AI9 - Top 5

Well the highlight was definitely the mentor, Harry Connick, Jr.! Besides the musical genius, he's a great actor/comedian/entertainer. He needs his own show, stat! :-)

Theme: Sinatra songs, e.g. Big Band

Aaron: "Fly Me to the Moon: - Good; judges were mixed but mostly positive.

Casey: "Blue Skies" - Not great; judges didn't like it at all. He was really out of his element & it showed; (past) time to go home. Strangely Kara acted like she was just noticing his vibrato for the first time.

Crystal: "Summer Wind" - Awesome!! Harry didn't even have any advice for her. Looked gorgeous and sounded amazing. Judges liked but not overwhelmingly.

Mike: "The Way You Look Tonight" - Very good, & judges loved it, better than Crystal's. There wasn't anything wrong with it, & like most of his it would make perfect background music, but I wouldn't sit & just listen/watch like I would Crystal.

Lee: "That's Life" - Very good also, & better than I expected in the genre! The judges really loved it, said it was the best of the night (I still thank that was Crystal but he was more interesting than Mike, anyway).

Top 2, and should be *the* top 2: Crystal & Lee
Middle of the pack: Aaron & Mike
Over his head at this point: Casey

AI9 - Top 6

Shania Twain week - a bit underwhelming and a tough call for who's going home.

Lee: "Still the One" - decent, but forgettable, as Simon would say. Judges liked, said it was a good choice for him (I agree).

Mike: "It Only Hurts When I'm Breathing" - great song choice for him! Definitely fits his style (I'm not familiar w/it to know how much he changed it, if at all.) Judges liked; some compared him to Luther Vandross.

Casey: "Don't" - Hmm, it was good, but I'm really over the vibrato! I just don't think he has that great of a voice; there were great moments, but I think at this point it's a taste issue. I expected the judges to love it though & they did, most said it was his best performance yet.

Crystal: "No One Needs to Know" - I like this song (I didn't know it before) and man, she can really sing anything (comfortably)! It was good, and different (don't think we'd heard her falsetto much before). Simon didn't like but the others did.

Aaron: "You've Got a Way" - Of course he'd do well this week; just ok on the soft parts but really good at full voice & awesome ending. Judges liked, even Simon (for the 1st time in weeks he said he was believable).

Siobhan: "Any Man of Mine" - Well, definitely not her style, but she did ok w/it. She's not good at the quick range changes, but certainly took advantage of the ending to 'do her thing'! Judges loved it.

The best IMO: Aaron & Crystal

My prediction for Bottom 3: Lee, Casey, and Crystal??? With Lee going (or Casey)?

AI9 - Top 9

Live-ish blog this week, at least for the 1st hour (then I have to watch Lost!). ;)

Theme: Lennon/McCartney songs (no mentor)

Video clips have other contestants saying what they like about them, nicknames, etc., which is always fun!

Aaron "The Long & Winding Road" - Somehow my husband has reached the age of 42 and does not know this song, which baffles me. But Aaron (nicknamed Yoda by the rest) knows it and once again picks a song that's perfect for him. Very pretty, at least from what I can tell w/our lousy reception (I hate digital tv!!). However, the judges call it slow, boring, and old-fashioned. They complain that it's exactly the same as what he always does - which they've praised in the past. This year the judges are more inconsistent than ever w/these comments! Anyway he says if he's still here he's got a fast one picked for next week.

Katie "Let It Be" - don't like the 80's getup, but awesome vocal! The judges agree; Randy says it's her best performance yet. Wish our reception were smooth!!! grr.

Andrew "Can't Buy Me Love" - ooh, fun arrangement! I really liked that. Wonder if being out on the platform so he couldn't see the judges helped at all? Judges were mixed; Ellen loved but Kara & Simon didn't like it.

Mike "Eleanor Rigby" - Ooh, they're picking good songs!! & he has the string section on the stage w/him, very cool. Still singing it kind of R&B-ish, we'll see if the judges like or not... well, interesting. Simon said it was like a musical, but Randy & Kara loved it, said it's current & commercial.

Crystal ("Mama-sox") "Come Together" - her normal greatness; back on guitar, picked it because it's fun & showed. Judges loved it, called it solid & current.

Tim "All My Lovin'" - Perfect choice for him, & he sang it well. Played electric guitar this week. Judges liked (not loved), but 2 commended him for how he's handled their negative comments.

Casey "Jealous Guy" - I didn't know this song, but I like his performance! Very mellow for him, more emotional; was just him on acoustic guitar & a cellist on stage. The judges really loved it, complimented his vulnerability and connection/expression. Definitely one of his best, if not the best.

Siobhan "Across the Universe" - Very soft & beautiful; glamorous look, great vocal. Judges were mixed; Kara didn't really like it but they complimented her for taking their notes.

