American Idol Recap: Top 16
Girls, girls, girls! Motley Crue said it the best back in ’87, and I will re-iterate. This year’s American Idol is all about the girls. And they proved it on Tuesday night when the top performers gave us solid performances and some of the ones we were ready to give plane tickets home stepped up to the plate and made us think twice.
Unfortunately, I think Katie Stevens bought her own ticket home with her performance of Kelly Clarkson’s ‘Breakaway’. It was flat, totally off-key and boring. Randy called it karaoke and said it “wasn’t great.” Ellen said she didn’t see any personality. Kara said she doesn’t know herself yet, although she does have a great voice for the radio. And Simon gave her 10 out of 10 for trying, but agreed with Kara that she didn’t know who she was as an artist yet.
Siobhan Magnus. The girl can wail. There is no doubt about that. She took ‘The House of the Rising Sun’ and killed it. And all the judges agreed except for Simon, who thought it was “weird.” He thought she didn’t do anything different with the song and that there were no “moments” in the song. I disagree. I thought the song was super-powerful and the whole thing was one big frakkin’ moment, in which she sang the shit out of the Animals power ballad. Sometimes, we just have to accept the fact that Simon makes no sense.
Lacey Brown sang some boring song that I have never heard (‘The Story’, I guess?), and although it was sweet and pretty, it didn’t impress me at all. Randy agreed that it was boring but said it was her best performance in a while. Ellen agreed that it was her best performance to date and Kara said it was performances like that that got her there. Simon didn’t love the song but said she sang it very well. I wasn’t quite as smitten as the judges, but hey, what do I know?
Katelyn Epperly played the keyboard and sang Carol King’s ‘I Feel The Earth Move’ and it was so “cruise ship” as Simon would say, that I almost expected a waiter to come by and ask me if I wanted a drink. Randy said it was “put on” and I couldn’t agree more. Ellen thought it “just wasn’t enough” and Kara didn’t feel like she was competing. Simon, although he liked her hair, thought that her choice may have been a mistake because it seemed like others were trying harder than her. I, on the other hand, did not like her hair either so she was 0 for 2. Sorry Katelyn.
Didi Benami picked up her guitar for the first time since Hollywood and sang ‘Rhiannon’ and I thought it was pretty effin’ awesome. Totally unique and it reminded me why I liked her in the first place. The judges agreed, and in one fell swoop, I think Didi is off the bench and back in the game. That was awfully close, Didi. You might want to stop sucking so bad from now on, mmkay?
Paige Miles sang ‘Smile’ and it just didn’t work. Which is exactly what Randy said. And Ellen said that instead of the song being uplifting, it was dark and sad. Kara thought it was all wrong, and Simon agreed with everyone. Hands down, this song choice was a very bad decision and Paige Miles might be in trouble this week.
Of course, Crystal Bowersox rocked our socks with Tracy Chapman’s ‘Give Me One Reason to Steal’. All the judges were in agreement that she was amazing, Ellen said she was the best of the night, Kara said she loved hearing that song because it was something she could imagine her recording, and Simon said she was 150% going to be in the Top 12. BOW-ER-SOX!
Lilly Scott, surprisingly, sang ‘I Fall to Pieces.’ It was unusual, and I didn’t love it like I have loved her performances in past weeks, but it was still entertaining. The judges liked it, but Simon echoed my sentiments when he said that it didn’t have that “wow” factor. I am a big Lily Scott fan, and I think she brings something really cool to the AI table, but she needs to step it up a bit next week to prove that she deserves to be there.
Wednesday night, the guys had to follow the girls’ impressive showing. After Ryan’s awkward rundown of the final 8 male contestants, they took the stage, starting with early favorite, Lee Dewyze.
He kicked things off by singing a way better version of ‘Fireflies’ than Owl City’s original. Randy loved that he “made it his own” and that, despite some pitch problems, he worked it out. Ellen thought it was great, Kara thought he looked confident and agreed with me that he made it better (I really should be a judge, honestly). Simon said it was “nothing to rave about” but that he was glad that he was there.
Alex “Mullet” Lambert sang ‘Trouble’ with his guitar, and as usual, his voice was prettier than Kara’s gold lamee top, but I just wish he would change his facial expression. Randy didn’t think it had the “wow” factor, but Ellen thought he was becoming a mushy banana and better each week. My homegirl Kara said he needed to let go because he was too stiff, and that was the only thing holding him back. Simon agreed, so we are now on speaking terms again, thank God.
Tim Urban had some pretty big shoes to fill singing ‘Hallelujah’, and it’s one of my all-time favorite songs. I thought it was just OK. The judges, however, creamed their shorts over it and Ellen even ran onstage and gave him a hug. So, basically, he will be around next week because the combination of non-suckage and his adorable mug is enough to get at least a billion votes (that’s how many you need to stay right?)
Andrew Garcia’s rendition of ‘Genie in a Bottle’ had me bee-bopping on the couch, and the surprising rendition had me smiling me from ear to ear. Randy didn’t like it, and to that I say BOOOOOO. Ellen liked it, but Kara and Simon both think he peaked too early and is grasping for straws now. I disagree. Diehard A-Gar fan right here. And he rocked the cardigan better than Randy ever has. So there.
Casey James totally bored me with “Take my Cat and Take my Sweater” or whatever that song is. Randy was with me, but Ellen liked it. Kara said it was missing that “spark” but she was almost back on the Casey train (WOO WOO!) While Simon said it was not as good as Week 1, but better than last week. I think Casey is getting lazy and needs to stop relying on the fact that he is good looking competent musician and start actually working hard to show us that he is more than that.
Young Aaron Kelly sang Lone Star’s ‘I’m Already There’. Tell me again why a 16 year old should be singing about a father calling his son from the road? Major fail. I think it was the wrong song, and too big for him to boot. And Kara made the same point, although Simon disagreed. I think he was just trying to be contrary. Simon? Contrary? Nooooo…
Todrick Hall took another one of my favorite songs, ‘Somebody to Love’, and tried to salvage his spot on the show, and although it wasn’t BAD, it also didn’t do anything to excite me. However, Randy loved it and said “Todrick was back!” Ellen said he was brave and commended him, while Kara said that the singing was great, but it was a little overdramatic. Simon summed it up well by pointing out that he seems to have shown them what he truly is, and that is a Broadway performer. I might have to agree with that. This isn’t Broadway Idol Todrick. GO HOME.
Big Mike Lynche wrapped up the show with ‘This Woman’s Work’. To be honest, his performance confused me a bit, it seemed a little all over the place, albeit well sang. But, I must have missed something, because Randy was floored, Ellen loved it and said he was the one to beat, Kara CRIED for the first time ever, and Simon said he 100% nailed it with the best performance of all the live shows so far.
I literally rewound it and watched it again.
I still didn’t get it.
Oh well, the illusive American Idol judges strike again. My predictions this week are that Katie Stevens and Paige Miles are saying adios for Team Senorita and Todrick Hall and Andrew Garcia (unfortunately) are leaving the Blue Team. Not who I would send home but I never said America had good taste.
Tune in tomorrow for the results show recap.