Duets Premiere - How Awesome Is This Show?

ABC's Duets opens with the four coaches/judges/competitors, whatever we’re calling them, taking the stage together with a rendition of  "Let Me Entertain You" complete with pretty amazing backup dancers and marching band drummers. See? I’m already ridiculously excited. They look great, they sound great, and I want them to just keep singing. Oh, and please tell me why Robin Thicke just exudes sexiness. What’s his secret?

Our host Quddus, not to be confused with Quidditch, arrives to tell us how the show will work. The amateur contestants will perform each week with one of the awesome individuals we just saw on stage (I know – I need to tone it down), and the newbies are vying for a recording contract with Hollywood Records. We then get a glimpse of the selection process for each “team” before the amateurs perform songs by the Superstars with the Superstars (that seems to be the official name now). There will also be a scoring system. This is a whole lot of information – let’s get this show on the road!

Jennifer Nettles had a tough time choosing between the talent she encountered during auditions, but she chooses J Rome as her first duet partner. They perform “Tonight,” and Jennifer was right on the money when she said this guy has soul. I know they’re supposed to be building chemistry, and they seem to be having a great time together, but I wish they’d play a little more to the audience as well. It takes til the very end of the song for them to split off from looking at one another. Still – a good start to the duets.

Other Superstar Say: Okay, the scoring works as follows – the Superstars that did not perform will rank the duet on a scale of 1 to 100 with performance and presentation categories. Kelly speaks first (yay!), saying that she wasn’t sure how J Rome and Jennifer would blend, but “soulful music rings clear in any genre.” Robin says J Rome is handsome with a great voice. John thinks J Rome looks and sounds like a star. When we look at the “Duets Chart” which will rank the contestants, J Rome is first, because….well, no one else has performed yet.

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John Legend had a bit of a late start with this process as Lionel Richie was originally slated for this show. He finds a partner he likes in Johnny Gray though, and they take the stage now to sing “Ordinary People.” I wish John Legend could wail on the piano for every contestants’ performance on this show. He’s just mesmerizing. His tribute to Whitney Houston at the Billboard Music Awards the other night was very touching. As for Johnny Gray, he is definitely holding his own on this song. He’s worked up quite a sweat, but he’s pretty darn good.

Other Superstars Say: Robin says Johnny has the exact same emotional connection to the lyrics as Mr. Legend does. Kelly uses the phrase “too cool for school,” and I grin. Jennifer says Johnny has “a beautiful low end that just makes it warm like honey.” Wait, what? Jennifer is going to be a lot of fun to write about this season. We go to the chart, and Johnny did not beat out J Rome. It’s okay though – because no one is going home this week apparently.

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Robin Thicke is looking for a soulful duet partner who has their own style. He chooses Olivia Chisholm, and they sing “Lost Without You.” She is one lucky lady – there is so much heat going on during their performance I have to fan myself as I mutter “wish I knew how to sing.”

Other Superstars Say: John thinks Olivia sounds a bit like Aaliyah with a subtle, sexy approach. Jennifer says Olivia’s voice is so authentic in this genre. Kelly would give her left leg to look like Olivia. I would give both of my legs and any other necessary limbs and to look like Kelly. I don’t know what she’s thinking. We go to the chart, and Olivia is third.

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Kelly Clarkson has been on the road for most of 2012. I may have seen her live twice so far this year. I may have tickets to see her at least two more times this year. I may have met her in April. So, it’s safe to say that I’m looking forward to her duets the most. The first partner she chooses is Jason Farol and I already love him. Seeing how emotional he got while performing with Kelly at her concert did me in. They perform “Breaking Your Own Heart” now, a song from her newest album that has not been released as a single. Jason is definitely nervous, but he has too good a voice to be insecure. I’m so glad she picked him.

Other Superstars Say: Jennifer says Jason lights up the room. Robin thinks Jason is adorable. John loves how much Jason loves being here. We go to the chart, and Jason is fourth. The crowd does not sound pleased. I’m not either.

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John Legend’s second duet partner is Bridget Carrington and they perform “Tonight (Best You Ever Had). John steps out from behind the piano and they give Robin and Olivia a run for their money in the chemistry department. I think I like Bridget’s voice better that Olivia’s, but it’s still pretty early to be sure.

Other Superstars Say: Robin says the song makes him want to go to the club. Kelly chimes in saying the song makes her want to call her man. Oh snap! Jennifer says the song makes her want to go home after the club (she was trying to combine Robin’s comment with Kelly’s and I’m going to give her an “A” for effort). We go to the chart, and Bridget comes in above Jason. Hmm.

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Jennifer Nettles picks from her home town to find her next duet partner, John Glosson. His audition of “How Great That Art” breaks her, which breaks me. They perform “Stay” and I think Jennifer has more of a connection with John that J Rome. John is incredibly talented, and I think a ton of the viewers will be pulling for him. Hurts me a little to say this….but this is probably the best performance so far.

Other Superstars Say: Kelly is very moved by the performance and tells John he sings like an angel. John (Legend) says the two blended very well together. Robin calls Jennifer a beast, but I think he means it as a compliment. He says John held his own. We go to the chart, and John has taken the 3 spot.

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Robin Thicke searched for a gospel singer to be his second duet partner and he finds one in Alexis Foster. Their duet is “Magic” (see what I did there?), and I think he chose the right person out of the others from the audition. I’m not confident about Alexis’ heels, but I am confident about her voice. Well done.

Other Superstars Say: Kelly tells Alexis her voice is beautiful. John likes that Alexis’ voice is crystal clear. Jennifer thought the performance was fantastic. We go to the chart, and Alexis takes the 3 spot right out from under John.

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Kelly Clarkson is looking for more of a Trisha Yearwood type voice for her next partner and she had two pretty awesome voices to choose from. She goes with Jordan Meredith, and I’m thrilled for Jordan because she is such a Kelly fan. I go back to muttering “wish I knew how to sing” under my breath though. So jealous. They are taking on “Stronger,” and…Kelly’s energy is just amazing isn’t it? I’m dancing in my seat….back to Jordan. I think she sounds great. I was almost expecting her to freak out, but she keeps it together and I’m proud of her.

Other Superstars Say: John says Kelly is one of the best singers in the world, which is absolutely true. He says Jordin’s tone compliments Kelly’s. Jennifer thought they blended so well together that she a hard time hearing who was lead and who was harmony. Robin likes her smile, her hair, and her voice, so all around good reviews. We go to the chart after the commercial break and Jordin is…7th? WHAT? So both of Kelly’s contestants are the bottom 2? I call shenanigans! Kelly does too.

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As Quddus mentioned earlier, no one is eliminated tonight. The ranking confuses me. Did the Superstars just rank J Rome way higher because he went first? I definitely do not think he was better than several of the other competitors. And what I really want to know is – when does America get to vote? There will be no more of this “Kelly’s contestants are in the bottom” nonsense once that happens. The next episode will air next Thursday. Til then!

ABC Duets

I do not have much to say in the intro to Duets because the show is in its first season, and I honestly have no idea how the show will be set up other than the duet performances. This is mainly meant as a disclaimer because there will be serious favoritism in my posts about Duets. See, everything Kelly Clarkson does is awesome. I’m never going to believe differently. While I really enjoy the other coaches/judges/mentors for this show, I will be rooting for Team Kelly regardless. The reason I watch these music competition shows, and the reason I’ve been desperately wanting to write about them comes from watching Kelly’s journey on Season 1 of American Idol. Snicker if you like, but it was life-changing. She is so incredibly grounded, and her music has lightened some of the darkest situations I’ve encountered. I hope Duets is a hit for ABC, because it’s been a decade since I’ve been able to watch Kelly perform on a weekly TV show, and it would be tragic for ABC to giveth and then taketh away after one season.

American Idol Crowns A Winner!

