Who is out: Katelyn Epperly, Todrick Hall, Alex Lambert, Lilly Scott

Who is in: Didi Benami, Siobhan Magnus, Paige Miles, Casey James, Tim Urban, Lee Dewyze, Crystal Bowersox, Michael Lynche, Lacey Brown, Aaron Kelly, Andrew Garcia, Katie Stevens

If you’re looking for mainstream opinion on American Idol, you won’t find it here. I, for one, am glad that none of the current contestants appear to be Whitney Houston or Celine Dion wannabes. I’m not a big fan of that. This year we’ve got different and I like different. Didi, Siobhan, Crystal and Lacey, they promise to entertain us with unusual song choices in a unique voice. Lilly should have been among them. I liked her style. Mainstream thinking voted her out.

The boys aren’t really in the race yet. Now that they’re faced with this gangbuster group of girls, they’re in trouble. The boys are going to have to seriously turn up their game.

Does anybody ever wonder how the final choices are made? Of the tens of thousands who try out, only a few make it to Hollywood and you know that so many others had the talent. How do they pick which talent to support? I’m sure looks are a factor. The person has to either be very likeable, very sellable visually or entertaining in some other way. But what else?

I believe that names are a factor. Consider the year that Jason Castro and Danny Noriega both made it to the finals. Castro and Noriega? As in Cuban dictator Fidel Castro and South American dictator Manuel Noriega? While there was not likely an actual connection to the dictators, it seemed unlikely that the choice to include the two was coincidental. Perhaps it just simply amused the judges who hoped to spark some sort of controversy.

This year it was Alex Lambert. C’mon, are you serious? No way this is a coincidence. Sure, Alex can sing but no doubt others could sing better. In some way American Idol was riding the coattails of Adam Lambert with this choice. Alex Lambert didn’t make it to the top 12 in spite of his name and I genuinely felt bad for him. Like Alex, Danny Noriega from Season 7 didn’t make it to the top 12 either. I’m sure if Ellen had been a judge back then she’d have called Danny a “cocky banana”. He definitely had the attitude.

That brings me to Ellen. I’ve grown quite fond of her as a judge in spite of my earlier misgivings about her lack of musical background. However, there is something I worry about. Ellen’s fans. She’s a powerhouse of fans and if she says “I hope you’ll stick around another week” I fear that her fans will intentionally make it so. That really tips the scale with the voting and could cause a lot of upsets this season. She appears to have a soft heart and if she feels sorry for a contestant, even if they should be outed, and accidentally says those magic words, they could end up like Chicken Little of Season 5.

Chicken Little (Kevin Covais) was the nerdy, little boy contestant who couldn’t sing very well but all the grandmas wanted to pinch his cheeks and somehow, he hung in week after week. While he didn’t last long once he made it to the top 12 he did prevent other, more talented singers from making it to the top 12 such as Stevie Scott and Gedeon McKinney. Ellen has the power to catapult the weaker singers just by feeling sorry for them.

With a new judge and several singers bringing styles we haven’t heard on American Idol before, it promises to be an interesting season. The question is, will you vote? Or will you let your phone sit idle while your favorite gets voted off, like what happened to Lilly?

Tags: aaron, aaron kelly, adam lambert, alex lambert, american idol, andrew, andrew garcia, benami, bowersox, brown, casey, casey james, chicken little, cowell, crystal bowersox, danny noriega, degeneres, dewyze, didi benami, ellen, ellen degeneres, epperly, jason castro, kara dioguardi, katelyn epperly, katie stevens, kevin covais, lacey brown, lambert, lee dewyze, lilly scott, lynche, magnus, michael lynche, miles, paige miles, ryan, ryan seacrest, scott, seacrest, season 9, simon, simon cowell, siobhan magnus, stevens, tim urban, todrick, todrick hall, urban

Category: American Idol 2010

Ryan started the night by asking, “Who do YOU want in the top 12? We could be in for a surprise or two…” Surprises usually mean that someone who we expected to stay, is out. Surprises on American Idol are usually bad.

Didi Benami was the first to get her results. She’d been pretty nervous through the weeks because she’d never performed in front of so many people before. Well it looks like she’s going to get a lot more practice because she made it. Randy’s advice to her was to be more consistent.

Siobhan Magnus was the next up. Simon had pegged her as the dark horse during Hollywood week. The definition of a dark horse is “a little-known person or thing that emerges to prominence”. I don’t know about Hollywood week but Siobhan has consistently kept me wanting more since the top 24 emerged. She isn’t emerging, for me she has already emerged. The good news is that I’m going to get to see more of her which makes me really happy. Ellen’s advice to Siobhan was to keep on doing exactly what she’s been doing.

Paige Miles and Katelyn Epperly were next up. Of the two, I couldn’t predict who’d be out. Simon said that Paige had the most potential of the two and sure enough, America agreed with Simon. Katelyn is out and Paige is in. Katelyn’s parting words were, “I’m not stopping now!”

Casey James was the first of the guys to get the news. No big surprise here, Casey made it in.

