Season 7 Finale!

The winner got 56% of an all-time record-smashing vote. I'm kinda glad it wasn't super close. This is gonna be good!

Man, the David duet is killer good! It would be so cool if they did an album together!

Jason Castro did a fine job with 'Hallelujah'.

Donna Summers was fun. Syesha held her own in their mini-duet.

I'm glad to see they've gotten Michael Johns to do something with his hair. Much better.

Jimmy Kimmel's mini-roast of the cast is wonderful, as always.

Graham Nash with Brooke White was delicious.

Whoops...got distracted there by a phone call and dinner. Mmmm...prime new york strip steak. The phone call was from my neighbor, asking me to turn it down a bit... LOL.

Gladys Knight and her crew were the pips...lol.

Carrie Underwood was great!

David Archuleta's imitation of Tom Cruise in the Guitar Hero ad was impressive!

George Michael's performance was great, and so was the song, which I'd never heard before. It was the perfect performance to put just prior to announcing the winner.

Simon apologizes for being so hard on Cooke last night, and clarifies that, on reviewing last night's show at home, it wasn't as clear cut as he called it last night.

It seems that America agrees. David Cooke is the man. He's overwhelmed. I'm quite happy with that result.

David Cooke sings the songwriting contest winner, which is quite good, actually. I love how he hugs Archuleta and draws him into the song and into the audience with him.

Wow. What a great season.

See you next year...

D-Day on American Idol - Ruben Studdard Performs!

The final chapter of The Tale of Two Davids will be written tonight. Who will win the hearts and minds of the ultimate judges of this heated contest? Who will thrill us with their best effort to date? Who will Randy, Paula, and Simon endorse? Who will be the next...American Idol!?!

Will it be the highly-polished, adorable youngster with the excellent voice and consistently powerful, if slightly predictable, performances?

Or will it be the less-polished but highly-talented young man who continues to blow our minds with original and stunning performances? Will his greater life experience outweigh Archuleta's disciplined but narrower focus on developing his talent?

I considered speculating on which David would become a Goliath, in the sense of becoming the giant in the competition, but then realized that Goliath lost the competition with David, so that won't work (just forget I brought it up).

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Ah. The Davids are presented as boxers in the ultimate competition.

From the applause, it sounds like Archuleta has the majority in the audience response elicited by Ryan.

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Clive Davis' picks:

Cooke: 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For' - Great song, and Cooke runs with it, extending notes in all the right place, making it his own. He also gets into the audience, making them his own, as well. The last note was a daring glissando which worked well. Randy liked "D.C." Paula said she'd found what she was looking for. Simon called it phenomenal.

Archuleta: 'Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me' - A tough song with big shoes to fill. He starts sitting, so you know he's gonna try and bring it. He's very good, but I don't personally think he quite manages to fill those shoes. Randy calls it flawless. Paula got chills. Simon says it's the best he's done so far, and gives him round one. I could be off, I suppose.


Songwriting Competition - Contestant's Choice:

Cooke: - 'Dream Big' - An upbeat anthem which Cooke sings and performs like he wrote it. He nails an extended end note. Randy likes the performance over the song. Paula appreciated it. Simon calls it "lightweight." I agree with Randy, and I don't think it hurt him any.

Archuleta: - A ballad whose name I didn't catch- 'No One Can Take It From Me'? - No surprise that he chooses a ballad - a safe choice, or a wise one, at this point? The song is better than Cooke's choice, for me, and David handles it very nicely. Randy reiterates that he could sing the phone book. Paula loved it. Simon agrees it was the better song, though with egotistical lyrics, and gives Archuleta round two, as well. I'm a little surprised at that move, and Archuleta has a look of utter disbelief that he actually voiced such a potentially influential compliment. Given what Simon said on Ellen Degeneres, it makes me wonder, as well. Is he throwing the overall fight, or just giving his opinion of tonight's competition?


Personal Picks:

Cooke: 'It's A World I Know'? - The guitar work is excellent. He holds back his power and focuses on tenderness, getting tearful at the end. Randy and Paula loved it. Simon notes it was the wrong song at this point in the competition, however beautiful the performance.

