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American Idol: Top 4
Air Date: Wednesday, May 11, 2011 [8-9:30pm]
Theme: Songs that Inspire / Leiber & Stoller
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| Source: mjsbigblog.com |
The show begins with footage from prior Top 3 homecoming events. This is the week we vote on which three will experience just that during the next week.
Click on each of the below links to open up those studio performances in iTunes. You will not be charged for clicking on these links, only if you click 'buy' in the iTunes Store.
The first round's theme will be Songs that Inspire:
1. James Durbin - Journey's "Don't Stop Believing"
When E! Online broke the news that James would be singing "Don't Stop Believing," I couldn't wait. But I thought they said he would be giving a mindblowing version; the arrangement sounded just like the original, though. But no matter, he did great on it. There were a couple moments where I was worried his pitch would be all over the place like last week, but overall he kept it in check.
2. Haley Reinhart - Michael Jackson's "Earth Song"
While the song fits the theme, it wasn't right for Haley and didn't completely fit her vocal range. There were some pitch issues in the middle. And while I normally love her growl, she went really overboard this time. And I'm not sure voters will like her talking back to the judges in the way she did after Randy and Jennifer critiqued her.
3. Scotty McCreery - Alan Jackson's "Where Were You When the World Topped Turning"
I'm a fan of many of Alan Jackson's songs, including this one. Strategically, it's the perfect song to get votes. And to sing a sing about September 11 not even two weeks after the death of Osama bin Laden - powerful, indeed. The judges focused on the song, but not on his vocals. He started out great, but went down a notch or two at the chorus, then was great again at the end.
4. Lauren Alaina - Martin McBride's "Anyway"
"Anyway" is such a great song, and Lauren went all in with it. Her voice was beautiful, and she's making up for last week's "Unchained Melody." Bringing up the tornados will get her votes. Round 1 might just go to Lauren, if not a tie with James. Based on Round 1, Haley's going home.
The Top 2 will take on the Leiber & Stoller Songbook for Round 2, with Lady Gaga joining Jimmy Iovine as mentor. She was a great mentor, really getting them to connect with the songs and put on a show. Also, they decided to change the performance order, different than Round 1. Wouldn't that make it a little confusing for some voters?
1. Haley Reinhart - "I Who Have Nothing"
This song gave Jordin Sparks one of her best performances back in season 6. After a stumble with "Earth Song" in Round 1, Haley came back for revenge with the judges. And Gaga helped her to put her emotion and attitude into the song and really go for it, and it paid off. There was a moment where I was worried the growl would hurt her, but it didn't.
2. Scotty McCreery - "Young Blood"
This was all about showing off his personality rather the vocals. He had fun working the cameras and audience, and I had fun watching him. But we're heading into the home stretch, and at this stage in the competition, we need a higher caliber performance from a potential winner.
3. Lauren Alaina - Elvis Presley's "Trouble"
Lauren gave us a range tonight - first a ballad, now an upbeat fun song. But she fell victim to what Scotty just went through, in that the upbeat songs showcase the personality rather than the vocals. Her voice was all over the place, especially during the last part.
4. James Durbin - "Love Potion No. 9"
James bookended the night, providing both a brilliant opening (on a Journey song) and now with the closing. His vocals were flawless. And I loved the ending where he kept stopping and teasing us on the final notes. Loved it! I can't wait to see him on tour!
Compilation Album: Top 4 Season 10: Click on this link to see the compilation album in iTunes of all of the above songs.
At the end of the show as the phone lines opened, Ryan reminded us that Daughtry was voted out during this Top 4 round back in season 5, so vote vote vote!
Favorite Performances: James Durbin (both songs) / Lauren Alaina ("Anyway") / Haley Reinhart ("I Who Have Nothing")
My Votes: James Durbin - 100 votes
Bottom 2 Predictions: Haley Reinhart / Lauren Alaina
I'm not sure if they will have a Bottom 2, or if they will just keep announcing who's safe until we have our eliminated contestant. If they will, then I have my predictions just in case. To make a strong case for Lauren, the producers might do away with the Bottom 2 so we don't know who's in the top or near the bottom.
Elimination Prediction: Haley Reinhart
Below is the latest Idol social media stats (the combination of Twitter, Facebook and MySpace). These stats were compiled on 5/10/11 at 11:25pm.
1. Scotty McCreery - 217,008
2. James Durbin - 158,122
3. Lauren Alaina - 138,923
4. Haley Reinhart - 109,945
Again, no changes from last week. And I expect this to be the order everyone ends up being in once all is said and done.
It seems like a given that Haley will be going home tonight. As much as I want her to stay around, I just think the other three have stronger fan bases than her. But again, Haley has grown so much throughout the course of the season and has gained a following along the way, so there is a chance she'll be safe. If she stays, then Lauren will be gone. We all know Scotty and James aren't going anywhere, so Lauren is the only other option. If I personally were to make the call, I would go with Lauren to go home instead of Haley, but I have to look at it more analytically. This is a really hard decision, because all four of them are extremely talented and it's going to be hard to see any of them go. Usually at this stage, there's at least one person who we're ready to see go, but it's different this time.
The Top 4 round has been a strange week on Idol. Most of the huge, shocking eliminations have occurred during this week: Tamyra Gray in season 1, La Toya London in season 3, and what went down as THE most shocking elimination in the history of American Idol, Chris Daughtry in season 5. Last night, I voted the most times I have done this year, for James. I will do whatever I can to make sure he's at the finale. We the fans and voters can't take things for granted and assume our favorites will be here next week, because history has shown us that won't always be the case. But regardless of what I just said, I don't believe Scotty or James will be gone; it'll be one of the girls.
