American Idol Finale Part 2: You've Got To Lose To Know How To Win

The search for the 2014 American Idol is over! Tonight the winner of a very close race was announced and we were treated to a pretty great finale. We had tons of guest performers, some definite reminiscing with eliminated contestants, and a judges' showcase that I did not anticipate. Here are the highlights in no particular order:

Jena and Caleb opened the show with a medley of Queen's "We Will Rock You" and No Doubt's "I'm Just a Girl." There were no holla back girls, but the duo did have some back up dancers. They finished the opening number with the Bryan Adams/Tina Turner duet, "It's Only Love." This was a fantastic way to kick off the two hour extravaganza. 

Some of the eliminated constants were lucky enough to perform with special guests tonight. Alex and his BFF Jason Mraz performed "Love Someone," and it was really pretty. That's all I've got. And for whatever reason, Sam Woolf was allowed to sing the first verse of Phillip Phillips' coronation song "Home" before P Squared himself took the stage with "Raging Fire." Sam was still there, but the camera stayed mostly on Phillip, which is totally the right call. His stage presence is phenomenal...and Sam is Sam. 

I heart Jennifer Nettles. I mean...I seriously love that woman and I miss Duets like you wouldn't believe. I'm not ashamed to admit it. Jennifer joined us tonight to sing "That Girl" on her own and then "Wrecking Ball" with Jessica Meuse. YES. Jessica sounded awesome and Jennifer completely owned this song. So much sass. I'm going to need her to release her own version immediately. Oh, and take that, Christina Grimmie. Two can play at this game. 

Malaya was lucky enough to sing a duet with John Legend this evening. And by "lucky" I mean I am 100% jealous of how close she was standing to him and his magical, mystical smile. They teamed up for "All of Me" and Malaya was singing wayyyy too high. She just about ruined the whole thing for me. Hell, let MK out there. She was at least on key when she sang this as her "save me" song. On the same token, Darius Rucker's trio of  "Alright" with Dexter and C.J. was just alright. The "meh" portion of the show continued...

Aloe Blacc is the man and he was nice enough to let Sam, Dexter, Ben and C.J. butcher his song with him. Thank goodness Alex and Caleb showed up near the end to save this performance. Demi Lovato was equally gracious as she threw caution to the wind and allowed the Idol girls to share "Don't Really Care" and "Neon Lights." I've become a big Demi fan, so I did cringe when her high energy performed was knocked down 10 notches when Majesty began to sing...followed by Malaya, Erin, Kristen and Jessica. If you only remember half of those names, you're not alone. Jena jumped in with Demi at the end of this performance though and the ladies finished strong.

Our Final 2 had the performances of the night though with two ridiculously amazing bands. Jena started to perform "Decode" at the piano before Paramore joined her with "Ain't It Fun." Oh how I love that song. Hayley Williams is the perfect kind of crazy Jena and her leather pants kept up with the band just fine. The arena was taken over by balloons at the end of the performance and I could not believe how quickly those disappeared when the show came back from the commercial break. Caleb and KISS joined forces for "Love Gun/Shout It Out Loud" and the performance was totally insane. There was soooo much going on...the lights, the fire, the tongue attacking Gene Simmons' face! Caleb did not dress the part but he certainly sounded the part. This was unbelievable. 

Our coaches took the stage tonight as well but first JLo performed solo. She did not make me suffer through another rendition of "I Luh Ya Papi" which I greatly appreciated. Her performance of "First Love" certainly had a ton of...skin and hair. At one point she danced her ass off (okay we know that's not possible) on the judges' table and then did some hands and knees dance moves that could have made Madonna blush. 

The last performance before the big announcement was well worth the wait, as it included all three judges and Randy "The Dawg" Jackson. As you probably recall, he used to play with Journey. While I watched these guys I had a moment of terror thinking about what a judges group performance would have resembled last year... Anyway, this bunch absolutely delivered on "True Colors" and "Go Your Own Way." Harry was going nuts with two pianos, Randy and Keith did their thing on the guitar and bass, and JLo even looked like a tambourine pro. It was really fun to watch and it reminded me how great it was to have judges without drama this year. 

Results! With no screen of safely needed, the winner was revealed quickly as Jena and Caleb took center stage. After a nationwide vote....CALEB WINS! He closed the show with "As Long As You Love Me" and the whole place went nuts. Congrats to both of them though. This ended up being a really good season and I can't wait to see what these two do in the future. We have to wait until 2015 before Idol returns and the rumors are already flying. Will the show only air one night a week? Will all three judges return? Will there be a "you must give standing ovations" clause in Harry's contract? We'll have to wait until January to find out. Til then!

American Idol Finale Part 1: Some Things Are Meant To Be

This is it kids. The final showdown between Caleb and Jena to see which one of them will (hopefully) join the ranks of other successful Idol winners. We can really only keep our fingers crossed from this point forward. The judges have mostly decked themselves out tonight, as Harry is in a tux, and JLo once again gives the audience below the platform quite a show as she walks by. And now on to the contestants. The Final 2 will take on three songs each tonight: one chosen by Simon Fuller, one encore chosen by the contestant, and the song that will be released as the winner's first single. We only have an hour to see if either artist can deliver a knockout punch so let's get to it!

ROUND 1

Contestant: Jena Irene 

Song: "Dog Days Are Over" by Florence + The Machine

First of all, shout out to the dudes on the drums. They're pretty awesome. I wish Alex had come out and joined them. Jena uses this performance to do all of that audience interaction she was talking about last week as she starts the song shaking many hands in the audience. About half way through she takes center stage, unleashes her vocals, and sounds fantastic. Am I partial to the original? Definitely. Do I love Jena's version anyway? Yes, I absolutely do. 

Judges Say: Keith yells Jena's name a few times like he is a fan in the audience hoping for a handshake. He says she owned the stage like a pro. I'm assuming he is not calling her a stripper. He then says Jena is like a Kentucky Derby jockey making her way to the finish line. Well there you go - a much more appropriate comparison. Thank you for clarifying. JLo mentions the insane energy in the room (with screams coming from everywhere) and says Jena might have had some heebee jeebees at the start of the performance. Wait. Is that the correct use of heebee jeebees? I don't think it is, JLo. Harry loved how Jena walked out on stage in time with the beats and then suddenly sped up to get where she wanted to go. He says that's a sign of how much she loves being on stage. 

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Contestant: Caleb Johnson

Song: "Dream On" by Aerosmith

This is a tall order. The number of times singing show contestants have tragically attempted this song is unfortunate. Caleb and his frilled jacket, however, totally nail this performance. Even the "Steven Tyler screech" at the end of the performance is perfect. He uses all of the energy in the room as well as the energy of the band on stage to bring the house down, and he is just a force to be reckoned with. Round 1 easily goes to Caleb.

