Summary

...As mentioned last week, I’m in the process of winding down the honorary shout-outs I promised within the personal challenge that I’ve recently hosted in tandem with @pechichemena’s #coverasteemian initiative.

All 10 qualifying entries from the @passion-ground challenge have already been awarded. To say that I loved each and every one of them dearly would be a gross understatement!

With 4-entries remaining to showcase, I’ve decided to split them up between this week and next - extending my coverage for the final two entries for week 81. Thereafter, in week 82, I’ll wrap it all up with my most feeble attempt to reciprocate in covering @wilins “Amore Violento.”_

This week’s #coverasteemian shout-out’s include a current week #80 entry by @yrmaleza covering “Full Circle” along with the infamous @juliolunar covering “You Know It’s Me”. So, before we move on to the regular business at hand, do check out their individual interpretations of my amateur original songs, go to their linked posts, and give them your respective upvotes and comments in much-deserved appreciation for their most respectable and outstanding efforts.

COVER A STEEMIAN: @yrmaleza – "I'm Comin' Home" - (Cover)

https://steemit.com/openmic/@yrmaleza/steemit-open-mic-week-80-cover-by-yrmaleza-from-mr-passion-ground-sponsored-by-pfunk-and-luzcypher

Below is the original.

COVER A STEEMIAN: @juliolunar – "You Know It’s Me" - (Cover)

https://steemit.com/coverasteemian/@juliolunar/cover-a-steemian-the-passion-ground-challenge-you-know-it-s-me

Below is the original.

VOTE for These WITNESSES... ... RIGHT NOW!

Before we move on, please don't forget to vote for @Pfunk, @Ausbitbank, & @Teamsteem as witnesses! All of whom are our biggest supporters who play major roles in helping to run, fund, curate, build and expand the Open Mic contest. You can vote for each of them right now by going to this link: https://steemit.com/~witnesses

Week 80 was yet another milestone of sorts for the Open-Mic venue. I’m not sure if it was something going on with me personally, but I found myself with far fewer favorites than I typically compile in the course of any given week. Be that as it may, whether it’s a result of my own emotional status or some other manifestation of the musical universe, there was still no shortage of rather awesome entries here in week 80! So with that said, following some further insights as to how I judge, let’s get it on, shall we?

Steemit Open Mic Week 80

My Process

As one of the esteemed Open Mic judges, it is my job to come up with (or “curate” as it were) a short-list of my top 5 entrants each week. With all of the great talent here, that is by no means an easy task. Sure, tossing in another 5 honorable mentions helps, but not when my weekly list starts out with 100 or more of my favorite entries... You guy's rock - I'm tellin ya!

Yes, I am a Libra – so I have an inherent drive deep within me to be fair and balanced – good qualities for a “judge” if you ask me. That being said, I’m still human – filled with emotion and subjective feelings – just like you. So, in order to mitigate my subjective tendencies to the best extent possible, I’ve come up with a method by which to narrow down my selections in a more objective vs. arbitrary manner.

Here’s how I go about my personal judging process: I first start out with a list of 100 or more of my most favorite entries for the week, and score them (yes, subjectively) in six distinct categories via a spreadsheet. The categories I’ve selected for scoring are in general harmony with those explained by @luzcypher in his post titled How We Pick The Top 3 Entries, referencing such.

To get a more in-depth perspective as to how I personally go about selecting my artists, please refer to What I go through as an Open-Mic Judge.

Even though it’s still a “subjective” process – diligently going through each scoring category to come up with a “total” score for each entrant helps to minimize any overzealous subjectivity that I may harbor with respect to any specific entrants.

Quite often, this exercise doesn’t give me the exact results I would personally prefer to see – but that only means that my system of judging is working as intended and designed. With all of that said, here are...

My Top-5 Picks in Order

FIRST PLACE: @olvidesantelmo - Vos estás mirando (Original)

Wow! Three of my most favorite musical Steemians - @vera.carla, @luisferchav, and @roman.musica – all in one place, together – as a working band! Now that’s what I call “Awesome! This particular entry, “maiden” as it is, has all of the hallmarks of a @mogatiexperiment – style production! Right from the… “Ready?” – “Yes!” exchange – I was completely taken back. This is such a beautiful composition and performance…the harmonies and instrumentation is quite simply second to none! And that’s why they are first in my line-up here in week #80!
https://steemit.com/openmic/@olvidesantelmo/steemit-open-mic-week-80-vos-estas-mirando-original-song

SECOND PLACE: @moccamonica – Summertime - (Cover)

