A night of nostalgia, Retro Night had the audience singing along with the oldies that the contestants brought to the stage. And though the audience seemed to enjoy themselves fully, the judges for the most part still found some contestants lacking. Judge Anthony Miller, or Killer Miller as he is so rightly dubbed, was at his peak on Sunday as he took his time tearing each and every performer to shreds.

And though this week’s show brought back some good memories of years gone by, sadly, it started on a disappointing note. As the audience waited patiently to see the Afros, bell bottoms and platform shoes of yesteryear, the host, Vybes Queen Lady Rennae informed them that for the first time in Digicel Rising Stars history, a contestant had been disqualified for violating the terms of their contract. After numerous warnings, Beres Brown, a crowd favourite, was sent home.

Another major change on the show happened in the Chill Room. The foxy Kimone brought us The Word from the Streets, a new segment of the show where she will find out what the Rising Stars fans really think of the contestants, performances and judges every week. She was replaced in the Chill Room this week by Pepita, last week’s co-host, and the host of the

local television show Intense, while DJ Rush played on the ones and threes. Joining them was the legendary Pinchers, the Bandeliero.

Outstanding Performances

Though Latoya showed how bad she really was with her performance of Donna Summers’ Bad Girls, and Phylea kept it more than real with Cheryl Lyn’s Got to be Real, the real shining stars this week, were the steady builder Jermaine Michael, and

the consistently spectacular Dalton Harris.

Jermaine’s performance of Cherish the Love, by Cool and The Gang, had the audience singing along and humming where they didn’t know the lyrics. Jermaine’s voice took full flight and it brought the audience to the high they had hoped for. And while both judges Nadine Sutherland and Clyde McKenzie commented on how beautifully he sounded, with Clyde stating that he had been left “speechless”, Killer Miller though that it was the wrong song selection for him, stating: “There are a million oldies out there and you chose the dreariest.”

Dalton wowed again this week, ending his performance of Michael Jackson’s Who Is Loving You to a standing ovation and screams from the female members of the audience, and even led Lady Rennae to profess loudly of her “cold bumps”. Killer Miller however didn’t agree, calling it a “mess”, and stating that it was a bad song selection. But Nadine brought the views of everyone else in the auditorium when she said: “That was not no boy performance, that was a man performance! Your hoarseness gave it a raspy sexy sound; Dalton I could be your mother, and I had to sip Pepsi!”

Fashion

This year’s Retro Night’s fashion wasn’t very retro. Missed were the Afros and bell bottoms, disregarded for a more Neo-Retro feel. Designer Ballashawn did a good job dressing the guys this week as they all sported some version of velvet or velour with Jermaine being the most memorable in his blue velvet sports coat, lime green floral print shirt, and blue velvet pants complemented by his blue suede shoes. The ladies, dressed by Miami Heat also brought some notable pieces, like Latoya’s one shoulder khaki shirt dress and her gladiator pumps with the fringe; and Phylea’s rainbow sequinned pencil dress, which may be a miss in this decade but would have definitely been a psychedelic hit in years gone by.

Lady Rennae again had the audience whistling cat calls and requesting her number this week, in a mini halter back, pencil dress with black and white a polka dots, and solid black bottom, and bright red peep-toe pumps.

Judges Comments

One of the most notable judges’ comments this week went to Nekorah, who after her performance of Dionne Warrick’s I’ll Never Love You This Way Again got the nod from the audience and all three judges, who admitted that she could have really shone with a more challenging song, but still did all right.

Killer Miller, however, had to add “I just find you a little frumpy and old maid-ish and I think you have to try a little harder.”

Trevaune Ming, on the other hand, got the worst comments from three

judges, after another disappointing performance this week, singing Doctor Hook and the Medicine Show’s When You’re Loving a Beautiful Woman. The ever optimistic Clyde showed that even optimism had its limits and this is usually where luck picks up, when he said “Travaune, you made it into this week. For me, that was an indication that either somebody up there loves you or you are a fitting candidate to win the lotto.”

But Killer Miller held nothing back when he said “Tonight you were really Ming the Merciless. Why didn’t you sing a gospel song, and put us out of our misery? You are in the leadings to be the worst person in Rising Stars history!”