"Week Four": August 1-3, 2005

Last week, we worked on stage presence, as a few of them got the hint. Meanwhile, the three that didn't - Heather, Daphna, and Jessica - had to sing for their supper. Jessica survived another elimination, but Daphna... AND Heather, in a stunner, got the boot. So we're down to ten...

And that ten celebrates being the final ten, as the house begins to feel empty. Ty called the elimination "a big bomb." "We can't really afford not to be 100 percent every time." We get the requisite mourning and salute. Jessica pledges to fight as hard as she can.

Meanwhile, Marty's baby sister Liz is in the house as reward for his encore performance. "This is blowing my mind!" Liz toasts to family. After Mig sees the perks with getting the encore, he only has this to say... "I'm going to rehearse a LOT this week."

Marty gives Liz the tour of the mansion, and Liz gives Marty "fuel," as in a letter from home. "This just made me appreciate everyone. My family. My friends." Aww... Meanwhile Mig and Suzie talk about their own families, as they miss them so as well. "This is a really intense experience. We've become close in a short time." She pledges to be Mig's sister. Meanwhile Marty's sister prepares to head home. The visit made Marty realize one thing, that he's not just auditioning to be in INXS, but also to be a member of the INXS family.

With that, it's time to go to the next clinic with Kirk, Dave, and... some guy. Some guy happens to be Ron Anderson, one of the world's top vocal coaches. "I'm here to make your voice sound more correct without changing anything. So let's get started." Jessica admits that some people have not had vocal training. Jessica trains on "Never Tear Us Apart", which is the first time I'VE heard an INXS on a non-elimination night. It's like night and day. I think Jess finally got the boost she needed. Everyone else? Ehh, not so much. Brandon... no change whatsoever. But at least it feels better. Brandon has a big range, but how to use it... JD tries the tunes now. He's good. Ty, meanwhile, manages to sound worse, which is weird. Kirk likes the fact that Ty didn't go into vibrato, though. Dave tells Deanna that he wants to see some vulnerability. Ron says that she has the most problems. She went out "a little defeated." "If I was INXS, why would I want to hire this girl?"

Time for song selection. Eight to choose from, including "We Will Rock You," "The Letter", "Everlong," and "Get Back" (which Suzie wants, as well as "The Letter". JD chooses "Get Back" (even though he also wanted "The Letter") Well, he HAD it, until he switched with Suzie. Now he has "The Letter". JD calls it killing with kindness.

Brandon wants "If You Could Only See". Jessica, having suffered from bad song choice all competition, takes what she can get... which is "Blister in the Sun". Everyone also wants Ty to sing "Everlong" (Foo Fighters). "I feel adventurous." Later... "it could be a disaster." Paul hopes the song registers with him. Brandon tries "If You Could Only See' (Tonic) with the house band. Paul thinks that he's lost his rhythm, and he hasn't seen the clinic resonate with him. Brandon admits that it goes in one ear and out the other. Jordis tries "The Man Who Sold the World" (David Bowie), starting to cry. "A friend of mine passed away shortly before I got here." It reminds her of him. Jessica tries "Blister in the Sun" (Violent Femmes), taking a risk and convinced that she won't showcase her vocals.

That night, Jessica admits that she's singing to save her ass. "People don't really like her." She hopes to avoid the bottom three tomorrow... and speaking of which... It's SHOWTIME!

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