Lee "Hey Jude" - This is one of my all-time favorite songs. Hmm.... good parts & bad parts. Not a song you should change the melody of, IMO. The bagpipe was... ok! and the whole end w/a capella & the bagpipe was kind-of cool. Judges loved him, but would've ditched the bagpipe.

Overall really good show! Most picked great songs for themselves, & songs that I like ;) - and no one did Imagine!!

My personal least favorite would have to be Mike (and parts of Lee's). My prediction for bottom 3: tough call! I'll say Andrew, Tim, and maybe Aaron??? With Tim leaving. Time for guy to go, anyway (unless Katie hits the bottom again?)

AI9 - Top 10

Full recap later. Best: Didi (seriously, judges?!), Lee (so mad at myself I forgot to hit record for his!), and Crystal. Predicted bottom 3: Tim, Didi, and no clue on the 3rd! Siobhan wasn't great but I think her fans will know she needs the votes; Katie was in trouble last week & did well this week (both of which will get her votes); Andrew is 'back';...?? Could be a surprise for someone like Casey whose fans assume he's safe & don't vote. We shall see!

AI9 - Top 11

Theme is Billboard #1 hits; guest mentor is Miley Cyrus.

Lee: "The Letter" - nice jazzy/bluesy arrangement w/horns on the stage w/him. Also had much better stage presence w/o his guitar. Simon didn't like; others loved.

Paige: "Against All Odds" - Ooh, not good; major pitch problems when she was singing softly. Judges agreed she's in trouble.

Tim: "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" - I love this song! And it hasn't been done for a while. He was good, used the stage well & interacted w/the crowd, danced, etc. Judges didn't like it though.

Aaron: "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" - Incredibly over-done song, but Aaron is good at choosing songs that fit him and this does. Apparently he had laryngitis this week but you couldn't tell while he was singing. Judges loved, all said it was a great choice.

Crystal: "Bobby McGee" - Of course she rocks Janis! I would've preferred more actually lyrics and less of the scatting & "yeah"s, but it was still excellent. She should keep her eyes open so the audience can connect a bit more though. Judges loved, of course; Simon said it was better than Pink's version! (Which I would love to hear!!)

Mike: "When a Man Loves a Woman" - Very good, great connection w/the audience, nice strings on the stage as well. Judges were meh though (good but safe/indulgent).

Andrew: "Heard it Through the Grapevine" - That's "grapevine", Andrew, not "great" vine!! Aside from that, it was ok, but not Top 10 material. Judges didn't like.

Katie: "Big Girls Don't Cry" - Nice younger look, and awesome performance!! Her best in a long time, great song choice. Judges loved it.

Casey: "The Power of Love" (the Huey Louis one, not the Air Supply/Celine Dion one!) - Another good choice! Played electric guitar again, you can tell he has so much more fun when he does. Connected w/the crowd well also. Judges were mixed; most liked (except Simon).

Didi: "You're No Good" - The dark thing worked for her before so she repeats it; good enough performance, but the acting of the role came across more than the vocals, and the judges agreed. Crowd liked it though!

Siobhan: "Superstition" - Bizarre but surprisingly great song choice! I think she can sing about anything. I was weirded out by the hair at first but up like that we really see how pretty her face is! She worked the stage well, entertained, and had her now signature screamy notes at the end. Crowd & judges loved it.

My prediction for bottom 3 - Andrew, Paige, and... Didi? (or maybe Lee) with either Paige or Andrew leaving - I'll go with Paige. Lots of Disney teen guest performances coming as well. ;-)

AI9 - Top 12

Theme: Rolling Stones' songs

Full recap coming, but I really enjoyed the show! I guess there's a lot to be said for low expectations, lol (I don't like the Stones). Standouts to me were Crystal, Siobhan, and Lacey, and I always love my girl Didi!! I predict Katie and Andrew will be in the bottom 3 but the 3rd spot is up for grabs. I think Katie will be going home; bo-ring! (Not necessarily her fault, tough genre for her I think.)

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Mike: "Miss You" - Good, changed it up a bit; Simon thought corny, other judges liked.

Didi: "Play with Fire" - Different for her, mood lighting & very serious (to match the song). Love her! Judges liked.

Casey: "It's All Over Now" - Good; nice to see him really having fun (playing electric guitar). Simon complained he didn't move around the stage but all judges liked in general.

Lacey: "Ruby Tuesday" - Couple of shaky notes but good overall; good choice for her. Judges didn't like (except Simon!).

Andrew: "Gimme Shelter" - Really? Sigh, so many other people could've done this so much better!! Decent job; Ellen loved, others didn't like.

Katie: "Wild Horses" - BO-ring! The song, her delivery, anything. The judges liked it though.

Tim: "Under My Thumb" - I thought he did a good job, did it in his style w/acoustic guitar. But the judges didn't like it at all.

Siobhan: "Paint It Black" - Awesome! Easily the standout performance of the night. Very dramatic (both her look and singing), great vocal, mad screamy notes toward the end & then hauntingly soft. Audience & judges loved it.