Tonight's a jam-packed results show (8-9pm) with performances by Jordin Sparks, Enrique Iglesias, Lady Gaga, and the premiere of Steve Tyler's new music video. Oh, and one more contestant will be eliminated. With how many guest performers they have booked, I'm thinking there won't be a Bottom 2. See ya then...
American Idol 10: Top 5 Results Show
Air Date: Thursday, May 5, 2011 [8-9pm]
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| Source: @JLuskAI10 |
60 million votes were cast on Wednesday night, the highest of the season.
The Top 5 perform "Happy Together."
Ryan announces some of the season 11 audition stops. Go to americanidol.com for more info.
Ford Music Video: "Be Yourself"
Video: The Top 5 visit Hell's Kitchen, where Gordon Ramsay instructs each of them to make an omelet. Many of them are disasters. But Lauren wins, with Jacob taking second place. I found this video to be hilarious, and we got to see these singers in a different environment, having fun and showing their personalities. To Be Continued...
Lady Antebellum performs "Just a Kiss."
Video: The Top 5 on song choice and picking out wardrobes.
Ryan says we might be surprised by the results. He didn't say it was a shocker, but that we might be surprised. Last week, he teased that we would be disappointed by the results, and Casey ended up going home. And yes, we were disappointed with that. Now, he says we might be surprised. Scotty and James would be shockers, so I'm ruling them out. No one would be surprised with Jacob going home, so he's ruled out. That leaves Haley, the one who's grown tremendously week in and week out, and Lauren, one who's fan base has grown stronger as the season progresses and has a chance at the Top 2. Since Lauren has a better chance at winning than Haley, I would say that Lauren is the only one to fit Ryan's tease.
The results begin, with Jimmy Iovine's video commentary returning.
James Durbin goes to one side of the stage (I'll call that Group 1).
Lauren Alaina begins Group 2.
Video: We're back in Hell's Kitchen. And the Top 2 from the omelet round are doing a blind taste test. It was hilarious to see their reactions to eating tofu!
Ryan, Randy and Steven are in the audience to introduce Jennifer. They act as if she's actually performing live right there and then, but it was pre-taped last week. You can easily tell when it switches over to the pre-tape and comes back live.
Jennifer Lopez, featuring Pitbull, performs "On the Floor."
Video: Teaser for Jennifer Lopez's new music video.
Jacob Lusk joins Lauren in Group 2.
Haley Reinhart goes over to Group 1 with James.
Finally, there's just Scotty McCreery left. Ryan tells him he's safe and not in the Bottom 2, and tells him to join the group that he thinks is safe. This is a tradition on American Idol, starting with George Huff back in season 3, who joined the group of Fantasia, La Toya London and Jennifer Hudson, only to find out that those three were actually the Bottom 3 (with J-Hud being sent home). And I still remember season 4 when Bo Bice was placed in this situation and refused to pick a group and sat down in the middle between the two groups.
Scotty refuses to join a group, and Ryan takes him over to Group 1, with James and Haley.
Lauren Alaina - Bottom 2
Jacob Lusk - Bottom 2 (Correct Prediction)
And now to the final results of the night:
Jacob Lusk - Eliminated (Correct Prediction)
Lauren's safe!
Jacob ends the show with "A House is Not a Home," ending the song with runs that are all over the place; he's just havin' fun and going out in his own way.
I'm seriously not understanding Ryan's tease earlier in the show that we might be surprised by the results. He must have just done that to freak us out, because out of the Top 5, Jacob's the only one I'd be least surprised to see go home. Oh well...
I have to say, the four that we have left are all really talented. There is no one in this group of Scotty, James, Lauren and Haley who is particularly weak or terrible, now that Jacob's gone. So I'm excited for the few remaining weeks we have left of the season; it should be good!
Next Wednesday, the Top 4 take on songs of Leiber & Stoller (I assume two songs each again), with Lady Gaga as mentor (can't wait!!!). Then during Thursday's results show, we'll watch the music video premiere of Steven Tyler's new single, and season 6 winner Jordin Sparks will perform. See ya then...
American Idol 10: Top 5
Air Date: Wednesday, May 4, 2011 [8-9:30pm]
Theme: Now & Then
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| Source: mjsbigblog.com |
Sheryl Crow joins Jimmy Iovine as the mentor this week.
Click on each of the below links to open up those studio performances in iTunes. You will not be charged for clicking on these links, only if you click 'buy' in the iTunes Store.
The first round tonight will be the contemporary songs (aka the Now in Now & Then)...
1. James Durbin - 30 Seconds to Mars' "Closer to the Edge"
He started off a bit rough; since he's in his element in the upper register, the low notes at the start were flat. But he soon kicked it back up and delivered more solid vocals the rest of the way.
2. Jacob Lusk - Jordin Sparks/Chris Brown's "No Air"
Jordin Sparks has put out some great songs, and this is one of those. Jacob had the potential to do well with it, but failed miserably. For most of the song, he sang in extremely high notes; it seemed he tried to go even higher, but couldn't (as evident by his voice cracking). It felt to me as if he was trying to outdo James with those notes. And what was up with the wiggling motions he made with his body? If this is what he wants to do post-Idol, then he won't make it.