Tonight Season 11 of American Idol comes to a close, and we will find out if the confetti will fall for Jessica or Phillip. The show begins with a performance from the Top 12 (no sign of Jermaine), and during the bridge Joshua attempts to do the splits and falls not once, but twice before former So You Think You Can Dance contestants come in to pick up the pieces. Ryan is kind enough to let us know that either Jessica or Phillip will win tonight. Get ready for a star-studded evening, kids.

After the commercial break, P squared performs with John Fogerty from CCR. Phillip has thankfully changed back to his token gray t-shirt, and Carrie Underwood looks on thoughtfully from the audience as they sing “Have You Ever Seen The Rain?” and “Bad Moon Rising.” I forgot how awesome John Fogerty is on stage. This is a great way to start the evening.

Joshua performs next, and as expected, he is joined on stage by Fantasia. HOLY HELL! What on earth does she have on?!?!? Between the hair, the make-up, and an outfit that even Cher would send back, I have no idea what’s happening here other than a complete train wreck.  I’m pretty sure they are both on crack as they run out into the audience screaming. The judges look confused, and the producers don’t even wait for the performance to end before going to commercial.

We are treated (?) now to a performance by the female finalists – a preview of what Idol fans can expect on the summer tour. As “I’m Every Woman” starts, this marks Jessica’s fourth Whitney song of the season. But wait! Chaka Khan descends the stair case, and she has raided Fantasia’s dressing room for a slightly less offensive ensemble. My favorite part of the performance is when the camera cuts to Jane Lynch in the audience and she is singing enthusiastically.

We're about to go to another commercial, and I find myself asking: where the hell is J.Lo? Ryan has been sitting in her seat since the last commercial break.

Rihanna, fresh off the Battleship (too soon?), takes the stage in some sort of glowy pyramid of lasers. She performs “Where Have You Been?” with tribal dancers as well as some unfortunate souls who are suspended from the ceiling. I can’t say I’m not entertained, though I was expecting her to whip her new hair back and forth a little more.

After the commercial break, Skylar performs “Turn On The Radio” with none other than Reba! They are rocking out, and I’m loving it. Reba looks damn good, and she made a fabulous fashion choice this evening, so I thank her for not launching an attack on my eyeballs with her outfit like the previous female duet partners did. This is my favorite performance so far.

Has anyone seen J.Lo?

And just when we thought Jessica was finished singing Whitney Houston, she’s back to sing “I Will Always Love You.” That brings our performance count to five. She sounds just as wonderful as she did the first go round, but can we please have her do something else?

The male finalists are up next, singing a medley which includes “Coming To America” and “I’m A Believer” (RIP Davy Jones). Joshua does a great job screaming until Colton introduces Neil Diamond. Poor guy – he’s at a point now where he is pretty much just speaking the words to “Sweet Caroline.”

I don’t usually comment on the Idol bloopers and montages, but the bit the finalists did regarding singing the phone book is one of my favorite moments in Idol history. Watch it here.  

J.Lo performs now, and man did it take her a long time to get ready. She’s brought the lasers from her “Waiting for Tonight” video along for the ride and begins to dance like crazy to her new single, "Goin' In." Does anyone else think this song sounds a tad like Stefano’s tune from a few weeks ago? Flo Rida joins her on stage and he seems to be singing into Jason Derulo’s neck brace. J.Lo finishes the song shaking what her momma gave her with Winsin & Yandel (had no idea who they are and had to look them up), and this is actually a pretty great performance.

Ace Young and Diana DeGarmo are apparently still dating and still in love. Ryan brings them up to the stage and Ace proposes. Diana says "yes," there are tears and excitement, they share that one special kiss, and FOX can now celebrate the Idol love they created. Your move, The Bachelor and The Bachelorette.

Hollie stays out of the Bottom 3 tonight, and she sings “You’ll Never Walk Alone” with Jordin Sparks. Was this song planned because the Idol producers knew Ace would propose? Seems like quite a coincidence. I heart Jordin – she’s grown up to be a very beautiful, very poised, and very talented woman. They complement each other well, and I’m so happy Hollie ended up with such and awesome duet partner. She deserves it.

When we return from the break Colton, Joshua, DeAndre and Hee-Jun sing a medley of songs from the late Robin Gibb. This is an incredibly subtle group number (thank you Joshua), and it is a very fitting tribute.

Jessica Sanchez performs now with the AMAZING Jennifer Holliday. They sing “And I’m Telling You, I’m Not Going” from Dreamgirls (Jennifer Holliday was the original Effie White on Broadway), and this is unreal. I actually have to take a break from typing because I am captivated by this performance for a couple of reasons: 1. Its sheer bad-assery, and 2. The apprehension that Jennifer may literally bite Jessica's head off. I spend at least half of the song clapping and “wooing” loudly though. Oh my God. This is awesome. 

And that’s not all! Aerosmith is up now performing their new song "Legendary Child," and this finale keeps getting better and better. Steven and Joe Perry must have a really close relationship because Steven is just all over him. I don’t care though – Aerosmith is one of the best bands of all time (OF ALL TIME), and you will never hear me say otherwise.

We’re down to the final minutes now, and Phillip and Jessica sing “Love Lift Us Up Where We Belong.” P squared does not look too enthused about this song, and it’s a bit awkward, but when it ends, we FINALLY get to the results. Dim the lights! Annnnnnnd…….Phillip WINS!!! Cue the confetti! Cue the winning song! Phillip doesn't even make it past the first chorus before he breaks down. He finally gives up on the song and walks into the audience to hug his family.

And just like that, Season 11 is over. I do believe the right person won, and I look forward to seeing what’s in store for him. Stay tuned for recaps of the new season of So You Think You Can Dance, as well as ABC's new show Duets. Til then!

American Idol Finale: Part 1

Tonight Phillip Phillips and Jessica Sanchez have their last opportunity to compete for America’s votes to complete Season 11 of American Idol. A nice little montage of each person’s journey opens the show, and then the judges burst onto the stage all dolled up for the finale. If anyone can tell me the precise color of Randy’s blazer, I would be forever grateful.

Our Final 2 will perform three songs each this evening: Round 1 features a song choice by Idol creator Simon Fuller; Round 2 will be the contestants’ favorite song of the season; and Round 3 will be the contestants’ potential “winning song.” The judges’ comments will be held until the end of each Round. And here we go!

Contestant: Jessica Sanchez

Song: “I Have Nothing,” by Whitney Houston     

Well, I’m glad we are really going for versatility here. This is Jessica’s third Whitney song since the live shows began. Do I think she can sing the song beautifully? Sure.  Would I have liked to hear her cover an artist she has not yet covered? Absolutely. Jessica looks pretty, sounds great, and has definitely been studying JHud (No, J.Lo…I’m talking about Jennifer Hudson who sings her guts out live).

Contestant: Phillip Phillips

Song: “Stand By Me,” by Ben E. King

The bongo drums and acoustic guitar P squared joins us for this song, and he gives us a toned down performance.  I’m such a fan of this guy, and how his body language and facial expressions show his connection to each of his songs. Nicely done, but I think the judges are going to give this one to Jessica.  

Judges’ Remarks: J.Lo says this is a battle of the opposites. Yup. She does not choose a winner. Randy says Round 1 went to Jessica. I’m not sure which show Steven is watching because he doesn’t seem to realize he had the opportunity to comment.

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Before we can get to Round 2, Jason Derulo performs his new song, “Undefeated.” To my disappointment, he does not say his own name during the performance like he does on his other songs. He is without that awkward looking neck brace he’s had for the past few months, but he is also standing on a folding chair, so clearly he has not learned his lesson. Good song though, and I’m glad he’s 100% recovered from his injury.

