We've reached the Top 5 performance episode on American Idol, and the season will be over before we know it. Tonight the contestants take on two songs, both "chosen" by America. This is awesome since the judges harp on song choices every week. I think we already know that it won't make a difference for Jessica since JLo and Keith decided long ago that she should go home, and it probably won't make much of a difference for Sam because, you know, he tries so hard and that makes everything okay. Let's see if I'm wrong.
So, I do not know this song and therefore don't have anything to compare it to. I think Alex does a good job with the uptempo tune and I feel like he stepped out of his comfort zone a little bit. I still wish Alex wouldn't do the "I have to pee" dance while he performs, but the camera tries to avoid it as often as possible and I'm thankful for that. Not a bad way to start the night.
Judges Say: Keith wouldn't have minded hearing Alex soar more with the vocal but says he did a good job. JLo thinks Alex pulled the song off nicely and also wishes he had pushed himself a little bit more. Harry gives Alex an A+ for remembering all the words to the song. Wait. What? We're giving him extra credit for knowing the song he performed as well as the perpetual free pass? Unreal.
I really, really wish Steven Tyler was here tonight. Well, I wish for that most nights. Anyway, Caleb starts off in a softer tone than we are used to, and he stands in front of a kick ass backdrop flanked by violinists. It can't get much better than that. He actually doesn't unleash his vocals til the very end, but when he does, it's just fantastic. I think Caleb took a very smart approach to this song - he wasn't flashy, he wasn't overpowering, and he wasn't all over the stage (though maybe he's afraid to be after the microphone mishap last week).
Judges Say: JLo loves Caleb but says the song seemed challenging for him. This seems to be a compliment as she uses the word "goosies" again after that. I think we should start a drinking game for "goosies." Harry does not like that Caleb looks at the camera so much and thinks it takes away from Caleb's connection to the lyrics. He says it was a strong performance but could have been stronger if Caleb had spent less time singing to the people at home through the lens. I got news for you buddy - those are the people who will be voting by the millions tonight. Keith thinks Caleb needs his feelings to help get him to the next level.
Here's what we have in this performance: an amazing strings section, an awesome backdrop, eerie but effective fog, and EMOTION. Thank you Jessica!!! What we don't have at all times, however, is pitch. Now is this one of those situations where it's kind of okay (free pass?) because Jessica is feeling the lyrics and giving herself to the audience? Maybe. But even if it isn't, I'm just so proud that she was able to have that breakthrough.
Judges Say: Harry's favorite thing about Jessica is that she listens to criticism and really wants to get better. He notes some pitch issues but compliments her on being really dedicated to the song and the lyrics. Shout out to C.J. on that one. I wonder where he is tonight? Keith thinks the song choice was great and his favorite part of the performance was when her voice broke just a little. He says this made her human. Hmm. Okay. Maybe he was just really trying to work in the song's title. JLo saw Jessica tap into her feelings and her emotion tonight and thinks it gave her a great, dramatic moment.
Sam is also trying to have a breakthrough this week. Dude has been told to loosen up since the season started and he is looking to "get funky" tonight. I am actually not familiar with this song either. I'm limited in the Ed Sheeren songbook but I do think he has great hair. Do I get points for that? Okay, focusing on the performance now...Sam is blessed with the pretty fantastic American Idol backup singers in this performance (hi Allison!) and that greatly helps him in his quest to enjoy himself. That does not greatly help him shine vocally though. They bring the funk and he's just trying to keep up. I'll at least give him credit for making some JLo faces throughout the song though.
Judges Say: Keith says the song wasn't in Sam's wheelhouse based on the fact that it's really a falsetto tune. He repeats "it's just a tough song" a few times before we finally move on to JLo. She liked seeing Sam look relaxed and comfortable tonight and thinks it was a good performance. Why doesn't that surprise me? Harry compliments Sam on switching it up a bit but says Sam was a little too laid back on the vocals and sometimes diffused the backup singers' funk.
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Judges Say: Keith gives her a standing ovation. JLo says Jena sounded really good tonight. She thinks Jena has a style about her now and she is defining herself as an artist. Harry says Jena moves more than the other remaining contestants and watching her have fun makes her performances memorable. Keith calls the performance "killer."
Alex's voice is absolutely suited for this song and he sings it beautifully. He is joined by a shadowy backup singer (that does not look like Allison) to try to give it a duet feel...but really it isn't. This is my only problem with this song choice - it's a heartbreaking song and having a pretty much unseen female voice in the background doesn't deliver the dual angst and fight of the lyrics. Alex did the best he could flying mostly solo, and I would still say this was a very strong performance.