3. Lauren Alaina - Carrie Underwood's "Flat on the Floor"
I cringe whenever they do Idol covers, and I was curious to see if Lauren could pull it off (especially since both Carrie and Lauren are pop/country). And she just let loose and brought it. I love the song, and this is what Lauren should be doing. If she stays like this, she has a chance at the Final 2.
4. Scotty McCreery - Montgomery Gentry's "Gone"
Two excellent performances in a row! Scotty bores me many times, but when he delivers the way he did here, I'm a fan. If he continues along these lines, I could be on board, both on the show and after. His voice was perfect, he showed personality and proved why he should win.
5. Haley Reinhart - Lady Gaga's "You and I" (unreleased song)
Haley and Gaga in the same sentence? But you know what? It worked! I don't get why Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson were bashing her choosing this song. She brought her own style to the song, and I didn't really find anything wrong with it. I hope die-hard Gaga fans come out against the judges for what they said about the song.
And the final round will be the older songs (aka Then)...
1. James Durbin - Harry Nilsson's "Without You"
I love him choosing all different styles of songs. And to get emotional - it shows a deeper side to him than just the heavy metal/rock n' roll. In terms of the vocals, he was all over the place, flat on the low notes, sharp on the high notes. But he'll be here next week, especially since he'll gets sympathy votes. On a related note, Kelly Clarkson brilliantly sang this song back in season 1 (and I have to say that this one still goes to Kelly).
2. Jacob Lusk - Nazareth's "Love Hurts"
Now, that was much, much better than the first song. Even though this one also had a lot of high notes, he kept them more in check this time around. Depending on how the rest of the night goes, this could save him. But I hope it doesn't
3. Lauren Alaina - Righteous Brothers' "Unchained Melody"
Whenever I hear this on Idol, I think of Simon, since it's his favorite song. Would he have approved? Who knows, but Lauren delivered some beautiful vocals. However, the overall performance was just okay. The high note in this song is one of my favorite parts of the song, but Lauren didn't even try to attempt it, which was disappointing. And I wish she would have injected more emotion into it.
4. Scotty McCreery - "You're Always On My Mind"
With both Lauren and Scotty, their first songs should have been in this round, to save the best for last. Just when I put praise on him, Scotty has to go and return to the boring. He brought nothing new to this overdone song.
5. Haley Reinhart - The Animals' "The House of the Rising Sun"
I hope she's here next week, because this was one of the best performances of the night. The a capella at the start was beautiful, and she didn't lose anything when the music began accompanying her. What a great way to end the night!
Compilation Album: Top 5 Season 10: Click on this link to see the compilation album in iTunes of all of the above songs.
Favorite Performances: Haley Reinhart (both songs) / Lauren Alaina ("Flat on the Floor") / Scotty McCreery ("Gone")
My Votes: James Durbin - 60 votes
Haley Reinhart - 20 votes
Bottom 2 Predictions: Jacob Lusk / Haley Reinhart
Elimination Prediction: Jacob Lusk
Below is the latest Idol social media stats (the combination of Twitter, Facebook and MySpace). These stats were compiled on 5/3/11 at 10:10pm.
1. Scotty McCreery - 197,501
2. James Durbin - 140,331
3. Lauren Alaina - 126,290
4. Haley Reinhart - 92,866
5. Jacob Lusk - 55,703
The names in blue haven't changed their positions from last week to this week. The order remains the exact same as last week, so I don't really have much to add on this.
Jacob Lusk is guaranteed a spot in the Bottom 2. But the other spot may not be as easy to predict. I personally would not pick Haley to be there, but with the criticisms she received from the judges and the fact that she is usually in the bottom, that's why I'm going with her. There's a chance that James could join Jacob, but even if he is, he'll be safe because of receiving the sympathy votes for crying. Could Lauren and Scotty end up there? I doubt Scotty will be, but it could go either way with Lauren. But back to Haley for a moment. She was unfairly criticized by the judges, and I hope her fans came out in full force last night. This was actually only the second times this season where I voted for someone other than James (but of course I can't skimp on voting for James either), because she certainly deserves to stay, especially after giving the best performances of the night.
We've been waiting for weeks for Jacob to leave. Last week was just ridiculous that Jacob outlasted Casey. Scotty, James and Lauren have strong, solid fan bases. Haley stole the show last night. So that leaves Jacob, who was almost unbearable to listen to last night. If he stays, I am just going to be speechless. And when he is eliminated tonight, then we'll have a really solid Top 4 with a lot of talent to go around.
Tonight, we'll find out who makes the Top 4 (8-9pm). Can you believe we're almost at the finish line?! And there will be performances by Lady Antebellum and Jennifer Lopez. See ya then...
I received an e-mail from Fox Broadcasting Company with the subject line: "Important Message About Your Request to Receive Information from THE X FACTOR." Back when the auditions were first announced, I signed up to their e-mail list to receive audition information. This e-mail reveals that "computer hackers illegally accessed information you and others submitted to us." Below is the entire message from FOX (click on the image for the full-size version):
Some excerpts from the message:
"We are writing with regard to your registration on Fox.com to receive audition information about THE X FACTOR. This week, we learned that computer hackers illegally accessed information you and others submitted to us to receive information about THE X FACTOR auditions. As you may recall, the information you provided to us did not include your Social Security number or any financial information (such as bank account or credit card information), and you were not required to enter a user name or password to access our site. As a result, no financial information, Social Security numbers, or passwords were accessed by this unauthorized party. It is possible, however, that the information you did provide to us, which included your name, email address, zip code, phone number (which was optional), date of birth, and gender, may have been accessed.
