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”

My Top 13 American Idol Buzz Rankings!

Well, here we go American Idol fans… The show is about to get real good as we move into the serious competition shows. The Top 13 singers have been chosen (10 by America, 3 wild cards by the judges) and I actually really like 11 of them. I actually only despise one of them (Shannon), so that bodes for a strong and interesting competition. This group seems very strong. In fact, it seems like it could end up as one of the strongest years since season 5 (Daughtry, Katharine, Elliott, etc). It will have to fight to keep up with last year’s rebirth as well which saw a country top two that have turned into solid sellers. (Scotty has just passed a million copies sold of his debut album in fact). Last season’s top ten also saw record deals for seven of the finalists (Scotty, Lauren, Pia, Haley, James, Stefano and Casey), so they have their work cut out for them. With that said, just who do I think is in the lead as we head into the first week of competition when the men will sing songs from Stevie Wonder while the ladies will take on the music of the late great Whitney Houston? Just take a look at my first list of completely unscientific but surely accurate American Idol Buzz rankings for season 11.

American Idol Top 13 Buzz Rankings~

1. Jessica Sanchez: this powerhouse vocalist can sing circles around most of her competitors and could be the first woman to win since Jordin Sparks. She is attractive, has incredible range, a great personality and is the whole package. Let’s hope she goes the distance (and yes, she is my favorite too).
2. Phillip Phillips: he’s cute. He has wonderful Southern charm and is a great musician. He also is just the type of winner this show goes for (David Cook, Lee Dewyze, Kris Allen anyone?) as he channels John Mayer and Dave Matthews with his performances. However, I can’t stand his odd growling and phrasing. But, let’s be honest, he is very talented and will have the girl vote all season.
3. Skylar Laine: this fiery redheaded country girl threw down the axe on the competition last week with arguably the most fun and memorable performance of the week. She is fun, smart and could go really far. Besides, the show hasn’t had a female country victor since Carrie and Skylar is a different kind with her Miranda Lambert meets Reba with a touch of Gretchen Wilson vocals. I’m excited to watch her.
4. Colton Dixon: this rocker is this season’s David Cook, just a lot hotter. He will split the girl/mom vote with Phillip but he is far more commercial and accessible if you ask me. He’s current, has a ton of talent and showmanship. He seems a lock to make the top 5 as well.
5. Heejun Hahn: he’s hilarious yes, but he also has a lovely buttery voice. The question is can he move beyond pretty ballads and become a real performer. It’s doubtful. I see a mid pack or possibly shockingly early exit for him unless he can really step up his game. However, he’s incredibly likable and has a lot of goodwill on his side now, so he could surprise.
6. Elise Testone: this Lady Gaga meets Adele and Winehouse belter is a bit of an enigma. She’s one of the older contestants, but she is so unique and has such passion. She slayed her Adele performance which was no small feat. I just wonder how she will hold up in the weeks ahead. She’s also a great musician and could give us some great interpretations in each genre. I’m hopeful for her.
7. Hollie Cavanaugh: this Irish Texan girl has a big ole voice and is sweet as pie. But is she memorable enough to go all the way? If she grows week to week, I say yes. She just needs to have some standout moments to pull ahead of the pack because she has an incredible voice.
8. Joshua Ledet: “Mantasia” as he’s being called can sing the crap out of a song. He’s immensely likable and a wonderfully dynamic performer…. However, is his gospel tinged performance style one note? And he doesn’t seem like he is much of a commercial singer. I wonder how long people will respond to him. But hey, if Jacob (who only possessed half of Joshua’s talent and likability) can make it to 5th, Joshua could go far.
9. Erika Van Pelt: I love this girl. She killed it on her Heart cover and no one has really done that on this show since Carrie Underwood. Why America didn’t vote her in is beyond me. (Maybe because she performed so early that night?). Luckily the judges knew this girl was a keeper. She has great pipes. She knows how to play the game and I have no doubt will be making some great song choices. I really want her to go far. I just hope people pull their heads out and realize how awesome she is.
10. Deandre Brackensick: Mr. Milli Vanilli hair can wail with the best of them. He has a tremendous range and the camera loves him. He just needs to make better song choices and this wild card pick could leap over his competitors. Oh and the girls and gays will probably love him too.
11. Shannon Magrane: I can’t stand this Miss America god-spouting poseur. Sure, she’s pretty and has a decent voice. But nothing about this awkward girl is authentic and she brings no true emotion or artistry to her music. Plus, I don’t need church thrown at me each week and it’s not a pageant. Her annoyingly false perky personality also bugs. I’d put her last but clearly she has some fans since America voted her through.
12. Jeremy Rosado: yes, he kinda made me cry on his wildcard performance of “I Know You Wont” and he has a wonderful voice and tone. But, he’s just not that memorable. He’s clearly a great guy with some talent, but a viable pop star? I don’t see it. I hope he proves me wrong.
13. Jermaine Jones: the gentle giant with the booming baritone/bass voice probably got in on sympathy votes last week. He sings well, but it seems rather one note and may be blah in the end. We will see cuz I do like his voice and he also seems like a wonderful person. I just don’t know if he’s a pop star either…

