Topic: Idol-Talk
American Idol Season 9: Top 16 (Top 8 Male)
Airdate: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 [9-10pm]
Theme: Top Billboard Songs
At the start of the show, Ryan addressed Kara and Simon about how physically close they are with each other lately. Kara said that Simon is getting closer to her. Here's what I think: It's obvious Simon misses Paula, and now that she's gone, he has Kara to toy with.
The show ended at 9:01pm, one minute past the scheduled end time.
- Lee Dewyze [Owl City's "Fireflies"]: I am not too familiar with Owl City, so I can't compare this to the original, but overall he did really well with this song. It was more laid back, which was enjoyable. A couple of pitch problems, but overall a great start to the night.
- Alex Lambert ["Trouble"]: He has a lot of potential to go far in this competition and with a career, because his voice is amazing and consistently strong. But like the judges said, he needs to be more himself, show some personality, and relax. He didn't seem connected to the song at all.
- Tim Urban ["Hallelulah"]: This is a strange week. On Tuesday, the weaker female singers (Lacey & Didi) did well and may have saved themselves. And now Tim, who should have been gone two weeks ago, gave his best performance. He doesn't have a huge range, so the song fit him in that way. Depending on the rest of the night, he may have saved himself as well.
- *Andrew Garcia [Christina Aguilara's "Genie in a Bottle"]: I'm not sure what the judges were thinking. I actually really enjoyed this performance. You wouldn't normally think of a guy singing this song, but I thought it was a smart choice. Overall, he improved in my eyes.
- Casey James [Keith Urban's "You'll Think Of Me"]: It was unfortunately to see him stumble last week, so I'm glad he's heading back in the right direction. It may have been a little safe and forgettable, but I'm glad he improved.
- Aaron Kelly [Lonestar's "I'm Already There"]: I love this song, but was worried about him singing it. He does have a country twang to him, so I'm not surprised he's picking these country songs. I have been giving him mixed reviews, but tonight he definitely improved; not perfect, but a great song to showcase his voice.
- Todrick Hall [Queen's "Somebody To Love"]: Every week, he has been choosing all these different kinds of songs, and I don't know who he is as an artist. This week, he definitely improved, especially with this voice. But it wasn't perfect; some parts were really good and others just good or okay. So he may not be safe.
- *Michael Lynche ["This Woman's Work"]: He's just been coasting along lately, but hit it out of the park tonight. Right from the first note with the falsetto, I was hooked in. It was very current, and reminded me of one of Ruben's R&B songs. And Kara's crying comes on the heels of the latest American Idol Rewind showcasing the episode where Paula cried over Elliott's performance. Kara's a songwriter; she was feeling what the lyrics were saying and what they meant to Michael.
Favorite Performances: Michael Lynche / Andrew Garcia
My Vote(s): Michael Lynche [15 votes]
Elimination Predictions: Tim Urban / Todrick Hall
My Season 9 Vote Tracker:
Crystal Bowersox: 45 votes
Lee Dewyze: 30 votes
Michael Lynche: 15 votes
Total: 90 votes cast so far this season
There were four contestants I considered for elimination: Alex Lambert, Tim Urban, Aaron Kelly, and Todrick Hall. I immediately chose Todrick as one of the two to leave, because it's obvious he doesn't belong in the Top 12. As for the rest, I could see any of those three leaving, but I chose Tim because even though he improved, I'm not sure if it was enough to save him. But it definitely could, the way Lacey and Didi's improvements could save them as well.
If you want to buy any of the audio performances from last night, head on over to americanidol.com/itunes.
Tonight, season 8 finalist Scott MacIntyre will be the guest performer, and will also be joined by fellow season 8 alum Matt Giraud for what I believe will be the duet that was cut from the finale. (Scott's MP3 album was just released this week and can be bought from the T.W.O. STORE). See ya then...