"We are taking this matter very seriously and took immediate steps to stop the illegal intrusion. We are also working with federal law enforcement authorities to investigate this illegal action.
...
"...If you receive an email that appears to be from Fox.com or THE X FACTOR asking for personal information, please forward it to askfox@fox.com and then delete it, as it did not come from us. You can also send an e-mail to askfox@fox.com if you have any questions or concerns."
If you are on the e-mail list for information about The X Factor auditions, you most likely received this e-mail. I thought I would share this with you all so that everyone is aware of the situation and knows how to handle any suspicious activity.
Incidents like this should always be taken seriously, so if you do have any questions or concerns (or information regarding the hackers), I urge you to e-mail FOX at the address above.
American Idol 10: Top 6 Results Show
Air Date: Thursday, April 28, 2011 [8-9pm]
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| Source: @CAbramsAI10 |
At the start of the episode, Ryan Seacrest says, "A lot of fans are going to be disappointed with tonight's results." I didn't quite know what to make of this statement. Whenever there's a shocking or semi-shocking outcome, Ryan usually teases it right from the get-go. Whenever he does this, I try to pick up on key words he throws into that teaser. You notice he didn't say it would be a shocking elimination, but rather that a lot of people would be disappointed. If it was shocking, it would have been either Scotty or James. Using the word 'disappointed' tells me that it could be Casey Abrams or possibly Lauren Alaina. And then it wouldn't really be a shocker if Jacob or Haley got the boot. And when I was sifting through the names in this way, Casey's name kept coming back to me. And, unfortunately, I was right.
You know, Casey might not have always been consistently great (some were great and there were a few okay ones thrown in there as well), but he certainly brought a lot of energy to the show and we never knew what kind of style he would bring to the stage. Ever since the judges saved him, I never thought he had a chance of winning after that moment. But unlike someone like Pia, who while really talented, never brought the excitement or stage presence that Casey almost always did. I thought he would at least make it to the Top four or five. But I can't wait to see him on tour!
Video: Top 6 at the British Consulate for Brit Week. Just when I think I can escape from the beyond annoying royal wedding coverage and gossip for an hour by watching American Idol, think again!
Top 6 perform a medley of Carole King songs.
Ford Music Video: "Our House"
Crystal Bowersox performs "Ridin' on the Radio." She's bringing the total Crystal flavor with her signature funky mike stand and the huge rug covering the stage. Loved it!
Ryan asks the Top 6 questions provided by fans.
When Ryan calls up each of the contestants to face the results, we are shown a video with a performance recap as well as Jimmy Iovine's blunt and honest commentary on each of the performances. Not everyone may be on board with Jimmy yet, but I find it refreshing to have those brutally honest critiques on Idol. Steven, Jennifer and Randy have for the most part acted as if almost every performance is great and "beautiful," to quote Steven Tyler.
Haley Reinhart is called up first. After her video, the audio is gone for a moment, as we realize that Haley must have been bleeped after reacting to Jimmy's comments. But no matter, Haley is safe!
Scotty McCreery: Ryan tells Scotty to hang tight and sit back on the couch for a moment.
Lauren Alaina: Lauren also is asked to sit back down and wait out her results as well.
Casey Abrams: Ryan says the results will be coming soon...
James Durbin is rightly safe!
We're left with Jacob Lusk, Casey, Lauren and Scotty. Lauren is safe, which means that Jacob Casey and Scotty are in danger of going home. But never does Ryan say they are in the Bottom 3. I wonder if this is just something Nigel is trying out to mess with our heads, or if someone like Scotty or James was in the bottom and he didn't want us to see that. I doubt James was there, but still, I wonder why they did it this way. By making it seem as if Scotty's in danger, you know darn well that Nigel has now put that thought in his fan's heads to ramp up the voting even more to ensure Scotty wins.
Bruno Mars performs "Lazy Song."
Ryan wants to reiterate that the results are in random order, meaning the two safe people in this group may or may not have been in the Bottom 3. Jacob is safe. What!? I could understand it better if someone like Haley went home instead of Jacob, but to have him safe as a result of someone like Casey or Scotty going home? I don't get it.
Casey Abrams - Eliminated
Scotty's safe.
After the goodbye video, Casey performs "I Put a Spell on You." During the song, he gives hugs and kisses to each of the judges as well as many audience members. When he's back on stage and singing the final line, "You're mine," he's facing Haley and singing it to her. Well, I think that pretty much confirms they're together. I was actually expecting the song to end with him kissing her, but oh well.
Next Wednesday, the Top 5 will be performing two songs each, with the theme being Now & Then. Then on Thursday, Jennifer Lopez will take to the stage for "On the Floor" with Pitbull, and Lady Antebellum singing as well. And while I don't think it's confirmed, I thought I remember reading that Lady Gaga will premiere her "Judas" music video during the show also. See ya then...
American Idol 10: Top 6
Air Date: Wednesday, April 27, 2011 [8-9:30pm]
Theme: Carole King
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| Source: @mjsbigblog.com |
Kenny "Babyface" Edmund joins Jimmy Iovine as a mentor for the Top 6.
The American Idols Live! Tour 2011 has been announced. Tickets will go on sale May 13; visit americanidol.com for all the information. Can't wait for this year's tour!
Each contestant will have two phone lines this week to help with voting.
