American Idol Elimination: It Looks As Though You're Letting Go

After a series of fairly uneven American Idol performances last night, it's hard to say who will make it to this season's Top 8. If you don't remember the Top 9 performances, don't worry - there is a lengthy set of clips courtesy of The Dawg himself. Otherwise, here are the highlights to the elimination episode:

 

Janelle Monae premiered her new single "What is Love" on the show tonight and I have to say...I'm intrigued by her. The song, by the way, is from the upcoming Rio 2 soundtrack. Just wanted to make sure that was clear in case the movie clips, dancers, and abundance of feathers did not give it away. The performance is incredibly entertaining though - probably one of the better Thursday night guests we've seen this year.

 

Results! Tonight Idol used a different method to send contestants to safety...their petrified faces appeared on the giant screen mid stage if they were not in danger. Jena was declared safe first, followed by Malaya. The next person to breathe a sigh of relief was Alex, and he was quickly joined by Jessica and Caleb. Dexter is the final person to make it to safety unscathed, leaving Majesty, Sam and C.J. in the bottom 3. Well, I can't say that I disagree here. Majesty had the lowest number of votes and she was beyond eager to sing "Happy" as her save me song. I loved her rendition of Pharrell's tune, and during the performance it looked like JLo realllly tried to make the save happen. When the song ended, the crowd even chanted "Save her! Save her!" However, the judges could not come to an agreement and Majesty's headed home.

 

I really liked Majesty throughout the competition and wish she had done better, but considering her almost permanent spot in the bottom 3 each week, this elimination was unfortunately no surprise. Here's hoping she lands one of the many opportunities JLo has spoken of (cartoon voiceovers, Broadway, etc.). With a name like Majesty Rose, it's certainly possible.

 

 

Next week the remaining eight contestants battle it out again, with the judges save in effect for three more weeks. Who are they holding out for? Will they use it at all? Should we automatically expect either Sam or C.J. (repeat bottom 3 dwellers) to end up with the lowest number of votes next week? We'll find out after these hopefuls perform on Wednesday. Til then!

 

  

American Idol Top 9: Wake Me Up Inside

Tonight's episode of American Idol features the Top 9 performing "with the band," which is this evening's theme. The contestants got to hang out with Fall Out Boy this week, receiving words of wisdom and no doubt some hair and tattoo tips. We are also treated (?) to our first group number of the season, which I am going to completely glance over. Let's see what Top 9 do on their own...

Contestant: Alex Preston
Song: "Don't Speak" by No Doubt

Alex likes the idea of having the band behind him because it's new energy to feed off of...which would make total sense if dude wasn't so laid back. He does some interesting things with the song that I really like, but I hope the relaxed performance isn't forgettable by the end of the evening. That's always the danger with going first and not really wowing anyone. 

 

Judges Say: Keith says Alex's style and sound are consistent but would like more edge from him. JLo can't help but think of Gwen Stefani when she hears the song (probably because it's Gwen Stefani's song), and she thinks that Alex's rendition sucked the energy out of the song. Uh oh. Harry says Alex is designing his own life right now and admires how Alex has his feet firmly planted on the ground. That being said, Harry would also like him to move around the stage. Yup.

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Contestant: Majesty Rose
Song: "Shake It Out" by Florence and The Machine

Oh no. I've been really pulling for Majesty. I was really hoping she would bring the house down this week, and in choosing this song, she may have thought she would have a "moment." However, trying to rock out like Florence is not Majesty's strength. She's out of breath sometimes...hitting weird notes other times...and I think she might be in trouble this week. We'll see what happens with the other 7 performances.

Judges Say: JLo says vocally Majesty was all over the place, but the performance aspect was a 10. I don't even know how that's possible. Fuzzy math. Harry thinks Majesty is very talented but has been waiting for her to break through in the competition. He did, however, dig what she did with her performance. Keith loved the song choice but cautions her to keep control of her vocals.

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Contestant: Dexter Roberts
Song: "Boondocks" by Little Big Town

Just. Want. To squeeze him. Dexter delivers a fine performance of the song but doesn't seem to be enjoying himself the way he should be. Hell, Keith is having a better time singing along from the judges' table. This is another one of those scenarios where Dexter sounds great, but does not do anything interesting or different with the song.

Judges Say: Harry mentions again that Dexter chooses anthem type songs but only delivers generic performances. Keith hands Harry a giant gummy bear and I need to locate one of those immediately. He then says Dexter's version could have been a hit on the radio if Little Big Town hadn't recorded it. JLo liked the performance but does want Dexter to shake things up a bit. Now...about that gummy... 
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Contestant: Malaya Watson
Song: "The Long and Winding Road" by The Beatles

Believe it or not, Idol has covered some Beatles tunes over the years. The opening is rough and she tries to do a LOT with the song. She hits some bum notes, some screechy notes, and some fantastic notes. It's a pretty uneven performance, but the girl is young and has a long (and winding) road ahead of her to work out the kinks. Sorry. Had to.

