Top 8 - Inspirational Songs (Idol Gives Back)

[ ryan ]'s Bottom Three = Michael, Syesha, Carly
Going Home = Carly
I'm sad to say that it is time for the shock elimination. Carly, though one of my favorites may be going home tomorrow night.

Michael - "Dream On". I don't know if this is really inspirational but this could be a good song choice for him. Although it does go very high near the end so we'll see how he does. So far he sounds good. Let's see what happens once he breaks into the chorus. Well he seemed to handle the high notes pretty well. It was a little scratchy in his voice but it worked. I thought it was alright. Grade B.
Wow, it sounds like the judges are gonna be harsh tonight. I can't believe Randy went off on him like that.

Syesha - "I Believe". Oh, HELL-TO-THE-MOTHER-F---ING-NO! What is Syesha thinking? You don't touch another Idol's song unless you can clearly outsing them (especially when it's their coronation song). LaKisha tried this last year and got slammed by the judged for singing Fantasia's song. LaKisha is a better singer than Syesha so that doesn't leave a lot of hope for her. What was she thinking? Well, let's see how she does. Ok, so far it's actually pretty good. I'm surprised. Ok, I take it back, she's actually better than LaKisha on this. She actually reminds me more of when Diana sang it than when Fantasia sang. Nice high note! It added something a little different and made it her own. You know, I actually liked it. WHAT?! Grade B+.
Again, Randy is not happy and really going at the contestants today.

Jason - "Over the Rainbow". Perfect rendition of this song for his voice and style. He's finally starting to show some emotion when he sings. He's really taking the competition seriously now and showing off all that he can do. This was a great performance from him and really showed who he is as a performer. He just jumped back into a front-runner. I really liked it. Grade A-

Kristy - "Anyways" This could be good. I like this Martina song, but it could also be really bad because Martina has such a big voice. We'll see what happens. Wow, her intro shows how defeated she is already. She knows she's going home any time now. She's a little pitchy in the chorus but she's showing some good emotion throughout the performance. She's actually pretty pitchy throughout the 2nd verse too. Hm, she seems to have brought it home at the end but it was a shaky performance throughout. Grade C+

David C. - "Innocent". Never heard this song so not sure what to expect (other than it's a rocking song since David is singing it). What is this?! I'm failing to see what's inspirational about this and he sounds horrible! Wow this is a mess. His voice is all over the place. He thinks he sounds better than he really does. Ugh! I hate that smug ending. This was the worst performance of the night. Grade D

Carly - "Show Must Go On". I love this song! It's my favorite Queen song so I'm hoping that Carly really rocks it out and bring it on this song. It was great until she started doing her own thing. She doesn't really know how to adlib very well because her songs tend to turn sour everytime she does. The end of this was really bad, I like didn't what she did to that at all. Grade C+

David A. - "Angels". I'm very curious to see if he's doing the Robbie Williams or Jessica Simpson version, but I'm really excited to see what he does with it because I love this song and I think his voice will lend itself perfectly to it. Playing the piano again, smart. Very nice. I love the power on the chorus. It adds to the emotional levels of the song. Unlike Carly, he knows to switch up the ending of a song with runs and make it work. I thought that was great. The best of the night! Grade A

Brooke - "You Got a Friend". Carole King. Perfect sound for Brooke. We'll see how she does. Eh. So far it's all middle of the road for me. Not good, not bad, just there. She sounds fine but there's nothing special about it. I'm surprised this is the performance that's closing the show. It's pretty boring. Grade. B-

Tonight is very interesting because 3 of the top performers actually did the worst. If I was grading the bottom 3 based solely on tonight I would put Carly, David C, and Kristy Lee on the bottom.

I think, based on the entire season the bottom 3 will be Syesha (cuz she sang Fantasia), Kristy (cuz she's been in the bottom so many times before and wasn't all that great tonight), and Brooke (cuz it was really boring). I have no idea who is going home tomorrow.

Top 9 - Dolly Week

I ended up watching the show at a friend's so I'm doing this a little late. Let's just jump right in and you'll get my thoughts for tonight.

Brooke - "Jolene" was the obvious choice for her (in my opinion). It was the perfect song choice, she was able to utilize a small band, and she was able to really connect to the emotional aspect of the song. It's what she's been doing all along that works so well. This is the type of song that she should be focusing on for her album. I thought it was a good performance. A bit predictable but that's starting to be what we expect from Brooke now. Grade B

David C. - "Little Sparrow". I have never heard this song but I'm pretty sure it sounds nothing like what he did tonight. The fact that he was able to make Dolly Parton sound like that shows how talented he is. Still, I was only mildly impressed with him. I guess he just wasn't rocking around as much this time. Grade B.

Ramiele - Once again, she's disappointing. She has so much promise with that big voice of hers, but when she gets out on stage she seems to only use about half of it. I thought the performance was boring. She was moving around faster than the beat of the song so that was a little off putting as well. Overall, it sounded ok but there was nothing special about the performance. Grade C

Jason - "Travelin' Thru". You know, I really liked this performance. Finally Jason seemed to really be taking things seriously. He was engaged in the song, he showed some emotion, his voice showed a little range. I thought it was good (although the song really isn't). Grade B-

Carly - She was simply awesome tonight. Her voice sounded so strong. She looked like she was having fun, yet still expressed the emotion of the song. This was a great performance for her and the best of the night so far. Grade A-

David A. - Then along comes David. This performance through him back up to front runner status. His voice was full of emotion, yet his performance was subtle. It was truly a glorious performance and I loved every minute of it. Grade A

Kristy Lee - "Coat of Many Colors". It was a nice performance. Her voice fit perfectly with Dolly Parton and country songs. However, there wasn't much else to her performance. She was still pretty bland, but sounded sweet. Grade B.

Syesha - "I Will Always Love You". This was the most obvious choice coming into the week. You just knew she was going to be doing this song. I was just glad to see that she tried to stick with the Dolly version more than the Whitney version. I liked that in the end she mixed a little of both to make it her own. I thought it was a great performance. Grade B+

Michael - Not sure what the song was but I loved his gospel bluesy take to it. Combining that with last week's performance and Michael is finally living up to his potential. Grade A-

Bottom 3 are Kristy, Jason and Ramiele. If all goes well, Ramiele will be going home tomorrow night.

Top 10 - Year You Were Born

Finally, we're back. I was out of town last week and didn't get a chance to watch the show until late Wed night (after Amanda had already been eliminated) so I didn't bother writing a review. But I'm back tonight and ready to go. The last two times they've done this theme I've enjoyed it. We get a variety of songs so it doesn't get boring too quickly. So let's get it started.

Ramiele - "Alone". Whoa, this is going to be a tall order for her. After Carrie and Carly have sang this and rocked it on this stage it'll be tough for Ramiele to match that. We'll see how it goes. Well, right off the bat her voice isn't as strong as the others that have sang it. She doesn't sound very confidant. The chorus isn't as powerful as it should be. She shouting the highest notes and changed it up a little bit to fit her register. I hated the way she ended the song. Not her best. Grade C
PS, what's up with everyone being sick? Ramiele, Randy, and even Paula sounds like she's drugged up from cold medicine.

