Nikki McKibbin wasn't the only one excited about her making the Top 4 on Idol's first season, as she was able to outlast front runner Tamyra Gray. Before the shocking results were ready, Nikki belted out her own version of Melissa Etheridge's "I'm the Only One," one of two songs she sang during 1990's week. Watch the performance below:
While this performance was no masterpiece, it was apparently good enough to get her into third place (because we all know her performance of "Mary Jane" didn't get her there). While Nikki had a bumpy road on her season, she clicked with a certain segment of the population and for that she will always be remembered.
Season 8's Allison Iraheta was one of the best performers for her age to ever appear on Idol's stage, and her performance of "Cry Baby," as made famous by Janis Joplin, was a near crowning moment for the then 17-year-old, especially considering it took place on Rock 'n Roll night during Top 4 week - the same night on which she had an unforgettable duet with Adam Lambert on "Slow Ride." Watch the performance below:
Despite the great range displayed by Alison on "Cry Baby," she was eliminated the following night. Alison might have been the victim of a crowded, talented Top 4, but at least she went out on a high note.
The results of the Top 4 edition of IDOL LIVE"s poll of the week was somewhat of a surprise considering the direction things are going in but on the other hand they are not too shocking considering who's in the Top 3.
This week it was Casey James who led the way, as he took in 58 of all 134 votes cast, or 43% in all, which was a fair amount ahead of second-place Lee DeWyze and his 44 votes (32%). Crystal Bowersox, who once handedly defeated all her peers in the poll early on in the season, fell to third place with just 31 votes (23%). Recent eliminee Mike Lynche was at least able to net in one vote, but that's not saying too much sadly.
Oddly enough, Lee and Crystal are now tied for first in the overall results for the season with 256 votes a piece, so these last two weeks should be exciting to see who pulls ahead.
In the latest edition of the poll of the week series, readers are asked who their favorite Top 3 contestant is. Voting will be open for exactly one week.
Casey James 58 (43%)
Crystal Bowersox 31 (23%)
Lee DeWyze 44 (32%)
Michael Lynche 1 (0%)
Total votes: 134
Running total for Season 9:
24th - Haeley Vaughn (0 votes)*
21st (tie) - Janell Wheeler (2 votes)*
21st (tie) - Todrick Hall (2 votes)*
21st (tie) - Paige Miles (2 votes)*
19th (tie) - Joe Munoz (3 votes)*
19th (tie) - Jermaine Sellers (3 vote)*
17th (tie) - Tyler Grady (4 votes)*
17th (tie) - Michelle Delamor (4 votes)*
15th (tie) - John Park (6 votes)*
15th (tie) - Ashley Rodriguez (6 votes)*
14th - Lacey Brown (9 votes)*
13th - Katelyn Epperly (10 votes)*
12th - Lilly Scott (14 votes)*
11th - Alex Lambert (22 votes)*
10th - Michael Lynche (27 votes)*
09th - Didi Benami (56 votes)*
08th - Andrew Garcia (58 votes)*
07th - Tim Urban (60 votes)*
06th - Katie Stevens (93 votes)*
05th - Aaron Kelly (111 votes)*
04th - Casey James (177 votes)
03rd - Siobhan Magnus (218 votes)*
01st (tie) - Lee DeWyze (256 votes)
01st (tie) - Crystal Bowersox (256 votes)
Last night showed us that in an overwhelmingly bad season, there are still instances when good vocals shine through. Tonight, however, one finalist must say goodbye. But hey, at least we get to be treated to performances from Daughtry, Bon Jovi and Fantasia (obviously I'm joking about the last one).
To see who I predict will be leaving tonight, see here. And as usual, please feel free to add your two cents throughout the one-hour blogcast. Coverage starts just prior to 9 p.m. ET.
Tonight's blogcast features the music of Allison Iraheta, Ayla Brown, David Cook, Kris Allen and Kristy Lee Cook.