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Contestant: Jessica Sanchez

Song:  “The Prayer,” by Andrea Boccelli and Celine Dion

Apparently the “favorite song from the season” category goes all the way back to Hollywood Week. I had to look up the performance because I honestly couldn’t recall her singing this song at all. Jessica does a wonderful job on the song, but I do wish the performances from American Idol and The Voice did not overlap so much. I actually prefer the Chris Mann and Christina Aguilera duet from a few weeks ago.  However, I absolutely rank Round 2 Jessica above Round 1 Jessica.

Contestant: Phillip Phillips

Song: “Movin’ Out,” by Billy Joel

I hate to agree with J.Lo, but this really is a battle of the opposites. How does one follow “The Prayer?” With Billy Joel of course! (Though it would be funnier if he could have sang “Only the Good Die Young”). Anyway, P squared is in full Dave Matthews mode for the first part of the song, and then his face begins to twist furiously and we know the melody is about to go out the window. For a second, I think the angry forehead vein may finally combust, but to my relief, he retains it. I prefer Round 2 Phillip to Round 1 Phillip as well, and I’m hoping Phillip wins this Round.

Judges’ Remarks: Steven joins us now, and he says “When it comes to Phillip Phillips, you don’t always have to be a good egg. Hatch or go bad. Tonight he’s hatched some.” Steven then gives Round 2 to Jessica. Randy doesn’t know what J.Lo thinks (because no one has asked her yet), but he thinks Round 2 was a tie. J.Lo gives Round 2 to Phillip, so we’ve gotten nowhere.

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Contestant: Jessica Sanchez

Song: “Change Nothing”

This is more of a love song, or a love lost song I suppose. The song is just aiight for me, but I’m so relieved that the “winning song” possibilities do not resemble “Do I Make You Proud,” “No Boundaries,” or “I Love You This Big”…poor Scotty McCreery. Jessica spends the entire performance sitting on a piano, because she has to switch up the standing center stage and not moving performances back to the sitting on a piano and not moving performance. Eh.

Judges’ Remarks: Apparently the judges are not waiting until the end of Round 3. Randy did not love the song, but he loves that she has a Beyonce kind of swag. He then tells Jessica “you have urban in you.” Urban Outfitters? I don’t know what that means. J.Lo wouldn’t choose a pop ballad for Jessica’s first single. I’m pretty sure Jessica did not write this song or choose it as her potential single. Steven also did not like the song. Guess what? Jessica hates it too.

Contestant: Phillip Phillips

Song: “Home” … but not the Daughtry song.

Hmm. I have a tremendous amount of sympathy for Jessica right now. Someone clearly gave her the shaft on her song and gave Phillip the awesome one. He is able to put some “Phillip” into the song by playing his guitar, and the random marching band drummers were a nice touch. This is definitely a single worth releasing, and I am so happy for P squared.

Judges’ Remarks: Standing ovation with a ton of “Woos” from Randy. WOW. Randy loves the song, he loves Phillip, he loves the production, he loves the marching band, and he loves himself for loving all of those things. Okay, he didn’t actually say the last part, but I’m just filling in the blanks here. J.Lo says it was a Phillip Phillips song, and there is nothing on the radio that sounds like that. Steven thinks Phillip is “the man,” and says a whole lot of other things that don’t quite make sense. 

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Now the decision is up to America. I will be voting for Phillip Phillips this evening, but even if he does not win, I will definitely be on the lookout for his album. He has quite a career ahead of him. Strange though - the judges have fawned over Jessica as a "Joshua Jr." all season. I thought for sure they wanted her to win. I guess it was all pretend. We close tonight’s show with Season 10 winner, Scotty McCreery, performing his rendition of “Please Remember Me.”  We’ll see who he passes the torch to tomorrow. Until then!

Idol Results: An Upset!

On tonight’s results show the Final 2 will be revealed, and it’s a tight race between Phillip, Jessica and Joshua. Adam Lambert and Lisa Marie Presley will both perform, but first we have the privilege(?) of hearing what our Top 3 sound like as a trio. They perform The Beatles’ “Gotta Get You Into My Life,” and it’s pretty good. Apparently the missing link in those awful Joshua/Phillip duets was Jessica.

After a commercial break, the Top 3 sit on the chairs that used to be the Bottom 3 stools of doom. Clearly we just needed Elise and Hollie to be gone in order to put a positive spin on those seats. Joshua is called up first to relive last night, and we go through the gushes of praise again before he is sent back to his seat to await the results.

Lisa Marie Presley takes over the stage now, and I knew that she had an on again (mostly off again) singing career, but I had no idea she was going all mainstream on American Idol. The staging and costumes of this performance remind me of the “I Put A Spell On You” scene from Hocus Pocus. I'm not comparing Lisa Marie Presley's look to Bette Midler's - just the band and stage set up. Great movie though. Anyway, I have no real critique for LMP. Regardless of how talented she is, her father was ELVIS for crying out loud, so she will always experience tremendous amounts of pressure with a music career. My hat’s off to her for having the guts to do what she’s doing.

Jessica pops up from the Top 3 stools to recap all of her performances from last night, because we need more filler. When we come back from commercial, we take a moment to pay tribute to Donna Summer, who passed away this morning. There probably was not enough time to put together anything lengthy, but I’m glad Donna was acknowledged tonight, even if we only got a brief look at her last performance on Idol.

Adam Lambert is up next, and he performs “Never Close Our Eyes” from his new album. If there was any confusion about the title of the song, Adam starts in front of a giant open eyeball on the screen behind him. This is pretty tame for Adam, but the song is catchy, and I find myself dancing a little on the couch as I type. Good for him. We don’t have time to talk to him though apparently, so we’ll just hope people buy the album anyway.

After the break, we go through Phillip’s performances and critiques from last night, and then we promptly take another break. I’m sure Adam Lambert is back stage saying “How did we not have time to really plug the album? I could have performed twice!”

Now the Top 3 stand together awaiting their fates. The first person revealed in the Final 2 is… Jessica! Oh my. So it’s down to Joshua and Phillip, and I’m queasy. Pleeeeease let Phillip make it through. HE DOES!  Really? I sit and listen again... and Joshua, the season long front-runner and judges’ favorite, is eliminated tonight. Wow! He closes the show with “It’s a Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World” and the judges are all very emotional. Joshua ‘s mom joins him on stage, he holds nothing back during this exit, and I wish him well.

Next week we have the Season 11 finale. Will Phillip or Jessica take the title? We’ll find out soon!

Idol: The Top 3 Shoot For The Finale

Tonight the Top 3 will perform for two(!) hours as we get closer and closer to the finale. Phillip, Jessica and Joshua each had the super emotional home town visits in the past week, and tonight we’ll see footage (which I will not be recapping) as well as three performances from each contestant. Round 1 songs will be the judges’ choice, Round 2 songs will be chosen by the contestants, and Round 3 songs are up to Jimmy Iovine. At this point in the competition, we tend so see a bit more favoritism (if that's even possible now) given the songs picked for the contestants. Perhaps they will all be on an equal playing field tonight...

Contestant: Joshua Ledet

Song: “I’d Rather Go Blind” by Etta James (Randy introduces it as “I’d Rather Be Blind”)

My recaps are meaningless for Joshua. The man spits gold, and the judges will stand. As always, I am listening contently at the start, captivate by his voice for the first three quarters of the song, and then he loses me. This is only one performance though, and I will keep an open mind for him going into rounds 2 and 3.

Judges’ Remarks: Standing ovation. J.Lo says the judges struggled picking a song for him, but notes "we fed you what we knew you would feed back to us." That does not make for a pretty mental picture. Steven sticks to his 2011 script and says the performance was beautiful. Randy asks "why fix what's not broken?" then tells Joshua this was another amazing performance.

