TVSquad

(S07E24) Since everyone seems to like getting together to share in Idol goodness, we'll continue running these live chats during both the performance and results show until the end of the season. We'll be hosting one during the live 8pm ET broadcast tonight. Watch the Top 10 perform songs from the year they were born tonight, and be sure and come back tomorrow when former contestant Kimberly Locke performs.

You can join the chat by following this link. Look for the full episode review right here later tonight.



Ramiele Malubay - "Alone," Heart
This may be the kiss of death for Ramiele. She has struggled monumentally to be memorable, pick good songs and really stand out and by putting her first, she's virtually guaranteed a boot if she doesn't pull out something amazing, something she hasn't been able to come close to doing all season. She knows she's lucky to be in the Top 10. She picked an amazing song and again dressed like someone out of the '80s. Didn't Madonna start the shirt off the shoulder/bra strap showing look? Unfortunately, Ramiele's problems didn't stop there as she went off-key several times during that performance and didn't move from the spot she started in. When you start first you want to be memorable. She could have been a microphone on a stand experiencing feedback for all the impact that had.
Randy: "It wasn't the right song choice for you ... It's a little too big of a song ... for you to sing ... It was a little pitchy all over the place."
Paula: "I'm really glad America's heard you sing and how big your voice is. People don't know you barely have a voice right now ... I give you a tremendous amount of credit ... for doing what you did because you're really sick ... I'm hoping you stay through and keep going because you're a very big talent in a little small package."
Simon: "I didn't think it was as bad as Randy said ... The first part of the song was okay ... In the middle it all got a bit shrieky and shouty ... After what you sang last week, which I thought was appalling and you managed to survive, then you're gonna get through on that performance. No question about it."
Jason: "I don't know if I'd be as confident as all that. Starting off first is tough, and I don't know if you did enough to be remembered by the time we're done here. Especially if some of these other contestants come out here and blow our socks off. It wasn't bad, but I'd be nervous about how the rest of the night goes if I were you. And bribe someone about your performance order or something."

Jason Castro - "Fragile," Sting
Today is Jason's birthday. He acknowledged that he's gotten compliments on his eyes since childhood. Jason made a smart decision as acoustic Sting is a perfect fit for his natural vocal style. Unfortunately, the song itself isn't particularly memorable, thus rendering Jason's performance of it less than memorable itself. Luckily, Jason is incredibly popular already. Just as he was about to maybe make something out of it, the song ended.
Randy: "That's one of my favorite songs. That was a very good choice of song. I don't know if you did anything different with it vocally ... I thought it was very nice and pleasant ... I'm still waiting to see that jump out vocal performance, but it was nice."
Paula: "I think you're staying true to who you are, and those are the songs that are your niche ... I don't think we saw anything different that makes us go 'Wow, Jason did something different' ... So you kind of doing it a little safe in your zone, but that's who you are."
Simon: "I think you've had two bad weeks and I think it's time that you start taking this a little bit more seriously ... That was the equivalent of someone busking outside the subway station ... The way that you played the guitar on the track was clumsy. Everything about it was too laid back, too much in your own world ... You are somebody, Jason, as you proved when you sang 'Hallelujah' who is potentially even maybe a winner. But you're not gonna win if you keep doing that week after week."
Jason: "I think Simon brought up an important point there. You need to really focus on putting on a 'Hallelujah' level performance each and every week. Or you're going to fade to the back. You're an amazing performer and you're something unique and different for this show. You're not doing anything necessarily wrong, you just need to really connect with the song and with us."

Syesha Mercado - "If I Were Your Woman," Stephanie Mills
She brought back the big hair this week, and matched it with a big vocal. Syesha's really our only belter left, and she belted the hell out of this song this week. She's tapping into an arena of singing that no one else can, so good for her. There were parts of it that she oversang in the middle a bit, but overall she knocked this one out of the park. Two weeks in a row, Syesha is working to get herself right into the pack of contention. If nothing else, she should have done enough to keep herself out of the perpetual bottom in polls with Ramiele and Chikezie.
Randy: "This is a good moment for you, for me ... I think this is the best I've ever heard you sing ... I think this is the best you've ever sounded ... I think it was stellar, I think it was unbelievable, I'm shocked, I'm loving it, yes! Yes! We've got another competitor in the competition ... Blazing hot!"
Paula: "This is going to be the moment that everyone remembers where Syesha flipped it and became the dark horse who's going to sail on through. You were fantastic. Everything about it ... Your upper register, your lower, everything was pitch-perfect ... It was brilliant."
Simon: "It was definitely the best so far ... I don't think the end part of the song was as good as Randy thought ... I think there is a limit on your vocal and I think that song stretched it."
Jason: "I don't think I loved it quite as much as Randy did, and I don't think it was as strong as last week, but it was pretty close. Another really solid performance. And if you keep stringing these things along like this, you should be singing on this stage for weeks to come. Definitely."