Tim Urban was up next. Usually the first two called don’t get booted and against all the odds, Tim Urban did indeed make it into the top 12. I’m guessing this was one of the surprises that Ryan hinted at before any results were given. What a happy surprise!

Lee Dewyze and Todrick Hall were called up next. One of the two would be outed. When asked which one should get the top spot, Randy thought that Lee had been the most consistent. America agreed and Lee made it. After the Queen song I actually hated to see Todrick go.

We were treated to a piano duet by two previous idols: Matt Giraud and Scott MacIntyre. Playing back to back pianos they sang Billy Joel’s song “Tell Her About It”.

Crystal Bowersox was called up next and for the first time during the entire competition, she looked worried. She’d always appeared so composed, almost as if it didn’t matter to her, seeing Crystal worried was a big surprise. The worry was short-lived as they gave the good news. Crystal is in. Simon said, “It’s yours to lose.” Crystal for me has been one of the most consistent singers, never failing to give a virtually flawless performance in a style that perfectly suits her.

No more just the guys or just the girls, Michael Lynche was next up for his news. Ryan asked if Big Mike thought he could fit onto one stool. Mike said yes and the stool was his. No surprise here, Mike made it.

For Lacey Brown this was her second shot at American Idol. If at first you don’t succeed, try again because you might be like Lacey, who secured the next spot in the top 12. I was surprised that both Didi and Lacey made it. I thought maybe one of the two had a chance but surely not both.

Aaron Kelly was up next. I just knew he’d be outed. I predicted as much after his last performance. Aaron grew up watching American Idol and now he gets to be one, because the next big surprise was that he made it.

That left Alex Lambert and Andrew Garcia for the last male slot. I guessed that it would be Andrew, who’d had so many bad weeks. Apparently the genie hadn’t come out of the bottle too late after all because much to my surprise, Andrew got in and Alex was out. I felt so badly for Alex. Try as he might he couldn’t stop the tears from flowing in front of millions of viewers. That’s gotta be hard on a guy. He believed that nervousness was his downfall and he was probably right.

By then both Siobhan and Lilly were in tears. Siobhan cried for those who hadn’t made it and Lilly just cried. Her fate was still hanging over her. The only two left were Lilly Scott and Katie Stevens. Katie had been looking like a deer caught in the headlights for most of the results, as if she knew she was out. By the time everyone else had been given the word, Lilly’s head was hung low as if she knew the bomb was going to be dropped on her. Katie appeared a little more confident standing next to Lilly.

The results were given and my immediate reaction was to let loose a four letter word. This must have been the final surprise that Ryan hinted at. My darling Lilly was out and the only girl who I was hoping wouldn’t make it, took Lilly’s spot. Lilly who always made me smile was gone. The only other idol who made me smile with every song was George Huff, of Season 3.

Lilly was devastated. I wish she’d shown more of her heart through the weeks as maybe it would have helped her. She and Crystal always seemed so closed emotionally. I don’t think Lilly expected to be voted out just yet. She said, “I don’t know what America wants to hear, but I know there are definitely people who want to jam with me.” Yes Lilly, there are. And we will miss you terribly!

It was a very emotional night. Even Crystal cried at the end when Lilly got outed. Katie cried though I imagine it was more for relief. Tears flowed everywhere and so did the hugs. For those who made it, the Rolling Stones will be the first theme to tackle. Welcome to American Idol’s top 12! Didi, Siobhan, Crystal, Lacey, Paige and Katie. Casey, Tim, Lee, Mike, Aaron and Andrew.

Tags: aaron, aaron kelly, alex lambert, american idol, andrew, andrew garcia, benami, bowersox, brown, casey, casey james, cowell, crystal bowersox, degeneres, dewyze, didi benami, ellen, ellen degeneres, epperly, kara dioguardi, katelyn epperly, katie stevens, lacey brown, lambert, lee dewyze, lilly scott, lynche, magnus, michael lynche, miles, paige miles, ryan, ryan seacrest, scott, seacrest, season 9, simon, simon cowell, siobhan magnus, stevens, tim urban, todrick, todrick hall, urban

Category: American Idol 2010

Tonight was the last chance for the girls to make it into the top 12. Some performances were just “peanut performances” that “kinda sucked the energy out” while others had wow moments for their entire performance. Here’s the lowdown for the top 8 girls fighting to be in American Idol’s top 12.

Katie Stevens

Katie sang the Kelly Clarkson song “Breakaway”. For me it was flat. The key didn’t suit her voice. She made no attempt to change the song and as Simon likes to say, it wasn’t as good as the original. The crowd, however, seemed to love it. Randy agreed with me and said that it paled in comparison to the original. Ellen didn’t think it was the right song choice. Kara said that tonight especially the singing needed to be perfect and it wasn’t. Simon thought she “kinda sucked the energy out of it and made it a little bit gloomy”, but he gave her a 10 for effort.