 

Judges Say: Keith thinks the performance was beautiful and says Malaya's personality and spirit came through. JLo compliments her control (huh?) and says Malaya's voice has the sweetness of a young Michael Jackson. WHOA JLo. Take it easy on the MJ comparisons. Harry gives Malaya the "most consistently improving" award and says the performance was strong. So they heard something a little different than I did....that's why they get paid the big bucks?

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Contestant: Sam Woolf
Song: "Hey There Delilah" by The Plain White Ts

Sam sings this song surrounded by light bulbs. It's almost like he wants to be Fred Savage's wingman in Little Monsters. Fantastic movie. Highly underrated. Finding the movie clip was actually a lot of fun because this performance just about puts me to sleep. JLo is grinning from ear to ear the whole time though and I feel like it's opposite day for me and the judges on American Idol.

 

Judges Say: JLo says the song was perfect for Sam and asked if he was singing to anyone in particular. She wants him to connect more. Harry liked the stripped down version of the song but didn't feel like Sam was connected to the lyrics either. Keith tells Sam that he doesn't have to feel so obligated to every note. Sam says his "Delilah" is his grandma, the crowd goes crazy, and I bet Sam will be here another week.

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Contestant: Jessica Meuse
Song: "Rhiannon" by Fleetwood Mac

I LOVE this song. And if you are a Fleetwood Mac fan and have not watched Season 3 of American Horror Story, you are truly missing out. I really, really like Jessica's rendition of "Rhiannon" and this is honestly my favorite performance of the night so far. Sure, Jessica is no Stevie Nicks, but she channels her a bit and does sing the song beautifully.  

 

Judges Say: Harry says this was his favorite Jessica performance. Keith loves Jessica's outfit but advises her to find a way to pull the audience in when she isn't playing an instrument. JLo echoes Keith's sentiments but does think Jessica is more confident and connecting with the audience more.

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Contestant: C.J. Harris
Song: "If It Hadn't Been For Love" by The Steeldrivers

I do not know this song. Even so, I can still tell that C.J. is out of tune for most of the performance. His raspiness is great and I applaud how he really gets into each song, but he has not made any improvements on the "vocals vs. emotion" front. 

 

Judges Say: Keith thinks C.J. made a clever song choice but cautions him not to confuse the sound of expressing with the feeling of expressing. That's a very positive spin on C.J.'s pitch issues. JLo thinks the song started off good...was off in the middle...but good in the end. She gets some "boos" and I have no idea why. Harry thinks Keith said it best regarding the pitch issues.

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Contestant: Caleb Johnson
Song: "Dazed and Confused" by Led Zeppelin

Yes. Yes. And YES. As soon as tonight's theme was announced I was excited to see Caleb with the band. He totally kills it (as if there was any doubt) and I have to watch the performance twice before I can move on. JLo rocks out in her seat so hard, stank face and all, I really wish that she would just rush the stage and head bang. Jena has her work cut out for her to top this performance.

Judges Say: JLo and Keith give Caleb a standing ovation. It actually takes a while for the room to settle down before JLo can talk. She calls Caleb sexy and says he took it to another level tonight. She "luhs" him. Harry thinks Caleb could not have done the song any better and Keith says the performance was more "I'm with the singer" than "I'm with the band." 

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Contestant: Jena Irene
Song: "Bring Me Back To Life" by Evanescence

This song is perfect for Jena. She totally takes advantage of the band atmosphere, she makes a great effort to connect with the audience...oh, and she sounds pretty badass. Jena has realllllly stepped up her game and I'm excited for her. I still think Caleb had the performance of the night, but she was still well deserving of the pimp slot. Awesome.

 

Judges Say: Harry says Jena followed Caleb's performance just fine (wow!). He thinks Jena's voice could be heard on the radio as well. Keith believes Jena delivered tonight and JLo says she sounded phenomenal. She does think that Jena could have been more messy though.

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What a way to close the night. Caleb and Jena let loose and owned it and I still give a ton of credit to Jessica as well. I'm indifferent to the other performances though and not sure what will happen tomorrow night. Majesty has been living in the bottom 3, C.J. can't seem to carry a tune, and Dexter has struggled to break out of the "I play songs everyone knows and do not change a thing" funk. Will one of these three head home? Will Sam's snoozefest place him in danger again even though he loves his grandma? We will have to say goodbye to one of these 9 hopefuls during the results show and keep our fingers crossed that it's not one of the true contenders. Til then!

 

American Idol Elimination: Made A Wrong Turn Once Or Twice

Welcome to another American Idol results show where we will see the Top 10 become the Top 9 after singing Top 10 songs. Per the norm, you can pretty much fast forward for 90% of the hour and still feel satisfied, so here are the highlights:

 

So...I really want to say "Let's talk about JLo's performance for a second," but really...I'm not sure how to comment. I'm not even going to address my thoughts on the song's title "I Luh Ya PaPi." I don't know if I should mention the possibility of lip syncing or not. So what I'll do instead is focus on the intro....where Allison Iraheta, Pia Toscano, and Jessica Sanchez joined her, were singing live, and sounded amazing. Their appearance totally made my night. I've especially missed Allison - her version of "Give In To Me" plays on my iPod pretty frequently.