Last night's Top 4 performance episode was a bore with the exception of the two duets. Although one was far superior to the other (Crystal and Lee's "Falling Slowly" trumped Casey and Mike's "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman"), just the fact that they were listenable made the night more excited than it otherwise would have been. Can you imagine what we'd all be thinking if those four solo performances were the only thing we saw last night? I don't have to stress how disappointing that would have been.
With that said, read my predictions for how tonight will go below:
Eliminated
Casey
Anyway, tonight's results are going to be shocking. In fact, it's basically a toss-up between Mike and Casey getting the boot, forget about even calling a Bottom 2 because that's who it will be. Now traditionally, we've seen some pretty big threats to the title go home this week in seasons past (read: Tamyra Gray in Season 1, LaToya London in Season 3, Chris Daughtry in Season 5, LaKisha Jones in Season 6), but lately things haven't been nearly that exciting, especially since in the previously mentioned seasons there were at least viable candidates to win left despite the boots.
Therefore, I'm going to go against my gut and say Casey will finish in fourth place tonight, thus ensuring Mike a third-place finish and Crystal and Lee will be able to duke it out for the anticlimactic victory in two week's time.
In my original predictions I had Andrew finishing 4th (ha!), so that can't happen.
Since the Top 24 I have correctly predicted 6-20 eliminations and since the Top 12 I have correctly predicted 2-8 eliminations. Woo yeah...
It seems that Season 9 has dragged on for ages by now, but at long last were are down to the Top 4 finalists. They may not necessarily be the best vocalists, but they have earned their spots due to appealing to the widest audience possible. Tonight we see how actor and sometimes singer Jamie Foxx helped the remaining contestant tackle their choices for songs of the cinema.
Plus, we get the bonus of seeing the contenders duet for the first time this season, and predictably, Crystal and Lee will pair up while Mike and Casey will be forced to perform with one another. Grab the popcorn because it's gonna be a fun ride!
As always, please feel free to add your two cents throughout the one-hour blogcast, with coverage starting just prior to 8 p.m. ET.
Tonight's blogcast features the music of Bo Bice, Daughtry, Diana DeGarmo, Kellie Pickler and Michael Johns.
The Top 4 in Season 6 of Idol was basically the opposite of the Top 4 in Season 9, as LaKisha Jones led a strong contingent of three female vocalists to one unique guy. Over the course of her run on the show, LaKisha delivered many memorable performances, but by the time she reached Top 4 she seemed to lose steam. Watch one of her two performances from Bee Gees night, "Run to Me," below:
This was obviously not one of LaKisha's performing highlights, but she still showed why she was such a contender at the outset of the season. Her elimination, although not as shocking as the elimination of Melinda Doolittle the following week, was still disappointing.
Things remained largely the same as they have been the past few weeks on IDOL LIVE's most recent edition of the poll of the week, with Adam retaining his status as favorite Idol contestant among this site's readers.
For the second week in a row, Adam took in 51% of the total votes, garnering 133 in all. The second-place finalist this week was a familiar face, as Kris was able to receive 83 votes (32%). Danny and Allison trailed far behind, though, with the former netting 22 votes (8%) and the latter taking in 20 (7%).
In this week's poll of the week, readers are once again asked to vote for their Top 3 favorite finalist. You will have exactly one week to vote.
Adam 133 (51%) Allison 20 (7%) Danny 22 (8%) Kris 83 (32%)
Total votes: 258
Running total for Season 8: 13th - Jorge Nunez (1 vote) 12th - Jasmine Murray (4 votes) 11th - Lil Rounds (5 votes) 10th - Alexis Grace (6 votes) 09th - Michael Sarver (8 votes) 08th - Scott MacIntyre (17 votes) 07th - Megan Joy Corkrey (48 votes) 06th - Matt Giraud (51 votes) 05th - Anoop Desai (99 votes) 04th - Allison Iraheta (102 votes) 03rd - Danny Gokey (215 votes) 02nd - Kris Allen (416 votes) 01st - Adam Lambert (539 votes)
Join us tonight as we taking a journey down the nail-biting road to the Top 3 of the eighth season of Idol, when a member of the final four must see their dreams crushed following last night's performances from the genre of Rock 'n Roll. Fortunately, Daughtry and No Doubt will both perform their new singles "No Surprise" and "Stand and Deliver," respectively. The blogcast will last one hour and will begin at 9 p.m. ET.
