Idol-Talk: Season 9 Top 6

American Idol Season 9: Top 6
Airdate: Tuesday, April 27, 2010 [8-9pm]


Theme: Shania Twain


Ryan Seacrest announced that Idol Gives Back has raised over $45 million. Later in the show, he announced the American Idols Live! Tour 2010 that will occur this summer, with tickets going on sale the weekend of May 14.


Shania Twain was one of the guest judges during the auditions, and she was one of the better ones. And after seeing her during this week's show as a mentor and audience member, I'd like to see her involved in the show more often. What do you think?

1. Lee Dewyze [You're Still the One]: When I heard he was doing this song, I had a feeling he could have the potential to do well, and he definitely did. I'm glad he sang something slower, because it allows us to hear how much his voice has improved. He smiled at times, improving in the personality department. And overall, this was one of his better performances.
2. Michael Lynche [It Only Hurts When I'm Breathing]: He seems to do well sitting down when he's performing (like he did two weeks ago, and at the start here). I found nothing wrong with his voice (soulful as usual). He connected to the song completely, showing vulnerability and emotion.
3. Casey James [Don't]: Casey has been so generic and forgettable lately. But he finally provided a performance worthy of staying on the show. Like Lee, it was a slower song, and he wasn't just singing the song; he was connecting to it and actually taking part in the competition.
4. Crystal Bowersox [No One Needs To Know]: I'm not sure what the original arrangement is like, but I really like the style that she and the band brought to the song. I agree with the judges, though, that it wasn't her best, but that doesn't mean it was bad either, because she is still always good. Plus, she nailed the falsetto.
5. Aaron Kelly [You Got A Way]: I expected him to do well during country week, and while his vocals weren't as perfect as the four that came before him, he still pulled it off really well. I applaud him for not choosing a song that is overwhelmingly well-known, as he is known to do (which is what I usually criticize him for).
6. Siobhan Magnus [Any Man Of Mine]: With the arrangement so overwhelmingly country, her voice didn't mesh well with it. The judges may have loved it, but her voice was off at times. But I liked the ending, though; she hasn't brought out "the note" in a while, and she pulled that off, fortunately.

Favorite Performances: Lee Dewyze / Michael Lynche / Casey James

My Vote(s): Lee Dewyze [20 votes] / Crystal Bowersox [50 votes]

Bottom 3 Predictions: Michael Lynche / Casey James / Aaron Kelly

Elimination Prediction: Michael Lynche

My Season 9 Vote Tracker:

Crystal Bowersox: 285 votes

Lee Dewyze: 65 votes

Siobhan Magnus: 30 votes

Michael Lynche: 15 votes

Total: 395 votes cast so far this season

Right after the show ended, my gut reaction was to choose Aaron as this week's eliminated contestant. But after taking more time to think about it and after reading what the online community had to say, I am choosing Big Bike, even though I do so warily. Even though Siobhan was the worst of the night, she performed last, so the next logical choice would be Aaron (the second worst). There are two factors, though, that I feel may save him. The first is Tim Urban: once Tim left, who did his fans and voters turn to? The most logical choice is Aaron. Who knows if that is enough votes to save him, but I think it does have an impact. The second factor is what he said after his performance. He mentioned that he was performing this for his mother. I'm sure that got a reaction from all the mothers watching the show to vote for him. He may still be in the Bottom 3 (as I predict), but those two factors may save him.

Even though Casey James improved compared to the past couple of weeks, he performed in the middle of the show, which doesn't help him. That is why I believe he will also be in the Bottom 3, but not eliminated.

And that leaves Michael Lynche (I leave out Lee and Crystal for obvious reasons, but this is American Idol; there have been shockers before, as we are all aware of). He gave such a heartfelt, sincere, and vocally perfect performance. But he performed second, which is one of those positions that is near enough to the beginning that could warrant the forgettability factor. Like I said, I don't want to choose him to leave, but it seems very likely. But no matter, it will be either Mike or Aaron.