 

Results! Malaya, Dexter, and Jessica took the stage first and Dexter made his way to the stools of doom while Malaya and Jessica breathed a sigh of relief. Caleb and Alex were sent to safety next, with Majesty finding herself again in the bottom 3. Finally, C.J. (WHAT?) Sam and Jena secured their spots in the Top 9, sending MK to a familiar seat next to Majesty and Dexter. When Ryan revealed the final results....Majesty was safe and it came down to MK and Dexter. Tonight, MK had the lowest number of votes and you can be sure the judges were not using their save.

 

I can't say I'm too broken up over this elimination. I think everyone has been pulling for MK but it was also time for MK to head home. Here's hoping she gets her confidence up before the tour. If there's a chance at a singing career ahead of her, it will be blown to bits if she's a mess on stage this summer. That aside, I do wish her the best - MK truly has talent but seems to get in her own way.

 

Next week the remaining contenders perform again as we march toward the finale. Will C.J. get his pitch on track? Can Dexter bounce back from his trip to the bottom 3? Is Majesty next on the chopping block because of her double appearance on the stools of doom? We'll find out during the next performance episode. Til then!

 

 

American Idol Top 10: Wake Me Up When It's All Over

Tonight on American Idol the remaining contestants perform again, hoping to avoid the stools of doom and a tenth place finish. The competitors will be taking on Top 10 songs from the Billboard charts. See what they did there? Top 10 singing the Top 10? Genius. I'm still kind of bitter about Ben's departure last week, but there are a few contestants I'm really looking forward to tonight. Let's see how they do.

Contestant: MK Nobilette
Song: "Perfect" by Pink

Fantastic song. I love Hollie Cavanagh's rendition, and of course, Kelly Clarkson does a pretty wonderful cover as well. I'm nervous fro MK when the song starts though because it's easy to be lackluster compared to Pink...and MK goes into the competition tonight trying to overcome confidence issues. She does SO much better in terms of connecting with the audience for this performance. Vocally, however, I feel like we lose her at times. There are certain awkward spots where the background singers are singing, and there's an opportunity for MK to ad lib or jump in...but she doesn't. Maybe there were some timing issues.

Judges Say: Keith loves MK's style tonight. He mentions her not coming in at the right time with the band, and he encourages her to own the stage more. JLo really liked the way the song started but tells MK she has to handle mistakes better. Harry doesn't think this was a strong performance and didn't get any feeling from the song.

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Contestant: Dexter Roberts
Song: "Cruise" by Florida Georgia Line

Confession: I hate this song. The teenagers I coach would probably throw things at me if they were in my presence right now. However, something about Dexter's version is incredibly endearing. The slow start was a good move and I love that he abandoned the guitar and worked the stage a little bit. Dexter definitely could have been more into the song and more comfortable with his (kinda) strut, but I thank him for helping me to not cover my ears when the music started.  

 

Judges Say: JLo says the great thing about Top 10 records is that the audience knows the song...so he should have had everyone up and clapping and doing something. Harry did not like the performance because Harry doesn't like anything. He says Dexter didn't to anything different with the song and there was no joy to it. Keith liked that Dexter slowed the song down in the beginning and wonders why he didn't just stay there. Fair point.

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Contestant: Jena Irene
Song: "Clarity" by Zedd

Jena's got a Katy Perry vibe going tonight and the audience is armed with glow sticks to do her bidding. She totally takes the whole "it's a Top 10 song so everyone should be on their feet" thing and runs with it. Sure, she's out of breath at times, but this at least feels like a concert performance and not just a TV show. She's had two solid weeks in a row now and is starting to place herself above many of the other contestants. I'm definitely a Jena fan.

 

Judges Say: Harry thinks this song was in Jena's wheelhouse and says she is a very strong singer. Keith loves the song and thinks this was the best performance of the night so far (agreed). JLo says Jena has great energy but advises her to hold the middle of the stage more.

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Contestant: Alex Preston
Song: "Story of My Life" by One Direction

I was harsh on Alex last week. I was. I completely stand by my displeasure with his version of "Falling Slowly," but I love what he's doing this week. Alex switches up the sound in a risky but fantastic way, totally removing the "boy band" association the song has. Welcome back dude.

Judges Say: Keith has to wait for the cheering to die down and then says Alex knows who is and knows what do with songs. He thinks the performance was great. JLo says the vocals were beautiful and Alex owned the stage. She also thinks Alex has a Buddy Holly vibe. I can see that. Harry tells Alex he hit the bulls-eye on the artistry target.

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Contestant: Malaya Watson
Song: "When I Was Your Man" by Bruno Mars

This one's tough for me because Candice Glover did such an amazing job on this song last season...but Malaya seriously holds her own. This performance seems effortless and she is really progressing on this show. Malaya is also slowly becoming someone I'm excited to see each week. Girl can siiiiiing.

Judges Say: JLo says she was ready to hate on Malaya in the beginning because she wasn't sure how Malaya would change the "was your man" part. She didn't. Neither did Candice, JLo. But Ms. Lopez calls the performance beautiful and we move on to Harry...who believes Malaya was 100% present in each word that she sang. Keith says Malaya knocked it out of the park.
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Contestant: Caleb Johnson
Song: "Edge of Glory" by Lady Gaga

Oh. My. God. Aside from the fact that this is my favorite Lady Gaga song ever (I will proudly put my paws up), Caleb's rendition is fantastic. He make this tune into a rock anthym that I can still do a slow fist pump to and I love it. Caleb is a total bad ass and really should be a shoe in for the finale. One might say he's on the edge of glory... Sorry. Had to.

