It’s here! It’s finally here!
I have so many notes and I’m not even done watching. I’m literally blogging during commercials to try and keep up. I probably should’ve looked up how long the episode was yesterday cause I was so surprised to see it’s two hours! Two hours of Nick which is just, well it’s awesome really. I think my favorite thing about this reality show is that this is the reality show of a Nick who knows who he is. There’s no drama surrounding him, he’s confident and he’s here to help young artists grow and go down the path he’s traveled himself. That sort of thing is heartwarming to a fan who’s grown up watching Nick do so. Seeing him helping others do it gives me warm fuzzies.
Now, I’ve been debating on how I’ll blog this. There’s thirty contestants to start, and twelve are going home tonight. I think it’s neat that they cut out the audience for the first performances, this is just for the architects so they know what they’ll be working with. I like that spin on it. As for Timbaland, Emma, and Nick? I love their dynamic. They get along well and Emma is a doll. Between her dancing with Timba, or asking for selfies with one of the boys performing, she adds a bubbly touch to the group.
And Nick? You can tell he really cares about giving these kids the best advice he can. If there’s issues, he gives real criticism but in a kind and constructive way. He’s not a cruel Simon-esque judge. Instead he always insists they have room to grow and what they need to work on to do so.
So…let’s talk about the contestants. I could be here all night doing that. I decided the best way to go will to talk about what I felt were the highlights tonight performance wise, and go that way with every episode. At least until the numbers get smaller! Only eighteen are staying tonight but that’s still a lot.
Andrew Bloom – I’m not a country fan. But, his vocals were smooth as silk, I was impressed with his skills on the guitar and while I don’t know where country will fit in a Boyband, it can happen I’m sure. Like Nick, I was curious to see if he could dance. But please, look up his performance of Tennessee Whiskey.
Marcus Pendleton – His rendition of My Girl was lovely. He had charm, he had the Thriller-esque jacket that I adored. I just liked the whole package when it came to him.
Both of them were early in the show but honestly, they caught my attention immediately! I’m sort of holding out on who I want the other three of my five-pick to be. But right now it’s only 6:08 here in Vegas (I’m live streaming to account for the time delay). We still have an hour to go!
What’s nice is that like Nick says, this isn’t one dimensional. Timbaland pulls up a rapper and a beat-boxer, where they literally free-styled at the drop of a hat. That’s not what you would expect in this kind of show, let’s be honest. The rapper, Michael, I could see him in a group. Emma pulled up two to see how they can harmonize. And Nick? He went for the dancing angle. They’re covering everything and it’s lovely. Especially the bit where Nick teaches them the “Everybody” dance. I was cracking up when Timbaland decided to dance.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that Nick is driving home the importance of dancing. This might make me sound old but dammit in my era, the 90s, BOYBANDS DANCED. That’s what they do! They sing, they dance, they mesmerize you. Dancing has fallen off the Boyband criteria in the past what…well, however long One Direction has been around. So rock on Nick, bring dancing back to boybands!
I don’t envy the jobs of Emma, Nick and Timbaland though to cut twelve boys. Those are hard choices! Later on I might edit this to add the full list of the eighteen who were left standing. They rattled the names off kind of fast so I’m not sure how accurate my list of names is. Struggles of streaming versus DVRing, you know?
The names of the group? Those I did catch! Reverb, Six Track, and Uplift. The group performing tonight is Uplift, and next week we’ll watch Reverb. Now remember, these are groups of six and one will go home from each group after they perform together.
I think the best thing is that this show is really about the talent. It’s about these kids, it’s not about the sob story. Sure we’ve seen into the background of a few of them. But in the end? That’s not the focus. They’re showing just how much work, skill and effort goes into making it as a boyband when we’re watching a group ready themselves into their first performance. They were divided into three groups of six, and already one will go home at the end of the night.
The boybands change every round, that’s interesting. And it’s a reminder that there ARE NO TEAMS in this. This isn’t The Voice. When it is time to vote in three weeks, vote for the talent you think will make it. We’re not here to try and vote in a Team Nick, because all of those performers are Team Nick.
Harmonies, dancing boys…this is what a boyband should be. BLESS THIS SHOW.
Okay towards the end I’d like to throw in Sergio. He’s got great vocals, switches back and forth between singing English and Spanish. I think he’s going to be one to watch. During the performance at the end of the episode, he’s the one who really caught my attention.
In the end of all my long rambling I think my favorite thing is what Nick said at the very beginning of tonight’s show. It hit home for me. Hell, it probably rang home for a lot of us in the BSB Fandom. Because it just sums up the feeling within the Backstreet Boys and Nick is the perfect person to try and recreate it. It’s what this show should be about and I’m all for this being the end result. I hope these boys know, how lucky they are to have someone like Nick guiding them.
I’m here to find a band of brothers who’s gonna last.
That’s who BSB are, that’s who they’ll always be. Good luck BoyBand!
The Dark Side 