My Season 11 Top 7 American Idol Buzz Rankings!

Well, American Idol viewers, I am proud of you! With last week’s elimination (some may say surprise elimination) of Deandre, you have gotten rid of the correct two people in a row! I was a little nervous for Elise and Hollie in the bottom three with our beloved Milli Vanilli-coiffed falsetto crooner, but it looks like an obscure song choice and going first helped Deandre to finally hit the road. I wish him well and am pretty pleased with the current top 7. Now, the question is who still has the buzz going into this week when the singers will tackle songs from this, yes I said THIS, decade. That means they’re singing songs from 2010-2012. Holy modern music people. It should be very interesting indeed… So, let’s take a look at who is going strong this week on my all new completely unscientific American Idol Buzz Rankings.

My Season 11 Top 7 American Idol Buzz Rankings~

1. Jessica: my favorite holds on to the top spot yet again as she remains the most consistent competitor in the race. Her take on Whitney’s “How Will I Know” was fantastic, but it wasn’t her best. She needs to up her game this week to keep her hold on the pole position…. and I so want her to! (last week~ 1)
2. Joshua: I may have been underestimating Joshua for the past few weeks. I think he could be a surprise finale contender. He absolutely killed both of his performances last week and he even out sang Jessica on their duet. If he can find a song that is relevant this week to showcase his potential as a current Pop/R&B powerhouse, he can maintain his growth on the show and on my list. (lw~ 6)
3. Colton: while his “Time after Time” wasn’t flawless, it was still another solid effort. He’s willing to take risks and usually succeeds in doing so. Plus, his heart-throb status can’t hurt, and he wasn’t annoying in his interviews this week. Colton is still a contender. (lw~ 4)
4. Skylar: with her best performance in weeks on “Wind Beneath My Wings”, Skylar proved she can’t be counted out. She also out did Colton on their duet and remains one of the most likable singers in the race. I’m curious to see if she can stay on the upswing this week. (lw~ 5)
5. Phillip: well, many of you may be shocked to find Mr. Phillips so low on my list this time. However, he had his worst week to date and he seems to be stuck in a rut. His Genesis cover was terrible and Elise out sang him on their duet. He needs to get some humility too. This guy who has done so much right so far this season seems to be falling fast. However, he has a strong fan base, so we’ll see if he turns it around tomorrow. (lw~ 2)
6, Elise: our resident veteran (yes, she’s the veteran at 28 years old… boy does that make me feel old!) was in danger again after faltering on her Foreigner cover. It was the wrong song and a tepid performance. She did come back very strong on her duet but she still was in the bottom 2. She doesn’t rank last on my list because I think she has the fire to fight her way back up as she has done time and again this year. She is on a serious Idol roller coaster folks. (lw~ 3)
7. Hollie: while I seemed to like her “Flashdance” performance a whole lot more than America and the judges did, Hollie still sits at the bottom of my rankings. She really needs to breakout with a showstopper this week to stay in the game. She has the vocal prowess, now she needs the confidence AND the right song choice. I, for one, hope she steps up to the plate and knocks it out of the park tomorrow. (lw~8)

Whew, that felt like more counting than it actually was. Can you believe there are only seven people left in the race? Can you believe Phillip is faltering? Do you think Elise or Hollie can survive another week? Will the judges ever use the save? Stay tuned tomorrow for my next Idol recap.

American Idol Quick Wrap 4/4/12~ I Love the 80′s

Tonight, American Idol took on my favorite decade of music, the 80′s. That decade had everything: power ballads, cheesy pop, hair metal, the birth of rap, new wave and Madonna! What’s not to like? Well, if the songs sounded like Phillip‘s awful assault on a nice Genesis tune, that would certainly tarnish my view of my favorite greedy, fun, big hair, more, more, more decade. So instead, let’s focus on the good duets and the re-emergence of Skylar as a serious contender for the crown as I rank tonight’s performances:

American Idol Performance Rankings 4/4/12:
1. Skylar: like the judges I was worried when Skylar said she was singing Bette Midler’s Grammy winning # 1 smash from 1989 “Wind Beneath My Wings”, but she quickly brushed those concerns aside with her best performance to date. Her vocals were glorious. Her emotion was true and she even made me tear up. I loved the country spin on the record too. Skylar is back ya’ll!
2. Joshua: keeping up his momentum, Joshua slayed Simply Red’s # 1 hit from 1989 “If You Don’t Know Me By Now”. He really connected to the song and made it his own, as they say. This was my favorite Mantasia performance in weeks.
3. Jessica: my favorite gave another solid interpretation on Whitney’s Houston’s fun frolicking # 1 hit form 1985 “How Will I Know”. The song fit her perfectly and it showcased her vocals and her youth. At 16, this girl is a seasoned pro, but she still can have a lot of fun. Loved it.
4. Colton: also delivering a good spin on a #1 hit was Colton with his rocking and aching version of Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time” from 1984. I really enjoyed this take on the song that Colton fairly admitted was derived from a rearrangement by some group I’d never heard of. Loved the blond hair too.
5. Deandre: I was worried about him going first and taking on a pretty obscure song, but Deandre totally sold me on Debarge’s # 31 hit from 1983 “I Like It”. It was a solid effort, but was it enough?
6. Hollie: I like this girl a lot and I looooove the fact that she took on one of my favorite songs of all time, Irene Cara’s 1983 Oscar-winning # 1 anthem from Flashdance, “What A Feeling”. However, she stumbled in parts and had some pitch issues. I’m really worried for her because moments of the song were quite good. Unfortunately, Hollie needed to really hit it out of the park to be safe this week, so she is in trouble.
7. Elise: Last week, she destroyed the competition. This week she got destroyed by her song choice. Unfortunately, our blues rock girl (and eldest contestant) was super pitchy throughout her take on Foreigner’s # 1 from 1984 “I Want to Know What Love Is”. The song got better towards the end, but all the momentum she built up from last week may be lost now…
8. Philip: bet you thought you’d never see this growling Joe Cocker/Dave Matthews hybrid so low on the list, did ya? … Well, he absolutely deserves to be here after his atrocious, forced, disconnected and totally bad take on Genesis’ “That’s All” which was a # 6 hit in 1983. Sorry, Phillip, nothing about that worked. You may have lost your “top guy” status to Colton after that one.

