American Idol: It's Impossible

American Idol loses another contender tonight as the tally of America’s votes sends home one more contestant. Ryan welcomes us to the 450^th episode of the show (wow) and we are forced to sit through treated to a group number. Lucky for us Lazaro knows the words to Bob Seger’s “Old Time Rock n Roll,” so we’re off to a decent start.

 

We have some former Idol contestants in the house tonight. Colton Dixon has become a Christian Rock sensation and sings hit new single “Love Has Come For Me.” Katharine McPhee joins us as well, performing “If I Lose Myself” with OneRepublic. I’m glad she’s still trying to keep her music career going. From what I hear, Smash is on its last leg. While it’s always nice to see Idol alums, neither of these performances compare at all to Keith Urban’s “Long Hot Summer.” He commands the stage, he has a great time doing so… and he’s just dreamy.  Mariah holds up a sign that says #1 Keith fan when the song is over and I am that much more grateful she’s a judge this year.

 

Results! The first three contestants who are announced as “safe” are Kree, Candice and Janelle. I can breathe a sigh of relief now because if any of them had gone home tonight, there would have been hell to pay for some inanimate object in my living room. Our bottom group tonight…consists of the three remaining guys. I can’t say I’m too surprised by this and I truly, truly hope Devin and Burnell live to see another day.

 

After a quick commercial break the contestant with the lowest number of votes is Devin. Lazaro makes his way to the chairs of safety and I’m not happy. Devin chooses to sing “It’s Impossible,” hoping for the judges save. Mariah is crying and the judges aren’t really talking to one another so I think Devin is donezo. He gets a standing ovation from every judge but Nicki (she’s probably still pissed about the guys’ group number from last night), but Randy claims the decision was not unanimous. No save for Devin. Given the reaction of both Mariah and Keith, I have to believe that Nicki wasn’t on board with the save. I’m not necessarily disappointed…if one of the girls gets the lowest number of votes next week over Lazaro, I would imagine the save would be good to have in the back pocket then.

Next Wednesday the remaining 7 contestants face off again in another live performance show hoping to make it one step closer to the finale. Will the Idol ladies make if through another  elimination round unscathed? Will the judges finally get over Lazaro’s bravery and perseverance and stop sugar-coating the critiques now that he’s had soooooo many rough performances? Will Amber finally wear the damn pink lipstick so Nicki shuts up about it? We’ll find out next week. Til then!

American Idol: You Better Shop Around

On tonight’s episode of American Idol our Top 8 contestants will take on the songs of Detroit, including Motown. Yup. So...we could see quite a hodgepodge of things this evening. Smokey Robinson is the guest mentor this week, imparting his wisdom and experiences on these hopefuls, many of whom probably aren't familiar with Mowtown at all. As the judges take the their seats, Mariah and Nicki are looking similar for the first time this season, and I have to wonder how Mariah’s people ever allowed this to happen. Someone is getting fired after the show.

Contestant: Candice Glover

Song:  “Heard It Through the Grapevine” by Marvin Gaye

Candice gives us a bluesy, jazzy vibe with her rendition and I am absolutely loving it. She definitely makes the song her own, and I will be downloading this as soon as possible. Get it, girl. Love that she is so consistently awesome.

Judges Say: Keith says Candice has raised the bar and this was her best performance so far. Nicki tells Candice she kept her eyes alive for the whole performance. Okay. Randy says Candice has one of the best voices in the competition, calling it “crazy good.” Mariah believes Candice gave an old school R&B, gritty performance.

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Contestant: Lazaro Arbos

Song: “For Once In My Life” by Stevie Wonder

Lazaro is fighting an uphill battle this week given the way he’s been struggling. For whatever reason…he is wearing some sort of leather/pleather pants and jacket combination with a tie and gold shoes as well. I find this ensemble entirely distracting. In terms of his singing though, he sounds better than has in a while. Regardless, I still think he’s way out of his league.