Initially, in retrospect, I have to admit that I was rather smitten by @moccamonica’s cover of one of my originals last week – but then – this week - here she comes again with this week’s #80 entry, and I was completely floored by her performance and that of the accompanying keyboard and bass player - WOW! There ain’t no denying that this is one heck of an awesome performance by any measure! Check it out and you’ll see what I mean, and you’ll be happy you did – trust me!
https://steemit.com/openmic/@moccamonica/steemit-open-mic-week-80-cover-summertime-jazz-by-moccamonica

THIRD PLACE: @gonetroppo – Like A Stone - (Original)

Yeah, so these guys are on fire! Hey man, you gotta strike while the iron is hot – and these two brothers are burning down the house! I loved everything about this entry, as I’m certain you will too! Though I’m not a fan of extraneous audio intrusions upon any given recording, the cry of a baby and the sound of the wind in this instance seemed to add a level of authenticity to the performance that I could not overlook. Such nuances aside, this was simply a rather outstanding entry by any measure!
https://steemit.com/openmic/@gonetroppo/steemit-open-mic-week-80-like-a-stone-by-the-hinds-brothers-original-song

FOURTH PLACE: @dinoromanelli – Picture On The Wall - (Original)

Upon clicking “play,” I was certain this entry was portraying a long lost James Taylor classic that I somehow managed to miss. Needless to say, when I opened his post and found out that this was an original composition – I bent down on both knees in appreciation for such an incredibly adept and moving song. This is a classic in its own right – whether or not the legacy mainstream will admit it or not.
https://steemit.com/openmic/@dinoromanelli/steemit-open-mic-week-80-picture-on-the-wall

FIFTH PLACE: @breakoutthecrazy – Fool For You - (Original)

"Katya if you can - hmmm"… Hey Sista - soul Sista - your keyboard playing partner got his groove on in such a way that makes this whole thing come together in the most incredible fashion! I loved everything about this entry! These harmonies are to die for! ..."There you go with all of your might!" Yeah man, you broke out the crazy in me alright – loved it, you two! Yep, I’m a fool for you both, and gladly so!
https://steemit.com/openmic/@breakoutthecrazy/steemit-openmic-week-80-break-out-the-crazy-fool-for-you-original-song

My Top-5 Honorable Mentions in Order:

First: @melavie – I Got You - (Original)
https://steemit.com/openmic/@melavie/steemit-openmic-week-80-i-got-you-original

Second: @juliolunar - Marcel (el caminante) - (Original)
https://steemit.com/openmic/@juliolunar/steemit-open-mic-semana-80-juliolunar-limbo-marcel-el-caminante-original-patrocinado-por-pfunk-y-luzcypher

Third: @steembirds– Steem Classic - (original song)
https://steemit.com/openmic/@steembirds/steemit-open-mic-week-80-steem-classic-original-song

Fourth: @wilins – Mala Compañía - (Original)
https://steemit.com/openmic/@wilins/steemit-open-mic-semana-80-cancion-original-mala-compania

Fifth: @beethoven10 – Fue Tan Real - (Original)
https://steemit.com/openmic/@beethoven10/steemit-open-mic-semana-80-cancion-original-fue-tan-real-patrocinado-por-pfunk-y-luzcypher

Thank you for reviewing my selections for this week’s Open-Mic contest. If you find this content I’ve curated entertaining and of value to you, then please consider up-voting and/or re-steeming it.

Peace, Love, and Justice for All

A Very Special Shout Out To:

The following 20 artists who were very much on my radar, each within a splitting hair of making it into my overall top-10, and whose performances I loved, cherish, and respect most assuredly. This special list is very much an extension of my most honorable mentions.

They are - in no particular order:

@abelfernandez, @ingridkornelia, @senzenfrenz, @novumorganon, @funkmedia, @kjablonski, @moderndayjester, @betzaelcorvo, @nilssonleiva, @johannesburghart, @claratymusic, @centenojesus, @itinerantartist, @exzorltg, @petrajordan, @alejandra23, @brendahcaroline, @mariajruizb, @chaifm, and @ceparl!

Another Special Shout Out To:

The following artists whose performances I very much enjoyed this week.

They are - in no particular order:

@gabrielinho, @mrprecious, @mcmusic, @amberyooper, @lozanocarmen, @futuremind, @shelbi, @gibber, @builtinfire, @aidarojaswriter, @donirosayandi, @jaredkhamanah, @shookriya, @leomolina, @drewley, @jumpmaster, @wethepatsies, @zwartmusik, @beeflomein, @edwardstobia, @lorey-bero, @rosaimm, @danne10, @cesaramos, @tarotbyfergus, @nior, @solburgos, @miaapado, @elisonr13, @jons0318, @graceleon, @maximusfilms, and @miguelblanco!

Much love and thanks to each and every one of you who have touched a part of my heart and soul - not only this week but forever!