End Time: 9:01pm - One minute past scheduled end time.

If you want to buy any of the audio or video performances, head on over to TV Watch Online's American Idol on iTunes page. If you don't see this week's links up when viewing that page, they may not be released on iTunes yet. If that is the case, keep checking back.

Tonight, there are four guest performers (four!): Sons of Sylvia, Lady Antebellum, Rascal Flatts and Shakira. Okay, now, I get why the first three are performing (since this is country week), but why Shakira? That seems so odd. Maybe the producers didn't want another group song, so they stuck in a last-minute performer. Also, one more contestant will be eliminated in what is sure to be another episode that runs past its scheduled ending time (with four guest performers, that is sure to happen). See ya then...

Idol-Talk: Season 9 Top 7 Results & Idol Gives Back

American Idol Season 9: Top 7 Results Show/Idol Gives Back
Airdate: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 [8-10pm]

• Opening video message from President Obama & First Lady Michelle Obama
• Top 12 reunite for "Keeping the Dream Alive"
• Video: Jen Garner for Save the Children
• Short video messages throughout, starting with Captain Sully
• Jonah Hill & Russell Brand comedy skit at a fake phone bank
• Black Eyed Peas perform "Rock That Body"
• Video in Africa regarding Malaria (& more vids throughout)
• George Lopez plays host; instead of giving the results to the contestants, he turns it back on the judges and judges them instead.
• Ford Music Video: "We've Got A Big Mess On Our Hands"
• Casey James - Bottom 3
• Aaron Kelly - Bottom 3
• Jeff Beck & Joss Stone with the Jubilation Choir perform "I Put A Spell On You"
• Video: Randy Jackson & Morgan Freeman in Mississippi for Save the Children
• Alicia Keys performs "Unthinkable/Empire State of Mind (Part II)
• Jonah Hill & Russell Brand skit returns - fake celebrities, Slash, Tatiana Del Toro (was that really her?), Octomom, Jim Carrey
• Carrie Underwood performs "Change"
• Video: Ellen DeGeneres & David Arquette in California for Feeding America
• Video: Ryan Seacrest interviews Bill & Melinda Gates
• Wanda Sykes does stand-up comedy (my favorite bit was about Simon playing with his nipples)
• Tim Urban - Bottom 3
• Video: David Cook in Ethiopia and sings "Heroes" there
• Video: Annie Lennox in Africa; she was stuck overseas because of the volcano and sings "Universal Child" in a taped piece from London
• Mary J. Blige & the All-Star Band (including Randy Jackson) performs "Stairway to Heaven"
• Video: Simon Cowell in Arizona for Children's Health Fund
• Did I hear that right that over 15 million dollars had been raised since the program started?
• Elton John performs "Your Song"
• Next week's theme & mentor will be Shania Twain
• Tim Urban - Eliminated [Prediction: 0/1]
• End Time: 10:24pm - 24 minutes past schedule end time (I believe it was the longest Idol has ever gone over, including finales)
• Click HERE to buy the Idol Gives Back audio & video performances

Idol-Talk: Season 9 Top 7 [& Top 9 Pt2 Results]

American Idol Season 9: Top 9 Pt2 Results Show
Airdate: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 [9-10pm]

• Over 34 million votes were cast, the highest of the season so far.
• The Top 9 perform Elvis Classics (and Tim Urban can suddenly sing low notes, thanks to lip syncing).
• Ford Music Video: Light and Day/Reach for the Sun
• Andrew Garcia - Eliminated [Prediction: 1/1]
• Video: Kara DioGuardi & Elliott Yamin in Africa for Idol Gives Back
• Brooke White & Justin Gaston perform "If I Can Dream," which is free on iTunes.
• As Crystal makes her way back to safety, she plays the harmonica.
• Next week's theme will be Inspirational Songs (for Idol Gives Back week), with guest mentor Alicia Keys.
• Adam Lambert performs "Whataya Want From Me." Can he come back every week to perform? I miss season 8 :( He sure knows how to put on a show, starting with the lasers covering him where we can only see his silhouette, to the brilliant vocals, and everything in between.
• Of the remaining contestant's waiting to find out their fate, we find out Michael Lynche is not in the bottom 3 this week.
• Katie Stevens - Eliminated [Prediction: 1/2]
• Idol ended on time both nights, which seems to be a first for them. Congratulations to everyone who made that seemingly impossible task possible.