Judges Say: Randy is trying to keep it real, and he says that the performance was better than last week but not great. Mariah thinks the song choice was smart and she feels that he is “back” this week. Ohhhh Mimi. Keith thinks the song wasn’t rhythmically comfortable for Lazaro but an improvement vocally. Nicki asks Smokey to be her sugar daddy and I have to move on.

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Contestant: Janelle Arthur

Song:  “Keep Me Hanging On” by Diana Ross and The Supremes

Janelle sits in the dark with her guitar on a smoke filled stage and begins the song on her own before the band comes in. She takes this song in a completely different direction than I had anticipated, and she’s definitely made it more current. Janelle is emotionally connected to the song and she just sounds amazing. I really like this kid, and I hope she receives fair critiques tonight.

Judges Say: Mariah yells “Janelle at her FINEST!” and Janelle tears up. Keith loved the arrangement because it brought out the angst in the song. Nicki thinks Janelle shines more with her guitar and then says some nonsense about her voice not being as good tonight as it usually is. Randy says this is one of Janelle's best performances, and I get really excited for her…but then he exclaims “she is in it to win it!” and I go back to wishing I had fast forwarded.

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Contestant: Devin Velez

Song:  “Tracks of My Tears” by The Miracles

Great song. My favorite version is definitely Adam Lambert’s, but Devin is giving it his all here. He’s confident tonight, and he’s more dynamic during this song than he has been since he sang “Listen” back in the Top 24 days. Nicely done.

Judges Say:  Keith thinks Devin has such great style and he should really relax more and get into the song. Apparently Devin thinks too much. Nicki says the following to Devin: “you up there looking like a ripe banana right now.” She then compliments his “false-etto.” Sigh. Randy thinks this was Devin’s best performance in weeks. Mariah feels that the performance was flawless and hopes America realizes how good Devin is. Me too. This is one of the first seasons I can honestly see all of the guys being eliminated before any of the girls go home. Would the show runners let that happen?

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Contestant: Burnell Taylor

Song: “My Cherie Amour” by Stevie Wonder

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. This isn't necessarily directed at Burnell...this song generally puts me to sleep regardless of who is singing it. Really the only things keeping me awake are Burnell's often ridiculous hand gestures and shoulder shrugs.

Judges Say: Nicki says Burnell just reminded us why we fell in love with his voice. Randy loves the choices Burnell makes with songs and then says “it’s like aw yeahhhhh” twice before saying Burnell is in it to win it. I pause for a second to scratch my nails against the keyboard of my laptop. Mariah feels that Burnell added modern flavor to the song and she appreciates him. Keith loved the whole thing. Maybe I'm all on my own, but I think the judges wayyyy over-praisethis guy every week.

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Contestant: Angie Miller

Song: “Shop Around” by The Miracles

Angie is working it tonight. Remember how I said she tends to look more comfortable behind the piano? Scratch that. She is strutting her stuff on stage like she's been doing this forever. I don't really like the arrangement of the song, but I appreciate that she stepped out of her comfort zone tonight. Seems on this show you get criticized for doing the same thing each week...and also get yelled at when you aren't true to yourself. We'll see how this works out for Angie.

Judges Say:  Randy says “Yo” a few times and then “Angie” a few times, and then he says he didn’t think Angie could hear in her ears because the song was pitchy. I was wondering when were were going to get the full blown Randy this evening. Mariah thinks Angie should have sang at the piano because she needs to stay true to Angie. And here we go. Keith says Angie was pulled down by the melody and that’s why she was so sharp in her pitch. Nicki thinks Angie was trying to show a side of herself that didn’t need to be shown. She raises her voice and gets pissy for no reason, and I wish FOX would just revoke her paycheck. Rude.

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Contestant: Amber Holcomb

Song: “Lately” by Stevie Wonder

Perhaps we should have just had a Stevie Wonder night. Amber positions herself behind a mic stand in front of a piano, and she just wails on this song. Good for her - it’s nice to see that she’s still confident even though she was in the bottom 3 last week.  This is quite a comeback.

