Idol Chatter & Voice Views

After last week, we know the format.

The remaining 12 semifinalists on American Idol will perform solos during tonight’s one-hour show; then duet with past Idol stars tomorrow night.

And at the end of tomorrow’s show, five will be eliminated, leaving up with 14 singers to compete for 10 spots in the Season 15 finals.

Tonight, we’ll hear from gals Amelia Eisenhauer, Jenn Blosil, Olivia Rox, Shelbie Z. and Tristan McIntosh and guys Adam Lasher, C.J. Johnson, Dalton Rapattoni, Kory Wheeler, Lee Jean, Manny Torres and Trent Harmon.

Of that dozen, Tristan, Jenn, Dalton, Lee Jean and Trent seem to be show favorites based on the airtime they’ve received.

As usual, I’ll be grading each song tonight as it’s performed. For a look at which past Idol stars will be singing with which contestants tomorrow night, head here.

Shelbie Z., 23, Sumiton, Ala.

Shelbie is singing “Work Hard, Play Harder” by Gretchen Wilson. Stage presence will not be a problem for Shelbie, who’s already proven she’s ready to rock out on stage. A bit of a shaky start for Shelbie, but she quickly finds her groove. And she ends with a huge glory note, an Idol staple. Keith Urban wasn’t crazy about the arrangement of the song, saying Shelbie sacrificed the song for a big note at the end. Neither did Jennifer Lopez. Harry Connick Jr. calls it a “solid performance.” Grade: B

Manny Torres, 20, Flushing, Mich.

Manny has decided to cover Coldplay “Adventure of a Lifetime.” Not liking this vocal at all. I’ve heard Manny sound much better than this. He worked the stage quite well. Harry says the performance seemed a little piecemeal. Keith says the song suited Manny’s spirit, but not his voice. Yeah, if the goal was to show off his vocals — which it should be — that wasn’t a very good showcase. Grade: C

Kory Wheeler, 27, Nashville, Tenn.

Kory will cover “Let It Go” by James Bay. He’s performing at the piano. Again, not sure Kory has picked a great song to showcase his voice. He’s also gotten very little screentime since his audition. That was pretty bland for a showcase performance from someone looking for a spot in the Top 10. Harry didn’t think the performance was special. Jennifer thought Kory looked very comfortable. Keith liked the song choice. Grade: C+

Amelia Eisenhauer, 15, Nashville, Tenn.

Amelia will sing “Wake Me Up” by Avicii. And she’s certainly making the song her own. Which is fine, but she seems to be having trouble with the rapid-fire chorus that makes the song so special. She really seems to be straining vocally. Nice soft ending thought. Wow, Idol’s second 12 aren’t nailing it tonight. Keith and Jennifer wonder whether the song was a good fit. Harry thinks Amelia needs to find “quirky songs that better fit her personality. Grade: C–

Jenn Blosil, 23, Brooklyn, N.Y.

She’ll sing “Sorry” by Justin Bieber. Like Kory, she’s decided to sing at the piano. Good thing I know most of the lyrics, because some of Jenn’s vocals are tough to make up. That said her song is different and unique enough that I expect her to survive this cut regardless. One of the more heartfelt performances of tonight, but another vocal I’m not sure I want to hear again. Harry says it wasn’t a great vocal for her since most of it was out of tune. Jennifer calls it a shaky opening, but says it didn’t destroy the whole performance. Grade: C–

C.J. Johnson, 28, Memphis, Tenn.

C.J. is going to sing “I’ll Be,” a country tune. I would have preferred to see him rock out like he did in the Hollywood showcase. Because this isn’t playing to his strengths either. I think he’s been out of tune for much of that performance, though he delivers a big ending and certainly sang with emotion. Jennifer and Keith liked the match of singer and song and give C.J. some of the night’s best feedback so far. Harry correctly points out that C.J. was out of tune for part of the song. Grade: C+

Lee Jean, 15, Bluffton, S.C.

He’s singing “Runaway” by Ed Sheeran. Of the males, Lee Jean has shown off some of the best vocals this year, in spite of his young age. This isn’t one of his better performances either though. Keith compliments him for a voice that is so real, but doesn’t like the song choice. Harry calls it one of the better performances of the night. Jennifer wanted him to sing a more popular song. Grade: B–

Trent Harmon, 24, Amory, Ms

Trent will sing “What Are You Listening To” by Chris Stapleton. Wow, he’s delivering a really nice vocal on a well-suited song. That hasn’t happened often tonight. This is my favorite of the night so far, and Trent’s also connecting with the lyrics. Jennifer says Trent gets to her heart when he sings. She thinks he’ll go far in the competition. Harry wasn’t fond of the song choice. Keith was and thought Trent did very well. Grade: B+

Tristan McIntosh, 15, Nashville, Tenn.

She’ll tackle Carrie Underwood’s “Good Girl.” Tristan looks like a star and is showing nice stage presence for her age. But the opening was a little shaky. She does show off a big voice when he chorus hits. And she ends with a big note. Not great, but one of the better we’ve seen. Jennifer thought the performance picked up steam as it progressed. Harry liked the fact that she sang up-tempo. Keith loves her look and her potential. Grade: B–

Adam Lasher, 28, Danville, Calif.

He’s decided to sing “Black and Gold.” Check out those gold shoes. Adam virtually disappeared from the show after his audition aired, which usually doesn’t bode well for a contestant’s future. Harry thought that performance was wishy-washy. Keith is baffled by the song choice. Jennifer thought it could have been better; she says she couldn’t get into the performance. Well, at least most of it was in tune, which hasn’t always happened tonight. Grade: C+

Dalton Rapattoni, 19, Dallas, Texas

Dalton will sing “Rebel Yell.” He’s delivering an imaginative opening to the show. He’s also stalking the stage like a seasoned performer. Dalton’s doing a nice job of making this his own. And he also delivered a very nice ending. I don’t want to like this guy because I consider him a ringer since he once sang in a boy band created by Idol creator Simon Fuller. But that was the night’s best performance. Jennifer says that made her feel “something” and calls it a great performance. Harry calls it a great interpretation of the song. Keith says he never disappoints. Grade: A–

Olivia Rox, 16, Agoura Hills, Calif.

She’ll sing “Confident” by Demi Levato. And she delivered a big opening. The vocal is a bit helter skelter, but Olivia is certainly delivering on the performance level. She looks like a real natural on stage. Harry calls the performance “really really strong.” Keith calls it “so good.” She also gets solid feedback from Jennifer Lopez. Sounds like Olivia is headed to the Top 14. Grade: B+