The CMT Video Awards Crown Carrie Underwood!

Last night, Country Music Television aired their annual CMT Awards honoring the best in country music videos and performances, and yet again, Carrie Underwood was the big winner. Having previously won 7 Golden Buckles, Underwood added two more to her collection including Video of the Year for “Good Girl”. She also performed that smash hit which is currently the # 1 country single in the nation (her 12th chart topper there), and she took home the award for Best Collaboration for “Remind Me” with Brad Paisley. Other big winners included Luke Bryan (who is seriously the hottest and most fun guy right now in country music), Miranda Lambert and Lady Antebellum. Take a look a the full list of winners below and for more on the performances and the show which featured a host of American Idol alumni, head here. Those Idols were everywhere on the CMT stage with Underwood, Casey James, Lauren Alaina and Scotty McCreery all performing and Jordin Sparks, Kellie Pickler, Skylar Laine (who is so gonna have a big country career), and Colton Dixon all presenting.

2012 CMT Music Award Winners:

Video of the Year: “Good Girl” – Carrie Underwood
Male Video: “I Don’t Want this Night to End”- Luke Bryan
Female Video: “Over You”- Miranda Lambert
Group Video: “We Owned the Night”- Lady Antebellum
Duo Video: “I Got You”- Thompson Square
Collaboration Video: “Remind Me”- Brad Paisley & Carrie Underwood
USA Breakthrough Video: “The Trouble with Girls”- Scotty McCreery
CMT Performance of the Year: “Tattoos on this Town”- Jason Aldean

And here’s Carrie’s winning video for “Good Girl

Some Belated Thoughts on the Season 11 American Idol Finale

Some of you readers may have wondered why I didn’t post anything after last week’s American Idol finale…. Well, the reason is, which may come to you as no surprise, that I was just upset and annoyed. I needed some time away from Idol for a bit. I was incredibly frustrated, though not surprised, that the wrong person won again! This was the fourth year in a row when a lesser contestant (Phillip over Jessica, Scotty over Lauren, Lee over Crystal, Kris over Adam) won the show and the fifth year in a row that a white guy with a guitar won the show (David Cook completes the quintet). So, when Phillip Phillips was named the winner, I was honestly pissed off… Ok, I get that he has a big fan base and he’s incredibly attractive and charming. But he’s not a very good singer people! And in a singing competition, shouldn’t the best singer win? If that were the case, Jessica Sanchez would’ve easily took home the crown… Alas, we all know this is a big popularity contest along with a singing competition and you can’t deny the power of the tween girl texters who have powered all these boys to a win…. Now, despite my anger over the outcome, I wish Phillip well. His songs are selling decently on iTunes for the time being (comparable to Lee’s and Scotty’s but below Cook’s). I do wonder how he will do once his album arrives. I think it could sell well, but I highly doubt he will ever have any hit pop songs. His Dave Matthews-type music has a certain audience but it isn’t the type to get radio airplay these days… That task we will leave up to Jessica who will certainly get a record deal and if Jimmy Iovine and the people at Interscope treat her right could have a huge pop star on their hands. She’s that good. She just needs the right guidance and songs. (As we all know, and even I will admit, song choice was not her strong suit in the competition… nor was it the producers or judges…)
So, as we say goodbye to a really good season that brought us some phenomenal talent, I will say I foresee record deals for Phillip and Jessica of course, along with Joshua Ledet (who could do well in the gospel and R&B arena), Colton Dixon (who has a great contemporary Christian career ahead of him) and especially Skylar Laine who has a wonderful shot at a fantastic country career. I am also curious to see what happens to perennial underdog Hollie Cavanagh. She has an incredible voice, but needs some more guidance and experience…. We’ll see how they grow as performers and artists this summer on the American Idol tour.

Now, there are some things Idol needs to do next year to get its edge and influence back. Here are my suggestions~

