Photo: Becker/FOX
It’s the second week of the American Idol semifinals, and it’s mind-boggling how the show, in its eighth season, can still have contestants who haven’t picked up on the winning formula. In this case, that would be the clichéd judges gripe “song choice, song choice, song choice!” — but the judges have been repeating themselves for a reason. This week’s batch of Top 36 contestants seemed to largely miss the mark on picking a tune they could actually sing, with a slew of early favorites falling out of favor fast. But there were some bright spots, as a few contestants defied Idol logic and made themselves memorable solely on a semifinal performance. We also got some clarity on the mysterious Wildcard round (an Idol spokesperson told MTV each judge can pick two contestants out of anyone who made the Top 36 with three total advancing to the Top 12). And this week the show — which moved to Wednesday because of President Obama’s speech to Congress — eliminated awkward post-performance interviews on the red couch. So it wasn’t all bad, right?
Here’s a quick rundown of what happened when the second batch of contestants pulled their songs from the Billboard Hot 100:
Ones to Watch:
• It won’t matter that most of America didn’t know who 16-year-old Allison Iraheta was until the Top 36 were announced. Her stellar rendition of Heart’s “Alone” drew a Kelly Clarkson comparison from Paula (the new praise of choice for top female contestants?) and caused Simon to label her “one to watch.”
• Not sure how many would have predicted musical theater vet Adam Lambert would pick the Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction,” but it was the perfect outlet for his energetic stage presence and wide vocal range. Randy called it “Steven Tyler meets Fall Out Boy meets Robert Pattinson from Twilight meets My Chemical Romance.”
• Simon said “I hope I am speaking on behalf of America when I say I hope you do not go through to the next round” — but even he had a hard time concealing his enjoyment of Nick Mitchell’s campy performance of “And I’m Telling You” as his alter ego, Normund Gentle. Bonus: Nick/Normund wasn’t the least capable singer of the night!
• Quirky mom Megan Joy Corkrey was Simon’s favorite singer when she auditioned in Salt Lake City, and Corinne Bailey Rae’s “Put Your Records On” was the perfect song to show off her jazzy vocals. Corkrey’s twist dance, coined “the Corkrey” by Ryan Seacrest, only added to her charm.
• The judges don’t know what to do with Jesse Langseth: She barely won the sing-off against Amy Winehouse-alike Frankie Jordan two weeks ago, and all they could say about Langseth’s slinky “Bette Davis Eyes” last night was that it was “cool” — but her unconventional song choice and smoky vocals make her one of the most intriguing contestants yet.
Meh:
• Kris Allen gained confidence during the last half of his “Man in the Mirror” performance, finally injecting his smooth vocal with a soulful vibe — and leaving the judges split about whether he blew it or killed it.
• Sixteen-year-old Jasmine Murray’s luck may have run out — while she embodies the dream Idol package (young, cute and talented) and survived group week with Bikini Girl, she disappointed by oversinging Sara Bareilles’ “Love Song” last night.
• Mishavonna Henson promised America she wouldn’t let them down with her second chance at making it to the Top 12, but Paula’s coughing/sneezing fit after Henson’s capable but boring “Drops of Jupiter” proved more entertaining than the actual song.
Ones to Wipe From Your Memory With Bleach:
• Dueling pianist Matt Giraud showed promise with his soulful pipes early on, but that memory faded quickly with a botched attempt at injecting “a soulful twist” into Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” that sounded more like bleating and got a “verging on horrible” from Simon.
• The judges were forced to plead with America to vote for welder Matt Breitzke’s teddy bear-like personality rather than his sweet vocals after Breitzke’s completely bland rendition of Tonic’s “If You Could Only See.”
• Kai Kalama’s old-fashioned “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted” won’t get him to the Top 12, but Simon seemed confident it’d launch Kalama a successful career as a back-up singer.
Thanks For the Memories:
• Bartender Jeaninie Vailes, ripping a page from the Haley “Distract Them With Your Legs” Scarnato school of fashion, kept pleading with the judges after she oversang Maroon 5’s “This Love” so badly the only positive they could offer was “nice legs.”
Related Stories:
• “American Idol” Says Farewell to Anoop, Tatiana as Grace, Sarver, Gokey Advance
• Early Favorites Danny Gokey, Alexis Grace Impress on First “American Idol” Semifinal
• “American Idol” Without Bikini Girl: Can Tatiana Del Toro Bring the Drama?
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- Portions of Album Content Provided by All Music Guide © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC.
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