Charles DeWayne Dorsey is by no means a forgettable performer. Going into Vegas (under the impression that the acts would actually be performing there), it was the assumption of this article that Dorsey was in a position where he could have upset one of the favorites to win it all: Lawrence Beamen.
Both of them passed into the Top 40, however. Not only that, but Marcus Terell has joined them as well. For this reason, Dorsey is at a major risk of being overshadowed and disregarded.
The most damaging aspect of his act is the imbalance of his talent. He has the voice of a winner, but he has also entered as a pianist, and unfortunately, he plays like a heavy-handed Joe Cocker. This is not exactly a good thing, as it ultimately began to sound as if Dorsey was shouting over his piano, almost like he was competing with it for attention.
He cannot abandon the piano altogether, as that may seem like a step back, so he should instead be devoting the majority of his practice to his keys over his lyrics. He has the voice, but if he does not keep it in balance with his instrument the way his female counterparts (BRI and Mia Boostrom) have done, he will not win over much support with America in the early first round.
The piano is ultimately what will make or break Dorsey. He can use it to distinguish himself from Marcus Terell and potentially catch up with Lawrence Beamen in the Top 10, but if he abandons it or remains heavy handed, he runs the risk of falling into obscurity.
Dorsey would do well to reflect upon Bryan Cheatham from last year. Cheatham was a mediocre talent, but in the face of his opposition for that round, he all but automatically qualified for the judges’ 5th-6th spot. The problem was that, even though the group Cheatham contended for that spot with – the Tapping Dads – had absolutely no business remaining in the competition, the judges eventually voted 2-1 in favor of the useless act.
Taking into account his competition, Dorsey may automatically qualify for the 5th-6th spot just as Cheatham had the year before, but the judges are fickle and, as several of their Top 40 picks should illustrate, highly unprofessional. If he wants to remain in the competition, he should take precautions to ensure that he never has to depend on them at all. In many ways, Dorsey is coming from behind; he is one of the performers many have forgotten made it into the Top 40. He needs to correct this.
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