Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Only once in American Idol’s previous 11 years have voters sent home three guys to start the finals.

It happened way back in Season 1, when A.J. Gill, Jim Varraros and EJay Day were the first to depart.

If there’s any justice in the world of singing shows, it’ll happen again tonight.

Of course, if there was any justice in the world of singing shows, Adam Lambert would have won Season 8 and Crystal Bowersox would have won Season 9 … so let’s not travel too far down that path.

Let’s just say that at the end of tonight’s episode Lazaro Arbos, Devin Velez or Burnell Taylor should be singing for his Idol life.

And whoever survives among that threesome should be next on the chopping block over the course of the next two weeks.

Five gals battling it out for the Season 12 Idol title?

It’s never happened again, but I’m all for it.

Even if Angie Miller’s performance flopped last night, she tried something interesting and different.

When’s the last time Burnell, Devin or Lazaro tried something risky on the Idol stage?

Before we get tonight’s results, we’ll hear performances from Idol judge Keith Urban (“Long Hot Summer”), Season 11 contestant Colton Dixon (singing his new single “Love Has Come for Me”) and Smash star Katharine McPhee (doing a guest vocal with One Republic on “If I Lose Myself”).

Wow, it doesn’t sound like there will be time left for a group number.

Not that I can imagine too many of the contestants — or the viewers at home — are complaining.

I mean, that was quite the tongue-lashing Lazaro, Devin and Burnell got from Nicki Minaj last night. Burnell responded by saying he did his part. Devin said he tried to cover “for a couple of people.” Lazaro complained about not having time to learn the song.

After which, Devin and Burnell must have caught some flak about throwing a colleague under the bus. Or else feared they’d take some flak.

So they took to Twitter.

Devin: “Today had its ups and downs, and I wasn’t trying to offend anyone. I still love my bros, @LazaroAI12 and @burnellai12.”

Burnell: “We All Make Mistakes And We All Say Things We Wish We Could Take Back But͵ We’re All Humans”

OK, so much for that. We start off with a group number, “Old Time Rock and Roll,” which ain’t exactly Motown either.

Now, Idol mentor Jimmy Iovine’s critiques …

* He says all the contestants could learn from Candice and predicts she’ll make the finals.
* Jimmy said Nicki had it right on the Kree-Janelle duet. Kree came off as a pro; Janelle as an amateur.
* Jimmy admits Lazaro did much better on his solo number.
* Janelle “murdered” her solo, Jimmy said, and he means it as the ultimate compliment. He said he’d put that performance on an album.
* Compared to everyone else, Jimmy says Devin came up short.
* Jimmy loved the trio of Angie, Candice and Amber. Hmm, I really didn’t enjoy that threesome.
* Jimmy said he was very impressed with Burnell and says he “did great.”
* Angie got her song choice wrong and needs to get back on track, Jimmy says.
* Amber did fantastic, according to Jimmy.
* Jimmy says the guys trio was “terrible.”
* Jimmy predicts Kree’s vocal talent might take her into the finals.

And Jimmy says the guys should land in the bottom three, and his guess is that Lazaro will go home.

Next up: Colton Dixon. Guess he got over being angry about his sister not making the Vegas round on Idol this year.

He’s singing his new single, “Love Has Come for Me.” Colton’s not the only Idol to release new music this year. Just this week we got fine new albums from Crystal Bowersox and David Archuleta.

And now, Katharine McPhee with One Republic. Kat’s supposed to be working on album number three and co-writing with Ryan Tedder of One Republic.

Next up: Keith Urban with a third straight musical performance.

And, finally, some results …

* Kree Harrison is safe
* Candice Glover is safe
* Janelle Arthur is safe
* Angie Miller is safe
* Amber Holcomb is safe

That means voters got it right, placing the three guys in the bottom three tonight.

* Burnell heads to safety
* And Lazaro is safe, leaving Devin in the bottom spot.

Devin will sing for the save. And the judges are idiots if they save him. The song selection itself — “Impossible” — should tell them that.

Devin delivers a very nice vocal, but there is no way he’s got a chance to win. This is the third straight week he’s been among the lowest vote-getters.

And the judges opt not to use their save.