Archuleta: 'Imagine' - A repeat of his most memorable performance. This typifies his approach of taking fewer risks and focusing on his most polished skills. Naturally, he is brilliant. Randy names him the winner. Paula calls it stunning. Again, the audience seems weighted for him. Simon gives him a win with a knockout.

On the recaps, I noticed a glaringly flat note I missed first time around on Cooke's first song. I noticed a lesser glitch in Archuleta's last song.


Winner?: From the judges' feedback and the audience's cheering, it seems clear they both favor Archuleta, and I can't fault their logic or enthusiasm, but for me, these are two performers who are equal but different in their strengths. If I had to vote, I might favor Archuleta for his consummate discipline and consistent skills. Cooke could use some of that. On the other hand, Cooke has demonstrated a continual ability to astonish me with the depth and breadth of his talent, awareness, and heart. I won't be surprised or upset if either one wins, but all the signs point to Archuleta.

See you at the finale!

Top 3 Minus 1 - Fantasia Performs!

Grrr... I spent most of the show watching with peripheral vision while I researched problems with a forum and options for its future.

Fantasia was hard to miss, though. Wow!

It was telling to see David A., Syesha, and David C. all overcome with tears at the overwhelming support they received on their homecoming trips.

Okay, here it is...

David A. and David C. are the finalists, as seemed fairly obvious.

I still applaud Syesha for having matured enough to take third place, and I think she'll do very well. I think she grew up tremendously in the last 4 weeks.

See you next week...

The Three Stooges--Guess Who I'm Talking About

I've been quite excited to see how the three finalists would do with three selections and I thought the show was as good as any final 3 they've had in the past.

RANDOM THOUGHTS: No Clive Davis selection? Hallelujah. He has a knack for picking songs that aren't great showcases for the contestants even if they are good studio songs. I was pleasantly surprised that all three judges made great choices for the contestants. I was not as happy with the producers. It's fairly obvious who each of the judges are pulling for after watching last night's show. Has Randy gotten dumber this season. I feel like his whole approach has gotten so much worse. He used to be a bit more honest with his criticism, but now he almost seems random in whether he offers positive feedback or negative, regardless of the quality of the performance. Did Ryan actually insinuate that Syesha's Dad is gay? Sometimes the filler is just plain awful.

David Archuleta: I thought Paula's choice was a great one for him and he did a predictably fantastic job on it. His own choice for himself was stupid. At this point there is no danger of him proving he is actually young at heart. He has an older, inspirational style. It's OK. It's work this far so why change now? The producers' choice was only a little better, although it does suit his voice perfectly. Overall, a B+ night for Little David.

Syesha Mercado: Randy make an appropriate choice for her, but he also set her up for comparison. "A few note changes" don't make this an original performance. Being unique requires more than this. With that said, she performed very well and it is the kind of song she can pull off. Simon's comments were more than fair on this one, though. Her second choice ("Fever") was as stupid as David A.'s. Number one, her timing was off on the initial phrases. Number two, where were the classic brass kicks that everyone loves about this song? It was weird without them. Number three, the prop was distracting, but it proved a very important point: Syesha is an actress first, singer second. That is not a bad thing. Broadway musicals are full of people like this. She is very well suited to musical theater, but not tops when looking for a recording artist. The producers must want her out because they sabotaged her with that choice. She sounded awkward on it even though she did the best she could with it. Bad luck for Syesha equals the end of the road.

David Cook: Simon's choice was fantastic for him. It forced David to be original and do something with a song he normally wouldn't touch. Simon was actually clapping partway through the performance, although I'm not sure if he was applauding David or himself. David's choice was a bit strange and I think Paula was right in her assessment regarding a beginning, middle, and end. The producers must want David Cook to win because their choice, while somewhat of a setup since so many contestants have tried this song, was perfect for him. I thought the arrangement and presentation were top notch, and even if he didn't sound perfect on it, the whole package was great. If he's not the front runner after tonight it's not because he doesn't deserve it.

