We're down to eleven contestants, but
Kristy's performance wasn't the only groaner of the evening (sorry Kristy, I really think you're sweet, but you have no idea what to do with yourself up there, now do you?). Nope, the groaner was another week of Beatles songs!
I was aghast (aghast, I say!) to hear some of the younger Idol wannabes confess they made their song choices based solely on the name of the song. No wonder
Jason sang French! (Although, I must admit I was smiling along with the rest of America at his giddy amazement that "ma belle" wasn't English-gotta love this kid.) Frankly, he just makes me smile, even when he sings a dopey version of
Michelle. He won't win, but I hope he's here for a while.
Still, are they not getting any guidance in their song choices? Are we to believe that they pick their songs without even hearing the original? That could explain
Kristy's oddly polka-esque (Paula, you were right!) take on
You've Got To Hide Your Love Away. Or
Brooke's funkily (is that word?) awkward rendition of
Here Comes the Sun.
Enough already. We get it, the Beatles are incredible and it's amazing that you got the songbook. Now save some songs for next year. Please! So, who'd I love this week?
Well, I thought
Amanda was everything she wants to be with
Back in the USSR, but Paula and Simon are right, you can't be an Idol if you don't sing the ballads. Her smoky voice was made for a good bluesy ballad. Time to dump the attitude and take some good advice from the judges, girl!
Michael dropped the ball this week with
A Day in the Life-it was a mind numbing mess. I respect that he chose it to honor a friend, but he's got the rest of his career to honor his friend, now's the time to choose wisely, not sentimentally.
Everyone in my family room agreed with Randy that
David Cook's version of
Day Tripper was solid. Isn't it a little confusing when Simon berates him for thinking he had done well, when Simon's advice often seems to be that contestants don't perform with confidence? I thought David's confidence went a long way to making it the solid performance Paula loved.
Not only did
David A. know his words this week, he knew how to sing them in
The Long and Winding Road. There's a purity to his voice that's always a pleasure to hear (I'm channeling Paula here; I'll be talking about colors soon, too!) But I had a little uh-oh feeling when Simon said he could teach a "master class". Didn't he say the same thing to Melinda last year? That didn't get her all the way either. I miss her....where is she?
I will lump
Sayesha, Chikezie and Ramiele into one paragraph which I'll label, "good". Not great, but none of them should go home. I'll reserve that for
Kristy, and I hate to say it. In Hollywood week I really loved her. She was the country girl with the great voice. But now, something's missing--her horse. I feel terrible that she sold her horse for this contest. I hope she at least makes enough from her mini-fame to buy it back. It's time to send her home.
Oh, and who do I think was the best this week? Who might be the one to really watch?
Carly: her incredible voice that sounds like a perfectly controlled instrument and those great blue eyes. And
Blackbird-the perfect song choice, I thought (Simon-what do you know?). I was not a Carly fan in the early weeks, but as time goes on, I'm realizing that she may have one of the most eloquently beautiful voices Idol has ever seen.
Okay, America--vote! See you next week!