Jason - "Fragile". Haha, he has no idea what to say in his interviews. His awkwardness is what makes him endearing. And his eyes are definitely beautiful. I have nothing to say really. It sounds alright. It's cool that he's singing in spanish. It definitely has a coffeehouse vibe to it. It was ok I guess. Nothing really bad about it. Grade B-.

Syesha - "If I Was Your Woman". Well she is serving it up tonight. She sounds great and picked a great song for her voice. This actually reminds me of Tamyra from season 1. She's a little pitchy towards the end but overall it's a great performance from her. I really think she needed that tonight. Grade B+

Chikezie - "If Only for One Night". He's pitchy on his first verse. I think he's definitely nervous doing the ballad. His voice keeps dropping out of pitch but he also doesn't have the same type of swagger that he's had the last couple of weeks. It's all pretty boring. Not a good performance from him. Grade C.

Brooke - "Every Breath You Take". Whoa, she messes up right off the bat. Luckily, because she's the only playing she can start over. This is Brooke's comfort zone. When she's sitting there playing an instrument and singing a song she blows us away. The coffeehouse vibe fits her so well. I love the subtle changes she's done with the song and her voice sounds really strong. She really knows how to emote a song. There's a Carly Simon sound to it. I think this was a strong performance for her. Grade B.

Michael - "We Are the Champions". Well, considering her was born in 1978 and pretty everything at that time was disco I don't think it's a surprise that he chose this song. Plus, he might be able to show off some of the magic he found singing Queen during Hollywood Week. Well, right off the bat he's sounds better than he has all season. He's finally showing some of that rocker attitude that I've been waiting for. Interesting to transition from "We Will Rock You" to "We Are the Champions". He sounds good singing Queen song. This is his best performance so far. FINALLY! Grade A-.

Carly - "Total Eclipse of the Heart". This is kind of a crappy song to choose (already been done by Nikki in Season 1 and Jessica Sierra in Season 4) but I am actually very curious to hear her on it. I want to see how much she rocks out. Well, vocally she sounds brilliant. Even the power notes seem like nothing for her. However, I would like her to do something a little more for the performance. She's just standing there. Move around, use the stage, do something. Ouch! Hated that run at the end. Ruined what was a stellar performance. Grade A-

David A. - " ". What song is this? There were some great pop songs in 1990 and he picked something i've never heard. He's shown a weakness in his lower register tonight. It's definitely not as strong and his mid/high range. Well he's definitely having fun performing but his voice
is kinda cracking in parts. His cuteness definitely adds to the performance aspect. Grade B

Kristy Lee - "God Bless the USA". Well, she's definitely sticking to country. I feel like she's just behind the beat but she sounds good. Her voice sounds really strong today. It's all very pagenty for me though. I can see Miss America trying to sing something like this. It's pleasant; not good, not horrible but still her best performance thus far. Grade B-.

David C. - "Billie Jean". Interesting choice. Chris Cornell singing Michael Jackson. So far I'm unimpressed. It's pretty boring. It does get better as the chorus kicks in. David has a really strong voice that lends itself well to these alternative rock type songs. Another good, very smart performance from him. First "Hello" now "Billie Jean". He may have found his niche with random 80s pop that are turned into alternative songs. Grade A.

So there you have it. Tonight is interesting because no one was really bad. There were some that were more memorable than others but no one was horrible. I think the bottom three for this week will be Ramiele, Jason and Chikezi (somehow Kristy had a good enough performance to keep her out of the bottom 3). Jason should be safe since he has such a big fanbase already. I think Chikezi might be the one that goes because Ramiele seems to have a bigger fanbase as well. It's kinda sad because I was just starting to get into him. We'll see what happens tomorrow.

Top 12 - Beatles Theme

So we finally have a Beatles theme. I'm sure all of the producers were really excited about this because these are all classic songs. I, however, am not the biggest fan of the Beatles. Sure, they have some great songs but they also have a lot of weird, psychdelic stuff that isn't my cup of tea. Listening to a bunch of their songs in a row is a little boring for me so it'll be interesting to see how I feel at the end of the night.

Ooh, new opening. I like it. It makes everything look more futuristic. WHOA! The new stage is monstrous! Having seen the show live a few times I can tell you that this stage is massive (that room isn't too big). I like the mosh pit in front but I'm glad there are still seats in the back.

Syesha - I have never heard this song so I'm not sure what to expect. Well she still has a great voice. Nice and strong. However, it's pitchy in places. It's picking up in the middle and ending well. But it didn't really move me. Syesha really needs to have a great week or she'll be gone sooner than later. Grade B-

Chikezie - oooh! I have never heard this song before but I love this bluegrass opening to the song. I can tell it's going to be a different arrangement (I doubt the Beatles wrote it that way). He sounds great and is having fun with a easy, playful vibe. I love the breakout of the "bluegrass/rock" thing. Wow. This performance is AWESOME! Where the hell did that come from? Finally! The contestants are learning how to make these songs their own. I never would have thought that he would be able to pull something like this off. That was great. Grade A

Ramiele - "In My Life". I love this song. It's so heartfelt. Let's see how she does. Well, it's a pretty rendition. She sounds nice with the softness of her voice. However, it's kind of boring to watch. There's nothing new or special about this performance. Grade C+

Jason - "If I Fell". Again, never heard this song before. Everything he does just comes out so smoothly. It has a lazy vibe to it. He's basically a "Coffeehouse Idol". Again, it sounds great and is a solid performance. I have no idea if he did anything special to it but it was a nice performance. Grade B

Carly - "Come Together". I'm really digging the performance. Carly makes this seem so effortless. I love the hint of gravel in her voice. This is more of the type of voice I was hoping she'd, a little rock behind that powerhouse vocal (much like Kelly). I loved the swagger-type vibe she was giving off. She was having fun and really enjoying every minute of it. That was great. Great A

David Cook - "Elanor Rigby". Hm, right off the bat i can tell that this isn't going to be the same as last week. In fact, I'm not enjoying this at all. I don't know if it's the song or the arrangement but something isn't working for me. Well, it's a little better (but pitchy) towards the end. That was definitely not his best. Grade C

Brooke - "Let It Be". Her coffeehouse vibe should lend itself well to this song. I'm excited to see her interpretation of it. Well, she can play several instruments. Her voice is perfect for this song however, she's getting a little pitchy towards the end of the song. It's emotional and heartfelt (as all her choices thus far have been). The song is good but a little repetative which isn't the most exciting to listen to. But her vibe definitely fits with the song. Grade B