RANKING ACCORDING TO ME:

David Cook
David Archuleta
Syesha Mercado

CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR: Syesha

Top 3 - Judges', Personal, and Producers' Choices

Judges picks:

David A. - 'And So It Goes' - Paula's choice. I like how he starts out a cappella. He does a very fine job of it, with an appropriate amount of vocal riffs. Randy loved it. Paula loved it. Simon calls it a bit predictable, and good but not outstanding.

Syesha - 'If I Ain't Got You' - Randy's choice. A good showcase for her voice, which she trills wonderfully at the end. Randy loved it. Paula loved it. Simon objects to the choice, but liked it well enough.

David C. - 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face' - Simon thinks this song is about him. It is a tough song, but he owns it with his own twists and some wonderful extended notes. Big time chills! He really showcases the unique power of his voice. Outstanding!!! Randy jokes? about the song choice being predictable and non-rock. Paula loved it. Simon loved it, of course.


Personal picks:

David A. - 'With You' - A nice change of pace from the ballads, and he does it decently, but it wasn't great for me. Randy also didn't believe it. Paula liked it. Simon didn't buy it either, saying it wasn't him.

Syesha - 'Fever' - An old, but timeless, Peggy Lee song. She's gonna work the drama with her chair prop. She wears it well, and I very much liked the ending. I liked it better than David A.'s choice, actually. The judges all didn't love it. Simon calls it "cabaret." There's some truth to that, in terms of missing an opportunity to sing something more contemporary and Idol-like.

David C. - 'Switchfoot' - Not A song I know, or particularly like, but he certainly does well by it. Randy likes the song choice. Paula didn't like that the minute and a half slot cut the song short. Simon gave it middle of the road with the other two personal choices.


Producer's picks:

David A. - 'Longer' - I love the song, and agree it's a good choice. He does very well with it. Some chills here. He really made it his own. The judges generally liked it, but Simon calls it "gooey," though says he did well enough to go to the finals.

Syesha - I missed the name - It's kind of a good song for her style, but not so much for an Idol competition, though it wasn't her choice, after all. I thought she did very well by it, but the judges have similar concerns about the song choice.

David C. - 'I Don't Want To Miss A Thing' - A very good choice of song, which he makes his own. More chills. I think I'm looking at the big winner here. Paula's on her feet. Randy loved the song but called it predictable. Simon agrees that he wins the night.


Tops: David C., for me. David A. did extremely well, though, and his fans may put him at the top.

Props: David A. and Syesha both did very well.

Leaving: Syesha, for me. In the quick review, I notice her voice just isn't as perfectly on pitch as the Davids' are.

Top 4 Minus 1 - Maroon 5 and Bo Bice Perform!

David A. is first on the spot, and is safe, of course.

David C. is next. No mystery here. He's safe.

Jason and Syesha take the stage.

Now let's see just how strong Jason's fanbase really is.

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The phone calls are entertaining, as usual. I love that the girl from Pittsburgh asked out David C.

And Simon as the next James Bond. LOL!

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Bo Bice is sounding good!

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Okay, Jason and Syesha. Somebody stole my joke about Jason shooting the tambourine man. Jason's fans are not enough, which restores my faith in the voting system somewhat. Syesha makes it to the top three, and I think she's earned it.

See you next week!

Top 4 - Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

David C. - 'Hungry Like A Wolf' - A Steppenwolf joint that suits his voice, but it lacks the fireworks one might expect at this stage. Decent, not great. Randy agrees. Paula's appetite is piqued. Simon calls it "good enough to get you through."

Syesha - 'Proud Mary' - A good song for her dramatic flair. Her performance is a little better than her singing, but that ain't bad, either. Randy and Paula love it. Simon thought it a bad impersonation of Tina Turner. There's some truth to that.

Jason - 'I Shot The Sheriff' - The song matches his dreads. He gives it quite a twist in his stylings, but I don't think they worked, rhythmically, as well as the original arrangement. Randy didn't "get it." Paula gives props for his performing to the audience well. Simon calls his arrangement "atrocious." This makes about four mediocre performances in a row, by my count, and his fan base may not be enough to save him, at this point.

