Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Hooray, current music tonight for our seven remaining Idols.

Very current. As in songs from this decade. As in Kelly Clarkson, Lady Gaga and Kellie Pickler.

What songs will we hear tonight? Here’s the list.

Skylar Laine: She closed last week’s show, so it’s only fair she open this week. She’ll sing Kellie Pickler’s “Didn’t You Know How Much I Loved You.” And Skylar’s going to play guitar, too, for the first time I believe, despite warnings by Jimmy that it might hold her back. She opens strong, very strong. Skylar just might be finding her groove with these ballads. She seemed to strain a little on the chorus the first time through. But she’s making it up by finishing with a flourish. I just worry about how well that will stand out by the end of a two-hour show. All in all, a solid opening. Grade: B-

Colton Dixon:  He’s going to sing a great song, “Love the Way You Lie.”  And he says the song has the potential to be a “game-changer” for him.  Let’s see if he can pull it off vocally.  Like the way Colton is singing songs we’re used to hearing females sing.  Wise decision, especially with a song so current and well known.  Unfortunately, I’m not feeling his vocal.  There were several off moments, at least to my ears.  Though he sure pulled it together with a strong, pitch-perfect ending.  The judges loved it. Grade: C+.

Elise Testone and Phillip Phillips:  Two of the show’s best voices will team up for “Somebody I Used to Know.”  Nigel has been hyping this performance, and just did it again.  Funny opening with Elise and Phillip.  Great to hear Phillip without the guitar.  A reminder of how well the guy can sing.  Then Elise cuts in and soars.  Love her tone.  Kill it tonight, girl.  Not sure this matches Casey and Haley’s “Moanin'” from last year, but this is very, very good.  Excellent job.  Grade: A-

Jessica Sanchez:  She’ll sing “Stuttering” by Jazmine Sullivan, and she’s getting absolutely rave reviews from Jimmy and AKON during the mentoring session.  She looks great again.  And the powers that be on Idol should love this, because she’s gone back to a ballad.  Wow, she just might break the male stranglehold on this little thing called American Idol.  That was pitch perfect from the opening note to the closing note.  And I didn’t mind one bit that I wasn’t that familiar with the song.  And not only was it a great vocal, but she sang it with heart and soul.  Grade: A

Joshua Ledet:  Oh, isn’t that sweet.  “Mantasia” gets a birthday wish from Idol Season 3 winner Fantasia.  Gotta say, I’m sorta glad the “Mantasia” nickname hasn’t been repeated too often.  Joshua is changing it up by singing Bruno Mars’ “Runaway Baby.”  It’s a fun, upbeat song from the guy who’s performed power ballads nearly every week.  Hey, I’m impressed.  This is worlds better than last week when Hollie stepped out of character and went upbeat.  Joshua seems confident, in control, slipped in  a couple of those huge Joshua notes.  All in all, a fun performance, a smoking vocal.  In fact, that might have been my favorite Joshua performance yet.  Grade: A-

Skylar Laine and Colton Dixon:  They’ll sing the Jason Aldean-Kelly Clarkson duet “Don’t You Want to Stay.”  Wow, talk about a tough song to tackle.  And why do they keep making Colton sing country songs with Skylar?  I really don’t see his future in that.  Skylar goes sharp now and then, but she’s sounding much better the last two weeks.  She pretty much dominated when they were singing together.  Not Elise-Phillip good, but pretty good.  Grade: C+

Hollie Cavanagh:  The gal on the bubble — I mean, logic has her going home this week — will take on Pink’s “Perfect.”  She admits she thought she was going home last week.  What the heck do they have Hollie wearing?  It looked like she struggled getting off that stool.  Anyway, she’s singing much, much better than she has the last two weeks.  But I can hear the critiques coming right now.  The vocal was too perfect, and missing the rawness of Pink’s voice that makes this song so special.  But, wow, killer perfect ending, Miss Hollie Cavanagh.  Grade: B-.

Phillip Phillips:  The guy from Leesburg will sing Maroon 5’s “Give a Little More.”  Funny. Folks are going to the pawn shop looking to buy the turkey he was seen carrying during his Idol audition clip.  Phillip’s reining it in a little this week.  At least at the beginning of that song.  Then, halfway through, we got full-bore Phillip.  He’s getting a great reaction from the crowd.  Jennifer calls it a little “underwhelming.”  I think I’d agree.  And Randy says it wasn’t “that wow kind of moment.”  Grade: B-

Hollie Cavanagh, Jessica Sanchez, Joshua Ledet:  They’ll perform Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger.”  Really glad someone didn’t try to tackle this song solo.  It would have come off as a pale imitation of the original.  That said, this is pretty horrible.  Jessica sounds awful.  And I never thought I’d type those words.  Joshua is flying all over the place.  Wow, train wreck central.  Grade: D-

Elise Testone:  She gets the pimp spot again.  She gets well wishes from Jason Segal.  They show a tutorial on how to vote for Elise. And she’s singing Lady Gaga’s “You and I.”  Jimmy shoots down her idea of starting by playing the drums.  But she starts off at piano.  Elise is fabulous when she’s in her comfort zone, and she was in her comfort zone on that song.  She did all sorts of neat little things during that performance.  Great. Great. Great. Another moment.   Grade: A.