Wednesday night recap:
Order has been restored to the universe. Logic, once again, reigns supreme because Megan Joy was eliminated on American Idol Wednesday night. If anyone else but her had been the one to go, I would have wondered what the voting public was smokin’.
Joining her in the bottom three were Allison, who had tragic fashion sense the night before, and Anoop, who not only sounded a bit karaoke Tuesday but also got really snippy and a tad bit bratty with the judges. I think he realized by Wednesday that he was a little too full of himself on Tuesday. I bet he’ll be better next week.
I fast forwarded through that weird Lady Gaga special performance, but I totally loved seeing good ol’ David Cook back on the Idol stage to sing his new song, “Come Back to Me.” He was always the real deal on this show and still is. His mama was in the audience, singing along with her boy and looking as proud as she ought to. David’s first album has gone platinum and sold more than a million copies in three months. Wow.
Next week it’s down to 8 contestants on Idol. The competition just gets tougher from here on out. Stay tuned.
Tuesday night recap:
Okay, I’m going out on a limb but here goes: I predict that Arkansas native Kris Allen will take the title this year. He was brilliant Tuesday night. If things continue on their present trajectory, I think it will come down to a battle between Kris Allen and Danny Gokey. Adam Lambert might hang on to the third spot, but I don’t think he has the mass appeal that Kris and Danny do.
Now that the predictions are out of the way, here’s my quick recap of what happened on Tuesday night, just in case you missed it.
Anoop: He sang “Caught Up” by Usher, but I was not so caught up in it. I like this guy, but he’s just not cool enough to pull off a song by Usher. Sorry. The judges were not impressed. Simon said it gave him a headache.
Megan: She sang some Bob Marley song that I can’t even remember the name of. The very first phrase of the song sounded nice and then it went right into the ditch. Oh, man. It was painful. Randy said it was “like watching paint dry.” He said it was boring and it took forever to listen to it. Wow. If that doesn’t send her home, I’m not sure what will. But she takes the criticism in stride and smiles her way through it.
Danny: He sang “What Hurts the Most” by Rascal Flatts, and he sounded great. This guy knows how to pick his songs, and, more than any of his competitors, connects with his music and his audience on a personal, emotional level. That’s what is going to get him into the finals, if you ask me. The judges gave him high marks Tuesday night.
Scott: He finally had a great night because he sang a Billy Joel song, “Just the Way You Are,” with only the piano backing him up. And this guy can really play. His vocals were good, too. I don’t think he is going to get close to the title, but he definitely had a good showing Tuesday night.
Allison: Oh, honey. What evil stylist told you that the rocker outfit would really work for you? That stylist is not your friend. But this is not about clothes, even though the judges all found her appearance to be distracting. She sang “Don’t Speak” by No Doubt, which was a great song for her voice. But it sounded a little forced and uncomfortable. Maybe her nerves got to her a little bit.
Matt: He is still one of my favorites because he’s such a cool mix of Michael Buble and Justin Timberlake. But here’s the problem. He really likes rock music, even though the style of his voice is best suited for R&B. He wants to do both. But ya can’t have everything, Matt. So listen to bands like The Fray on your iPod but only perform the ones that let your vocal talents shine. I hope this performance doesn’t land him in the bottom three again because I think this guy has real talent.
Adam Lambert: I think I’m the only person in America who just doesn’t “get it” when it comes to Adam Lambert. I genuinely liked his performance last week, and this week’s performance wasn’t nearly as irritating as that awful “Ring of Fire” thing he did a few weeks ago. But there is something about that shrieky falsetto that Adam does that I find annoying and indulgent. Maybe it’s just me. He sang “Play That Funky Music” in an unusual arrangement. Paula nearly flipped she was so happy with it. I just don’t see it.
Lil Rounds: Not sure what’s going on with Lil. She was so incredible during the early rounds but seems to have faltered a bit. She has lost some of the originality and edge that made her so appealing. She looked beautiful Tuesday night but sounded more formal or stiff than what I would’ve expected from her. But her vocals were solid, so I think she’ll be safe another week. Her little girl hugged Randy after her mom’s performance, and Lil cried. Aww… I love a mama who loves her kids.
Kris Allen: I’ve already made my bold prediction about Kris. What he did Tuesday night helped inspire that prediction. He sang “Ain’t No Sunshine” in a new arrangement. (Not sure if he arranged it or had some help.) He played keyboards, which he hasn’t done before. He hang a string quartet accompany him. And this really old song sounded brand new and cool again. I’m tellin’ ya. This guy’s song choices remind me of David Cook from last season. Some guys just know what they’re good at and what they can really do. Kris may be one of them. The judges said it was the best performance of the night.
Bottom three prediction? I’d go with Megan, Anoop and Allison. Tune in on Wednesday to find out for yourself.