Judges Say: Harry loves that Caleb took a pop tune and put his own spin on it. "I give you an 'A' for originality on that." Thanks Harry. Keith thinks Caleb has a killer tone but he did not dig the feel of it. JLo liked the performance but felt it lacked feeling. Boooo.
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Contestant: C.J. Harris
Song: "Invisible" by Hunter Hayes

The strings section is a nice touch here but I feel like C.J. is yelling over the background music...and the background music isn't that loud. His voice cracks a couple of times and he's really just all over the place. While I appreciate the emotion he puts into the song, I don't think this is a good performance at all.

 

Judges Say: Keith is rooting for C.J. but says he couldn't stay in tune tonight. JLo hopes C.J. is able to get control of his gift because this performance wasn't what it should have been. Harry educates C.J. on pitch and sharpness and says he has to get it in check...and I agree with Harry, which startles me for a second.

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Contestant: Jessica Meuse
Song: "Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster The People

Jessica does a stripped down version of the song to start and then the band kicks in about half way through. She sounds great and she is someone I would be happy to hear on the radio any day. I don't think this is a "wow" moment for Jessica...and she's really due for one. I'd like to see her stick around though because I think she could be a contender when the competition gets down to the wire. Fingers crossed that voters took notice of her tonight.

Judges Say: JLo is really happy with the performance and says Jessica sang the song perfectly. Harry didn't like the performance because he wasn't sure how Jessica was interpreting the lyrics. Even JLo yells "booooo." Keith liked it and says Jessica made the song her own and sounded very 60s/country-esque. Harry interrupts and I fast forward to the next contestant.

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Contestant: Majesty Rose
Song: "Wake Me Up" by Avicii

Such a great song and for the most part I love the way Majesty performs it. I think she might be a little nervous based on her time in the bottom 3 last week. She looks very shy at times. It all seems to work out okay though because the folksy arrangement allows for those subtle moments. 

Judges Say: Harry likes what Majesty did with the song, saying she took it in a very different direction. Keith disagrees because Avicii's arrangement works better (huh?). JLo notes that Majesty looked afraid tonight but says half way through the performance took off.

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Contestant: Sam Woolf

Song: "We Are Young" by fun

 

Sam also has to bounce back from a trip to the bottom 3. He does a good job with the song and he looks more confident than Majesty did for sure. Sam doesn't really do anything different with the tune, but he's improving on his stage presence and making sultry eye contact with the young ladies in the audience. We'll see how the judges feel about all that.

 

Judges Say: Keith thinks Sam did a great job. JLo loved the performance and says it was much better than last week. Harry tells Sam he has to be more self assertive and own the stage. 

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This was a very uneven performance night on American Idol but with a Top 10 sing the Top 10 theme, it was pretty clear from the get go that several of the contestants probably wouldn't rise to the occasion. Tomorrow we will lose another young hopeful and based on the feedback tonight, I'm not sure anyone should feel super confident going into the results show. Even the people that Harry liked didn't get great reviews from the JLo and Keith. So...can Majesty and Sam avoid the stools of doom this week? Will MK's awkward performance ultimately send her home? Did C.J.'s pitch problems seal his fate tonight? We'll find out what happens during the results filler hour. Til then!

American Idol Elimination: This Is The End

The stakes are high on tonight's episode of American Idol. The contestants who make it through to the next round automatically earn a spot on this summer's tour, and the one poor soul who couldn't garner enough votes will have to hold out hope for VIP tickets to see the show at a town near them. The hour is packed...with well, not a lot to speak of...but here are the highlights.

 

 

Judge Harry performed a medley of his songs, backed by a full band and orchestra. He had the ladies yelling, the contestants dancing (kind of) and JLo leaning so far over the balcony, I worried that audience members were going to have to save her in the event of a fall. Oh...and the man can play the piano. Not that there was ever any doubt of Harry's ability, but wow. My moment of swooning ended though when Harry cradled a singing Munfarid Zaidi again, because I guess we aren't waiting until the finale this year to relive any of the audition moments.

 

 

Results! Caleb, Dexter and C.J. took the stage but they were all sent to safety pretty quickly. Malaya and MK avoided the stools of doom as well and Ben and Majesty were sent to the bottom 3 seats together. Jessica earned a spot in the Top 10, but then I became very concerned when Alex was declared safe. Jena and Sam were the last to hear their fate, and Sam rounded out the bottom 3. Wow. I imagine this was probably just a stunt though because Sam made it out of there pretty quick. Millions of teenage girls were then able to lower their phones and stop the angry tweets, texts and snapchats.  It all came down to Majesty and Ben...with Ben earning the lowest number of votes. He sang "Stars" as his save-me song but Harry didn't even look interested in discussing the matter. Keith delivered the news, we said goodbye to Ben, and I let out sounds that probably alarmed my neighbors.