David Hernandez - "I Saw Her Standing There". I love his voice and I think it sound great on this song. He's playful and having fun. However, I don't think he's really making the most out of this song. He could have really rocked it and made it something memorable. Instead, it's a good karaoke performance that started losing it's life about midway through. Grade B-

Amanda - "You Can't Do That". Never heard this song. Let's see what happens (and hope the band doesn't try to cover up her vocals again). You know, half the time Amanda sing I don't understand a word that she says. I can't figure out why that is. This isn't a great performance. I really think she's getting to be out of her league. Towards the end of the song she's starting to zone in on her comfort zone, but the rest of it was a mess. Grade C-

Michael - "Across the Universe". His voice sounds really strong today. It sounds great on this song. I kinda like that he's not trying to do a "rocker" thing on this but really just standing there and singing this song with as much emotion as he can behind it. I feel like, vocally, this is the best we've heard from him since Hollywood Week. Nice job. Grade B

Kristy - "8 Days A Week". Changing it to country. Interesting. We'll see what happens. It's not working. This is not country, it's a hoedown! The song seems to be a little faster than she's used and is falling just behind the beat. Yeesh, this is pretty bad. The worst of the night so far. She's so far off of the beat now that it's not working at all. I'll give her credit for trying something different but it didn't work. Grade D

David Archuleta - "We Can Work It Out". Uh oh, he forgot the lyrics. That's been the kiss of death for the #12 spot the last few years. Will the same happen to David this year? This actually isn't that great of a performance. You can sense his nerves. It's not really until the 2nd half of the song that he really connects and seems to be having a little fun. His vocals aren't as strong and his voice is going in and out throughout the song. Probably the weakest we've seen him all season. Grade C+

So there we have it. The official Top 12 has performed. Overall I think it was a strong night. There were some great performances (Chikezie!?).

Bottom 3 are Ramiele, Kristy and Amanda. I think Kristy will finally be going home tomorrow.

Top 8 Guys

Hey everyone. Sorry I missed last week but I had to work both nights and didn't get a chance to watch the show until really late at night. Tonight I was watching it at a friend's house so I didn't get to blog live but I'm still going to give my thoughts about tonight's performances.

First up is Luke. I thought this was the perfect song choice for him. Yes, it was a little cheesy, but I think that's pretty much what Luke is....cheesy. There is no way he'll win this competition but I thought tonight was his best performance yet. George Michael is the perfect guy to emulate for his voice. I thought the song worked. Luke was having fun on stage and seemed to be really enjoying himself. I liked it. Grade B.

David A. - It as cool seeing David open up on the piano (just to remind everyone that he's multitalented). I thought the song choice was a little odd for him but it worked. I liked how he changed it up a little bit. In my opinion, this was his weakest performance thus far on the show, but it was still a hell of a lot better than everyone else tonight. It's going to be hard to top last week's performance. I just hope he didn't peak too soon. Grade A-

Danny - *sigh*. I'm over Danny. I hate mugging of the camera. I hate his diva attitude. I hate his new scarf every week. I thought this performance was a mess. Tainted Love isn't really a singer's song since it's pretty repetative. Danny's voice was all over the place as well (I think it's interesting that his voice doesn't fit what you see on the screen. Closing your eyes, you wouldn't picture Danny to be singing it). I just didn't like anything about this performance. Grade C-

David H. - I was worried when I noticed that he was singing a Celine Dion song. But David has a really strong voice that was able to channel the song really well. I loved the different emotions he was conveying through the song and changing his voice up to match them. I thought he did a great job and made it into the Top 12. I'm really happy for him! Grade A-

Michael - this was a perfect song choice for him. He can definitely channel the 80s rock thing. Simple Minds/INXS/early U2 could be good for him to focus on. This was a good performance but once again, I'm not awed by him. I still find him to be pretty blah and I think he's dropped so much ground in the competition (especially after all 3 David's have been performing so well). He needs to really shine on a song or he'll be out around 7th. Grade B

David C. - when the song first started I thought "Lionel Richie?!" But as the song got going into the chorus I found myself to really LOVE what he had done with the arrangement and changing it into more of a rock-type song. By mid performance he was in total command of it and really created a whole new song with new emotions. It reminded me of an REM type of song. I loved it! Best performance of the night. Grade A+

Jason - I don't know this song at all so I have no idea if he was good or not. His voice reminds me of Bright Eyes (which isn't a good or bad thing). I still don't understand the appeal of Jason but it was nice to finally see him without the guitar and really singing a song. It was alright for me but I can't say that it really impressed me. I just get the feeling that Jason keeps thinkig "what am I doing on Idol?!". Grade B

Chikezie - He's singing some Whitney Houston song that I've never heard. His voice was a little pitchy in parts. I'm not a big fan of Chikezie's and he didn't do anything to change my mind tonight. His voice sounds very similar to Ruben and Luther's but for some reason it just bores me (much like Ruben did on season 2). I didn't care for this performance either. Grade C

I feel like tonight is a pretty easy one to predict but watch me get it wrong. The bottom 3 will be Chikezie, Luke and Danny. I think the two going home will be Chikezie and Danny.

So my picks for the Top 6 guys are: David A, David C, David H, Jason, Michael and Luke. I was two off from my initial predictions. I can't wait to see if I get those right.

Finale!! Lewis vs. Sparks

So here it is, the final showdown between Blake Lewis, the beatboxer, versus Jordin Sparks, the 17 year old vocal phenom. This is actually the finale that I was hoping for since around the Top 7 or so. I didnt think that Melinda would actually get knocked off so I had no hope of actually seeing this finale happen. But then last week was a huge shock and here we are. I think tonite will be very interesting because we have style vs substance. Blake is a good singer, but not a great singer. He's made a name for himself because of his unusual song choices, great stage performance, and of course the beat boxing and song arrangements. Jordin is obviously a brilliant singer that has really grown throughout the competition. So who wins? We'll find out tonite, and I think it's going to come down to the Idol single. Whoever performs it better will be your winner. Having listened to the song choice on the American Idol website I have to say, I'm not really happy with it. The song is pure cheese and it's designed to be a "singers" song; meaning that someone with vocal chops should do well with it. It will be interesting to see what Blake does with it. If he puts his own spin on it that could make all the difference.