Lee: "Beast of Burden" - Mellow, decent. Judges liked overall.

Paige: "Honkytonk Woman" - A few rough spots, but amazing job for having laryngitis! Judges said similar.

Aaron: "Angie" - Definitely the perfect choice for him. Did well & judges loved it.

Crystal: "You Can't Always Get What You Want" - 2nd best of the night, just awesome. I'm ready to buy her album & go to her concert like yesterday. Judges liked.

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Well I had the bottom totally wrong! Bottom 3 were Paige, Tim and Lacey, with Lacey leaving. :-( Bummer, I really think she should've stayed over Katie. But at least now Siobhan has full dibs on quirky chick.

Also The Judges' Save is back - still not sure what I think about that. Oh well. Loved seeing David Cook although I don't care for the song!

AI9 - Top 8 Girls & Guys

My take-

Katie: "Breakaway" - just ok; judges pretty much agreed

Siobhan: "House of the Rising Sun" - Awesome!! She just became my 2nd favorite (behind Didi); really, really good, a definite dark horse. Simon was under-impressed but the other judges liked.

Lacey: "The Story" - Not familiar w/this, but seems like a good choice for her. Audience & judges loved it.

Katelyn: "I Feel the Earth Move" - Not a good choice for trying to get into the Top 12! Judges agreed; not bad, but not enough.

Didi: "Rhiannon" - Good, though again not the best song to impress voters tonight. Judges liked, actually Kara & Simon loved & said it was the best of the night so far!

Paige: "Smile" - Pitchy in spots, rest good, but not as good as the past 2 weeks. Judges didn't like, said too slow. She said it was an emotional song for her so that explains why she got off key (she didn't say that as an excuse but it makes sense to me!).

Crystal: "Give Me One Reason" w/electric guitar - Excellent!! Easily the best of the night; judges loved as well.

Lilly: "I Fall to Pieces" - Hmm, this was ok, but not great. (My husband who's a big Patsy Cline fan hated it!) Judges liked.

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Lee: "Fireflies" - I love this song!! He did a good job on it though there were a few pitchy spots. The judges liked.

Alex: "Trouble" - Good choice for him I guess. Sounds good, still looks scared/uncomfortable; judges agree that he needs to loosen up and enjoy himself more.

Tim: "Hallelujah" - Wow! He did really well on this - he's like a totally different singer now w/the guitar than he was 2 weeks ago! Judges liked a lot as well.

Andrew: "Genie In a Bottle" - Well, the judges kept telling him he needed another "Straight Up" moment, so he tried, but it didn't work. Wasn't bad, wasn't great. Judges were mixed, most liked the end & wished the whole song would've been that style/quality.

Casey: "You'll Think of Me" - Good, probably his best vocal in a couple weeks. Randy said it was too safe but the others liked it.

Aaron: "I'm Already There" - decent, a few rough spots, good but not his best. I just keep wishing he was a *little* bit better, because I like him so much! Judges though the vocal was too big for him; Kara didn't like the choice lyrically because he can't relate, but Simon appreciated the emotion of it.

Todrick: "Somebody to Love" - Man, I was scared when they said he was singing this!! But he did really well - his best vocal, easily!! Judges liked.

Mike: "This Woman's Work" - Wow! I've been under-impressed by him until now - this was awesome, even before the glory note at the end! Judges said this was the best vocal performance so far this season, and that's not a stretch. (And yay, now I can remember this song as something other than "the cancer dance" from SYTYCD!)

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My favorite girls: Crystal, Didi, Siobhan
Favorite guys: tonight, Mike, Tim and Todrick! Though overall I think Aaron & Casey are still my faves.

Prediction to leave: Katelyn, Katie? (or maybe Lilly??) - and the guys are really tough this week! I'll say... Alex and Andrew???

AI9 - Top 10 Girls

Well, they're not telling us what was wrong, but Crystal is back and performing - yay!

Crystal: "As Long as I Can See Light" - I don't think I know this one (it's CCR), and she said she's doing a 'gospel style' version - I love it!!!! She is totally my kind of female singer (reminds me of Joss Stone & local artist Jennie Devoe). The judges loved it as well and Simon said they have a "serious artist" on their hands.

Haeley: "The Climb" - Well, let's just say she made Miley sound like an amazing vocalist. ;-) It was tons better than last week though. But when Randy - not Simon, Randy - says it was "excruciating"... time to go home.

Lacey: "Kiss Me" - She said even before Kara suggested it she was hoping to sing this song on the show! The style fits her voice sooooo much better than "Landslide" and it was really good. Judges said she still needs to do something to stand out.

Katie: "Put Your Records On" - I thought it was very good, even better than last week. The judges still want her to do something "younger." (Heh, Ryan asked her if there were any artists around her age she was a fan of, and she didn't say no but didn't name any... funny!)

