We are closing another amazing week at the #openmic my friends. I love how more and more entrants are joining our family with original material. The songs are just gems, gems I tell you and its because of this somewhat unique niche to our community that we have started talks about <b>The Songwriter's Challenge Season 2</b>. Expect for some dates and details to be announced soon.
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Without any more delays, here we go:

<h1>First Place.-</h1>

@lecocoramos - <a href="https://steemit.com/openmic/@lecocoramos/steemit-open-mic-week-88-coco-ramos-can-t-see-my-love-original-song">Can't see my love(original song)</a>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCorYi25qRU

I guess I could sit here and attempt to describe Coco's Talent, I could, but I would probably fail. There is a certain texture on her voice that you can't help but to get drawn into. This is not the first entry of hers that I absolutely love, not at all, this is just a continuation of her little legacy with the openmic.

If you are ready to be seduced with beauty, put on some headphones and let her take your heart for a spin.


<h1>Second Place.-</h1>

@p4ragon - <a href="https://steemit.com/openmic/@p4ragon/steemit-open-mic-week-88-cover-elastic-heart-sia">Elastic Heart(Cover - Sia)</a>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6OfxwGzhhk

So what is going on this week? Is this the week of the crazy good vocalists? I must confess up until now I had never heard this particular song or any entries from @p4ragon. So when I clicked on her video I was instantly blown away. It took 30 seconds to know she would be placing on my top list this week. 

This is how you do it people, leave nothing for later.

<h1>Third Place.-</h1>

@darrenclaxton - <a href="https://steemit.com/openmic/@darrenclaxton/steemit-open-mic-week-88-original-song-breathe-by-darren-claxton">Breathe (Original song)</a>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pAhZuZSQqY

Another beautiful heartfelt song by Darren. At this point I don't know how many of his tunes I like, we might be talking about dozens and this is no exaggeration. I think this song spoke to me because even though I don't have children myself, I've also been one that has had many blunders and I wish I could somehow help someone else not make them.

Its that little need or desire to spare someone of the pain, all wrapped up in the vessel of a beautiful little song.

<h1>Fourth Place.-</h1>

@nathankaye - <a href="https://steemit.com/openmic/@nathankaye/steemit-open-mic-week-88-wicked-game-woman-in-you-cover-mashup-in-342hz">Wicked Games Woman In you (mashup cover)</a>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zxx7RQRjnss

Nathan is back with a vengeance. This week he decided to throw a monkey wrench into the mix by mixing to amazing songs and nathanizing them to 11. The truth is that Nathan is a natural performer, he may be a great songwriter and amazing singer but his biggest strength is not describable in technicalities. 

He takes you into his show, you feel you are sitting in first row the whole time.



<h1> Fifth Place.-</h5>

@josecabrerav - <a href="https://steemit.com/openmic/@joseacabrerav/steemit-openmic-semana-88-necesaria-original-esp-eng">Necesaria (original song)</a>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pw_KLeIfvZw

Truth be told Jose's lyrical genius gets lost in translation. I think this is why at times some fail to appreciate some of epic, clever lines designed to tug at the heart.  In the attempt to not allow the lyrics to lose intent, I will add words to focus on the intention.

Allow me to translate a verse that smacked me right in the feels.
>Mi mision es perder en tu batalla pero ganarte la guerra.
Obsequiarte mi pasado para que veas quien era,
si te sientes asustada, espera a verme ahora.
Ya no soy ni mi sombra.

My mission is to lose this battle, but defeat you in war
To gift you my past, show you the man I used to be
If you are feeling scared now, just wait and you will see
I'm just a shadow of the man I once was

As my younger brother would say.... <b>BOOOOM!</b>




<h1>Honorable Mentions</h1>
In no particular order, these are some of the performances I loved this week.... I'm super grateful for being someone who gets to listen to this talent. 

@elliotjgardner - <a href="https://steemit.com/openmic/@elliotjgardner/steemit-open-mic-week-88-this-love-maroon-5-cover">This love (Maroon 5 Cover)</a>

https://vimeo.com/273407644

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@melavie - <a href="https://steemit.com/openmic/@melavie/steemit-openmic-week-88-dear-deer-original-song">Deer Deer (original)</a>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5e3uZS_UsM

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@andreabortone - <a href="https://steemit.com/openmic/@andreabortone/steemit-open-mic-week-88-or-besame-mucho-funk-rock-version-openmic-by-luzcypher-and-pfunk">Besame Mucho(cover)</a>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUVcbYNKiVw

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@steembirds - <a href="https://steemit.com/openmic/@steembirds/steemit-open-mic-week-88-eos-vs-steem">EOS vs Steem (original song)</a>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b84EpWvYg4c

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@shookriya - <a href="https://steemit.com/openmic/@shookriya/steemit-openmic-week-88-barely-there-original-tune">Barely there (original song)</a>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YO_7x8oI9RE

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Don't forget to checkout the official Steemit OpenMic judges picks from @passion-ground @krystle @soundlegion and @verbal-d. Winners selected and announced every Monday on @luzcypher's blog page.
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<h1>My deepest of Gratitudes</h1>
I would like to personally thank @ausbitbank, @curie and @aggroed for helping out our community. It's inspiring to see leadership taking the initiative to keep our beloved #openmic alive like this and its to me the biggest bullish indicator that we are on our way to a better, brighter tomorrow. 

To our long time patron @pfunk once again, thank you for backing this project as you have for so long. I hope seeing the community rally behind the contest that we love so much made you proud. We have something very special here, and you've been key for it to be what it has become.

<center><h2>Long live the openmic!!!</h2></center>
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And that is it for me and week #88, early on a monday again but ready to do this all over again!!! 

But hey friend, before you leave my post musical brother or musical sister, please know that despite the fact that we call this a competition, even though my post says first, second, third place, that is not what matters about the #openmic. In the end of the day the judges are just as human, as flawed and beautiful as everyone else on this planet. The ethos of this contest, of this community, is simply for us to have special place to share our passion for music, for us to laugh together, to cry together and explore emotions that everyday life seems to neglect in one way or another.

Every single one of you is valuable to me, so thank you for being part of my musical family...

Much love

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<h5>Other posts by yours truly</h5>

<a href="/steem/@meno/look-at-that-it-s-almost-back-to-usd1-usd"><sub>• Look at that, it's almost back to $1 USD</sub></a><br><a href="/philosophy/@meno/building-on-commonalities"><sub>• Building on Commonalities</sub></a><br><a href="/steem/@meno/open-letter-to-bidbot-operators"><sub>• Open Letter to Bidbot Operators</sub></a><br><a href="/steem/@meno/why-i-won-t-support-jerry-banfield-anymore-jerrycoin"><sub>• Why I won't support Jerry Banfield anymore - JerryCoin</sub></a><br><a href="/life/@meno/my-moms-sheep-2018-06-08-20-41-37"><sub>• My mom's sheep</sub></a><br>

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