The 5 remaining acts will sing their hearts out for a place in the semi-final performing with a big band for the first time! bong is back again, and will be throughout the season! We'll have some impressing performances for sure! Would Cutfather or Blachman enter the semis with one act? or would Pernille's final act be eliminated? ... It's time to face the music!

Ratings, comments and videos after the JUMP ...


(bong)  Tonight the contestants will be accompagnied by The DR Entertainment Orchestra, (DR UnderholdningsOrkestret; I don't like how they write it in one word, and with a capital O). It has 42 members, not sure if the director is counted. Strings and stuff. DR (the channel) also has a big band (predictably called DR Big Band), a youth ensemble, a vocal ensemble, a girl's choir, a junior choir, a children's choir, and an aspirant choir (6-8 years). Beat that. Oh, I forgot: The symphony orchestra. The DR Entertainment Orchestra will suit most of the remaining contestants. 

 The final 5 performed "Fuck You", yeah, the explicit version. A pretty nice cover I must say! The girls nailed it and so Babou. The twins? Good too. But of course, Patricia was the best!

The five contestants kick the night off singing "Fuck You!" together. The song has become known with Cee Lo; it's actually written by Bruno Mars (and someone I don't know) (oh, someone called Phil Lawrence). Nice.


Rikke og Trine


SEND RT TIL 1212  "Riverside" (Agnes Obel) - 7/10 - They have a medieval/celtic vibe going on. Mmmm ... this is interesting. I like how they are doing this, the way they are performing it. However, their vocals are as boring as always and they are still singing in unison. I hope they gave up on that! All that said, I actually enjoyed this. They made it emotional and I felt this performance. Probably the worst vocally but it was from their hearts!

(bong)  -  8/10  -  Agnes Obel is a Danish singer-songwriter who now lives in Berlin. And that was about all I knew about her, but I had to check out this song. I swear I could both hear and see the twins. A very logical choice. Pernille: "This is one of the twin's own favorites." (Agnes Obel, Riverside.) Pernille has plans for the girls; she pops up in Borup: "Surprise!" She challenges the girls to guess what she has planned. "Bungy jumping? Parachute?" No, it's quad biking! (four wheeled motor bikes). Twins: "It's good for the group feeling. But we have always been close. Because she's a bit weird too." One of the girls is a bit off key in the beginning (I heard it again, and thought they were not precise on the beat; now I don't know, but something was wrong.). The rest is all good. I am rocking in my chair. Blachman too. They do harmonies. When it fits. But they did not seem totally comfortable until they were a bit into the song. I struggle to find the right word for this performance: Minimalistic and Total at the same time (don't ask). Not the greatest voices. But a great arrangement. Blachman: "It's going in the right direction. This is an insanely good tune. Everybody talks about branding... Call their bluff! You are very natural as you are." Cutfather: "This is the universe where you feel at home." Pernille: "Thank you. We are finding the way. We try some things on the way. A thousand thanks." Lise Rønne: "Why are you peaking now?" One of the twins paraphrases Blachman: "But that's because we are so natural, and this is such a natural song." (It feels like irony; they have a great sense of humor.) The other says they like this song, and it fits them. (Sure does.) "We like Agnes Obel!" Lise Rønne: "What was difficult about this song?" Rikke og Tine: "The lyrics, she uses the same words in different places in the verses."


Sarah


SEND SAR TIL 1212  "The Climb" (Miley Cyrus) - 6,5/10 -  I feel unsure about this performance. Sarah is a good acoustic singer but when she has music, it all falls apart. This song is totally not for her! Cutfather has done an awful work with Sarah's song choices. First it was Pink, then that Beatles song, now this. He really seems not to know anything about her. Sarah proves she can sing but all also shows that her voice isn't perfect, thus having lots of bum notes. Not the best, not the worst, well, actually the worst of the night but there are only 5 left now!

[bong-rant]  Ouch! I hope this is a favorite of Sarah's, but I don't see how it can work for her. If she gets in the danger zone, I will blame it on the song choice. Tonight's songs are (at least potentially) epic, except this one. (Why? It's a hit song?) Yeah, well, it's always hard to argue with sales figures, but I just don't think this is a "big" song. Maybe I should listen to it more. But I probably won't.[/bong-rant]

(bong)  -  6/10  -  Cutfather: "We agreed that this is a very well-written song." (In your face, bong!) Sarah: "I like some speed and action on stage." Sarah: "When it comes to the choreography, Mich has his say." Mich is a Danish champion breakdancer of 1983. Cutfather: "Sarah performs like a fish in the water. And when you add a bit of humor, things go down easier." It's interesting to hear this song in her voice. To me, she is a singer, but not yet a great singer. Pretty anonymous orchestration; it's a balance, you don't want to drown her voice. Pernille: "I like you. Exciting. Last week was your territory. You have rearranged the song. It's nice to see how you take the song and give it that edge. Continue with that!" Blachman: "We have heard you a number of times. You can do something. It's not normal that singers with your vocal limitations get this far. You pull my pants down." Cutfather: "You took a gigantic chance. With this arrangement we can really hear your voice and every error." Lise Rønne: "Who is the best dancer, you or Cutfather." Sarah: "Oh. That would be Mich. He knows more moves." Lise challenges Sarah to show her best moves. :D


