Carly Smithson, 24
San Diego, CA
“‘Crazy on You” - Heart

You would be surprised to know… she works at an Irish bar. Loves her house, loves to clean, loves to cook. Being on stage is her next favorite place to be.

I wasn’t crazy about the song, but Carly can belt out the tunes so it didn’t really matter.

• So you came out the rocker this week… By the middle of the song you got it together - Randy
• It’s great to see that you’re healthy. It takes a fine singer to sing Heart… you are an amazing singer - Paula
• It was a much better performance than last week… you’re panting! I think you are… I’ll put it on record… an incredible singer. Once she finds the right song and connects, she can be the one to beat. - Simon

Sayesha Mercado, 21
Sarasota, FL
“Me & Mr. Jones” - Billy Paul

People would be surprised to know… Sayesha’s done a lot of commercials locally. Then, she broke out with the fake baby cry.

Sayesha girl, you’ve got voice. Use it!

• Pick stuff that you can use… that was just a taste of what you’ve got - Randy
• Those softer notes… you fall off pitch - Paula
• I thought it was a bit indulgent. It doesn’t… (boos from the crowd)… I was put off… it’s not a song designed for your voice… not a clever choice for you - Simon

Brooke White, 24
Mesa, AZ
“You’re So Vain” - Carly Simon

Brook’s big secret is that she is a beauty school drop-out. She walks around, looking at people, wondering “what can I do with their hair?”

Carly was a perfect choice for Brooke - showing off her rich, lower register. How charming with the guitar. “She was looking at me while she was performing” - Simon

• Great song choice for you… you have a great Carly Simon vibe - Randy
• This was a perfect song choice. It totally suits you. Everyone was digging it - Paula
• I absolutely loved it. The absolute perfect song… The artist genuinely picked the right song - Simon

Debating whether using the guitar - smart choice from the judges.

Ramiele Malubay, 20
Miramar, FL
“Don’t Leave Me This Way” - Thelma Houston

Ramiele started Polynesian hula dancing at a young age and has been hula dancing and Filipino dancing for 12 years.

• This was a little rough… just okay for me vocally. Wasn’t my favorite choice for you… keeping it real - Randy
• Your vocals are really amazing… I feel the same way… you didn’t get to perform your magic. With that said, ou truly are one of the best - Paula
• Astonishingly I agree with Paula. Much more interesting last week I think you’re one of the top 3 singers in the competition - Simon

Kristy Lee Cook, 24
Selma, OR
“You’re No Good” - Linda Ronstadt

I’m a tomboy, I enjoy being outside and getting dirty - fishing, softball, athletics, camp, ride horses.

• All I can tell you is Better song choice. I was looking for some breakout moments. In tune. I liked it - Randy
• You’re Back! It was a real good song choice for you - Paula
• It was a huge improvement, but I’m not sure where to label you… but you’ve got real potential - Simon

Amanda Overmeyer, 23
Mulberry, IN
” - Kansas

Most people know she rides a harley… she likes to read biographies… can’t ever be overeducated… good form of

• There were too many instrumental breaks. Not quite the right song for you… keep it bluesy-rock - Randy
• You’ve got some moves! You can dance. Do what fits right and what feels right. You are needed in this competion… this was not the right song for you - Paula
• Everything felt contrived. None of it felt natural or real… I couldn’t wait for it to finish - Simon

Alaina Whitaker, 16
Tulsa, OK
“Hopelessly Devoted to You” - Olivia Newton-John

I don’t like the food on my plate to touch each other. flowing green bean juice.

Contrived, pitchy - sounded like she was yelling.

• Uh… I like that song… I don’t think that was the right song for you… Wasn’t my favorite for you - Randy
• I forget how young you are and how mature you are - Paula
• I like you, my problem is, it’s almost as if your grandmother prepared you… your hair, your dress… It was all a bit pagenty… I think you’re the dark horse… become relevant - Simon

Alexandrea Lushington, 17
Douglasville, GA
“If You Leave Me Now” - Chicago

poster child for the fire department. Sang at ground zero after 9-11

Good interpretation at the end

• What’d you think? It was just so safe for you. You should always challenge yourself - Randy
• You did your own arrangement, stretched it, and made it your own. I’ve been impressed with you from Day 1 - Paula
• I was a big big fan of yours. I think your struggling right now. The song is stuck in its time song. You look terrific, but the song didn’t feel right for you - Simon

Kady Malloy, 18
Houston, TX
“Magic Man” - Heart

Kady sings rigaletto, singing opera since 9 years old. Loves to sing opera in the bathroom.