And the duets….

1. Jessica/Joshua: holy heck, raise the roof for that amazing take on Aretha Franklin & George Michael’s # 1 hit from 1987 “I Knew You Were Waiting for Me”. Talk about a power couple. That was amazing. It had me on my feet and I watched it twice. I kinda want to see them fight it out in the finale now!
2. Elise/Phillip: making up for their poor solos, these two delivered quite a good version of the Stevie Nicks/Tom Petty ballad “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around”, a # 3 hit from 1981. While they needed more chemistry, their voices melded wonderfully and it was the perfect song for them.
3. Skylar/Colton: this odd pairing actually worked really well on a sweet and beautiful version of “Islands in the Stream” which hit # 1 in 1983 for Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers. While they didn’t have much chemistry either, they were super cute and sounded great.
4. Hollie/Deandre: it’s kind of sad that this good pairing finds itself at the bottom of the duets ranks because it was well done too. The two delivered an assured version of The Pointer Sister’s # 9 hit from 1984 “I’m So Excited”. It’s just unfortunate that this fun performance got so overshadowed by their peers.

And now for the predictions….

Bottom 3: Elise, Hollie, Deandre
Bottom 2: Elise, Hollie
Going Home: Hollie (in a squeaker… I think Elise may have some good will left from last week to save her).

So, it looks like a girl may be heading home this week. If I had my way, I’d say buh bye to Phillip, but I know that ain’t gonna happen. But will it be Hollie or Elise? Or will the judges whip out the “Save”? Find out tomorrow night on the results show which will also bring back season 5 country cutie Kellie Pickler.

My Top 8 American Idol Buzz Rankings!

Clearly American Idol viewers opened their ears for once and heard Heejun sing because he was finally booted off the program last week. Sure, he was a funny guy, with a good heart and a nice tone to his voice. However, he had no star quality, took the show for granted, mocked the program and caused the early ousting of my dear Erika! …. Alas, I need to get over that… At least he’s gone and we have a really good top 8. But just how good are they? Well, I’d say this seasons talent is up there with the best season’s like 5 (Daughtry, Katharine, Elliott), 7 (David Cook, Carly, David Archuleta) and 10 (Scotty, Pia, Haley, Lauren). But who has the current buzz to head to the front of the pack? Well, it’s time to take a look at my all new completely unscientific American Idol Buzz Rankings below….

My Season 11 Top 8 American Idol Buzz Rankings~

1. Jessica: hanging on to the top slot by the thinnest of strings, my favorite singer in the race had another great week slowing down a Beyonce jam into her own slinky groove. Jessica has the talent, ambition and is very creative with each of her song choices and performances. I’m surprised the judges aren’t pimping her more especially if we finally want a girl to win this thing! (last week~ 1)
2. Phillip: Mr. Phillips almost overtook my Jessica again this week with a really strong and totally not annoying performance of a song by Johnny Lang no one’s heard of. That takes some gumption and some great follow through. At this point, it feels like a Jessica/Phillip finale fight. We shall see… (lw~ 3)
3. Elise: holy crap, Elise is in my top three and I couldn’t be happier. She has killed it the past two weeks and finally had an Idol moment with her Led Zeppelin cover last week. Could our bluesy dark horse be a threat for the title? I hope so. (lw~ 6)
4. Colton: he went first and sang his favorite “praise” song and was super pitchy last week, yet he still was not in the bottom three. That means this pretty Idol has some serious support. I do think he needs to change things up a bit before all his songs start sounding like Daughtry clones. And PS- shut it with the god talk. You’re turning off more voters than you know with that. Trust me, Jesus doesn’t care if you win American Idol. I think he’s got more important things on his plate. (lw~ 2)
5. Skylar: yes, she was in the bottom 3 last week, but I think the fact that she went so early in the show was the real problem. She performed well and is so darn likable. I think she will bounce back this week no problem. (lw~ 4)
6. Joshua: I have no idea why America loved his wonky and pitchy performance last week. I do know that I think he’s got a great voice and is very likable, so that clearly helped. I just wonder how viable a pop artist he would be. (Hello, not much~ but he could be a great R&B and Gospel singer). This week should be interesting for him with the 80′s theme. (lw~ 7)
7. Deandre: ok, he’s a cool cat with a great falsetto and fabulous hair, but I just don’t get it. I feel like he has so much growing to do as an artist and needs to pick better songs that more people know. That said, his obscure Eric Benet pick, kept him out of danger and the judges loved it. I still feel like he’s one misstep away from getting the boot. (lw~8)
8. Hollie: oh my sweet dear little Hollie with the big voice. What are ya doin? Yes, you sing great most of the time, but you’re in a free fall. I just hope this talented girl picks a great fun upbeat song and really connects with the material so she can make a big comeback and land a place in the final five like she deserves to. (lw~ 5)

So, it seems Hollie is on a dangerous downward path, while Elise is flying high and Deandre continues to scoot by unscathed. But what will happen this week with that aforementioned 80′s theme? We’ll see. Tune in to American Idol Wednesday night on Fox and then head back here for my take.