 

 

So Ben fell victim to the "we don't know who you are" nonsense that apparently only applies to some contestants. I'm not happy at all with these results and I feel awful for Ben. The tour would have been far more entertaining with his talent and energy. Ugh. Next week we'll hold out hope that the Top 10 all know who they are and give us fantastic performances. Will anyone surprise us? Will we see any of the front runners falter. We'll find out when the contestants take the stage again. Til then!

 

 

 

American Idol Top 11: Let It Go

Tonight the Top 11 take on "songs from the cinema" for the first time....this season. How many repeats will we have from the previous seasons? Will someone inevitably attempt "I Will Always Love You" or "My Heart Will Go On?" Am I going to have to sit through another rendition of "I Believe I Can Fly?" Might we actually get a soundtrack night of songs not performed by several other past Idol contestants? Aren't there enough movie songs out there to keep us from the duplicates? Let's find out!

 

 

Contestant: Sam Woolf

Song:  "Come Together" by The Beatles

 

Sam chose an upbeat song because he wants to show a different side of himself. It's times like these when I wish Steven Tyler was still a judge on this show. I have to wonder if he'd have his eyes closed right now and sit there slowly moving his head from side to side. I miss him. Anyway, this performance is an improvement for Sam. The song definitely isn't as big as it could have been, but I appreciate that he went out of his comfort zone. Sam sounds great and moves with some swag tonight. And the girls, of course, love him. Good for Sam.

 

Judges Say: Keith liked the performance but said Sam could get even looser. JLo calls Sam a baby rock star and says we need a big rock star. Harry thinks Sam is on the way to where he needs to be but says the performance was average.

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Contestant: Jessica Meuse

Song: "The Sound of Silence" by Simon and Garfunkel

 

I love this song. Everyone is always so pumped about "Mrs. Robinson" but this has always been my favorite Simon and Garfunkel tune. Jessica has me from the first lines of the song, though she does some odd pronunciations throughout the performance. I wish she had been able to do the whole thing though. The song tells a story and chopping it up doesn't help her with her delivery...but it's not like she had a choice in the matter. The ridiculous filler packages before each performance are way more important than music anyway, right?

 

Judges Say: JLo says the song is in Jessica's wheelhouse and suits her, but JLo feels that Jessica never got into a groove. Harry thinks the band was off but compliments Jessica for staying focused. He says she did a nice job. Keith likes the way Jessica looks (which makes me say out loud "I like the way you look, Keith) but he tells her she needs to project a little more.

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Contestant: C.J. Harris

Song: "Can't You See" by The Marshal Tucker Band

 

C.J. has himself a brand new guitar and Pharrell's hat so I'm already intrigued. He's very excited to sing this song and boy is he into his performance. So is JLo...and really, so am I. He does a really great job with this song and for the first time this season, I think he totally looks like a natural. C.J. gave us C.J. tonight and not just a really good cover. Awesome.

 

Judges Say: Keith gives him a standing ovation and says C.J. nailed it. Harry steals my Pharrell joke and then tells C.J. that he just put himself in the forefront of the competition. JLo is so proud of him and says C.J. has the ability to change the world with his music.

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Contestant: Dexter Roberts

Song: "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd

 

My brain immediately goes to Ruben Studdard and his performance (and then encore performance...and then everywhere else performance) in the second season. However, those memories are forgotten quickly because Dexter is just adorable. He's having a great time, he's looking very comfortable on stage now, and his vocals are actually pretty awesome. I imagine his dogs at home are very proud.

 

Judges Say: Keith loves Dexter's hair cut. He thinks Dexter is getting more loose on stage but now just needs to find a way to put his "Dexterism" in there. I'm not touching that one. JLo thinks Dexter is really starting to believe he can win. Harry says Dexter is smart with his song choices but tells Dexter he has to be bigger that the songs that he chooses.

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Contestant: Ben Briley

Song: "Bennie and the Jets " by Elton John

 

Ben has not seen 27 Dresses and asks us not to judge him for it. No problem, buddy - I tend to judge people who actually have seen that movie (myself included, but in my defense, I had a few martinis first). Ben plays the piano  for the first part of the song and delivers a very energetic rendition. This type of music is not what we're used to from Ben, but the performance is the best of the night so far for me. I love him.

 

 

Judges Say: JLo is confused because she's not sure who Ben is. She does think he gave a good vocal performance though. Harry says Ben took a lackadaisical walk through the song. Ouch. He then says a couple more things that make me say "jerk" out loud and I fast forward to Keith...who is also confused. Uh oh. Have we found this season's Janelle Arthur and Hollie Cavanagh? Two amazing contestants who could never do anything right? 

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Contestant: Majesty Rose

Song: "Let It Go" by Idina Menzel

 

I hope John Travolta is watching. Members of the audience have no problem saying Idina Menzel's name and they weren't even reading from a teleprompter. (Yes, I'm still bitter about him effing up Idina's name on The Oscars). On to Majesty. She is verrrrry theatrical, but I like it. Her vocals are also beautiful. I'm obsessed with the original version, so she wasn't going to top that for me, but if anyone in this Top 11 could do the song justice, it would absolutely be Majesty. Well done.