Judges Say: Standing O from all four judges. Wow. I thought it was a great performance but I didn't expect the standing ovation. Mariah calls it a tour de force and then she is bleeped out. Heh. I would LOVE to know what she said just then...so would Steven Tyler. Keith says Amber picked the right song, felt it beautifully and sang it beautifully. Nicki mentions Amber's lack of pink lipstick again (why?) but mentions that Amber is something very special and she doesn’t want Amber to feel bad about being in the bottom 3. Randy says this was the best vocal of the night.

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Contestant: Kree Harrison

Song: “Don’t Play that Song (You Lied)” by Aretha Franklin

Remember when Kelly Clarkson sang this is Season 1? Let me remind you... watch it here.

Anyway, pimp slot for Kree! She is reliable each week in terms of giving us a great vocal and a ton of personality. This wasn't my favorite performance of hers, but she's a solid artist and should keep her status as a front runner in this competition.

Judges Say: Randy says there is Kree love in the building. Is that like free love? Mariah loooooves Kree and commends her for taking on the Queen of Soul. Keith is happy that Kree doesn’t try to be Aretha or any of the other artists she covers – she’s just Kree. Nicki rambles and then says Kree is a queen as well.

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I can't close out tonight's commentary without mentioning the duet/group numbers Idol used as filler. Given they way these performances were presented, I have to wonder if the contestants found out that day that they would be singing extra songs. Janelle and Kree did a pretty good job on Madonna's "Like a Prayer" (again, Detroit doesn't necessarily mean Motown...we've really stretched it tonight). Candice, Amber and Ashley were fine during "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" by the Supremes. However, Devin, Burnell and Lazaro were a hot...hot...hot...mess while performing "Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch." I don't think Lazaro knew any of the words at all. Worst thing I've seen during the live shows in a very long time. I thought Nicki was going to rush the stage and beat all three guys.



I'm sorry - were we supposed to be singing?



With that in mind, I have to hope that we bid adieu to Lazaro tomorrow night. While I am sometimes completely bored by Devin and Burnell, I'd prefer to keep them around at least another week, and the girls all earned their spots for sure. We'll find out if justice is served during the results show. Til then!

American Idol: All the Lonely People

On this evening’s episode of American Idol, our Top 9 go down to 8 as we bid farewell to another contestant. Ryan teases a surprise elimination, which to me means any one of the girls. Regardless, there’s sure to be some painful group numbers and a whole lot of filler, so let’s just get to it.

 

Several former Idols grace us with their presence tonight. Jessica Sanchez looks and sounds amazing, and her new tune featuring Neo is pretty good – very J.Lo which is a compliment in this case. As for Casey Abrams…I’m just glad he stopped looking like a homeless Zach Galifianakis. Whether his “new” look is any better is left up to interpretation. Have at it.

 

Our bottom 3 tonight are Devin, Paul and Amber. Everyone is outraged when Amber is revealed to be in danger and I have to wonder if this is the surprise Ryan mentioned earlier. What an upset this would be. While Amber is not my fave, she certainly earned the opportunity to sing again next week. The real shocker for me is Lazaro NOT being in the bottom 3. He’s one lucky dude.

After a commercial break and very little suspense, Paul is announced as the lowest vote getter. The judges don’t really seem to deliberate as he sings Heart’s “Alone” for the save. Sure enough, Randy delivers the “Thank you, Paul… good luck, baby” news, and Paul’s journey ends here. I hope he is able to keep working that smile in Hollywood somehow.

Next week the remaining contenders square off again hoping to keep their dreams alive. Will Amber’s trip to the bottom 3 throw her confidence? Will Lazaro make it through another elimination? Do any of the guys have a chance at this point? We’ll find out soon!

American Idol: You May Say I'm a Dreamer

On tonight’s episode of American Idol, the finalists take on the tunes of The Beatles, or as Nicki calls them: “Who?” We have nine contestants left in the competition, and I feel that many of them will be challenged by tonight’s theme as it has been done several times on Idol already throughout the years. Will our finalists be able to deliver their own twist on these classic songs? We’ll find out shortly….