American Idol Quick Wrap 3/28/12~ Idols Sing their Idols

I’m pretty sure I was watching a different episode of American Idol than Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson tonight, because while it was a pretty strong night on the whole, the judges were seriously in ridiculous over-praise mode. Let me give you one example…. They gave Heejun a standing ovation. Hello, Hee-frickin-Jun? Oh jesus, they must have been drinking some Paula Abdul juice in their coke cups because they were full of it, for pretty much the whole episode as they lavished way too much praise on Heejun, Joshua and Deandre who were the worst of the night while throwing shade all over Hollie for no reason. It was a bit of an infuriating night for me as I was still missing Erika and wondering why the judges were obsessed with trying to make another guy win this year. At least, we were all in agreement on our unanimous acclaim for Elise who wiped the floor with everyone…. So, with that said, let’s look at my rankings for tonight’s show where the contestants sang songs by their own personal idols.

American Idol Performance Rankings~ 3/28/12
~ the great
1. Elise: singing Led Zeppelin’s classic # 4 hit from 1969, Elise took on the most difficult song of the night and delivered in spades. Who knew she could rock so hard? She also slayed every note and nuance of the song and had a great time doing it. That was easily one of the best performances of the entire season. Elise is showing the youngsters how it’s done.
~ the good
2. Jessica: slowing down Beyonce’s top ten smash “Sweet Dreams” into an eerie ballad, Jessica hit all the right notes as usual. It was a sexy sumptuous performance and showed she is a serious pro with incredible range and adaptability. I still say she should win this whole thing.
3. Phillip: singing a song I’d never heard of by blues rocker Johnny Lang, Phillip really tore it up on “Still Rainin’” and he only made a couple of his weird faces. It was all in his wheelhouse and I actually enjoyed it way more than I thought I would. Well done.
~the pretty good
4. Hollie: taking on Carrie Underwood’s Grammy winning # 1 country smash “Jesus Take the Wheel” from 2005 was a bit of a risk for Hollie, but I think she acquitted herself very well. Like J.Lo, I really felt the emotion from Hollie for the first time. (And how much did ya’ll bawl during her mentor session with the amazing Stevie Nicks?). It was a lovely performance and I believed every moment.
5. Skylar: raising the roof with another country stomper, Miranda Lambert’s raucous “Gunpowder and Lead”, Skylar stayed on her road to Idol success. She hasn’t had a bad week yet, and I don’t know if she will at this point. Despite a couple of wonky notes at the beginning, this was another strong effort.
~the alright
6. Joshua: I don’t know what the judges were smoking when they stood up after this one, because the first half was just plain bad. The only reason Joshua isn’t farther down the list after his performance of Mariah Carey’s # 3 ballad from “1993 “Without You” is the fact that he has a great voice. The second half of the song was better, but I still didn’t buy the breaking down at the end. And I’m a fan of his.
7. Colton: singing his favorite “praise” song, Colton took on Lifehouse’s ballad “Everything”. Unfortunately, everything was not alright with his performance. The first half was pitchy and flat and he was strained throughout. He was also overpowered by the band. And seriously, shut up with the god talk. I’ve said it before, this is NOT American Christian Idol. He is beginning to bug the ever-living crap out of me…. Oh, and please eat a sandwich!
8. Deandre: well, this song did fit his voice nicely and he was confident in his performance. However, performing a song very few people have heard of, Eric Benet’s “Sometimes I Cry” will do him no favors. It was also pretty boring and unmemorable in the long run. And of course, the moronic judges gave him a standing “O”. What?
~ the bad
9. Heejun: seriously that was pretty terrible. Yes, it was an improvement over the train wreck from last week, but his take on Donny Hathaway’s “A Song For You” still was the big stinking egg of the night. Plus, anyone singing that on Idol will be compared to Elliott Yamin’s brilliant performance of the song in season 5 and Hack Heejun came nowhere close to that. And the judges gave this pitchy, disconnected, and irritating performance a standing “O” too. I don’t get it!

My Predictions~

Bottom 3: Deandre, Heejun and um…. Hollie? (or Joshua or Skylar?)
Bottom 2: Heejun, Deandre
Buh Bye: Deandre (even though it should be Heejun)

So, will our Milli Vanilli-maned falsetto singer finally sing his last note? Or is horrific Heejun on the way out? I’m happy with either result. But doggonit, if a girl is the lowest vote getter, the judges damn well better use their “Save”…. I’m actually a little nervous about what’s gonna happen. Who do you think will get the boot? And are you with me that the judges were seriously insane tonight? Sound off below.

My Top 9 American Idol Buzz Rankings!

Last week, American Idol suffered a terrible blow with the too early and incredibly upsetting ouster of the wonderfully talented Erika Van Pelt. Sporting a sexy new ‘do and amazing vocals on “New York State of Mind” wasn’t enough to help her connect to Idol fans (not to mention performing so early in the show which never helps anyone) who for some unknown reason preferred the buffoonery of Heejun. I was heartbroken, but I should’ve known one of my favorites would head home ahead of their time. Hello, Pia from last year anyone? … Alas, I have to get it together and look ahead to this week when the contestants will sing songs by their personal Idols. I also need to give you my latest all new completely unscientific buzz rankings to help you decipher just who will make it to the finale. So, I’m gonna buck up, stop my iTunes repeat of Erika’s “Heaven” recording and start counting them down below.