David A. - 'Stand By Me' - A good song choice, if somewhat safe. He does well at putting his personal twist on it. Good, as always, and better than David C.'s first effort tonight. The judges like it unanimously. Simon thought he struggled toward the end, but still calls it "best of the night" so far, which it was.

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David C. - 'Baba O'Reilly' - A Who song which fits his range, and he does well by it, though it could have been much better if he had more time. Still, it is now the best song of the night. Randy loved it. Paula wants more. Simon welcomes him back.

Syesha - 'A Change Is Going To Come' - Her beautiful, buxom dress is only a mild distraction. She does very well with the song. Randy didn't love it. Paula makes her cry with recognition of her own changes over the weeks, which is exactly why she chose that song. Simon seconds Paula's opinion. Call it over dramatic if you will, but I think she was being totally genuine.

Jason - 'Tambourine Man' - Forgetting the lyrics puts the lid on his coffin. Aside from that, his performance was mediocre, at best. There's really nothing the judges can say, so Randy puts it to him to judge himself. Paula clarifies that she likes him for having gotten this far. Simon suggests he pack. The feeling I got from this kid is someone who has always been relying on his cuteness-loving fanbase, and has somehow thought that to be enough to get by without really working on things. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that he'd been out partying and doing drugs for the last several weeks instead of rehearsing. True or not, that's the kind of vibe I get from him.

David A. - 'Love Me Tender' - An Elvis song that he makes his own as a ballad. I like this best of all tonight. The strength and innocence of his voice is just amazing. The judges loved it.


Top: David A.

Middle: David C. and Syesha - your choice for second place tonight.

Leaving: Jason, who shot both the sheriff and the tambourine man.

Top 5 Minus 1 - Neil Diamond Performs!

Well, I spent most of the show in the kitchen, making my first meal of the day because my heat pump was blowing 80 degree air most of the day, while it crept up close to 100 outside, and it was just too hot to eat. It's been doing this intermittently every morning after not running at night when it's cool enough to have the windows open, and it's been doing this for the past few years. I managed to find a guy to troubleshoot it, and he said I need a new compressor, which is costly but much less than a new unit. And after he left, it kicked in blowing cold air. When it gets hot enough that it cycles off and on frequently all night long, it would probably run fine for the whole summer, as it has for the past two years, but it's just no fun knowing it's eventually going to fail again and wake me up blowing warm air, so I guess it's time. Thank goodness for credit. Okay, enough personal venting...

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The phone call from the woman who was Simon's first kiss at the age of nine was very cool. What surprised me is that he had the nerve to ask her how she looked these days, clearly indicating a firm interest in seeing her and maybe hooking up with her in a serious way, right on public television in front of the whole world and his current girlfriend of many years.

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Okay, so bottom line is that Brooke goes home. She knew, and took it more emotionally than most, making her finale one of the more difficult to endure. Surely Syesha or Jason is next, and my take on the last few shows says it should be Jason, but next week might change that, or his clear fan base will continue to bail him out.

'nuf 4 now...

See you next week!

Am I a Believer?

I'm not a Neil Diamond fan, but I thought this could be a good week given how many songs he's recorded.

RANDOM THOUGHTS: I had no idea Neil Diamond wrote so many songs. It's a nice week to have two performances each. Why, oh why do they tinker like this. I didn't like how the judges didn't comment after each performance, and then they really blew it by having the judges give a quick recap in the middle of the show. Paula rambles so much when she's giving comments anyway that making her recall all 5 of the performances was just a setup. She's going to get a lot of flak for this one, but doesn't deserve harsh treatment. I felt rushed while I was watching. I'm not sure that's the effect the producers were going for.

Jason Castro: This was another mediocre night for him, although I did enjoy his first performance. It was a bit copycat, but I felt it was nicely done. He doesn't look comfortable without his guitar, though. He ends up sauntering along the stage looking a bit awkward.