Siobhan Magnus

Siobhan totally wowed me with her rendition of “House of the Rising Sun” by The Animals. She started out a capella and immediately had me mesmerized by putting her haunting twist on a favorite old song. For me, this performance definitely had the wow factor and yes, I’d buy her singing this song. The crowd agreed and she got a standing ovation. Randy said she wasn’t very good at listening to their advice, and that she should keep on doing exactly what she was doing because it was HOT. Ellen said that music is supposed to move you and it did. Kara called her an “unlikely character” and said she was unique and different. Simon, however, surprised me. He’s typically the downer but I really expected a standing ovation from him. Instead, he “didn’t get it” and was “underimpressed”. Simon didn’t think Siobhan had that wow moment and I totally disagree. For me, she’s the bomb. My favorite performance of the night.

Lacey Brown

Lacey got a standing ovation with “The Story” by Brandi Carlile. It wasn’t a strong performance for me but her voice does have an interesting lilt. Randy called it “sleepy” and “boring” but thought it was her best song in a long time. That’s pretty bad when you think about it. For your best song in a long time to be sleepy and boring? Ellen also thought it was her best song to date. Kara said she was back on her path and Simon didn’t love the song but thought she sang it very well. He said that this performance was “in danger of being forgotten.” I think she might be in trouble.

Katelyn Epperly

Katelyn sang the Carole King song “I Feel The Earth Move”. What a brave song choice. This song is so well known and loved that you better not take it on unless you can really do something different with it. Katelyn didn’t. She attempted to clone the original and the effort totally failed. She did have fun singing it and even attempted to clone the Carole King hairdo from the Tapestry album cover. Randy thought it was “sleepy” and “boring” putting her neck and neck with Lacey for the night. Ellen said it was “not the song to choose to wow people to pick up the phone”. Kara didn’t feel that Katelyn was competing and Simon said that “this might have been a mistake for you tonight”. Was he predicting her downfall? In her own defense, Katelyn said she was trying to be “less corny”.

Didi Benami

Didi did the Fleetwood Mac song “Rhiannon”. She definitely changed it up and added her uniqueness to it. However, I don’t think she’s strong enough for this competition. She’s like a mouse whispering in the background. I do like her voice but I wouldn’t have bought the song and that’s what it’s all about. You have to ask yourself, would you actually pay money to buy this song as you are hearing it right now? Randy hopes she stays awhile longer but said it wasn’t her best. Ellen said “yes indeedy, Didi”. Kara said it was one of her favorite moments of the show and Simon agreed with Kara. He said it was the best performance of the night and that her wow moment was the whole performance. Nope, I don’t agree with Simon. That’s a compliment I would have given Siobhan.

Paige Miles

Paige sang the song “Smile” by Charlie Chaplin. I didn’t know he wrote songs! I had no idea what to expect until she started singing. Smile is a song we’ve all heard: “Smile though your heart is aching, smile even though it’s breaking…” It was obvious that Paige put a lot of feeling into it but I didn’t feel the connection. It seemed a little shaky and I’m thinking she may be in trouble. Some of the notes just got away from her. Randy agreed with me. He said it just didn’t work and that it went completely flat for him. Ellen said that this song was supposed to be uplifting, not sad. Kara thought it was all wrong and Simon thought it was a horrible song choice. Simon called it a “peanut performance”. He said it was the sort of performance where you’d see people sitting at the bar eating peanuts, totally ignoring the song. Simon predicted the end of the road for Paige.

Crystal Bowersox

Crystal rocked it with another awesome performance, this time singing “Give Me One Reason To Stay” by Tracy Chapman. She sang with soft notes and salty notes, totally infusing the song with soul. I definitely felt the connection between Crystal and the song and I could easily hear it on the radio just as she sang it. For me, it was better than the original. For Randy, this is what the show is all about. He loved the honesty. Ellen said she needed new adjectives and that it was the best performance of the night. Kara sees it as the type of record that Crystal should be making. Simon said that “one million billion percent” this would put her in the top 12, and that Crystal was the one to beat. I put her number two to Siobhan for the night, personally, but then again, I happen to favor Siobhan’s song choice over Crystal’s.

Lilly Scott

Lilly totally lost me this week. My heart broke into pieces to see her fall so flat on one of my favorite songs. Lilly sang “I Fall To Pieces” by Patsy Cline. Taking on a Patsy song is a huge risk because Patsy was so uniquely memorable. Lilly definitely changed it up but for me, it just didn’t work. Randy, however, thought she was “in the zone”. Ellen loved the originality and style. Kara said it made Patsy Cline feel current. Simon thought she was very brave to choose that song on a night like this. He thought it was cute and quirky, but very risky. He wasn’t clear as to whether this was a prediction or not. I’m hoping not.

This week it’s easier to pick two to stay than it is to pick two to go. My top two picks are Siobhan and Crystal. I can’t put Lilly in the number three spot but I do hope she makes it through. Katie I’m hoping is outed but I can’t pick another one to out.

Tags: american idol, benami, bowersox, brown, crystal bowersox, didi benami, epperly, katelyn epperly, katie stevens, lacey brown, lilly scott, magnus, miles, paige miles, scott, season 9, siobhan magnus, stevens

Category: American Idol 2010