1. Ban guitars and instruments… Go back to singers singing if you want to see a different type of winner…
2. Get new relevant and current themes. The producers need to wake up and do contemporary themes because those are the ones that connect with the young audience they so crave… (And hello, trotting out those old artists on the finale like Neil Diamond, John Fogerty and Chaka Kahn, who are certainly wonderful in their own right, was a big mistake. The young audience doesn’t know who they are for the most part and doesn’t relate to them. You need to keep your guests more like Rihanna if you want bigger ratings…)
3. Switch up the judging panel~ Dump Randy Jackson and Steven Tyler. Randy is useless and Steven, while entertaining, is a hot mess and only gives a real critique one out of every 15 tries. He also clearly has no idea what “Over the Top” really means cuz he used it wrong constantly…. They can keep J. Lo for star power and her sometimes useful critiques. But she needs to study up on the history of the show because she is constantly proclaiming things that are totally wrong. For example~ she stated she’d never seen anything like Phillip’s performance of “Home”. Hello, check out Lee Dewyze’s finale performance from two years earlier)… Then, they need to add Jimmy Iovine to the judging panel for some real, honest critique…. Finally they have to add a younger artist the singers might relate to better for the third choice~ perhaps a former contestant? I’m open to ideas for that third spot.
4. Get some new producers… As I said before, the producers are using the same old tricks with the themes and guests… They need to mix it up big time.
5. Put a limit on text and phone votes like Dancing with the Stars... 5 calls per house or phone or something will make it a lot fairer.

Ok, so those are my brief thoughts for the time being. I really enjoyed this season for the most part which gave us some incredible performances, fun personalities and villains (argh Heejun Hahn!), lol … Before I go, please enjoy the two best performances from the finale featuring the girl who should’ve won it all, Jessica Sanchez.

Jessica Sanchez “I Will Always Love You” (Idol finale)

And the undisputed performance of the night from Jessica and Tony and Grammy winner Jennifer Holiday on “And I Am Telling You”

My American Idol Season 11 Top 4 Buzz Rankings

Last week on American Idol, we saw the sad and premature exit of country firecracker Skylar Laine. It was unfortunate on so many levels, especially considering when all is said and done, she is likely the most commercially viable contender among the top ten. I’m sure she will get a record deal in no time and go on to great success. If Kellie Pickler can land in 6th place, sell around 1.5 million records and have 9 top 40 Country Hits to date, I have no date Skylar can outdo that tenfold. She was a fantastic performer with a great voice who was like the baby of Melissa Etheridge, Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert and Gretchen Wilson. So, while I am really sad to see her go, I have high hopes for Ms. Laine…. Now, on to today’s business at hand. It’s time to rank the top 4 contenders as we head into the strangely themed “California Artists/Songs I Wish I Had Written” week. So, just who has the heat? Check out my all new completely unscientific buzz rankings below.

American Idol Season 11 Top 4 Buzz Rankings

1. Jessica: ok, ya’ll may think I’m crazy for ranking her this high. However, I have a feeling the superior vocalist in the competition is ready to roll over her competitors. Her vocals are astounding week in and week out and we saw more personality from her last Wednesday too. The scary almost elimination is still on people’s minds, and I’m hoping America pulls their heads out and makes her our next Idol. I mean, hello, she could be the next Rihanna with a Jennifer Hudson voice but without the douchebag abusive boyfriend. (last week~ 2)
2. Phillip: seriously, this guy needs to go home! Oops, wait, I’m not critiquing his latest performance, I’m talking about his chances of winning the race. And those chances are real, real good. He’s never been in danger of elimination despite all of his songs sounding exactly the same. And he’s also had several bad performances lately but glides by unscathed. His winning personality and looks are clearly keeping him a front-runner. (lw~ 3)
3. Joshua: now, you may be wondering why I have dropped Mantasia to third despite one very solid and one incredible performance last week. Well, here’s the reason~ he’s getting boring. We all know he will sing incredibly week in and out taking us to church. However, I still don’t see how he will appeal to anyone outside the R&B or Gospel fan base when the show is over. And his awkward interviews and interchange with Phillip last week could turn people off. Honey, we all know who you are. It’s ok to hug Phillip. No one is gonna think anything they don’t already think. Be proud of who you are and then sang! (lw~ 1)
4. Hollie: I have become a big fan of Hollie’s over the past few weeks and I’d actually love to see her take on Jessica in the finale. Unfortunately, despite two weeks in a row with her best performances and tremendous vocals, she still was in the bottom two. She has far to go in the competition, but she could do it. I’m rooting for our super cute Irish/Texan dark horse. (lw~ 5)

And there you have it. That’s who I think is buzziest this week. Do you agree? Am I letting my personal preference for Jessica cloud my rational thoughts? Should boring blah Phillip be on top? Can Hollie take them all down? Sound off below and watch American Idol tonight on Fox.

American Idol Quick Wrap 5-2-12- “The Music of the 60′s and Brit Pop”

Dueling themes kept things interesting again this week on American Idol as the singers took on the songs of the 60′s and British pop. Both genres provided some standout performances but the latter really helped the singers step up their game. It was a night where one singer built on her momentum for her strongest week yet and one singer fell to his farthest depths with his worst frame to date. So, just who were those two and how did everyone rank as a whole? Well, check out my rankings of all the performances plus my predictions below.