I don’t get this performance. The song didn’t sound remotely familiar.

• You never found the notes. It didn’t work - Randy
• When you powered, it sounded great. Low notes were off a bit. You sing opera very well. Really define yourself as the artist you are - Paula
• I’m very, very frustrated… opera was very good… (music cuts him off again) There’s a charm about her on the tape - Simon

Asia’h Epperson, 19 with extensions
Joplin, MO
“All By Myself” - Celine

Asia’h was a cheerleader in middle school and high school - make cheers and do dances… go to camps.. go out there and get the crowd into it. Prepared her for idol.

• Very difficult song. Highest degree of difficulty… you did a good job with it - Randy
• We had problems in the low notes, but the ending, that’s where it matters - Paula
• One of the diva songs of all time. You have to be one heck of a singer. Unfortunately, you’re not. You almost got away with it… - Simon

Best of the Night: Carly Smithson, Brooke White, Kristy Lee Cook

Bottom 2 prediction: Alaina Whitaker Kady Malloy

Click on post title to read more.

By TVJunkie Jenn | No Comments »
Filed under: American Idol

“Hopefully the nerves are gone… make sure that you’re in it to win it” - Randy

All photos courtesy of americanidol.com

It’s classic 70s night! And the idols are sharing something that the fans and idol watchers would be surprised to find out.

Michael Johns, 29
Buckhead, GA
“Go Your Own Way” - Fleetwood Mac

You would be surprised to know… he’s an accomplished tennis player and song writer. He heads to the tennis courts to relax and clear his mind.

I like Michael and his vocals weren’t bad, but the overall performance wasn’t outstanding.

Randy liked it, even though it started out slow. Paula thought his performance was consistent and got the crowd working, “Charismatic, seasoned performer, charming”. It was okay, but a weak choice of song according to Simon (cue music, cutting off Simon). For Michael, singing a Fleetwood Mac song was a personal high for him.

Jason Castro, 20
Rockwell, TX
“I Just Want to Be Your Everything” - Andy Gibb

You may be surprised to know… Jason really hates doing interviews. They showed numerous “takes” from the evening’s spot to prove his case. Jason really likes to sing and music “There’s been a lot of ‘not music stuff’ than I thought. Like taking pictures… and talking… I’m… I’m not good at talking… [chuckle]”

With the guitar, the act was cool, but the vocals were “just okay” to Randy. Paula liked his musical interpretation. Simon agreed with Randy - it was a weak performance and average song choice. The judges encouraged Jason not to use the guitar next week. I didn’t think it was a terrible performance. Maybe not the winning performance, but still endearing.

Luke Menard, 29
Crawsfordville, IN
“Cold as Ice” - Queen

You may be surprised to know… Luke was part of an acapella group called “Chapter 6″ for 6 years. Traveled to Africa and Hong Kong on tour. Having sung on many different stages, he believes this has been the ideal preparation for Idol.

The hubby and I always think that a Freddie Mercury song is a difficult vocal to pull off. It was a decent performance, but didn’t feel as edgy as the original (which are big shoes to fill). Luke has a good vocal range, but this was a little toned down for what we’re used to. By no means is it a criticism, just hard not to compare.

Very tough song choice, says Randy. But he thought it was improved over last week and that the performance was good other than a few pitch problems. Paula felt it was a good week vocally and good song choice. Simon thought it was a mistake because “you are always going to be judged to the original”. (I typed my sentence before he said that!)

Robbie Carrico, 26
Melbourne, FL
“Hot Blooded” - Foreigner

You would be interested to know… Robbie loves to drag race cars. He loves the 10-second rush - on the racing track (not on the streets!).

I thought this was an appropriate song choice for Robbie, but I was a little disappointed that he didn’t use the stage to his advantage or pump the crowd more.

It didn’t have enough “uumph” according to Randy. Song was just okay for him. Paula came to Robbies defense on the authenticity issue. ” That must drive you crazy to be told you’re not authentic”. With that said, Paula thought he played it safe and needed to up the ante. Simon thought the vocal was okay (immediate cut to music LOL). Simon’s comment brought relief and gratitude for Robbie.

Danny Noriega, 18
Azusa, CA
“Until You Come Back to Me” - Carpenters

America would be interested to know… that Danny used to sing in a punk rock band in 9th grade and played one show of “noise”. Danny called it “a bunch of rebellious kids playing instruments”.

Big song! A little “old” (mature?) sounding for such a young face, but it showed off his vocals.