American Idol Season 9: Top 7

Airdate: Tuesday, April 20, 2010 [8-8:59pm]

Theme: Inspirational Songs

It was very fitting to have Alicia Keys as guest mentor this week, what with everything she has done to raise awareness for causes she cares deeply about. And I believe she was an inspiring mentor, giving out constructive comments and uplifting words of advice along the way. Continuing the theme of inspiration, Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger was in the audience. And on a final note of inspiration at the end of the show, Ryan and Crystal showed that the media made too big of a deal out of the Crystal almost quitting controversy, having fun interacting with each other.

1. Casey James [Don't Stop]: I am going to have to echo what I said last week: it was just a very generic performance, with nothing original to separate himself from the original. While there wasn't anything wrong with his voice necessarily, there was nothing unique enough about it at the same time.
2. Lee Dewyze [The Boxer]: I actually didn't think it was as good as the judges said. His voice was great, and I could feel his connection to the song (which is important for this week), but there was nothing that said "wow" to me. Maybe I just need to watch it again, because everyone seemed to love it.
3. Tim Urban [Better Days]:Coming off some solid performances, he took some steps back on this one. I was bored by most of it. His voice was better towards the end, but he can't sing low notes. This shows once again why he shouldn't be here.
4. Aaron Kelly [I Believe I Can Fly]: He once again picked such a well-known song, because I don't think he knows anything else. For the most part, his vocals were pretty good (especially the last half), but the start was just meh; overall, he did nothing to impress me.
5. Siobhan Magnus [When You Believe]: Idol this week is supposed to be all about inspiration (and we haven't had any yet tonight), but Siobhan took it in the right direction. She had the best vocals of the night so far, and I don't understand where the judges (aside from Ellen) are coming from.
6. Michael Lynche [Hero]: This is such a great song, and Mike did really well on it. The best part was the first half, when the instruments took more of a back seat. The second half, though, was not as good because the band overpowered the song a little too much.
7. Crystal Bowersox [People Get Ready]: This was a very weak night, but Crystal brought the only truly authentic, inspirational performance. Losing the guitar, she showed true star quality here. At the end, I was worried about her voice, but it was due to her emotions (and I think it was important for her to show that vulnerability, because some critics of hers think she has little to no emotion).

Favorite Performances: Crystal Bowersox / Siobhan Magnus

My Vote(s): Crystal Bowersox [50 votes]

Bottom 3 Prediction: Casey James / Tim Urban / Aaron Kelly

Elimination Prediction: Aaron Kelly

My Season 9 Vote Tracker:

Crystal Bowersox: 235 votes

Lee Dewyze: 45 votes

Siobhan Magnus: 30 votes

Michael Lynche: 15 votes

Total: 325 votes cast so far this season

Thinking about who might be in the Bottom 3, I chose between Casey James, Tim Urban, Aaron Kelly, and Michael Lynche. It seems like a given that both Tim and Aaron will be in the bottom group, but what about that final spot? I wouldn't be surprised either way if it is Casey or Michael (but Casey should be there more than Michael, which is why I chose him as well). Now, in terms of who will be eliminated during such an uplifting week, it will be either Tim or Aaron. I could definitely make cases for either one. I could say Tim because he was the worst of the night, but with his improved performances during the two previous weeks, he may have amassed enough fans to survive yet again. And I could say Aaron because he chose a song that I don't think any of us want to see covered again on the show (unless you're going to totally blow us away with it), and the fact that Tim may have a bigger fan base, but he wasn't the worst of the night (but only one notch above that). Both Tim and Aaron performed in the middle of the night, which is not a good thing; you usually remember those who either perform first or near/at the end, so neither one is in a good position this week. In a way, it's hard to choose between the two, because I wouldn't be surprised either way, but I am ultimately predicting Aaron to go home because I have a feeling Tim may have a larger fan base.

