'Excuse me, Syesha? There's a Miss Cobbins for you on line two.'

toyin Sat, May 31, 2008 at 08:35 AM EST

ohh!! stop hating on Syesha if you think Trenyece or whatever the call her is better, go listen to the studio version of Syesha's and then come back then compare. Syesha is raw talent as David Cook said, "she can do everything vocally!!"
jeez!!, who is trencye what a fake!!

Paul Thu, May 8, 2008 at 05:54 PM EST

Not Syesha's best vocal, but she performed the heck out of the song! I was proud of her, it was great!

And I've never understood your obsession with Trenyce, Slezak. She was 'good', but not THAT good, hence why we don't hear from her today.

econruth Thu, May 8, 2008 at 02:12 PM EST

Compared side-by-side like that, I actually liked Syesha's better. When Jason Castro had a hard time just remembering two songs, its even more impressive to see Syesha do the choregraphy, remember the lyrics, and have it come across as looking very finished and professional. And I am not a Syesha fan at all, go David Cook!

Stephanie T. Thu, May 8, 2008 at 11:33 AM EST

The problem was not in the singing it was that Tina has a moderate register. Syesha has a high one. Melinda and Trenyce are the only two who when singing that song, can come close to Tina's register. Even Mary J. Blidge can puil off the same no-frills vocal effect as Trenyce and Melinda

Amber Thu, May 8, 2008 at 11:18 AM EST

Ew I hated Trenyce. I don't know why Syesha gets such a bad rap, I think she's great.

Thu, May 8, 2008 at 09:22 AM EST

I was so distracted by the suggestive dancing that I didn't listen to the music. I'm not a prude, but in my experience when a singer "performs" that way, it's because the song isn't enough by itself. When Tina does it, you hear the song too, no matter how she's dancing (which is amazing). Syesha can sing, but I think this performance showed us why she isn't a star.

Heather Thu, May 8, 2008 at 08:14 AM EST

Trenyce made that song amazing. Heck, Melinda Doolittle KILLED that song on the Idol tour. That song introduced us to Fantasia. And nobody quite compares to the original - Tina. So why did she even try? I still don't understand why Syesha had to do that song.

UGH Thu, May 8, 2008 at 08:13 AM EST

This song is the same as watching a 'Whitney' song. KARAOKE! And the dancing should be left to Ms. Turner.
Why do they pick this stuff?? Talented yes, but no originality at all.

Why oh why Thu, May 8, 2008 at 05:45 AM EST

And I watched a video where Syesha compared herself to MLK and Obama, is that girl on drugs or something?

Why oh why Thu, May 8, 2008 at 05:40 AM EST

Syesha is awful and in top3, so much for the "most talented contestants" ever. This girl screams FAKE and BORING every performance, glad I stopped watching the AI trainwreck this season.

Tracie Thu, May 8, 2008 at 05:21 AM EST

Only thing I noticed was that Syesha just sang the exact same lyric twice - once slow, once fast. I noticed that during the show, but thought "That's crazy, why on God's green would she do something like that?!. I must be imagining it." Thanks for showing me I wasn't insane!

SH Wed, May 7, 2008 at 10:39 PM EST

Trenyce was not my favorite, but... she kicked Syesha butt. Syesha came off as Trenyce trying to do Beyonce trying to Tina. As the Grammys proved, the only person who came to Tina some justice is Tina her damn self.

Suzanne Wed, May 7, 2008 at 09:11 PM EST

It is SO LOW. It's SO HARD to understand your objective.

TRIIPA Wed, May 7, 2008 at 07:16 PM EST

Slezak, this is low. Why does this deserve a popwatch? You never do this with any other contestants, and we have had our share of second rate performances.

Patrick Wed, May 7, 2008 at 07:05 PM EST

I love ya, Slezak, but I have never understood your devotion to the caterwauling that was Trenyce (or Fantasia - uggh!). If memory serves, "Proud Mary" was the song she sang the week she and her scary-ass fingernails got voted out, no? Or should I say, the week she faded into obscurity...

TellyB Wed, May 7, 2008 at 05:54 PM EST

Damn, I hated when Beyonce did it and I hate it again: Why the twirling and the spasmic movements that only make you look like a drag queen doing Tina Turner?
It's ludicrous.
Imagine if someone did a serious cover of Madonna's Don't Tell Me, and they used the same coreography of the video???
Trenyce at least opted to wisely shy away from the Tina-impersonation...