Blake - You Give Love a Bad Name. I'm glad he chose to do this song again. This was easily the best and most talked about performance of the season. He really made it his own. He starts the song off well (didn't miss his cue this time) and carries it throughout the whole performance. He looks so comfortable on stage and is moving around and having fun. He's engaging the audience. This is an arena type song and he's doing his best to make it sound like one. His beatboxing totally works for this song. Overall it was an excellent way to start the final night. Good for him! Grade A

Jordin - Fighter. Whoa I'm really surprised that Jordin is going for a Christina song. She's got the voice but doesn't really have the soul that Christina does. Fighter is kind of a tough song as well. It'll be interesting to see how she does. Well, vocally she's handling it pretty well. She does sound good but it's hard to hear this without hearing Christina sing it. Also, Jordin needs to do more with the song. She just walks up to the front of the stage and sings. The song is about being a fighter, being a strong woman, being tough. She should show that in the performance. She should move around and try to engage the audience. Instead, she's just standing there in the middle of the stage, as if she was singing a soft ballad. Vocally it was good but performance-wise she could have done so much more. Grade A-

Blake - She Will Be Loved. Well he seems to have found his comfort zone in Maroon5 and I can't blame him. This is the type of music that his voice works well with. He starts off alright, no major problems. The song does fit his voice quite nicely. When he goes for the falsetto notes in the chorus we finally hear him strain a little. I'm not sure if he can't sing falsetto or if the note is just a little too high for him but he never hits it. He falls just under that note every single time. Otherwise it would be a good performance. Singing the song straight shows off his nice voice but not being able to showcase the falsetto really shows how weak of a singer he is when compared to Jordin. Grade A-

Jordin - Broken Wing. This was a good song choice for Jordin. After I Who Have Nothing I think this was my 2nd favorite performance of hers. She starts off the song quietly and tells the story of the song while quietly building a crescendo. When the chorus finally comes she's in total control of her voice and everything sounds so effortless. However once again she's just standing at the front of the stage and singing the song. Although this song doesn't really call for much stage performance it would have been nice to see something different. She did really, really well with this one. I think it was one of her best performances. Grade A

Blake - This Is My Now. Well, with a title like that you can't really expect a good song out of it. We'll see if Blake did something new or just sings it straight through. And it looks like he opted to just sing. Right off the bat you can tell that he doesn't like the song. It's not his style and doesn't fit his voice at all. He seems completely uncomfortable with it. He's bopping around and interacting with the audience in the 2nd verse but he seems to have just given up. This song just doesn't work for him at all. That was really bad. I feel sad for him and he looks so defeated. Grade D

Jordin - This Is My Now. Interesting that the producers made both of them sing the same song as their last. It's like they wanted to make sure everyone knew that Jordin is the better singer and are putting the two next to each other for comparison. We'll see if she can make this craptastic song sound any better. Well right off the bat you can tell that this is loads better than what Blake did. Since it's a singers song, Jordin is able to use the different emotions in her voice and make the song come alive. This song suddenly doesn't sound so bad after all. The "tears" at the end look so fake though. She's breaking down like she's crying but there are no tears at all. It looks like she's trying to play the emotional card to get some votes. However, she doesn't need them. She blew Blake out of the water on this song. Grade A.

So there you have it. The competition is officially over this year and all that's left is to count up the votes. We'll find out tomorrow who the new American Idol is going to be. Going into tonite's show I was rooting for Blake to win. All along I have said that he's the first true male pop star to be on Idol and I think he would be unique enough to do well after the show. However, after tonite I think that Jordin will be your winner. She is definitely the better singer of the two and deserves to win based on tonite's performances. Hands down she had the better night tonite and that's most likely what America will be voting on. I will be very surprised if Blake pulls off an upset victory and takes the title tomorrow. Either way, I think both will have a deal with a record label and will be successful in their own rights.

Congratulations Jordin Sparks, American Idol 2007!

Top 3

Well, I wrote an entire review and was getting ready to post it when the computer froze and everything was erased. So rather than writing everything up again I figured I would just skip to the part that you want to hear.

Melinda was the best last night. She did Whitney and Tina proud. But we did finally find her weakness, the high falsetto. She went for it in the Whitney song and it was ok but definitely not what I was expecting. And then I realized that we never really heard sing anything in falsetto; she mostly belts everything. I just thought it was interesting.

Blake was the next best. I loved his Maroon5 song. That's the perfect type of song for him. It had some funk to it and it fit his voice perfectly. I also thought he did Roxanne very well. And, I actually liked the Robin Thicke song. It was nice to actually hear one of his songs since you can't understand a word he says while he's singing. I thought the beatboxing added a nice touch to the songs and didn't overpower them.

Jordin was just ok. She sounded great but her performances were just boring. She just stood there and sang the songs. Plus, her last song wasn't as good as it was the first time she performed it on the show, but was her best performance of the night.

That being said, Blake is the one going home tonite. There's no way they can deny Melinda being in the finale when she's been the best all season long. And they've been pimping Jordin so much that they won't back down now. So it's going to be a Melinda/Jordin finale. I'm not sure who I am going to vote for. I think I like Jordin better but Melinda is such a better singer and has been so consistant that I can't deny her thought. We're back to the TayTay/Diana finale. TayTay can saaaaaaaaaaang and Diana was just more personable. I think it's going to end up the same way and Melinda is going to win. It's all going to come down to who can sell the new single better. And when it comes to selling a song, it's going to be Melinda that pulls ahead.

Final Four - Boogie Night/Barry Gibb

So now that we're down to the final four it's going to be an exciting competition. Well really, it's been that way since the final 6 but everyone is curious to see who the final 2 will be out of this group. I think it's a good bet that Blake and Jordin will be in the finale, but Melinda is so damn good that she could easily make it in. LaKisha is the least likely to make it in but she can saaaaaang so anything is possible. Tonite will be interesting because I think it's going to be disco night (which we already had with Diana Ross). Who knows if they'll be able to pull it off. And away we go.

Melinda - Once again, she's done an amazing job of taking a song and making it her own. She's doing a great job at singing and performing the song. She has total control over the stage. Will she ever give a bad performance?

Grade A-

Blake - "You Should Be Dancing". Blake is showing some nice falsettos. Some of the beatboxing techniques sound a little odd in the middle of the chorus. It sounds like some gay remix. However the beatboxing stuff in the breakdown section work perfectly. Hes having a lot of fun on stage and looks really comfortable. It looks like after last week's performance he knows he can win this thing. Good job.

Grade A-

LaKisha - "Staying Alive". Again, after last week she's finally starting to show some personality that we've been looking for all season. The performance is ok but nothing is really blowing me away. She's doing her own thing during the chorus but nothing is really "wow". It was just ok.

Grade B

Jordin - "To Love Somebody". Clay and Josh Gracin both sang this song on their season. It'll be interesting to see how different Jordin does it. It's different. There's more of a sense of urgency in her performance, especially near the end. I really liked it.

Grade A

Intermission: Is it just me or does Barry Gibb sound like Sean Connery? Also, I can't understand a word he's saying because he's mumbling so much. Looking at his mouth he looks like he's got new dentures in or something and he's not used to them. It's weird.

So it looks like the producers really want Jordin in the finale. This is the 3rd time she's gotten the pimp spot this season. And 2nd time in 3 weeks. I think they're really hoping for a Blake/Jordin finale like I am.

Melinda - "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart". Well the song starts out sounding a lot like Barbra Streisand. The middle section sounds great but is boring. The last 3rd she really makes it her own again and throws that Melinda growl into it. She really brings it home with that. Good job.