Tonight's blogcast will feature music from Ayla Brown, David Cook, Matt Giraud, Leona Lewis and Mandisa.
It seems like the only thing people care to discuss about last night's Top 4 performances is Danny's ear-splitting "Dream On" scream, which comes as no surprise. But it is important to recognize that there are quite a few other factors that will play into how tonight's results play out.
First, here is how tonight will most likely go results-wise:
Bottom 2 >Danny, Kris
Eliminated >Kris
The reason I have Kris going home instead of Danny is because a Top 4 "shocker" would be too predictable at this point. Even though the judges could claim it as a shocker since they were not so hard on him last night, everyone would see right through it. Therefore, it would make more sense to hang on to Danny until next week, when they cut him loose for a "battle of the rockers" at the finale.
Kris has been a middling finisher each week, landing in the Bottom 3 a few times and never really delivering a showstopper, though he has had some great vocal performances for sure. Therefore, it would make more sense for him to leave tonight and would make the judges look like they were spot on with their critiques.
Allison's name has been tossed around a few times as a possible candidate to leave tonight, but there is no real reason she should thanks to her duet with Adam to close last night's show. If she did go, that would be more of a shock than Danny leaving.
But you can never underestimate the power of an energized, hungry fan base, and that is something Kris has proven to have over the course of this season. If Danny does go, it will not be unexpected and it might calm things down some considering how hated he seems to be by the online community, so there are strong collections of evidence to support either result.
In my original predictions before the Top 13 took the stage I had Anoop going home, so I was two spots off on that call.
Last night was a whole lot of weird. From the pre-show accidents to the Danny scream to the judges' critiques to the performance order to the throwing under the bus, I don't know where to begin.
First of all, it's a good thing that no more Idol stage ornaments came crashing down mid-show, and it's good to know that stage manager Debbie is doing alright following her 20-stair slip. Next, it was good to hear Slash give constructive criticism to the Top 4 finalists. And it is also important to note that the contestants went dress rehearsal-less, which meant the live tries were basically their dry runs as well. But that's all just pre-show stuff. Then come the performances...
So Adam kicked it off with "Whole Lot of Love" by Led Zeppelin, a risky choice no doubt. Despite distracting the audience by glamming it up to the max, Adam sounded great on the song, especially being surrounded by the band, which I may add was at its best last night. Even though he has appeared to be a rock star for weeks and weeks now, last night was his alone to own thanks to the theme and will likely be seen as the icing on his cake if and when his time comes at the finale. The judges had fun with their critiques as usual but there really was nothing they could have said in terms of constructive criticism, and Simon's prediction that "nothing can top that" would eventually hold true.
Next up was Allison and her solo performance of "Cry Baby" by Janis Joplin. She is also no stranger to rocking out on the Idol stage, so when it came time for her to actually sing a rock song, things went according to plan. However, the judges took that as she did not really take any risks, as Randy and Kara were quick to question her song choice. But it was Simon who had the most to say on the subject. He seemed it bit bothered that Allison did not go with the other song she was deciding between, which he thought was a Queen song but she later revealed it to be a Jefferson Airplane song. What turned into a back and forth of song choice ended with a pair of rolled eyes from Simon and Allison saying she was going to talk a lot after being criticized for not talking enough in the past.
