There were several twists and turns for the 4th annual McDonald’s R&B Soul Search hosted by Foxy 95.5 FM. During the weeks of auditions and competitions, there were a range of emotions among the judges (including myself) and the audience.
Anybody who saw the video auditions on stlamerican.com knew what we were working with – the performances ranged from awe-inspiring to downright laughable. But after weeks of grinding through the local talent looking for a star, everything was on the line last Friday night at the Loft.
When the smoke cleared and the dust settled, the winner might not have been expected, but was indeed worthy.
Deemed “the truthsayer” by Foxy’s Niecy Davis, I sat alongside Kevin Johnson, pop critic for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Kristin Stimmage, the 2008 McDonald’s R&B Soul Search Grand Prize Winner, and Vanita Thompson of the Suite Soulspot/Vanita Applebum Entertainment with the responsibility of sifting through the talent to find the star.
After the auditions, I had my mind made up on who was worthy to fight for the grand prize. NONE of my picks made it through.
Week two was frustrating for me as well, because one of my all-time favorite local vocalists (Cherise Cannon) had a less-than-spectacular performance and her fate would lie in the hands of online voters.
Because for the first time the show was aired on STL TV and My 46, people were talking more than ever about the competition. I was even the intended target of more than a few heated phone messages to STL TV because of the “straight, no-chaser” feedback I offered to contestants.
Once the qualifying rounds came to a close, it would be four men and six women vying for the crown – a few more deserving than others.
After the online votes were tallied, I was ecstatic to learn that Cherise would be headed to the finals after all. Then, the next day, the judges were informed that she bowed out of the competition.
I assumed that the finals would be a battle between Maree San Jay, Leandra and Crystal Hatcher for the 2009 title.
Maree Sanjay has a vocal style that’s similar to Faith Evans’ breathy tone, but she uniquely adds impressive vocal trills or “runs” to make it her own.
Crystal Hatcher has one of those downhome church voices. She can be excessive with the vocal elaboration, but that rich tone of hers refuses to be denied.
Vocally, Leandra is the total package. Flawless runs, rich soprano tone and – unlike some of the other contestants – she appeared to have professional vocal training. When she actually did justice to “I Will Always Love You” – the Dolly Parton song popularized by Whitney Houston, which is almost always karaoke suicide – mouths were left on the floor.
Someone coming from behind and taking the prize from all of these women was the last thing on my mind, but that’s exactly what happened.
‘Freakin’’ finals
It was finals time.
Clarence’s performance of Jodeci’s “Freakin’ You” kicked off the show. He would set the tone for all the men, who collectively offered marginal performances. This show would be all about the ladies.
LeAndra’s performance of Beyonce’s “Halo” wasn’t perfect, but she created the impression early on that she would be the one to beat.
Maree Sanjay actually outshined the original artist in her rendition of Heather Headley’s “In My Mind (I’ll Always Be Your Lady).”
Crystal Hatcher vocally revamped Brian McKnight’s “Love of My Life” to the point where it was hard to tell who the song belonged to … other than her.
Previously, Angela Smith had audiences literally on the floor with her raunchy, over-the-top but loveable performance of Shirley Murdock’s “As We Lay.” She was a bit more subdued for the finals, but still managed to burn herself into the audience’s memory with a glittery (you had to be there) performance of Mylira’s “Go Outside In the Rain.”
But in a calculated three-part performance, Katrina Reece left her heart on the floor. She infused the throwback classics of Shirley Murdock and Michael Jackson with reigning R&B diva Beyonce in a seamless performance that let the crowd and the judges know she could take it uptempo, throwback and slow it down in a single breath.
Reese’s initial performance was good, but her finale was probably among the most memorable of all final performances in the four-year history of the competition. She blew everyone away.
Reece wasn’t the best singer, but she indeed worked the hardest. It was a pre-meditated, calculated attempt to compensate with strategy where some of the other finalists’ natural gifts surpassed her own.
LeAndra would have to settle for second place and Maree Sanjay third – but neither was upset.
As they basked in being named 1st and 2nd runner up, there was a spirit among the ladies that Reece had put her foot into the performance and deserved the glory. There were no sore losers (at least among those three), no sour faces – just love and appreciation as they gave each other a final embrace.