Didi: "Lean On Me" - My girl looked so crushed! I thought she did *Awesome* and would get comments similar to Crystal's, but other than Ellen the judges pretty much panned her, saying it was a poor choice, showed her vocal weaknesses (I totally disagree!), and Simon said she "screeched." I threw her some votes and I really hope she sticks around, because she's amazing!!

Michelle: "With Arms Wide Open" - interesting choice! She did well but wasn't great, which may not be enough to stick around in this group. Judges were mixed.

Lilly: "A Change Is Gonna Come" - This was very good. Randy & Ellen just adored it. One thing in her clip was interesting, she said she was so happy Randy pegged her as an 'independent artist' type last week, and was thrilled they 'got' her; one of the judges said something similar tonight. I see her style as very similar to both Crystal and Didi, though they all stand out as individuals; I just thought it was strange to categorize her as that but only her.

Katelyn: "The Scientist" - Wow! Talk about having a "moment" (which the judges said about Lilly, I think)!! She played piano and really sang her heart out on this - and her vocals sounded great!! (For the first time, IMO.) The judges said it was too slow and that she needs to settle into one style; sigh.

Paige: "Walk Away" - Great choice, and she sounded amazing!! Now I see (hear) why they put her in the Top 24 - she can easily fill the black diva spot (sorry Michelle)! They suggested she do something slower that shows off her vocals more, and Simon even called it "forgettable" - but then, he often does that to my favorite performances.

Siobhan: "Think" - This was definitely *not* forgettable!! Wow, girl can SANG! :) Really, really did well - including belting the high note toward the end. Judges & crowd loved her.

So, this is one of those years I wish the Top 10/12 didn't have to be even divided between genders - this year, I'd put more girls in!! I'd say there were 5 or 6 performances that were better than anything we heard last night, and only one truly bad one (which really wasn't horrible), whereas the guys had several.

My picks to go home: Michelle and Haeley (Though I won't be surprised if it's Katelyn, I think tonight's breakthrough may've been too late.)

AI9 - Top 10 Guys

So, the guys have to perform a day earlier than expected because Crystal was taken to the hospital & the doctor said she couldn't perform today! I wish we could blame all the problems on their unexpected lack of rehearsal time, but I don't think it's that simple...

Mike: "This Is a Man's World" - I'm not very familiar with this song, but he was really into it. Good performance style and you can see some of his musical skill, I guess I'd call it, being not just familiar w/the song but very comfortable 'playing' with it (I assume he changed it up at least a bit). Judges loved it - Randy gave a S.O. & Simon said it's his best so far.

John: "Gravity" - Good, though I liked last week's better. Judges said he lacked soul & connection.

Casey: "I Don't Wanna Be" - Good to see him wail on his electric guitar; wish his vocals were as good as his playing! Ryan mentioned this song has been done at least 3 times (in the live shows), by Bo, Elliot, & Chris R. - all were better vocally than Casey. I really like him, I just want him to be a little better than he is. Judges were meh as well.

Alex: "Everybody Knows" - Don't know this one either; I think I only know one John Legend song. He played guitar and was *tons* better than last week. I'm just not sure I care for his voice. Judges also said better, and that everyone would be "rooting for" him. Which is not the same as "voting for"....

Todrick: "What's Love Got to Do with It?" - vocals just ok; very staged in his gestures, very performed. Judges didn't like the song choice & said that again he tried to do too much with it, that good songs don't need the melodies changed & he should just sing. He replied that he thought they wanted the contestants to change songs up and make them their own - good for him! He didn't say it in a cocky way, though, and sounded like he'll take their latest advice next week if he's still around.

Jermaine: "What's Goin' On?" - Ooh, his best yet - still did too much vocally, but really showed off his voice! Judges said it was better but he needed to back off even more, that he's obscuring the meaning behind the lyrics.

Andrew: "You Give Me Something" - What's with all the songs I don't know, lol? Well, it was good, though some of the phrasing seemed awkward (I don't know if he was changing it up or not). Ellen liked it but the rest said it wasn't enough.

Aaron: "My Girl" - He's just sooooo cute! lol. Reminds me of Kevin Covais but I think he's a better singer (and cuter!). He was definitely more confident and looked like he was enjoying himself. Judges mostly liked it; Simon said it was too old-fashioned.

Tim: "Get Higher" - Playing guitar and singing this style of music fits him very well! He sounded sooo much better than last week. He smartly changed some of the melody to keep it in his range (& not grasp for the horrid falsetto he displayed last week). Simon liked but the rest had complaints.

Lee: "Lips of an Angel" - This was a perfect choice for his voice and singing style!! Definitely the best performance of the night. Ellen observed that he's very passionate, was very connected to the song & in the moment (something several others lacked). Simon said he is "head & shoulders" above the rest vocally but needs more stage presence/confidence.