“Let it go! Don’t think about it” - Randy. Paula complimented Danny’s amazing vocal skillz and magical vibrato. “Don’t over think it!” she warned him. Simon liked his vocal better this week but agreed with Randy that he over-concentrated during his performance. Simon also liked that he stood out in a crowd, was interesting, and that he looks great on camera.

Danny admitted that last week was a disaster… even though he gave Simon the head snap.

“So you agreed with me…” - Simon

“-ish” - Danny, with the head snap

David Hernandez, 24
Glendale, AZ
“Papa Was a Rolling Stone” - The Temptations

You would be interested to know… David was in gymnastics when he was a kid. Won 10 medals at the Grand Canyon Olympics and can do a mean cartwheel!

So far the most energetic and charismatic performance of the night. David made a smart song choice which showcased his personality and vocal abilities. It sounded like he lost it a little on the last note, but that was the only flaw.

Randy liked to see the original David Hernandez that they all loved in the original auditions. “That was hot…Very nice.” Paula thought his voice sounded pure and were all in the pocket and had a few amazing notes. His personality came through and he didn’t overdo the song in her eyes. Simon thought it was the best performance of the night (Hey, I said that too) and felt he rose to the challenge after last week’s performance.

Jason Yeager, 28
Grand Prairie, TX
“Long Train Running” - Doobie Brothers

You would be interested to know… Jason plays multiple instruments. He is self-taught on piano, guitar, and drums. (I took piano lessons for a number of years… that is quite a talent to be self-taught!)

Fun performance by Jason, but not sure it was idol worthy. I don’t quite “get” him. He’s not a bad singer and he’s a good-looking guy. Maybe it’s his dancing skills (or lack of)? He has a nice smile, but it didn’t seem to match his song. I mean, he would smile at the camera, but it didn’t seem to match the lyrics or feel of the song. I dunno…

Randy didn’t think Jason’s song choice showed off his vocal abilities, while Paula thought it showed his fun side but cautioned him to pick “singer’s songs”. “Last week was boring and this week was awkward and ordinary” to Simon and he likened the ending to a drunk performance (I guess he’s referring to the arms thrown out to the side to cue the band?)

“That’s what it all comes down to - song choice,” Jason’s response

Chikezie, 22
Inglewood, CA
“I Believe” - Donny Hathaway (whose daughter, Kenya, is an AI backup vocalist)

You would be interested to know… His name is Nigerian meaning “something well created by God”. Since kindergarten, people have been pronouncing his name incorrectly, so he thought it would be “Eze-er” to just let it go.

Chikezie has a strong voice with strong stage presence. Likable guy. He’s confident, but not (too) cocky. He makes peforming look so natural and so “Eze”. (Couldn’t resist!) Chikezie called Simon out after calling him “Jacuzzi” last week - made for a fun and fitting twist in the song.

“Chikezie is back America!” - Randy. Thought it was a hot performance. “Clever to pick a song with a story that fit and point at this one [Simon]… You better remember my name.” Paula thought it was a brilliant performance. Simon thought Chikezie looked better , sounded better and was a million times improved. Simon wondered if he watched last week’s performance (or the “horror show that was you”) and asked if he’d wear the suit again.

“I love my suit… [but] I can’t wear it twice… I can’t do a replay… only you do that.” - Chikezie, possibly the funniest comeback of the night, next to “ish” (Danny Noriega). Poor guy was apologizing profusely after that LOL.

“Just when I am starting to like you, you get obnoxious. And your mother is horrified!” - Simon

David Cook, 25
Blue Springs, MO
“All Right Now” - Free

You would be interested to know… David is huge word nerd! Crosswords are his break from reality and an addiction.

Very rockin’, very edgy performance. David has a slight air of arrogance about him, but DH feels it adds to his rocker performance. Great guitar piece.

“Like a real rock show!” - Randy. It was a good song choice and authentic performance in Randy’s eyes. Paula gave props to the band “Band is on Fire” and thought it was fun, smart and relevant performance. Simon agreed it was a solid performance, but seemed put off by the word nerd revelation and was irritated by David’s response.

David Archuleta, 17
Murray, UT
“Imagine” - John Lennon

You might be surprised that - at age 11, David got to meet the first season Idols during the season finale and sang for them in the hotel lobby (even caught it on video). We see Kelly Clarkson in the clip asking his name.

First few bars and you can already see David’s enormous artistic talent. He turned a classic song and made it current, yet still kept the song true. David performs with great passion and believability. And, he is so gracious.