 

First we get the highly-anticipated (?) results from last week’s “who gets that last spot on the tour?” sing off. Ryan himself doesn't even look enthusiastic about this as he opens the envelope. Charlie Askew stands nervously next to Aubrey Cleland awaiting the news, and after the nationwide vote...the fans have chosen Aubrey. Charlie handles it pretty well and Aubrey's family goes nuts in the audience. Congrats to her, but let’s get to the performances.

Contestant:  Kree Harrison
Song: “A Little Help From My Friends”

I really can’t think of a better way to start the show. I giggle when she says “I will try not to sing out of key.” Like that would happen. What a voice this girl has though – she effortlessly delivers on this song and I’m sad when it’s over. I would lend Kree my ear anytime.

 

Judges Say: Keith loves that regardless of the song Kree is always herself. Nicki piggybacks off of this and says she has her own “Kreedom.” Not gonna lie…I wish I had thought of that. Nicki also says the choices Kree makes are always perfect for her voice. Randy still uses the phrase “da bomb” and I suddenly wish Nicki was still talking. Mariah didn’t think it was good… she thinks it was fan-freaking-tastic. Agreed!

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Contestant: Burnell Taylor

Song: “Let It Be”

 

Burnell begins his recording session with Jimmy Iovine saying “I don’t know the song.” This is a problem since, you know, the vast majority of the viewers know this song by heart because, you know, it's one of the most famous Lennon-McCartney penned songs. He begins the song sounding quite confident and pleasant, but I think he does lose the lyrics briefly just before the choir comes out. This is just an okay performance for me. “Let It Be” is a powerful song with a powerful message and I just didn’t get any of that from Burnell tonight.

 

Judges Say: Nicki says Burnell caressed the song and she felt like she was in church. Randy calls The Beatles “the greatest song-writing groups of ever time.” That’s not a typo. Mariah is so proud that Burnell gave such a heartfelt performance. Keith loves how soulful Burnell is and hopes that America agrees. So…no one else noticed the lyrics? Maybe I’m just hearing things…

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Contestant: Amber Holcomb

Song: “She’s Leaving Home”

 

This is not at all the song I thought Amber would sing. However, she kills it. Her vocal is just beautiful and she makes this performance look easy. I also appreciate how she made this rendition  more up to date. Nicely done.

 

Judges Say: Randy thought it started slow. I think that was the point with it being a ballad and all, but what do I know? Mariah does not know this song but she thinks the performance was fantastic. “She’s Leaving Home” is Keith’s favorite Beatles song ever and he thinks Amber made it sound fresh. Ever? That's surprising my Austrailian darling, but you can love whatever song you want as long as you tell me about it. Nicki first complains that Amber ditched the lighter lipstick this weel. She then says Amber’s vocal is unmatched but she believes Amber was visibly unhappy with the song choice. I didn’t see that, but I was also distracted by the awesomeness of her voice and the neat strings section that surrounds her.

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Contestant: Lazaro Arbos

Song: “In My Life”

 

Last week Lazaro picked a song that was way too big for him, so I go into this thinking it might be a really good song choice. I'm instantly wrong. I still have a hard time hearing him above the music and backup singers, and he is unsure and drowned out for the majority of the song. Maybe it was more clear for those in the venue, but even though I know this song well, I had a hard time understanding the words. Not good.

Judges Say: Mariah says Lazaro is brave to have attempted what he did, but she feels that the song was too low for him. Keith agrees that Lazaro was singing in the wrong key. That's right...it was the key and not the weak vocals. My bad. Nicki still thinks Lazaro is not the Lazaro she loved from the beginning. He’s lost confidence at this point and she needs him back. For Randy, this was Lazaro’s “worst performance ever.” Well I’m glad someone isn’t sugar-coating this one.

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Contestant: Candice Glover

Song: “Come Together”

This is one of those moments where I wish Steven Tyler was still part of the show. I imagine him rushing the stage and singing a duet with Candice. Anyway, I LOVE what she does with this song. It’s nice to know that Candice can rock out and have a hell of a time doing so. She could have easily been dubbed a “ballad girl” after last week’s performance, but she is instead proving she’s the total package.  Well done.