American Idol Performance Rankings 5-2-12

The 60′s~
1. Skylar “Fortunate Son”: I don’t care that I’m not very familiar with this Credence Clearwater Revival hit from 1969 or that I didn’t really love the song. None of that mattered because Skylar absolutely lit the stage on fire with this incendiary and fantastic performance. Loved it.
2. Jessica- “Proud Mary”: taking on Ike & Tina Turner’s # 4 hit was a tall order and only Jessica could pull it off with such passion and panache. She sold the crap out of it and sounded great as always.
3. Hollie- “River Deep Mountain High”: singing the song that got Pia sent home way too early last year, I was a little worried for Hollie. However, she nailed it. Her vocals were great and it was her most loose, relaxed and fun performance to date. Really really good.
4. Joshua- “Aint to Proud to Beg”: singing this 1966 hit for The Temptations, Joshua was totally in his element. But it felt a little safe and forgettable compared to his earlier performances this year. He did sing it wonderfully though.
5. Phillip- “The Letter”: so, he got rid of the melody from this 1967 #1 hit by the Box Tops, turned it into another Dave Matthews Band clone, and gave a lax performance. Even his sexiness couldn’t save it. And he paled in comparison to the brilliant version that Season 7′s Carly Smithson and Michael Johns performed back in the day. Check that out  here.

British Pop~
the great
1. Jessica- “You Are So Beautiful”: ok, what the heck does this girl have to do to get a standing ovation from these ridiculous judges? Because that was FLAWLESS and her best performance since “I Will Always Love You”. It was emotionally connected, vocally perfect and simply stunning. I dare say it improved on Joe Cocker’s 1975 original.
2. Hollie- “Bleeding Love”: with perhaps her best performance and vocal to date, Hollie did an astounding job on this song, which was the biggest worldwide  # 1 smash in 2008 for Leona Lewis. (Hello, how do you not know that song Steven Tyler? You silly dingbat!) She is really in it to win it and I think she may have saved herself from a spot in the bottom two for once with this fabulous song.
the very good
3. Joshua- “To Love Somebody”: Josh’s great vocal on this Bee Gee’s 1967 hit didn’t have me on my feet like the three stooges, er um our judges. But it was very very good and his performance was naturally great. Another solid one for Mr. Ledet and likely the thing that keeps him safe this week.
4. Skylar- “You Don’t’ Have to Say You Love Me”: our country cutie’s take on Dusty Springfield’s “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me” wasn’t perfect, but it was pretty darn good. She made it her own and sang the bejesus out of it. I just wonder if it ends up a little less memorable at the end of the night…
the terribly terrible
5. Phillip- “Time of the Season” : simply put, this off-key, flat, boring, lazy and astoundingly awful performance of The Zombie’s 1969 # 3 hit should finally land Mr. Growly pants in the bottom three.

Duets/Trios
1. Skylar, Jessica and Hollie- “Higher and Higher”: fantastic on all levels with great vocals from each of them.
2. Joshua & Phillip- “You’ve Lost that Lovin’ Feeling”: um, no… just no.

Predictions:
Bottom 3: Skylar, Phillip and Hollie (but Jessica could wind up here too. It’s close)
Bottom 2: Skylar, Phillip
Buh Bye: Phillip (I think his first trip to the nether regions will be his ticket out of here finally)

Well, that’s my recap and what do you think of that? Did you figure out who had their best and worst week? Here’s a hint~ Hollie is now a serious contender and Phillip could be on the way out. But will that actually happen? I hope so, but I don’t know. So watch American Idol tomorrow night with special guests Carrie Underwood and Coldplay and find out.

And here’s the best performance of the night one more time…. Jessica Sanchez doing “You Are So Beautiful”

My American Idol Season 11 Top 5 Buzz Rankings

We are really getting down to the wire on American Idol as the final five compete tomorrow night. With the long-in-coming elimination of the talented but hard to connect with Elise Testone, we have a quintet of singers all of whom have a chance at the title (yes, even Hollie)… So, which one has the most buzz going into this week’s “British Music” theme night? Take a look at my all new completely unscientific buzz rankings below.