And then Kris and Danny took the stage to give it their all on "Renegade" by Styx in the first ever performance show duets in Idol history. The only problem is...it didn't work out. At all. Danny overpowered Kris throughout most of the performance and there were pitch problems galore as Kara so rightly noted. Simon said Danny was better than Kris, and while that may be true, it still doesn't mean much in terms of how the votes will come in.
Kris took the stage right after his duet, which presented him with no pressure of course (not). He seemed a little down after Simon said Danny did better, and yet no one can blame him even though that statement remains true. When it came time for him to impress the audience with The Beatles' "Come Together," though, things fell a little flat. Kris just does not have the intensity to pull off a credible rock performance, at least not a classic rock performance. This showed, and even though vocally he did alright, it just did not stack up to the others. The judges went a tiny bit too hard on him, though, with Kara actually sounding the least supportive. But Simon's "ice for lunch" comment, although a little hilarious, was right on target here. Kris is one of the two finalists that could go tomorrow.
The final solo performance of the night came from Danny, which ended up being a make or break situation with Aerosmith's "Dream On." Danny along with Kris were the two finalists that were expected to have the toughest time last night, and that pretty much stayed true when all things were said and done. Danny sounded great out of the gate but the last 15 seconds of the song is where he really lost everyone else. That one note, which was the most pivotal note of all for the song, didn't go over well. In fact, it was like an Adam screech on steroids, and he came off as trying too hard.
The judges were lukewarm in their comments, giving him an "A+ for effort" and such, but Simon delivered the kiss of death when he said he thought Danny would be safe when the results came in. Ryan added to everything when he said Danny had never been in the Bottom 3 to date, and Danny's handling of his critiques came off poorly. Hear that? That's the sound of the bus backing up. He should have just stood there nodding his head in agreement. Look for an appearance in the Bottom 2 for sure.
And then the wheels really kicked into gear with a final duet courtesy of Season 8's rockers: Allison and Adam. The two sounded and looked like they had been performing together for years. They were like seasoned performers just having fun, and it showed. This was picked up on by the judges, and their comments reflected these sentiments. Simon even credited Adam with possibly keeping Allison's chances alive.
So there you have it. The producers found a way to stick Adam in the pimp spot two weeks in a row. How many weeks total has that been? Too many to count I'd say. But it's no surprise, since this season will be known as the season where the producers were at their most manipulative. We'll see how the results go tonight, but last night was surely one that few saw coming exactly how it came.
Join us tonight as we blog during the Top 4 finalists' performances, which promise to be a rockin' good time. Sadly, however, the originally broad theme of "Rock 'n Roll" has been limited to "Classic Rock," which means Danny will most likely have a hard time after all. To add to everything, it looks like each of the four will be paired up and take on a duet along with his or her solo performance, which screams "gimmick" and is an all around bad idea. Hopefully no one suffers because of this. As usual, the blogcast will begin at 8 p.m. ET and will last one hour.
Tonight's blogcast will feature music from Jason Castro, Kelly Clarkson, Daughtry, Jennifer Hudson and Kimberley Locke.
IDOL LIVE has shied away from suggesting songs for this season's finalists up until this point, but now that it's down to the wire, I feel it is the perfect time to throw a few suggestions their way.
As previously announced, Tuesday night will mark the Top 4 finalists' journey into the territory of rock 'n roll songs, which is a very general genre that is an umbrella to all sorts of possibilities for songs from many sub-genres, which means each contestant should be able to take advantage of the theme and pick something that fits their musical identity perfectly. That said, here are the songs I think would work well for each remaining finalist:
Adam Lambert: "Somebody Told Me" (The Killers), "Bohemian Rhapsody" (Queen)
So it goes without saying that Adam will excel with this theme. Basically all he has to do is sing any rock song, or any non-rock song in a rocked-out arrangement, and he'll be fine. Therefore, my song suggestions have more to do with what I think would fit his vocal style best than what he needs to sing to advance to the next round.
