Down to 16 – American Idol Results Show

Then they were 16.  American Idol whittles its numbers down when it sends four more home in the second results show of the semifinals after 31 million votes.

Ryan’s delivery of the first elimination from the Top 20 is more suspenseful than last week and a bit kinder than the “can I talk to you, oh yeah you are out of here” speech that he gave Garrett Haley right off the bat.

Up first on the chopping block – Jason Yeager.  This decision is no surprise as Jason has not been able to find a song that, as Simon says, makes him stand out.  Jason was the only one of my picks to hit the road tonight.

Next up – Alexandrea Lushington.  I like Alex, she has potential.  But her performance Wednesday night was so forgettable I can’t even remember what she did.  I’m not surprised that she is going home.  I will give the girl credit.  For only being 17, she was incredible composed when she heard the news and sang her swan song.

Alaina Whitaker didn’t take the news that America wasn’t “hopelessly devoted” to her as well.  With a little moral support from the rest of the girls, she finally did sing and didn’t sound so bad considering how much she was crying.  Anyone else think her family looked like they were going to eat Ryan alive?

And last to depart was Robbie Carrico – the would-be rocker that Simon says isn’t authentic.  I was actually surprised by this selection.  I didn’t think Robbie would make the Top 12, but I thought he’d be around for another week.  I wonder if America doesn’t like his rocker sound or if they just agree with Simon that he’s not the real thing.

Ryan also left us with a few Idol announcements.  March 11 will be the first time the Top 12 performs.  They will be treated to a new stage, background, graphics and exit song.  And the theme will be the recently released Lennon/McCartney songs.  April 9 is the next Idol Gives Back night and slated for participation is Brad Pitt, Miley Cyrus, Reese Witherspoon, Mariah Carey, Snoop Dog, Chris Daughtry and Carrie Underwood.

What do you think?  Did the right four get sent home?

Here are my predictions for the Top 12.

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Here’s a recap of the semifinals:

Top 10 Women Peform

Top 10 Men Perform

Top 24 Results Show

Top 12 Men Perform

Top 12 Women Perform

A Closer Look at Top 12 Men

A Closer Look at Top 12 Women

Hernandez Rocks on American Idol’s ’70s Night

Halfway through the performances of the second week of the American Idol semifinals, I was beginning to wonder if the songs of the ‘70s were being wasted on the Top 10 men.

Being a product of the ‘70s myself, the music from this decade has a special place in my heart.  And oh what music the ‘70s produced – from rock to Motown to disco and some funky combinations between. 

But where was this great music on the American Idol stage? 

Maybe the men were all distracted by revealing the “little known” fact about themselves.  Or maybe they were saving the best for last.  Either way, those that favored well tonight weren’t necessarily last week’s top performers.

Top Picks

In fact, my top picks of the evening were only mediocre last week.

But David Hernandez was ready for the ‘70s tonight.  He came out and really rocked The Temptations.  Hernandez’ “Papa was a Rollin’ Stone” had a modern Motown feel to it that made me want to listen to it again.

Also impressive was self-professed word nerd David Cook.  Cook rocked his Les Paul to Free’s “All Right Now.”  And after listening to Robbie Carrico attempt at rock earlier, all I could think was now that’s what rock should sound like.  And while Simon thought Cook’s hobby was boring, I think a love of words is essential for a true songster.

Most Consistent

David Archuleta gets the award for most consistent, putting in a solid performance of John Lennon’s “Imagine” sacrificing the first verse for his favorite third verse.  All three judges loved his performance.  While I thought it was a nice performance, it wasn’t my top pick.

Most Improved

We learned that Chikeze’s name is Nigerian for “well created by God.”  But it’s his performance of Donny Hathaway’s “I Believe” that I’ll remember.  Unlike the Chikeze from last week, this one had charisma.  He personalized the song, literally.  He had fun with the song and it showed in his performance.

Also on the most improved list is Luke Menard.  I was sorely disappointed with my hometown favorite last week, but he redeemed himself tonight with “Killer Queen.”  Although still not an outstanding performance, Luke’s rendition of the Queen hit showed a lot more personality than his ‘60s choice.