Grade A-

Blake - "This Is Where I Came In". The song sucks. It's not a wonder why this wasn't a hit. However, Blake makes it sound like something that Jason Mraz would sing. I don't like the performance though. He sounds fine but this song is such crap that it's really hurting him. I don't think beatboxing really added anything to it.

Grade B-

LaKisha - "Run To Me". Horrible dress. She really needs a new stylist. Simon will probably talk about her shouting. it seemed to really affect her this time because she lost her voice at the end of the song. It was a good song choice for her.

Grade B+

Jordin - "Woman In Love". She's missing some notes here and there but Jordin is really learning how to interpret a song and that's what is making her do so well. She can use the softness in her voice or belt the hell out of a song. She has really grown in the competition.

Grade B

Well I agree with Simon and LaKisha and Blake are in the bottom 2 tonite. I think it's finally LaKisha's time to go. It's not going to be the shocker that I predicted but it's definitely her tomorrow. If she does stay then that will be the big shocker because the other 3 are the ones that deserve to be in the final 3.

Top 6 - Bon Jovi Night

I am definitely excited for this week. I love Bon Jovi and it'll be very interesting to see how they all adapt to the rock theme of the week. I definitely think the women are going to have a tough time with it but we shall see what happens.

Phil - "Blades of Glory". If Phil doesn't rock it out tonite then he's gone for sure. His voice is the one that lends itself to Bon Jovi more than any other left in the competition. This song is perfect for him because it combines the country side with the rock side. This should hopefully be good. I like seeing him in the audience and interacting with the crowd. He's definitely having fun with the song and yes, his voice fits perfectly with it. He is definitely nailing it. I really liked this one. Grade A-

Jordin - "Living On a Prayer". Well, for someone that has grown up on Bon Jovi and knows all their stuff she really seems nervous about singing the song. This is a really tough one because of the octave jump in the chorus but she should be able to pull it off. However, from her first note you can see that she's scared about it. I think we may have finally found her weakness and that's the low register. We know she's great when she hits the higher notes but having to sing an entire verse in her low register is killing her. The key should have been raised a little. She's handling the octave jumps well but everytime she goes back down it's a struggle for her. This is a really shaky performance. Well, at least she admits that this was not her week. Good for her. Grade C

LaKisha - "This Ain't a Love Song". Well it's nice to see LaKisha actually showing some personality tonite. I loved her little comment about the camera showing her slim side. So I have never heard this song before but I'm glad she decided to do a ballad because she for sure would have been gone with any other song. This song, however, seemed to fit her to the T. She threw herself into and really sang it. Finally, there was no shouting in the middle of the song. Finally she showed some emotion in her voice and in her stage presence. Finally we got the LaKisha back from the semis. It was a great performance. Grade A

Blake - "You Give Love A Bad Name". So Blake is going to change it up and do something daring huh? I'm very curious to see what he does with such a well known song. Well, the opening beatbox stuff is hot. Great way to start out the song. His vocals actually sound stronger than they have in the past, that's impressive. However, he's still lifting his head at the end of every phrase. I'm getting tired of seeing that. I wish he'd just keep his head still. Oooooooh, I LOVE the beatbox breakdown in the middle of the song. He is having so much fun with this. He completely made the song his and got the crowd to buy into it as well. What an awesome job! This was the most original performance on Idol out of every season! Grade A+

Chris - "Wanted Dead or Alive". I'm very nervous for Chris with this choice. After Chris Daughtry killed it last year I think everyone is going to be comparing the two. Chris R. doesn't have the same kind of voice and I think his voice is too thin for this song. I gotta say though, his opening has really impressed me. If he can keep his voice in this lower register he might actually be able to pull it off. Hm, in the 2nd verse he started losing it a little. The vocals are fine but there's no life to the performance. He's just singing it. It's a shame because he actually did pull it off vocally. His vocals were way better than I thought he was going to be. Grade B-

Melinda - "Have A Nice Day". Finally we get to see Melinda rock out a little bit. Haha, she's so funny in her interview segment. She admits that she has no idea how to rock out or be a rocker. I like her song choice because it's so different from her character. If she throws in the right attitude she could pull it off. She seems to be doing a really good job with the song. For not being a rocker she is actually doing well and having fun with it. I love the attitude that she's throwing into it. That's what is needed to make this song work. Of course, vocally she is still superb. I liked the performance. Grade A-

Overall, this was a great night. I really liked this theme and we had some great performances. People really stepped it up tonite. If I was to choose the bottom 2 for tonite it would be Jordin and Chris. As for who is going home, I have no idea. Since everything is going to be combined with last week's votes it's all up in the air. Sadly, I do think that Chris will be one of the two going. For that last spot I just don't know. I'm going to be very nervous for the next 24 hours.

SPOILER!!! Top 6 - Idol Gives Back/Songs of Inspiration

So I was lucky enough to get tickets to tonite's taping of the Top 6 show: Songs of Inspiration/Idol Gives Back. Because of the super 2-hour results/concerts on Wed they will be using Tuesday's normal slot as rehearsal time. So for this week only they filmed the regular show on Monday to air Tuesday night. So I got to see the show before everyone else, and I gotta say it's going to be AWESOME! Personally, I think it's the best show of the season so far. There were great performances and, mixed with the clips of Africa and the US, it's going to be a powerful, great show. I am going to go ahead and do my normal critiques of each performance. If you want to go ahead and be spoiled just highlight the rest of the text. If not, then wait until you watch the show tomorrow and then come back and see what I thought.

Chris - "If I Could Change The World". He chose an uptempo song which I thought was a little odd since it's supposed to be inspirational but when I heard the lyrics I got it. Chris started out just sitting on a chair but by the 2nd verse he was up and doing his normal thing. This was a great song choice for him. He nasality was nowhere to be found and his voice sounded really strong. He had fun with the song and seemed to connect with the lyrics. I thought he did great. Grade B. Judges comments: Randy - Finally the real competition has begun (assuming because Sanjaya is gone). He picked a great song and sounded good. Paula - loved the sexiness he brought to it. Sounded great. Good job. Simon - thought it was a great song choice, no nasalness, finally lived up to the potential they first saw in him at the auditions.

Melinda - "There Will Come A Day" This is a Faith Hill song but I've never heard so not sure if it's more country or pop. If it's supposed to be more country then Melinda really made that song her own because there was no country in it whatever. Instead, we got an amazing vocal and wonderful performance. She was singing her heart out. It was awesome. Grade A. Judges comments: Randy - showed them how to sing. Paula - amazing as always. Simon - loved the 1st half, 2nd half was fantastic. It was a masterclass performance.