To kick things off, Adam would do wonders with The Killers' biggest hit to date, "Somebody Told Me," because he would be able to run around the stage and play his theatrical card, which would add to the spectacle and be swimming in excitement. In fact, this performance could potentially be the most entertaining showcase this season if he does everything right.
His second song choice of "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen would not be new to the Idol stage, but it is suited almost too well for him. His vocals could add even more character (if possible) to the classic, and it would be the perfect test to see if Adam really does measure up to Freddie Mercury, whom he seems to be compared to all the time. It would work better if he did not mess with the arrangement, but I could see him switching up a few things to make sure he is not pegged as a Freddie M. impersonator at a cheap karaoke bar.
If Adam takes on the above songs, it would further strengthen the musical direction he would like to pursue in peoples' minds,setting the stage for him to emerge onto the scene post-Idol.
Allison Iraheta: "That's What You Get" (Paramore), "You Learn" (Alanis Morissette)
Alright, alright, I know what you're thinking: why should Allison sing something by a band whose lead singer reminds many of Allison? Well, it's because Allison's performing skills would really radiate on "That's What You Get." Hayley Williams of Paramore really knows how to tear up the stage, and this song is the perfect fit for Allison and her personality. Sure, it would not be solely about the vocals, but her racing around the stage would more than make up for it. Plus, it's current, and since Allison is only 16 years-old, it would fit her perfectly.
In order to cull any "copycat" allegations leveled against her by the judges, Allison would be best served by coming out on stage for her second go round with the rock genre singing something with heart, soul, and less rock than roll. Therefore, an Alanis Morissette song would be the absolute right direction for her to pursure, and there is not a better choice than "You Learn" for Allison to accomplish this goal with. Just her at the micstand, using her extremely powerful lungs to belt out an staple female rock anthem that is full of emotion. To make things even more meaningful, it would be insane if she did an acoustic ore even an unplugged version of the song to potentially create a "moment" for her.
If Allison follows through on the above song choices, it would be hard to deny her a spot in the Top 3.
Danny Gokey: "Somewhere Only We Know" (Keane), "Everything" (Lifehouse)
Everyone and their mother is pegging Danny to fall flat on his face come Tuesday. Well, maybe that's a bit strong, but they definitely are not expecting an A+, out-of-the-park performance from him they way they are from Adam. This opens the door for Danny to really surprise the audience by delivering an unexpected one-two punch that will still allow him to remain in his comfort zone.
Therefore, I believe Danny would best be served by tackling Keane's "Somewhere Only We Know" for his first performance and finish off the night with an emotional rendition of Lifehouse's "Everything." By doing "Somewhere," he will effectively surprise most by performing a well known British rock song that may seem mellow on the surface but really carries a deeper meaning. Plus, it can't hurt when it comes time for Simon to give his two cents.
On "Everything," Danny would start off a bit slow in an effort to lull the audience into a dreamlike state and then come out of nowhere and follow through on the "rock" portion of the song. The song's lyrics could also carry a personal message for Danny, which might result in an even stronger result, and would definitely be a way for him to connect with the audience. In other words, this could finally be his "moment."
Kris has "'90s rock" written all over his face, and this week should be used to show how radio-friendly his vocals really are. By selecting "Back 2 Good" by Matchbox Twenty and "Round Here" by Counting Crows, he will be able to maintain his "good guy" image while at the same time taking a few risks with his vocals. The arrangements really do not need much switching up, and Kris' voice is leagues different than Adam Duritz's and Rob Thomas', so he could not be accused of being "copycat."
Kris could also really go out on a limb on "Back," especially on the final chorus where he really lets loose and ratchets up the intensity factor before returning to a soft, smooth finale on the song. It would help if he did not play the guitar, but it would be a little difficult to imagine him wanting to leave it off the stage here. "Round Here" is a different story, though, as he would most likely have to use his guitar to add another element to his overall performance. That's not to say his vocals could not do the job on their own, but it would feel more complete if he did play it. This performance would come across as genuine Kris and at the same time would really help build his "street cred."