Click on each of the below links to open up those studio performances in iTunes. You will not be charged for clicking on these links, unless you click 'buy' in the iTunes Store.
1. Jacob Lusk - "Oh No Not My Baby"
Out of everybody, Jacob has been most at risk of going home (and I'm glad Jimmy said as much). He needed to come out and give it his all. And you know what? He did. There were a few notes that were off, but you could tell he had a lot of fun and I had fun watching. Going first will hurt him, but if he goes, at least he would have gone out on a high.
2. Lauren Alaina - "Where You Lead"
She's starting to get back to her normal self again. That confidence showed through when she worked the stage and interacted with that one audience member. There were a few moments that bored me a tad (mainly at the start), but moments like the chorus were great. Did she plan to pull a random audience member up to the stage?
Haley Reinhart & Casey Abrams - "I Feel the Earth Move"
In the intro video, it was obvious that they're an item - they have great chemistry. And after their genius jazz duet two weeks ago, I think we were all wanting more from them. As far as the performance went, they put their chemistry to good use with beautiful harmony together. They had fun up there.
3. Scotty McCreery - "You've Got a Friend"
If you look at my past comments, you'll know I'm not the biggest fan of Scotty's. But tonight, he surprised me. Usually his slower songs bore me, but it wasn't so much that way this time. The arrangement, though, was interesting; there were times I didn't recognize the song. But if he can continue to be as good as he was here, then maybe I'll be more on board with him.
4. James Durbin - "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow"
Lately, we've had the rock and theatrical from James. This time, he changed it up and showed us another side of him. There were a few sharp notes in there, but it didn't distract me from how he performed it. The a capella at the start was brilliant, and I would've loved to hear him sing an entire song that way. I loved it!
Scotty McCreery & Lauren Alaina - "Up on the Roof"
I guess it seems obvious that they would pair the two country crooners together. This slow song allowed their voices to really come through, and I thought their voices really played off each other really well.
5. Casey Abrams - "Hi De Ho"
When they said the song title, did anyone think of Wilson from Home Improvement? Anyway...I haven't been that on board with his past couple songs, but I got really into this one. I liked the way he went around the stage, from the pianist to the guitarist to the backup singers. I loved the beat of the song - Casey's getting back to being Casey.
6. Haley Reinhart - "Beautiful"
Instead of going straight into the song after the intro video, we got Ryan and Haley on stage explaining a technical snafu. After Ryan left, did anyone notice him dancing next to the musicians? And did anyone feel like this could have been an ode to Steven Tyler's most over-used word: beautiful? But with Haley - I loved the ending more than the start; the vocals weren't perfect. But her voice is still great, regardless.
Jacob Lusk & James Durbin - "I'm Into Something Good"
I'm not sure if I was completely in love with this. James was definitely the star of the performance; I could hear the warble back in Jacob's voice. And what is the deal with singers and Jennifer Lopez lately? First Iggy Pop getting up in her face. Then Casey did pretty much the same thing and then kissed her. And now Jacob and James come up behind her and slide her chair away from the desk. That really caught her off guard. But they had fun together, working off each other really well.
Compilation Album: Top 6 Season 10: Click on this link to see the compilation album in iTunes of all of the above songs.
Favorite Performances: James Durbin / Casey Abrams / Scotty McCreery
My Votes: James Durbin - 80 votes
Bottom 3 Prediction: Jacob Lusk / Lauren Alaina / Haley Reinhart
Elimination Prediction: Jacob Lusk
Below is the latest Idol social media stats (the combination of Twitter, Facebook and MySpace). These stats were compiled on 4/27/11 at 5:05pm.
1. Scotty McCreery - 180,903
2. Casey Abrams - 134,858
3. James Durbin - 120,014
4. Lauren Alaina - 114,486
5. Haley Reinhart - 78,038
6. Jacob Lusk - 52,578
The names in blue haven't changed their positions from last week to this week. James had finally inched up from four to third place. And I expected him to stay there when Paul left, but Lauren took Paul's place, leaving James to head back to fourth. But now Lauren and James have switched places for the second time, and James is in third. It seems like James is slowly closing the gap with Casey. I would love to see a switch there pretty soon.
I have to say, this was a pretty solid and strong night of performances. There really weren't any terrible sets at all, which is refreshing for a change.
This week, it seems pretty obvious that Jacob will be the one heading home. While he did better than he normally does, he's been at the end of his run for a while now, and he sang first. And as usual, Haley will also return to the Bottom 3. What could help her beat Jacob is the fact that she performed last (not counting the final duet). I enjoyed her song, but she was a little off at times. Since we're at the point where half of the singers will be in the Bottom 3 this week, I don't think there's any way Haley can be anywhere other than in the bottom group. So, Jacob and Haley are obvious choices. But for that final spot, it could either be Lauren or Casey. Scotty and James will be safe, and rightly so, which leaves either Lauren or Casey. I could easily see either one being there. Some people might not have been completely on board with the style that Casey brought to his song, which could put him in danger. Lately, Lauren's fanbase has gotten stronger and stronger (based on her social media stats), which could help her. But voters may have forgotten about her by the end of the night.
Tonight, the competition will be narrowed down to the Top 5 (8-9pm). After Lee Dewyze returned this year earlier in the season, I was hoping that Crystal would be invited back as well. And here we go: Crystal Bowersox will perform tonight during the results show; I believe she will be performing "Ridin' with the Radio." Bruno Mars will also take to the Idol stage to perform. And Jennifer Lopez will perform her new single, "On the Floor," featuring Pit Bull, in a pre-taped performance. See ya then...