My Season 11 Top 5 American Idol Buzz Rankings~

1. Joshua: another week, another new leader. Everyone left in the top five except Hollie has now hit the top of my buzz chart as Mantasia rises to the summit. He gets here based on constant consistent performances full of emotion and strong vocals. He’s also very likable and I think he has a bigger fan base than any of us expected. However, the constant standing ovations are getting to be a bit too much. That said, he seems a lock for the top three. If that happens, he’d be the first African-American male to make it that far since season 2 winner Ruben Studdard. (last week~ 4)
2. Jessica: after near elimination a couple of weeks ago, the show’s best singer and the strongest possibility for a successful pop Idol winner had another great week. She even went first, got mediocre feedback for her first song (hello, they judge her harder than the others), and she still avoided the bottom three. She needs another breakout moment, but she is still going strong. (lw~ 3)
3. Phillip: ok, despite one absolutely awful number and one blah number, this season’s heart-throb still remains the only singer to never have landed on the silver stools of doom. His fan base is clearly strong. However, I do wonder if people will soon be over all of his songs sounding the same and start voting for people who really inspire them. He could be a shocker boot in the weeks ahead or sadly he could take the crown. (lw~ 2)
4. Skylar: she killed it on “The Show Must Go On”, but her Jason Aldean cover landed her in the bottom three for the second time this season. I think it may be an aberration. I still feel like she and Jessica should be the final two and I think the country fans will keep her in the race for a few more weeks… hopefully to the finale. (lw~ 1)
5. Hollie: yes, she’s in last place again. But, she is a survivor and she keeps improving. She’s also massively likable and adorable with a very strong set of pipes. Could she be the ultimate dark horse and make the finals? Stranger things have happened. If she has another “Rolling in the Deep” moment, she could be on her way. (lw~ 6)

So, that’s my assessment of the final five going into tomorrow night’s show with guest mentor Steve Van Zandt. Joshua is on the rise and Skylar takes a fall, but can Hollie really win it all? Well, tune into American Idol tomorrow night and find out who really has the buzz.

American Idol Quick Wrap 4-25-12 ~ Who’s the Real Queen?

When I heard the Idols would be singing the songs of Queen (along with a song choice of their own) tonight on American Idol, I was a little nervous. I mean could anyone really do justice to their rocking anthems the way Adam Lambert did in season 8 or even Carly Smithson in season 7. Well, heck ya they did. In fact five of our top six singers all excelled at these classic songs and most of them had strong nights overall… So, just who did the best and who might see a random song choice lead to their last dance with the silver stools? Check out my rankings below. (And sorry in advance for the short recap, I’m prepping a film shoot this weekend and it’s been an insane week. Thx!)

American Idol Performance Rankings 4/25/12

The Songs of Queen~
1. Skylar “The Show Must Go On”: she killed it and she should be killing it all the way to the finale.
2. Jessica “Bohemian Rhapsody”: her vocals are incredible and she rocked it out!
3. Elise “I Want it All”: I want all of her songs to be like this: fantastic!
4. Joshua “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”: great vocal as always, but I didn’t really buy the performance as an authentic interpretation. That said, super entertaining.
5. Hollie “Save Me”: girl has pipes for days.
~ the one blah one
6. Phillip “Fat Bottomed Girls”: I love that he chose this song. I just wish he could actually sing it… He was kinda sexy making a mess out of it though.

Songs of their Choice~
~the great
1. Jessica “Dance With My Father”: Simply Astounding. What on Earth does she have to do to get a Standing Ovation from these nincompoop judges?
2. Hollie “The Climb”: it was wonderful and is a close second to last week’s “Rolling in the Deep” as Hollie’s best of the season.
~ the good
3. Joshua “Ready for Love”: I was surprised he picked this beautiful and melancholic India.Arie ballad. However, he sang the crap out of it.
~ the decent
4. Skylar “Tattoos on this Town”: the first half was just ok, but she delivered big at the end.
~ the ok one
5. Elise “Bold as Love”: she sure is bold for picking a song that no one has heard of. However, that bravery may be her ticket home as it was also just a serviceable take on the tune. She needed a wow factor and didn’t get it on this one.
~ the sleep inducing one
6. Phillip “The Stone”: Phillip clearly has some big stones to sing a song with no melody that very few people have heard of (especially fans of this show). And he sounded exactly like the guy he copies each week Dave Matthew on Matthews’ own track. In a word: BORING.

Predictions~
Bottom 3: Hollie, Elise, Phillip (but who knows anyone could show up it seems and I think Joshua might be the surprise here)
Bottom 2: Elise, Phillip
Going Home: Elise

So, that’s my quick two cents on tonight’s American Idol. Again, I apologize for my brevity, but I have to get to bed and prep for our Dirty Talk film shoot. (Yes, that was me tooting my own horn about the short film I’m producing and co-starring in this weekend.) So, instead of my babbling, I want to know who you think rocked it tonight. Who was your champion? And who just might bite the dust? Sound off below.