Blake - "Imagine". I love Imagine by John Lennon. It's a beautiful, simple song that's meant to be emotional and heartfelt. However, the song does not lend itself to singing loudly and powerful. This both helps and hurts Blake. He sounded fine on the song (however, he's still need to drop his head. He raises his head at the end of every phrase and it stops him from singing fully) but we never get that "amazing" performance. However, his performance was full of sincerity and that definitely showed. Grade B-. Judges comments: Randy - It's hard to live up to the original and not be compared to it. It was good but didn't blow him away. Paula - agreed at first but then realized it's more about the emotional and Blake was full of sincerity so made the song very enjoyable because of that. Simon - agrees with both. It was ok vocally but his sincerity really lifted the performance from just being ok.

LaKisha - "I Believe". When I heard she was singing Fantasia's "I Believe" I was like 'why are you singing another Idol's song? You're gonna get kicked off!'. But then she comes out and has a little shaky start and then really turns it on. She sang the hell out of that song and blew the roof off of the place. Fantasia always performed that song with so much emotion and I think LaKisha did the same. It sounded a little different but the emotion and feeling was there. The audience went crazy for her performance. Grade A. Judges comments: Randy - It's not her best performance. He preferred Fantasia's version better. Paula - So many great singers Celine, Whitney, Chaka, etc. that are so unique. Fantasia is one of them. Hard to take her on. She preferred Fantasia's as well. Simon - Still thinks she's shouting through her song.

Phil - "The Change". Phil chose another country song since that seems to be where he's fitting in the best. He was a tiny bit off on the first few bars but then got into the groove. He improved as the song went on and ended well. However, his song choice is the weakest of the bunch. While I personally love the song, when you throw it in with the rest that have been done it's easily the weakest. Therefore his performance suffered because of it. He sounded good but he was missing some of the spark and connection he had to the song last week. Grade B-. Judges comments: I can't remember what Paula and Randy said, but Simon said that he needs to go back to putting some of the "country" in his voice that he had last week. If he does that and sticks with it he could go far in the competition.

Jordin - "You'll Never Walk Alone". I really only know this song because Kelly, Ruben and Fantasia sang it for the American Idol Christmas special after Season 3. I loved it. Kelly and Fantasia go off on that song. I was excited to see what Jordin would do since we know she has a big voice. Well, she didn't disappoint. She started out softly, had a slow crescendo and then unleashes her huge voice. She was full of emotion and her vocals were top notch. The audience was going crazy about midway through her song. Easily the best of the night! Grade A+. Judges comments: Randy - OMG, amazing! The best performance on Idol EVER! I couldn't hear what Paula said. Simon - Fantastic.

So there you have it, all of tomorrow night's spoilers. I am very excited to actually see the show again. I'm curious to see how LaKisha's performance is because the crowd absolutely loved it and the judges hated it. That was the big dispute of the night. I'm curious to see if she'll sound the same on TV or if she's actually screaming.

My bottom three would be the 3 guys because the women killed it tonite. But, if America follows what the judges say then the bottom 3 will be LaKisha, Blake and Phil. Either way, I think Phil may be going home.

Top 7 - Country Night/Martina McBride

I am so excited for tonite! I am one of the people that LOVE country music and look forward to this theme each week. I don't really know Martina's songs (other than what's been song on Idol before) but I'm sure she'll be fine. I can't wait to jump right in!

Phil Stacey - "Where the Blacktop Ends". Well right of the bat you can tell that it's different. He actually starts of the song correctly and with confidence. He sounds like he's having fun and is actually showing some personality on stage. Also, it seems like he took Martina's advice and added some of the soul into the first half of the song. It really works. This is, finally, a great performance from Phil. His voice sounds strong, he's having fun on stage, and he's connecting to the song. Finally! Grade B+
>>Surprisingly good country!<<
Jordin Sparks - "Broken Wing". Well it's definitely gotta be hard singing an artist's song right in front of them but she did it with Gwen as well. I don't think it'll rattle Jordin too much. She sounds great on the opening of the song. I love the softness of the opening and the slow cresendo into the chorus. Wow! Heading into the chorus she really opened up and saaaaaang! This is a phenominal performance. I think it could be one of Jordin's best! She ended the song so strong and had a lot of emotion in her voice. I'm sure Martina is proud. Grade A
>>Sultry. Diva-licious. Powernote.<<
Sanjaya Malakar - "Something To Talk About". It started out just ok. His voice sounds ok. Ok, nevermind it's progressively worse. It sounds horrible, like karaoke gone bad. The song choice is ok but he's getting uninspired with each passing moment. I can't take much more of this. After two great performances it's a pretty he has to stop the momentum. He really needs to go tomorrow. Grade F
>>Literal. Sloppy. Pained/Painful.<<
LaKisha Jones - "Jesus, Take the Wheel" WHOA! I can't believe she's taking on Carrie. This is going to be very interesting. Well, she doesn't sound country at all. You can hear the R&B in her voice. I feel like she's shouting through the chorus and missing notes everywhere. This doesn't sound nearly as good as Carrie's. I think because she's not nailing the song of a very popular Idol she could actually get the boot tomorrow. It'll be very interesting. Not her best performance. Grade C>>Off-Rhythm. Lispy. Flat.<<

Chris Richardson - "Mayberry". Hm, I'm not sure about Mayberry. Rascal Flatts is perfect for him because his voice is higher but not the best song. Wow, his voice really fits! He sounds very similiar to the Rascal Flatts guy. He sounded good all throughout the song. It was fun but not sure it was the best song choice. The song was pretty forgettable. He could have really blown it away with "What Hurts the Most" or something like that. I liked it though. Grade B>>Totally butt-hurt.<<
He looks to be really upset about what the judges are saying. I'm not sure if it's because of everything that happened at Virginia Tech or if he's worried about leaving. Personally, I think that V.Tech really affected his performance tonite. Hopefully he'll have the chance to come back next week and get back on track.

Melinda Doolittle - "Trouble Is A Woman". I've never heard this song before. Not sure what to expect. Damn, her vocals are spot on. She sounds amazing. This is a great song for her. It's fun and fast-paced yet still has actual singing in it. Melinda is having fun performing it. Overall a great performance (once again. Can we expect any less from her?). Grade A
>>Can do anything.<<
Blake Lewis - "When the Stars Go Blue". I've never heard this song either. Hm, not sure how I feel about it. He sounds good but still sounds a little awkward singing this song. However, I do like the control that he's showing on his falsetto notes. He needs to stop lifting his head when he goes for the higher notes. It was an interesting choice. Not my favorite of his but it was good and he sounded good on it. Grade B>>Kinda boring & calculated.<<

Well overall I was pleased with this week. It's always fun to have country week for week. I thought Martina was decent as a mentor. She didn't offer too much really useful advice but was able to help them really focus on the country aspect of it. She did seem to really enjoy being there (unlike Gwen).