My Season 11 Top 9 American Idol Buzz Rankings~

1. Jessica: with another glorious performance showcasing her incredible pipes, Jessica returns to the top spot and her front-runner status. If she takes on Beyonce, as rumored, this week, I think she can have another standup moment and on an uptempo song. (last week~ 3)
2. Colton: well our skinny Christian rocker flies up the chart this week after his wowing performance of “Piano Man”. He has the looks, charisma and voice to win, but he needs to dial back the God talk because we’re not looking for America’s next Christian Idol. (lw~ 6)
3. Phillip: falling back into his usual growling Dave Matthews-esque performances, Phillip drops a couple of notches. He’s still on very solid ground, but if he wants to make it to the finals, he better give us something new each week. (lw~ 1)
4. Skylar: sure “Shameless” was probably her worst performance to date, but the girl even made that look pretty effortless. Plus, she’s the only country contender and I say she’s still a lock for the top five. (lw~ 5)
5. Hollie: our cute Irish/Southern hybrid had a rough week with her take on “Honesty”. It was way out of her wheelhouse and she clearly didn’t connect to it. However, she still avoided the bottom 3 and she has a tremendous voice. I think she can bounce back this week. (lw~ 2)
6. Elise: with one of last week’s best performances, Elise made a big impact and avoided her usual place in the bottom 3. Could this be the start of an upswing on the show? I hope so. However, she is the oldest contestant and a female and those are two big hurdles in this race. (lw~8)
7. Joshua: another singer who had his worst week yet during “Billy Joel” night was Joshua. His vocals were ok, but his performance was disconnected, shaky and wholly unconvincing. Hello, you need to emotionally connect to your material people. Pick better songs. I think he will do just that this week. (lw~ 4)
8. Deandre: how he wasn’t even in the bottom 2 last week astounded me. But hey, he’s likable and pretty, so the tween girls are probably on his side. He just needs a big “moment” to go farther than 8th or 9th place if you ask me. He’s on borrowed time right now. (lw~ 7)
9. Heejun: all I can say about him at this time is VOMIT. His performance last week was all kinds of terrible, not to mention disrespectful to the other competitors and the show as a whole. He needs to go now! I don’t care if he’s funny or a nice guy at home. I say buh bye. You are officially this season’s Sanjaya, and that is NOT a compliment. (lw~ 10)

So, that’s the latest. Colton and Jessica are on the rise. Hollie and Joshua take a fall. And Heejun and Deandre could bite the dust (hopefully) any minute. How will they all fair tomorrow night? Check back here after the show and find out.

In the meantime, check out my Erika’s final wonderful performance of “New York State of Mind” one more time. She Was ROBBED!

Erika Van Pelt “New York State of Mind”

American Idol Quick Wrap 3/20/12~ Paying Homage to the Piano Man

Wow, I don’t even know where to start tonight’s American Idol recap blog… Do I begin with the utterly horrifying experience that Heejun inflicted upon us? Do I bemoan the useless ridiculousness of Tommy Hilfiger? Do I toast to the brilliant performances of Jessica, Erika, and Elise? Do I yell at the judges for their inanity at times? Or do I just rank our contestants for their performances as the top ten took on the Songbook of Grammy winning Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame icon Billy Joel? … Ok, let’s just go with the last one.

American Idol Performance Rankings 3/20/12

~ the great

1. Jessica: now that’s how you tell off the judges! After an unnecessarily harsh critique last week, our front-runner came roaring back with a glorious and brilliant performance of Joel’s little known ballad from 1977 “Everybody Has a Dream” that netted her a much deserved standing ovation. She looked great, sounded incredible, and really communicated the message of the song in a beautiful way. Just tremendous.

2. Colton: giving his best performance in the competition to date our heartthrob rocker took on Joel’s classic song from 1974 “Piano Man,” (Can you believe it only hit # 25 on the charts, what?!!) and delivered a dynamic interpretation. It was simple lovely, aching and completely authentic. Well done Colton! Now, just shut up with all the god talk. Hello you want “god to use you as a channel” with your music on American Idol. Um, vomit…. Stick to singing really well and being pretty.

3. Erika: ok, yes Erika’s make-over was amazing (the only one that worked by the way). Her new short brunette hairdo was simply gorgeous, but let’s take a second and praise her fabulous singing. My second favorite singer in the race (after Jessica) gave an assured, simple and beautiful performance of Joel’s iconic song from 1975 “New York State of Mind”. She is so underrated and the judges need to stop denying her the props she deserves. She better be safe this week!

4. Elise: I was tempted to put Elise in third but Erika just moved me more, so our shy chanteuse comes up just a notch behind. It was close too because moments of her song choice, 1977′s “Vienna”, were astoundingly good. I loved the beginning and the final note was perfection. I think she just lost a little momentum in the middle. But that’s really just splitting hairs because it was a wonderful job

. ~ the pretty good

5. Hollie: while her look was a vast improvement over last week, her singing was not. Our little blonde wunderkind still gave a strong performance on Joel’s #24 hit from 1979 “Honesty”. It was understated (yes, even for her big voice) and lovely. I just wish she would infuse more of her fun personality from her interviews into her song selections.

6. Skylar: this country cutie is pretty darn consistent. Even with a few wonky notes in the beginning of her take on “Shameless” (done in the style of the 90′s country version by Garth Brooks), Skylar still sold the crap out of it at the end. She stays true to herself and always delivers… Now, um, her fashion makeover? Thaaat was a disaster!

