AI7 - Top 11 (3/18/08)

Tonight's theme: (more) Beatles music. Contestants' video clips tell their most memorable moment from the Idol experience so far.

Amanda - "Back in the USSR" Amanda is the first of many to list her most memorable moment ("mmm") as her first performance on the big Top 12 stage last week. She loves to feed off the audience's energy so enjoys having them right in front. Her song is ok. The judges feel similarly: Randy says it's pitchy and Simon says it was predictable. She responds that she only has a minute & a half to show people what it would be like if they bought tickets to see her live show. Simon reminds her that her tickets "aren't on sale yet!" Heh.

Kristy Lee - "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" Her "mmm" is being on stage in the Bottom 2 every week. She chose the song by its title (which she admits; not a good sign) and her performance was up & down; overall the worst of the night (again). I like her sparkly dress though! Randy says boring, safe, & not emotionally connected enough; Paula agreed it was too safe; good, but not enough. Simon said she isn't a good performer, and she's like "musical wallpaper: you notice it, but you don't remember it... except when it's really bad."

David A - "The Long & Winding Road" David's mmm is, of course, last week's forgetting of his lyrics. He says this was the Beatles' last #1 song. It was a good performance; lots of screams from girls in the crowd. Randy said David is "back"; Paula said it was the most exciting performance of his for her because he came back from last week's struggle. She said an experience like that "doesn't build character, it reveals it." Simon: "Amazing."

Michael Johns - "A Day in the Life" His mmm was BoRhap in Hollywood. His performance was ok I guess; he talked about how it's a long song & would be difficult to edit & arrange it well, and I think that was the problem. I also really didn't like the camera work during the middle parts, just going around him a couple times during long held notes... kind-of boring and weird at the same time. Randy said it wasn't the best choice (to showcase his vocals); Paula said it was better at dress rehearsal & said maybe he was having trouble getting used to using the ear monitors. Simon said it was a "mess," and that it was a complicated song that doesn't work in 90 seconds. Ryan asked Paula to explain about the ear monitors & Michael revealed that he wasn't wearing any! So maybe that was the problem; and Paula said he was without excuse.

Brooke - "Here Comes the Sun" On the chairs, Ryan asked her about her visit with family last weekend. Her mmm was, obviously, last week's performance ("Let It Be"). She wasn't excited about choosing another Beatles song because she felt nothing could live up to that. Her performance was good - started out sitting on the stairs, then came over to the mic stand - and she's fun to watch, but there was also something a little 'off' about it. Randy said her movement was awkward; Simon said the performance was terrible & it was a poor song choice. She admitted that it was out of her comfort zone (the style?) and that she didn't know what to do w/her hands.

David C - "Day Tripper" His mmm was also last week's performance: the stage, the audience, the lights, etc., and then the judges' positive comments on top of that! When introducing his song choice he said that Whitesnake had done it in the 70's with a rock/funk vibe so that's what he was going for. It was a good performance, & you could tell he was enjoying himself. Randy liked it, and Paula said "You're ready to go sell records." Simon said that he'd lost his element of surprise, telling David "it wasn't as good as you thought it was." Judges & Ryan commented on the voice box effects & he said he just learned how to use it yesterday! They tried to get Ryan to use it but he wouldn't.

Carly - "Blackbird" Her mmm was also last Tuesday's performance. This one was good; actually probably the best going purely on vocals so far tonight. I prefer her "with my eyes closed" [tm Simon, S2] though. Randy & Paula loved it, but Simon called it "indulgent" and a poor song choice. She defended it, explaining that to her it represented all of their struggles to break into the music business, and how it felt "free" now to have this opportunity. When Ryan gave her numbers she showed a tattoo of "7" on her hand to represent this Idol season.

Jason - "Michelle" His mmm was "Hallelujah," a bad memory for the bad last note but good "because nobody cared"! Funny. He chose this song partially for the challenge of something different, like different languages, and said he hadn't realized it was "belle" (French) instead of the English word. Ryan said "that's dedication, learning a new language" just for this performance... and then *Ryan* spoke French introducing Jason! (That was slightly swoon-worthy; what?) Jason sang great, standing for a while at the mic stand & then walking around the stage; he was so comfortable & confident! Interacting w/the audience and singing like he was singing straight to them. Also low on the goofy scale. Definitely my favorite performance of the night. So I was surprised that the judges didn't like it! Randy & Paula both said he wasn't emotionally connected to the song (but he was!), and Simon said that his face and charm sold the song because his vocal wasn't great (but it was!). Ah, Idol... the show of differing opinions!

Syesha - "Yesterday" Oh my. To several things. First, she has a new hair style and her dress really shows off her... figure. ;-) Almost distractingly so. She says her mmm was being in the Bottom 3 last week - and she says it in third person, like it was such a huge shock that "Syesha Mercado was the Bottom 3." Um, ok, not that much of a shock to anyone else. Lastly, she sings the song sitting on the edge of the stage with just an acoustic guitar. Exactly the set-up David Hernandez has repeatedly said he planned to use this week for this exact song, had he not been eliminated. So, these 3 things were all distracting me during her performance. The singing itself was decent, mostly soft with a few glory notes as expected. Randy approved of the "liberties" she took with it; Paula loved her vulnerability (i.e. that she didn't belt the whole song). Simon said it was her best so far, a good song choice & that she "sold it well." He said she chose "the song Brooke should have done." (While David H is thinking it's the song he should have done....)

Chikieze - "I've Just Seen a Face" His mmm was the 1st round in Hollywood because it was the first time he got positive comments from all 3 judges. He said he was inspired by everyone else's playing of instruments so he wanted to "pick something up" and learn it! So we get a little harmonica playing. We also get another mid-song change of style, this time from straight ballad to country/bluegrass. It was a decent performance; I respect his talent though I don't always enjoy what he does. Randy just liked the fast (latter) part and Simon just liked the beginning. Paula loved it all. Simon said the harmonica was "atrocious" and that he was demonstrating too many different styles and that it was "gimmicky."

Ramiele - "I Should Have Known Better" Her most memorable "moment" is all the friends she's made on the show. She specifically mentions "Mama Brooke" and says that David C is like a big brother in that he gives her pep talks (awww). Her performance is just meh. Randy liked her confidence; Paula said it was better than last week but it's not her best style; Simon likes her, but said the "track" was amateurish and that the mediocre song didn't show her strengths.

My personal bottom 3: Kristy, Ramiele, and Amanda.

My prediction for Bottom 3: Kristy, Syesha, and Michael, with Kristy leaving (please).