End Time: 9:03pm - 4 minutes past scheduled end time. Why, oh why, did they schedule the show to end at 8:59pm, when they knew it probably wouldn't end until 9:00 or 9:01pm at the earliest. This has obviously made Glee fans who DVR'd the Madonna episode mad since the end of Glee was cut off. But I feel no sympathy for them, because we all were warned plenty of times that this might happen. That may sound too blunt, but we were warned. Plus, when has American Idol ever ended on time (aside from last week)? Even those who don't watch the show probably are at least a little aware of this production flaw each and every week.

If you want to buy any of the audio or video performances, head on over to TV Watch Online's American Idol on iTunes page. If you don't see this week's links up when viewing that page, they may not be released on iTunes yet. If that is the case, keep checking back.

Tonight is Idol Gives Back, where we will see performances, video footage and appearances from such people as Alicia Keys, Carrie Underwood, Black Eyed Peas, Annie Lennox, Elton John, Jeff Beck, Joss Stone and Mary J. Blige, among others. After a full night of inspiration, Ryan will have to put a damper on the evening by eliminating a contestant. On the first year of Idol Gives Back, there was a twist when they decided not to eliminate anyone. And during the second year, they did cut someone. This year, someone will indeed be going home. I don't think they had any other choice after the last couple weeks (where Michael Lynche was saved, then two were eliminated the following week). I don't think they want this to happen consecutively. See ya then...

T.W.O. Show Debuts Saturday

With the way I recorded the pilot episode, I am having difficulties converting it to a different format, so there is a chance you may not be able to listen to the pilot (or at least for a while until I possibly sort it out). So I will be recording the show differently next time to make it easier for me. On Saturday April 24 at noon (preliminary date/time), I will broadcast & record the debut episode live on UStream (to be released later as a podcast). More info on the specifics (with a link to the UStream page) later in the week. If you happen to watch the show live, you may have a chance to become a cohost for a few minutes (if u have a microphone) and chime in with your thoughts on the topics I discuss. Stay tuned...

Idol-Talk: Season 9 Top 9 Pt2 [& Top 9 Pt1 Results]

American Idol Season 9: Top 9 Pt1 Results Show
Airdate: Wednesday, April 7 [9-10pm]

• Ryan says that there may be a shocker tonight (well, it always happens).
• The Top 9 perform a Beatles Medley.
• Ford Music Video: "Will It Go Round in Circles"
• Siobhan Magnus, Crystal Bowersox, Katie Stevens - Safe
• Next week's mentor will be Adam Lambert, and Katie's jaw drops.
• Jason Derulo performs "In My Head"
• I wasn't impressed. He was obviously imitating Michael Jackson's dance moves.
• David Archuleta performs "Imagine," which he also performed back when he was a contestant during season 7.
• Lee Dewyze, Casey James, Tim Urban - Safe
• Michael Lynche, Aaron Kelly, Andrew Garcia - Bottom 3
• Aaron Kelly - Safe
• Rihanna performs "Rockstar 101"
• Ryan announces that Big Mike has the lowest number of votes and sings "This Woman's Work" for the Save.
• Michael Lynche - JUDGE'S SAVE

American Idol Season 9: Top 9 Pt2

Airdate: Tuesday, April 13, 2010 [9-9:28pm]

Theme: Elvis

Adam Lambert is the best mentor we've had so far this season. Some say they are going to be honest, but then aren't. But Adam was very honest and gave excellent constructive criticism. And when a contestant didn't follow his advice, it showed (for the worst) in the performance (I'm specifically talking to you Tim). He needs to come back every week; or better yet, maybe he should replace Simon.