American Idol 10: Top 7 Results Show
Air Date: Thursday, April 21, 2011 [8-9pm]
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| Source: @SLangoneAI10 |
Over 52 million votes were cast on Wednesday night.
Lauren Alaina, Haley Reinhart, Stefano Langone and Jacob Lusk perform "Hey, Soul Sister."
Ford Music Video: "World."
Casey Abrams, Scotty McCreery and James Durbin perform "Viva La Vida."
During Ryan's couch chat with the contestants, Casey shows a piece of art he received from a fan.
Casey and Jacob are up first to face the results:
Casey is safe!
Jacob Lusk - Bottom 3 (Correct Prediction)
David Cook performs "The Last Goodbye."
Video: The Top 7 go to a Dodgers game, then bowling and finally to the spa.
Lauren, James and Stefano are next:
Stefano Langone - Bottom 3 (Correct Prediction)
Lauren and James are safe!
Finally, only Haley and Scotty are left:
Scotty's safe.
Haley Reinhart - Bottom 3 (Correct Prediction)
Immediately, Ryan tells Haley that she's safe.
Katy Perry becomes a Lady Gaga-wannabe and performs "E.T" featuring Kanye West. It was oh so obvious that she was lip-syncing. Near the start of the song when she began walking towards the front of the stage, you could hear her voice singing but her lips weren't moving. Then, when she did start to move her lips, they weren't matching with the vocal. So, she tries to imitate Lady Gaga by dressing outlandishly. But Katy, if you're going to emulate her, you should try singing live. Gaga doesn't lip-sync.
The final results:
Stefano Langone - Eliminated (Correct Prediction)
Jacob's safe.
Stefano performs "Lately." James is visibly upset over Stefano going home. Based on that and their interaction after the song, they must have become close friends.
Now that Stefano's gone, none of the judge's Wild Card picks are left. This goes to show that the Wild Card round doesn't really impact the final outcome. The only exception to that was Clay Aiken, who made it to second place. But even with him, it was America's Wild Card pick and not by the judges. Another choice that made an impact post-Idol, though not on who won, was Jennifer Hudson (chosen by Randy).
Next Wednesday, the Top 7 will perform Songs of Carole King. And I can't, can't, can't wait for Crystal Bowersox to perform on Thursday! See ya then...
American Idol 10: Top 7
Air Date: Wednesday, April 20, 2011 [8-9:30pm]
Theme: Songs from the 21st Century
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| Source: mjsbigblog.com |
At the top of the show, the Top 13 contestants that have been eliminated so far (Ashthon Jones, Karen Rodriguez, Naima Adedapo, Thia Megia, Pia Toscano, Paul McDonald) perform Pink's "So What." Paul sounded terrible against the girl's voices. Since Idol has made most of this year's episodes 90 minutes long, they're getting to that point now where they need filler. Enter: "So What." With only six next week, what will they do to fill the time then? Bring them back again? I doubt they'll have time for the Top 6 to do two songs each, so who knows.
After the song, the camera cuts to Mark Ballas (and his father Corky) from Dancing with the Stars, who is supposedly dating Pia. The two shows are on different networks, so it's obvious both are playing this up as much as they can: having Mark on Idol this week (Ryan even trying to get him to say something about it), and Pia will be on Dancing next week.
Click on each of the below links to open up those studio performances in iTunes. You will not be charged for clicking on these links, unless you click 'buy' in the iTunes Store.
1. Scotty McCreery - LeAnn Rimes' "Swingin'"
Another pretty solid vocal from Scotty. I actually really enjoyed it as it started. But he lost me at the chorus; that's when it started to feel pretty much the same as we've always seen/heard from him. Nothing necessarily wrong, but like Jennifer and Randy said, he needs to step it up and not take the safe route. But the audience just went wild whenever he hit the low notes. And when he went for it during the final note, he knew the reaction he would get, so he played it up as he was preparing to go for those notes.
2. James Durbin - Muse's "Uprising"
It looks like Lee Dewyze's bagpiper from last year has brought along his marching band drummers for James. From the outfit to the theatrics and the way he owned the stage (including the way he carried the mike stand), I almost could've mistaken him for Adam Lambert. He owned that part of the performance, but the vocals weren't the best. So I'm not sure if it was one of his best, but regardless, just when we thought his high notes couldn't get any higher, it did. This might be better as an iTunes studio recording.
3. Haley Reinhart - Adele's "Rolling in the Deep"
I was excited to find out she was doing Adele, because Adele has such a beautiful and unique voice, and the style of her songs fit Haley really well. To follow up on what Randy said, it wasn't perfect, but she's recovering from last week. On the plus side, she shone best during the chorus. As an aside, did anyone notice that Casey Abrams was missing from her intro video (where the others are supposed to talk about the singer who's about to perform)? Maybe he didn't want to do it because he thought it would show through his feelings for her (since they are rumored to be dating). But I think that his absence made it even more apparent.
4. Jacob Lusk - Luther Vandross' "Dance with My Father"
If you look at the types of songs he's sung so far, it's not surprising he would go with this one. I'm glad Randy called him out on the vocals and saying they need some constructive comments once in a while (is he listening to us?), because it was just okay. After being thrown off during the first line, I wasn't sure how the rest would go, but he came back with the same warble vibrato he normally gives us. Unfortunately, he may be safe because of why he sang this song (dedicating it to his deceased father).
