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 3 Minus 1

This should be interesting! I'll reiterate my relative certainty that the Finale will be between Melinda and Jordin, but anything is possible tonight, and all three of them are sure to find great success in their futures.

Jordin is first under the ominous music, so it seems very likely she is safe. No. They're just messing with our minds, yet again. Ryan's stern looks to Simon following his repetition of Simon's criticisms of Jordan's performances last night was priceless.

They pull the same stunt with Blake, and, yes, you're that predictable.

Ohhh...I can't imagine the excitement in Bo's house...here comes Elliot Yamin! Wonderful job! They submit him to the judges' reviews, and, of course Simon has to kid about not liking it. And Elliot's off-handed endorsement of Porsches is priceless.

The segments with the contestants' visits home are pretty interesting and heartwarming.

Melinda faces the 'music' last, but we're no closer to any decision.

Having Maroon 5 perform seems like a subtle nod in recognition of Blake's style, since he covered them last night. Very good performance.

And the results. Again, Jordin is named first, and is a finalist. No surprise here. Melinda is called next, and is going home. Simon looks clearly disappointed. I admit being a little surprised, but I can acknowledge that Blake appeals to an age group that is more at the heart of AI listeners, while Melinda appeals to an older, less populous segment of listeners who appreciate her consistency more than Blake's talent for the modern and experimental (yes, like me). LOL!

I'm nonetheless conviced that Jordin's talent and age will appeal to a broader segment of the youthful listeners, as well as the older crowd that loved Melinda, so I think she'll win by a landslide, barring something spectacularly positive or negative next week.

See you next week!

...John

Top 3

Well, Blake didn't get a shout out from the judges for a place in the finale, but I think the judges best be prepared. It could be ANY 2 of those 3. And quite frankly, it very well COULD be a Jordin-Blake finale, given that Melinda, while fantastic, is old fashioned and both Blake and Jordin and hip, contemporary, and great in their own rights. It's tough to call, in my opinion. Really.

We've got about a million things to do, so here's a short recap:

Jordin:
Wishing on a Star - very good
She Works Hard for her Money - I realllllllllly dislike that song, blech. But good job.
I Who Have Nothing - Fantastic! Just like the first time she sang it!

Blake:
Roxanne - Hot! Very good! Love his tone and his voice!
This Love - PERFECT! Bloggers everywhere have been begging for him to sing that song.
Robin Thicke song (isn't that the dad from growing pains?) - BRILLIANT! Love the beatboxing. Love the performance. Love Blake.

Melinda:
I Believe in Me and You - Randy gets to name drop. Great job.
Tina Turner something - Very Tina Turner-ish. Great performance!
W.O.M.A.N. - Smart to remind us of when we were all wowed by her in the Top 24.

So, who will it be? Tough call. They're all great in their own ways. Melinda is flawless. Jordin is YEARS ahead of her age--phenomenal really! And Blake is SO unique and contemporary and has such great tone to his voice (and likely has all of Chris Richardson's votes). :P

Truth be told, except that people follow Simon like sheep, I think it could be a Jordin-Blake finale. (Shrug.) They're all good. Weird season, but great top 3. It oughta be interesting.

Drunk and Loving It!

I think the whole crew on A.I. must have shared the same preshow drink because they were all on one. All in all, it was a great show.

RANDOM THOUGHTS: Three songs, three judges, three numbers, three reasons to be totally confused. I wonder how many people will cast votes for the wrong contestant. So Paula's feeling good tonight. Randy has picked "this week" to see who's "in it to win it" for about 4 or 5 weeks now. So is tonight really when he's looking for that, or is it next week instead? I'm not sure. Paula has a knack for picking songs that fit the contestant but come off as boring on stage. Go back a few seasons and you'll see what I mean. Clive Davis is out this year to be replaced by "the producers." After all the corny gags this year I half expected Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick to come out from backstage! How many people are surprised Randy found a way to drop a name in a fax? That's what I thought. Oh, and it was nice of Randy Johnson to take time out of his busy pitching schedule with the Diamondbacks to pick a song for Melinda. The backup singers were off tonight in general. Either they were out of tune, or the harmonies arranged for them were off. They've hired Bo Bice as a Mic Stand Choreography Consultant, but don't blame him for Blake's mic malfunction.