Judges Say: Keith loved Candice’s vibe tonight and says the performance was absolutely killer. Nicki thinks that Candice should always have attitude on her face, and I’m glad Candice just says “okay” so we can move on. Randy doesn’t care about her face and calls her voice crazy. He was like “Yeah.” Mariah says Candice was like a prize fighter doing this song and can do things with songs no one else can do.

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Contestant: Paul Jolley

Song: “Eleanor Rigby”

Paul is far more scaled back for this Beatles interpretation and I’m very happy to see that. He unleashes some pretty big notes at the end, but this in no way compares to the amazing performance David Cook gave during his season. Watch it here.

Judges Say: Nicki lists the different items of Paul’s clothing and says how much she likes them. She did not, however, like the performance because it was “forgettable.” Randy feels that Paul was disconnected from the song. Mariah thinks the song choice was great and thought the belting was undeniably good, but she wanted him to give just as much effort when he is singing softly. Keith feels that Paul has a pop/rock edge along with some angst that he hopes to see more of. So, Paul Jolley should be less jolly?

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Contestant: Angie Miller
Song: "Yesterday"

I'm initially a little worried because Angie stands alone behind a microphone, and she tends to look far more confident when she is playing the piano. My fears are squashed quickly, however, because Angie gives a wonderful performance. She does just enough to the song to make it more contemporary, but she doesn't go crazy with it which is important. The whole thing is just lovely to watch.

Judges Say: Randy says Angie is one of his favorites in the whole competition and loved that she scaled back. Mariah thinks she did a very respectful version of the song. Keith thinks Angie drifted in and out of thinking about singing and actually singing but she thinks she did a good job overall. Nicki says the performance was "unbelievably amazing."

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Contestant: Devin Velez

Song: "The Long and Winding Road"

During previous Idol seasons the renditions of this song have often been the long and boring performance. Devin is on the bubble here mainly because I think he is worrying just about the singing...there's not a whole lot of feeling in the performance, and there is a portion of the song where I am a little bored. He still has a beautiful voice, and I still prefer him to the other guys  so I hope he makes it through.

Judges Say: Mariah says Devin never ceases to amaze her and she feels that it would be a travesty if he doesn't make it through. Keith thinks the vocal was great but he feels Devin needs to have a little more heart and emotion in his performances. Nicki gives a shout out to the background vocalists...and then does an interesting pronunciation of "pianist" that is likely to give Producer Nigel Lithgoe a near heart attack. She disagrees with Keith, saying Devin is very emotionally committed.

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Contestant: Janelle Arthur

Song: "I Will"

I'm already excited for Janelle because she landed the pimp spot tonight, and she absolutely closes the show with grace. Her performance is very subtle but incredibly engaging and I clap for her when it's over.

                                                  

Judges Say: Keith loved the song choice and says her performance was beautiful and pure. Nicki calls Janelle a "beautiful swan goddess" and says the performance make Nicki obsessed with her. Nicki actually has a lot of obsessions it seems. Randy says Janelle is "back," but I don't think she was ever really gone. Mariah tells Janelle she gave a beautiful, elegant performance.  Lots of "beautifuls" there. Steven Tyler would be proud.

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Tomorrow we lose another contestant and FOX will most likely issue an apology for Nicki's not so accidental reference to the male appendage. Will Lazaro make it through to another week? Will America pick up the phones for Paul's beyond adorable smile? We'll find out during the results show. Til then!

American Idol: Gone, Gone, Gone.

Welcome to the Top 10 results show! Tonight we find out which nine contestants move on to compete next week, and we will also have a sing off between two of last week’s eliminated contestants. The winner of the sing off will earn a spot on the 2013 American Idol Tour. Nicki managed to arrive on time tonight, so goodness knows what we have in store.

 

It seems Kree is already receiving the key to her home city. Typically this act is reserved for the Final 3 homecoming visits, but I guess we just assume she’s going to make it that far. Kree, by the way, is safe tonight. She is joined by Candice and Angie in the top 3 vote-getters from last night.