Again, these song suggestions are purely my own personal opinion of what would be best suited for the remaining four contestants, and it is probable that none of them will even be performed come Tuesday night. It would be pretty cool, though, if at least one choice were correct.
Every year there's clammoring that Idol is "rigged," "predetermined," "fixed," "set-up," etc., and these complaints are usually a side effect of a fan favorite being sent packing. This season, it seems like the rumblings are coming early - try Top 11 week early - and the source? An alleged Idol staffer.
In today's New York Daily News, "Gatecrasher" columnists Laura Schreffler and Sean Evans wrote about some unnamed staffer that has been going around telling everyone that Danny, Adam, Alexis and Lil are this season's Top 4 contestants and the producers are already planning for the scenario. Schreffler and Evans wrote:
If it was just her prediction, she’d be spot-on with this week’s TV Guide, which also chose those exact four wanna-be crooners as its picks for stardom.
But the lass took it a step further, claiming that higher-ups at the hit Fox show were taking an issue with two of the top contenders.
“Adam Lambert and Lil Rounds are better singers and musicians than Gokey and Grace, but they’re too much like past winners and ‘A’ successes,” the woman said. “Adam’s too close in style and sound to Chris Daughtry, while Lil Rounds is a dead ringer for Fantasia. Even their background stories are similar!
“The producers really want it to be Danny or Alexis. They think they’re very commercially viable, have a good image and a great story.”
Whoa, Adam is just like Chris Daughtry!? I don't think so. And Lil is the spitting image of Fantasia? Maybe in the appearance department, but Lil's vocals are leagues different than Fanny's (and by "different" I mean "better").
Only time will tell if this unnamed staffer is on to something or if she is just pulling everyone's chain. But that is IDOL LIVE's original Top 4 predicition with the exception of Alexis (Anoop will be in there instead), so it wouldn't be that much of a stretch to believe it.
After delivering two performances that were universally panned on Tuesday night, Jason Castro finally took to the stage one last time and did so with one of the biggest grins America has ever seen from him. As soon as Ryan said "Syesha...you're in the Top 3," a wave of relief seemed to rush over him, and he joked with Ryan about being glad of the fact that he wouldn't have to learn three songs for next week.
The elimination was extremely obvious, and as soon as Ryan announced David Archuleta and David Cook were safe, it was no surprise who would be leaving. The interesting tidbit that Ryan let out was that less than one millions votes separated the four of them, which seemed a little strange, but if he says so...
The rest of the results show was alright. The Ford music video was a little uncomfortable, as all four of the finalists were shown wearing matador uniforms in pretending to bullfight with a Mustang (the car, not the horse), prompting Ryan to make a snide comment about their tight pants. As for the call-in segment, a Pittsburgh woman who sounded like she was pushing 50 asked David C. out on a date when the tour comes to her city on her birthday. He seemed uncomfortable (and who can blame him?), asking what she liked to do as a way to delay an answer, and Ryan had to cut her off due to time constraints, saying they'd make some arrangements and what could work out. Another creepy woman told Simon he should be the next James Bond, calling him "sexy and intriguing." Simon got another positive question when a woman asked why he hadn't been knighted by the queen yet, to which he said "your majesty, if you're watching, I'm available."
Another interesting observation was when Ryan brought all of the contestants out to ask them questions before he revealed each of their fates, some of the answers were kind of unexpected. David C. said his head was not clear, accounting for why he wad not up to par last night, and Syesha explained her emotional outburst last night, accrediting it to Paula's praise and the meaning behind her song choice. Jason said he thought his inexperience was catching up with him, which was the reason for his sub par performances last night. And then David A. said he felt really connected to the songs and was trying to have fun.