Sadly, i think the bottom 3 are going to be Sanjaya, LaKisha and Chris. As much as I think Sanjaya should go home I don't think he will which leaves us to LaKisha and Chris. I'm going to be very sad to see either of them go but I think tomorrow will finally be the shocker episode and LaKisha will be sent home. She's going to fall into the Lisa Tucker box and did poorly on an Idol song so the public will be very unforgiving. I have been saying that LaKisha was going to be the shocker and it's finally going to happen. I'm just sad that LaKisha won't be around for Idol Gives Back next week.>>Bottom 3: same, Going Home: Sanjaya<<

Top 8 - Latin Music Night

So the biggest question for tonite's episode isn't how much clothes will Haley actually be wearing or what Sanjaya's hair is going to look like. The biggest question of the night is "will tonite's episode such as much as the similarly themed 'Gloria Estefan Night' from Season 3?" That episode was such a trainwreck. It was impossible to make those incredibly cheesy songs sound like anything other than a bad cruise ship performance. I'm hoping and praying that tonite's episode doesn't fall into the same category, but the rumor is that some contestants are actually singing Gloria Estefan songs again so we'll see what ends up happening. I don't have high hopes though. As always, I'm typing this up while I'm watching the show so you're getting my initial reactions to everything.
>>I'm just going to add a three word description to the end of Jesse's excellent, detailed recaps. Your friend, [ ryan ]<<

Haha, JLo makes them all sit on the floor while she's sitting in a stool. Such a diva! We'll see how much she's actually able to help.

First up is Melinda Doolittle - "Sway". HAHA "I'm so not sexy!" says Melinda. Hm, is it possible to be bored during a flawless performance? That's how I'm starting to feel about Melinda. You know she's going to come out and sing the hell out of a song flawlessly so when she comes out and does it you get what you expect. There's nothing that gets you excited about hearing something that you weren't expecting. This is another great performance vocally, but the overall performance was just ok. It was missing some personality and I was a little bored. Grade B>>Boring but great.<<
LaKisha Jones - "Conga". OH, HELL TO THE NO! This has got to be one of the worst songs to choose. This song never comes off seriously and just sounds like a huge bucket of cheese. It could be a terrifically horrible performance. Since LaKisha is a master singer she may be able to pull this off. Ugh, again, this is lacking in something. But this time I blame the song. LaKisha sounds fine on it but the song is so horrible that she can't pull herself above it. It sounds like a bad cruise ship performance again. Gloria Estefan music should be banned from Idol. Like Melinda, vocally LaKisha sounded great but the overall performance was just ok. Grade B
Simon got it exactly right, this is not a singer's song it's a performer's song. No one ever sounds good while singing this song.
>>Some more personality.<<
Chris Richardson - "Smooth". I'm becoming a huge Chris fan so I'm excited to hear this. I love this song and I think he can do really, really well with it. It's the perfect type of song for his voice. Oh wow, he doesn't sound good at all in the opening. He doesn't seem to find his stride until he hits the chorus. Hm, from the chorus to the end he sounds alright. The whole performance just seemed to be lacking in star quality. This is definitely one of his weakest performances. Interestingly, his voice has improved greatly. I've noticed over the past couple of weeks that he's really been working on getting rid of that nasality of his voice and because of that he now has a fuller, stronger voice. He sounds a lot better but this performance was still not that great. Grade C+
>>Tried really hard.<<
Haley Scarnato - "Turn The Beat Around". Oh no. This is another Gloria song. And I don't have confidence in Haley to pull it off. Let's see how she does. What's up with the gay remix? This is the perfect version of a cruise ship performance. At least she looks hot. That's all she's got going for her right now. She had at least had fun with the performance. I just wish it was a different song. Grade C
>>What a stripper.<<
Phil Stacey - "Maria Maria". Well, Phil has a nice voice but the song is pretty boring. The crowd doesn't even seem to be into it at all. When Phil goes for some of the power notes his voice breaks a little. I think his voice is getting strained in the competition. It was just a bleh performance. Not good, not bad, just there. Grade C
>>Creepy. Desperate. Whiny.<<
Jordin Sparks - "Rhythm Is Gonna Get You". NOOOOOOO, not another Gloria Estefan song! Jordin is better than that. Yet ANOTHER boring performance. And again, I blame the song. Wow, even Jordin's voice is a little off tonite (on her first big note). She doesn't look very confident with this song nor is she having any fun with it. Grade C
>>Shaky big voice.<<
Blake Lewis - "I Need To Know". He's going to do real good JLo? I guess you really are from "the block". Well, it's nice to actually hear Blake sing a familiar song. It's a great song for his voice. Well, considering what we've seen tonite, this is a really good vocal. He didn't really "Blake-ify" it too much but it was still a really good performance. Best of the night so far. Grade A
>>Sweaty. Monotone. Ambiguous.<<
Sanjaya Malakar - "Besame Mucho". OMG!! First of all, Sanjaya got the pimp spot?! Either this is going to be really good or the producers are trying to showcase just how bad he is by putting him at the end so that's the last thing America hears before voting. There's no getting lost in the shuffle this time. Second, he's singing in spanish?! That's a bold move by him. Wow! He's finally showing the confidence he lacked in the earlier rounds. His voice sounds strong (and it's in tune!). This is a really subtle performance that takes away all of the fluff and playfulness he's been surrounding himself with these past 2 months. There's nothing here except his voice and it actually sounds good! I can't belive he pulled this off. This may actually be the best performance of the night. Holy crap! Grade B+
>>Lucky he's last.<<
I was a little bummed that no one came out and sang "Taco Flavored Kisses" to miss Jennifer Lopez (or, Hennifer Lopez as she pronounces it). I would have died if someone did that. Oh well. Aside from J.Lo's laugh, I can't say she really added anything to show or helped the contestants. She changed Chris' key and that was about it. What's up with these people that are there to help the contestants but don't really know what to do. Other than Lulu, no one has been able to really help the kids this year. We need Barry Manilow back!

As for the them this week, NEVER EVER AGAIN HAVE LATIN MUSIC OR GLORIA ESTEFAN MUSIC. This was just as bad as Season 3's Estefan night.

Bottom 3 will be Chris, Haley and Phil. I am actually very scared that Chris could be going home so I will be sure to vote a lot for him tonight. But I actually think it's going to be Haley. That was a pretty bad, bland performance. Phil's really wasn't any better. It could be a toss-up between the two.

>>Did anyone notice my Idol-crush Tom Lowe sporting the "lucky seven" pony-hawk in the audience tonight? I hope that means I get to see more of him somewhere?

I'm going to be crazy and say the bottom three is LaKisha, Jordin and Phil. This is goodbye for Nosphilatu.<<

Fake but still hot

A photograph of two American Idol 6 finalists that is making the rounds online offers something a lot more interesting than Sanjaya to talk about: two male contestants who seem to have a very close relationship. However, the picture is not genuine.

The photo shows finalist Blake Lewis sitting on Chris Richardson’s lap backstage; has his arms around Blake, who’s carefully studying his phone or other electronic device.

Their images are real, but the original Getty Images photo shows both men in the same poses, just sitting in separate chairs, as a Towleroad commenter noticed. Someone with Photoshop skills clearly edited the two together using the original, which was taken on Feb. 20, as the source.