David Cook: I thought he did really well tonight. His first song was good, not great, and his second was definitely a good one. Like Simon said, it sounded like it was recorded this year. He just keeps bringing it.

Brooke White: I hated the first song. I'm sure my children will love it since she sang a "Shrek song." Karaoke night with the ladies was an accurate description. Her second one was great, though. I think she does sound much better behind the piano. I'm not sure how long she can last, though. She also seems set on arguing with Simon in her saccharine kind of way. Too annoying at this point.

David Archuleta: I'm so shocked he picked arguably the two most well-known Neil Diamond songs. He did a nice job as always imitating the original. He adds a few embellishments, but the arrangements are predictable. With that said, he did quite well, demonstrating he is a great singer. I recognize his talent but have been quite bored with him for a while.

Syesha Mercado: The first one was bland and boring, but the second song was much better. Randy tried to hide the fact that he called her a broadway singer, but it's true. It was a good performance from a good actress. I don't think she can win the whole thing, but she could outlast the other female vocalist.

Tops for me: David Cook
Bottom couple: Brooke White, and based on last night, Jason Castro
Good-bye to: Brooke White

Top 5 - Neil Diamond Mentors!

"A very tight show to cram into an hour." Does that suggest two songs per contestant?

Yes! And no judging until the after the second song. Very good.

Jason - 'Forever in Blue Jeans' - Starts too weak in the lower register, but even the upper register has him sounding pretty weak. I don't think he does any kind of justice to the song, but boy, does he have fans!

David C. - 'I'm Alive' - Not a song I know, but he certainly makes it come alive. Very good.

Brooke - 'I'm A Believer' - Good song choice. She comes off as a bit overpowered by the song, but gives it a good effort and kicks it up at the end.

David A. - 'Sweet Caroline' - A pitchy start, but he finds his groove and does a fine job and adds some personal touches.

Syesha - 'Hello Again' - One of my favorite songs. At first I didn't think she really had the song, but she did very well by it, and gave me chills. I can't argue with that.

The rushed judging afterwards has the interesting side effect of projecting Paula back to the future...LOL. The shorter versions from the judges were actually a welcome change, and, as usual, Randy comes closest to my thoughts.

Jason - 'September Morn' - A perfect song for his voice and skillz. Beautifully done. I don't think it has quite the fireworks that Simon's looking for, though. Somehow he's lacking energy tonight. He almost seems like he's on drugs. That's how disconnected he seems to me.

David C. - 'All I Really Need Is You' - I don't know the song, but he truly owns it. If I didn't know better, I'd think I was listening to his finished recording of his own song. Excellent. Simon calls it "brilliant." I'm beginning to think more like Paula, who says she feels like she's looking at the next American Idol. David A. is quite good, but just doesn't have the depth, breadth and originality of this guy. David A. is solid and reliable, but just too predictable at this point. David C. is full of pleasant surprises every week. I've officially changed my loyalty.

Brooke - 'I Am, I Said' - A very big song, and writing the lyrics on her hand doesn't bode well, but I like it once the band joins in with her piano. That was more solid than most of her recent performances. Randy agrees, noting the vocal difficulty that she handled in stride. Even Simon gives it props.

David A. - 'America' - A very big song. The beginning is a bit weak, but again he finds his groove and lays it out. He proves he's big enough for the song, alright. You can't help but love him. All three judges loved it.

Syesha - 'Thank The Lord For The Nighttime' - A show tune type of song, which she handles very nicely.


Tops and Props: Still David C. and David A. at the top, and it's still very close, and could go either way at the end, but I gotta say I'm now an equally big fan of David. C. And yes, Syesha gets my props again.

Bottoms: Jason and Brooke, in that order, for me, but anything can happen with the fans.

Leaving: Jason or Brooke.

Top 6 minus 1 - Leona Lewis Performs!

I'm glad Andrew had a chance to say that Brooke was flawless in rehearsal. Sadly, he also confirmed Jason's song choice as quite questionable (<-- q alliteration, or qualliteration).

The Davids are first on the spot. No mystery here.

Neil Diamond next week! I love that guy!