So, there are my buzz rankings on how I think the contestants stand in the competition right now…. What are my personal rankings you ask. Here ya go…

My Personal Rankings of the Top 13.
1. Jessica
2. Erika
3. Skylar
4. Elise
5. Colton
6. Hollie
7. Deandre
8. Joshua
9. Jeremy
10. Phillip
11. Heejun
12. Jermaine
13. Shannon

Now, how will they all fare this week and do I have a clue of what I’m talking about? … Tune into Idol on Wed night and see.

American Idol Quick Wrap~ The Top 13 Guys

It’s back and I’m back… I’m talking about American Idol and my fabulous recaps of course… I’m so happy Idol is finally getting down to business showcasing the good singers and tonight we begin with the top 12 guys…. Er, make that top 13 as the judges decided to bring back a surprise thirteenth contender in bass R&B singer and mama’s boy Jermaine Jones. He was a nice choice and clearly a fan favorite, but how did he measure up with the previously selected top 12? And who soared on the fancy new stage tonight? And who bombed their big shot? Well, let’s take a look at my rankings for the first night of competition of American Idol Season 11 below.

Idol Rankings~ The Top 13 Guys (2/28/12)

1. Creighton Fraker: holy heck can he wail. Arising as the second coming of Sam Harris (hello the original Star Search winner from the 80′s turned Broadway star), Fraker gave an emotional and beautiful performance on Cyndi Lauper’s # 1 smash from 1986 “True Colors”. The judges rightfully praised his impressive pipes and his individuality in this glorious interpretation of her inclusive self affirming ballad. Seriously loved him and I really hope this unique and powerful singer makes it through on Thursday.
2. Joshua Ledet: taking us to church, “Mandisa” rose the roof with his version of Jennifer Hudson’s anthemic hit “You Pulled Me Through”. Despite an odd musical arrangement at the beginning, he absolutely slayed the song and got a deserving standing ovation. He’s in.
3. Aaron Marcellus: with arguably the best technical vocal of the night, Aaron tore through Jackson 5′s classic hit “Never Can Say Goodbye”. He has looks, charm and performance ability to spare. I just hope his polished performance doesn’t get overlooked by showier contestants. He is really good ya’ll.
4. Colton Dixon: our sexy rocker gave an ebullient performance of Paramore’s hit “Decode” even ending the song stomping on the piano. He’s a showman and has chops. He’s not going anywhere.
5. Deandre Brackensick: he’s really pretty to look at, now isn’t he. But this boy is no Milli Vanilli poseur. He has a wonderful voice with a gorgeous falsetto and boy can he whip that hair as he proved tonight on a very strong version of Earth Wind & Fire’s “Reasons”. I hope he gets the chance to take on a better song, cuz he is one to watch and has a ton of star quality to go along with his impressive singular voice.
6. Jermaine Jones: his velvety smooth bass fit Luther Vandross’s “Dance With My Father” like a glove. It was a winning if somewhat safe performance. I really like this affable guy and his voice, but I wonder how far he can go in the competition. And he needs to lose the nerves stat.
7. Heejun Hahn: he’s probably the most popular contestant, but he’s certainly not the best singer. While I love his voice and he has such great potential, he was incredibly nervous and a little boring on stage. I hope his great and funny personality come through as he continues his Idol journey. Cuz seriously, he’s totally going through.