JORDIN SPARKS (Wishing, Working Hard, Having Nothing): Jordin started out well, fell off in the middle, and brought it at the end. I think Simon consistently picks the best songs for the contestants which I guess speaks to his ability as an A&R guy. Apparently he's pretty good. Why the producers picked the worst Donna Summer song possible for Jordin is beyond me. And I'm not surprised she picked a great song to close, even if it is a bit old for her. In fact, all of her songs tonight were on the old side. Oh well, she did a great job. And, she got a star at the Arrowhead Mall. Too bad we still don't live there to check it out. (That was sarcasm again, in case you missed it.)

BLAKE LEWIS (Roxanne, This Love, Beethoven's Fifth): This was a great night for Blake as he nailed all of the songs handed to him. I thought his style came through on all three songs and that he didn't overdo anything. Kudos to him for not coming off as a direct copycat of Sting on the first one. Reference my above comments re: Paula's ability to select showcase songs. I'm glad to see Simon finally give Blake his due for the risks he takes and the contemporary feel he brings to the show. Great night for Blake.

MELINDA DOOLITTLE (Something Randy worked on, Nutbush--are you kidding me?!--County Line, I Am Woman--Hear Me Roar!): Randy always picks tough songs for the contestants, and that usually blows up in their faces, but Melinda was up to the task. Randy almost said "Mariah who," but he came to his senses and remembered all the time he worked with her, and Christina, and Journey, and . . . Last week I was looking for da noize and da funk and I think Melinda brought it this week. Great song choice at the end. The point that Simon made may save her this week because it's true: she has been so consistent all season long, that sometimes her greatness gets a bit lost among all the "improvements" others are making.

MY ORDER TONIGHT: Blake, Melinda, Jordin
CLOSE, BUT NO CIGAR: This one is entirely too close to call. My gut says based on voting demographics, Jordin and Blake beat out Melinda, but maybe Melinda will clean up and the others will split votes. And is Blake really getting Chris Richardson's votes? Who's getting Lakisha's? And how many votes does Simon get? Too many questions. Not enough answers.

Top 3 - Judges' Choice

Jordin Sparks 1 - 'Wishing On A Star' - she starts out strong with a very solid performance. Simon picked the song but didn't like the jazzy arrangement.

Blake Lewis 1 - 'Roxanne' - his performance has power, style, and confidence, but I think this song offered a small canvas for his talents, with lots of repetition and a narrow range. Randy and Paula were able to ignore this, but Simon tells it like it is.

Melinda Doolittle 1 - 'I Believe In You And Me' - Melinda starts this out solid and staid, and then kicks it into high gear and gives me chills. Very good focus and connection with the audience. Randy chose it and loved it. Paula called it one of the best this season. Simon calls it her best in the last four weeks, and says the best of the night, so far. I agree, with Jordan and Blake trailing behind.


Jordin Sparks 2 - 'She Works Hard For The Money' - it feels like she owns this song and the stage from the first note. Excellent job. The judges agree.

Blake Lewis 2 - 'This Love' - a solid, hip performance with some beatbox added in just the right amount and place. Better than his first one, which Simon confirms.

Melinda Doolittle 2 - 'Nutbush City Limits' - a Tina Turner joint which Melinda takes to the mat. Very powerful, connected performance. The judges love it and Simon can't decide who wins this round, and calls it a tie. I'm inclined to agree - tough call!


Performers' Favorites:

Jordin Sparks 3 - 'I, Who Have Nothing' - I love this song, and Jordin nails it, bringing me close to tears, with a waterfall of chills. This performance may win the night for her. Purely excellent, and the best so far tonight, for me. Simon objects to the age of the song vs. that of the performer. That's his problem.

Blake Lewis 3 - I don't know the song. It's very contemporary, and he does quite well, with some good beatbox at the ending, but there were some very slightly off-notes, as on another song he did tonight, and I don't think this had the power and pizazz needed at this stage of the competition. The judges weren't wowed, but Simon praised him for originality and having fun.

Melinda Doolittle 3 - 'I'm A Woman' - more Tina Turner vamp on this one, and she does it very well. Simon praises her consistency over the long haul.

Tops and Bottoms - The girls clearly have this one wrapped up, for me, and I think Jordin's performance of 'I, Who Have Nothing' gives her a slight edge over Melinda's truly consistent excellence. Randy echoes this. Simon wants to see "my girl Melinda" in the final. Paula cops out.

Beatboxing elsewhere: Blake, but he's sure to go far.

See you tomorrow...

John