America, THIS is the group we have formed for this summer's Idol Tour. Do I think some of the contestants will make for as good of a tour as we have seen in the past? Eh. However, with the likes of Crystal, Lee, Siobhan and Casey (my Final 4 Dream Team) I think I will definitely be buying a ticket this year when they roll into my town. At any rate, tonight our theme was R&B and Soul and overall the contestants really put their own spin on their song choices. Granted, this kept some of the songs from feeling R&B or Soul, but at least they made it their own. Usher is our mentor and overall I think he did a good job trying to convey the importance of stage presence and emoting, which is what a lot of these contestants need. So, let's see how they ranked.
Crystal Bowersox ♪♪♪♪ - This week Crystal and Lee tied for best performance in my opinion. Last week she promised to change it up, and she definitely did. One thing she did not change up was her amazing vocals; her voice soared on "Midnight Train". I agree with Simon though, she seemed to be focusing too hard one the piano while playing and seemed slightly uncomfortable when she stepped away from it. However, this girl is amazing and showed she can do anything.
Lee DeWyze ♪♪♪♪ - My man brought it once again this week AND after having walking pneumonia!! I really liked how he downplayed that effecting him, as if to say "no sympathy votes for me please." Lee does not need sympathy votes by any means! His voice was the best I have heard (even better than when he did "Beast of Burden" on Rolling Stones week). He continues to grow and improve and he rocked this song to its core. This guy is a package artist and will have no problems in the music world once his time on Idol is over, however, I believe he still has A LOT of time left on this show. (I have in my in Final 4 Dream Team).
Casey James ♪♪♪ 1/2 - Casey showed some more of his vocal range and he slipped up into some higher notes in his register, which was really nice. I would like to see him do this more since he obviously has the ability. He has a great voice and he did an awesome job on this song and improved his stage presence.
Michael Lynch ♪♪♪ 1/2 - Yes, Mike is a good singer and he is consistent but my issue with him has been that there is nothing standout about him and at times, like Simon has pointed out, he comes off totally cheesy on stage. However, tonight, he did a great and subtle performance that was actually likeable in my opinion. I liked his song choice and his interpretation was well done.
Siobhan Magnus ♪♪♪ - For the first time, we saw a little crack in the perfection of Siobhan. She struggled with the start of the song and she strayed off pitch more than I have ever heard her. I have said before that the "scream section" in the end of her songs will eventually start to annoy people and become predictable, and tonight Simon called her out on it. Overall, I think she did fine and I think Simon was a bit too harsh on her. Was it her best performance? No. Can she sing circles around a good majority of the other contestants? For sure! I still think she is great. I think sometimes it is good to show weakness so that America does not think you are too perfect.
Andrew Garcia ♪♪♪ - Although I do not think it was a "moment" nor a significant step in progress from where he has been, tonight was definitely a small step in the right direction for Andrew. It is better than what we have been getting from him but I still would like something more. His take on "Forever" didn't really seem to go anywhere for me and at times I was thinking how it seemed to be lasting forever, which isn't necessarily the best impression. I hope he continues his climb back to where he was. He has proven to have a strong fan base, I have predicted his departure for the last 2 weeks and he never even made the Bottom 3. I am sure this week will be good enough for his fans to continue their rally, OR they could get slack since he had a "good week" and he may finally slip into the Bottom 3. We will see.
Aaron Kelly ♪♪ 1/2 - Aaron needs to learn about breath control and support. He started out the song with no support and that gave way to that jittery vocal that he sometimes has. As the song built he got better but I do not think this was the right song for Aaron. He is likeable and is more talented than Tim, whom he is splitting votes with, so I think he will be ok.
Katie Stevens ♪♪ 1/2 - Katie is really trying and this week was a little better. In regards to the "Pop/R&B vs. Country" battle ongoing between Kara and Simon, I side with Simon. Her voice is too mature sounding to do pop and I think it would be better suited in country. PLUS, there is no "country contestant" this season and that is a lost voting fan base. If I was Katie I would jump all over that just to ensure my longevity on the show. Country music voters are VERY dedicated and could ensure her a longer stay on the show than she might have trying to "listen to herself" in regards to her style.
Did Benami ♪♪ - Ok, what happened to the hip, indie sounding Didi? This season we had a whole gaggle of Indie artists like Lacey, Lilly and Didi and this is what we end up with? When did Didi decide she was going to be a Broadway/Lounge singer?? I mean, her voice is still there but she is choosing the completely wrong songs and presenting herself in the completely wrong way. Kara and Simon are right...she has TOTALLY lost herself. I do not know where it went wrong. Maybe she does not really know who she is as an artist and now it is starting to show as others step up their game. Either way, this was Didi's worst performance ever.
Tim Urban ♪♪ - Oh Tim, you keep trying and keep smiling but your time is quickly slipping away. The vocals tonight were not as bad as in the past but it is not believable. Also, this constant response of "I had fun and that is all that matters" is a crock. If you just wanna sing for your own enjoyment go home and do that, THIS is a competition for a recording contract my friend. You are NOT just singing for yourself my friend. Will the young girl voters be strong enough to keep him around again? Like I said above, he is splitting votes with Aaron Kelly and eventually I believe Aaron will victorious in that battle. Will this be the week we say goodbye, or is Simon right and it does not matter, he can do what he wants and continue to stay around?
So, for the last 2 weeks I have put Andrew in the bottom 3 and said he was going home, which I was totally wrong about. Predicting the Bottom 3 is a difficult thing, as singing ability is not the only factor to consider. This week Andrew pulled off a decent performance and that could mean continued security OR his fans slacking off and his appearance in the bottom 3. On the flip side, we have Didi who did a less than stellar job and was reamed by the judges. This, in turn, will cause her fans to vote extra hard to ensure she is safe because they feel she is in trouble this week. Both Andrew and Didi have proven to have a strong fan bases. The question is will Andrew's continue to vote strong or will they think him having a "good" week means their dialing fingers can take a breather? Will Didi's fan's go into overdrive or will they give up on the girl who seems to have lost her way and her charm? That being said, I believe the bottom 3 will be a combination of Tim, Didi, Katie and/or Andrew. My gut says Didi's poor reviews and the tears at the end of her judging (along with the reference to the song being for her friend who committed suicide) will ensure her safety from the Bottom 3 and Andrew will be the victim of this. Ultimately it does not matter as I believe that tonight we will finally say goodbye to Tim. He has proven with his multiple trips to the Bottom 3 that, although he has some sort of fan base, it is not as strong as others left in the competition. Lacey and Paige were his only bets to have some longevity in this competition, and with his buffers now gone it is his time to say so long. Let's hope Simon's words do not ring true at results time, and the teeny boppers do not continue Tim's time on this show.
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