8. Jeremy Rosado: I like this guy too. He seems like such a great guy with a big heart. However, despite a good voice, he was rather forgettable tonight as he covered one of my favorite songs of all time, Sara Bareilles’s heartbreaking “Gravity”. Unfortunately, he didn’t give it the emotional heft it needed. He did, at least, hit some nice notes. But it’s probably not enough to stay on the show…
9. Chase Lydon: with a perfectly passable version of Hunter Hayes’ current country hit “Storm Warning”, Lydon looked like the latest country star. I think he could go far, but he needs to leave a stronger impression next time. And pick better songs… I’m not sure what will happen with him.
10. Phillip Phillips: I know I’m probably in the minority, but I really don’t like Phillips’ voice. Why does he growl and yell at me? Why is he so odd and maudlin in his delivery? Why did his take on Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight” make me feel so dirty, and not in a good way? It was all just a weird, sleepy, creepy Dave Matthews Band morphing moment…. That said, he’s clearly talented and really attractive. So, he could be moving forward.
11. Eben Frankowitz: ok, pretty much everything about this sweet 15 year old’s performance of Adele’s recent # 1 smash “Set Fire to the Rain” was just wrong. He was sharp, then flat and he had no emotional connection to the song. It was such a bad choice for him. That said, he can sing and could improve quickly. He’s also a very likable kid and the tween girls will enjoy him. But I think it may be too late for him. I wish he had waited a few years and got more experience.
12. Adam Brock: wow, this was really irritating. It was like a drunk uncle cruise ship karaoke performance. And it’s sad, because Brock has a decent voice. He just has no business doing using it on television every week. And his cover of Aretha Franklin’s “Think” was all kinds of wrong too. Looks like Hokey Gokey 2.0 should’ve “thought” more about his song choice.
13. Reed Grimm: all I can say is that was one grimm performance. (Yes, big pun intended). Sorry but everything about Grimm’s take on last year’s ubiquitous # 1 hit “Moves Like Jagger” from Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera was just atrocious. He was awful. End of story.

So, there are my rankings, but what does any of that mean? Well, it may mean nothing, because we all know America doesn’t exactly agree with me at times. (If they did, it would’ve been a Haley v. Pia finale last season)… All I can do now is guess which men will make the final five on Thursday night. Luckily, several of them will be given a second chance “Wild Card” performance opportunity for the judges to add them to the overall top 13… Now, let’s take a look at my guesses, er um, predictions…

My Predictions~

Who’s In: Joshua, Phillip, Heejun, Colton

Fighting for 5th spot: Creighton, Jermaine, Aaron
(All will likely be up for Wild Card spots if not automatically in)

Spoilers who could be up for Wild Card: Chase, Deandre

Who’s Out: Eben, Adam, Reed, Jeremy

There you have my two cents… What are your thoughts? Who did you love? Who do you think will make it in?
And finally, some Idol Thoughts: wasn’t Ryan looking dapper this evening with his nice suit and new hair? ….Also, did you notice both Reed and Steven swore? I’m sure Fox was not happy about that… What the heck was Randy’s shirt? … And is it me or did J Lo get more “Bronxy” tonight than usual? … Sound off below and check back here tomorrow night for my take on the ladies.

And here’s my fave from tonight~ Creighton Fraker’s “True Colors”