Idol Chatter & Voice Views

After a Tuesday night Idol episode filled with so-so performances, you just knew there would be surprises when the bottom three were unveiled.

And Idol didn’t disappoint, with Jason Castro landing a bottom spot for the first time, Kristy Lee Cook skating by on patriotism and Syesha just missing elimination.

In the end, Chikezie was sent packing, a fitting punishment for that deadly dull ballad he graced us with this week. You should have kept it fun and upbeat, Chikezie. You’d probably still be around.

And then there were nine. Here’s how I’d rank them.

1. David Cook: Yep, folks, that’s a new name in the top spot, simply because he’s been hands-down the best performer since Hollywood Week. Tuesday’s rendition of “Billie Jean” might have been the best performance this season. The big question: Does a rocker really want to be labeled “the American Idol?”

2. David Archuleta: Go ahead and boo, tweens and teens. The younger David wasn’t very good this week, wasn’t very good two weeks ago and no longer looks like the Idol to beat.

3. Brooke White: Still the best of the ladies, with a distinctive voice and a knack for capturing the emotion in a song. That’s a knack her competitors sorely lack, instead opting for big notes and power vocals, whether they’re called for or not.

4. Michael Johns: Finally, this week, the guy from Down Under looked like he’d performed somewhere at some point in the past. His take on “We Are the Champions” was one of the few highlights of Tuesday’s show.

5. Jason Castro: He’s got the ladies screaming too. But do you think he’s learned his lesson? That he’s going to have to do something other than look good, smile and play a guitar to win this thing. A decent vocal performance would help.

6. Syesha Mercado: Like last week, wishful thinking, ranked on singing ability alone. Syesha didn’t deserve to be in the bottom three this week; she’s been solid the last two shows. Problem is, she seems to lack the charisma that will make people take notice.

7. Carly Smithson: See the Brooke entry above, because Carly is one of those singers who fail to grasp the emotion in a song. Had she never heard Bonnie Tyler’s version of “Total Eclipse of the Heart?”

8. Kristy Lee Cook: Bounced back this week by singing “God Bless the USA,” which wasn’t exactly challenging vocally but appealed to lots of folks and marked her best effort yet. Still, her days are numbered.

9. Ramiele Malubay: Her continued presence in this competition defies logic. She hasn’t turned in a head-turning performance since the finals started. She shows no confidence. Her interviews are infantile. But she has yet to land in the bottom three. Who in the world is voting for her? How long can she skate by on cuteness alone?