My American Idol Season 11 Top 6 Buzz Rankings!

In what might have been even a bigger shocker than Jessica’s almost ousting two weeks ago, tween-girl fave and the Christian rocker with the skinniest legs on Earth, Colton Dixon, was eliminated last week on American Idol. I, for one, was surprised and a bit thrilled. It was great to see that the show can indeed throw us for a loop every now and again with the results and I’m excited that a girl has an even better chance of winning this year. But I didn’t think this kid, who was clearly talented, would get the boot so soon. But all it took was one terrible week and he was gone. (Or maybe Jesus just had other plans for him, lol)… Anywho, with Colton gone, it’s time for another shakeup on my all new and completely unscientific American Idol Buzz Rankings…

American Idol Season 11 Buzz Rankings for the Top 6:

1. Skylar: our only country contender flies into the pole position for the first time this season after yet another week of solid performances. I, agree, with Jimmy Iovine that she is the best performer of the singers left and, I’d also say she’s the most likable. That, plus her strong pipes, fierce competitive streak and lack of fear will likely help her all the way to the finals. (last week~ 2)
2. Phillip: despite one terrible performance last week (“U Got it Bad”), Phillip remained the only contestant to avoid the bottom three so far for the whole competition. Does that mean he’s unstoppable for the finale? Probably. However, he needs to vary his performances, stay humble and not channel Dave Matthews all the time. But that charm, sex appeal and being the only white guy with a guitar left in the race all add to likelihood of going the distance. (lw~ 3)
3. Jessica: rebounding nicely after her near elimination, the season’s best singer gave two more great perfs this week. Now, if she can keep building that momentum, sing songs that her younger fans would identify with and show a little more emotion and personality, she could reclaim her rightful spot in the top two. (lw~ 4)
4. Joshua: also rebounding nicely with a pair of strong vocals last week was Joshua. Despite looking like the judges favorite singer in the race (I mean he could burp and they would give him a standing ovation), I still think there is a large contingent of the audience that may not connect to him. And that’s despite his tremendous vocal talent. (lw~ 5)
5. Elise: despite arguing with Jennifer and one pretty blah performance, Elise avoided the bottom two. However, she was still in her usual home in the bottom three. This means she is still a big dark horse. She has a really cool unique voice and feels like more of a true artist than several of her competitors, but she will have to have a few amazing performances this week to make the top five. (lw~ 7)
6. Hollie: our lil Irish-Texan cutie had her best night to date last week with two really good performances. Unfortunately, she still landed in the bottom two. It looks like Hollie’s days are truly and finally numbered. (lw~ 6)

With that said, now you have your weekly buzz. But will it mean a thing after they sing if they have no zing?… Ok, when I’m making up silly rhymes, it’s clearly time for me to end this post. But now, it’s time for you to tell me who you think has the buzz to make it to the finale… which is only a few weeks away! Can you believe it?!

American Idol Quick Wrap 4/18/12~ The Top Seven of Season 11…. Again

After last week’s shocker almost-elimination of the season’s best vocalist and my favorite, Jessica Sanchez, it was clear tonight that all bets are off. Practically all the contestants stepped up their game or stepped out of their boxes. Luckily only one of them stepped in “it”, but it’s clear he ain’t goin’ home anytime soon. (More on Colton later…) So, it’s time to count down this week’s double dose of American Idol performances as the singers took on # 1 hits from the last decade and “Soul Classics”. Let’s see who did what and who just might hang on another week…

