Idol Chatter & Voice Views

American Idol’s Top 5, from left, Rayvon Owen, Jax, Clark Beckham, Nick Fradiani, Tyanna Jones. (FOX Photo)

The remaining five on American Idol will take on a pair of themes Wednesday night — “I Am What I Am” and “Judges’ Hometowns.”

The Idol website explains the song selections this way: one should be a tune that defines the singer; one should be a tune that defines the judges’ hometowns.

Thanks to iTunes, we already know what some of those songs are. Clark Beckham will perform “Your Man,” Jax will tackle “New York State of Mind,” Nick Fradiani will sing “What Hurts the Most,” Rayvon Owen will cover “Believe” and Tyanna Jones will perform “Run the World.”

With all that in mind, here are this week’s Idol rankings. Last week’s rankings are in parenthesis.

1. Jax (2): Yep, for the first time since the finals began, I’m moving a singer other than Clark Beckham into the top spot. Why? Simple. The past two weeks, Jax has been the show’s best performer. Last week, if there was a moment, it came when she sat behind her piano and covered “White Flag.”

2. Clark Beckham (1): But I’m only dropping Clark one spot because, given the final five, I have trouble envisioning anyone but this lad from Tennessee and Jax in the finals. That said, Clark has to change his trajectory. That ill-advised re-arrangement of “Boyfriend” might have been his weakest yet.

3. Nick Fradiani (3): He continues more solid than spectacular. Potential Idols deliver moments fans remember. Nick has delivered one moment to date: His cover of “Only the Good Die Young” from two weeks ago. But it showed he had the potential to challenge for the Season 14 crown.

4. Rayvon Owen (6): There are no more fans saves in Season 14, so what in the world is going to become of the singer who earned an incredible four straight? Well, if anyone was listening to his fine version of “I’m Not the Only One” from last week, they’ll realize he belongs in the Top 4.

5. Tyanna Jones (5): This young lady delivers consistent vocals and stage presence well beyond her years. Unfortunately, she’s also coming off one of her weaker weeks. Did anyone else think that performance of “Heaven” was more like something you’d see in a local beauty pageant?