Judges Say: Keith gives him a standing ovation. He's all about those tonight. Harry says watching Alex fight his emotion and not give into it made this the performance of the night. Keith thinks this was the perfect marriage of song and artist and JLo says Alex took the song to another level. No one mentions that Alex remembered all of the words to the song, so I'm pretty pleased with the critique overall.
This, for me, is easily Amy Winehouse's best song. I know most people are partial to "Back to Black" and "Rehab" but this one has always frequented my iPod. Chances are, the Glee version will play on my iPod shortly (thank you, Santana). Now because I love this song so much, I scowl when Jena's version starts. Where's the energy? Where's the attitude? She could have totally rocked this song but went with a jazzy version instead...and I'm not a fan. At least I get some clear camera shots of Allison in the background though. I'll mark that in the "win" column.
Judges Say: Keith thinks Jena's vocals are killer and the song suited her. JLo doesn't think this was Jena's best performance and she didn't love the tempo. She gets many "boos" but I'm inclined to agree. Harry tries to figure out if Jena is going to go by "Jena" or "Jena Irene" when the competition is over, and there's never really a critique from him.
Oh my. This starts out really rough and Sam knows it. By the time he gets to the first chorus, he is kind of on the right track...but then the second verse starts and we're gone again. Any funk that the kid may have had earlier is long forgotten now. It's painful to watch, and I really think it's painful for Sam to endure. I will, however, totally give credit to the neat sun graphic shining in the background. That at least gives me a smile.
Judges Say: JLo said the beginning was shaky and then it became perfect. She got goosies (drink!). I totally missed the part where it was perfect....or good even. Harry mentions pitch issues and says he needs to make his voice more dynamic. Keith thinks Sam owned the song by the end of it. Really? I'm so disappointed with how the judges have handled contestants like Sam and C.J. this year. "No, you didn't sing on key at all, but shucks you're cute!"
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Whoa. Whoa. Is that Jessica posing in a dress like a diva? It is! I'm always so hit or miss with this song. Any time we get to the "Oh my God" part when I hear it on the radio, I tend to cringe. However, I think Jessica does a good job here. Granted, I'm not sure how much emotion we get from her because the camera spends way more time on JLo (I'm over that, by the way), but she sounds great given what she had to work with.
Judges Say: Harry thinks the voters care for Jessica and he says the song was perfect for her voice. Keith says she needed to lean into the song emotionally and JLo agrees. Of course she does. Who would have thought Harry would be Jessica's champion by the end of the season? It's okay Jess - give Hollie Cavanagh and Janelle Arthur a call. They will be able to tell you what it's like to sing your ass off every week but not be "chosen" to make it past the final four. You're fighting a losing battle.
Well duh. Caleb sings this song as if it were written specifically for him. Any and all restraint he showed during his first performance is gone...and that's absolutely fine. Keith and JLo are standing within the first 30 seconds of the performance and it's all uphill from there. Good God. The man is a rock star. AMAZING way to end the night.
Judges Say: Keith says the performance was killer and JLo thinks Caleb just brought down the house. Harry tells Caleb he could not have sung that song any better.
We also had some decent but not very memorable group performances this evening. Jena, and two other guys Alex and Sam took on "Best Day of My Life" by American Authors, and Caleb and Jessica were saddled with "Beast of Burden" by The Rolling Stones. I'm good with these songs though - I'd rather Idol use the extra time for performances instead of the silly filler montages.
Tomorrow night we reach the Final Four and one more contestant will pack their bags. Is Jessica destined to head home? Will Sam's appeal of "he's cute and he's also cute" finally run its course? Can Alex's ability to remember all of the words to songs win over America? We'll find out during the elimination show. Til then!
Contestant: Alex Preston
Song: "Sweater Weather" by The Neighbourhood
Judges Say: Keith wouldn't have minded hearing Alex soar more with the vocal but says he did a good job. JLo thinks Alex pulled the song off nicely and also wishes he had pushed himself a little bit more. Harry gives Alex an A+ for remembering all the words to the song. Wait. What? We're giving him extra credit for knowing the song he performed as well as the perpetual free pass? Unreal.
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Contestant: Caleb Johnson
Song: "I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing" by Aerosmith
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Contestant: Jessica Meuse
Song: "Human" by Christina Perri
Here's what we have in this performance: an amazing strings section, an awesome backdrop, eerie but effective fog, and EMOTION. Thank you Jessica!!! What we don't have at all times, however, is pitch. Now is this one of those situations where it's kind of okay (free pass?) because Jessica is feeling the lyrics and giving herself to the audience? Maybe. But even if it isn't, I'm just so proud that she was able to have that breakthrough.
