The ferocious five wowed Jamaica this week during the ‘My Way’ performance show, where each contestant was given the opportunity to select their own genre and song and then coordinate their performance with their selection of live props. Each creative, memorable performance proved that this may be Digicel Rising Stars’ best top 5 in the history of the show, and by the end of the night neither the audience nor the judges regretted doing the show their way.
The three original judges, Anthony Miller, Nadine Sutherland, and Clyde McKenzie were all back again this week, praising the contestants for their efforts. Meanwhile, joining Kiki in The Chill Room this week as a guest host was the vivacious Queen Ifrica, with DJ Cut Eye keeping the chill room hopping with some of the hottest summer tracks.
Outstanding Performances
Though all the contestants brought their ‘A’ game, a few outshone the rest, namely Diva Adena and The Duchess Brown Sugar. Adena’s spine tingling performance of Whitney Houston’s I Have Nothing left the audience in a uproar, a big part of that due to her very handsome, very young prop. As her breath taking voice told the story of impending heart break, both she and her prop; a dapper young man dressed in full black, acted out the all too common scene of trying not walk away from love.
Clyde not being able to resist, commented: “We know you are related to the Gargamel, but you must be related to Admiral Bailey too, cause if we think you did done, you jus a come!”
Not yet quite Queen but definitely displaying the potential to quickly move up through the ranks, Brown Sugar, The Duchess, tore the roof off the Courtleigh Auditorium this week. After displaying her obvious ability to sing week after week, this week Brown Sugar decided to show Jamaica a different side of her. Performing a medley of infamous female dancehall songs: Timberlee’s Bubble Like Soup, Tifa’s Spell It Out and Lady Saw’s Chat To Mi Back, she left the audience in a frenzy. Her props; two Shady Squad dancers only aided her performance and cemented her as an upcoming dancehall contender.
Anthony Obviously impressed by her performance stated “What I liked about it, you’ve done some other stuff, why not give us some raw-chaw dancehall. You took it tonight.”
Fashion
You have to give it to the contestants this week with the aid of their stylist T’rone on their fashion sense. From Adena’s silver gladiator platforms with black turtle neck sweater and leggings, to Princess Tia’s black, pink and white pinstriped strapless mini-dress and funky, hot pink strappy wedge heels, they used this opportunity to be our next set of trend setters!
Special mention however has to go to Sandy’s white leg warmers, which along with her purple leggings, white silver and pink platforms and long multi-colored merino, really brought together a retro look. The Duchess Brown Sugar was the epitome of dancehall culture; from her pink and gold, snake skin sling back platforms, dark split leg jeans, purple tank top and white bolero, along with her assortment of gold jewellery, even her golden rooster hair-do was turning heads. When asked the name of her hair style, she and Adena jokingly replied in unison “Cramp an Paralyze, the hottest hair style to hit the cameras!”
Notable Judges Comments
The performances this week were so impressive that even Killer Miller was grasping for mean words, and in most instances failed.
After Sandy’s grand performance of Whitney Houston’s How Will I Know, including 60’s style back up singer’s as her props; Miller searched hard for something mean to say, and came up with: “It’s not that you sounded badly, you actually sounded good, but you looked like such a sour puss out there.” He said referring to the look of concentration ever present on Sandy’s face while she is performing. He then concluded “It made the experience flat and boring.”
Nadine who completely disagreed stated “Sandy is a passionate singer and she shows that passion in her face when she sings.” she continued: “We need to get over Sandy’s expression, she sounded great! Forget her face and listen to the girl!”
Moments, though they pleased the audience, had a harder time pleasing the judges with their performance of Beres Hammond’s I’m In Love. Their prop, a pretty girl whom they were fighting over, ran away at the end of their performance, and Inspired this comment from Miller “Well I don’t think either of you deserved the girl.” He then concluded, obviously dissatisfied with their performance “That’s the kind of performance that can get you sent home on Friday.”
Nadine, agreeing with Miller, stated “Moments. I’ve heard you better, I’ve heard you better. There were times when the harmony was just not sharp, and I don’t know.”
Audience Comments
The audience, obviously impressed with the show, left the auditorium with broad smiles. One member commented “The show this week was really good, especially Adena and Brown Sugar, and I think Sandy came strong!” Another audience member had simple this to say “Tifa and Timberlee betta watch out! Mi cyan wait fi Brown Sugar album drop!”