BrandonK Wed, May 7, 2008 at 05:32 PM EST

Even though I enjoyed it, I definitely think Syesha's take was a little too much like a Tina Turner impersonator. Were the dance moves really necessary? That's really inviting comparison.

Erin Wed, May 7, 2008 at 04:33 PM EST

Back then on Idol the contestants weren't pre-groomed for success. Trenyce was feeling it, giving the song the emotion and energy that it needs. It's not supposed to be cute and happy and mellowed out like Syesha's version.
Trenyce WAS robbed, she had natural talent, even if she looked like a tranny.

StaleCake Wed, May 7, 2008 at 04:12 PM EST

... and now put up a video of ANGELA BASSETT as Tina Turner in "What's Love Got to Do With It", and see that Trenyce is already 3rd gen copy in her performance... so I second Mike's question: why the Trenyce obsession again?

mike Wed, May 7, 2008 at 04:01 PM EST

what's up with the trenyce love? she doesn't know how to move on stage. she looked akward for the entire second half of the song. i thought trenyce was karaoke tina, at least syesha looks and moves like a pro. also trenyce can't sing that well. again, why the obsession?

mark in nyc Wed, May 7, 2008 at 04:00 PM EST

They are both but shadows of the sun that is Tina Turner..put her video up and then watch all three...the other two are just posers.
How long till there is a Tina Turner show on Broadway?

Lucy Wed, May 7, 2008 at 03:54 PM EST

I never much cared for her, but that was good -even with the canned music.

Jenn Wed, May 7, 2008 at 03:43 PM EST

Trannyce was so much better. And I can't stand her.

Sally inChicago Wed, May 7, 2008 at 03:43 PM EST

The probl. w/ Syesha is she didn't bring anything new. It was the Beyonce does Tina version. She should have slowed it down all the way straight and not done any twirling moves. That might get her booted off, imitating Tina.

shawshank Wed, May 7, 2008 at 03:32 PM EST

Thanks to ew.com's list of Idol's greatest performances, I had seen Trenyce's version even though I've just been watching the show for 2 seasons now. So Syesha's performance also sent me to youtube to watch Trenyce's last night. While there, I also checked out Tina's and Beyonce's. When you watch all them, it makes you realize how unoriginal Syesha's performance was; it was pretty much a carbon copy of what had already been done. Syesha's might have been more of a spectacle (the band, the lights, those moves) but Trenyce's is better because she throws in some growly soul. It's a good thing Syesha's second song was so well selected.

Winona Wed, May 7, 2008 at 03:19 PM EST

Trenyce's version gets points for having more faithful backup singers (it's just missing something without Ike's superlow vocals)... but Syesha did seem to have more fun, and kudos to her for not showing the world her goodies while doing the Tina moves in that ultra-short dress.

NineDaves Wed, May 7, 2008 at 03:14 PM EST

yeah, sorry slezak. i'm going to disagree with you for the first time on this one. syesha just seemed to have more fun with it. maybe the backup singers and live band helped. nonetheless, trenyce was not nearly as memorable. though, let's be honest - they both kind of sucked. they're no vonzell! they're no latoya london!

Ceballos Wed, May 7, 2008 at 03:02 PM EST

I was just going to say what Nose said. I mean, if Cristian Siriano had been famous around the time of Trenyce's stint on "Idol", he would've dubbed her a "hot tranny mess" (which she TOTALLY is) and moved on.

Out of all the middling "American Idol" contestants in seven seasons, why obsess over this one?

Nose Wed, May 7, 2008 at 02:55 PM EST

Slezak, what is your obsession with Trenyce? I just don't get it! Maybe there's a support group you can join? I say this out of love, of course.

Eric Wed, May 7, 2008 at 02:51 PM EST

To be honest, Syesha was good, but when she did her "C'mon y'all!" I was like "She just ripped off Trenyce!" What is she up to anyway, I heard she was playing Deena in a traveling "Dreamgirls" show.. but that was a while ago..

Lint_Licker Wed, May 7, 2008 at 02:47 PM EST

Bah...a couple of trannies. I agree that Trannyce was a lot better than Syscreecha.