The Carpenters’ “Superstar” brought Danny Noriega a little luck this week.  The cocky former punker admitted that his performance last week was lacking.  I thought his performance this week was an improvement, but still not spectacular.

Middle of the Road

The tennis playing Michael Johns, my top pick last week, led off the guys this evening, but his performance of “Go Your Own Way” was not my favorite.  I understand that he’s a Fleetwood Mac fan, but I don’t think the song really showcased his talent like “Bohemian Rhapsody” during Hollywood Week.

I really want to like Robbie Carrico, but so far he hasn’t had a performance that has won me over.  He looks the part of a rocker, but I have to agree with Randy that he just doesn’t have the sound.  Foreigner’s hit should have been a great song choice, but Robbie just didn’t have enough oomph to make “Hot Blooded” sound like a rock hit.

Singing a Swan Song?

During the interview, Jason Castro said he wasn’t good at the “not music stuff.”  But tonight he wasn’t so good at the music part either.  Last week the folksy, acoustic guitar sound worked well for Castro, but he couldn’t pull off the combo again with Andy Gibbs’ “I Want to be Your Everything.”  I agree with Paula (wow, I never thought I’d say that) that I would like to see him try his next performance (if he’s still around) without the guitar.  It’s a crutch now preventing him from stretching his talent.

I liked that Jason Yeager changed pace from last week with the Doobie Brothers.  A fun song after the ‘60s ballad was definitely needed.  But watching him perform “Long Train Running (Without Love),” I kept thinking of scenes from Boogie Nights.  But despite the changes I really wasn’t any more impressed with his voice.

Let’s hope the ladies have a better night on Wednesday

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Here’s a recap of the semifinals:

Top 24 Results Show

Top 12 Men Perform

Top 12 Women Perform

A Closer Look at Top 12 Men

A Closer Look at Top 12 Women

Idol’s Top 12 Men Relive the ‘60s

The first week of American Idol’s Top 24 is underway and the theme is the ‘60s.  But can the Top 12 men take some older songs and make them their own?

If the reaction of the judges is any indication, the answer is no for a majority of the contenders.  They were lacking what Simon called “relevance.” 

If you can figure out exactly what that meant then you are one step ahead of these guys.  Note to the producers:  knowing Simon’s pet peeve for contestants sounding old fashion, don’t make ‘60s songs the first theme week.

But not all the contestants got lost in the flashback.  Here are my Top 3 picks for the evening.

Honestly, I wished that Michael Johns had picked another song since we heard him perform “Light My Fire” in Hollywood.  While it might have been a safe choice for him, he did perform it well, even looking the part.

Randy called him “a true legend rock performer.”  Do you ever wonder what Randy’s English teachers must think of him today?

I have to agree with Simon’s assessment that Michael has been the “most consistent” performer but does that comment carry much weight since we are only in Week 1 of the Top 24?

While Simon thought that Michael had charisma, I thought 16-year-old David Archuleta proved that he could hold his own in the charisma department with a rocking version of Smokey Robinson’s “Shop Around.”

Simon called in the “best performance by a comfortable mile” and I have to say that after David performed he was definitely leading the pack.

While Jason Castro’s performance of “What a Day for a Daydream” didn’t blow me away like it did Paula (but then again her opinion and mine have never been simpatico), I thought the song he chose and the way he sang it totally fit him.  He was, incidentally, the only contestant that chose to play an instrument tonight.

I was also impressed with David Cook and Robbie Carrico’s rocking versions of “Happy Together” and “One,” respectively.  But I will always have a soft spot for the rockers in the group.

Next up are the ones I found in the middle of the pack.

David Hernadez started out great in the beginning of Wilson Pickett’s “In the Midnight Hour,” but he couldn’t keep his “gospel vibe” (as Randy called it) going throughout the song.

When Chikezie Eze started singing “More Today Than Yesterday” I kept waiting for Isaac to take our drink orders.  Although Chikezie pulled out the song in the end, I just couldn’t help feeling like I was on The Love Boat.

And while I thought it was sweet that Jason Yeager dedicated his rendition of “Moon River” from Breakfast at Tiffany’s to his grandmother, I just wasn’t impressed with his performance.  It just didn’t do anything for me.

