting the usual "I'm here to win" platinum-plated platitudes. A challenge to write a song with L.A. as the theme in the premiere also yields pretty painful results. Where's Randy Newman when you need him?
For all that, the series does seek to explore the songwriting process in a way that's seldom shown, suggesting that crafting a catchy melody or memorable lyrics isn't as simple as it looks. The divergent musical styles are also interesting, with contestants vying for $100,000 and a publishing deal.
Bravo hasn't exactly been blazing new trails development-wise, repeatedly returning to familiar templates. In addition to "Hit," for example, the channel introduces "Million Dollar Decorators," whose title almost preempts any need to watch, unless you're terribly into color swatches.
Of course, the music-competition genre is so saturated producers have nearly exhausted ways to slice the apple, so at least this variation provides a hook, even if it's a flimsy one.
Then again, to borrow a Jewel song, the dreams of songwriters will last even after Bravo's "Hit" is gone -- proving, once again, all that glitters is not, er, platinum.
Contact Brian Lowry at brian.lowry@variety.com
Link: www.variety.com/review/VE1117945337?categoryid=32&cs=1&cmpid=RSS|News|LatestNews
'Platinum Hit': Bravo's new competition features singer-songwriters
Published: Tuesday, May 31, 2011, 12:06 AM Updated: Tuesday, May 31, 2011, 1:50 AM
Karl de Vries/The Star-Ledger By Karl de Vries/The Star-Ledger
In "Platinum Hit," Bravo's new weekly series that premiered Monday at 10 p.m., the successful formula of "American Idol" is retreaded yet again, this time pitting singer-songwriters against each other in the City of Angels.
Twelve contestants from around the country, serving to represent an eclectic blend of R&B, rock, and twenty-something sassiness, look to pen hit singles that could net them the show's ultimate prize: A publishing deal with Sony, BMI Songwriters The Writing Camp and a recording deal with RCA/Jive. Oh, there's also a $100,000 cash prize as well.
In "Real World"-like outtakes, we're given a short introduction to the contestants:
- Sonyae Elise, 23, of Newark: A would-be R&B diva who definitely leads the pack in regard to on-stage personality and attitude. "If people didn't view me as the competition," she says, "now they're aware."
- Scotty Granger, 23, of New Orleans, La.: One of the apparently nice guys of the group, he's a keyboardist who, according to his bio on the show's official site, wants to write a song for Celine Dion.
- Nick Nittoli, 23, of Burbank, Calif: Sporting a blonde mohawk, one green eye and one blue, Nittoli is probably the most self-assured telemarketer working today. Michael Jackson is his icon, he says: "I'm pretty confident that I will be the next King of Pop. Definitely."
- Nevin james, 22, of Pittsburg, Pa.: Counts Elton John, Billy Joel and Bob Dylan among his music heroes, which probably made him my early favorite in the competition.
- Melissa Rapp, 32, of Honolulu: Her biography on the show's official site tells us she achieved a 3.8 GPA at Stanford University and worked at Google, before leaving the corporate world to develop what she calls "her love-inspired writing style." So I guess we're led to believe she's real smart. But first, she'll have to remove the often bewildered look she wears on her face before she makes a dent in the competition.
- Karen Waldrup, 24, of Nashville, Tenn.: The "southern girl" of the show. How do we know this? Because she introduces herself as such in the opening minutes of the episode.
- Jackie Tohn, 30, of Oceanside, N.Y.: She's "dirty 30," she says, but sings with a Melissa Etheridge-like husk in her voice, which I like. Her bangs, not so much.
- Johnny Marnell, 29, of Brooklyn: A self-professed "computer dork" by day, Johnny's bio says he plans to "out nerd" the competition. We'll see.
- Jes Hudak, 29, of Saratoga Springs, N.Y.: The quirky one of the bunch, who says "writing music gives my life purpose." And yet, her bio says Kelly Clarkson is the singer she most wants to write a song for.
- Blessing Offor, 22, of New Haven, Conn: A keyboard player and falsetto singer, Blessing lost his vision around 9 years old and said music has provided a way to cope. He's accompanied by a cute Labrador Retriever.
- Brian Judah, 33, Studio City, Calif: Says Elvis is his inspiration. Yes, really: He says he was conceived the week The King died, and that when he shaves, he looks like Presley. Uh huh.
- Amber Ojeda, 27, of San Diego: Doesn't play an instrument, but hopes her lyrics, inspired from the likes of Billie Holliday and John Legend, will carry her throughout the competition.
The first half of the premiere episode started off with a "hook challenge," a free-for-all that pitted the songwriters against each other to come up with a catchy chorus about Los Angeles in just 30 minutes.
The results ranged from the flat and uninspired to the somewhat catchy, and ended with judges Jewel and Kara DioGuardi (formerly a judge on "American Idol") selecting Nick, Sonyae, Jackie and Scotty to head up songwriting teams to flesh out their choruses.
In the subsequent clips, we watch as the three-person teams go home to their shared apartments for the night, then spend eight hours in the studio the next day to build on the choruses. The expected friction ensues as we visit each recording session, and watch as the contestants both support each other and then backbite during private interviews.
By the episode's end, it's time to perform.
Scotty, Brian and Nevin joined to sing "Make Believe," a keyboard-driven ballad that tells the story of a would-be rock star who feels he's owed stardom after all his years of toil. The song was panned by the judges, which also included guest spots from Jermaine Dupri and Trevor Jerideau. "Your song was not memorable, it was not emotional and it did not speak to us," said DioGuardi. Jerideau heaped on, saying the chorus was "vapid and dull."
Led by Sonyae, Blessing and Amber put together "Love it or Hate it," a tough R&B stomp anchored by Sonyae's strong vocals. In fact, Sonyae, who doesn't play an instrument, took to the stage all by herself, which is probably just as well, since her charisma is more than enough of a viable stage presence. As for her song, well, lyrics like "Stage lights/Up there where my name is/Stage fright/Ain't got none of that %#@$" leave room for improvement.
The song did not satisfy the judges. "Your song was trite, confusing and uninspiring," DioGuardi remarked.
Not everyone fared so badly, however.
Jackie, Johnny and Melissa put together "City of Dreams," yet another ballad about a hopeful songwriter trying to make his/her way in Los Angeles: "Caught a train bound for L.A./I packed my stuff and now I'm on my way." Although I thought the song was sort of lifeless, DioGuardi praised its structure.
Meanwhile, Nick, Jes and Karen rounded out "My City," a brisk guitar-led light rock song that was actually kind of fun. "If you didn't catch my face in a magazine/You'll be sure to see it later on a movie screen," Nick sings. Nothing terribly inspiring, perhaps, but definitely a suitable hook.
At episode's end, it's time for some critical response. "My City" was selected as the competition's best song, while "Make Believe" was singled out as the worst. For analysis, the judges pressed Scotty, Brian and Nevin for an explanation as to the song's shortcomings, which led to an amusing scene where the three losers tried to assign blame for the musical disappointment.
In the end, though, it was Nevin who received the boot from the judges, with Jewel handing down the sentence.
"Nevin, it's time for you to go home," she said.
So who will be the next performer to exit stage left?
Link to entire review: www.nj.com/entertainment/tv/index.ssf/2011/05/platinum_hit_bravo_kara.html