There's Leona Lewis! That bulge in Simon's pants is his wallet getting bigger. She certainly does have it all, though - what a performance!

Syesha and Brooke are next. Brooke is safe, and appropriately shocked! Syesha is in the bottom two. I guess there are other who feel as Bo does.

Jason and Carly are last up. Jason is rightfully nervous, but he is safe, leaving Carly in the bottom two. Judging by the audience's screams, Jason will have to do much worse before he's voted off.

Carly and Syesha both give great reduxes of their songs from last night. I'm glad to see that they both look happy, as well.

Carly is leaving. Deep breath, Bo. I can easily her succeeding on Broadway, or in some other venue.

See you next week...

Top 6 - Andrew Lloyd Webber Mentors!

Broadway music is an odd choice, and should make for some interesting performances.

Syesha - 'One Rock and Roll Too Many' - Her vamped up version is very nicely done. The judges all agreed that this is her element and it allowed her to display a lot of personality. Definitely one of, if not her best. Perhaps what Bo dislikes as her "acting" in some previous songs is precisely her strength with this type of music?

Jason - 'Memory' - A big song. I don't think he lets himself go with it, as Andrew had suggested. He did okay, but it felt a bit like riding on a bike with the tires low on air. Randy agrees it was too big of a song and calls it a trainwreck. Paula is supportive. Simon didn't like it, either. This may be the end for him, though on looks alone, he may yet have enough adoring fans.

Brooke - 'You Must Love Me' - A false start, but she handles it. She delivers a heartfelt rendition which is very believable for me. Randy thought her voice wasn't up to it. Simon says it was iffy, and she won't like it when she sees it back. It may well hurt her, but I didn't not like it.

David A. - 'Think Of Me' - Another fine performance of a difficult choice. Randy loved it. Paula calls it "perfect." Simon calls it "pleasant," but a weak, forgettable performance.

Carly - 'Superstar' - A better choice for her lungs, per Andrew, but not necessarily a good choice for this stage of the competition. She handles it quite well and the audience seems to like it. Randy liked it overall. Paula liked it. Simon calls it one of his favorites of the night, if "shouty" at times.

David C. - 'The Power Of The Music Of The Night' - Incredibly powerful performance. The judges all loved it, though Simon prefers his rougher side.


Tops and Props: David C., followed by David A. and Carly, in no particular order, and props to Syesha.

Bottoms: Brooke and Jason.

Leaving: I think Jason has a stronger following than Brooke, at this point, so I'll guess Brooke.

Randy Jackson On Ellen Degeneres!

And he predicted it would be a David vs David rather than a David vs Goliath contest at the finish! He also seconded Ellen's love of David C.'s originality and creativity. Then they praised the other contestants and their unique skillz.

Kristy Lee Cook Performs on Ellen!

Wow! Kristy Lee Cook just gave a flawless performance of a song called 'Love'Em Anyway' on the Ellen Degeneres Show. I've never heard the song before, but her voice was crystalline, flawless, and powerful. For me, it was her best performance ever. Maybe being away from the pressure of AI has allowed her to spread her wings with more confidence.

Top 7 Minus 1 - Mariah Carey and Elliot Yamin Perform!

I liked the opening song. They all did great!

Jason goes to the (my) right.

David C. goes to the left, making me suspect this is the top 3, leaving Jason in the bottom, though that seems unlikely.

Carly joins Jason on the right, but not before asserting that Simon has been rough on her this season, and making the right side more likely to be the bottom.

Kristy goes to the left with David C.

They're doing a pretty good job of keeping us guessing.

Elliot Yamin did great! Sorry to hear about his mom.

Syesha joins Jason and Carly, making it a bit more likely that's the losing side, but still unlikely. Naturally they're saving David A. for last.

Brooke joins Kristy and David C.

I'm beginning to wonder if they've come up with a new way to screw with us, since both sides seem like a possible mix of tops and bottoms.

Call-in questions were good, as always.

Mariah Carey was not really impressive. I thought the song choice could have been better... ; )
Oh, she kicked it up a notch at the end. That's much better.