Patricia


SEND PAT TIL 1212  "Feeling Good" (Nina Simone) - 10/10 - OMG!! Patricia looks so hot on that dress! This is probably one of my favourite songs and I know I'll love this! This is Patricia's theme! This is what she needs to be singing! WOW! This is so stunning! I'd kill for a studio version of this song! Patricia is sounding better than ever and the band's accompainment made this a magical moment! She may have secured a place in the finals with this! LOVE IT! I know I'm going to play this over and over again!

(bong)  -  9/10  -  Rebecca Ferguson sang this in the latest UK X Factor, and she was absolutely stunning. And now Patricia. They wrote on the channel's page that she ought to feel "like a fish in the water" (the category being with the orchestra, because she has a chance to sing jazzy tunes). "Fish in the sea, you know how I feel." Yeah! Blachman: "One of the fascinating things about this program is what happens when you give people a chance. People who have been singing to themselves in their homes. A singer has to have a story to tell. It is very emotional for me to present Patricia tonight. This is her element." Patricia: "Styling goes like, I look through my stuff, and pick something, and meet up with the stylist." Blachman: "It must fit the music." Patricia: "There was something about a seagull...." Blachman: "They had this gigantic creation, a bird, in her hair. And I said, well, OK, and I could not sleep. Everybody would focus on the bird. I had to get rid of it." The camera focusses on the orchestra, even after Patricia starts to sing. She looks stunning, I have to say. The orchestra, they are enjoying this, for sure. Cutfather: "This is your element. Great to see. The intro was magical, and the outro. The central part was not quite as impressive, relative to the original, but there is a lot to live up to. But that is my only criticism, and overall I enjoyed it very much." Pernille: "You have received too little credit for your unique voice. You have one of the most recognizable voices in this year's competition." Blachman: "Every time somebody in this country tries to sing blues or soul, I keep thinking about white underwear, few of us can pull it off. But you can do it, because you also have that tristesse. You are one of the best female singers in this country." Patricia to Lise Rønne: "I have been waiting for this genre. I feel at home." Lise Rønne: "Can you even walk off stage in that dress?" Patricia: "Yes. Slowly."


Babou


SEND BAB TIL 1212 "Hurt" (Christina Aguilera) - 9/10 - I must admit this was actually great! The kid can sing. There's no doubt about that. And he also showed he has a great distinguishable voice. I could totally hear him in the radio. His voice is amazing and I remember when I hated him and I think how silly I was! His a great performer and he'll definitely be in the final with Patricia. The ending was beautiful! A great cover!

(bong)  -  9/10  -  This could be the right tune for Babou. Cutfather: "Babou has been working very hard this week." Babou: "One of the first things I found out about Copenhagen was that a bike is the easiest means of transport." At Cutfather's studio he meets up with his voice trainer, and we hear a snippet of Wonder's Isn't She Lovely. Cutfather and Babou discuss the following week's appointments. Babou: "That red carpet, I could get used to doing that." Babou sings brilliantly. Good arrangement. He is very intense, and he holds it all the way. To me his best performance (actually marginally better than Patricia's in my view, so the best performance for me tonight). Pernille: "A blessed singer. It's a dangerous thing to choose a song which has been sung by such a technically brilliant singer as Christina Aguillera. There are places where Christina Aguillera is clearly superior, and it is so unfair of me to think of her and compare directly when there are also places where you sound insanely good." Blachman: "Thanks to the orchestra. Hey, I like it when you have to fight. And to do a "nice" tune. You" (plural) "have become disciplined. It's a balance, we don't want you to suffocate, you are also a very immediate singer. A natural talent." Cutfather: "You are 16 years, and you blow a hole in a Christina Aguillera tune." Lise Rønne: "What was it like to walk in the footsteps of Christina Aguillera?" Babou: "I think it went pretty well!"


Annelouise


SEND ANL TIL 1212 "Nothing Compares 2 U" (Sinéad O'Connor) - 8,5/10 -  I adore this song! Annelouise again has picked a song I love, so I'll be totally biased! Her voice fits this song perfectly and that proves why Blachman is the best mentor! Wait!!! THAT WAS MIA! Remember her? She got to the judges houses! She must come back next year ... Back to this ... Annelouise seems a bit lost on stage, Blachman should do something more with the stage but vocally, she's amazing! Probably her best performance! She'll get to the semis and probably to the finals too!