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Contestant: Jessica Sanchez

Song: “My All,” by Mariah Carey (J.Lo’s pick)

Jessica is center stage in a very fancy, classy dress. Between that and the song content, they seem to be making her much older than she is (I thought we were playing up the "she's only 16!" bit?). Her lower register is rough, and though she is incredibly talented, I think this song may have been too big for her. I'm not sure any of the judges will admit Jessica was steered wrong on this song though.

Judges’ Remarks: Randy thinks it’s “perfectly the right song.” Randy also worked with Mariah. He then blows my mind, saying “this was the best a Mariah song was ever performed on TV.” I hope Mariah has him on speed dial. Steven says he hopes Jessica gets used to encores because she will be the last one standing. Whoa. He’s going to have to think hard about that statement when he gives Joshua a standing ovation again in about 15 minutes. Were they hearing the same song I was hearing?

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Contestant: Phillip Phillips

Song: “Beggin,” Madcon's version (Steven’s pick)

P squared and his gray t-shirt are backed by a full band for this performance, and he looks incredibly comfortable with the song choice. Phillip does switch up the melody, however (strange), and this is probably the craziest he has gone on a song in a while. Welcome back, angry forehead vein! Nicely done.

Judges’ Remarks: J.Lo says Phillip is funny because he messed with the melody, but the performance was great. Steven says “when you’re facing the sun, the shadows fall behind you.” He also says Phillip could be a “new age Boss”...meaning Springsteen. That's QUITE a compliment. Randy has already tried to interject several “yo’s” at this point, and he notifies us that we were at the Phil Phillips concert (because Phillip performing live on stage was not a clear indicator).

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Contestant: Joshua Ledet

Song: “Imagine,” by John Lennon

This song has been covered a few times on Idol - David Archuleta’s comes to mind as one of my favorite Idol renditions (think less of me if you like - the kid has talent). While I'm not sure Joshua's rendition will become my new fave, this is absolutely a song that can be gospel-y. Scaled back Joshua is my favorite Joshua, and I really enjoy this performance.

Judges’ Remarks: No standing?!?!?! This was better than the first song for sure. Now I'm just confused. J.Lo calls it a pulled back and controlled performance. She notes that there a three different voices in this finale (didn’t realize we were there yet), but calls his voice special. Randy asks Joshua why he chose the song, and Joshua wanted to deliver the message. He also heard the song playing in the car right around the time he needed to pick a song.

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Contestant: Jessica Sanchez

Song: “Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing,” by Aerosmith

Choosing an Aerosmith song is gusty in the semi-finals. This is a good rendition – accompanied by strings without the rock edge to it. I think Lauren Alaina slayed this song last year, but Jessica hits some great notes at the end, and I definitely prefer this performance to her first one.

Judges’ Remarks: Steven stands for her. He thanks the song writer, as well as Jessica for singing it well. Randy says it started a little slow (it’s a ballad), but when she got to the end, he was like “yo, whoa.”

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Contestant: Phillip Phillips

Song: “Disease,” by Matchbox Twenty

P squared switches back to the sultry Phillip, flanked by a saxophone and bongo drums. This is not as awesome as his "Volcano" performance last week, but it's a solid performance just the same. I, like Steven, can’t wait for Phillip to write and release his own songs.

Judges’ Remarks: J.Lo calls it an easy flowing performance, but not a wow performance. Steven says it wasn’t over the top, but it was very Phil Phillips. Randy goes through a really stupid “did you like it? You didn’t love it?” exchange with J.Lo and Steven and then says he didn’t like it either. (Now paging a Jessica/Joshua finale).

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Contestant: Joshua Ledet

Song: “No More Drama,” by Mary J. Blige

Joshua is doing a lot of moving and bopping around during this song. He even loses his ear pieces and jacket as the song ends. The crowd goes absolutely crazy when this happens. He reminds me of Fantasia in this performance, which is fine, but I still don’t need all the screaming. Mary and Fantasia both "bring it" with their level of emotion, not their level of volume.

Judges’ Remarks: No standing again…Interesting. Randy says “at this point, it doesn’t matter what you do, what your sing, you’ve left everything on the stage.” J.Lo spouts some narrative about Joshua’s jacket and church. Steven says it was over the top.

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Contestant: Jessica Sanchez

Song: “I’ll Be There,” by the Jackson 5 (not the Mariah Carey version, clearly. You know…Randy worked with Mariah).

Jessica sings this song well, but I’m not “wowed” here at all. I think Joshua had a much more dynamic song chosen for him. The same way the judges were looking for a moment from Phillip last round, I wanted one from Jessica this round. We’ll see if they call her on it or if we’re still just going to shoot for that Jessica/Joshua finale.

Judges’ Remarks: Steven says “perfect song, perfect choice – you nailed it.” J.Lo notes that she killed it so hard at the end. Yup. Randy liked it, but didn’t love it. He would have preferred more of a Mariah version. HA! I’m inclined to agree, and that hurts me a little.

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Contestant: Phillip Phillips

Song: "We've Got Tonight,"  by Bob Seger

P squared is vulnerable in this performance, singing with no guitar and accompanied by a piano and strings section. It’s hard to stray too far from the melody here. This is the most toned down performance we’ve seen from Phillip. LOVE it. A moment perhaps? Some people wait a lifetime….

Judges’ Remarks: STANDING O! Nice. Randy says this was “the perfect song at the perfect time, and your best performance on the show yet!” J.Lo says it sounded like a lullaby. Steven is bleeped for about 15 seconds. I’m assuming he thinks it was beautiful.

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Tomorrow we find out who will make it to the finale, and I’m pulling for a Phillip/someone show down. We will also see the return of Adam Lambert during the results show, which I’m pretty excited about. Til then!

Idol Elimination: A Foregone Conclusion?

Tonight’s elimination episode is a big one – we’ll see if the judges’ favorites are also America’s favorites, and we’ll find out if David Cook’s new single will put him back in the spotlight (I do hope so).

The Top 4 perform “California Dreamin’” by The Mamas & The Papas as they walk down a red carpet...on the stage. This is okay I guess. I prefer the girls portions to the boys, but the whole thing is way less cheesy than the season one group video of this song (sorry, couldn't find a link).

Results! Phillip is up first and we go through a very long recap of last night’s performances. Ryan says he’ll find out the results soon, so this was an absolute waste of time. Poor Hollie (that’s her name now) is up next, and we go through the brutal judges’ remarks from last night once again. Because we haven’t put her through enough, we have to make her wait until later as well to find out if she is safe. Why doesn’t Ryan just trip her as she heads to her seat?

David Cook takes the stage now to perform “The Last Song I’ll Write For You,” and it reminds me a bit of “Come Back To Me.” I like the song, and I hope it gets attention now that he has performed it on Idol. Ryan doesn’t bother to talk to him though, so that troubles me. We only have to hear results for 4 people….we don’t have time to ask David Cook to plug his album? He's an Idol winner for crying out loud!

Results! Joshua is called up to hear his fate and relive the praise he received last night. Again, we’re prolonging this so he heads back to the couches….as does Jessica. Can we bring back David Cook?

When we return from commercial, J.Lo performs “Dance Again.” She and her boobs sit on a throne of shirtless men, but I can’t tell if she’s singing. Perhaps with a backing track? I’m not sure, but man can she dance. She shares some…intimate moves with her current boyfriend/backup dancer, Casper Smart. Her mic is definitely turned on at the end of the song though because she is able to thank the audience. Eh, I’m not too worried about it – the song is catchy, she puts on a good show, and it’s not like I had to buy a concert ticket for this even if she wasn’t singing live.

Results! The Top 4 stand together, and Jessica and Joshua are declared safe (gasp!). We’re down to Phillip and Hollie…and after ANOTHER commercial break, Poor Hollie is sent packing. She holds it together during her “journey” package, and she closes the show with “The Climb,” hugging each of the remaining contestants and shaking the hands of each judge. This could break my heart. She FINALLY gets a well-deserved standing ovation from the judges. Sigh.