It’s always nice to see Bon Jovi perform…at this point they can do whatever they want, right? I've been lucky enough to see them in concert, and they put on an amazing show each time. My beloved P Squared – last year’s victor, Phillip Phillips, is in the house as well, and he performs his new single “Gone, Gone, Gone.” It’s catchy, and as much as I like “Home,” I’m ready to hear a different P Squared song on the radio.

Now for the sing off. Charlie Askew chooses to perform an original song “Sky Blue Diamond.” Risky dude. He sits behind a piano and totally loses his quirky appeal that set him apart from the rest this season. Kind of a pretty song though. His opponent is Aubrey Cleland and she takes on “Out Here On My Own” by Irene Cara. Standing at a mic stand in front of a piano (wouldn’t it be great if Charlie was playing for this song too?), Aubrey is a much stronger singer. Neither of them are competing for the title at this point so I’m kind of indifferent to who wins the battle.

 

Ryan now reveals the order in which the remaining contestants finished after last night’s vote. Here’s how it played out:

4. Lazaro

5. Amber

6. Janelle

7. Burnell

8. Paul

This leaves Devin and Curtis as the bottom 2 tonight. With Curtis performing first last night and not really performing well, his placement makes sense to me. But Devin is surprised, I'm surprised, and it seems that several of the judges are too. Not Nicki though – she’s pisssssssed at America for not voting for Curtis. She becomes even more pissed when Curtis is revealed to have the lowest number of votes, actually getting out of her chair and acting like she might walk off the show completely. Curtis has the opportunity to sing for the judges’ save, but I can’t imagine them using it on the 10^th place finisher. He takes on “I Believe I Can Fly,” which is worlds better than his performance last night. The judges, however, do not choose to save Curtis (have I mentioned that Nicki is pissed?) and we say goodbye to him.

Next week the remaining 9 duke it out again and we will find out whether Charlie or Aubrey will travel with the other Idols this summer on the tour. Will America go with vocal ability or originality? All will be revealed soon. Til then!

American Idol: I Wear My Sunglasses At Night

Greetings! It's going to be quite a night. We have our Top 10, we have our host…who is heavy on the hair products this evening, and we have our 4 judges who… um, wait. Where’s Nicki? More importantly, where is Nicki’s WIG? Oh, seems she is stuck in traffic. That’s really what Ryan just said. I guess the other 3 judges arrived via helicopter or teleport. At any rate, we are going to start without her - let's get going!

Contestant: Curtis Finch Jr.

Song: “I Believe” by Fantasia (wonder what she’s up to these days)

I’m a little confused by the choice of Fantasia’s victory song for the first song of the Top 10 show. Typically we wait a little longer before we bring the backup singers/choir down the stairs hoping for a big moment, but what do I know? Curtis is kind of shaky when the song starts. Could be nerves, could be he is just really excited to get to the chorus which is marginally better. Either way – I've seen far worse starts to this show. 

Judges Say: Keith (swoon) says that Curtis always knows how to pick the right song. He cautions Curtis on singing above where he should be singing due to adrenaline but tells him that he has so much personality and he looks great. I suddenly feel like we’re at a pageant. Here’s hoping Curtis wants world peace. Randy calls Curtis’ jacket “fly” and tells Curtis that he can really sing. Yup. Mariah is really happy that Curtis went with a gospel vibe because he is staying true to who he is.

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Contestant: Janelle Arthur

Song: “Gone” by Montgomery Gentry

Janelle is trying not to be this year’s Kelli Pickler compared to the Carrie Underwood we seem to have with Kree Harrison, and I am rooting for her.  I like the rather fearless way she works the stage. This is not a standout performance per se, and it's a shame she is performing so early in the night....she might get lost in the shuffle. But Janelle seems to have gained some confidence. Good for her.

