After ladies’ night last night on American Idol, I have high hopes that the men would be slightly more impressive when it came to song choice. Image-wise, the guys looked great, especially Casey James, who has really taken Kara’s tips on how to look more sexy to heart.
Todrick Hall took a huge risk performing Kelly Clarkson’s “Since You’ve Been Gone,” but he really made it his own. His personality and style were all over the song, which Randy and Kara thought was a bit of a mistake because the song was unrecognizable.
Aaron Kelly chose the country song, “Here Comes Goodbye,” to showcase his talent. I admit I have a soft spot for this boy. Not only is he sixteen years old and incredibly talented, but he lives just a few miles from me. Hometown pride has me rooting for Aaron all the way!
Jermaine Sellers was so quiet while he was singing, I could barely hear him until he hit the first chorus. Ellen thought he was trying a little too hard, and Randy felt like the song was actually a little too outdated for his vocal style. Simon thought he’d completely blown his opportunity for the night, but on the other hand, people may just vote for him now just because Simon said he’d fail.
Tim Urban reminded me of a Ben Stiller character tonight, and his performance wasn’t impressive. He was off-key, and his song choice was awful. Simon said they made a mistake even bringing him back, and all the judges think he may not get voted off simply because he’s cute.
Joe Munoz has a good voice and a great stage presence. His song choice wasn’t the best, but he did a good job. He did so well, that Kara admitted he may have been the best performance so far in the night.
Tyler Grady’s obsession with classic rock brought yet another rendition on “American Woman,” but Simon thinks people will remember his version for all the wrong reasons. Simon noted his performance felt forced, like he went to “pretend-to-be-a-rockstar school,” and didn’t really deliver as a singer.
Lee Dewyze picked up his guitar and sang “Chasing Cars,” a difficult song to perform. (Trust me, I’ve tried it on SingStar.) Dewyze tried to add a Pearl Jam/grunge sound to some of the vocals, which came off somewhat forced. Of course, Simon thought Lee was the best performer of the night, so now I’m wondering if Simon forgot to take his vitamins this morning.
John Park performed “God Bless the Child,” and he has such a powerful voice that I felt like the song stifled his capability. All the judges were in agreement that he came across flat and uninspired, though Ellen did think he sounded great. He just didn’t choose the right song to suit his personality.
Michael Lynche has a knack for taking songs and making them his own, without going so far you can’t recognize the original. This guy has so much talent that I feel torn between him and Andrew Garcia. The judges felt like he was more like a supporting performer before the big act, and he needs to step up his game if he wants to advance in the competition.
Alex Lambert chose “Wonderful World,” but seemed too quiet and nervous through much of the song. He was upbeat while singing, but even Simon noted he was obviously uncomfortable. He needs conviction in order to show the world the depth of his talent.
Kara’s crush on Casey James has been fun, though James admits it humbles him. He sang, “Heaven,” and maybe he was singing it to her. All I know is she was glowing like the Fourth of July while he was performing. She did take a moment to let him know that despite the fact that he’s eye candy, he’s also sweet in the ears as well. Even Simon had nothing but good things to say about Casey.
The final performance of the night was Andrew Garcia, who is my personal favorite. Simon felt like Andrew didn’t take enough of a risk with the Fallout Boy song he chose. Even Kara wasn’t impressed with the acoustic rendition of the song. I know he’s safe because he already has so much buzz, but I do hope he continues to amaze, as I just voted for him, and I can’t be the only one.
The results are in tomorrow night, so check back to find out if your favorite is going on to the next round.
Photo via FOX