 

Judges Say: Harry says Majesty is a mystery and gives her some crap about not knowing who she is...but says she gave a strong performance. Keith says this was a big song to sing and he thinks she could have eased into it a bit more. JLo thinks Majesty could do anything - singer, actress, animation star and she says that's a positive thing.  

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Contestant: Caleb Johnson

Song:  "Skyfall" by Adele

 

Whoa. This wouldn't have made my list of 100 songs Caleb might choose tonight. That being said, the performance is fantastic. He controls the song, doesn't go over the top, and overall just keeps it simple but powerful. Caleb is ridiculously talented and I will be downloading this song tonight. Sorry Ben...Caleb just one upped you.

 

Judges Say: Keith gives Caleb a standing ovation. He says Caleb had a brilliant song choice and the performance was not predicable at all. JLo is tongue tied but eventually says Caleb was great tonight. Harry thinks the competition really started tonight. I'm not exactly sure what that means.

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Contestant: MK Nobilette

Song: "To Make You Feel My Love" by Garth Brooks...or Trisha Yearwood. They're both on the Hope Floats Soundtrack.

 

I do enjoy this song. I still listen to Kris Allen's version pretty often on my iPod. MK got herself a new look and I really like the "no hat" style. This is definitely a better performance than last week and she even gets up the courage to walk to the judges table to sing to them. It's awkward, and JLo tears up a little, but it's also a "hey, screw you for telling me I don't want to be here" move, and I kind of like it.

 

Judges Say: JLo really loved the performance and felt MK was really trying to connect. Harry says MK has star quality but cautions her that if she is going to sing runs, she has to nail them. He then rambles about technical terms...and then I fast forward to Keith. The Australian hottie loves MK's look and thinks she is showing glimpses of who she can be as an artist.

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Contestant: Alex Preston

Song: "Falling Slowly"

 

Remember when Kris Allen did this song? And Lee DeWyze and Crystal Bowersox? I do...which I why I wish Alex had picked something else. Sure he sounds fine, but I'm not a fan of  the arrangement and I don't like some of the liberties he takes with the melody. It was very "Imma be me for about 10 seconds. Okay, we're back." Maybe I'm being too harsh, but this just wasn't for me.

 

Judges Say: Harry loves that American Idol provides a platform for guys like Alex to sing a simple song with a beautiful lyrics. He's really proud of Alex. Of course he is. Keith says Alex's performances always hold his attention because they are very raw and very real. JLo thinks this was the perfect song and Alex sang it perfectly. I'm still at a loss for why they hated Ben.

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Contestant: Jena Irene

Song: "Decode" by Paramore

 

Jena goes for a spooky stage look (the song is from Twilight) and plays the piano for entirety of the song. She is completely captivating and incredibly powerful...and I don't want the performance to end. This is the best Jena has been all season. Hands down.  

 

Judges Say: JLo and Keith give her a standing ovation. Keith has to wait for the crowd to calm down before he can talk at all. He says Jena's performance is like hurdling along the edge of the cliff in a car and it's exhilarating. I couldn't have said it better. JLo thinks Jena has one of the best voices here and tells America to get on board with it. She also says it was the best performance of the night. Harry says the song was just as good as the original but Jena made it different.

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Contestant: Malaya Watson

Song: "I Am Changing" by Jennifer Hudson

 

Whew. When Ryan said Dreamgirls, I was worried Malaya was choosing "And I Am Telling You (I'm Not Going)." It's overdone and in terms of Idol, Jennifer Hudson owns that song and others need not apply. But what an absolute pleasant surprise this is. Malaya's got me yelling "Woo!" from my couch. Get it, girl. You totally earned the closing spot tonight, and you definitely earned a spot on the Idol tour.

 

Judges Say: JLo and Keith give her a standing ovation. JLo says the performance was killer and this was a perfect way to end the show. Harry thinks Malaya's sound is just going to get bigger and it's going to be a pleasure to watch. Keith says Malaya can reign it in a little bit, but the way she is blossoming as an artist is magnificent.

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This was absolutely a much better performance episode than last week. Granted, we did have some songs that have been performed by past contestants (probably because we have beat this theme to death), but all in all I really enjoyed the show tonight. Malaya, Caleb and Jena brought the house down for sure, with and honorable mention for Ben (at least for me). I do have a very special place in my heart for Majesty and Dexter, and I think C.J. made great strides tonight as well. As for everyone else though...I think Sam already has quite a fan base but I worry that Jessica's ballad at the beginning of the show might make her forgettable. That leaves Alex and MK as my bottom 2, but America could easily go a different route. Who will go on the Idol tour this summer? We'll find out during the results show tomorrow. Til then!

 

 

American Idol Elimination: White Flag

On Tonight's episode of American Idol, we will say goodbye to another contestant while hoping JLo takes the stage in an entire outfit. Well, we're close...JLo's ensemble is of the same length this evening, but at least her lower half is in shorts...so the guys standing near the stage are less likely to have a heart attack. Anywho, here are the highlights from the episode.