Judges Say: Keith and JLo had been standing since the middle of the song and JLo tells us "This is the finale!" Yes. Yes it is. She says Caleb really delivered and he should thank Simon Fuller for the song choice. Harry says the performance was phenomenal but mentions that he would like to see the energy at the end of the performance start at the very beginning. Wait. Isn't the point of "Dream On" the slow build to awesomeness? Keith disagrees, saying the arc of the performance was exceptional. 

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ROUND 2

Contestant: Jena Irene 

Song: "Can't Help Falling In Love" by Elvis Presley

YES! If you saw my post yesterday regarding Christina Grimmie's "unique" version of this song on The Voice this week, you'll know that I am clapping and laughing from my couch long before the performance even starts. The first time she sang this I was memorized and moved. I assume it will be difficult to create a moment like that (or like this...anyone?) all over again, but Jena's pulling out all the stops. Instead of anguish in this performance, there's happiness for Jena, and the result is just beautiful.

Judges Say: Harry thinks what separates Jena from other performers is her ability to make songs unique and special. Keith says her performance of this song two weeks ago was so beautiful, it inspired "somebody else" to do it...he emphasizes "somebody else" twice and I assume he is talking about Christina Grimmie. HA!!! That's awesome. Keith calls Jena a trailblazer and a true artist. JLo has goosies (everybody drink!) because Jena's soul comes through when she sings at the piano. 

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Contestant: Caleb Johnson 

Song: "Maybe I'm Amazed" by Paul McCartney

You know, it's going to be really hard for Caleb to follow that first performance with anything else tonight. I truly loved his recent rendition of this song and I think he actually delivers this performance with even more gusto tonight....even though he has that bruised vocal cord...that I had completely forgotten about until just now. Maybe I'm amazed by how amazing he sounds. Yes, you better believe I went there. "Dream On" was his best of the two so far though, and Round 2 definitely goes to Jena.

Judges Say: Keith says "Maybe I'm Amazed" is such an emotional song and he cautions Caleb not to lose the feeling of a song while he is performing. JLo agrees by saying Caleb is such a powerhouse, but at the end of the day his soul is going to give her the goosies (drink!). Harry takes a vote and determines Caleb as the winner of Round 1 and Jena as the winner of Round 2. Yes indeed. 

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ROUND 3

Contestant: Jena Irene 

Song: "We Are One"

This song puts "pop star" Jena on display rather than "Soul at a piano giving goosies" Jena...but I'm totally okay with it. This song suits her and she's once again able to greet her fans in the audience throughout the performance by walking straight past the judges as if they weren't even there. Jena's wearing her not quite Beetlejuice outfit and she's performing the song as if it's already a hit. Such a pro.

Judges Say: JLo liked the song and says it was a nice finish for her. Harry calls the performance strong and Keith thinks the song is perfect for Jena. 

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Contestant: Caleb Johnson

Song: "As Long As You Love Me"

My brain immediately imagines Caleb singing the Backstreet Boys song with the same title. It takes me a minute or so to get beyond that. This song, however, is a total departure from the vibe of Jena's, which is not really a good or bad thing. I'm just happy both contestants received songs that play to each of their strengths. This tune has a more current feel (I realize it's a new song, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's current), and I think Caleb proves here that he is not just a classic rock cover singer. Well done. Round 3...is a tie.

Judges Say: Harry says Caleb will sleep well tonight because of that performance. Keith is dying to see what happens tomorrow and congratulates both contestants. JLo thinks Caleb put it all out there tonight and it's going to be a tough decision for America. 

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The Idol finalists close the show singing Kelly Clarkson's "Breakaway" and I'm really only listening for Jena's voice as the eliminated contestants join the Final 2 on stage. Some highlights of the season fill the screens in the background as the credits roll....and that's it! We definitely have a tight race on our hands, but I think the edge goes to Jena. While Caleb came straight out of the gates as an in-your-face rock star, Jena had a subtle build to stardom throughout the season. I believe she is peaking at just the right time and I would not be surprised if she wins it all tomorrow. That being said, I would be just as excited for Caleb if he is victorious. Both are deserving and both gave at least one "winning" performance tonight. We'll see who takes home the title during Part 2 of the finale tomorrow. Til then!

The Voice Finale Part 2: The New Voice of The Voice!

Well TV viewers, another season of The Voice has ended and we have ourselves a winner. First and foremost, Carson announces that not all of Josh's performances were available on iTunes during the voting period, so in fairness to all of the contestants...the iTunes "votes" were not counted in the tally. Carson also told us that the iTunes downloads would not have changed the results either way. So, really, he just told us who won two hours before he was supposed to. Nice job, buddy. Here are the highlights:

Adam told Christina pretty early on that if she was not the winner, he would sign her to his record label. So clearly he also heard Carson essentially say "the iTunes votes would not have mattered because Josh won anyway."

Jake brought back Kat, Kristen, Audra, Ryan and Morgan to sing Kenny Chesney's "Summertime." Wow. That's a lot of people, but hey, they had a great time and we had a chance to see some contestants that we forgot about weeks ago. Josh brought back Sisaundra, Stevie Jo, and T.J. to take on "Am I Wrong?" Oh Sisaundra, I've truly missed you...and so has my spell check. Christina brought back Bria, Tess, and Jake (Barker) to sing "Team" by Lorde. See what she did there? It's all about teamwork...as a team...to sing "Team." Well played. This was actually my favorite "bring back" song.

The Final 3 also had a chance to perform with some big names tonight. Christina treated us to a beautiful duet of "All Of The Stars" with Ed Sheeran. Their voices are seriously perfect for each other. Jake received what must have been the surprise of his life when he was told he would join Alabama on stage for "Mountain Music." He looked like a kid who just got a puppy and I'm so happy for him. Josh performed "Get Her Back" with Robin Thicke and....is it hot in here? I feel like it's hot in here. I mean, as wonderful as Josh sounded, it's difficult not to be distracted by Robin Thicke's complete and total deliciousness. This was my favorite performance from the "Final 3 sing with superstars" segments.

There were some additional eliminated contestants that had some extra time so shine this evening as well. Delvin, Jake (Barker), Morgan, Patrick and Stevie Jo sang "She's Gone" by Hall & Oats, while The Voice also reminded us that Dani, Deja, Madelyn, Tess and M.J. were once on the show as they took the stage to sing "Umbrella."

OneRepublic took the stage and made me wonder how many times they have taken the stage on The Voice...perhaps just as many times One Direction appeared on The X Factor. More research is required. Justin Moore (swoon) also joined the list of performers tonight, singing "Lettin' The Night Roll." Tim McGraw (double swoon) performed tonight as well, treating us to his new single, "City Lights." For me though, the best guest performance came from Coldplay. Chris Martin can couple or uncouple consciously or unconsciously. I could care less. I wanted to jump up and down right along with him as he sang "A Sky Full of Stars." Awesome.