Before I get to the performances, I want to bring up Ryan Seacrest's bizarre and wacky behavior on the show last night. Did he visit Paula before the show? When he was in the audience with Adam, he made some comment about his tongue, which was strange (but hilarious). When he announced that Idol Gives back will also take place at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, he said that Brian Dunkleman would be the cohost at that location. The audience kind of clapped, not sure what to think of this news. I even believed it, but he was joking around. In actuality, Queen Latifah will be the co-host. And there were many other moments throughout the show just like these ones. But according to the contestants as reported in this article, he was trying to stay awake and it seemed like he had one of those wacky energy bursts when you are very tired. Maybe he needs to take a break. I wonder if he will address this during tonight's results show.

1. Crystal Bowersox [Saved]: For Elvis week, I thought it could have gone either way with Crystal. But she chose an up-tempo song and worked it out. Her voice (while a little off near the end) had a new edginess to it, which I loved. As Kara said, we saw her personality (a big plus!). And the electric guitar was a great addition (props to Adam Lambert for suggesting the electric over the acoustic).
2. Andrew Garcia [Hound Dog]: To me, this was a mixed performance. On the one hand, I heard a rawness to his voice at times that provided something fresh. But on the other hand, regarding the arrangement: I liked hearing something a little different done with this overdone song, but at times I wasn't sure what to make of it. So this was a mixed bag.
3. Tim Urban [I Can't Help Falling In Love]: Coming off of his best performance from last week, I was interested to see what happened this time. He wasn't as good as last week, but almost there. There still were many times that showed his limits, and he didn't take Adam's advice about ending with the high notes (which would have helped him tremendously), but overall he did really well for him.
4. Lee Dewyze [A Little Less Conversation]: Like Hound Dog, ALLC is a karaoke-type song, but Lee recovered completely from Hey Jude. His voice was top notch here, with more of that rawness emanating out. Plus, he really made an effort to outwardly show his personality, smile, and have fun.
5. Aaron Kelly [Blue Suede Shoes]: This song did not fit him at all. The rhythm didn't mesh with him; it wasn't comfortable for him. His voice, for the most part, was pretty good (there were moments I really liked). But like Andrew's, there was good and bad to it, so he didn't necessarily help himself here.
6. Siobhan Magnus [Suspicious Minds]: She's having a bumpy ride trying to recover from Through the Fire two weeks ago, with both good and bad moments last and this week. With Elvis, I echo what I just said. Adam advised her to not make it as sleepy and I still saw a little in the first half. But the second half improved a lot and her voice was great in that element.
7. Michael Lynche [In The Ghetto]: Sitting on the stairs with an acoustic guitar, Mike provided an intimate performance with the vocals at the forefront. I thought it was just beautiful, to sum it up. The only criticism I have is that it was too short (when it ended, I still thought there was supposed to be more).
8. Katie Stevens [Baby What Do You Want Me To Do?]: I was worried about her with this theme, but I had nothing to worry about. She picked a song with a message to throw back at the judges, and took Adam's advice to show her frustration, which she pulled off and it worked in the context of the song. Her voice was great as well.
• Ellen's first words out of her mouth regarding Katie's performance was that this was a horny song. She was referring to the use of the horn instruments during the song. I was laughing so hard at this joke for the rest of the night (I'm still laughing).
9. Casey James [Lawdy, Miss Clawdy]: It's hard to follow Crystal, Lee, Mike and Katie, and while he wasn't as good as them, his voice was still great. I agree with the judges that it was a little forgettable and a little generic. But it was still a fun and enjoyable performance.