Judges Say: Oh hello Nicki. Nice of you to show up with your sunglasses and hood. She calls Janelle “King Arthur” and now I wonder how she was killing time while she was caught in traffic. Nicki, however, liked last week’s song better. Next. The thing for Randy is - the song didn’t lead him anywhere. Not sure where he was hoping to go. Mariah believes Janelle’s aura gave star quality. She would, however, like to hear a ballad from Janelle if she makes it to next week.

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Contestant: Devin Velez

Song: “Temporary Home” by Carrie Underwood 

Devin has been hailed as both a fan favorite and judges' favorite at this point, and it's dangerous to go into the Top 10 show with that much hype. Devin decides for forego incorporating Spanish lyrics today, which I'm okay with. Him singing in Spanish every week would annoy me as much as Blake Lewis did when he felt the need to beatbox every song during his season. I probably like his previous performances better, but I still think he is a strong competitor among the guys.

Judges Say: Keith doesn’t think this was one of Devin’s better performances. Nicki (now without her sunglasses) disagrees and says she loved it. Randy says the word “safe” more times that any umpire should, and Mariah says they expect so much from Devin and she wants to see him push more because he is capable of more.

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Contestant: Angie Miller

Song: “I Surrender” by Celine Deline

Yes, done by Kelly Clarkson in Season 1. Watch it here. Many times. I do enjoy Angie, and vocally this is probably my favorite performance of the night so far...but let's not say "I think I can sing it with as much passion as Kelly did." Ever.  That's a quick way to make me your enemy, Angie, but I will give you another shot.

I think I may like Angie better behind the piano, but this should definitely be solid enough to put her through to next week.

Judges Say: Keith thinks she knocked it out of the park. Nicki wants to know who made the dress Angie is wearing and spends a lot of time talking about Angie’s outfit. Randy says Angie “is in it to win it” and I let my palm hit my forehand for the first (but probably not last) time tonight. Mariah says “stellar” and we move on.

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Contestant:  Paul Jolley

Song:  “Amazed” by Lonestar

This is one of those songs that should be put on the “sung too many times on TV shows  and needs to be retired” list. Annnnd we’re back to the pageant. Don’t get me wrong - Paul has a great smile (he would have to with that name) but more so for a magazine ad. I like the guy, but I’m kind of bored with this...I do enjoy watching the violinist do her thing though.

 

Judges Say: Keith thinks this was one of Paul’s better performances. Nicki, for whatever reason, tells Paul “this is the first time you’ve stimulated my sexual appetite.” If I could frame a picture of Mariah’s face right this moment and hang it on my wall, I would totally do it. Randy loves the song choice (of course) and thinks he did a great job. Mariah doesn’t want Paul to be held back by trying to be less theatrical but she liked the performance overall.  

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Contestant: Candace Glover

Song: “I (Who Have Nothing)” by Shirley Bassey

I knew very little about this song before Jordin Sparks sang it in her season and really changed the entire competition with her performance. Candace is smooth while bringing all of the emotion necessary to deliver this song. She’s not over the top, and she’s absolutely connected to the song and the audience. Amazing. What is this performance doing in the middle of the show? This could easily be a closer. And the bar has been set, kids.

Judges Say: Standing ovation from everyone but Mariah. Maybe she forgot to wear pants this evening. Who knows? They all loved it with Keith saying “It’s like skiing downhill with you… crazy.” Agreed!

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Contestant: Lazaro Arbos

Song: “Breakaway” by Kelly Clarkson (what?)

No. No. No. No. No. Lazaro’s voice is not strong enough to ever take on a Kelly Clarkson song. I’m biased, I know… but dude is out of breath for the entire performance and I can hear the backup singers more than I can hear him. As Lazaro nears the end of the song he just looks like he is in pain. So am I.

Judges Say: Keith doesn't think the song was in Lazaro’s wheelhouse (no kidding), and Nicki says a few things in Spanish and then tells Lazaro he looks like Ricky Ricardo. Yo, for Randy the pitch was a little all over the place and this song was way too big. Mariah loves Lazaro’s courage but thinks he should pick more “mid-range” songs.