The best IMO: Lee, Mike
My prediction to go: John, Jermaine

AI9 - Top 12 Guys

Todrick: "Since U Been Gone" - Well, at least he was creative! Song from the opp. gender and changed it up a lot; I disagree w/Randy, I thought it was very recognizable, but then I'm probably more familiar w/the song than he is. Too much melisma but decent vocals & the audience certainly loved it. Acted humble & mature so we'll see.

Aaron: "Here Comes Goodbye" - so it's the night for songs from former Idols? ;-) (For those not aware, Chris Sligh cowrote this song). A few shaky notes but overall very good; I don't think he has such a "big" voice, but it's a good one w/a great tone, and he's absolutely adorable, and doesn't have a lot of competition for the cute teen spot.

Jermaine: "Get Here" - This will always be Justin's song, and Jermaine is certainly no Justin. Jermaine actually has a really good voice, but we didn't get to hear much of it tonight because he oversang & changed up and screamed and... well, a lot besides just singing. I agree that he may have blown it w/this performance.

Tim: "Apologize" - Wonder how many day's notice he had? (He replaced Chris Golightly who was disqualified, though the show never said who he replaced.) I bet his 1st choice song didn't get approved. This has so much falsetto & his was just bad. The only things that can save him this week are sympathy & his looks. I didn't see much in him earlier in the season so he'll really have to bring it next week, if he makes it to next week, in order to make it further.

Joe: "You and I Both" - Love this song, and I like Joe a lot!! Hopefully his lack of screen time up until now won't doom him, as I think he was one of the best performances of the night (and is one of the cutest of the young batch). Good stage presence and really good voice.

Tyler: "American Woman" - It was ok for a rock song, not something to show off one's vocals. But he has fans & will be around for a while IMO.

Lee: "Chasing Cars" - Changed up a reasonable amount and I like his personality. But I go from really liking his voice to being annoyed by it, and I can't tell you what makes the difference. Not the best song for him I don't think.

John: "God Bless the Child" - My favorite of the night!! Worth the wait (as we hadn't heard him since his initial audition), and I love his sense of humor. Maybe should've done something more contemporary, but it *definitely* showed off his vocal range and ability. I disagree w/Simon, I thought he had plenty of emotion/connection.

Mike: "This Love" - bizarre! Not bad, but not great. Not a song to highlight one's vocals. Not going anywhere though. By the way, does anyone remember a guy named Marque Lynche who made it to the semis in Season 3? Mike is his brother!!

Alex: "It's a Wonderful World" - ok, I don't know the song and have no clue who James Morrison is (I live in a town that plays "new" songs 6 months after the rest of the country...). His voice reminds of someone but I can't place it - not quite Joe Cocker, but definitely someone much older. May be in trouble.

Casey: "Heaven" - Yay! What really impressed me was that he is obviously a seasoned/professional performer; the hoopla w/Kara hardly phased him (he was almost laughing about it while singing, but still sounded fine). I know part of why I like him is he reminds me of Bucky in a multitude of ways, but I think I'd like him even if he didn't. I don't love him (yet), but definitely should (and will) be in Top 10.

Andrew: "Sugar We're Going Down" - another bizarre choice! I really liked the beginning, w/just him & his acoustic guitar on the verse. But when the band kicked in at the chorus... yeah, "strange" arrangement, and overpowered anything he could do at that point. Sounded like he flubbed a lyric as well. Regardless, has lots of fans, is great musician, and almost guaranteed Top 10 (deservedly).


My faves: John, Casey, Aaron, & Joe
My predictions to go home: Alex & Jermaine

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Eliminated: Tyler and Joe :(

AI9 - Top 12 Girls

Paige: "All Right Now" - meh; she looks just enough like K'Lo that the flame background reminds me of K'Lo too and I forget about Paige. Not a great song choice.

Ashley: "Happy" - I don't know this Leona Lewis song so I don't know how it compares, but I'm guessing Leona at least stayed on key. ;)

Janell: "What About Love" - Well, she doesn't really have the voice to pull off Heart, and the background singers drowned her out at parts of the chorus. But I think it'll get her through.

Lilly: "Fixin' a Hole" - This is a Beatles song?! Well, she's great on it; ends up as my 3rd favorite of the night. Look forward to hearing more from her.

Katelyn: "O Darlin'" - another poor song choice. She's got a good voice but needs to do something to stand out in this singer/songwriter-type crowd.

Haeley: "I Want to Hold Your Hand" - Ouch!! Seriously; that was terrible. I wonder if there were sound issues, because so many of them were off key; though, those playing their own instruments shouldn't really have that problem. Just painful (Ellen said she "enjoyed" it?!), but she's got fans so I don't expect her to go anywhere yet.

Lacey: "Landslide" - Another ouch. She could sound great on the right song; this was definitely not it!! She was off key a bit, but just did not sound good on this. Hopefully she gets a chance to show us how much better she could be, though I honestly doubt she will.