The guest performers were not bad, either. Maroon 5 sounded good with the exception of lead singer Adam Levine's overutilized falsetto, and following the performance of "If I Never See Your Face Again," Ryan teased him about it. Adam gave positive advice to the Top 4, addressing them as "young people" and telling them it will be tough work and in a few years they'll be jaded but they should keep on trying and enjoy the experience.
Bo Bice, on the other hand, performed his new single, "Witness," from his new independent release See the Light. Bo looked as if he had never even left the stage, as one could have mistakenly thought they were watching an episode from Season 4. He was a little over the top but that is what he'is known for. It was nice to see Ryan and Bo chat it up for a bit, and Bo was very articulate and gracious for Idol being so supportive of him.
The group performance of Steely Dan's "Reeling in the Years" was nothing to write home about. It was nice but kind of boring and was a more obvious filler piece than usual. A montage shown of the finalists traveling to Las Vegas to watch Cirque du Soleil's "Love" at the Mirage was a nice segment, as it showed the finalists meeting fans and kissing dolphins.
But it was Jason who indeed stole the show. Before he departed, Jason delivered many one-liners, prompting laughter from the studio audience, the judges, Ryan, and most likely those watching at home, too. When the Top 4 finalists were asked what the one obstacle they have had to overcome while being on the show was, Jason answered "the brain being dead." Before the results were read, he said he took Simon's advice and packed his bags. And he also told Ryan that last night someone told him he "shot the tambourine man," and chuckled to himself.
Although his personality will be missed, it was his turn to leave this week. As for what is in store next week when the Top 3 take on one song chosen by a judge, one song chosen by the producers and one song chosen by themselves, it will be interesting to see what happens. My predictions are Randy will chose David A.'s song, Paula will choose Syesha's song and Simon will choose David C.'s song, but it would not be a stretch if Paula and Simon switch, since Paula seems to always pick songs for male contestants.
On a night that celebrated the progression of rock 'n roll throughout the United States' history, the Idol stage was filled with tears, laughs, and an assortment of great and terrible vocal performances. To say the stakes were high was an understatement, as Ryan opened the show by saying three of the four remaining finalists had received the highest number of votes in the past few weeks. Although he did not say who had not received the coveted prize, it can be deducted that Jason Castro is the only one who has not, because he has not delivered a show-stopper in the past few weeks.
Ryan also made clear to the judges that they would be able to comment after each performance, which earned collective "thank you"s from all three of them. Great, there goes any hopes of this episode being more exciting than last week. But it was still able to deliver, especially one certain finalist, and it is fair to say Simon was more than happy to play the role of executioner.
David Cook kicked off the night with his take on Duran Duran's "Hungry Like the Wolf." Although he could have picked a handful of more deserving songs of the 500 they were allotted to choose from, David managed to do a good job. His raspy tone really shone through and he looked like he was having fun walking around the stage. Randy was hard to please, has he said he was underwhelmed with the song choice and thought it was "just ok." Paula said something about having a big appetite, and Simon agreed with Randy, thinking it was copycatish. Good to see Paula has been rewired by Nigel & Co. and seems to be back on track.
For his second song, David took on The Who's "Baba O'Riley," in which he pretty much stayed true to the original arrangement. He showed major control by starting the song out in an almost innocent style, and built into a rocked out performance going into the chorus. Although he still was not all the way there, Randy said it was the David Cook he's grown to love, while Paula said she wanted "more, more, more, more, more, more David Cook." Simon's comment was simple and got his message across fairly strongly: "Welcome back David Cook."
Syesha Mercado followed up David C. with Ike and Tina Turner's "Proud Mary," and her performance channeled the choreography of Tina herself. Her vocals took a back seat once she began dancing, but her performing skills once again legitimized the notion that she will be a star on Broadway. The judges were split, as Randy liked how Syesha has come alive in the past few weeks and Paula called her a star, but Simon put a damper on everything when he said it was "shrieky" and "a bad impression of Tina Turner." He made things even worse when he followed up Syesha' comment that she had fun with by saying "well I didn't."