[ via: reality blurred]

Top 9 - Tony Bennett/Standards

Blake Lewis - "Mack the Knife". It's pretty hard not to think of Clay Aiken singing this song. This was a great version when Clay sang it. Unfortunately Blake doesn't have the same kind of emotion that Clay had. It seems to be lacking some life. The song also showcases how weak Blake's voice actually is. It's a good voice but without the beatboxing there isn't much there. He could have done so much more. It was just a bleh performance. I think it could have been so much better. Grade B-

Phil Stacey - "Night and Day". I first hear this song last year and fell in love with it. I've heard it in so many different ways that it'll be interesting to see what he does. Hmm.. vocally he sounds awesome but again it seems to be lacking in emotion. As always, his high notes sound great. I just wish he would have put a little more into the performance. The song is all about passion and love but you didn't really get that from his performance. Grade C

Melinda Doolittle - "I've Got Rhythm". Do we really need to say anything more about Melinda? She's amazing and once again gives a perfect performance. She knows how to sell every song she sings. She can transition from soft and playful to powerful belter. She knows just what to do to each song to make it sensational. We all know she's going to win; we're just waiting to see who she's going to beat in the final 2. Grade A

Chris Richardson - "Don't Get Around Much Anymore". I've never heard this song. It'll be interesting to see how he does with something I don't know. I'm liking this. This style seems to suit him really well. It's a little playful and his voice sounds really strong. When he suddenly throws his R&B side in the song really shines. You can tell that he was really having fun with it. I really liked it. Grade A-

Jordin Sparks - "On A Clear Day". I've never heard this song either. It's good and Jordin sounds great but it's lacking a little something. Maybe it's the just the song; it's a little boring. Vocally, she sounds great but it's not the best that she's done. She's still great. She's really becoming a front-runner. Grade B+

Gina Glocksen - "Smile". Again, another song I've never heard. This is a big departure from the "rock" style that Gina was trying to fall into. However, she sounds great on this song. She needs to hit some kind of big note though because vocally it isn't very challenging for her. It's a good performance but might be too much of a departure from her rocker side. How will people react? Grade B-

Sanjaya Malakar - "Cheek to Cheek". Well, this is the type of music that he should be singing. It doesn't require you to be a strong vocalist, just that you can really sell the song. His voice is weak and all over the place but he can definitely have fun with a song and entertain. Finally, after a month and a half of being on the show, he's starting to show some confidence. I think this may be his best performance yet. It was entertaining (but not necessarily good to listen to). Grade C

Haley Scarnato - "Ain't Misbehavin". The performance was just ok. To me it felt very karaoke/cabaret/broadway. It's a good song for her but she just didn't wow at all. I feel like there just isn't anything to say about the performance. That's not a good sign. I think this might be her final week. Grade C

LaKisha Jones - "Stormy Weather". Well, that was a great way to end the show. Once again, LaKiki shows off her big powerful voice and actually shows some emotion and personality in her performance. This will easily throw her back up to the top of the heap. Grade A.

Overall, I thought the week was good. There were some really good performances and we're finally starting to see the parity between all of the contestants. I don't think Tony Bennett really added anything to the show or helped out the singers at all. For being such a legend I dont think he really gave out any outstanding advice.

For the bottom 3 I'm going to Gina, Phil, and Haley. As for who is going home, I think it's going to come down to Phil and Haley. Phil has a great voice but has been having a lot of problems throughout. Haley has a good voice but seems to always be lost in the mix. She's really trying to work the seductress role but I don't think that's going to keep her in. It's really a toss-up but I'm going to go out on a limb and say Phil is the one leaving tomorrow. Haley will just squeak by for one more week.

Top 10: Pop/Gwen Stefani/Random Artist Theme

So here we go. The Top 10. The ones that are going on tour. I still can't believe that Sangina is going on tour with the group but what can you do.

LaKisha Jones - "Last Dance". Finally! It's nice to see Kiki having fun with a song again and showing some emotion when she sings. I've been missing this since the first week of the semi-finals. That was a great vocal, as always. Grade A

Chris Sligh - "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic". It was interesting that Gwen picked up on his rhythm challenges. I have to agree with her. I've noticed the same thing in previous weeks. He missed some words as well. He sounded alright vocally. Overall, it was ok. Grade C.

Gina Glocksen - "I Stand By You". Perfect song choice for Gina. Her voice fits nicely. She showed some great vulnerability and real emotion in her voice. Good for her! Grade A

Sangina Malakar - "Bathwater". You know Gwen was pissed when he came out singing her song. His hair pissed me off. His voice pissed me off. He forgot the words. He's a total joke. I don't like how not even Simon can say anything because it really doesn't matter. Grade T (Harry Potter grades. T for Troll)

Haley Scarnato - "True Colors". I love this song and am excited to hear how she sounds on it. I think her voice could fit this song quite nicely. Hmm. It's not as exciting as I thought it would be. She sounds nice but that's it, just nice. There's nothing that really wows me in the performance. I would have liked to hear more power behind the high notes to really highlight the lightness of her voice and the power behind it as well. It was just a pleasant performance. Grade B-

Phil Stacey - "Every Breath You Take". Another perfect song choice for his voice. He is finally able to hit the high notes without shouting them. He's still having problems of beginning the song. Once again, he seems to find the song in the chorus and takes off from there; but the first verse is a little shaky. Grade B-

Melinda Doolittle - "Heaven Knows". Melinda singing Donna Summer. Do we really think she's going to mess up? You know she's going to be amazing as always. The outfit is hideous though. Another strong, fun, perfect performance. She's in a totally different league from everyone else. Grade A.

Blake Lewis - "Love Song". It's an interesting arrangement, more reggae than how The Cure wrote it. I thought the song was acutally a little boring. His voice is really nice but he needs to start picking a little more popular songs. At first I liked that he was picking out of the box songs but now they may be too out of the box. He should start returning back to more mainstream stuff. Grade B

Jordin Sparks - "Hey Baby". What? Why this song. There's almost no real vocals in it. Well she does add some musicality to it but it's still a horrible song choice, especially after coming off two really strong weeks. I guess it shows she can really sing different things. Horrible outfit too. She looks like a picnic table. Grade B

Chris Richardson - "Don't Speak". I'm surprised that Chris has the pimp spot. I'm surprised though. He actually sounds good on this song. He surprised me. I loved his R&B take on it. I think it could actually be a good R&B song. I'm looking forward to hearing his studio recording of it. It was good. Grade B+

This was an ok week. I felt like some of the song choices were pretty random and the No Doubt songs, for the most part, didn't work on this show. Gwen didn't really offer that much advice that really helped the contestants.

I think the Bottom 3 will be Chris S., Haley and Phil (unfortunately, I just don't think Sangina is going to be in the bottom although he deserves to be the one that goes home). I think Haley will be going home but I wouldn't be surprised if it was Chris S.