Well, finally getting a chance to watch last night’s performances from the Top 12 on American Idol season seven. As of this writing the first singer being sent home will be announced on the east coast in about an hour and 45 minutes. By the time this gets posted that person will have probably been dispatched, but I won’t know, or search the web, until almost 10:00 p.m. here on the west coast. Actually, since I won’t be watching the results show, it will be sometime tomorrow morning when I get home from work before I do.
Anyway, Ryan is showing off the show’s spiffy new set and balcony perch for the band. It looks like we are getting the first foray into the Lennon/McCartney song archives tonight. That means there will be a lot of great songs to choose from tonight, but so far, song choice has been a problem for a lot of these competitors. We’ll see how things go.
How Did the Performances of the Top 12 on American Idol Season 7 Rank?
- Carly Smithson – Was the fifth to sing and chose “Come Together.” Started out really good, fell off just a bit in the middle, but is the first really great performance of the night. Randy thought she sounded “amazing.” Paula thought she was “already watching a star.” Simon thinks she finally chose the right song for her after weeks of bad choices and reminded him of Kelly Clarkson in the in first Top 12 performance from season one.
- David Cook – He was the sixth performer to take the stage and sang “Eleanor Rigby.” He is probably my favorite on the guys’ side of things. Another one that came to play this week, as it was a great beginning and a great ending. Randy thinks he “got this.” Paula thinks he is the “front man here on American Idol.” Simon thought it was “brilliant” and that if it “remains a talent competition and not a popularity contest” that he could actually win.
- Brooke White – She was the seventh to sing and is my favorite on the girls’ side of things. She sang “Let It Be” while playing the piano. Randy doesn’t think it is her “strongest performance,” but loves her “conviction” and is “a fan.” Paula thinks this is “her niche,” where she picks the right song “where American can feel her heart.” Simon thinks it is “one of the best performances of the night” and that she is “believable.”
- Michael Johns – Took the stage tenth and sang “Across the Universe.” It is a low-key performance, but he sounds really good. Still is yet to sound as good as he did during Hollywood week. Randy thinks he could have taken it up a bit, as it was kind of a “sleepy” performance. Paula likes his “quite confidence” and thinks it was “brilliant.” Simon thinks he needed to step things up like Carly did this week and doesn’t think we have heard all that he is capable of yet.
- Amanda Overmeyer – Ninth to come on stage and sang “You Can’t Do That.” She is actually singing tonight, although she sounds like a female Elvis impersonator when she does. Randy thought she “rocked it out.” Paula thinks she is a “star up there” and was “blown away.” Simon didn’t think it was as good as last week and couldn’t understand most of the words she was singing, but thinks it is “a good thing” she is in the competition.
- Chikezie – Was the second singer tonight and sang, a jug band/country rock version of “She’s a Woman.” Started off okay, but sounded rough in the middle and then kind of came together at the end. This is one of those risks Paula was talking about at the beginning of the show. Randy was “thoroughly entertained.” Paula has been waiting for this type of performance. Simon “is really surprised that he agrees” with the other two judges and thought it was “terrific.”
- Syesha Mercado – Was first to take the stage tonight and sang, “Got to Get You Into My Life.” It is a pretty decent start to the night, but the bar hasn’t been set all that high. Randy thinks she got going “all right” in the middle and to the end. Paula thinks she found “the zone” midway through. Simon thought it was “better than all right,” but she looked “very, very nervous.”
- Jason Castro – He took the stage fourth and sang “If I Fell” while playing the guitar. It is another kind of boring performance, but he doesn’t sound that bad. Randy “liked it, but didn’t love it.” Paula “disagrees” with Randy and could “feel” his heart in the song. Simon thought he was “incredible” last week, but this week was “boring.” Thinks it will be good enough to stay another week, but needs to do better. That could be true, but there better be some other bad performances ahead.
- Ramiele Malubay – She was the third singer to take the new stage and sang “In My Life.” It isn’t really working for me, as it didn’t sound that good. Randy thought is was “pretty boring.” Paula thinks she looks “lovely tonight,” which means she didn’t do very well. Simon was “bored to tears” by the whole thing and thinks she is a lot better than what we saw. Unless things get really bad this will be one near the bottom tonight.
- Kristy Lee Cook – Was eleventh to take the stage and sang “Eight Days a Week” with a country flavor. Not bad, but probably should have slowed the song down a bit with the country twang factor. It is just too fast and sounds off, even though she sounds pretty good until that last note. Randy is “torn” and likes the risk, but not the way it played out. Paula “didn’t get it.” Simon thought it was “horrendous” and sounded “like Dolly Parton on helium.” He thought it was “brave,” but it didn’t work. She should have gone the country route, but with a different tune. This one just didn’t work.
- David Hernandez – Eighth to take the stage and is singing “I Saw Her Standing There.” Not a great start to the song. Has a bit of a cheesy feel to it and totally pales in comparison to the last three performances. Randy thinks he “over did it.” Paula also thinks he “over did it a little.” Simon said, “no, no, no” and that it was “corny.”
- David Archuleta – Was the last to sing and chose “We Can Work It Out.” He forgot the words and is totally not working it out. The nerves are getting the best of him. Wow, this is really bad and not getting better. Randy thinks he was “not on point” and that it felt “forced.” Paula thinks it wasn’t his best week, but loves him anyway. Simon thought it was a “mess” and was “all over the place.” He is totally going to have to rely on his past to get through another week.
Based solely on this week’s performances, I think David Archuleta should be exiting the stage, but his past likeability will keep him in another week. So, it will be David Hernandez that packs his bags this week. It could be Kristy Lee Cook, but the blonde factor will keep her in at least another week. They are getting close to announcing the winner on the east coast. Maybe, I will give a quick search to see who it was that got booted this week.
What do you think? Who should go home after the Top 12 performed on American Idol Season 7?