Next week, Phillip will fight to break through the season long expectation that Joshua and Jessica will be the final 2. Until then!

Idol: The Top 4 Perform, But Only One Takes A Beating

Tonight the final four will perform two songs, involving two different themes: “California dreaming” and “songs the contestants wish they had written.” I'm actually okay with these ideas since Idol often gets repetitive in the themes each season. The contestants will also perform duets, as well as a group number.

Contestant: Phillip Phillips
Song: “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” by Credence Clearwater Revival

P squared adds a little blue to his wardrobe this evening, but don’t worry – he still has a gray shirt on underneath that fancy (?) blue button down. This is a good performance with a good arrangement. I especially enjoy the addition of the saxophone player, but I think he is going to need to start "wowing" people at this point.

Judges’ Remarks: Steven says Phillip is something else. J.Lo says he has a Joe Cocker kind of quality. Randy says it started off rough, pauses with the booing audience and says “Here’s what y’all don’t know that we know, and Phil Phillips knows this stuff.” Apparently when the audience has a good time, Randy also has a good time. Randy is wearing another “Yo” pin on his lapel, and this makes me have a good time, so all is well.

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Contestant: Hollie Cavanagh
Song: “Faithfully,” by Journey

Remember when Randy played guitar for Journey? No? I’m sure he’s about to remind you. In the meantime Hollie emerges from a foggy cloud into a wind gust, which troubles me initially. However, she gives a very sincere performance. She’s faithful (couldn’t help it) to the original version of the song, and I LOVE it.

Judges’ Remarks: Randy repeats himself from last week, letting her know she’s peaked at the right time. He then reminds all of us that he played with Journey, saying “Steve Perry is one of the greatest singers ever in life.” Better than Joshua? J.Lo is so proud of how much Hollie has grown. Steven says Hollie’s creativity has bloomed. I'm surprised by all of this given how close we are to the end and how Hollie isn't "supposed" to be in the finals.

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Contestant: Joshua Ledet
Song: “You Raise Me Up “ by Josh Groban

Immediately my mind goes to The Idol Gives Back show in 2010 when Josh Groban performed this song with the African Children's Choir. I’m not sure that Mr. Ledet can make any improvements on that for me. Joshua starts off very strong, because he has a very strong voice. And though Joshua is backed by a chior at the close of the song, and it's beautiful, he begins to take some liberties with the melody and the lyrics that I’m not a fan of at all. I'm okay with the performance though - he does have one hell of a voice.

Judges’ Remarks: No standing? Are the judges going to scale back the Joshua love tonight? J.Lo calls it another great performance. Steven says Joshua “sang his little tush off tonight.” Randy lets us know that if you’re a real artist, you can sing anything. I feel like we’ve already been here before….

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Contestant: Jessica Sanchez
Song: “Steal Away,” by Etta James

Jessica sits on top of a piano working some sassiness for this performance. As she makes her way from the piano to the stage she absolutely lets loose. Finally! She’s 100% personality with this song, and this is hands down my favorite Jessica performance. Well done!

Judges’ Remarks: J.Lo wants to know how old Jessica was when she started growling. I’m not touching that one. She then calls Jessica “one of the best” when compared to her current female counterparts in the industry. Randy calls her vocals ridiculous and then says she can sing the phone book. Yellow pages or white pages? Let’s do this.

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Duet: Phillip and Joshua take on “This Love” by Maroon 5. I’m terrified because last week’s Joshua/Phillip duet was so awful. They seem to enjoy themselves a bit more this week, and this performance is an improvement, but I think we need to get them different duet partners.

Judges’ Remarks: Steven calls it perfect and  says whoever picked that song is brilliant. Huh? J.Lo notes that both guys are different. Thank you. Randy says they brought something new to the song and the performance was amazing. Maybe it sounded wayyyy better in the room than it did on TV.

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Duet: Jessica and Hollie sing The Bangles’ “Eternal Flame”….from sheets disguised as a swing set. Interesting. I’m so thankful when they walk forward to the front of the stage. They blend incredibly well together, and I’m a fan of this rendition, though I don't know why the producers would want the duets back to back. This one was clearly better.

Judges’ Remarks: Philip and Joshua swing behind Hollie and Jessica during Randy’s critique. This was not planned, and I think it's hilarious. Randy doesn’t like the performance because it was weird for him. J.Lo agrees that it was off and pitchy (mainly directing her comments at Hollie). Steven says to the girls “you are our favorite swingers,” and I grin at their embarrassed faces. Jessica is 16!

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After the commercial break the Top 4 perform “Waiting For A Girl Like You” by Foreigner. Man, we are really milking the 2 hour time slot tonight. Not bad. They all have the chance to shine here, and they do a pretty good job coming together as well. The judges to not have an opportunity to comment, and that is just fine.

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Contestant: Phillip Phillips
Song: “Volcano,” by Damien Rice

P squared sings from an almost completely dark stage. The cellist comes into view, followed by Phillip’s backup singer who looks a lot like Erykah Badu. I’m not sure who staged this performance, but it’s breathtaking. This is a "moment" for him.

Judges’ Remarks: Steven says he could listen to this performance on the headphones over and over. J.Lo says not many people could pull this off on a “contestant show…competition show.” Whatever this is. She then calls the performance “one of the most beautiful moments a contestant has had on the show.” I think that's on okay statement. Randy says “Dude. So yo. Dude, that right there? Dude, that was one of your best performances of the whole season.” I challenge the Idol big wigs to give money to charity each time Randy says "yo" or "dude."

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Contestant: Hollie Cavanagh
Song: “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” by Bonnie Raitt

I love this song. I’m so excited to hear Hollie’s rendition. She keeps it very simple, accompanied by a piano and violins, and her voice is incredibly controlled. She feels the lyrics, and I feel for her as if someone broke her heart just this morning (the judges?). Amazing.

Judges’ Remarks: Annnnnd the "we're going to need Hollie to go home now" bashing begins. Steven says Hollie fell short on the dynamics of what she can sing. J.Lo wanted Hollie to sing to America. Um, who was she singing to? Is this show televised worldwide tonight? She also says Hollie had too much vibrato (and not enough screaming perhaps?). I boo them SO loudly. Randy says Hollie is too different because she doesn’t sing like Bonnie Raitt, and that type of song doesn't allow her to "do anything." That type of song? Has he not heard Kelly Clarkson's cover? (Yes, I went there). I’ve been wondering when the BS was going to return – we’re back to “Hollie’s not supposed to win, so we can’t give her too much praise in one night.” Ridiculous. I’m done with them.

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Contestant: Joshua Ledet
Song: Does it matter? It’s going to be amazing, right?

Joshua sings “It’s a Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World,” by James Brown. Look, I get it - he has quite a voice and quite a stage presence. This is all just grunty, shrieky and screamy for me though, and I prefer his earlier performance. I have to imagine Juliet Simms and her recent cover of this song on The Voice. That’s my happy place right now.

Judges’ Remarks: Standing… oh hell. I don’t even care anymore. 

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Contestant: Jessica Sanchez
Song: “And I am Telling You,” Originally sung by Jennifer Holliday

Oh my. This is another huge song for her. Jennifer Hudson won her OSCAR because of this song. Her dress is questionable, but her voice is amazing. I would have preferred to hear the whole song, as the chopped up version doesn’thave quite the same emotional factor. I mean, notes are great and all, but I wonder if anyone will call her out on her actual connection to the song.…

Judges’ Remarks: Nahhhh. Standing ovation and tons of praise. Poor Hollie. Randy goes so far as to say "Jessica, Joshua and Phillip are in it to win it!"