Remember Jake, iTunes doesn't count.

Results! At long last we found out what we pretty much found out in the first five minutes of the episode. Christina finished third (Wow! Adam is pisssed), leaving Jake and Josh center stage nervously awaiting their fate. And....the winner is Josh! I'm completely happy with this and I think he earned it for sure. Congrats to Josh and Usher on a fantastic run this season.

The Voice will return sooner than you think with new coaches Pharrell and Gwen Stefani. I will miss Shakira and Usher, and I'm definitely still missing Xtina. I think she would have been all over Adam's sass this season and it could have been fun to watch. We'll see what happens with the new blood in a few short months. Til then!

The Voice Finale Part 1: Whatever It Takes

Tonight we will watch the Final 3 duke it out on The Voice as we are only one day away from learning who wins the title. Shakira is just here to hang out and be supportive tonight since her only remaining contestant was eliminated last week, but hey...she looks amazing. The representatives from Team Usher, Team Blake and Team Adam will take on three songs each tonight: one encore chosen America, one new song chosen by the coaches, and a duet between the contestants and their coach. We have a packed two hours ahead of us, so let's get the ball rolling!

Artist: Christina Grimmie
Team: Adam
Song: "Wrecking Ball" by Miley Cyrus

Christina sang this song in the blind auditions, getting all four coaches to turn their chairs around for her. At this point, many "YouTube Sensations" have covered this song and I really like Christina's rendition. It isn't just a repeat of her audition and she's taking the stage tonight with something to prove...especially after receiving the Beyond Stupid Twitter Save last week. I'd say she's going to pull out all of the stops to secure a win tomorrow and I think this is a great start. You can also check out this version if you are interested in hearing a more stripped down cover. It makes me happy. Not Pharrell happy, but pretty darn close. 

Coaches Say: Blake isn't surprised that America picked this song because of her ability to hit the big notes. Usher reminds Christina that he turned his chair around for her and he says she gave another great performance. Shakira thinks Christina's register is insane and she knocked the song out of the park. Adam says Christina did the song better today and he was totally taken away from the competition because she's just that good. 

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Duet: Josh and Usher
Song: "Every Breath You Take" by The Police

Holy cloud overload, Batman! Where’s the hot air balloon from Up? Falkor from The Neverending Story? Chicken Little? Those foggy things are crazy! But onto the duet….Usher and Josh are definitely bros and the way their voices blend together is just heavenly. Maybe this is why we have the clouds? Heaven on stage? Pretty close. I’m very excited to see what Josh has in store for us later on in the episode.

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Artist: Jake Worthington
Team: Blake
Song: "Don't Close Your Eyes" by Keith Whitley

This is Jake's song from the blind auditions and it's one of those for real, grown up songs that really shows how far this guy has come in the competition. Jake's vulnerable side sometimes comes off as insecure, but in this performance he is retaining his confidence and I’m really proud of him…not that it matters to him, but I’m giving him an imaginary high five from my couch.  

Coaches Say: Shakira thinks Jake has gained a lot of credibility over the course of the show which will help him as a country artist. Adam tells Jake "it's been fun to watch you man," which to me means "sucks that we won't ever see you again after tomorrow." Blake just looooves Jake, and really, as long as he has Blake in his corner I think Jake will feel like a winner. 

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Artist: Josh Kaufman
Team: Usher
Song: "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" by Stevie Wonder

Josh performed this song just before Adam let him go and Usher swooped in for the steal. He follows up his strong performance with Usher by giving a completely soulful, awesome rendition of this song. Josh does stay pretty faithful to the original here, but he definitely adds some emotional elements that take the classic tune from a great song to a fantastic song. In my opinion, he is two for two.

Coaches Say: Before the coaches can weigh in at all, the audience's stamp of approval has to die down. They clearly totally loved the performance. Good for Josh. Shakira loved it too and she compliments Josh on his charisma. And always the broken record, Adam tells Josh he just twisted the knife in his wound by singing the song that caused him to choose Delvin in the battle and temporarily eliminate Josh. Wellllll Adam, it wasn't Josh's choice to sing this song tonight. That was all America. Perhaps the voting audience thinks you were silly to choose Delvin as well. Just sayin'. Usher takes this opportunity to kick that knife in even further by saying Josh is "the new voice of The Voice." Ha!

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Duet: Christina and Adam
Song: "Somebody That I Used To Know" by Gotye

I do love this song and may have been obsessed with the music video for a while…as well as SNL’s parody. Adam and Christina don’t really do anything different with the song (clearly not one of those brilliant, risky, bending the laws of reality TV, blowing the minds of viewers everywhere performances), but they do sound great together and have really good chemistry.

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Artist: Jake Worthington
Team: Blake
Song: "Right Here Waiting" by Richard Marx

I've heard this song covered many, many times and I don't think it's one I would pick for finale night. Don't get me wrong though - it's a great song, and I love Mr. Marx. I also adore Bonnie Tyler's version. She's holding out for a hero...Anyway, I just don't think the song choice allows Jake to shine at all, and this is definitely not my favorite Jake performance. For me it's shaky at times, and unfortunately, I think the whole thing is a little boring.

Coaches Say: Shakira thinks Josh is good at "making songs new." I guess if she considers the country spin "newish," I can be okay with that. Blake has faith that Jake’s fans are going to come through for him because people are engaged in his performances. Blake tells Jake “I don’t think there’s ever been a more honest, sincere narrator or messenger of a lyric than you.” Awww.

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Duet: Jake and Blake
Song: "Country Boy Can Survive" by Hank Williams Jr. 

During the rehearsal package Jake seemed a little unsure of the song, and that definitely translates into some of the performance. The poor guy looks like the wheels in his head are turning faster than he can handle, but Jake does show signs of confidence when he catches Blake's eye. The country boy survives the performance though, with the highlights definitely including the duo belting out the chorus together. 
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Artist: Christina Grimme
Team: Adam
Song: "Can't Help Falling In Love" by Elvis Presley

This is going to be a very unpopular paragraph....but I call BS on this, and I'm not talking about Blake Shelton. Ummm, Team Adam, Jena Irene from American Idol called and she wants her cover back. Sure, Christina doesn't sing the song the exact same way, but seriously? If you're going to claim your show is better than the other one, AND claim that your contestants push the envelope with unique performances, this isn't the way to prove it. I appreciate that Christina mentions that she's wanted to sing this song all season, and she sings the song well, but I can't say that I enjoyed the performance. Take a look at Jena's version though and tell me if I'm crazy. I've watched these two performances several times each now. 

Coaches Say: Blake admires Christina's willingness to take chances and do something different (here we go) and Usher thinks Christina and her arrangement were really great. Shakira says the performance was flawless and Adam agrees. He then says Blake and Usher's commentary was underwhelming. Groan. Adam closes his praising by saying that he believes Christina will win the show. 