~the okay

7. Phillip: sorry people I have to drop Dave Matthews 2.0 down the list for creeping me out again. His growly scary version of 1978′s # 17 hit “Movin’ Out” was accomplished in parts but also irritating and indulgent in others. You can’t deny his chops as a musician. He’s just not my cup of tea when he sings like he did tonight.

8. Joshua: falling precipitously far from last week’s lofty heights, our gospel boy struggled with a wholly unconvincing take on 1981′s # 23 hit “She’s Got a Way”. Sure, he sang it well, especially the latter half. However, he didn’t connect to the song at all and he looked awkward throughout the performance. You could tell he didn’t’ believe what it was singing and that defeated him in the end.

~ the bad

9. Deandre: darnit I really want this kid to be better than he is. He has a very interesting voice and a great look, but with another messy and pitchy performance like tonight’s take on 1978′s # 24 hit “Only the Good Die Young”, he is headed for trouble. He was all over the place tonight and also didn’t connect to the lyrics and emotional tone of the song. He just kind of had a good time singing it. I wish I had had a good time listening to it… but, um, no.

10. Heejun Hahn: OMG, THAT WAS JUST TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, DISRESPECTFUL and BAD. The formerly likable comedian with a decent voice went all kinds of crazy with his atrocious, laughable and rude performance of 1978′s # 3 hit “My Life”. He was mocking the show, Jimmy Iovine, the audience, his fellow contestants and has no business being on the show. There was no professionalism and if he was trying to be funny and/or entertaining, he failed miserably. He is the new Sanjaya and that’s a terrible thing to be. I’m officially disgusted and disappointed.

Whew, I could have kept going on lamenting about Heejun, but we don’t have all day… However, while I’m complaining, these contestants need to work on better song choices. Joel has such an incredible catalog and they didn’t even go near some of his biggest hits like “Just the Way You Are”, “Uptown Girl”, “Tell Her About It”, “Pressure” (it had Phillip’s name all over it), “It’s Only Rock n’ Roll”, “A Matter of Trust”, “An Innocent Man”, “She’s Always a Woman to Me”, “We Didn’t Start the Fire”, “The River of Dreams” (would’ve been perfect for Joshua), or my personal favorite “And So It Goes” (which would’ve been perfect for Elise and Erika)…. But that’s neither here nor there… Because it’s time for my predictions of who is heading to the silver stools of doom tomorrow night.

My Predictions:

Bottom 3: Deandre, Heejun, and um??? Skylar or Erika (cuz she went so early in the show) or Elise (cuz she has been struggling so far) or Joshua or Hollie even? Gosh I don’t know.

Bottom 2: Deandre, Heejun

Buh Bye: Deandre (unfortunately, I think Deandre will succumb to the stupid idiots who like the Sanjaya-like shenanigans that Heejun displayed tonight)

And so it goes, one more recap comes to an end. The Idols sang Billy Joel tonight. Who went to extremes? Who was a big shot? Who will be singing for the longest, ahem, last time tomorrow? We’ll find out and in the meantime, check out all of Billy’s great catalog on iTunes and youtube and hopefully in your record collection and find out who gets the boot on Fox tomorrow night.

My Top 10 American Idol Buzz Rankings!

Well, last week America and American Idol gave me (and I’m sure a few of you) a special gift by eliminating two people from the competition, Jermaine (via scandal!) and Shannon (cuz she sucked). I have to say I was pretty thrilled that the two least talented (and rather annoying contestants) were given the boot in one glorious week. Now, I’m not sure what that does to the elimination time-table in the weeks ahead, but that’s neither here nor there really. What’s more important is taking a look at my brand new, completely unscientific but totally correct American Idol Buzz Rankings going into this week’s top ten bake-off…

American Idol Top Ten Buzz Rankings (season 11)
1. Phillip: it humbles me to put him here, but I think he is gonna go far. He gave a great performance despite having just had surgery and being in pain on Wednesday night and remains the top guy contender. While I admit, he grew on me this week, I still hope he falters soon. The last thing we need is another guitar singing white guy to win this competition… even if he is cute and has talent. This week with the Billy Joel theme, he should hold up well in the race. (last week~ 3)
2. Hollie: the little girl that could tore the roof off of Celine Dion’s power ballad “The Power of Love” last week and showed she is a serious contender. I’d love to see her do something uptempo and thank goodness Tommy Hilfiger will be here to help with fashion this week to help her stay near the top of this list. (lw~ 2)
3. Jessica: now, it shows you just how good and how much buzz this girl has that after a rather harshly (and somewhat unfairly so) critiqued performance that she still lands in the top 3. I still say she’s a lock for the finals and I can’t wait to see what she does next. I think she could totally be like a modern-day Rihanna just with a better voice, no abusive boyfriend, and a whole lot more wholesome. (lw~ 1)
4. Joshua: he had the best performance by a mile last week and is a fantastic entertainer with a great voice. I just wonder how he will translate to each theme week to week. That said, he’s a strong contender for the top five if he can keep killing it like he did on “When A Man Loves a Woman”. (lw~8)
5. Skylar: our little country girl totally defied Jimmy Iovine last week and it was awesome. Her performance wasn’t awesome as well, but it was still quite good. I’m really rooting for her as she brings some excitement and fun to the proceedings that other contestants (ahem Hollie) could benefit from emulating. (lw~ 4)
6. Colton: he may have chosen a little known White Lion song last week, but it didn’t matter because he sold it big time. This sexy rocker is treading his own path and staying true to himself. I just wonder if his Christian rocker ambitions may do him in down the road. (lw~ 5)
7. Deandre: despite a rather wonky take on “Endless Love” last week, our Milli Vanilli maned-man escaped a place in the bottom 3. That bodes well for his future in the competition. We’ll see if he can keep it up with this week’s theme that doesn’t seem to fit his style at all. (lw~ 6)
8. Elise: she roared back with a wonderful take on “Let’s Stay Together” last week, yet she still landed on the stools of jeopardy in the bottom 3. And she was not happy about it. This girl needs to get some humility and relax more this week because she has the goods to stay around for a while. (lw~ 11)
9. Erika: damn my second favorite girl is struggling. She had a shaky take on “Heaven” that landed her in the bottom 2 last week and that does not bode well for her standing. However, she has mad vocals as Randy would say (just check out her incredible recorded version of “Heaven” on iTunes~ easily the best of the week) and is a wonderful sport. She just needs the right song and to not try so hard. Billy Joel music might be just the thing~ I hope so! (lw~ 7)
10. Heejun: no, he wasn’t in the bottom three. So why is he at the bottom of my list? Well, I think the novelty of Heejun may be wearing thin. He has a nice voice, but is a very boring performer who has picked really lackluster songs week to week. I don’t feel like that will change any time soon. (lw~ 9)