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Tomorrow we’ll find out who makes the Top 3, as well as whether either of the Bottom 2 stools has a“For Hollie” sticker on it. As the show closes, she is fighting back tears. I feel bad for the kid, and I will be voting for her this evening. We’ll see if she makes it through!

The Voice: We Have A Winner!

Welcome to the Season 2 Finale of The Voice! Tonight we will find out who wins the recording contract and the title. Unfortunately we will not find out how many times Carson said “we got Flo Rida in the house” during rehearsals. I have to rewind the Tivo twice to make sure Bill Nye, The Science Guy isn’t hosting the show this evening.

After we recap last night’s performances (as well as several performances this season – did this show need to be 2 hours?), Jermaine is joined by Pip, Jamar Rogers and James Massone on stage for a rendition of “I Want You Back,” by The Jackson 5. Oddly enough, James sings above a whisper, and this is the first time I’ve enjoyed him all season. However, Jamar dominates this performance even though the spotlight is supposed to be on Jermaine.

Remember how last year the finalists were paired with a current artist for the finale show? The most memorable for me (but not for good reasons) was Beverly and One Republic. But if I had 200 guesses for Juliet Simms' duet partner, Flo Rida would not have been among them. I also don’t believe that any of her future tours will find her flanked by Flo Rida’s hoes. We don’t love dem hoes... Anyway, Juliet doesn’t seem as out of place as I thought she would, and she does her best with the songs she’s been given. I wish she had been paired with someone else though.

When we return from commercial Chris Mann sings The Verve’s “Bittersweet Symphony” with Katrina Parker and….Lindsey Pavao. Really? She fits into this trio how? Who thought this was a good idea? Chris starts off a little awkwardly, and then Lindsey jumps in. If I didn’t already know the lyrics to this song (thank you, Cruel Intentions), I would have no idea what she’s singing. I’m filled with a deep sense of gratitude when Katrina takes the stage to sing this song with authority. She’s only been out of the competition a week, but I have missed her dearly.

Chris has to do a lightning fast wardrobe change as he, Jermaine, and Tony perform with Hall & Oates. The best part about this for me is the fact that the three guys are set up as backup singers….which is what Jermaine has been complaining about being all season.

Naia Kette, Kim Yarbrough, Cheesa, and Sera Hill take on Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” after another break, and I have to say that they complement one another very well. Perhaps they should form a girl group. Seriously. Knowing that The X Factor groups received more TV time than these ladies hurts me a little.

For Juliet’s final performance before the results are revealed, she sings “With a Little Help From My Friends” with Erin Willett, Jamar Rodgers and RaeLynn (just RaeLynn). This is actually really good. Erin is another one who hasn’t been gone long, but it’s so nice to hear her wail on this song. Balloons fall on the stage at the end of the song as the four singers embrace one another. Cee-Lo, who is wearing an adorable t-shirt that lists his entire team for the season, gives them a standing ovation.

I refuse to talk about the segment regarding Cee-Lo’s cat, so we move on now to Lady Antebellum as they perform “Wanted You More.” In my perfect celebrity world, Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott are happily married. I just love them singing together. The song is pretty, but it’s a quarter after 10, I’m all alone, and I need the results.

For Tony’s final performance of the season, he’s chosen “Go Your Own Way,” by Fleetwood Mac. He chooses Jordis to duet with him, and this is a perfect combo. If Tony wins this thing or releases an album because of the show, I sincerely hope he includes a collaboration with Jordis.

After another commercial break, Justin Bieber performs “Boyfriend.”I believe I have recapped that sufficiently. I won’t let you pull me in…

RESULTS! Each of the finalists talk about what this competition has meant to them, how much winning would change their lives, etc. and then we finally get to it. Coming in fourth….Chris Mann. Xtina joins him on stage immediately, and it seems she has forgotten her pants. Coming in third….Tony Lucca. Adam runs to the stage to support him, and he is fully clothed. We are down to Juliet and Jermaine. Juliet’s tears are KILLING me right now. Jermaine wins… and I was absolutely rooting for Juliet. Jermaine paces the stage in shock and then thanks everybody he knows, including Jesus. He closes the show singing “I Believe I Can Fly.”

There you have it – Season 2 of The Voice is over, but I really enjoyed watching and recapping. It’s always hard to wait a year before the excitement starts again. I’m greatly looking forward to ABC’s Duets on the horizon as well as the always enjoyable So You Think You Can Dance. Keep reading!

The Voice Finale: Part 1

Carson Daly welcomes us to the show, and he looks the happiest I've seen him since the days he used to hit on Xtina during TRL. Tonight the final four will perform solo as well as with their coaches, and America’s votes will decide who wins it all. Carson also teases a third performance which will be a surprise. Will they all sing one of Xtina song at Xtina’s behest? Will she storm the stage with a microphone to one up them? I’m anxious to find out.


Team Blake Contestant: Jermaine Paul
Song: “I Believe I Can Fly,” by R. Kelly

Oh how I loved Space Jam. I know I am almost completely alone here, because that movie was just awful, but the Looney Tunes will always make me smile. Anyway, Jermaine gives us a pretty good replica of R. Kelly’s version, complete with the choir. I keep thinking about Jermaine singing “Open Arms” last week with his arms completely open the whole time. So…if he suddenly soars through the air at the end of this song, I promise I will spend the rest of my night voting for him. Instead, he closes the song better than R. Kelly did, and I'm impressed. Nicely done.

Coaches Say: Standing ovation. Xtina says the performance was amazing and classy. Cee-Lo is wearing a shirt that says “No Problems.” Interesting. He thinks Jermaine had the perfect song choice, and he calls Jermaine a “handsome man with a beautiful voice.” Blake’s heart is in his throat, and he feels that even though he is a coach, he learns more from Jermaine than Jermaine learns from him. Aw.
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Team Cee-Lo: Juliet Simms
Song: “Crazy,” by Gnarles Barkley

The surprise third performance this evening is each contestant taking on a song by one of their coaches. Hey – I was close. I hope Chris Mann sings “Candyman.” Back on track...I was honestly never crazy about “Crazy” (see what I did there?) but I will be downloading Juliet’s version this evening. Fantastic.
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Xtina and Chris Mann
Song: “The Prayer,” by Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli

Xtina and Chris sing in a church setting on a slowly revolving altar. Now, I’ve made a lot of comments this season regarding Xtina’s tendency to be a diva – the queen of divas even, but this is so amazing. She sings with Chris, not over him, and the result is gorgeous. As silly as I feel, I give them a standing ovation from my living room. I’m incredibly proud of both of them.
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Team Adam Contestant: Tony Lucca
Song: “99 Problems,” by Jay-Z…wait. WHAT?

My mind is completely blown. What on earth is going on here? Let's get one thing straight – I am laughing in sheer disbelief that this is happening, but I also love that this is happening. Unfortunately the originality and awesomeness of this arrangement is overshadowed by the fact that this is a family show, so we’re not sure what “aint” one of Tony’s problems.