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Artist: Josh Kaufman

Team: Usher

Song:  "Set Fire To The Rain" by Adele

Very interesting. When the performance starts, the stage is super dark with some candles surrounding Josh. He does not stay in the dark too long though, as the lights come up for him when he hits the chorus. At that point we see the orchestra on a platform...and they are eventually surrounded by flames. I have to wonder if anyone raised their hand during rehearsals and said "this is not in my contract." But as for Josh, I would say this is definitely a "finale closing" performance. He's reallllly into it and no one can argue that he didn't put all of his cards on the table tonight. I love it. 

Coaches Say: Adam says Josh is super amazing and then we quickly have to move on to Usher because we are out of time. Usher thinks Josh changes the standard. He stands, pointing at Josh, and telling him he is the winner of this competition, much to the agreement of the screaming audience. 

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And there you have it. Tomorrow the winner will be revealed and we will be able to take the summer off before the next season begins....and we barely remember who won this season. Most of me is really rooting for Josh because he's been so consistent, he's had a great night, and I'd like to see one of our rotating judges claim a victory. Christina, however, has probably been my favorite for a while so it's a tough call there. I've just grown a little tired of Adam's attitude this season and the way he's essentially been coronating himself and his contestants for weeks now. And Jake? He's cute isn't he? Who knows though...perhaps he will surprise us all and bring another win to Team Blake. We'll find out for sure during part 2 of the finale. Til then! 

American Idol Elimination: And The Walls Kept Tumbling Down

The Final 2 were revealed on American Idol tonight but we had to sit through an entire hour to get to the results. As the show opened, each member of the Top 3 looked like they could vomit any minute. Luckily for them though, each contestant found out who they will sing with in next week's finale, which I'm sure then caused them to want to pee their pants...so Idol got many bodily functions going for these guys tonight. Jena will take the stage with Paramore next week (yay!), Alex will sing with Jason Mraz (no surprise there), and Caleb will be performing with KISS!!!! Holy cow! I hope he wears the make-up.  

Before the rest of the news was revealed, we did catch up with some American Idol alum. Elliot Yamin and Danny Gokey were in the audience tonight and Ryan was kind enough to remind them that they were the 3rd place finishers in their respective seasons. Both of them have new albums out but Idol wasn't too concerned about helping them sell, as neither of these guys were actually asked to perform. Scotty McCreery, however, returned to the Idol stage this evening, performing his new song "Feelin' It." I actually wasn't feelin' it, but I also didn't feel it when he won his season either. 

Results! The first person to make it to the finale was...Jena! Wasting no time, Ryan revealed Caleb as the second contender, eliminating Alex tonight. But hey, dude loooooooves Jason Mraz. He says so every other week. I'd say performing with him live next week can still go in the "win" column. Alex closed the show with "Fairy Tales" and only one battle remains now. 

Next week we have quite a competition to look forward to. Caleb began the season as the one to beat but Jena has been dominating in recent weeks with her versatility. Both gave at least one show-stopping performance this week and I imagine we can expect them to leave it all out on the stage in the finale. Who will Alex's fans give their votes to now? Will Caleb's vocal injuries prevent him from claiming the title? Does Jena have it in the bag? We'll find out in one more week. Til then!

American Idol Top 3: Fire Away, Fire Away

Well Idol fans, we have reached the 2014 semi-finals. We have also reached the 500th episode of the show and there is a lot to look back on tonight. The episode opens with Ms. Kelly Clarkson walking into the audition room for the first time, so I'm already very happy with this 2 hour journey. Our Top 3 recently celebrated their status with the hometown celebrity treatment, which is always pretty cool to watch...even if the hometowns totally turn their back on the two losers of this competition. These hopefuls will also take on three songs tonight: one chosen by The Dawg himself, Randy "so yo" Jackson, one song chosen by the judges, and the final song will be an encore performance chosen by the contestants' hometowns. We have a full night ahead of us, so let's get going.

ROUND ONE

Contestant: Caleb Johnson

Song: "Never Tear Us Apart" by INXS

Caleb has a bruise on his vocal chords...which a doctor had to come out and explain...because we apparently wouldn't have believed that news without a doctor physically on stage with a microphone. Randy gives us a narrative about how he wanted to pick a song for Caleb that is current to show the type of artist he could be, so he went with this INXS song from 1987. Now, this is a great song, don't get me wrong. This was the first INXS song I ever heard and I loved the band immediately. I just wouldn't have picked this song for Caleb. His vocal issues, however, do not keep him from being all sorts of loud during this performance. I think that the yelling and hard core guitar action behind him takes away from the lyrics and story of the song, so it's not my favorite performance with or without bruising.    

Judges Say: I'm noticing the three earrings in Keith's left ear for the first time tonight. Granted, this is the first year that we have ever seen Keith's ears but I still feel a little silly not noticing those sassy rings before. Keith compliments Randy on the song choice and says Caleb is a pro. JLo thinks Caleb on his worst night is better than most people on their best night. Harry tells Caleb not to hurt himself tonight.

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Contestant: Alex Preston

Song: "Pompeii" by Bastille

Randy explains that Alex should really excel with a song by a popular, poppy band. Totally. It's really almost the same as being a solo coffee house artist. Except for where it isn't. The drummers behind Alex are a nice touch, and Alex taking on a drum himself is pretty impressive...but vocally, it's not great. And when Alex steps away from the mic stand with the guitar slung over his shoulder, he tries to walk the stage a little, which again, I appreciate. But as he grab the hands of people in the audience, while holding a microphone, while keeping the guitar from coming off his shoulder, it's just awkward. Thank goodness there are two more rounds. 

Judges Say: JLo sees Alex. Awesome. She likes that Alex tried a bunch of different things in the performance. Harry agrees, saying Randy picked another great song. He does say that we could see the wheels turning too much and Alex could have been more comfortable. Keith mentions the shaky parts of the performance as well, but he gives Alex credit for playing the drums. 

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Contestant: Jena Irene

Song: "Titanium" by David Guetta

Jena says she was actually going to sing this song last week, so she's really excited about this performance. She starts the song at the top of a very scary looking platform. It's a very "Defying Gravity" moment from Wicked but it works for her. Everyone deserves the chance to fly? Elphaba would be proud. Anyway, Jena comes down to Earth eventually and her vocals never falter...which is pretty amazing because this is a challenging song. Seriously. Just ask Pitch Perfect. Jena is a total diva though (in a good way) with ridiculous energy, and I'm excited to see what else she is going to do tonight. I think Round 1 goes to Jena.

Judges Say: Harry says the high notes in that song are always risky, but it was no problem for Jena. Keith loves that Jena has a great balance of being a killer singer and performer while also having a lot of fun. JLo thinks the beginning was shaky and says Jena didn't loosen up the way she usually does. I totally disagree...and so does the audience. 