And there you have it~ my latest Buzz Rankings. It seems we definitely have a horse race. At this point, I’d say Jessica, Phillip, Hollie, Joshua, Skylar and Colton all have a great shot at the final five. Can any of the others break up that bunch? I sure hope Erika can. We’ll see what happens this week as they sing the songs of the Piano Man…. Now, who’s your favorite? Are you thrilled Shannon and Jermaine are gone? Are you bored with Heejun? Sound off below.

American Idol Quick Wrap 3/14/12~ The Night we Were Bored…

Tonight’s theme on American Idol was “The Year They were Born”. I think they should’ve renamed it “The Night We were Bored” as most of the contestants had some serious problems with song choices, not to mention sleepy performances. Ballads were the order of the night and only a few of them were infused with emotion and personality. I just wish I could have chosen the songs for them. Unfortunately, one of them just might be going home… Why do I say might, you ask? Well, that’s because the gentle giant turned ungrateful monster Jermaine Jones was eliminated because of his previously undisclosed criminal past including 4 outstanding warrants. I say good riddance. He was most likely going to get voted out this week anyway, and despite a nice voice, he really had no shot in the competition…. So, the question is who will leave in his place tomorrow night? Well, let’s take a look at my rankings for an answer…

American Idol Performance Rankings 3/14/12:
~ the great
1. Joshua: this boy utterly destroyed the competition tonight with an amazing, guttural, emotionally resonant and simply fierce performance of Michael Bolton’s # 1 hit cover of “When A Man Loves A Woman” from 1992. No one even came close to this standout performance, perhaps the first big “moment” of the season.
~ the good
2. Hollie: well, this girl certainly likes a challenge and Celine Dion’s #1 power ballad (also a cover) of “The Power of Love” was a big challenge. Luckily, Hollie rose to the high degree of difficulty and nailed it. I just wish her styling were as good as her belting. That dress was terrible.
3. Phillip: ok, I’m kinda shocked I’m ranking him this high, but on a night when so many underwhelmed, Phillip’s assured take on The Black Crowes’ 1990 rocker “Hard to Handle” flew up my chart. He also only yelled at us once. This boy is here for awhile ya’ll.
4. Skylar: how can you not love this girl? Especially when she ignores the mentors’ advice, sticks to her song choice and does a great job. Sure, Bonnie Raitt’s hit from 1994, “Love Sneakin’ Up on You”, wasn’t the most exciting choice, but it fit Skylar like a glove and she performed the heck out of it.
~ the pretty good
5. Jessica: after reviewing everyone again, our season’s front-runner climbed up a couple of notches for me. Her take on Gloria Estefan’s cover of “Turn the Beat Around” from 1995 was polished and really good in parts. I just wish she had chosen a song that fit her better cuz she can sing anything and she’s the consummate performer.
6. Colton: this good take on White Lion’s little known 1991 song “Broken Heart” was a good fit for our rocker. It just wasn’t all that remarkable when looking back over the night. Still, he is a very strong contender and is staying true to himself.
~ the decent
7. Elise: with a huge rebound from last week, Elise took on Tina Turner’s cover of “Let’s Stay Together” from 1983. Her vocals were good and she actually looked like she was having a good time. All in all though, it just wasn’t too memorable.
8. Erika: I really wanted Erika to slay Bryan Adams’s # 1 hit “Heaven” from 1985, but she just never quite got there. While she looked amazing and gave a decent performance with some really nice moments, it just felt like she was trying a little too hard. I hope she really hits it out of the park next week cuz I love her.
~ the bad
9. Deandre: wow, that was a terrible song choice for him. As he sang Luther Vandross and Mariah Carey’s # 2 cover of “Endless Love” from 1994, I just kept thinking wow this was a bad choice. Despite some good notes, he seemed to lack confidence and fight the song. I wish he had sung something like Prince’s “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World” instead (hello it was a top five hit in 1994!)
10. Shannon: this girl needs to realize she is not Mariah or Celine or Whitney or any big diva for that matter. Sure, she has a good voice with potential but she keeps reaching beyond her talent level. Yes, that shows some gumption, but you have to be able to back it up and this pitchy, unconnected and forced performance didn’t do that.
11. Heejun: oh no, our comic hero took a major misstep on the Idol stage performing my favorite song from 1989, Richard Marx’s # 1 smash “Right Here Waiting”. (Fun Fact: I’m actually in the video for that song!)… Poor Heejun missed a lot of the notes, and was just off throughout the song. I did appreciate him trying to make an emotional connection but his poor diction, sharp and flat notes really undid him here.