Coaches Say: Blake also didn’t hear that key word from “99 Problems,” so he is confused, but he thinks it was a really cool version of the song. Xtina is not a fan of the lyrical content…though I’d like to point out that she considers herself dirty with several ‘R’s. She must just hate Tony. That’s all I can come up with. Cee-Lo likes it because it was hard. Strange that he is not wearing that kitty t-shirt this week. Adam claims that the content of the song is not derogatory toward women, because Tony’s version is all about life not getting you down. Right. Except for the fact that the repetitive lyric he had to omit was “bitch” and the song references girl problems. But I guess it’s all good, because Adam is wearing glittery “Team Xtina” shirt under his flannel...
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Team Xtina Contestant: Chris Mann
Song: “The Voice Within,” by Xtina

Chris is adorable. Behind him, a hand written thank you note to Xtina scrolls on the screen while he serenades his coach. The letter is timed perfectly, ending just as the song ends. Chris is very into the song, moved by his own voice, and clearly grateful for Xtina taking a chance on him. This was well done, but I found their earlier duet to be more touching.
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Cee-Lo and Juliet Simms
Song: “Born to be Wild,” by Steppenwolf

I know what you’re thinking, but why wouldn’t Cee-Lo be mounted on a motorcycle when the song opens? This seems like a fun rendition – one of those “had to be there” to really appreciate it type of things. However, I will never criticize a performance that includes cage dancers.
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Adam and Tony Lucca
Song: “Yesterday,” by The Beatles

This is a very subtle, very intimate performance from the two of them. It almost reminds me of Simon & Garfunkel a bit because their voices complement each other so well. I smell a tour! In all seriousness though, I really love this.
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Team Blake Contestant: Jermaine Paul
Song: “God Gave Me You,” by Blake Shelton

I’m so glad Jermaine does not go crazy with the song and sticks to the melody for the most part. This is one of my favorite Blake tunes, and Jermaine’s rendition is a great tribute to his coach. Again, one of my favorite parts of The Voice is seeing Blake’s pride for his contestants, and he is so proud of Jermaine here.

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Team Xtina Contestant: Chris Mann
Song: “You Raise Me Up,” by Josh Groban

When he begins, I worry this will be a carbon copy of Josh Groban’s version. There have been many comparisons made the last few weeks, so I really hope Chris stands on his own here. Thank goodness I have nothing to fret about. I have to say that he is the most improved contestant on this show. His emotions get the best of him at the end of the song, but he is incredibly genuine, and I hope he doesn’t fade away after the show is over. I also hope he does not return next year with Cyndi Lauper as a duet partner (scary!).

Coaches Say: Cee-Lo thinks Chris is “so completely cool.” Xtina is very emotional at this point, and she is very moved by his performances. I’m right there with her, but then she goes off on a tangent. See, Xtina is sick, and when she was singing earlier, she didn’t feel well, but Chris comforted her. Soooo, did she not think she performed well? I’m not sure why else this would come up.
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Blake and Jermaine Paul
Song: “Soul Man,” by Sam & Dave

You know, I didn’t think these two could sing a duet together that would blend well, but Blake surprises the hell out me here by hanging with Jermaine’s voice. The band and brass section is also a really nice touch. I’m entertained. This is probably my favorite Jermaine performance tonight.
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Team Adam Contestant: Tony Lucca
Song: “Harder to Breathe,” by Maroon Five

Tony does not switch up the arrangement to this song like he has done with his other songs. I’m good with that choice – he does a great job with the performance. I would watch Tony sing solo with a guitar as a full time job if I could. I think his duet with Adam was my favorite performance of his tonight, but this isn’t a bad way for him to end the evening at all.
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Team Cee-Lo Contestant: Juliet Simms
Song: “Freebird,” by Lynyrd Skynyrd

Cee-Lo definitely dressed Juliet this evening, but I don’t care. She makes singing look so easy, and she is an AMAZING talent. I think she is supposed to be standing a bit more on top of the wind gust in order for her cape-y thing to go nuts, but it works anyway. This. Is. Awesome. How can I not root for her?

Coaches Say: Adam says no one sings like Juliet. Xtina loves the song, loves Juliet, loves her outfit, and then reminds us that she is sick. Cee-Lo says “With Juliet on my team, I have no problems.” Ohhhhhh snap! See how he worked in the shirt he’s wearing? I can appreciate that sense of humor.
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Honestly, all of these finalists seem to have a pretty good fan base, and I think this could be anybody’s title to win at this point. Carson says tomorrow's finale will be “the biggest night of the season.” I really hope that was not on the teleprompter. Until then!

Idol: We've Reached The Final Four

Ryan reminds us once again what show we are watching and welcomes us to elimination night. Tonight we say goodbye to another contestant, and as we get closer to the finals, I get more antsy about who the final 2 will be. Tonight, however, we only worry about the bottom 2....which leads me to believe Elise took her bottom 3 stool with her last week.

The Top 5 take a seat on the couches, and we get right to the results. Joshua takes center stage first all by his lonesome (foreshadowing for the finale?). Don't waste your time, Ryan. No one believes for a second this guy is going home. In a completely unshocking moment of truth, Joshua is safe. I guess I'm glad we got that out of the way?

Coldyplay performs "Paradise" now, and I am always pretty mesmerized by Chris Martin. I don't know what it is - could be his unique voice, could be his catchy songs that you can't quite dance to, could be the fact that he named his kids Apple and Moses - I just enjoy him.

Results! Hollie and Phillip are up now, and Hollie looks as though she already knows what's coming. Indeed, she is in the bottom 2 and Phillip is safe. At this point though, assuming you are in the bottom isn't the worst thing is the world. There are only 5 of you left, so almost half of you are in the bottom regardless.

When we come back from commercial, Carried Underwood performs "Blown Away," and she is just some kind of wonderful. There is a storm a brewin' behind Carrie, and when she descends a small staircase, the wind machine goes crazy and attacks the strategically placed slit in her dress. Great performance though. It almost made me want to find Twister on NetFlix. Almost. The judges give her a standing ovation (she is no longer a competitor, Steven and J.Lo - you can't take any credit for this).

Results! Skylar and Jessica are up now, and I'm honestly hoping Jessica does her Tina Turner walk over to the bottom 2 tonight. She may have technically better voice than Skylar, but Skylar is a performer and can be a bucket full of crazy at times, and i love her. Alas, I do not get my wish, and Jessica is safe.

When we come back from commercial J.Lo is in the audience chatting with Jimmy and can't decide if she wants to go back to her seat or introduce Coldplay's encore. She chooses to introduce Coldplay and they perform "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall." At the end of the song confetti douses the audience, which I imagine has to be a pain to clean up. Then I notice Skylar and Hollie are standing of to the side with Ryan as the confetti comes down, which is just mean - clearly one of them is not winning this thing.

Results! Hollie is a pro at this part of the show now, but Skylar looks terrified. Given how many times Hollie has been in the bottom, I assume she is leaving, though either of them going home just makes me sad. Skylar, however, is eliminated, and it's a damn shame. I think Hollie was prepared for her name to be read, and she takes the news harder than Skyler does. Skylar sings "Gunpowder and Lead" as the show closes, and I'm bummed - I really hope something happens for her because of this show. I would totally go see her live (just not on the Idol tour).

So, we are down to the final four with Joshua...and three other people who will most likely receive half the praise Joshua will next week. Until then!

Idol: The Top 5 Perform

Tonight the remaining contestants will take on two themes – the 60s and British Pop. As we let these two themes sink in (wasn’t there British Pop in the 60s?), Ryan introduces the Top 5 and lets us know that one of them will be the next American Idol…we should save that kind of narrative for Randy.

Contestant: Hollie Cavanagh
Song: “River Deep, Mountain High” by Tina Turner

With Elise gone, Hollie is the only contestant left who has had a permanent seat in the bottom 3. Do we think Elise passed on any bottom 3 words of wisdom before she went home? Hollie hopes that by singing this song well and letting loose tonight, she’ll please the crowd as well as the voters.  Hollie sings the hell out of this song. She even shimmies, and she looks EXTREMELY comfortable. J.Lo has no business telling her to feel her songs more or open up a little tonight.

Judges’ Remarks: Steven and Randy stand, and J.Lo remains seated because she bitterly knows she can’t sing live like Hollie can. Steven thanks The Lord for Hollie's performance. I imagine that somewhere in America, Tim Tebow does this as well. J.Lo likes that Hollie was biting into the words. Grrr? Randy asks both judges if they loved it…so he must not have been listening. And here we go: "Yo. That second verse? You wore that verse out. I was like,  'Yo, she diggin in. She’s goin in.'” Do whatever you like with that.
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Contestant: Phillip Phillips
Song: “The Letter,” by The Box Tops

P squared changes the arrangement of this song, so I already like it better than the Dave Matthews carbon copy he did last week. I could do without all of the falling pieces of mail on the screens in the background (I get it – the song is about writing a letter. Overkill.). This is a good performance. Not a “moment” but he deserves some praise here.