5. Casey Abrams - Maroon 5's "Harder to Breathe"
I can't believe Casey had the nerve to kiss Jennifer on the cheek at the end there (let along get up in her face, closer than even Iggy Pop did to her). I'm not sure if the performance was the most cohesive. Some places such as the chorus just felt like it didn't match up to the original. But he picked it up during the last quarter of the song. And what was it that Steven Tyler said to cause him to be bleeped for the longest time? Randy and Jennifer's jaws were on the floor.
6. Stefano Langone - Ne-Yo's "Closer"
I wouldn't be surprised if this is the style he goes towards post-Idol. But regardless, I wasn't blown away - he didn't match up to the original. On the plus side, though, he improved greatly during the last half when holding out his notes. And he felt more comfortable on stage (dancing, and working the audience). The sex appeal that he obviously purposefully added in will help him with voters, but will it be enough to save him?
7. Lauren Alaina - Sara Evans' "Born To Fly"
It thought it was a pleasant performance. Nothing much more than that. The song didn't allow her to belt it out, so it may have been a safe song choice. I was a little let down when she basically said she's not as confident in what she can do. In order to change that, she needs to take risks, because it could pay off. She needs to believe in herself.
Compilation Album - Top 7 Season 10: Click on this link to see the compilation album in iTunes of all of the above songs.
Favorite Performance: I don't know that I had a favorite performance this week.
My Votes: James Durbin - 60 votes
Some busy signals at the start.
Bottom 3 Prediction: Haley Reinhart / Jacob Lusk / Stefano Langone
Elimination Prediction: Stefano Langone
Below is the latest Idol social media stats (the combination of Twitter, Facebook and MySpace). These stats were compiled on 4/19/11 at 10:30pm.
1. Scotty McCreery - 161,487
2. Casey Abrams - 116,542
3. Lauren Alaina - 98,650
4. James Durbin - 98,221
5. Stefano Langone - 74,549
6. Haley Reinhart - 62,463
7. Jacob Lusk - 47,103
The names in blue haven't changed their positions from last week to this week. Last week, Paul sailed above James. But now that he's out of the equation, I would have expected James to reclaim 3rd place. But Lauren, surprisingly, took that spot, keeping James in 4th. It seems she is slowly but surely gaining a bigger following. This shows that she has a chance at making the Top 2.
Haley, Jacob and Stefano have pretty much always seemed to be at risk. And except for Casey, it's only been those three in the bottom 3, of the remaining contestants. And it seems obvious that it will be those three in the bottom group this time around. I would just love to see Scotty in the bottom, but even though he performed first, I doubt that'll ever happen. And if it does, it will only make his fans make sure he wins. James wasn't at his best, but he knows how to put on a show, and I really hope he's not in danger. I could easily see him making it all the way to the final two without ever being in danger. Even though there was that strange week with Casey almost being eliminated a while ago, I can't figure out where he might stand in terms of the voting. And as I mentioned above with the social media stats, Lauren is continuously gathering a stronger fan base and will be safe.
Now, back to Haley, Jacob and Stefano. Haley is recovering from last week, so I hope she is safe. Jacob should have been gone a long time ago, but I have a feeling that he'll be safe. He will get the sympathy vote for dedicating the song to his deceased father. That leaves Stefano. The only way I can see him staying on is if his fan base voted even more due to the sex appeal factor that Stefano added in.
Tonight, yet another contestant will be eliminated (8-9pm). And season 7 champ David Cook will perform his new single, plus a performance by Katy Perry. See ya then...
American Idol 10: Top 8 Results Show
Air Date: Thursday, April 14, 2011 [8-9pm*]
*The episode ran a minute over, ending at 9:01pm.
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| @PMcDonaldAI10 |
Over 53 million votes were cast this week.
Lauren Alaina and Scotty McCreery perform "American Honey."
Video: Behind-the-scenes of this week's music video, where they are turned into zombies.
Ford Music Video: "Animal"
Casey Abrams and Haley Reinhart perform "Moaning." Out of all the group performances this year, this one is by far the best! I hope they are able to encore this song either at the finale or on tour, cause I just loved it!
The four that have performed face the results:
Scotty, Lauren and Casey are safe!
Haley Reinhart - Bottom 3 (Correct Prediction)
Video: Rob Reiner gives the Top 8 advice on movie songs.
Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson (!) perform their new hit single, "Don't You Wanna Stay." Jason was a little generic, but Kelly proved why she is our inaugural Idol and possibly the best as well.
Jacob Lusk, Paul McDonald, Stefano Langone and James Durbin perform "Sounds of Silence"/"Mrs. Robinson." I know we're not voting on these group songs, but they sounded terrible together. Sorry.
James and Jacob are both safe!
Stefano Langone - Bottom 3 (Correct Prediction)
Paul McDonald - Bottom 3 (Correct Prediction)
Rihanna performs "California King Bed."
The Bottom 3 find out their fate:
Both Haley and Stefano are safe!
Paul McDonald - Eliminated (Correct Prediction)
Jennifer Lopez requests that Paul sing "Maggie May." That seemed a little staged to me.
Finally, a guy is sent home! Haley broke the curse! Depending on how the next round of performances go, we may see a second guy going home (either Stefano or Jacob).
On Wednesday, the Top 7 will perform 21st Century Songs. And then season 7 champ David Cook will return to debut his brand-new single, "This Loud Morning," as well as a performance by Katy Perry, on Thursday. See ya then...