(bong)  -  7/10  -  Nice song choice. Of course it's a Prince tune, but the arrangement is based on Sinead O'Connor's version. Let's see Annelouise do something with this song. Blachman: "We have heard Annelouise covering "man" songs until now." We see Annelouise preparing during the week. Blachman: "Annelouise has not changed one bit during the show. I have simply gotten to know her." Annelouise: "Blachman was this public figure, but now he has become a person for me." Annelouise sings New York, New York in Blachman's kitchen, and for once I can hear something in her voice. But now to the show. Annelouise starts out facing away, towards the side of the room. I must say, I don't feel the desperation that is in the message of the song. Maybe it's because I know O'Connor's version pretty well, and expect something different. Cutfather: "I was looking forward to this. Hoping you would get back to earlier peaks. But I did not feel any of your magical moments today, I am sorry. There was nothing wrong with the orchestration." Pernille: "A courageous choice. And you stay away from the most popular phrasings. It's nice when you hold the long notes, those are good for your voice. Technically, I miss the little twirls which might make me forget where I am. You don't have to sing everything 100% straight." Blachman: "But that's how it is with art. The string arrangement was really boring, apparently one has to handle everything personally. But your voice never bores me." Annelouise tells us: "This tune was challenging. The thing when you are not in 100% control of it all (i.e. the arrangement). But I connected with the feelings." Lise Rønne: "How do you make a song your own?" Annelouise: "For instance, you can turn a jazz song into a pop tune. Or decide: They do this, I do the opposite. I decided to sing like I mean it." Well, then she had the right intentions, but I did not feel it out here.


Voting

(bong)  The contestants visit The Park, the national stadium where the finale will take place in 14 days. Sarah wants to be suspended from the roof, and Babou dreams of crowd surfing. Patricia wants to sing with Take That. The votes: Patricia, Sarah and Babou are saved, Annelouise and the twins have to sing again. Both have been in the danger zone before. Cutfather will have the deciding vote. One good thing: We get to hear Agnes Obel's lovely Riverside again. Harp, drums, something very Danish. No, very medieval. Or timeless. Strings. No pitch problems this time. A waltz. Nymphs. The twins to Lise Rønne: "A lot better than the first time." Lise Rønne: "Sarah, how does it feel when you have to say goodbye?" Sarah: "We are all good friends, we have become like family." Patricia agrees. Babou: "Yes, we are competitors, but only when the lights are on. Like Sarah said, we have become like family." Annelouise performs. A little too much power on that clarinet in the beginning. Blachman smiles.

(bong)  And now, the votes. Blachman and Pernille will be loyal towards their own contestants, and Cutfather has the deciding vote. Blachman to the twins: "You have something together. Maybe it's gone when you split up. But you exemplify what this competition is all about; it's not only singing. Or else, Annelouise would have been a clear winner." Pernille: "We should express our gratitude towards the remaining contestants. Five really good acts. It's important to salute all five." (to the twins) "Something went wrong the first time, but it was so beautiful on the reprise." Cutfather: "This is very difficult. Because you are two very different acts." (to Rikke og Trine) "You are very special, very unique. " (to Annelouise) "Not your best performance. You fought for your life in the second round. It was still not optimal, but better." (to Rikke og Trine) "When you hit it, it's wonderful, but not better than the first day of audition" (to Annelouise) "You are not constant. But you have delivered one of the best: Kashmir's Split Into Atoms. So should I choose the act which was a little better today" (note: That was Pernille's proclaimed criterion last week) "or should I choose the one who has made a sublime performance? But I choose Annelouise. You have delivered something out of the ordinary."

Coming weeks, previous weeks

(bong)  March 18: Semi-final, four contestants; I have not found the genre (if there is any?). Everybody sings twice, and you can vote on one of the songs each contestant is to sing. For instance, to create a harder challenge for your least favorite contestant. Haha! Nah. Anyway, we don't know what would fall best for them.

(bong)  March 25: The grand finale in The Park, the national stadium, with guests: Take That (you know who they are), and Danish acts: Aqua, Carpark North and Fallulah. I will tell you about the Danish bands. Looking very much forward to it.

(bong)  The week before last week there was a kind of intermezzo when Blachman got on Pernille's nerves, and last week Pernille made some comments which I only referenced in parts (it's hard to catch it all on the flight, no, I don't watch the whole program in half speed to pick up all the gory details). After Patricia had performed Pernille told Blachman that he always picks very beautiful female contestants, and he should buy a red sports car (bong: To pick up women, I suppose). Then to Patricia: She should rid herself from Blachman and stop flirting with him, because he was already married. Finally a short remark, she liked the performance — and Blachman catches that, ignores the rest completely: "You liked it? That's nice."
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