So, just what is going to happen tomorrow? Who will be eliminated? Will anyone be eliminated? I’m not sure… But I will pick a bottom three just in case…

Predictions~
Bottom 3: Deandre, Heejun, Shannon (but Erika could be in trouble)
Bottom 2: Deandre, Heejun
Going home: I say no one… but if one has the lowest votes, it’s Deandre (ack, I hope it’s Shannon instead!)

So, there you have it. I feel like no one is going home, but they will still do a bottom 3 and scare the bejesus out of some of the singers. We will see…. On a side note, I did enjoy the judges actually giving real criticism again tonight. That is a nice change. Keep it up kids! .. And now, it’s time for me to go. Before I do, let me know who you liked tonight, who you think is going home (if anyone), and whether or not you will miss Jermaine as the door hits him in the tuckus on the way out.

My Top 12 American Idol Buzz Rankings

Well, last week America got it right by eliminating the very nice but pretty boring Jeremy Rosado on American Idol. And we also saw Elise, Jermaine and Shannon in danger as they should have been with their lackluster performances. The question this week is if they can turn it around when the contestants perform “Songs from the Year they were Born” (which pretty much makes me feel ancient)…. So, do any of those three have a shot at winning ? (Um, I doubt it)… And just where will they wind up when things are all said and done? To answer that question, it’s time for another round of my entirely unscientific but clearly correct American Idol Buzz Rankings…

American Idol Top 12 Buzz Rankings:
1. Jessica: holding in the pole position, this year’s front-runner absolutely slayed Whitney’s most iconic song last week. She is poised, polished and practically perfect with her performances. She’s also so fun and cute. I really hope she ends up in the finale. If she continues on this route, she certainly will. (last week~ 1)
2. Hollie: well, this little blonde could be a spoiler for the title. Could she pull a Kelly Clarkson and take out the supposed front-runner Jessica like when Kelly usurped Tamyra Gray in season ?. It sure could happen with her great vocals, winning personality and continuing growth and confidence. (lw~ 7)
3. Phillip Phililps: ok, he’s a great guy and certainly has his fans. And he gave what may have been his best performance to date. However, I still am not a fan of his voice (of him as a person, yes). Anywho, he is holding up very strong in the competition and seems assured of making the top 5 or higher. (lw~ 2)
4. Skylar: I seriously love this girl. She has so much gumption and she gave another killer performance on a big Whitney ballad that I think surprised everyone. (The recorded version is fantastic too by the way). I also think she seems destined for the top 5. (lw~ 3)
5. Colton: this emo rocker could actually just be a rocking pop star after delivering a lovely version of “Lately”. The girls love him and he has some serious chops. I do wonder if we will see a more fun Colton in the weeks ahead. That could push ahead of Phillip in the long run. (lw~ 4)
6. Deandre: hello this wild card is “in it to win it”! Loosening up with great reggae/R&B swag this week, Deandre could go much farther in the race than we previously anticipated. He’s a fun performer with scads of potential. I’m excited by his rise in buzz this week. (lw~ 10)
7. Erika: she’s still my second favorite singer in the competition and I think she’s got the momentum to fight her way up this chart. Her voice is incredible and if the producers would just give her a pimp slot on performance night, I think she could charge into the top five. FYI~ check out her iTunes recorded version of “I Believe in You and Me”. It’s incredible. (lw~ 9)
8. Joshua: he has mad vocal skills, ya’ll (yes, I’m channeling Randy), but unfortunately I wonder how far he can go. As evidenced by him landing among the bottom 3 guys, his status may be shakier than first thought. However, if he keeps giving raucous and wonderful performances coupled with performing later in the show, he could charge up the buzz chart. (lw~ 8)
9. Heejun: oh Heejun, you funny guy, you… Seriously, he’s pretty hilarious and a cool guy with a good voice… But, darn if you aren’t a really boring performer. He needs better song choices, more confidence and swagger if he wants to land anywhere above a mid-pack exit. (lw~ 5)
10. Shannon: ok, as ya’ll know I am not a fan of this girl. She needs to realize it’s not a pageant and learn how to control her voice and connect emotionally to the songs. She does have a decent voice and could rebound after a disastrous week though. Plus, she’s pretty and loves Jesus. So, that will keep her here another week at least. (lw~11)
11. Elise: I am seriously worried for Elise. If she continues to have shaky confidence and appear to have a little bit of an attitude, she could be the first girl out. I do think she has a great raspy voice and with the right song could return to the top ten of the buzz rankings. I just hope the girl gets it together! (lw~ 6)
12. Jermaine: this gentle giant is seeming less gentle by the minute. During the elimination show, he was rude, cocky and ungrateful. Has being on the show given him an outrageous ego already? Hello, you barely made the show! I think he’s a goner this week unless he pulls out an amazing performance (irregardless of his nice deep voice). I think America will be over him just like me ASAP. (lw~ 13)

So, there they are~ my latest buzz rankings. Heejun and Elise are in free fall while Jessica and Hollie are on top. Who will rise this week and does Jermaine have a prayer of staying in the competition? (Not if news of his possible lies about his back story continue to hit the web. I don’t know if their true or not, but it definitely give me more pause about this polarizing contestant)…. Find out tomorrow night on American Idol.