Michelle: "Fallin'" - Well, the last 2 words were awesome! If she can do that, why didn't she do more of it during the song? Because the rest was just ok; I think the song was too ambitious.

Didi: "The Way I Am" - What universe was Simon in during this song?!? "Dreary," boring, unmemorable?! To me it was the standout of the night. Maybe partially because I'm not overly familiar w/the song, but I thought it was a perfect song choice for her voice, that it fit her style and showcased her vocals, and the execution was spot on. I will agree that the last note was off key, but otherwise I thought it was fabulous (and I love her confidence).

Siobhan: "Wicked Game" - interesting choice! She did fairly well on it, but I'm curious as to what else she can do, just because we haven't seen much of her yet. She has a lot of vocal potential but I don't think she'll do any typical 'belter' songs.

Crystal: "One Hand in My Pocket" - Another interesting choice! I still love her voice & stage presence, but I don't think it was the best choice for her & she played the harmonica too much instead of just singing.

Katie: "Feeling Good" - I love this song, and she did a good job, but I agree w/the judges that it was too staid/'old' for her. Not that she's in any danger at this point.


My faves: Didi, Crystal, and Lilly
My least favorites: Haeley, Lacey, & Paige (though I'd like to hear more from Lacey & Paige)
My guesses of who's going home: Lacey and Ashley

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Eliminated: Ashley and Janell

Idol Season 9 - Top 24!

Here's the basics on the contestants: age, home state, & audition city. You can see photos here and this list also includes media links. The girls perform Tuesday, guys Wednesday, and it's the first week of voting!

Guys!
Michael "Big Mike" Lynche (26, NY/Orlando)
Casey James (27, TX/Denver)
Aaron Kelly (16, PA/Orlando)
Lee Dewyze (23, IL/Chicago)
Todrick Hall (24, TX/Dallas)
Tyler Grady (20, PA/Boston)
Alex Lambert (19, TX/Dallas)
Joe Munoz (20, CA/LA)
Jermaine Sellers (27, IL/Atlanta)
John Park (21, IL/Chicago)
Andrew Garcia (24, CA/LA)
and Tim Urban (20, TX/Dallas)

note: Tim was brought in to replace Chris Golightly (foster kid w/curly blond hair) after Chris was disqualified due to contract issues. Neither were shown in the "Final Decision" episode.

Girls-
Didi Benami (23, CA/LA)
Katelyn Epperly (19, IA/Chicago)
Janell Wheeler (24, FL/Orlando)
Lacey Brown (24, TX/Orlando)
Ashley Rodriguez (21, MA/Boston)
Crystal Bowersox (24, OH/Chicago)
Katie Stevens (17, CT/Boston)
Lilly Scott (20, CO/Denver)
Paige Miles (24, TX/Dallas?)
Siobhan Magnus (19, MA/Boston)
Michelle Delamor (22, FL/Orlando)
Haeley Vaughn (16, CO/Denver)


So who do you like?? My favorites at this point are Casey, Aaron (he's soooo cute and I love his voice!), and Crystal. I think Tim, Joe & Alex are definitely cannon fodder (little-known, less talented contestants destined to be voted off early, preserving the faves until later; except Chris was a fave & he was replaced by Tim, but still). I'd say the same about Paige except I think she's our only potential black diva, and every Top 10/12/13 needs one of those. That could be Michelle though. Haeley has dibbs on unique niche so I think she'll go far. Should be a good season!!

AI8 - Finals!

Wow - possibly the best final ever? Kris really struggled on the last song but other than that I think every performance was awesome!! Adam really rekindled my love tonight by avoiding the screeching, lol, and Kris was his adorable, musically talented self... I really think either one could win (normally I'd say Adam had a big edge, but I think Kris will garner votes from a lot of Danny's fans). Seems like the end of the season went really fast! I'm sad it's over but there's always the concert to look forward to (my tix came in the mail today, woo-hoo!), and SYTYCD starts Thursday; can't wait!!

AI8 - Top 4 (5/5/09)

LOVED Kris but know he's in major danger so threw him all my votes tonight. Danny obviously should go after that atrocity (though I do respect him for taking the risk) but I don't know, he's so obviously this year's Chosen One I can't really see him being Daughtry'd (though Daughtry was a better singer IMO). I don't like Led Zeppelin & thought the Foghat song was boring (lyrically) so really didn't enjoy Adam this week. Kris's was my fave performance followed by his duet w/Danny (what can I say, I love Styx & great harmonies!).

AI8 - Top 5 (4/28/09)

Tonight's theme is "Rat Pack," aka Standards or Big Band. And the mentor is... Jamie Foxx?! Cool... I think!

Kris "The Way You Look Tonight" - Still love him, just wish we got to know him better (so he could sneak past Danny into the finals). Good performance, nothing too surprising or 'wow'.

Allison "Someone to Watch Over Me" - Wish she were prettier (so she could sneak past Danny into the finals), but such an awesome voice and stage presence/maturity!