American Idol Season 11 Top 7 Performance Rankings 4/18/12

# 1 Hits from the Last Decade:
~ the great
1. Hollie: Um, hello, Hollie took on the Adele beast and she actually slayed it. Not only did she give her best performance to date on last year’s Grammy winning smash “Rolling in the Deep”, but she also made it her own. The opening a capella was brilliant and she was confident and composed throughout. She also finally let go. Great performance!
2. Skylar: maybe some people thought Lady Gaga’s country version of her 2010 # 1 “Born This Way” was a little odd, but in Skylar Laine’s capable hands, it was simply fantastic. This girl is a born performer and she owned this number. Plus, let’s be honest, she brings so much energy, joy and ferocious presence to the stage you can’t help but love her every time. It’s hard not to think of the finale without her at this point.
3. Joshua: Mantasia was totally inhabiting Fantasia on her chart topping Idol coronation song from 2004, and I loved it. The song fit him like a glove and his gospel-riffic performance was roof-raising without being cloying or copycat. Another good one from Mr. Ledet.
4. Jessica: taking on the song that has probably been sung more on Idol than any other, our new underdog fought hard and gave what I consider the best performance of the song on this show to date. Singing Alicia Keyes’ 2000 # 1 “Fallin’”, Jessica’s vocals were predictably glorious, but she also dug deep and really interpreted the song. This girl really should never have even been in the bottom three. I mean come on America!
~ the really good
5. Elise: it’s crazy that Elise’s lovely, charismatic and beautiful interpretation of Keyes’ 2007 Grammy winning chart topper is all the way down in 5th place. That just goes to show how good the top five songs in this genre were tonight. Elise’s vocals were great and she really communicated the song like the seasoned pro she is. Well done.
~ and now for the two clunkers
6. Colton: sorry, this rocking re-interpretation of Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” from 2009 was just kind of weird. He was a little pitchy in parts and the arrangement never quite felt right. What was worse was that Colton was never convincing for one moment throughout the song. It was a bad way for him to start the night… and it only got worse for him from there…
7. Phillip: I have no idea why the judges gave that piece of crap performance a standing ovation. Poor Phillip utterly decimated Usher’s “U Got It Bad” from 2001. He stripped it of any meaning, growled like usual and just turned it into another unnecessary Dave Matthews Band knockoff. Blech.

Soul Classics
~ the great
1. Jessica: holy crap was that a fantastic interpretation of Otis Redding’s 1966 hit “Try a Little Tenderness”. Jessica sang the you know what out of it, had fun doing it and really fought for her place in this race. Outstanding.
~ the good
2. Phillip: ok, on this number I could see what ya’ll love about Mr. Growly Pants. When he smiles and the song fits him and he’s not screaming, he is incredibly charming. This performance of Wilson Pickett’s 1965 classic “In the Midnight Hour” was sublimely entertaining and the song fit his limited vocal range perfectly. It was his best effort in ages.
3. Hollie: um, hello Hollie delivered on both of her numbers this evening This little belter was letting us have it tonight and I loved it. She totally won me over on Dusty Springfield’s # 10 hit from 1968 “Son of a Preacher Man.”
4. Skylar: while it wasn’t a perfect fit for her, Skylar, none the less, sold the heck out of her version of Marvin Gaye’s # 1 smash from 1968 “I Heard it through the Grapevine”. She’s so good and so genuine that she can pretty much sing anything and make it feel like a Skylar Laine original. Another solid effort.
~the pretty good
5. Joshua: while nowhere near the brilliant version Adam Lambert did in season 8, Joshua’s take on Sam Cooke’s civil rights anthem from 1965 “A Change is Gonna Come” was quite assured. His voice sounded wonderful as usual, but did it feel like more of the same from Mr. Ledet or was it me?
~ the ok
6. Elise: unfortunately Elise’s perfectly passable version of Marvin Gaye’s 1973 # 1 classic “Let’s Get it On” fell short in comparison to her competitors other efforts tonight. Her vocals were fine and she seemed to be having a pretty good time singing it. However, it was a tad forgettable when all was said and done.
~ the atrocious
7. Colton: sorry even Colton’s precious Jesus would’ve hated skinny leg boy’s awful reinvention of Earth Wind and Fire’s # 8 hit from 1978 “September”. He basically turned the soul song into an anemic, pitchy and tuneless mess version of One Republic’s “Apologize” and completely stripped it of any soul whatsoever . While I give the guy credit for taking a page out of the David Cook/Adam Lambert playbook by taking serious risk, unfortunately this one tanked…. And it tanked big time.

Predictions~
Bottom 3: Elise, Joshua, Hollie (but Jessica and Colton might show up here too… things are getting crazy this season!)
Bottom 2: Elise, Joshua
Going Home: Elise

So according to my crazy tea leaves, it looks like Elise Testone’s roller coaster American Idol journey may finally be coming to an end tomorrow. But as you might guess, my predictions haven’t been to spot on this season, lol. So, will she last another week? Will Colton finally make a (very deserving) appearance in the bottom three? Did Jessica galvanize her fan base or did Hollie steal her voters? Find out tomorrow night on American Idol.