On her second song, Syesha gave a boring yet vocally solid performance of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come." Although she looked beautiful, the fact that she just stood in the same spot throughout the whole performance took away from it. Randy was extra harsh in his critique, saying he didn't love the arrangement and thought she pushed out for things that did not fit, and he was disconnected. Upon receiving Paula's standing ovation and comment that she "had come," Syesha could not hold back the tears, and Simon's agreement with Paula set off the waterworks, making Randy out to be the bad guy. Syesha explained that while researching the song and its circumstances, she felt like she had changed, and could not stop crying while reading about the civil rights movement.
And then, it was Jason's turn. The calm before the storm was shown in his pre-performance package, when he said he picked "I Shot the Sheriff" by Bob Marley, and added a "go figure" accompanied with goofy eyes. That should have been a warning sign, but no one expected what came next. Jason pulled off one of the weakest, worst, most karaoke performances ever on the show, and the worst one this far into the competition (John Steven's "Crocodile Rock" was worse, but it happened earlier of course). Randy was mild with his critique, calling it a "really karaoke Bob Marley" and saying he didn't get it and Paula was once again as negative as possible by saying she was not crazy about the performance or song but she thought he did a really good job connecting with the audience.
But it was Simon who dropped the MOAB, as he told Jason to "stand back" before continuing his critique. "That was atrocious," he said, continuing to compare it to a "first round audition massacre" and that he did not know what he was thinking. Jason answered Simon's rhetorical question with the biggest proverbial middle finger he could come up with: "I was thinking Bob Marley!" he chuckled. Simon was not amused, and continued the onslaught, saying the only similarity to Marley was his hair and advised him not to sing a Marley song for his next one. And that, my friends, is what we call a performance.
Although Jason did not offer another performance as awesomely bad as his first, he did complete his objective by forgetting a line of lyrics on Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man," though he did sound much better this time around. Randy said he was not in the zone tonight, and asked him how he thought he did, to which Jason responded with "I lost some words in there" with a chuckle. Paula said the performance "is what it is" and Simon opted to be nice and blunt this time by saying "Jason, I'd pack your suitcase."
But David Archuleta was able to save the night, as he was overall the best. On "Stand By Me," David sang the classic faithfully by sticking to the original arrangement and was vocally terrific. Randy continued his overexaggerated praise, calling the performance "mad hot," while Paula called him "seasoned" and Simon said it was the best performance of the night so far, while continuing to pile it on Jason by saying David could have "whistled the song and it still would have been better than the last one." David's reaction to Ryan's question of why he looks like he is going to pass out every time he waits for the judges' comments was that "their faces scare me!" Who can blame him?
In round two, David stepped up his game even more on Elvis Presley's "Love Me Tender," which featured a creepy zoom-happy camera guy who did not want to take the camera off David's face. Randy again called his vocals "hot," which by the way is becoming his word of the season, while Paula blabbed her usual praise. Simon clearly decided on the winner of the night, saying David "crushed the competition."
Ryan closed out the show by reminding voters that Tamyra Gray and Chris Daughtry came in fourth, by which he meant: "David & David fans - vote or else!" And it looks like they did just that. Jason will be going home without a doubt, as it would be unjust for him to carry on with the show against his wishes. His fans must have taken the hint after last night, as there was no better way to say he wanted off than how he acted. Jason is a great person, but his time on the show has finally come to an end, and he and his fans should be happy with how far he made it.
Predictions: Bottom 2: Syesha, Jason Eliminated: Jason
The Top 4 finalists spent their Saturday in Las Vegas relaxing, as they watched Cirque Du Soleil's "Love" at the Mirage. They also got to visit some dolphins at the resort, and Jason Castro seemed to have the surprise of his life when the dolphin he was petting got a little too friendly with him.
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