A few other brief issues tonight: First of all, Kara is going to need to grow a backbone and an opinion if she is interested in being asked back for next season. Did anyone else think she echoed Randy on every single performance tonight? Kara, if you're going to get your opinions from someone else, please don't let it be Randy. For crying out loud.
And secondly, did anybody else feel embarrassed and insulted by the shameless "pimping" of Mr. Danny Gokey? Man, by the way the judges were falling at his feet, you would think Danny had just singlehandedly saved a litter of puppies from a burning building.
But more on Danny later...here's a rundown of the performances:
Jackie Tohn: A Little Less Conversation - Elvis Pressley. First of all, what made Jackie decide to dress like Peg Bundy? Part of me wonders if she lost a bet and had to wear that outfit. This was not a good performance for Jackie. She sang the song too slowly. She's almost too goofy to be taken seriously at this point. I honestly don't think Jackie has a shot at the Top 12. At first, I found her raspy voice and her wacky humor endearing...now I realize, though, that Jackie's voice isn't really all that strong, and the humor and charisma is probably a mask to cover that up. Hey, Britney Spears uses nudity to compensate for her lack of vocal prowess, why can't Jackie use a couple of jokes and a pair of high top tennis shoes? Sorry, Jackie, I think your time on Idol has expired. Rating: 5
Ricky Braddy: A Song for You - Leon Russell. Ricky isn't to blame for his plight. His lack of exposure thus far in the competition has definitely hurt his chances. But Ricky didn't help anything by dressing like a lounge singer and selecting a boring and old song. He sounded decent, but I've heard better on that song before (namely, Elliot Yamin). Ricky really would have done better with a more current, up tempo song. Rating: 7
Alexis Grace: Never Loved A Man - Aretha Franklin. I don't care for Alexis' new "dirty" style...anyone who is so willing and eager to change herself for the sake of marketing is probably not really sure of who she is as a performer. I think it looks like Alexis is trying too hard to please the judges, and not worrying about what works for her. The pink hair, the red lipstick and the tight black dress just don't suit her. She seems like a girl next door type. Hopefully she figures this out before it's too late. That being said, her rendition of this Aretha song was great. I think Alexis is definitely one of the strongest voices on the show this season, and I'm fairly certain that she'll make it far in the competition. Rating: 8
Brent Keith: Hick Town - Jason Aldean. I really think Brent is a good singer. He knows who he is, and he knows who his fans are....and, most importantly, he knows how to engage them. He made a comment in passing at the end of his judgment from Simon Cowell that will make the country music fans pick up the phones and vote for him. I do think Brent should have chosen a song that would have incorporated a broader vocal range, because we heard him do much more in his initial audition, but for this performance, I think he did great. Rating: 7.5
Stevie Wright: You Belong to Me - Taylor Swift. Wow. I don't know what happened with Stevie. I think she's another prime example of trying too hard to please the judges. At this stage in the competition, I think it's better to stick with what you know. Stevie should have opted for a soulful ballad that would showcase her (usually) incredible voice. Instead, she tried too hard to be contemporary and that, combined with singing in the completely wrong key, and an unimagineable amount of nerves, proved a recipe for disaster. My heart broke for poor Stevie as she struggled to make it through the song. America's going to miss out, because I remember how awe-inspiring Stevie was from her audition. Rating: 5 (because she was really a trooper while she was being raked over the coals by the judges, and then Ryan)
Anoop Desai: Angel of Mine - Monica. What a peculiar song choice, but I think it sort of worked. It was a choice that made me raise my eyebrows, but then it also forced me to really pay attention. Much like Anoop's rendition of My Prerogative during Hollywood Week, this isn't what you would expect him to sing. I thought Anoop sounded a little whiny at some parts, and his style seems a little too old for the show. But he's still a very versatile singer with a lot of talent. Rating: 7
Casey Carlson: Every Little Thing She Does is Magic - The Police. I think we all knew this would go nowhere. It's too bad American Idol isn't a beauty pageant, or a Broadway show, for that matter, because Casey is beautiful enough and dramatic enough to be successful in those venues. The hand gestures and the winking were all a little much for her to expect us to take her seriously. Casey just doesn't have a strong enough voice to make it as a singer. She reminds me of Hayley Scarnato from season 6. Rating: 5.5
Michael Sarver: I Don't Wanna Be - Gavin DeGraw. I love this song just as much as the next guy, but didn't we hear enough of it during the audition rounds and also Hollywood Week? I wish Michael would have made a different choice. I guess his performance was pretty good, but it just seems like everyone who tries to sing that song is doing an impression of Gavin DeGraw. Michael probably should have sung a country song. It seems like that's where he's headed anyway. I thought he sounded pretty good overall. He was a little herky-jerky during his performance, but I'll chalk it up to nerves. Rating: 7
Anne Marie Boskovich: Natural Woman - Aretha Franklin. I thought this was a pretty cliche song choice. Anne Marie looks like she's 40, and she really would have benefited from choosing a song that was more current and fresh. Anne Marie suffered a few voice cracks while she sang, but she was probably one of the better female performers of the evening. She got a little snarky when she made the comment about Sara Bareilles, but I have to say, I admire her candor. She's right, Sara Bareilles' "Love Song" is not as good as "Natural Woman", but on the other hand, it's more appropriate for Anne Marie's voice and her level of experience as a professional singer. Rating: 7
Stephen Fowler: Rock with You - Michael Jackson. It wasn't a good night for people with any form of the name "Steve" tonight. Stephen's rendition of this overrated Michael Jackson song was whiny and flat. He should have made a bigger, better song choice. Something that would have given him a boost of confidence. Something by John Legend or someone like that. On top of all of that, Stephen made a lot of stink faces while he was singing. It was distracting. He certainly didn't perform up to his potential tonight. Rating: 6
Tatiana Del Toro: Saving All My Love - Whitney Houston. I love how Tatiana adopts the Spanish accent whenever she remembers to, but the rest of the time she sounds like she's from Nebraska or anywhere else in the U.S. Tatiana's song may have started out a little too low, and very, very cheesy (with all of the singing into the camera crap), but I was shocked to find that she's actually a decent singer. It's too bad we couldn't see that through all of the theatrics. She's such a basket case, I don't know what she's going to do when she doesn't make it through. Rating: 8
Danny Gokey: Hero - Mariah Carey. Notice how the "chosen one" got to sing in the best spot on the show? I'm not surprised at all....I take that back: I am a little surprised that the Producers are being so blatant about who they are obviously wanting America to vote for. I find it insulting to my intelligence, to be honest. I thought Danny's song choice was cheesy and boring. But I will say that his was the best performance of the night. That was to be expected, though. The judges were laying it on a little thick, don't you think? I thought Kara was going to walk up and start kissing his feet at any moment. Rating: 9
Who will survive this week?
Email me with your picks on the 3 you think will graduate to the Top 12. Each correct guess earns you 2 points for the pool!
You'll also win points if you can answer this bonus question: What did Danny Gokey say he does for a living?
Feel free to let everyone know how you felt about tonight's show by posting a comment.
Tune in tomorrow to find out!
Currently listening to: Jaded by Aerosmith
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