After being admitted to the hospital for an unnamed condition, Crystal Bowersox returned to the Idol stage last night – and kicked butt. Too bad she was one of the only girls who brought their A-games, and most of the blame can be put on bad, bad song choices.
Before we got started, Ryan pointed out that Kara’s been sitting a little too close to Simon (which I’ve noticed too) and pretended to be all googly-eyed at each other. Um, ick.
Here’s a rundown of the best and worst of the night.
Crystal Bowersox (“Long As I Can See The Light,” Creedence Clearwater Revival)
By far the best of the night for me. Giving it a gospel spin, Crystal sang it soulfully, honestly and oh-so-easily. I love that she’s so unique and authentic to herself, and that she has the pipes to back it up. Simon may have “misunderestimated” her, but I’ve loved Ms. Dreadlocks since her audition.
Haeley Vaughn (“The Climb,” Miley Cyrus)
Haeley is young, smiley and energetic, but her performance didn’t pack the power it needed behind the big notes and there were some definite pitch problems throughout. Completely wrong song choice – even though she said she connected with its lyrics, it simply didn’t jive.
Lacey Brown (“Kiss Me,” Sixpence None the Richer)
Lacey said she’d wanted to sing this song before Kara suggested it, and it suited her voice. Maybe too well, since she didn’t change it up enough and it came off a bit karaoke-ish and fell apart near the end. She had fun, though, and she seems sweet. Much better than last week. Plus, anyone else see Big Mike getting his groove on in the audience?
Katie Stevens (“Put Your Records On,” Corinne Bailey Rae)
It’s a much younger choice than last week, as per the judges’ comments, but again didn’t quite suit her and I felt it lacked believability. The first half was in an uncomfortable spot in her register and plagued with pitch problems, but the second half was much better. Maybe she’d do better with “Black Horse & The Cherry Tree” by KT Tunstall?
Didi Benami (“Lean on Me,” Bill Withers)
I really love Didi’s vibe, but this song is all wrong for her. Since it’s so well known, it easily seemed like karaoke. I think a Carly Simon tune, or something with a simpler melody, would’ve suited Didi much better. Her runs still felt a bit indulgent and a bit screamy, but I liked her flowy blouse.
Michelle Delamor (“With Arms Wide Open,” Creed)
I was confused when I heard Michelle was tackling Creed, but applauded her willingness to take risks. It was an interesting interpretation, but Randy said she didn’t push it enough. It did feel like she believed what she was singing, and almost worked, but the last part fell off for me and she didn’t hit the final note hard enough. Pitchy.
Lilly Scott (“A Change is Gonna Come,” Sam Cooke)
I love Sam Cooke singing this song, and can even tolerate Seal’s version of it. But although I adore Lilly, her indie vibe, and her strong vocals, I just couldn’t get past the history of this song – Cooke wrote it during the ‘60s Civil Rights Movement and it reflected his experience. I just didn’t believe Lilly when she sang “I was born by the river in a little tent.” But I still stand behind Lilly. Even though she looks like she’s channelling Gossip Girl’s Taylor Momsen.
Katelyn Epperly (“The Scientist,” Coldplay)
Sure, the song was a little too slow, but I dug that Katelyn was playing the piano and looked like she believed in what she was singing. It was intimate and vulnerable, and showed off her tone and voice control. Strong overall, but the tempo should have been jacked up.
Paige Miles (“Walk Away,” Kelly Clarkson)
Seems like she’s sucking up to Idol a bit, since it’s a Kelly Clarkson song written by Kara. But Paige pumps her performance full of energy and fun, and has a strong voice. I did agree with Kara, though. The song should have been a bit edgier, angrier, since it’s about leaving a boyfriend.
Siobhan Magnus (“Think,” Aretha Franklin)
“Think” is one of my favourite Aretha Franklin songs, and Siobhan is one of my favourite girls this year since she’s so quirky and true to herself. It started off just a tad shaky and had some pitch problems, but she blew it out the box with that big note. I couldn’t help comparing it with Katherine McPhee’s version of the song, which she rocked at this stage a couple seasons ago.
Thoughts? melissa@tvguide.ca or comment below
American Idol airs Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 8 p.m. ET on CTV/Fox.
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