I'm more of a words person rather than scales.
The most outstanding performance that really stood out and impressed was hands down Sreeram. He has proven time and again he is a good singer - and in this gala he brought in a whole new lively aspect.
Shivam once again proved that he is a complete package of singer entertainer. This guy has pure exuberant energy and charisma made for the stage, and he improves in using the stage every week. To boot he has a good voice and strong singing fundamentals. He picked a song that needed power and throw along with control and expression and fulfilled it with panache.
Somewhere in between were Bhoomi, Shashi & Rakesh. I think the jazz/western style really suits Bhoomis limited vocal range. She performs them with panache, and immaculate expressions. However, her transitions were shaky and notes wavered. Many people thought Rakesh mesmerized and that he brought back memories of Rafi. To me he did good, but did not stand out as much. While he evoked a Rafiesque expression and ambiance with his voice, it lacked the lingering tonal quality and silkiness the song needed for me. Shashi finally was not screechy or wavering. He finally achieved a good rendition. But I think he needs a bit more work to stick out in top 3. Either get some of Sreerams ease of singing, or Shivam's ease of performance.
Swaroop totally killed Sagar Kinare. Living proof that no matter how good of a voice you have, how strong your technique, how hard you work - sometimes what makes a song is its mood. Great singers did not just sing, they felt the song, they made the audience feel the song, each word evoked emotion or touched a sense. Thats why even when you listen to a song in a language you dont understand the singers expression just makes you understand the song. Great singing - but expression was flat out zero. He needs to quit focusing so much on the singing aspect and start immersing himself in the mood, meaning and emotions of the song.
Naushad is trying to break his Sufi mold and is not doing to well. Day by day his weaknesses in adapting and carrying out different styles is being exposed. He just does not carry the song fully. His pronunciation is creating an awkwardness that affects the flow of the song.
Finally Tia, I feel sorry for her - but once again she is in the bottom. Clearly a weak link. She was so nervous, appeared so shaken that she failed in performing a relatively easy song. Her start was confident and good, she had the voice, she evoked the naughty mood - but the moment she faced audiences and judges she went downhill. I think this girl needs to get in front of a crowd every day and practice practice practice till she can get lost in the song and forget the crowd.
Sports