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ROUND 2

Contestant: Caleb Johnson

Song: "Demons" by Imagine Dragons

Well congrats, Idol judges, for picking an actual current song for Caleb to sing tonight. He has some breathing issues in first half of this performance and I really feel for him and that vocal chord. When he moves into the second chorus, he starts to sound like the guy we know and love again, but you can just tell how frustrated he is not to give 100% of himself to the song. I think Caleb would have completely brought the house down if he had been healthy this week. 

Judges Say: Keith says Caleb is doing a great job working through the vocal issues and thinks he killed that song. Interesting. JLo understands how scary it is to not know what's going to happen to your voice (and that fear is super evident in all of her lip syncing performances), and she says he'll be fine. She thinks he hit his stride in the performance once he started thinking more about the lyrics and less about the notes. Harry wants to know what type of album Caleb would make, because you know, we need Caleb to give a narrative about these things while he is saving his voice. Harry doesn't really touch on the performance though. 

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Contestant: Alex Preston

Song: "Stay" by Rihanna

Yesssssssss. This is a great song choice by the judges and I love Alex's rendition. He plays the guitar for this performance and he is backed up by a pretty awesome strings quartet. Alex does some different things with the song... and these different things still allow Alex to be Alex. My main problem with the first performance was the way Alex was pushed completely out of his comfort zone. Here, he has a Rihanna song, which isn't necessarily the type of album he would make, but he's still able to put his own spin on it and make it totally believable. 

Judges Say: Keith and JLo give him a standing ovation, with JLo calling the performance beautiful. Harry says the performance was really strong and then does some more Q&A, which I don't understand. "What will your concerts be like?" Alex goes with "fun" and then we move onto Keith. He says Alex owned the song from start to finish and uses the word "goosies." It's wayyy cuter when Keith says it. 

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Contestant: Jena Irene

Song: "Heart Attack" by Demi Lovato

Confession: I love this song. This and "Give Your Heart a Break" make frequent appearances on my iPod. In terms of Jena's version, her pronunciation of certain words confuse me sometimes, but I think that all goes to her uniqueness and ability to "Jenafy" a song. JLo should have no issues with Jena loosening up in this performance because she rocks out and enjoys herself from beginning to end. JLo really enjoys herself too...she can be seen doing her best Paula Adbul impression throughout the performance. I miss Paula... 

Judges Say: Harry asks Jena what she would do if there were no cameras around? Jena says she would like to have more instrumental breaks to interact with the audience. Keith compliments Jena's pitch and range and JLo says the performance was awesome. For me, Round 2 actually goes to Alex. 

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ROUND 3

Contestant: Caleb Johnson

Song: "Dazed and Confused by Led Zeppelin

I think Caleb has been saving as much of his voice as he could for this last performance. Keith and JLo are up and grooving about 20 seconds into the song. It's okay though, because if they hadn't stood up in the beginning, they sure as hell would have by the end. Caleb not only looks like a rock star, he closes the performance by killing the mic stand, slamming it into the ground as the drummer does his thing. Unbelievable.

Judges Say: JLo is still completely flipping out over the performance well after it ends and she desperately tries to get Harry to stand up. But you know...that's not what he's there to do. He's probably too busy preparing the Idol FAQs for next week. Keith has to wait quite a while before he can even begin to talk due to the lengthy "Caleb! Caleb!" chanting from the audience. When the room finally quiets down, Keith proclaims "if ever there was a complete moment of miraculous healing, that was it." He then says the performance makes him want to throw stuff. Me too, me too! JLo is just beside herself and tells Caleb he had a true Idol moment tonight. Harry agrees, saying Caleb took full advantage of his opportunity with that song and performance. 

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Contestant: Alex Preston

Song: "The Story of My Life" by One Direction

Alex has this really neat back drop thing happening on the screen behind him, and if  you do not know the song's title, the screens and banners throughout the venue totally have you covered. It's tough to follow Caleb's performance (on so many levels), but Alex does his best with a song that you definitely can't break equipment with. The first time we heard him sing this tune, we were seeing a Top 10 Alex trying to stand out from the other contestants by making songs his own. The performance then was endearing and refreshing. As an encore performance, it's still pleasant, but there's definitely no "wow" factor. Round 2 was definitely his best.

Judges Say: JLo says America has their work cut out for them because they have a tough choice tonight. Harry thinks it was a strong performance but Keith says this performance is a step down from his second one. He does think Alex's "average" tonight is still really good though. 

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Contestant: Jena Irene

Song: "Creep" by Radiohead

North Farmington High School, I thank you for allowing me to witness this performance again. If I knew zero background on this song, I would honestly assume Jena wrote it herself. The way she owns the words as she performs is just unreal. I do think Round 3 goes to Caleb, but this was a wonderful way to end the show. 

Judges Say: JLo and Keith stand again. Harry mentions that Jena takes the stage in so many ways (mic stand, dancing on stage, behind the piano, etc.), but the way she sang the song tonight was better than the first time. Keith says "you SO belong here." See what he did there? He tells Jena she has grown leaps and bounds on the show this season. JLo says the performance was brilliant and Jena will be hard to beat. 

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Tomorrow night we will find out who moves forward to the finale, and at this point it might be a very tight race. I think all three contestants claimed a round this evening and the results show tomorrow is going to have me on edge. I definitely see Jena in the Final 2 (and based on her momentum, I think she'll win it all) and I've been hoping allllll season to see Caleb there as well. I'd like to think Caleb's fans are loyal and passionate enough to vote for him in spite of his vocal problems in the first two performances tonight, but will Alex's fans come through instead?  We have only one last elimination show to find out. Til then!

The Voice Elimination: The Broken Ones

Spoiler alert. The show-runners of The Voice felt the need to employ the Beyond Stupid Twitter Save to help choose next week's Final 3. Now that I've gotten out of the way...and picked my forehead up off of my coffee table, here are the highlights from the episode.

Former contestants Jacquie Lee and Will Champlin returned tonight to debut their new singles, and the current champion, Tessanne Chin totally brought the house down with her song "Everything Reminds Me of You." I say "current" because it seems like these people only hold the title for two weeks until the next season starts. Regardless, I heart her and I've missed her. 

Results! The first person to make it through to the finale was Jake! Wow. Way to make everybody else sweat for the next 30 minutes. After some performances, Jake was joined by Josh, leaving Christina, Kristen, and Kat vying for the Beyond Stupid Twitter Save. Kristen delivered a solid rendition of "Blown Away" and Kat goes the Carrie Underwood route as well, choosing "Good Girl." Christina went with "Apologize" by OneRepublic and I definitely appreciated her more without the backup singers/dancers/props, etc. She slayed it. 