Likewise, Colton Berry’s version of Elvis’ “Suspicious Minds” sounded fine but it didn’t leave an impression.

And now, here are my thoughts on what I consider the bottom three in no particular order.  (Yes, I know that show will only be booting two, but I couldn’t decide on a pair.)

One of two Elvis numbers tonight, Danny Noreiga’s “Jailhouse Rock” left a lot to be desired.  While Randy and Paula were much kinder in their remarks, I think Simon summed it up best when he said “If you are going to take on Elvis, at least do it well.”

And as much as it pains me since I desperately want the guy who shares my hometown to advance, Luke Menard’s performance of “Everyone’s Talking at Me” puts him on the bottom of the list. 

By the way, when does the show start helping the contestants with wardrobe choices?  This guy could really use some advice in that category. 

Lastly, I thought Garrett Haley’s rendition of “Breaking Up is Hard to Do” was forgettable at best.

In the future, I hope the producers start out with a theme with songs that these kids were at least born when they came out.

Who were your top picks?  Who do you think should be voted off?

Check out how the Top 12 ladies did on Wednesday night.

New Talent or Seasoned Performers: A Closer Look at the ‘American Idol’ Top 12 Men

I’m fairly new to the American Idol fad, so forgive me if I get a few things wrong. I thought the purpose of American Idol was to find untapped talent. But looking at the line up of the Top 12 men I’m not seeing a lot of freshness.

Since the end of the auditions Ryan has touted this season’s crop as “the best it’s ever been.” With the amount of experience among this dozen men alone, it’s no wonder.

Of the Top 12, at least four of them have already made an album and another four have logged serious time performing on a stage. And one contender has done both.

Only three hopefuls appear to truly be untouched gems – Danny Noriega, Garrett Haley and Chikezie Eze. And with the competitive edge their opponents have I don’t see these three lasting long.

Here’s a little closer look at the experience of the Top 12.

David Archuleta

Before this 17-year-old auditioned in San Diego, he made his Idol debut singing for Season 1 hopefuls. Then in 2003 at the age of 12, this Utah native won the Star Search Junior Singer competition. You can check out his performance in this video.

Colton Berry

Although we’ve seen very little of this Virginian in the first two phases of Idol, Colton is no stranger to performing.  Not only has this 18-year-old been active in local theater, he’s performed in France four years ago at the French-American Gospel Music Workshop Exchange. In 2005, Colton competed, but did not win, on Showtime at the Apollo when the tour visited Charlottesville.

Robbie Carrico

Before auditioning in Miami, Robbie used to open for Britney Spears as a member of Boyz-N-Girlz, a pop band that got its break singing in a House of Blues in Orlando and went onto record two albums.  The 26-year-old went on to record three more albums with the alternative band Missing Picket.  Robbie must inherit his musical talents from his cousin, the legendary Patsy Cline.

Jason Castro

While Jason Catro might not have produced an album, the 20-year-old Texas is no stranger to singing in front of a crowd. You can catch a video of him performing live at The Prophet Bar.  As a drummer for the rock band Keeping Lions, Jason has opened for Cheyenne Kimball and starred in her self-titled MTV reality series.  Although I couldn’t find any albums by the band, its My Space page lists Secret Weapon Management as its record label.

David Cook

This Oklahoma-native had two albums with the rock band Axium under his belt before he headed to Omaha to audition for Idol. Here’s a video of the band’s performance.  Last year, David released his first solo album, ”Analog Heart.”

Chikezie Eze

As far as I can tell, this Californian’s biggest claim to fame is that he tried out for Idol last year and didn’t make it. It’ll be interesting to see how far the 22-year-old makes it this year.

Garrett Haley

This 17-year-old Ohioan remains a mystery. We know very little about him outside his San Diego audition and his Hollywood time.

David Hernadez

Although David might not have an album of his own, he’s been hanging out with Latin singer Jacob Madrid in New York. Here’s a video of the pair singing at rehearsal in New York. I’m not sure what they are rehearsing, maybe songs for Madrid’s debut album in which case David might be singing backup on this album.

Michael Johns

Before his San Diego audition, this Aussie performed with two bands – The Rising and Film – under the name Michael Lee.  While I couldn’t find an album produced by either band, Michel lists Dingo Lane as his record label on his MySpace page.