Chikezie - "If Only for One Night," Luther Vandross
Okay, Top 12 week the order was Syesha, Chikezie and Ramiele. Last week these three were the last three to sing. And now these same three contestants start the show again (with Jason in there to break up the collective)? Do they all have to sing back-to-back-to-back, and how can they start the show twice already in three weeks? I'm going to make up a fake controversy by going on and on about this. Imagine Chikezie doing a Luther track? Shocking, I know. Unfortunately, he didn't hit as strong or as well on it this week. There were some nice moments there, but ultimately it fell very flat for me and the ending sealed it as a 'not-so-good' Chikezie performance.
Randy: "It's interesting you following Syesha with that other "oldie but goody" gem ... For her, she ... made it at least younger feeling. This went back to a very old school ... I don't know, man, I didn't love it for you ... It wasn't hip and cool. It wasn't that vibe that ... I love ... It was just alright for me."
Paula: "I disagree ... It's a good throwback ... I think that you did a great job and ... did amazing with the texture of your vocals. You're a really great singer."
Simon: "I think you sang it well. Having said that, I thought the performance actually was very cheesy."
Jason: "You had some good moments in there, but you didn't really pop on that performance the way you have been. It's good enough to keep you going, definitely, because you can sign. But I want to see that pep in your step that's driven your last few performances come back."

Brooke White - "Every Breath You Take," The Police
She is the oldest of four children. She had to start over with the first line. But Brooke was smart to get behind the piano again so we wouldn't have to see her awkward gesticulations on the stage. It was a good song choice and a confident performance, though vocally very safe and limited in range.
Randy: "I thought the front part of it was pretty good. I liked that you started it and you go "wait a minute, no this is not right (*sarcasm*) ... But when you got like the bridge and went to the out chorus I did not love the arrangement with band coming in ... I was waiting for something else different to happen. I almost would have loved it if you would have just stayed without the band and made it more interesting on your own. It was just okay for me." (to truly relive these comments, intersperse Brooke saying "OK" between every few words.)
Paula: "I enjoyed this performance so much more than last week's ... You have [your own niche] ... so that's a great thing and I think your consistent. This is great."
Simon: "I totally agree with Randy, which is if you'd have just stayed you on the piano that actually would have sounded much more cool. The minute it picked up tempo and the band joined in it made it very old-fashioned, but ... you've just gotta work this out ... The first half when it started, even with the mistake, it was fantastic. But, better than last week." (to truly relive these comments, intersperse Brooke saying "Thank you" between every few words.)
Jason: "I enjoyed you on this. I think the judges nailed it perfectly in that you work best with very limited accompaniment. You on the piano, even with the mistake, just grew into a really beautiful performance. I didn't dislike it as much as the others when you stepped it up a notch, but your magic is when you're just singing and playing. It's like you go to this other place that just brings out these amazing qualities in your vocals and performance. You're definitely a keeper."

Michael Johns - "We Will Rock You / We are the Champions," Queen
Michael's mom said he was super-competitive in everything. Doesn't that mean he should be trying really hard to be amazing every week here? Or maybe he actually thinks he's already doing that? Michael went back to the Queen catalog because the one time he's really shone this season is when he did their "Bohemian Rhapsody." I still don't think these two songs should always be played together as a double-single. Still, for what it is, Michael does a decent job with it.
Randy: "Finally, you believe in yourself and you use that big old voice you got ... That was the best performance, for me, since you've been on this show."
Paula: "For any time that any one of us have every said you haven't found your right song, well we can shut our mouths on this one. This is your ... shining moment and I'm so proud of you ... It was fantastic."
Simon: "This is the first time with you I saw star potential, because you just got it right ... You look like a front person, you were confident, you performed well. For me, it was the only memorable performance of the night so far."
Jason: "Freddie Mercury is definitely a good fit for you, which is an amazing accomplishment in itself as usually he's way too much for most vocalists to handle. You did a really nice job with this. I wasn't blown away by it like I was "Bohemian Rhapsody" in Hollywood, but this is what you need to be doing and this is how you need to be performing if you want to pull ahead in this race."

Carly Smithson - "Total Eclipse of the Heart," Bonnie Tyler
She was named after Carly Simon because that's who was playing on the radio when her mother was going to the hospital to have her. And she mentioned Kylie Minogue along with Madonna because Kylie is as huge and well-known a pop star in the UK as Madonna is in the US. As much as I like this song on Carly's voice, I have to say I didn't like the call-respond in the beginning with the back-up singer. It just didn't seem a good idea to be singing in tandem with someone else in a competition. Once we got past that, Carly started doing better with it, though she shouted the middle. In the softer parts she did really well. Is she trying to rock harder because Amanda's gone? She should stop.
Randy: "I didn't love it. I liked it ... I didn't like the note at the end, it went a little sharp. I think that wasn't quite the right song for you, it was just okay for me."
Paula: "What I so admire about you is you probably can take every song I'm not crazy about ... and make me go buy it. I loved what you did at the end because that's showing me that you're ... willing to go and stretch yourself into areas that you haven't shown us." Randy started arguing that the run at the end wasn't in tune. "Carly, you could do no wrong tonight."
Simon: "Something didn't quite work, and I think it was because you were so tense and almost uptight during the performance that I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I was going to ... I think parts of the song you sang very well, but ... something didn't quite work there ... I think you've got to just lighten up a little bit."
Jason: "I'm going to come in on the middle road here. Not as good as Paula said but not as bad as Simon indicated. I think parts of that worked very well. I didn't like the beginning part as much, nor the part in the middle where you screeched a bit, but around those parts your voice was really nice. But that last note was out of tune."