My ALL NEW American Idol Season 11 Top Seven Buzz Rankings

If any of you were wondering why I didn’t post about the ridiculousness of last week’s American Idol results show, I just couldn’t bring myself to…. After hearing the season’s best singer, Jessica Sanchez, got the lowest amount of votes and was almost eliminated, I was just plain angry. How could American Idol voters be so stupid or lazy or just ignorant? Why oh why was this happening again? I was overwhelmed with memories of the loss of Pia Toscano too early last year (and the unsettlingly early departures of Tamyra Gray in season 1, Jennifer Hudson in season 3, Chris Daughtry in season 4 and Carly Smithson in season 7) and I just didn’t even want to talk about it…. Now, it’s almost a week later and I have calmed down. I’m grateful that the “Save” actually existed for once, and I am grateful the judges saved Jessica (but duh, we knew they’d do that) I’m also excited she has another chance this week. I, mean seriously, she is this season’s best singer and has the best chance to become an Idol pop powerhouse ala Kelly and Carrie, since Jordin in season 6. (That would also make her the first female winner in 5 years.)… So, let’s hope Idol voters will get their acts together and vote up a storm for Jessica this week!… That said, my girl takes a tumble in the buzz rankings… And that means it’s time for my all new totally unscientific American Idol Season 11 Buzz Rankings for the top seven singers…

American Idol Season 11 Top 7 Buzz Rankings (redux)

1. Colton: looks like the boy with the skinniest legs on Earth and a major Jesus crush is headed straight to the finals. He has never been in the bottom three, always gives consistent and strong performances, and the girls love him. Even though I found him a little forgettable this week, he is on a roll and rises to the top of my rankings for the first time. It’s also time I stopped underestimating the power of the cute white boy in this year’s competition. (last week~ 3)
2. Skylar: she gave another strong performance this week and improved upon a former Idol‘s song. (That was Kellie Pickler I’m speaking of people). She also went first in last week’s lineup and still remained safe. I think this year’s country contender could end up being the last girl standing after all. (lw~ 4)
3. Phillip: it pains me to put him back in the top three, but even after another bad week of weak performances, he still avoided the bottom three. He is the heir to the “white guy with guitar” Idol mantle title of the past few years. So, he could hang on way longer than this one trick pony should…Oh and he’s cute, so there’s another cajillion votes for him each week too. Ugh (lw~ 5)
4. Jessica: ok, you may think I’m crazy to have her this high after she almost went packing… However, I am hopeful last week was just an anomaly. She is clearly the best singer on the show (yes, I’m repeating myself cuz it’s true) and deserves to make the top five at least. (And hello win the whole shebang, but I may be dreaming)… Anywho, I think her fan base will get off their lazy bums and activate this week to keep her in the game. Plus, you know she’s gonna throw down this week to prove herself. (lw~ 1)
5. Joshua: what on Earth was he doing in the bottom 3 last week too? He gave the other best performance of the night and has been consistently good throughout the competition… Did people just feel like he was “safe” too and they didn’t need to vote? Do tween girls not vote for good singers? (Um, we know they don’t) What more can he do to stay in the game? (lw~ 2)
6. Hollie: she gave one of the weaker performances of the week, but this big voiced cutie avoided the bottom three somehow. I think she has a bigger fan base than anyone might expect. Well, she is from Texas and that is a real big state… Plus she has all those Irish votes, and who doesn’t love her super strange accent? (lw~ 7)
7. Elise: I’m rather worried about Elise. She gave two really good performances and still landed on the silver stools of doom. And that’s a position she has found herself in many times this season despite her considerable talent. I feel like she’s gonna need a miracle or a big misstep from one of her peers to last another week in the race. (lw~ 6)

So, that’s the buzz. The two best singers are in trouble and the two heart throbs can do no wrong. Plus, the two blonde ladies are still hovering at the bottom of the pack. Will either of them survive? Can Jessica and Joshua make big comebacks tomorrow when they sing one song from the past decade and one “soul” classic? Will people ever realize that Phillip is NOT all that and a bag of chips? And will it end up being a Skylar v. Colton finale?  Stay tuned…

And before I go, please take another look at the brilliant Jessica Sanchez and her incredible performance of “Stuttering” from last week… Pick up the phone for this girl people!

American Idol Quick Wrap 4/11/12~ The Best Performance Show of the Season!

Well, thank goodness Uncle Nigel (Idol Exec. Producer Nigel Lythgoe) listened to the fans and gave us a current theme for once because tonight American Idol took on the songs from this decade and it was fantastic. With only 2 and 1/3 years of material to choose from, it could have gone either way. However, this years incredibly talented top 7 (the best top 7 ever???) did a wonderful job on these modern hits. (Well most of them anyway). It was perhaps the best performance show ever, and definitely of the season. So, just who stood out the most and who fell short? Take a look at my rankings and predictions below.