Judges Say: Harry's favorite thing about Jessica is that she listens to criticism and really wants to get better. He notes some pitch issues but compliments her on being really dedicated to the song and the lyrics. Shout out to C.J. on that one. I wonder where he is tonight? Keith thinks the song choice was great and his favorite part of the performance was when her voice broke just a little. He says this made her human. Hmm. Okay. Maybe he was just really trying to work in the song's title. JLo saw Jessica tap into her feelings and her emotion tonight and thinks it gave her a great, dramatic moment.
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Contestant: Sam Woolf
Song: "Sing" by Ed Sheeran
Judges Say: Keith says the song wasn't in Sam's wheelhouse based on the fact that it's really a falsetto tune. He repeats "it's just a tough song" a few times before we finally move on to JLo. She liked seeing Sam look relaxed and comfortable tonight and thinks it was a good performance. Why doesn't that surprise me? Harry compliments Sam on switching it up a bit but says Sam was a little too laid back on the vocals and sometimes diffused the backup singers' funk.
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Contestant: Jena Irene
Song: "My Body" by Young The Giant
Wow. Jena has Where's Waldo's shirt on tonight but she paired it with leather pants. Clever! This is only a momentary distraction for me though as Jena's strut and energy have me for the rest of the performance. I wish she'd had the band on stage with her for this song, because I think it would have amplified the vibe she was going for, but I think she rocked out pretty damn good all on her own too. Well done!
Judges Say: Keith gives her a standing ovation. JLo says Jena sounded really good tonight. She thinks Jena has a style about her now and she is defining herself as an artist. Harry says Jena moves more than the other remaining contestants and watching her have fun makes her performances memorable. Keith calls the performance "killer."
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Contestant: Alex Preston
Song: "Say Something" by A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera
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Contestant: Jena Irene
Song: "Valerie" by Amy Winehouse
Judges Say: Keith thinks Jena's vocals are killer and the song suited her. JLo doesn't think this was Jena's best performance and she didn't love the tempo. She gets many "boos" but I'm inclined to agree. Harry tries to figure out if Jena is going to go by "Jena" or "Jena Irene" when the competition is over, and there's never really a critique from him.
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Contestant: Sam Woolf
Song: "How To Save a Life" by The Fray
Oh my. This starts out really rough and Sam knows it. By the time he gets to the first chorus, he is kind of on the right track...but then the second verse starts and we're gone again. Any funk that the kid may have had earlier is long forgotten now. It's painful to watch, and I really think it's painful for Sam to endure. I will, however, totally give credit to the neat sun graphic shining in the background. That at least gives me a smile.-----------------------
Contestant: Jessica Meuse
Song: "Summertime Sadness" by Lana Del Rey
Whoa. Whoa. Is that Jessica posing in a dress like a diva? It is! I'm always so hit or miss with this song. Any time we get to the "Oh my God" part when I hear it on the radio, I tend to cringe. However, I think Jessica does a good job here. Granted, I'm not sure how much emotion we get from her because the camera spends way more time on JLo (I'm over that, by the way), but she sounds great given what she had to work with.
Judges Say: Harry thinks the voters care for Jessica and he says the song was perfect for her voice. Keith says she needed to lean into the song emotionally and JLo agrees. Of course she does. Who would have thought Harry would be Jessica's champion by the end of the season? It's okay Jess - give Hollie Cavanagh and Janelle Arthur a call. They will be able to tell you what it's like to sing your ass off every week but not be "chosen" to make it past the final four. You're fighting a losing battle.
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Contestant: Caleb Johnson
Song: "Still of the Night" by Whitesnake
Well duh. Caleb sings this song as if it were written specifically for him. Any and all restraint he showed during his first performance is gone...and that's absolutely fine. Keith and JLo are standing within the first 30 seconds of the performance and it's all uphill from there. Good God. The man is a rock star. AMAZING way to end the night.
Judges Say: Keith says the performance was killer and JLo thinks Caleb just brought down the house. Harry tells Caleb he could not have sung that song any better.
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Tomorrow night we reach the Final Four and one more contestant will pack their bags. Is Jessica destined to head home? Will Sam's appeal of "he's cute and he's also cute" finally run its course? Can Alex's ability to remember all of the words to songs win over America? We'll find out during the elimination show. Til then!
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