Back with The Beatles!

“I see you’re holding signmaker seminars at your house again” - Ryan to Simon, after a shot of a Simon is Sexy sign in the audience

Amanda Overmeyer
Most Memorable Moment: Playing on the big stage last week
“Back in the USSR”

Amanda gave an upbeat, original performance. She has such a distinctive voice, that it can sound the same from week to week. I enjoy her down-to-earth personality.

• Perfect sound choice for you… a little pitchy, but you worked it out halfway through. I give you a 7 out of 10. It was good! - Randy
• It was a little sketchy at first… a little ahead of the beat… quintessential, authentic who you are. I love you and I think you are going to continue going up - Paula
• It was what it was. A bit predictable… do something a bit of a surprise… otherwise you are in danger of becoming a bit boring - Simon

Kristy Lee Cook
Most Memorable Moment: Being the last man standing at each results show
“You Have to Hide Your Love Away”

Kristy has a strong and warm-sounding voice, but a little pitchy… maybe nervous

• It was an interesting arrangement… it should have been more emotional for you… the high note at the end was good - Randy
• On some of these songs you have to be careful about the melody… this is the best you’ve looked - you look gorgeous… it was a little safe and it was good. I agree with Randy on the high notes and you should take liberties more often - Paula
• I think you need something like hypnosis… you’re not a good performer… it’s like musical wallpaper - you notice it but you don’t remember it - Simon

• I can blow you out of your socks and you know it - Kristy to Simon

David Archuletta
Most Memorable Moments: Being able to sing “Imagine”… not so good moment - forgetting his lyrics
“The Long and Winding Road”

David has such a smooth sounding voice and he knows how to work the crowd with his emotions. It’s easy to see why he’s such a favorite. He’s a gifted and talented singer. I thought it was a great song choice and fit for his voice.

• David has brought the hotness back to his game… one piece of advice… you can do a couple runs… you played it safe, but you can take liberties - Randy
• This is the most exciting and wonderful performance because the purity… came back strong… you came back from adversity - Paula
• Last week was a complete mess.. this week I thought you were amazing… absolutely you made my point… sell a song… and remember a performance… that was a master class - Simon

[insert at&t and iphone spot here]

Michael Johns
Most Memorable Moment: Hollywood week when he sang Bohemian Rhapsody - absolutely magic!
“A Day in the Life”

Another classy performance from Michael. He picked it in tribute to his friend who passed away last year - it was his friend’s favorite song.

• You know what I’m going to say… I don’t think you’ve chosen the right song… you’ve got that big ol voice… just sing and let your voice do your thing - Randy
• You were pretty phenomenal [in rehearsal]… - Paula
• It was a mess… you didn’t hit the right notes… it doesn’t work as a minute in a half… you have to hit the song like David before you. It was not good enough - Simon

Brooke White
Most Memorable Moment: singing and performing “Let it be”
“Here Comes the Sun”

This was one of my favorite songs as a child and thought Brooke did an okay job.

• Yo, That performance was really awkward. You were never really connected to the song. It was not hot for me - Randy
• You can’t help but smile when you sing. I love the yellow for the sun. You have really good low tones. It could have been a little more challenging. Brooke, you are a lovable girl - Paula
• I thought the performance was terrible. From the horrible dancing, to the absolute lack of connection. There is a huge difference between Let it be and Here comes the sun - Simon

David Cook
Most Memorable Moment: Last Tuesday, having that rock concert feel with the lights and fog… what the judges said about his performance was the icing on the cake
“Daytripper” (which was also performed by Whitesnake)

David has such a big voice - perfect for his rock songs. He looks like such a natural on stage as he feeds off of the crowd.

• You keep it interesting. Another solid look for David Cook - Randy
• You’re ready to go sell records. You chose using the voice box in a very cool way - Paula
• I don’t think that was as good as you thought it was. You looked a bit smug throughout. …predictable - Simon

Carly Smithson
Most Memorable Moment: Being compared to Kelly Clarkson last week for the second time (first was during her very first audition)
“Blackbird”

Tough transitions in this song and a very wide range. Even though it was a slow song, it was still moving to me

• Another great performance. Very nice, very controlled, very emotive… cooliosis right there - Randy
• You have an amazing tone in your voice, the inflections that you do, the choices that you make, the arrangement was beautiful. You stand in there with a capital F for Fantastic - Paula
• I don’t think that [song choice] was a very smart thing to do. I thought the song was indulgent. I didn’t like the song at all - Simon

Jason Castro
Most Memorable Moment: When he sang Hallelujah… it was a bad last note, but nobody cared
“Michelle”

Song is a great fit for his range and his French pronunciation seems spot-on. I thought it would be a corny song choice, but it turned out okay for me.

• Good choice. A little interesting. It is very subdued from you this week - Randy
• You have a very distinct charm about you. I feel like you get a little disconnected when you’re away from your guitar. It was a little awkward for me. It didn’t connect with the audience - Paula
• This is a very weird show tonight. Your face sold that. What you have, and I like you a lot, you’re very charming and you’re not obnoxious. Your kind of goofiness that makes it work - Simon

Syesha Mercado
Most Memorable Moment: Losing her voice during Hollywood and being in the bottom three last week
“Yesterday” [almost named Scrambled Eggs before Yesterday was picked]

Love when there’s a solo instrumentalist on stage. It started a little safe, but Syesha powered it up halfway through. I like that she did a slower tempo piece to show off her range and versatility.

• So you took some liberties. In my estimation, very very very good performance tonight - Randy
• It’s great to see how you change and let yourself be vulnerable. That vulnerability is where you need to be. Connect more with your eyes and audience. You got a beautiful instrument - Paula
• I thought that was probably your best performance so far. It wasn’t incredible. But you chose the best song. You chose the song Brooke should have sung. I like the arrangement and I thought you sold the song very well - Simon

Chikezie
Most Memorable Moment: My first round of Hollywood. That was the first time he got a compliment from all three judges.
“I’ve Just Seen a Face”

Chikezie has a silky smooth voice. Then, he changed it up and picked up the tempo of the song to play to the crowd.

• There were some good parts and some bad parts… I like it when you went to the fast part. The slow part I didn’t quite get. You need that fast stuff for all the energy you got. Harmonica was a weird strange arrangement, but could be a good country song - Randy
• I disagree [with Randy]. You’re showing who you are. You’re showing who you are and the depth and scope of your vocals. When you sing… it is so pure, on pitch, beautiful - Paula
• I thought it started off okay, and then you played the harmonica… atrocious… and then it turns into achy, breaky heart in the end. It was gimmicky - Simon

hmmm… without “achy, breaky heart”, we might not have America’s favorite - Hannah Montana…

Ramiele Malubay
Most Memorable Moment: Making a whole bunch of new friends. “You get closer to them, because you’re stuck with them. Brooke is like the mom of the apartment and David Cook is like the big brother. It’s like a big family.”
“I Should Have Known Better”

• I wasn’t jumping up and down, but I liked it. You showed that confidence… it was a happy-go lucky kind of joint. You did your thing, it was alright - Randy
• Definitely better than last week. There is something about your voice when you sing ballads, that allows you to show your range - Paula
• It sounded like Chikezie was on the harmonica. I like you a lot. The track sounded horrible. You, along with many others, chose really mediocre songs and didn’t show the best of your ability - Simon

My favorite of the night: Syesha Mercado and David Cook

Un-favorite of the night: Kellie Pickler (oops that’s tomorrow)

By TVJunkie Jenn