Favorite Performances: Crystal Bowersox / Lee Dewyze / Michael Lynche / Katie Stevens

My Vote(s): Crystal Bowersox [40 votes]

Bottom 3 Predictions: With two going home, will there be a Bottom 3? If so: Andrew Garcia / Tim Urban / Aaron Kelly

Elimination Predictions: Andrew Garcia / Aaron Kelly

My Season 9 Vote Tracker:

Crystal Bowersox: 185 votes

Lee Dewyze: 45 votes

Siobhan Magnus: 30 votes

Michael Lynche: 15 votes

Total: 275 votes cast so far this season

I think it's pretty much a given that Andrew is a goner. But the second spot may be a couple different people. The most obvious seems to be Aaron, which is who I am choosing. But it could also be Tim (since he was good, his fans might not vote for him as much) or Katie (what I said about Tim applies here as well).

If you want to buy any of the audio or video performances, head on over to TV Watch Online's American Idol on iTunes page. If you don't see this week's links up when viewing that page, they may not be released on iTunes yet. If that is the case, keep checking back.

Tonight, season 8 breakout star and this week's mentor Adam Lambert will perform "Whataya Want From Me," which is such a great song. See ya then...

Idol-Talk: Season 9 Top 9 [& Top 10 Results]

American Idol Season 9: Top 10 Results Show

Airdate: Wednesday, March 31, 2010 [9-10pm]

• The show opens with a not subtle at all promotional tie-in with Clash of the Titans.
• Ruben Studdard performs "Don't Make 'Em Like U No More." Even though this is only my first time hearing this song, I don't think it's my favorite of his.
• Ryan calls Big Mike over to compare him with Ruben.
• Ruben announces that he and Clay Aiken will be going on tour together from July to September.
• Ford Music Video: "Kung Fu Fighting"
• Ryan chats with the contestants.
• Footage: Messages to the contestants from the cast of Clash of the Titans.
• Ryan and Simon clash once again, pardon the pun.
• Katie Stevens - Bottom 3
• Ryan tells us that the following week's theme will be Lennon/McCartney Songbook.
• Ryan quickly talks with Justin Bieber, who is in the audience.
• Usher (with Will.I.Am) perform "OMG"
• During this performance, what was up with the 3 camera angles split-screened on the screen?
• Didi Benami - Bottom 3
• After Ryan tells Big Mike he is safe, he lifts Ryan up in the air. I bet Ryan was scared to death during that moment.
• Tim Urban - Bottom 3
• Katie Stevens is safe.
• We are given a warning about the use of a strobe light during Diddy Dirty Money's performance of "Hello Good Morning." I didn't think a strobe light could be so unbearable on the eyes, but that was ridiculous. No wonder they gave a warning. So I've lost my sight from the strobe lights and my hearing from that terrible song. (sarcasm fully intended).
• Didi Benami is told she has the lowest votes of the week, and sings "Rihannon" for the Judge's Save, which the judges do not use.
• Didi Benami - Eliminated [Correct Prediction: 0/1]
• End Time: 10:03pm. The show ends three minutes after the scheduled end time.

American Idol Season 9: Top 9

Airdate: Tuesday, April 6, 2010 [8-10pm]

Theme: Lennon/McCartney Songbook

After the judges and Ryan make their usual grand entrance, we are shown a video introducing the Lennon/McCartney Songbook, with a special good luck message from Sir Paul McCartney himself. Talking about intro videos, the intro vids to each contestant focused on the contestant's describing and talking about each other. I really enjoyed these videos because we got to see their personalities, interactions, and showing how much they get along (despite what Simon usually believes is the case). By the way, did anyone notice that Ryan totally snubbed Lacey Brown when he was talking with the stars of Bones, who were sitting right next to her? Okay, I realize they had to plug their upcoming 100th episode, but why ignore someone from your own show?