 

P squared! Idol welcomed back previous winner Phillip Phillips tonight. Woohoo! He's getting ready to release his second album and he performed his new song "Raging Fire" and I'm very thankful. It's not that I don't love "Home" and "Gone, Gone, Gone"...I've just been so ready to hear something new from Phillip on the radio. Plus, he's just so darn cute. We got the full blown P squared performance though, complete with the legs going crazy, strained forehead vein and the tight, shrugging shoulder moves. I really could have turned off the TV right when "Raging Fire" ended and felt 100% satisfied with the evening. Love him.

 

Results! Sam, Ben and Jessica found their way to safety first...with Emily making her way to the stools of doom. Dexter, Majesty and Alex breathed a sigh of relief next, and Jena unhappily joined Emily in the danger zone. Caleb, Malaya and C.J. were the final contestants to make it through to next week, and MK found herself in familiar territory in the bottom 3. Ryan announced that Jena is safe and it came down to MK and Emily. Ultimately...Emily was eliminated and the judges did not use their save.

 

This is another one of those situations where someone was sent home too early. Her rendition of "Stars" for the save was actually pretty good, but the risk she took singing a JLo song last night, with only a fraction of JLo's energy, was not a good call. Now MK lives to perform another week and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she will rise to the occasion when the Top 11 storm the stage again. Third time's the charm? We'll find out soon. Til then!

American Idol Top 12: Fix You

Tonight on American Idol, the Top 12 take the stage again and hope that voters (and all of their facebook profile pictures) will love them unconditionally. As Ryan introduces the judges we realize that not only did Jennifer forget the lower half of her dress, but she somehow also looks like she just rolled out of bed. I can’t imagine what the audience sees as she walks to the judges’ table. Anyway, this week’s theme is “home” in an effort to get to know the contestants a bit better and make them even that much more endearing to the viewers.  Let's see how they do.

Contestant: Jena Irene

Song: “Suddenly I See” by K.T. Tunstall

 

This song reminds Jena of home because it’s happy. I feel like we went through this with most of the contestants last week… Jena has this neat back drop of a field (a farm?) doused in sunlight, but that’s really the only happy part of the performance. Her delivery is lackluster for me and I do not feel any kind of joy from her at all. 

 

Judges Say: Keith likes Jena’s stage presence and thinks she can loosen up even more. JLo says it doesn’t matter what song Jena sings because she makes it her own. I totally disagree based on tonight’s performance. Harry wants to see Jena be more of a 17 year old and have more energy. Bingo.

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Contestant: Alex Preston

Song: “I Don’t Want To Be” by Gavin DeGraw

So, first and foremost, what’s happening with the bottom of Alex’s pants? Is this Alex’s way of working on his stage presence? Is Randy behind this? I definitely don’t love this rendition of “I Don’t Want To Be.” Something about Alex’s rolled up pants, the kind of slowed down guitar arrangement, and his overall lack of confidence make me wince while he is singing. If he’s here next week, he’s got some work to do.

Judges Say: JLo loves the suit, including the rolled up pants. She doesn’t think this was his best vocal performance, saying the arrangement overtook his vocals. Harry believes Alex is better at singing in an introspective, intimate setting but compliments Alex for venturing out of his comfort zone. Keith says the word “instability” describes the performance best.

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Contestant: Jessica Meuse

Song: “White Flag” by Dido

Jessica says she has used this song in her sets for a long time, but I don’t know that the song does anything for her voice. I’m also hoping she didn’t sound like this during all of her previous attempts of the song. Jessica sounds realllllly nasal-y and the whole thing is kind of blah, which is a shame because I really like her. I feel like we are 0 for 3 so far tonight.

 

Judges Say: Harry says the performance was understated and blasé. He also thinks Jessica was sharp the whole time.  Keith loves Jessica’s musicality and disagrees about the pitch. He says people pay less attention to the pitch when there is emotion in the delivery. Well sure Keith, but Jessica was pitchy with zero emotion. JLo says “it just didn’t happen today.”

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Contestant: Dexter Roberts

Song:  “Lucky Man” by Montgomery Gentry

Dexter is just a sweetheart. Any time I see him I just want to give him a great big hug…I bet he gives really good hugs.  Finally with our fourth performance of the night, we get something real. It’s not a showy performance, it’s not an amazing performance, but it is a real performance in terms of choosing a song that reminds Dexter of home. I'm totally invested in this and I also want to visit his dog farm asap!

 

Judges Say: All three judges sit with a smile on their faces for the first time tonight. Keith thinks this was the perfect song for Dexter and loves that he took little liberties with the tune. JLo likens Dexter to Scotty McCreery and I cringe a little. Let’s not do that to poor Dexter.  Harry is impressed and says this was the best performance of the night so far…which is true, but that’s not really saying much.

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Contestant: Emily Piriz

Song: “Let’s Get Loud” by JLo

Oh wow. This is probably one of JLo’s best songs and it’s pretty ballsy of Emily to tackle this one. The highlight of the performance for me is watching JLo sing along in her seat. Emily’s energy is lacking and I sit with my fingers crossed, hoping JLo will storm the stage and shake what her momma gave her. No dice.

Judges Say: The performance makes JLo happy and she says Emily did a really good job. That’s very nice of you. Harry thinks Emily needs to match the intensity of the song and says the production was too big for her. Keith loved the performance and encourages Emily to have more confidence. JLo then whips her hair back and forth.