Matt "My Funny Valentine" - I give him props for taking the mentor's advice, but the vocal still didn't do anything for me. Paula & Simon loved it; Randy & Kara, notsomuch.

Danny "Come Rain or Come Shine" - Decent, but still overrated.

Adam "Feeling Good" - awesome!! From the stairway entrance to the a killer next-to-last note. Boy. can. SANG! ;) Best line of the night was Simon saying that "Randy criticizing you for being dramatic is like someone complaining that a cow moos."

My predicted B3: Matt, Danny, & Allison - with Matt leaving.

AI8 - Top 7 - Again! (4/21/09)

(just the basics for now - crazy busy week w/lots of interviews & big garage sale!)

No one left last week so we still have 7! But it will become 5 after tomorrow night. Our theme is Disco/70's. No mentor and no video intros, so hopefully they'll finish on time!

Lil "I'm Every Woman" - meh

Kris "She Works Hard for the Money" - my fave of the night!

Danny "September"

Allison "Hot Stuff"

Adam "If I Can't Have You"

Matt "Staying Alive" - ooh, the reverse lyrics Idol curse!

Anoop "Dim All the Lights"


I'd personally be happy if Lil & Danny went home. However... I predict the Bottom 3 will be Lil, Matt, and Anoop, with Matt and Lil going home.

AI8 - Top 7 Results (4/15/09)

Crazy week - I'll update this eventually!

Judges used the Save on Matt, so no one goes home this week but 2 will leave next week.

AI8 - Top 7 (4/14/09)

Tonight's theme is Music from the Movies, and the 'Mentor' is Quentin Tarantino! He's an avid Idol fan (was a guest judge in S3) and is described as being "passionate" about music. He met the contestants at a famous sound stage and gave most of them pretty strong advice/opinions, actually more than most singing mentors usually do. Not all of them took his advice, as usual!

Simon also apologized for the show's running over time last week and joked that it was all "the girls' fault." As a result, only 2 judges will critique each performance tonight. (Still didn't help enough, but was a nice try!)

Allison "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" - another should-be-banned-from-Idol-due-to-overuse song. It was nice that she got a full orchestra, but I didn't think it was one of her better performances. The crowd loved it & judges were positive.

Anoop "Everything I Do I Do For You" - Great! I like the song to begin with, but I love Anoop best when he does ballads like this. Still threw him a few votes after the close call last week! Randy & Kara both liked it; Kara said that he does best choosing pop songs & then adding his "soul." She also said she felt a connection & liked the changes he made.

Adam "Born to be Wild" - Very good, typical Adam. ;-) It was nice how he played/sang to & with the band on one side & then the background singers on the other; also how he slowed & softened down the bridge. Crowd loved it! Paula said he's one of the bravest contestants they've ever had; Simon said it was vocally excellent but wasn't sure everyone would like how he changed up such a popular song, that it was too "Rocky Horror the Musical."

Matt "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman" - I like the song, but Matt changed both the style and melody and I'm not sure it was an improvement over the original; he also had some weak vocal spots. The crowd seemed to like it. Randy said he tried to do too much w/it; Kara said he again wrongly chose a "rock" song instead of R&B even though he tried to alter it to fit his style.

Danny "Endless Love" - Really?! Sigh. It was bad enough when the judges/producers kept alluding to the dead wife, but now he's chosen songs 2 weeks in a row that overtly remind everyone of his sob story. Not cool & distracts from the decent vocals; with him, unfortunately, it's not just about the vocals. The judges liked but Simon was disappointed he didn't do anything special w/it (different from the original); he even mentioned David Cook's rearrangements of last season. But then he also said he acknowledged how emotionally difficult the song was to do & gave him credit for that. What?! It's not like he was forced to do the song, Simon! He could have easily *not* sung something that made everyone pity him for being a young widower. But then, Simon wants him in the finals, so he put a positive spin on it. Sigh.

Kris "Falling Slowly" - I don't know this one; it's from a movie called "Once"? Quentin did say that Kris took the theme the most to heart of any contestants in that he picked a movie that "meant something to him," instead of just choosing a song on its own merit. The performance didn't wow me in any way but it was good & enjoyable. Randy said it never really 'caught' him, but Kara said it was one of his best performances, despite choosing an obscure song.

Lil "The Rose" - 1st half was boring, but when she started the gospelizing it became very good! I think this is what she's been needing to show. However... Simon said it was too soft/mellow a song for her and that she's not the artist they thought she was early in the competition. (ouch! but then I think they overrated her early on...)

Hard to pick a bottom 3: I'll predict Allison, Matt, & Kris, with Matt going home.

AI8 - Top 8 Results (4/8/09)

Guess I should do last week's recap before this week's show comes on, huh? :)

34 Million votes - and only 30,000 separated the bottom 2 vote-getters!

Ryan talks about birth years and we cut to a video clip of Frankie Avalon singing "Venus" from the year Simon was born... then he comes out live on stage to finish the song! So Simon turns 50 this year.