1. Aaron Kelly [The Long And Winding Road]: On a positive note - his voice is the best that I have heard from him in a long while. Unfortunately, the song was so slow that I was bored; it overwhelmed the good parts.
2. Katie Stevens [Let It Be]: In the American Idol universe, to me this is Brooke White's song (who sang it back in season 7), so I was worried about Katie singing it. But overall, she did really well with this song. Her voice is not perfect yet, but she's definitely heading in the right direction. My only negative would be that I saw part of her personality missing.
3. Andrew Garcia [Can't Buy Me Love]: I am going to have to disagree with Kara and Simon. I really enjoyed this performance. He was excellent last week, and kept some of that momentum into this week. There wasn't really anything wrong with his voice, and I didn't think it was corny, as Simon said.
4. Michael Lynche [Eleanor Rigby]: He took a huge risk by picking this song, because David Cook nailed it back in season 7. The first half was just okay, because it was all staccato notes (which did nothing to help him). But the last half was great since he could finally show his voice. And I loved the feel and tone he and the band brought to it as well.
5. Crystal Bowersox [Come Together]: Both Carly Smithson and Kris Allen sang this brilliantly back in their respective seasons. What I loved about this was we got to see a range to her voice (from starting out with soft and quiet and leading up to loud with a falsetto mixed in as well). The style and arrangement she and the band brought to it infused originality that was needed tonight.
6. Tim Urban [All My Loving]: He has been terrible every week during the Top 12. But I have to hand it to him: his voice was actually good for once. He has been on his last legs for a while now, and pulled this out at just the right time (like Sanjaya did as well).
7. Casey James [Jealous Guy]: This was his best performance so far this season. With the arrangement and acoustic guitar the way they were, the focus was on his voice and not the band. His voice was nearly flawless, and I could see him connected to the song, with emotion and vulnerability.
8. Siobhan Magnus [Across the Universe]: After the unfortunate disaster from her last week, what she did here was what she needed to do. The "note" from last time was way out of control, but I loved the control she gave this time. She pulled it back a lot and showed her softer side. She is heading back in the right direction, which is a good thing indeed.
9. Lee Dewyze [Hey Jude]: He catapulted himself into frontrunner status after last week, so he would be sailing through this week no matter how he did. There were good and bad moments. His voice wasn't nearly as great last time. And then the bagpipe player came out, which confused me immensely; it was so random and unnecessary and turned it into a kind of joke. And during that last part, it seemed like even Lee was distracted, which didn't help his voice at all.

Favorite Performances: Crystal Bowersox / Siobhan Magnus / Casey James

My Vote(s): Crystal Bowersox [35 votes] / Siobhan Magnus [10 votes]

Bottom 3 Prediction: Aaron Kelly / Andrew Garcia / Tim Urban

Elimination Prediction: Aaron Kelly

My Season 9 Vote Tracker:

Crystal Bowersox: 145 votes

Lee Dwyze: 45 votes

Siobhan Magnus: 30 votes

Michael Lynche: 15 votes

Total: 235 votes cast so far this season

This week very well may have been the best week of the season. Overall, the talent this week was a major improvement over what we have heard lately. There were only a couple that were not very good. Aaron Kelly provided the worst performance of the night. After the show was over, I realized Aaron was the most forgettable of the night, which is why I chose him right away for the Bottom 3. Even though I enjoyed Andrew Garcia's song, nobody else seemed to, which is why I also chose him for the Bottom 3 (that, and the fact that performing in third place is not a good spot to be in). The final spot is a little trickier. It could be either Katie Stevens or Tim Urban. It could be Tim because his fans might have thought he would be safe since he was pretty good and not voting as much, thus resulting in his elimination (or at least a visit to the bottom group). That very well could happen, but I think that Aaron and Tim will split the votes (they probably have the same fans), resulting in only one of them in danger. That is why I think Katie Stevens might take that final spot. But with the way things have been going lately, who knows what'll happen. And ultimately, I think Aaron will be eliminated, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is Andrew (or even Tim if he is in danger of leaving).

If you want to buy any of the audio or video performances, head on over to TV Watch Online's American Idol on iTunes page. If you don't see this week's links up when viewing that page, they may not be released on iTunes yet. If that is the case, keep checking back.

Tonight, our guest performers are Rihanna, Jason Derulo, and season 7 runner-up David Archuleta. See ya then...