American Idol Quick Wrap 3/7/12~ Whitney, Stevie and the Idols Oh My!

After watching tonight’s first live competition show of American Idol season 11, I have to say I am very excited for this year. This is arguably one of the best top 13′s in the show’s history. It’s full of variety, personality and immense talent. In fact, as the boys took on the songs of Stevie Wonder and the girls sang the recently and dearly departed Whitney Houston‘s greatest, practically everyone did a decent job. Several singers soared to new heights (Hollie, Joshua, Skylar), one absolutely destroyed everyone (Jessica) and only one really tanked (that annoying pageant girl)…. So, just who did the best and who will be in danger tonight when the judges eliminate one person? (In a twist, the bottom girl and boy with these least votes will be revealed and the judges will choose who actually goes home). Well, let’s take a look at my rankings and predictions below.

American Idol Rankings 3/7/12:
~ the great ones
1. Jessica: holy crap, she attempted Whitney’s biggest and most iconic # 1 smash “I Will Always Love You” and absolutely nailed it. This girl has skills. She’s also humble and a great performer. She is the one to beat at this point and deservedly so. Love her!
2. Hollie: is Hollie the dark horse for the title? Well if the little girl with the big voice keeps blowing the roof off the joint with huge performances like tonight’s “All The Man That I Need”, she certainly will be a big threat to Jessica. And she’s so darn cute. Plus, she sang this audacious # 1 hit form 1990 with aplomb and I think she’s only going to grow each week. How awesome would a Jessica v. Hollie finale be by the way?
3. Skylar: well, hello country girl! I was worried when I heard Skylar was gonna sing Whitney’s big # 1 ballad “Where Do Broken Hearts Go” from 1988, but she put my fears aside very quickly. And then she surpassed all my expectations with a glorious second half to the song fusing wonderful emotion and fantastic notes. This girl is a big threat too.
4. Erika: my second favorite singer in the competition (after Jessica, but she is rising!) gave us a wonderful interpretation of Whitney’s # 4 hit from 1994 “I Believe in You and Me”. She took the song in a rock direction for the second half and it suited her sexy rasp incredibly well. I just love this girl and I highly recommend you check out the iTunes studio version of Erika’s performance. It is even better than her live one and by far the best of this week’s crop (even Jessica’s!)
5. Joshua: faring the best for the men tonight was Mantasia with a glorious take on Stevie’s “I Wish”. Joshua tore up the stage and took us to the heavens with his gospel meets rock performance. Who knew he could throw down like that? Well done!
~ the good ones
6. Colton: I was kinda shocked at how good Colton was on Stevie’s classic “Lately”. He really made the song his own and performed with true emotion and artistry. The second half was incredible.
7. Deandre: this kid is just plain cool. Hello, he did Stevie Wonder’s “Master Blaster” as a reggae R&B joint and it not only worked, but was great. He is so unique and has so much potential. I hope America gets him.
8. Phillip: bringing the house down with a rocking version of Wonder’s “Superstition”, Phillips gave another rousing performance that had the audience on its feet. He also impressed me more than he has all season. I’m still not a big fan of this talented guy (all the screaming and yelling and affectation are not my thing), but he is certainly trying to turn me around. Good job.
~ the ok ones
9. Heejun: this funny guy has a lovely voice as he proved yet again on Stevie’s “All is Fair in Love”. However, it was all kinds of boring. But he’s a fan favorite and could get better with different songs. How about something upbeat next time mister? … And one more note, this version paled in comparison to the amazing one Pia Toscano delivered last year… Just sayin’….
10. Elise: I really like Elise and her sexy growly voice. However, despite some good moments, she was definitely “boxing” with her song tonight as Randy said. Doing Whitney’s # 1 from 1990 “I’m Your Baby Tonight”, Elise never quite got in the rhythm of the track, but she still sang it pretty well. I wish she had chosen 1999′s “My Love is Your Love”. It would’ve been a perfect fit for her voice… Alas, she is in danger tonight…
11. Jeremy: while he sang better than Elise on “Ribbon in the Sky”, he was just soooo boring. This guy is a great guy with a lovely tone to his voice… but he’s just such a lackluster performer (when he’s not singing for his life that is… which he will probably do tonight).
12. Jermaine: this gentle giant delivered a nice but somewhat forgettable version of Stevie’s “Knocks Me off My Feet” which certainly didn’t knock me off my feet or my chair for that matter. His vocals were very good, but wow I think it was more boring than Jeremy! And that’s saying something.
~ the bad
13. Shannon: the pageant singer should’ve summoned some help from her precious Jesus because she plain stunk up the joint with a flat and off-key version of Houston’s # 4 from 1993 “I Have Nothing”. Sure, Shannon hit some notes ok, but overall, she got swallowed up by the big song and had absolutely no stage presence. Plus, she had no emotional connection to the song. She should’ve chose something she might relate to like “How Will I Know” and she wouldn’t be facing elimination like she deserves to on Thursday night.

Predictions~
Bottom 2 guys: Jeremy and Jermaine
Bottom 2 girls: Elise and Shannon

Bottom girl & guy: Jermaine & Shannon
Going home: Jermaine (unless Jeremy is the lowest male vote getter, then the judges will send him packing).

There are my rankings and predictions. What are yours? Do you think a guy has a chance of surviving another week? I sure don’t… And how great was it to see the judges actually doling out good critiques?And wasn’t Mary J. Blige a wonderful mentor? And how great is Ryan Seacrest’s hair this year? This season is shaping up to be so good!

Before I go, please enjoy Jessica Sanchez just killing it on “I Will Always Love You”