Group song: "Can't Get You Out of My Head"

Ford video: "Circus," but the best part was the behind-the-scenes making-of footage we got. It was a magic show set in an old theater, and Adam and Allison both loved the costumes & make-up. Anoop? Notsomuch. ;-)

Ryan's chat w/contestants - asked Adam how it felt to get a S.O. from Simon & Adam said he knew how rarely that happened & he was very grateful. Ryan also said the mayor from Kalamazoo, MI - Matt's hometown - was in the audience. (As was Mario Lopez, for what that's worth.)

Results! Ryan had Adam, Kris, and Anoop stand. He then let the judges give feedback on Adam's performance since they didn't get to last night, which was nice in a way but also awkward for the other guys IMO. Adam is, of course, safe! As is Kris - but Anoop is in the Bottom 3.

Guest performance - Flo Rida, "Right Round." I've heard part of this remake & didn't know who it was; now I know. That's pretty much all there is to say about that. ;-)

More results:
Danny - safe. Matt - safe. Scott - B3.
Allison & Lil remain - Allison is safe, Lil is B3. Well, my prediction was right except for Anoop.

Ryan asked the judges if they'd consider using the save tonight, & Simon said they would consider it on at least one of them.

Guest performance: Kellie Pickler, "The Best Days of Your Life," which she cowrote w/bff Taylor Swift. Not one of Kellie's (or Taylor's) better songs, IMO.

1st safe is Lil. The least votes went to... Scott (yay, I'm right, and whew!). He sings and the judges deliberate. Simon says 2 want him to stay, 2 want him to go! And once again they can't decide. I think since they said at the beginning that it had to be unanimous, that should decide it & Scott goes. Simon doesn't use that reasoning, but he tells Scott it's a no, he's going home. Journey vid, hugs, etc.

AI8 - Top 8 (4/7/09)

Tonight's theme is songs from the year you were born - in essence, 80's tunes!! This makes me very happy, lol. In fact this is possibly my favorite show so far of the season!

Danny (1980) "Stand By Me" - Strange arrangement (not really like the one released that year by Mickey Gillie), just ok. Judges loved it though, of course.

Kris ('85) "All She Wants to Do is Dance" - I'm a huge Don Henley fan, but I don't think this was a good choice for Kris. That, combined w/the electric guitar & singing in the mosh pit w/the audience... Kara was glad he did something uptempo but disappointed in the delivery (too "jazz funk" and not "youthful" enough); Simon called it indulgent & boring/forgettable. He may be in trouble.

Lil (84) "What's Love Got to Do with It" - Hmm, pretty copycat, not much original. Judges agreed & said it wasn't "her". I'll be very surprised if she doesn't hit the B3.

Anoop (86 - he shares a bday w/David Cook!) "True Colors" - Love this! The song and his performance. Changed it up just enough, but not too much. Judges agreed, they all liked it. Kara said he controlled the song (as opposed to the song controlling him) and that he "interpreted a pop song with soul."

Scott (85) "The Search is Over" - Eeeee!!! Sorry, but I *love* this song!! Had to stop myself from singing along so I could listen to Scott, lol. No piano this week! He had an electric guitar, which didn't really go w/the song, at least since he was on stage all alone (it would've been better if he'd been with a band but it was weird solo). Didn't hit all the high notes but overall it was a good vocal, I think he's become more comfortable the past few weeks & his vocals have been stronger because of it. The judges picked on the missed notes and Simon said the song itself (not the performance) was horrible. Sorry, Simon, it's awesome! ;-)

Allison (92- the year I got married! Sigh, I feel old!) "I Can't Make You Love Me" - Ah, an Idol classic! No one will beat Contantine's version IMO, but Allison's was very, very good, especially for her age (you know, to get the right emotion for it). Paula said this was the perfect example of how you can use the original arrangement but still make it your own. Simon said he liked the song, but thinks she needs to show more personality.

Matt (85 - wow, these 3 guys were all born within about 5 wks of each other!) "Part-time Lover" - really? That was the best you could come up with?! Sigh. It was ok... the arrangement was very jazzy & he even did a little scatting at the end. But not a good song for showing vocal strength. Somehow the judges adored it, though we're short on time so we don't get much detail.

Adam (82) "Mad World"!!! *LOVE* this song. Adam rocked it!!!! Got the dramatic lighting treatment from the producers, though his performance started after 9 since the show ran long so people only using DVR's will have totally missed it. Since they were out of time Simon said he'd be the only one commenting, but he didn't feel words were necessary; and then gave him a standing ovation!! Simon *never* does that (like, 3 times during 7 years?) and I think Adam realized it was significant, he seemed very grateful. :-) Awesome!!!

My personal Bottom 3 would be Danny, Matt & Lil.
I predict the actual B3 will be Kris, Lil, and Scott, with Scott going home.