Tonight the Top 3 will be revealed on American Idol as we have just one week left before the series finale! There will be three rounds this evening and remaining four contestants each have a chance to sing during Round 1 before the big elimination reveal. Who will make it through? Who will excel tonight? Who will bestow goosies on the viewers? Let's find out.
ROUND 1 - Contestant's Choice
Contestant: MacKenzie Bourg
Song: "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen
MacKenzie chooses this song as his hometown dedication and his visit home was very touching. Seeing him step into the ICU hospital room that held him for quite some time was an emotional way to start the night for sure. And now my thoughts on his performance...
For the love of God, please stop with this song. Stop. No more covers of "Hallelujah." What MacKenzie does here is very lovely. It is. But we have to cram in almost a dozen performances tonight so he barely gets to sing two (not connected) verses of a song that is truly a story. He sounds better and looks more confident than he has in a while, but I'm just over the song choice.
Judges Say: Keith calls the performance superb and JLo believes MacKenzie picked a song that played to his strengths. Harry says MacKenzie has come "full circle" with that performance.
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Contestant: Dalton Rappatoni
Song: "Calling You" by Blue October
I love that Dalton's first stop on his hometown visit is his grandma's hair salon...so she can do his hair. That combined with his family reunion and his tearful "this was the best day of my life" moment in the limo almost did me in. But on the flip side, Dalton smiles SO much during his performance of "Calling You" and I'm relieved that we're getting "Happy Dalton" at least for a little while tonight. I don't know if I could have handled another sitting down, droopy, sulky performance right out of the gate this evening. Overall he has great energy and I like the arrangement. I can't always hear Dalton though and I'm not sure if that's due to his mic or the band just being super awesome.
Judges Say: JLo feels like Dalton is finally embracing that he belongs on the American Idol stage and Harry likes the way Dalton thinks about the words to the songs he chooses. Keith thinks Dalton was completely in the zone for that performance.
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Contestant: Trent Harmon
Song: "Tennessee Whiskey" by George Jones/David Allen Coe/Chris Stapleton
Trent's arrival at his high school was priceless as he saw the crowds of people and said "I don't have that many Facebook friends." He really had a ton of fans hanging on his every move during his visit. Trent's "Tennessee Whiskey" song choice was perfect. He delivers a smooth and subtle version of the song while still showing off his vocals. And that a capella portion in the middle? Goosies.
Judges Say: Keith gives Trent a standing ovation. Harry compliments Trent on his song choice as well as how unique he made a song that has been around for so long. Keith agrees and calls the performance a bullseye. JLo tells Trent he is hitting his stride at just the right time.
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Contestant: La'Porsha Renae
Song: "Glory" by John Legend and Common
The tears started for La'Porsha pretty quickly during her trip home and by the time she visits the women's shelter she had lived in, I'm done for. And the song choice? Good God. If you missed the John Legend/Common performance of "Glory" on the Oscars last year, please go watch it because it is unforgettable. La'Porsha absolutely does this song justice though and she too goes for a more subtle delivery. Like MacKenzie, I think this would have been even better if she'd had another 30 seconds or another minute to tell more of the story, but still....goosies, chills, and anything else related. Round 1 goes to La'Porsha.
Judges Say: Keith stands for La'Porsha as well and says he doesn't even feel like he should critique her anymore. JLo loves that La'Porsha chose a song that inspires people and Harry says the performance was critique-proof.
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At the end of Round 1 we say goodbye to MacKenzie and we watch his Idol journey as "Roses" plays in the background. Good luck buddy. There have been a number of 4th place finishers that have gone on to do pretty well for themselves. You certainly have the potential to do the same.
ROUND 2 - Scott Borchetta's Choice
Contestant: Dalton Rappatoni
Song: "Dancing In the Dark" by Bruce Springsteen
When the performance starts, I'm worried that Dalton's sloooooowed down approach to this classic is going to come back to bite him....and then the song becomes "Dancing In the Dark" on crack. I love it. I'm worried JLo might actually injure herself with all of the chair bouncing and head banging. I haven't enjoyed Dalton this much in a while.
Judges Say: JLo is apparently okay. She tells Dalton he did a great job and thinks he made the song fresh and new. Harry says the arrangement was smart and Keith thinks Dalton made himself stand out with that performance.
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Contestant: La'Porsha Renae
Song: "Stay With Me" by Lorraine Ellison
This is an interesting choice but I guess Scott knows what he's doing? La'Porsha sings the hell out of this song, but she admits it wasn't a song that she totally connected with. I was kind of sensing that during the performance and wish she had 'sold it' a bit more. We're at a point in the competition where you're sometimes at the mercy of the judges, producers, mentors, etc. in terms of song choice and I feel like sometimes you just have to throw yourself into it.
Judges Say: Harry calls La'Porsha out not believing in what she was singing but Keith and JLo say she killed it anyway.
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Contestant: Trent Harmon
Song: "Drink You Away" by Justin Timberlake
This is the first time JT has allowed an Idol contestant to cover a song and this one is a doozy. I'm not always sure what Trent is up to with his guitar, but otherwise I'm totally on board with everything he is doing in this performance. He slays this song and easily takes Round 2.
Judges Say: JLo gives a standing ovation. Keith asks what the guitar was for and JLo says Trent was "singing to win." I would have been even better if she had gone with the throwback "in it to win it!" Harry gives a shout out to the background singers and the band and then tells Trent he did a fantastic job.
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ROUND 3 - Judges Choice
Contestant: Dalton Rappatoni
Song: "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears
Really? This is the song that's supposed to help Dalton become the next American Idol? Rayvon put us through a cover of this tune last year and it was only slightly more boring than this one. I think the judges did Dalton a disservice here.
Judges Say: JLo asks if Dalton lowered the key because she felt like he should have been singing in the higher key. Harry liked how Dalton "re-harmonized" the chords but he says this was not his strongest performance. Keith thinks Dalton could have nailed the song if he had kept it in the original key.
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Contestant: La'Porsha Renae
Song: "Hello" by Adele
Normally I make some sort of over-dramatic groan when I hear a song choice that ends with "by Adele." The woman can't be touched. However, when I heard that the judges chose "Hello" for La'Porsha, my reaction was a "hellll yeah!" I mean, Adele still can't be touched...ever...but this performance is still pretty fantastic. She had me at hello?
Judges Say: Harry had been holding La'Porsha's daughter during the performance and is all smiles when hands her back to her mama. Keith says the performance was beautiful and JLo loved that La'Porsha had to stretch her vocals for this song.
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Contestant: Trent Harmon
Song: "Waiting Game" by Parson James
I'll be the first to raise my hand and say I don't know this song. However, Trent's gorgeous falsetto makes this a song I want to hear many, many times. I'd say he and La'Porsha tied for Round 3, though it's entirely possible that he may have had the best night of the Top 3.
Judges Say: Keith says the song was tailor made for Trent and JLo has goosies. Harry says it's an honor to critique someone with such extraordinary talent.
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Keith also took the stage tonight to treat us to "Wasted Time" and I never ever get tired of watching 
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