In the end...Christina won the save, which I can't argue with. I wish Kristen the best, and I have a great amount of satisfaction knowing that Kat can't use that save to get her through a THIRD time. However, now Shakira moves into the finale with no contestants and that bums me out. She also probably shouldn't wear that tiara next week...

The next time we see these contestants will be in the finale and Jake has his work cut out for him going up against Christina and Josh. Can he pull off an upset? Does Team Adam have it in the bag? Can Usher and Josh claim the win this season? I hope so, but we'll have to see how it plays out next week. Til then!

The Voice Top 5: Cards On The Table

We have reached the semi-finals of this latest season of The Voice and tonight the remaining five contestants take on two songs each, hoping to secure a spot in next week's final showdown. Team Adam is holding strong with two artists, while Blake, Usher and Shakira each only have one contestant left in the competition. Can those hopefuls outshine Team Adam tonight? Let's find out. 

Artist: Kristen Merlin
Team: Shakira
Song: "Gunpowder & Lead" by Miranda Lambert

Kristen promises us the "Crazy Kristen" that the folks from back home know and love, and with this song choice, she better deliver. She's definitely more loose tonight than she has been all season and vocally, Kristen completely does the song justice. She's not quite Miranda's level of crazy...and I mean that lovingly. I seriously want to have a beer with Miranda someday. Or five. Either way. But in terms of Kristen's performance, she looks like she's having a great time and her energy is exponentially higher than any other week. Good for her. 

Coaches Say: Adam mentions how far Kristen has come in the competition but then diverts the attention to his bromance with Blake. Groan. Blake thinks the song worked for Kristen and Usher says the performance was great. Shakira is wearing a tiara tonight. Just throwing that out there. She's so freaking proud of Kristen and thinks her contestant rocked the stage tonight. 

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Artist: Josh Kaufman
Team: Usher
Song: "All of Me" by John Legend

This is such a beautiful song...the kind of song you can just get lost in. While Mr. Legend does his thing on the piano in the original version, Josh chooses an orchestra and drums for this performance and I really like it. He never moves from his mic stand and I believe every word he's singing. Josh has a single light shining behind him subtly as the song ends and I think the whole performance was fantastic from start to finish.

Coaches Say: Shakira says Josh has such a gift for reaching people with his songs and thinks he delivered another solid performance tonight. Adam makes comment number 6784387593 about how stupid he is for giving Josh up and then gives Usher credit for helping Josh flourish. Blake calls the performance powerful and says Josh deserves to be in the finale. Usher thinks Josh lets a story unfold during his performances and he's happy that America gets to watch them. 

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Artist: Kat Perkins
Team: Adam
Song: "Chandelier" by Sia

Adam and Kat feel really good about her being saved by America via the Stupid Twitter Save two weeks in a row...but in reality America could have just voted for her to begin with and then she wouldn't have needed the Stupid Twitter Save. I think they are misusing the word "momentum" here. Regardless, Kat is taking on a big song tonight, and she is accompanied by many, many chandeliers on stage. This performance is worlds better than last week's screamfest, though the camera work is unfortunate. If you want to watch something visually stunning, check out Sia's music video for this song. 

Coaches Say: Blake thinks Kat does everything right (is that so?) and says tonight's performance was a really great idea. Shakira mentions that the song is a challenge but she thinks it was smart that Kat did not try to sound like Sia. Ha! Wait. Was that a dig? No fighting, no fighting! Whyyyy don't they let Shakira talk more? Adam gives us a very lengthy speech about how amazing Kat is and why Kat needs to be in the finale next week...and then we move on. 

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Artist: Jake Worthington
Team: Blake
Song:  "Good Ol' Boys" by Waylon Jennings

So, I'm not familiar with this song but Jake sure seems to like it. He does a good job getting the crowd going, but the viewing audience at home sees too much of Jake's fluttering eyes as he really starts to get into the song. Again, he's adorable...but I don't think he is finale material. 

Coaches Say: Usher loves Jake and thinks he is a great representation of country music. Adam says Jake is as real and genuine as it gets, and he is really happy to see "the right people" in the Top 5. Whoa. Does he really think the right people are competing this week? We are not on the same page, buddy. Blake is proud of Jake and says we need Jake on the radio playing country music right now. 

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Artist: Christina Grimmie
Team:  Adam
Song: "Hide and Seek" by Imogen Heap

Of course this song makes me thing of Jason Derulo, and as the performance begins I'm really wishing Christina says her own name throughout the song like Jason Derulo does sometimes. No luck on that front, but we do get to hear Christina sing with a vocoder. She has zero music behind her for 75% of the song...she is backed only by a choir until the very end when a piano comes in. Really, at that point, this is already the performance of the night with or without the piano. Brilliant. 

Coaches Say: Usher thinks Christina is a great vocalist but says he wasn't connected until she started to sing without the vocoder. Sharika enjoyed the performance though she was unsure at first about the vocoder. Adam, of course, says this was a risk that paid off (let's not celebrate too early), and then he goes on to talk about previous winners and finalists who do the same thing every week...and how he likes to push his team to do something different and not do karaoke...and how his team is giving something refreshing to the show. Wow. Kind of a dick thing to say in my opinion. I must have totally missed the part where his previous contestants have launched monstrous careers based on their refreshing performances.  

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Artist: Josh Kaufman
Team:  Usher
Song:  "Love Runs Out" by OneRepublic

Apparently this is a brand new song so I don't feel bad about not knowing it at all. Josh brings the audience into the performance by getting a mostly in sync clapping extravaganza going, and I have to say that I really like this song. Since I have not heard OneRepublic's version, I definitely feel like Josh could release this tune as a single right now and be successful. Nicely done.  

Coaches Say: Adam says Josh is amazing and Blake thinks Josh is a natural born killer singer. See what he did there? Usher says Josh left it all out on the stage tonight and believes Josh should move forward in the competition. Me too. 

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Artist: Kat Perkins
Team: Adam
Song: "Let It Go" by Adele Dazeem Idina Menzel...or Demi Lovato if you prefer. But you shouldn't.

Whoa. Whoa. What? Did Carson just say "We'll be right back, when Kat Perkins will take on 'Let It Go?'" I couldn't have heard that right. Oh, but I did. My eyes are all over my screen when the song starts...I'm looking for Princess Elsa to show up and freeze the hell out this performance...but it never happens. Can we just go back to "Chandelier?" Or any Heart song she has covered this season? Thank you. 

Coaches Say: Blake says (again) that Kat always makes the right decisions and he can't wait til she makes a record. Usher says "Let It Go" is a complicated song to sing and calls Kat an incredible vocalist. Sigh. Where is Xtina? Where is the woman who would have just taken the stage and commenced to singing the song herself? I miss her. 

