Filipino American Idol contestant Malaya Watson took a risk tonight when she sang a song intended to be sun by a guy.
Watson sang When I Was Your Man by Bruno Mars.
For sure she would change the words to When I was Your Girl, right?
Wrong.
She sang the words just like they were written.
According to ABS CBN, judge Jennifer Lopez applauded Watson’s decision.
“It’s funny, I’m not gonna lie,” said Lopez. “I was ready to kinda hate on you in the beginning. I was, because I said to Keith, ‘she’s to sing ‘When I Was Your Man,’ is she gonna change it, what’s she gonna do with it’, and you decided to just leave it the same, and it didn’t affect me at all.”
“I had goosies. When you hit the middle of that song, it was sung so beautifully, so tenderly, with so much feeling and love. It was awesome. Beautiful.”
Rhythm and blues fans will remember Mary Wells 1964 hit, My Guy.
It was written by Smokey Robinson who wrote a very similar song for the Temptations the following year, except he changed the words to My Girl.
Audiences almost expect singers to change the words to gender specific songs.
What do you think? Did Watson make the right decision sticking to Bruno Mars’ original lyrics?
Voters will have the final say. And we’ll know tomorrow when we learn if Watson will advance to the top 9.