“That’s one of the best vocals I have ever heard on this show… Hot! Hot! Fire!” - Randy. He also asked why David didn’t sing the first verse. David’s response was that they only had time for one verse and the third verse had a good message. Paula didn’t hide her tears as she classified it as one of the most beautiful songs ever written and most moving performances she has heard. Very risky to do a recognizable John Lennon song but worked! “You’re the one to beat!” - Simon

Best of the Night

David Hernandez

Chikezie

David Archuletta

Who’s Going Home? Jason Yeager

Click on post title to read more.

By TVJunkie Jenn | No Comments »
Filed under: American Idol

Guy’s night. 60’s theme. 5 hours of American Idol this week, so let’s get started…

David Hernandez, 24
Glendale, AZ

“The Midnight Hour”

David sang effortlessly with great tone. Not bad for being the very first of the season to step out on stage! I would hate to go first! He seemed a little nervous and stiff, but still sounded good.

• “He can definitely blow… The competition’s on” - Randy
• “You’ve got brilliant vocals to rely on… you color it up… it’s lovely… perfect vibrato” - Paula
  “Better than I thought it was going to be… you’ve got to loosen up a bit.” - Simon

Chikezie Eze, 22
Inglewood, CA

“More Today Than Yesterday”

Chikezie returned from last season after working hard to improve. He has a great smile on camera and can rock an orange suit (you know that’s unique). The beginning verse sounded a little flat in his lower register, but once he got to the chorus, his voice warmed up and his vocals were smoother.

• “You gotta remember for you what’s going to help you is to make it new, fresh, young…You can definitely sing” - Randy
• “You’ve come a long way… you’re here, you look great (he’s lost weight). You are a throwback to great R & B and you’re infectious” - Paula
• “I absolutely hated the whole performance… the suit is hideous… it was old fashioned, corny, cheesy… ” - Simon, who cracks me up with his name mispronunciations (He called him Jacuzzi!?) and as a fashion critic (he was wearing whit, grey, and black)

David Cook, 25
Blue Springs, MO

Showed shots of David’s “I’ll Be” audition which I loved. He says: I’m glad he [Simon] said no because if he said no I would have had too much of a comfort level. It’s nice to have people outside your circle say “Hey, you don’t suck.”

The crowd was up on their feet for David’s edgier performance of 60’s classic “So Happy Together”. Once he started singing, he looked very comfortable. It was a little bit forced to me, but enjoyable if I looked past that. Original and strong stage presence.

• “You made a rock joint out of Happy Together. I thought if he could pull this off, he could do anything” - Randy
• ” You rocked it. You made something original” - Paula
• “I thought it was good… shouted a little bit in the middle. You almost made it believable” (meant as a compliment, I think) - Simon, who cannot remember if he said “wordy or worthy”…

Jason Yeager, 28
Grand Prairie, TX

“Moon River”

It was sweet to see Jason’s audition with his son since we saw none of it in the previous city-hopping audition shows. Loved the key change mid-song since it was a safe song choice. I thought I was watching a classic Disney movie. This was the only time I’ve seen him, and I’m sure he’s a great guy, but it wasn’t a strong performance for him to get votes. If he makes it through, I hope he steps it up next week.

• “That’s a tough song to sing. Make sure you don’t lose concentration while you sing.” - Randy
• “The simpler the song is, the harder it is to sing.” - Paula, who did her first ballet recital to Moon River
• “It was a very cruise ship performance. You’re like a dependable old dog” - Simon, who comes up with the most interesting analogies
  • “We Love Dogs!” - Randy

Robbie Carrico, 26
Melbourne, FL

“One”

Robbie has been singing since 16. In fact, he toured with Britney Spears  in 2000 while in a boy/girl group. Not an outstanding performance, but not completely terrible either. I liked his earlier auditions.

• “One of my favorite joints from Three Dog Night. You moved me baby” - Randy
• “You picked the perfect song for you. You’re authentic and you stay true… The vocals weren’t over top. They were right in the pocket. The way they should be” -Paula
• “It was the only performance we’ve seen tonight which has any semblence of making sence. It is the only current performance” - Simon, who is unsure of the difference between a pop singer and rocker
• “Dresses like a rocker, but kinda looks like Justin Timberlake” - Ryan

David Archuleta, 17
Murray, UT

“Shop Around”

In auditions, David sang “Waiting on the world to change” (with Randy as back-up) and “Heaven”. Once again he sounded effortless with an upbeat, original rendition of this song. David is very likable and talented for such a young guy.