David Archuleta - "You're the Voice," John Farnham
David picked a song from his birth year that isn't nearly as well known as some others he could have gone with. Maybe David doesn't know that, though, because he doesn't know popular music very well (thinking of his lack of familiarity with The Beatles). And I think Clay Aiken perfected the squinty eyes looking deep into the camera before David Archuleta did. I'm waiting for an explanation still on why contestants are allowed ear pieces all of a sudden on this show. I'm going to get slammed in the comments again, but I thought this was kind of boring and he was shouting a lot of it. And again I didn't get any sort of emotional connection with him, other than when he tried to look through his eyelashes at me in the camera.
Randy: "It was a strange song choice for me ... but it proves once again if you can sing you can sing whatever ... It was still very nice. I don't know the song, but very nice."
Paula: "I think all of us were kind of trying to figure that out ... David you can sing the phone book and we'd fall in love with it."
Simon: "David ... you sang it well in part but I'm going to be honest with you, and this is not going to make me very popular, I actually didn't like the performance at all. I thought it was actually reminiscent of a theme park performance ... It's one of those ghastly songs you sing when you've got like animated creatures with you and everyone joins in together. That's what it reminds me of. I don't think that is you at all, and I'd be amazed if you chose the song yourself because it's not you."
Jason: "Maybe your parents picked it for you. I don't know, but I didn't really think it worked. I get what Simon's saying because you sang it loud and hit your notes but beyond that ... what? It's all sort of starting to run together for me with your performances David. The only time you really did something different to stand out for me is when you forgot your lyrics. You can sing, I'm not trying to take that away from you, but there's just something missing. I don't know."

Kristy Lee Cook - "God Bless the USA," Lee Greenwood
This is hilarious to me because my wife describes her as someone who can pretty much only sing "Amazing Grace" and songs like that. So here she is with this modern-day anthem. And as expected, this is probably the best performance she's put on since the last time she sang an anthem. So she'll be good for opening sporting events.
Randy: "Great song choice .. .Other than some little pitchy spots in the middle I thought it was a very nice performance from you."
Paula: "A very poignant and respectful song, it was a ... very good choice for you ... I've seen better performances from you, but your voice is sounding much stronger. Watch the pitch problems, but you're growing."
Simon: "You're best performance by a mile, I think. That was the most clever song choice I have heard in years ... A brilliant song ... Overall, a good performance and that's going to keep you in the competition."
Jason: "What is Simon saying? Well, I won't spell it out but I'll say he's right. For your constituents, as it were, you couldn't have picked a better song to appeal to them. And you sang it mostly well, certainly better than anything you've done in quite a while. You just made Ramiele and Syesha very, very nervous about tomorrow night."

David Cook - "Billie Jean," Michael Jackson
David did the rock arrangement set down by Chris Cornell, which was a smart move for him. It slowed things down tremendously, allowing David to wrap his voice around the lyrics. As he got into it the performance moved from good to downright amazing. The way things are going, I may start to agree with you that a David is likely to win this season of American Idol. But I don't think it's going to be the young David. Every second of that performance was just sheer perfection.
Randy: "I think you're probably the most original, the most bold contestant we've ever had ... You might be the one to win the whole lot ... Molten hot."
Paula: [standing] I'm blown away. I can't sit down. I've got to tell you how smart you are, how brave you are and how willing you are to stretch the boundaries. And you do it right to the edge without going over. I think you're brilliant and I think you can [win this thing].
Simon: "David, that was brave. It could have either been insane or amazing, and I have to tell you it was amazing."
Jason: "That was one of the best performances of any song of any season on that stage. Right up there with Clay's "Bridge Over Trouble Water," Bo's "Whipping Post" and Fantasia's "Summertime." Really, it was that good."
DOUBLEPLAY - It doesn't happen at all some weeks and sometimes it happens multiple times, but for the most part, it is rare that a performance is so good that I want to go back immediately (the joys of DVR) and watch it again.

Best of the Night
Syesha Mercado, Michael Johns, David Cook (but really only David Cook)

The Bottom Three
Ramiele Malubay, Chikezie, Kristy Lee Cook (Carly?)

Going Home
Chikezie (Ramiele?)