American Idol Season 11 Top 7 Performance Rankings~ 4/11/12

~ The Great
1. Jessica: our youngest competitor is also perhaps our most savvy. She knocks it out of the park every week no matter the genre (hello shades of Kelly Clarkson). And this week, she does a song that was a minor R&B hit for Jazmine Sullivan, but damn if she didn’t make me run to iTunes and buy her version of “Stuttering” as soon as the show ended. This girl is a superstar, a hit maker, and a brilliant vocalist. And how about that outfit? Girl better win this thing!
2. Joshua: Mantasia got a shout out from Fantasia even before he performed Bruno Mars’ “Runaway Baby, but he certainly earned it. It was another flawless vocal and an incredibly enthusiastic and energetic performance. He is a born entertainer and the best guy in the competition by a mile.
3. Skylar: keeping up her momentum from last week, our country spitfire gave a blazing performance on former Idol Kellie Pickler’s hit ballad from 2010 “Didn’t You Know How Much I Love You”. I dare say it improved on the original. Her emotion and intonation were perfect, and hello, she played the guitar too! Skylar is a fierce competitor, not to mention a great singer. She is soooo getting a record deal regardless of where she places when all is said and done this season.
4. Elise: improving ten fold from last week, Elise delivered a soaring version of Lady Gaga’s top ten smash from last year, “You and I”. While it wasn’t as good as Haley Reinhart’s incredible performance of the song from last year, it was still fantastic. I especially loved the beginning with just Elise and the piano. I sure hope the audience embraces her again and keeps her in the race.

~ the good
5. Hollie: I don’t know what the judges were babbling about because Hollie did a wonderful job on Pink’s Grammy nominated top ten smash from last year “Perfect”. It was her best performance since Whitney Houston week when the finals began. Her vocals sounded wonderful and she had more confidence than she’s had in ages. I just wish she had connected a tad more to the lyrics. All in all, it was a job well done. But was it enough to keep her in the game? I’m not sure.
6. Colton: I’m a little surprised I have him ranked so low because I really liked his performance of Skylar Grey’s “Love the Way You Lie”. (You probably know the Grammy winning # 1 hit version of the song by Rihanna and Eminem by the way). He was vulnerable and gave a really strong spin on the song. In fact, it probably would be a great recording for him. The only drawback is that it became a little forgettable compared to the others tonight.

~ the blah
7. Phillip: oh dear, sweet Southern charmer Phillip… Why oh why must you turn every song into a Dave Matthews track? J Lo was dead on when she said she’d seen that performance before. Um, hello, because he does pretty much the same thing week after week. And his take on Maroon 5′s “Give A Little More” was nothing new and far inferior to the original. If there was any justice, his growling on the show would come to an end tomorrow night. Sorry people, he’s a great guy, but that aint gonna cut it anymore.

The Duets/Group Numbers:

1. Joshua/Jessica/Hollie: despite a little shaky start, this trio sold the crap out of Kelly Clarkson’s recent # 1 smash “Stronger”. Their big powerhouse vocals fit the song well, and I wasn’t sure if Joshua could do a pop anthem. However, he totally did. In fact, I agree with Randy that he may have stolen the number from the ladies.
2. Colton/Skylar: I’m not sure why the judges didn’t love this. It was a wonderful interpretation of Kelly Clarkson and Jason Aldean’s ACM and CMA Award winning, Grammy nominated, # 1 country smash “Don’t You Wanna Stay”… No, it wasn’t as good as the original, but it was still pretty darn good. (It was also a whole lot better than the version Lauren and Scotty did last year).
3. Elise/Phillip: taking on Gotye & Kimbra’s current # 2 hit “Somebody that I Used to Know”, this duo did an admirable job. But let’s be honest, Elise did all the heavy lifting and totally served Phillip on the number. In his defense, it was out of his wheelhouse, but he didn’t need to look so uncomfortable throughout. That said, I kinda liked their spooky chemistry. Unfortunately, it paled compared to their great collaboration from last week.

Predicitions~

Bottom 3: Hollie, Elise, Phillip (but Skylar and Colton might show up too)
Bottom 2: Hollie, Phillip
Going Home: Hollie (but it really should be Philip)

So, Idol producers, you better have taken notes tonight. Doing a current theme can work wonders for your show! And I bet your Idol download sales are probably soaring this week too…. Now, the question is how will America vote? Despite an improved performance, I still think Hollie is in big trouble. But will we see a surprise elimination instead? Or will the judges finally use their “Save”? Are we heading to a Joshua v. Jessica finale? Can Colton or Skylar break into the top two? Did Phillip finally make a misstep that could cost him big? Watch the results show tomorrow night and find out. And let me know your thoughts below.