• “I’m a big fan. I thought that was really brilliant. You were born with a gift” - Randy
• “It was a very brave and bold song for you. We’ve never seen that side of you… Unbelievably confident soul who knows what’s best for you” - Paula
• “When you’ve got it you’ve got it. That was by a comfortable mile, the best performance of the night so far” - Simon
• “You can only vote for him, you can’t adopt him” - Ryan

Danny Noriega, 18
Azusa, CA

“Jailhouse Rock”

Was cut the first day of Hollywood week last year. “Last year I tried to create a little image… I was not being myself… I want to bring my swagger and attitude on stage. I want it to be HOT, so I’m going to bring it”

So Danny did. His performance was confident and sassy. It was a different song choice than I would have expected from him, but it worked for me.

• “You know how to have a good time. The vocals were okay - it didn’t allow you to do your thing, but …I loved the performance from you”
• “Very warm, almost songs. One of the most amazing vocals. I loved hearing how your voice goes in and out of these beautiful colors. This was… a safer song, that allowed you to be the performers” - Paula
• “I don’t understand a word of what you (Paula) just said - what color was that? I thought the performance was verging on grotesque.”- Simon
• “He’s got mad vocalz” - Paula
• “Some people weren’t liking it” - Danny, with the head snap

Luke Menard, 29
Crawfordsville, IN

“Everybody’s Talkin’”

Luke auditioned in 06 but did not make it. He reminded me of Richard Marx. There were minor pitch problems - maybe he was nervous. I was disappointed because I thought he’d do better.

• “That song was very pitchy. Consistently sharp… was not great” - Randy
• “I don’t feel this was the best performance for you… (you have) Kenny Loggins tenderness” - Paula
• “(To Paula) What color was it? It was forgettable… You have to stand out and you didn’t” - Simon

Colton Berry, 18
Staunton, VA

“Suspicious Minds”

Colton sings the teletubbies song in his head when he gets nervous. As the last person in the room to see the judges with Alex (last week), he sang the tune for three hours.

• “You did a pretty good job. It started a little rough… by the end you worked it out” - Randy
• “It was nice to see a different side of you… you gave it an eager and fun attempt” - Paula
• “What did I get from that performance - nothing… I’m not looking at a recording artist… I just think if people spent more time worrying about their voices rather than their hair…” - Simon, hair stylist extraordinaire
• “That is called hopeless. That box cut you’ve got” - Ryan Secrest, who rocks the box cut

Garrett Haley, 17
Elida, OH

“Breaking up is hard to do”

Leif Garrett look-alike. Was on vacation in San Diego and decided to audition. A bit pitchy and too slow for me. I was also distracted by the peach fuzz on his lip during the close-ups. Nonetheless, he was a sweet and positive guy. I almost hope he drops out this week. I don’t think he’s ready yet and it will be a tough competition ahead. He’s too sweet for that.

• “That’s a great Neil Sedaka song… don’t be afraid to make these things your own… you gotta bring something new and interesting to it” - Randy
• “If you stay at the slow tempo, it brings the performance down. Don’t be afraid to be courageous (and change it up” - Paula
• “You need some fresh air” - Simon
• “You need to breathe. Are you breathing?” - Randy

Jason Castro, 20
Rockwall, TX

“What a day for a daydream” with guitar

For only singing in public 5 times before, Jason seemed incredibly comfortable. I never noticed him much before, so hopefully he’ll make it through so we can see more.

• “I liked the little accent with the whole guitar vibe with you strumming along with it… it didn’t blow me away, but it was a’ight” - Randy
• “You did blow me away… you picked a song that was absolutely perfect for you and your take on it, it was minimal, effortless really joyful.” - Paula
• “I thought that was in the top two performances of the night… you like David have just got it…. great with the camera, great choice of song. You made it sound current” - Simon

Michael Johns, 29
Australian, living in Atlanta

“Light my fire”

I’m a reluctant fan of Michael Johns. I don’t want to like him just because everyone else does, but really… he is talented and easy on the eyes. Australian accent nice too

• “What a way to end a great night… you’re always you. You’re like a Michael Hutchence” - Randy
• You did set everyone on fire” - Paula
• “The most consistent contestant we’ve had… you have the natural charisma of a lead singer” - Simon

Who should stay? Who should go?

My faves of the night: David Archuleta, Michael Johns, David Hernandez

Who might go home: Garrett Haley or Jason Yeager, both did not have much camera time and had safer song choices.

Let’s see how the ladies do tomorrow night!

All photos from FOX network’s americanidol.com

Click on post title to read more.

By TVJunkie Jenn | No Comments »
Filed under: American Idol