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Artist: Kristen Merlin
Team: Shakira
Song: "Foolish Games" by Jewel

Please let her fill in for Princess Elsa.

Crazy Kristen reverts back to "I Wear My Emotions On My Sleeve" Kristen and completely shines in this performance. To hell with all of Adam's talk about Kat being the best vocalist. Not only in Kristen's voice gorgeous here...it's heartbreaking. What's different and refreshing doesn't matter right now. This is my favorite Kristen performance of the season. 

Coaches Say: Blake says Kristen dumped her heart and soul into the performance and thinks this is the most connected she has been to a lyric. Usher doesn't really say anything about Kristen, but he does compliment Shakira on her coaching. Do we still mark that in the "plus" column? Kristen gave Shakira the chills tonight and she reveres Kristen's ability to tell stories. 

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Artist: Christina Grimmie
Team: Adam
Song: "Some Nights" by fun

I'll admit that I blast this song in the car frequently and sing as loud as I can...offending the ears of the poor souls near me at every red light. Christina's version is not my favorite though. We lose her a lot with the back up singers, the drummers...and because she's a little out of breath during the verses. Christina finishes strong (who doesn't love balloons?), but her first performance was definitely her strongest tonight. 

Coaches Say: Blake thinks the song was a huge departure from everything else Christina has done. He says "I liked the hell out of that" while clutching balloons and he gives me quite a smile. Usher tells Christina she just had an amazing moment because the performance indicated what her concerts will be like. Shakira says Christina is so creative and independent as an artist and thinks she has blossomed on the show. Adam says Christina is sticking to her guns on each performance, taking the audience with her on her journey. I'm assuming this goes back to this "my artists are doing refreshing, different things" comment from earlier. 

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Artist: Jake Worthington
Team: Blake
Song: "Heaven" by Bryan Adams

Aw shucks. This is not a song I thought Blake would pick for Jake, but it sure does work for him. Jake closes the show tonight with a very subtle, but completely endearing version of this Bryan Adams tune. This guy has definitely come a long way and I hope he joins the ranks of Blake's other former contestants who sometimes tour with him. 

Coaches Say: We are running out of time...but Shakira calls the performance refreshing. Adam mentions that Jake visited "pop town" tonight and says something silly about Usher not liking country music. Usher interrupts him and tells Jake he gave an incredible performance. Blake loves Jake and calls him "the real deal.?

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And there you have it. Tomorrow night three of these contestants will make it through to the finale, and the other two can look forward to some sort of group performance when the finale results show airs. Based on tonight's performances I feel that Josh and Christina are shoe-ins, but as for that third spot...I think it's up in the air. I'd love to see Kristen get it because 1) She is a better vocalist than Jake and 2) I'm tired of Adam's nonsense regarding Kat. Can Kristen prevail? Will the Adam/Kat fans finally vote her through (for real) this week? Did Jake's final performance give him a new burst of momentum?  All will be revealed during the elimination hour tomorrow. Til then!

American Idol Elimination: So What?

There were really no surprises on American Idol tonight as the Top 3 contestants were revealed. Here's how it went down:

Results! Jena was the first person to make it through to next week's semi-finals and Caleb soon followed her. Our bottom 2 this evening were (gasp!) Alex and Jessica, and Jessica had the lowest number of votes. I had such high hopes for her when the Top 12 portion of the season started, but she just never had the breakthrough she needed to make it to the finish line. Jessica closed the show with a tearful version of "Blue Eyed Lie" and now we really have ourselves a competition.

I absolutely want a Caleb and Jena finale...but Alex seems to have quite a fan base at this point and might be a spoiler next week when push comes to shove. Can he break thorough what the American Idol producers and judges have pretty much deemed the Final 2? We only have one more week until we find out who will duke it out in the 2014 finale. Til then!

American Idol Top 4: Sit Right Down Where You Belong

We are down to the wire on American Idol with only four contestants remaining. After last week's shocking but really not so shocking elimination twist, the hopefuls are out of "save" options from here on out. Each singer will take on three(!) songs each, with a "falling in and out of love" theme. Oh jeez. Let's get going. 

ROUND 1 --  BREAKUPS

Contestant: Caleb Johnson

Song: "You Give Love a Bad Name" by Bon Jovi

Before the performance even starts I know this is a song Caleb will make look easy. He seems to physically assault Keith at one point, which startles both of us, and he then takes a quick walk through the audience before doing some major yells and monster notes to close the song. Not Caleb's best performance, but he is certainly staying consistent. 

Judges Say: Keith seems to have recovered from the attack quickly and he says Caleb took the song to his own place. JLo agrees and tells Caleb she feels like she is at a rock concert (which I assume is what Caleb was going for). Harry says this was a great way to start the show and gives Caleb some advice on the "Caleb signatures."

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Contestant: Jessica Meuse

Song: "Since U Been Gone" by Kelly Clarkson

So, because Jessica has had such a hard time letting loose on this show, I immediately wince when I hear the song choice. When the performance starts...I wince even more. It's too low in the first verse and the first verse seems to go on forever. Jessica gets mostly back on track and finds some attitude once she gets to the choruses, but the energy and confidence needed to deliver this song is just not there. Bummer.

Judges Say: JLo says Jessica had the right attitude but thinks the song did not suit Jessica's vocal ability (meaning Jessica is no KC which is 100% true). Harry tells Jessica this was not her best performance and says he's glad she still has two more songs. Keith mentions that it must be hard for Jessica to rock out when the three judges are sitting stonefaced, which causes a discussion among the judges about performing for the people who are having a good time and not the people who are doing nothing....and we never really get anywhere. 

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Contestant: Alex Preston

Song: "Too Close" by Alex Clare

Yes, yes and yes. Alex has had his share of heartbreak and mentions that he wrote "some pretty dope songs" because of it. You can add "some pretty dope songs" to the list of things I did not expect to come out of the mouths of certain contestants....right up there with David Archuleta singing the words "I need you, boo." Anyway, Alex wants everyone to feel the words of this song tonight, which is not entirely easy to do given all of the camera time JLo gets during the performance (I'm over it, Idol). From what I do see of Alex's delivery though, I totally love. He's 100% invested, he's got attitude, and he sounds amazing. This is a situation where he made the song his own while still respecting the original. Well done. 

Judges Say: Harry thinks people like Alex because he spends so much time deconstructing music and reassembling it in his own way. Keith wants Alex to take command of his phrasing a little bit more but thinks he did a good job. JLo says the performance definitely worked, but she's concerned that Alex does the same thing every time. 

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Contestant: Jena Irene

Song: "Heartbreaker" by Pat Benatar

I just saw Pat Benatar in concert last month and this was one of the showstoppers of the night. It's a hell of a song to take on. Jena, however, has no trouble with the vocals or working the stage while belting this song. I'm still wishing that she would have the band on stage with her for these types of songs, but she really manages the energy pretty well all on her own. Her voice is just ridiculous and by the time her performance is over, I've just about forgotten the story she told regarding the dude who broke up with her when she was 14 after he came home from camp. I know, I know. She's only 17. Edge of 17? Can we get some Stevie Nicks out of her?