David A. now takes the stage. He's safe, of course.

Ah. I thought so. Now they swap David C. with Syesha and play the old game of making David A. choose the winners. He won't, so Ryan guides the winners to him. So he, Jason, Carly, and David C. are safe.

That leaves Syesha, Kristy and Brooke. Though I wish it was Syesha, it's probably Brooke.

Syesha is safe. Take a deep breath, Bo.

Wow. Kristy is leaving. A bit unexpected, but inevitable, really. She sings off very nicely. She's come a long way this season, and I'll miss her a bit.

Top 7 - Mentored by Mariah Carey!

David A. - 'When You Believe' - Very nicely done. He captured the audience and the judges liked it unanimously. Simon says he "set the benchmark for the night."

Carly - 'Without You' - One of my favorite songs. She starts well, but going to the lower register is a bit awkward for her. Then she powers into high gear. Will Simon think she sounded "angry?" I thought it was good, but not great throughout. Randy nails her on the lower register. Paula is supportive. Simon didn't think it made the grade.

Syesha - 'You're Vanishing' - A little pitchy in the softer spots, but overall quite good. I didn't love how she tracked the camera at the end. Randy notices the pitch, but is supportive. Paula is supportive. Simon didn't like the choice of an unfamiliar song, but grants her technical excellence, as before.

Brooke - 'Hero' - Another favorite - The first note is shaky, but she eases into it and carries it well enough with a simple solo piano accompaniment, though it is somewhat weak. A closeup of her face seems to show her shaking with nerves, and she seems to be thinking, "How did I do?" right at the end. Randy picks up on the loss of confidence at the end and the inconsistent performance. Paula supports her authenticity. Simon says the weak bridge was her downfall.

Kristy - 'Forever' - Gave Mariah goosebumps. She starts with pitch and timing problems, but opens it up well, and achieves her goal of connecting with it emotionally. Props, but not great. Randy echoes my concerns, but gives her props, as well. Paula is much more supportive. Simon didn't get chills (he gets chills?) and agrees that it was not good enough.

David C. - I don't know the song, but his performance is impressive. He definitely seemed to give it some personal touches that made it his own. Randy says it was recordable. Paula agrees. Simon plays games with the audience's heads and says it was "like coming out of karaoke hell," and gave it high praise for risk-taking and originality.

Jason - 'Only Emptiness' - A bit weak in the softer parts, which is most of the song, and noticeably pitchy in spots. I didn't love it at all. Randy didn't like it. Paula is supportive. Simon surprisingly thought it was good. Again, I'm outvoted about Jason. Perhaps if I adopt Simon's perspective as a money-hungry producer, I'll be able to see more clearly... ; )


Tops and Props: The Davids, your choice.

Bottoms: Despite my crush, I have to add Brooke in with Syesha. Her tentativeness is beginning to bother me.

Leaving: Syesha, I hope, but she seems to have quite a following, and might beat out Brooke.

Top 8 Minus 1 - Jordin Sparks Performs!

Brooke is safe. Surprise.

David C. is safe. There goes my bottom two, so tonight will really be a surprise (unless they dump Syesha).

David A. is safe - no surprise.

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I loved Jordin Sparks' duet with Chris Brown, 'No Air'.

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Jason is safe.

Kristy is safe. Now I'm worried for Carly.

So the bottom three are Carly, Michael, and Syesha.

Personal preferences aside, I think Michael is the least likely to get the boot, but I would rather it was Carly. If Carly and Syesha are the bottom two, I can only hope it's Syesha that is leaving.

Wow! It seems the audience is as surprised as I am, but Michael is the one going home.

Maybe the song choice, 'Dream On' was prophetic. Or maybe America just wishes he'd wash his hair? I dunno...

His departure performance just doesn't seem to warrant the bottom spot. I still think it was a good choice.

Anyway, see you next week.

Idol Gives Back!

Too many big names, great performances, and touching moments to comment on, so I'm just going to kick back and enjoy the show.

I don't think there will be any eliminations tonight. Does that mean two will be departing next week?