American Idol 10: Top 8
Air Date: Wednesday, April 13, 2011 [8-9:30pm]
Theme: Songs from the Movies
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| Source: mjsbigblog.com |
After the judges take their seats, Ryan congratulates Jennifer Lopez for being named World's Most Beautiful Woman by People magazine today.
And will.i.am is back to help mentor with Jimmy Iovine. Rio is being heavily pimped during commercials. Is he mentoring every week because of the movie, or will be continue to be there even after the movie's out? I'm don't think I'm totally against him being there; he's providing some great comments and humor as well. He works well with Jimmy.
Click on each of the below links to open up those studio performances in iTunes. You will not be charged for clicking on these links, unless you click 'buy' in the iTunes Store.
1. Paul McDonald - Bob Seeger's "Old Time Rock n Roll"
Last week, Paul started to get his mojo back, and that's fortunately continued this time around. He just had so much fun on that stage, and I had fun watching him. I'm not sure, though, about the drum beat. Closing out the show last time helped him with voters, but now going first - could that hurt him?
2. Lauren Alaina - Miley Cyrus' "The Climb"
I guess I'm not surprised Lauren chose this song - it shows her age (and I have a feeling that if Thia Megia were still here, she would have chosen this song). It is a great song - as long as Miley's not singing it. But for Lauren, I have to say I pleasantly enjoyed it; her voice sounded pretty solid. But I don't think Pia Toscano fans will be happy with Jimmy telling her about stealing Pia's votes; what if that fan base turns on Lauren?
3. Stefano Langone - Boys II Men's "End of the Road"
I don't know if I'm just in a good mood or what, but the night is going really well so far. Stefano really belted it out. After being in the Bottom 3, he stepped it up and did what he could to save himself. Going third isn't always helpful, but he did really well.
4. Scotty McCreery - George Straight's "Cross My Heart"
Picking a slower song, I was expecting to be bored. And there were definitely moments where I was. Maybe it wasn't the best song choice, but by sticking to who he is, it's hard for him to go wrong with the majority female voting block.
5. Casey Abrams - Nat King Cole's "Nature Boy"
I'm not really understanding why the judges gave him a standing ovation or praised him to the extend that they did. His voice sounded strange, and overall the whole vibe of it was off in my eyes.
6. Haley Reinhart - Blondie's "Call Me"
Now that she's found her musical footing, I'm not surprised by this song choice. My favorite parts were the chorus. Unfortunately, she had a hard time with the low notes and some of the runs were all over the place. She's become one of my favorites lately, so I would hate to see her go.
7. Jacob Lusk - "Bridge Over Troubled Water"
I cringed when Jimmy suggested this song because I knew he would butcher it. It sounded again like he was trying to gurgle water at times. If he's not in the Bottom 3, it'll be because of those last few notes, which were impressive, I have to admit. In my eyes, this is almost an untouchable song on Idol, because Clay Aiken gave a winning performance back in season 2 with this song.
8. James Durbin - "Heavy Metal" from Heavy Metal
And we're back to the rock (or in this case, metal) that James slays. He's the only one tonight who gave us a show as if it's post-Idol already. But will people be turned off by the metal genre? And what about James giving lip to Jimmy? I wonder if Jimmy wasn't too happy about that; maybe inside he was smiling.
Compilation Album - Top 8 Season 10: Click on this link to see the compilation album in iTunes of all of the above songs.
Favorite Performance: James Durbin
My Votes: James Durbin - 60 votes
I got a whole lot of busy signals throughout the time that I voted. I hope that's good news for him.
Bottom 3 Prediction: Paul McDonald / Stefano Langone / Haley Reinhart
Elimination Prediction: Paul McDonald
Below is the latest Idol social media stats (the combination of Twitter, Facebook and MySpace). These stats were compiled on 4/12/11 at 10:15pm.
1. Scotty McCreery - 140,573
2. Casey Abrams - 101,780
3. Paul McDonald - 86,900
4. James Durbin - 83,369
5. Lauren Alaina - 80,800
6. Stefano Langone - 64,437
7. Haley Reinhart - 50,976
8. Jacob Lusk - 42,278
The names in blue haven't changed their positions from last week to this week. Last week, there were three switches going on. This time around, one of those three has switched back: Paul and James. I was excited when James inched up to third, but Paul has reclaimed that spot. I'm thinking it's because Paul gave such a fun performance last week, whereas James had a more subdued song. Speaking of last week, Lauren had slid past Pia. And now Lauren is closing the gap with James.
The singers who I believe are eligible for the Bottom 3 are Paul, Stefano, Haley and Jacob (I'll add Casey in there as well because some people online are saying he could be in danger as well). I want to pick Jacob, but I think those final few notes he belted out will save him. And even though I enjoyed Paul's and Stefano's performances, they performed at the start of the show; that will most certainly hurt their chances, so I'm going with them. As for that last spot, I'm going with Haley, just because she was one of the weakest (after stepping up these past few weeks). But since she did stumble a little, her fans might have come out in droves to save her. If that happens, maybe Casey will make a return trip to the bottom group. As far as who's going home, it's between Paul and Stefano. I could easily see either one getting cut, so I'm just going to go with Paul since he performed first and voters might not have remembered him by the end of the night.
Tonight, one will be heading home as the competition narrows down to the Top 7 (8-9pm). Also, Kelly Clarkson and Jason Aldean will hit the Idol stage to perform their new hit single. See ya then...