Judges Say: Keith says Jena is a killer singer (he seriously loves the word "killer") with a great range but he didn't think she had an energetic release in the song. Really? Wow. People boo him and JLo totally disagrees. She thinks Jena was definitely commanding the stage during the performance and she can't wait to see Jena's career blossom. Harry says something similar to what Keith mentioned and I'm not sure that I understand. He then tells Jena to feel free to take her heels off and jump around when she performs. Wasting no time at all, JLo takes the opportunity to strut on stage in her own heels....because, you know, she hasn't had that much screen time yet.  

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ROUND 2 -- DEDICATIONS

Contestant: Caleb Johnson

Song: "Travelin' Band" by Creedence Clearwater Revival

Caleb dedicates this song to his band back home in Tennessee....who is not traveling with Caleb and probably won't be in the foreseeable future. Thank goodness the Idol band is there to help him out, because their presence totally makes the performance for me. When a lead singer can feed off of the energy of a kick ass band, and vice versa, it's just golden. 

Judges Say: JLo says Caleb killed it again and he is going to be tough to beat. Harry thinks that the musicianship of the Idol band makes Caleb better. I have to wonder how his Tennessee band feels about that. Keith says the song "exploded."

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Contestant: Jessica Meuse

Song: "So What" by Pink

Oh man. We're following a Kelly Clarkson "screw you" song with a Pink "screw you" song, huh? Jessica dedicates this song to the people who don't believe in her. So....the judges should have a warm and fuzzy feeling right about now. Speaking of judges, we actually get JLo's lip synced version of "So What" for about a third of the performance. I'm beyond frustrated and I know I'm not alone on that front. As for Jessica, she unfortunately doesn't sound great in this performance either....she's concentrating so much on letting loose and having attitude that her vocals are paying the price during the verses again. She's wearing some pretty impressive pants though. 

Judges Say: Harry says Jessica is an amazing talent but she has chosen two not so great songs tonight. Keith agrees that she needs to find the right song to be successful. JLo is hoping the third song is better. 

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Contestant: Jena Irene

Song: "Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga

I don't think Jena ever mentions who this song is dedicated to, but I don't care because she's got two guitarists on stage and some neat laser lights going all around her. I don't love the arrangement of the song though and I think she sounded better in her first performance. If we could have combined the vocals on "Heartbreaker" with the staging of "Bad Romance," it would be magic...or sorcery...or laser tag. 

Judges Say: Keith liked that Jena changed the melody of the chorus to make the versus more potent. JLo says Jena is a force to be reckoned with and gives Caleb a run for his money. I'm sure Alex and Jessica feel like a million bucks right about now. Harry tells Jena she made in interesting choice with the song and says she did a good job.

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Contestant: Alex Preston

Song: "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz

Alex dedicates this song to his girlfriend...not the one who broke his heart which helped him write dope songs...the current one who will probably inspire dope songs someday as well. Alex's performance sounds pleasant enough, but the whole "feeling the song" thing disappeared for me in this rendition. He looks like he's really thinking hard about everything he's doing, and at times I wonder if he's in pain. Performance number one was definitely superior.  

Judges Say: JLo loves watching Alex do what he does but reiterates that he needs to take his performances up a level. Harry talks about chords and such and tells Alex he did not put an Alex spin on the song at all. Keith liked the last eight bars of the song. Well, Alex, welcome to Jessica's life.

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ROUND 3 -- MAKE UPs

Contestant: Caleb Johnson

Song: "Maybe I'm Amazed" by Paul McCartney

I LOVE this song. I also love Caleb's rendition of this song. He holds absolutely nothing back as he sings here and I'm just captivated by what he's doing in this performance. Caleb has been critiqued on too much rock and not enough ballads before, and this is one hell of a way to answer that criticism...it's an awesome combination of power and vulnerability. I will be downloading this one for sure tonight and I think this was Caleb's best performance so far. Way to come out swinging in round 3, buddy!

Judges Say: Keith and JLo give him a standing ovation. Harry, you'll recall, does not do those, but he says the performance was absolutely phenomenal. Agreed! Keith tells Caleb he nailed that song and JLo also thinks this was Caleb's best performance. 

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Contestant: Jessica

Song: "You and I" by Lady Gaga

Mother monster is definitely getting some attention tonight. I heart her and I will be putting my paws up as soon as I finish typing this sentence. *Pause.* Moving on to Jessica, she finally chooses a song that works for her in round 3. She sounds great, she looks confident, and she steers clear of any awkward movements. Everything about this performance makes me smile and I wish Jessica had been shining like this all night.

Judges Say: Keith says this was the perfect song for Jessica and calls the performance killer. JLo agrees, saying the song highlighted all of the strengths in her voice. Harry tells Jessica she killed it. 

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Contestant: Jena Irene

Song: "I Can't Help Falling In Love With You" by Elvis Presley

Jena takes to the piano for this classic Elvis tune and she completely strips the song down. The result is as close as perfection as one can get. She is totally vulnerable here as well and the performance is just beautiful. JLo is standing well before the song ends and so am I. You can add this one to my iTunes list too... and I'm now ashamed to say that I ever listed to UB40. 

Judges Say: Keith gives Jena a standing ovation as well and JLo rushes the stage to hug Jena and kiss her on the cheek. I think she is bleeped out at one point, but she does say that Jena reinvented the song. JLo is all kinds of emotional right now and at one point she looks up at the ceiling and says she is grateful for having been here tonight. I guess she had a religious experience during the performance. Harry compliments Jena's bravery, saying it's rare for the American public to see something like that. He then calls the performance incredible. Keith thinks that Jena is a musical platypus (best comparison ever) and says she was mesmerizing. 

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Contestant: Alex Preston

Song: "Yellow" by Coldplay

Alex closes the night with a solid performance, though it was in no way a performance that should have ended the show. I guess they can't have Jena or Caleb in the pimp slot every time though. I still think Alex's first performance was his best tonight, but he really didn't have a chance of claiming round 3 anyway. 

Judges Say: Harry says Alex really needed that performance and Keith and JLo agree quickly because we are out of time. 

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With only two weeks left until the finale, it seems like a line has been drawn in the sand. Jena owns the night, with Caleb coming in not too far behind. Alex did some memorable things tonight as well, but Jessica should hope that voters only remember the last performance. I'm guessing either Jessica or Alex will be heading home tomorrow, and I can't say I disagree. Will the voters prove me wrong? Does it matter which of the two makes it through because we're bound to have a Jena vs. Caleb finale? We'll find out in the coming episodes. Til then!