Wow! Annie Lennox is forcing me to negate my decision. Her segment and performance were truly powerful, standing out above the rest of the show so far.

And Jimmy Kimmel's roast of Simon Cowell is just hilarious!

And the song Carrie Underwood sang had wonderful lyrics!

Gloria Estafen was outstanding, as always.

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Sorry, I got lost in donation land. Did you know you can buy sheets of photo stamps with Kelly Clarkson photos on them, and all proceeds still go to the Idol Gives Back Foundation? $20 for a sheet of 20 stamps. They're also limited edition, and so collectible:
http://photo.stamps.com/Store/brand/americanidol/

Have a good night!

Top 8 - Inspirational Songs!

Michael Johns - Starts out with a good song. It wasn't quite up to the original, but he fairly owned it. Randy didn't love it. Paula was more supportive. Simon called it a little "wanna be-ish" and Randy agreed.

It looks like there's a lot of energy tonight, so it should be an interesting show.

Syesaha - Sings a Fantasia joint, and does fairly well, ending with an amazing high note that was a little freaky, actually. Randy compared her with Fantasia and, of course, she fell short. Paula is more supportive. Even Simon acknowledges her technical handling of the song, but says it didn't give him the "emotional" connection that Fantasia brought to it. Simon has emotions?!?

Jason - Over the Rainbow - Kind of a weak arrangement, centering around his banjo ukelele. Just okay, for me. Randy goes crazy over it. Paula loved it too. Simon loved it too. I guess I'm outvoted here.

Kristy - Finally found a song she could really connect with. The judges all liked it, too. She may be around a bit more.

David C. - Started a little weak but developed well. Nevertheless, one of the weaker performances tonight. Randy didn't love it (I see a pattern). Paula loved it. Simon thought it "pompous."

Carly - Another good performance from her. None of the judges liked it. Simon thought it was oversung to the point of feeling "angry," and said she might be in trouble.

David A. - A great song choice, which follows well on his performance of Imagine, and seems to build on it. He does it very well, and the judges love it unanimously.

Brooke - 'You've Got A Friend' - not the most powerful of inspirational songs, but one of my favorites. Her phrasing is a bit stiff and unmelodic. As much as I like her, it was pretty unimpressive. Just okay for Randy. Paula is supportive. Simon gives it "pleasant."


Tops and Props - David A., the rest, with Props to Michael Johns, and, yes, Syesha.

Bottoms - Brooke, and David C.

Leaving - Sadly, I think it's Brooke.

Top 9 Minus 1 - Dolly Parton Performs!

Michael Johns is up first. He's safe.

David Archuleta is next. He's safe.

Carly Smithson is next. She's safe. I'm glad Simon's influence is somewhat limited.

The live questions were entertaining.

The Clark Brothers need a better singer. The dobro guitar player had some interesting picking, but otherwise I was unimpressed.

David Cook is next. He's safe.

Ramiele Malubay is next. Predictably, she's in the bottom three.

Kristy Lee Cook is next. She correctly anticipated being in the bottom three.

Syesha Mercado is next. She's safe for another week.

Brooke White and Jason Castro are last. I'm guessing Jason. No, he's safe.

Brooke, Ramiele and Kristy are the bottom three. I'm sticking to guessing Ramiele, and will be slightly bothered if it's Brooke, though she's really gonna have to bring it if she gets to stick around another week, or her departure is inevitable. I just can't believe Syesha has more of a following than her.

The reunion of the two sisters in Africa was great.

Dolly Parton sings an odd little song, 'Jesus And Gravity', but does a good job. Her voice is a little less melodious than in her prime, but she sure knows how to connect with a crowd.

Randy guesses Ramiele. Simon says it won't be Brooke.

Brooke is safe. Yay.

Kristy is safe.

Ramiele is leaving. She's young...she'll do alright. At the least, Ellen Degeneres will have her on, as she has done with almost every other "castoff" this season. as she calls them. I guess they're back to torturing the losers by making them sing themselves off, but she fights off the copious tears and manages it quite well.

See you next week...