Luke Menard

Although we didn’t get to see much of this Crawfordsville, Indiana native (my hometown by the way) during the first two phases of Idol, he’s been getting plenty of stage time as a member of the a cappella group Chapter 6.  Not only has Luke toured nationally with the group, but together they have release four albums – two in college and two professionally – and have a handful of awards.

Danny Noriega

I can’t find much else in singing experience for this 18-year-old. In addition to his try out in San Diego, Danny also auditioned, but didn’t make it, last year.

Jason Yeager

Although he auditioned in Dallas, Jason has been spending his time in Branson, Missouri where he logged in some time at Country Tonite and as a back up singer for Shoji Tabuchi.

Now take a look at the Top 12 Women and their experience.

‘American Idol’ Top 24 Leaked

We still have two cities of auditions to go before we even get to Hollywood, but it appears that the identities of the Top 24 contenders for American Idol Season 7 have already been leaked.

According to Joe’s Place, here are your Top 24 contestants and their audition cities:

For the Men:

David Archuleta – San Diego

Colton Berry – Charleston

Robbie Carrico – Miami

Jason Castro – Dallas

David Cook – Omaha

Chikezie Eze – San Diego

Garrett Haley – San Diego

David Hernandez – San Diego

Michael Johns – San Diego

Luke Menard – Omaha

Danny Noriega – San Diego

Jason Yeager – Dallas

For the Women:

Joanna Borgella – Philadelphia

Kristy Lee Cook – Philadelphia

Amy Davis – Dallas

Asia’h Epperson — Atlanta

Alexandrea Lushington – Atlanta

Amanda Overmyer – Atlanta

Kady Malloy – Dallas

Ramiele Malubay – Miami

Syesha Mercado – Miami

Carly Smithson – San Diego

Alaina Whitaker – Dallas

Brooke White — Philadelphia

Never heard of these names?  Me neither.  But remember we still haven’t seen the auditions for Atlanta and Miami.  And in the other five cities we were only treated to a sampling of those who got golden tickets.

Of this 24, I only remember seeing auditions for seven and there were two more that I thought I caught a glimpse of in their audition cities.  Here’s a recap of the names above:

In Day 2 of the San Diego auditions, 16-year-old David Achuleta performed “Waiting for the World to Change” by John Mayer with Randy providing background vocals.  Simon joined Paula’s praise of the Vermont native telling him that he made a great song choice.

David Cook of Tulsa was my pick from the Omaha auditions.  The rocker had a nice sound and did Bon Jovi credit when he sang “Living on a Prayer.”

I think we might have seen a glimpse of Garrett Haley at the San Diego auditions.

After listening to the Australian born Michael Johns perform Otis Redding’s “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” in San Diego, Simon called him “a white soul singer.”

Oregon native Kristy Lee Cook sold her horse to pay for her flight to Philadelphia to audition.  But it was this horse training, kickboxer’s rendition of “Amazing Grace” that earned her a trip to Hollywood.

When Kady Malloy, 23, auditioned in Dallas, Simon told her that she was the best he’d seen so far.  Although the Houston native could sound like Whitney Houston Brittany Spears and Carrie Underwood, it was her version of “Unchained Melody” that won over the judges.

When the Irish Carly Smithson, 23, performed “I’m Every Woman” at her audition in San Diego, it was her second time qualifying for Hollywood.  In Season 5, Smithson, then Hennessy, was disqualified when her Visa didn’t come through in time.

Tulsa native Alaina Whitaker sang Faith Hill’s “Stronger” to impress the judges in Dallas.

And I’m pretty sure we saw a glimpse of Brooke White during the Philadelphia auditions.

I have no confirmation that this list is indeed the final 24.  I’ll let you be the judge of the validity of this leak.  In the meantime we have the Miami auditions coming up.

******* UPDATE **********

 This list is indeed correct.  Here’s a closer look at the Top 12 Men and a look at the Top 12 Women and their experience.  I’ll be posting the women later today.

Here’s a recap of the auditions held to date:

20 from Atlanta

17 from Miami

19 from Omaha

23 from Charleston

31 from San Diego

24 from Dallas

29 from Philadelphia