Judges’ Remarks: Randy enjoys that Phillip made the song new for him. J.Lo doesn’t know this song…even though it has been performed on this show before (see Carly Smithson and Michael John's duet), and J.Lo claims to have always been a huge fan of the show. Just sayin. Steven misses the melody of that song, but he also says Phillip got away with it.
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Contestant: Skylar Laine
Song: "Knock on Wood," by Creedence Clearwater Revival

Crazy, energetic, all over the stage Skylar returns to us tonight. She loves what she’s doing, and the joy she gets from performing is infectious. I’m not even super familiar with the song, but I want to get up and dance and clap along. I really like this kid.  

Judges’ Remarks: J.Lo thinks her energy is amazing, and she calls Skylar fearless. Steven likes it when Skylar boot scoots. Randy wants everyone to give it up for Creedence Clearwater Revival. I hope The Lord wasn't expecting another shout out here. He then lets America know that Skylar was born to be on stage. She was born this way?
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Duet: Joshua and Phillip attempt to sing “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,” by The Righteous Brothers. This is just bad. So bad. Phillip is clearly not comfortable with this song, and Joshua is entirely too low on his verse. They make every endeavor not to make eye contact with one another, and Phillip just smiles as if he knows how awful this duet is. So awkward. By the end he just lets Joshua screech over him, and I am soooo glad when this is over.

Judges’ Remarks: Steven wishes they had loved and embraced each other during the song. “That’s back when a song was a song,” he says. Is a song something else now? J.Lo says they shouldn’t have been afraid to sing that song. Randy says “Yo, you delivered it,” so I must have been listening to something else - perhaps a different song that was also a song.
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Contestant: Jessica Sanchez
Song: “Proud Mary,” by Tina Turner (Tina must have been one of the only artists in the 60s)

I’m so hesitant about Jessica singing a this song because she is really more of a ballad singer. Her backup singers double as dancers, and Jessica is kind of hopping/skipping and trying to insert some personality in her performance with some Tina-ish moves. But I really don’t know what else to say here. It just doesn’t work for me because all I can think of is how awesome Tina Turner’s legs are…I mean, how awesome Tina Turner is.

Judges’ Remarks: J.Lo says Jessica is grown, and tells us Jessica is a little Tina and a little Beyonce. Hmmm. Steven says Jessica did it again. Randy and I finally see eye to eye on something as he says the performance was just okay based on how Tina is able to perform “Proud Mary.” J.Lo jumps back in and says “you can’t compare a 16 year old to Tina Turner.” Um, yes you can. If she is going to sing a Tina song in the style of Tina, how else do you critique the performance?
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Contestant: Joshua Ledet
Song: “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg,” by The Temptations (not TLC’s version, which I would love to hear on this show as well).

Joshua starts off very Motown with his backup singers doing the sway and snap move as they all groove at their mic stands. So at first, I really like this song and his performance...but I know what’s coming. Indeed, the screeching and screaming begin, but fortunately for Joshua, the volume is not as painful as it has been in the past.  I'm generally okay with this performance.

Judges’ Remarks: Steven says Joshua has to be one of the best two Idols of all time. WHAT???? You have to be kidding me. I would love to know how many Idol's Steven can name from any season that he hasn't been a part of. J.Lo says Joshua is a throwback from another era. Randy says Joshua can bring R&B back.
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Contestant: Hollie Cavanagh
Song:  “Bleeding Love,” by Leona Lewis

Hollie slows this song down and sings from the top of a piano. Vocally, Hollie is just fantastic. Perhaps if the judges can stop drooling over Joshua they would realize what a controlled voice is capable of.  I LOVE this. Hollie has had a great night.

Judges’ Remarks: Steven loves it too and compliments her ballad voice even though he doesn’t know the song. Where has he been? J.Lo says the performance had a beautiful and intimate quality. Randy educates us on Leona Lewis and where she came from. He then says Hollie is peaking at the right time. Somehow the clouds disappear, and Hollie is no longer Season 11's Haley Reinhart.

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Contestant: Phillip Phillips
Song: “Time of the Season,” by The Zombies

Any song that has Phillip looking into the camera and asking “Who’s your daddy?” is just fine by me. His high notes aren’t the best, but lucky for him the backup singers pick up the slack there. I like the arrangement, and I find the performance incredibly sexy. Vocally, this is not his best though.

Judges’ Remarks: Randy likes the song because “it was a lot more less energy.” J.Lo says his voices was more comfortable in the verses, and Steven is happy Phillip stuck with the melody. So…all three judges avoid saying the high notes were rough. Interesting.
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Trio: Skylar, Hollie and Jessica sing Jackie Wilson’s “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher,” and this is exponentially better than Phillip and Joshua’s duet. I have to wonder if the two guys are back stage now saying “we SO got the shaft on this one.” The song is enjoyable but all I can think of is the part of Ghostbusters II where the statue of Liberty is able to walk through New York while this song played.  

Judges’ Remarks: Steven loves them, and J.Lo says they are cute. Randy thinks all three of them sound amazing. He also calls Jackie Wilson “one of the greatest singers of all time from the 60s.” I’m not sure what that means.
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Contestant: Skylar Laine
Song: “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me,” by Dusty Springfield

Skylar has done some great ballads on this show (I’m still in love with her version of “Wind Beneath My Wings"), but this one falls just a little short for me. She sings it well, but maybe I just don’t like this song country-fied. However, I always applaud Skylar's tendency to switch up her performances, as we can't always have rowdy Skylar.

Judges’ Remarks: Randy lets us know the first round was round 1, and this is round 2, and he thinks the performance was flawless. J.Lo notes that Skylar wants to win and then rambles a bit. Steven says Skylar took that song into the 21^st century. I’m assuming that the previous century was the 20^th, but I will double check with Randy.  
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Contestant: Jessica Sanchez
Song: “You Are So Beautiful,” by Joe Cocker

Really? You want to take on “Proud Mary” and “You Are So Beautiful” in the same night? These are two HUGE songs, and I worry for her. Jessica begins the song in the Fantasia and Katharine McPhee “I’m slightly laying down on the stage which proves I want to win” pose. She has a great voice, she does some interesting things with the arrangement, and I think this is definitely better than her first performance tonight.

Judges’ Remarks: Steven tells Jessica she will be number 1. Wait - I thought Joshua was the chosen one. J.Lo references the time that the judges saved Jessica. Randy gives round 2 (even though it is not over) to Jessica and then tells her she is off to the races.
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Contestant: Joshua Ledet
Song: “To Love Somebody” by The Bee Gees

See, the first three quarters of this song are amazing, and I start to feel bad about all of the criticism I give Joshua. And then everything falls apart for me (for you?). I may be in the minority, but I think Joshua absolutely ruins the performance by screaming the last portion song. It’s just not necessary to do that, because he had been singing so beautifully. Sigh. Too Much.

Judges’ Remarks: Standing ovation. Of course – they held back on his first performance, so I'm surprised they don't climb up on their table for this one. Randy calls The Bee Gees “one of the greatest song writing people in the world.” The English language just called, and it would like an apology. J.Lo thinks Joshua is one of the greatest singers in the past 50 years. Okay. I must just be insane. As Simon would say "That was complete and utter nonsense." Oh how I miss him.
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There are no closing remarks from the judges as we have run out of time. Tomorrow night we’ll see who survives tonight's voting, and if Jessica, Phillip, Skylar and Hollie bother showing up at all since Joshua might be one of the greatest singers of all time. OF ALL TIME! That's for you, Kanye. 

Until then!