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Contestant:  Kree Harrison

Song: “Crying” by Roy Orbison

Wow… I haven’t heard this song in a long time and wouldn’t have pegged her to choose it. This could easily become a snoozefest, but Kree knows how work this song and give it just the right amount of feeling. She makes it look easy and I’m jealous. Nicely done.

   

Judges Say: Keith uses the “you could sing the phonebook” quote and I die a little inside. Nicki calls her “Harry” because that would be the possible best nickname for Kree…said no one. She then goes on a narrative about how she eats waffles.  Steven Tyler would even shake his head at this one. Randy wants to know what type of syrup Nicki uses and the conversation continues. WILL THIS EVER END? Mariah thankfully brings us back, complimenting Kree’s range and the way she emotes (Kree's got her feelin' emotions?).

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Contestant: Burnell Taylor

Song: “Flying Without Wings,” Ruben Studdard’s victory song.

Why? What part of “Ruben Studdard’s victory song” makes this seem like a good idea? That was Ruben’s first and last victory. Burnell actually has a very pretty voice...almost angelic at times, but as Randy would say: “I’m not jumping up and down” about the performance.

Judges Say: Keith thinks Burnell and his voice are very unique and interesting. Nicki was obsessed with Ruben’s first album. Next. Randy is pleased that Burnell put his on twist on the song (did he?). Mariah always gets very emotional when Burnell sings and she loved the performance.

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Contestant: Amber Holcomb

Song: “A Moment Like This” by Kelly Clarkson (jaw hits floor)

What. The. HELL! Are you serious? The original victory song from the first Idol? And not the whole song, mind you – just from the second verse on. Sure she has a great voice, but I do not like the arrangement and I’m not really buying the delivery. I’m not seeing any kind of emotion here, probably because this is only week 1 of the finals, and I am just beside myself.

Judges Say: Standing ovation from everyone but Mariah. Really? They essentially call it perfection and I turn off the TV.

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Yup - that's just fine.

So the competition is officially under way now, and I will say that I agree with the trending notion that the ladies seem to be much stronger this season than the guys. Candace by far was the best for me tonight, and I hope she makes it far (if not to the end). I imagine one of the guys will actually go home during the results show tomorrow, but regardless, I hope Nicki continues to get stuck in traffic. Perhaps a little longer from now on. We’ll see who moves on during the elimination episode. Til then!

 

American Idol 2013

Strange that I started this blog a year ago as American Idol moved into the live performances with the Top 13 (which quickly became 12 due to a criminal record revelation). So much has changed with the show, many of those changes being positive, but my normal “we’re on to the LIVE shows!” excitement has waned this year.

For starters, Randy Jackson is once again the last man standing on the judges’ panel after losing Jennifer Lopez and my beloved Steven Tyler. How Randy has become the staple for this show is just beyond me. You know, he worked with Mariah…. and speaking of which, her presence has actually breathed some much needed life back into the show. I had expected a total diva, but her critiques are given with the best of intentions, and it seems that she truly wants to make the contestants better. However, she’s probably going to be greatly disappointed later on when she realizes that American Idol isn’t always about the singing.

Another uplifting change has been the addition of Keith Urban to the panel. 1) He’s gorgeous. 2) He’s Australian. 3) He’s a talented country musician. 4) Please refer to numbers 1 and 2.  Jokes aside though, he seems to be enjoying and appreciating his gig, and with American Idol increasingly attracting more country contestants, the show seriously needed a judge with that background.

And now, God help me, on to Nicki Minaj. When I watched the first few audition episodes I thought that this would be it for me… that there was no way I could make it through the whole live portion of the season without my thumb glued to the fast forward button. She pouts when other judges have anything to say (kind of what they are getting paid for), toggles with several different accents to bring the attention back to her, and I have no idea how her eyeballs are still attached to her head given the amount of rolling they do on a minutely basis. Granted, I do think she has gotten a little better since the auditions, but who knows what will happen when the show goes live and the votes are up to America?

I will start recapping when we get to the Top 12..13…whatever Idol decides next week. Til then!