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Contestant: Caleb Johnson

Song: “Working Man” by Rush

Wow. Caleb is just leaps and bounds ahead of the other contestants in terms of confidence and stage presence. He has amazing vocals and puts on quite a show. I wish the band had actually been on stage with him (closer) and backing him up more. Maybe all of the musicians could have fallen down with Caleb at the end. Sheer exhaustion, my friends.

 

Judges Say: Harry says Caleb is unquestionably the most consistent performer on the show but warns him not to become predictable. Keith thinks Caleb is one of the best singers he’s heard in a long time.  He challenges Caleb to take charge of the stage without the comfort of the band. JLo thinks he did a great job, saying “you’re what I’ve been waiting for all night.”

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Contestant: MK Nobilette

Song:  “Drops of Jupiter” by Train

 

Ohhh MK. Nervous much? I thought MK had really started to build confidence last week and I was all set to see her nail her performance tonight. Alas, the vocals weren’t that great and she’s back to looking like a deer caught in headlights again. Bummer.

Judges Say: Keith thinks MK made a good song choice. He says that she still needs to connect with the audience more. That’s putting it mildly. JLo doesn’t believe this was a break out performance for MK but says she is seeing progress. Oh yeah? Harry says that he gets the feeling that MK doesn’t want to be here because there’s no joy in her performances. Ouch.

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Contestant: C.J. Harris

Song: “Waiting on the World to Change” by John Mayer

 

For anyone unfamiliar with this song, no worries – the title is EVERYWHERE. I find the scrolling words to be very distracting but I do like C.J.’s performance this week much better than last week’s. He doesn’t do anything different with the song, but he sounds great and I do think he delivers a message here.

 

Judges Say: JLo loves that C.J. was trying to get a message out tonight. Harry interrupts, saying C.J. was sharp but really felt the lyrics. Keith thinks C.J. needs to figure out how to stop doing covers and start putting his own spin on songs.

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Contestant: Sam Woolf

Song: “Just One” by Blind Pilot

 

So, I don’t know this song. I also have never heard of Blind Pilot, but I can assure you that I would never want to be in a traveling situation with one. That being said, I like Sam. I like his vibe, and I really enjoy his sound this week. There’s just no “wow” factor though and I worry that he will get lost in the shuffle very soon.

 

Judges Say: I'm nervous for Sam. I wait for Harry to unleash utter disappointment on him (it's Harry's overall theme tonight), but he says he liked the lyrics of the song. He also says the performance was pleasant but tells Sam that he needs to try something else emotionally. Keith thinks the tone of Sam’s voice is like butter (for the record, I think Keith's voice is like butter) and proclaims that he would run out to buy a Sam album immediately.  I don't know that I would go that far. JLo doesn't have a ton of feedback but does think Sam needs to push himself out of his comfort zone.

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Contestant: Malaya Watson

Song: “Take Me to the King” by Tamala Mann

 

Malaya launched an attack on the stage last week (not in a good way), so she is cleverly starting tonight’s performance behind a piano. I actually would have been okay if she had stayed there the whole time, but the second half of the song was just as powerful with Malaya taking center stage. This is a vast improvement from last week.

Judges Say: Keith uses the word “goosies” and says Malaya made a great song choice. JLo says Malaya told us a story and she’s very proud of her. Harry feels the performance was gutsy but the message was there.

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Contestant: Ben Briley

Song:  “Turning Home” by David Nail 

Get it Ben! I completely love what he’s doing in this performance. Again, this is not showy, probably not the “moment” that we all start to look for when we get to this point in the show, but Ben is a solid performer. His vocals are on point and I would say he’s had two good weeks in a row.

 
Judges Say: JLo thanks Ben for singing with feeling. Harry didn’t feel connected and thinks the song was shouted. Keith says Ben has an incredible voice but thinks the story got lost in the technicality of the vocals. Hmm. I’m with JLo on this one.
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Contestant: Majesty Rose

Song: “Fix You” by Coldplay

I’m immediately intrigued by the daffodil in Majesty’s guitar. She also tries her hand and a calmed down start to the song ala Malaya, and like Malaya, I wish she had stayed in that quiet place. “Fix You” is a hopeful song that does not need the loud band and “I want to try to sing the biggest notes ever!” treatment. I’m a little baffled as to why this was the closing performance tonight.

Judges Say: Harry enjoyed the beginning and wished she had stayed in the quiet zone. JLo agrees. Keith says we’ll see her next week. Keith, incidentally, also said the same thing to Sam and Emily. Those are dangerous assumptions….you beautiful, beautiful man.

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So with that, the very uneven Top 12 performance show is over. I have to be honest…this was not an enjoyable episode for me.  I feel like most of the contestants should feel like they are going home tomorrow and it’s still way too early in the season to use the judges’ save. I would think they would save that for Caleb’s off week. He’s bound to have one. But tomorrow night one of these 12 hopefuls will be sent packing. Will America put MK out of her misery? Will Emily’s JLo cover be her undoing? Should Jessica raise a white flag? These questions will be answered during the results show. Til then!