Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Alejandro Aranda, Dimitrius Graham and Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon should be among the favorites to make the Top 14 on American Idol Season 17. (ABC Photo)

Six more singers head home this week on American Idol.

Three will be cut Sunday night, after Idol airs 10 of its Top 20 celebrity duets. Three more will go home Monday after the other 10 air.

I could check spoiler sites to see who advances and who heads home, but I prefer to be surprised.

But here’s what should happen.

SUNDAY NIGHT

Must advance:
* Laci Kaye Booth: Combine those smoky vocals and her performances so far, and she’s been the best of the ladies.
* Madison VanDenburg: Hate the Kelly Clarkson comparisons, but she keeps proving why they’re being made
* Uche: He’s Season 17’s Adam Lambert. He might not win, but he sure is going to be fun to watch.

Will advance:
* Laine Hardy: He’s been solid and confident in the performances we’ve seen, and he’s amassed a social media army since last year.

On the bubble:
* Riley Thompson might benefit from being the lone female country singer left on Season 17. Kate Barnette and Ashley Hess might be competing for the same female singer-songwriter spot. Walker Burroughs, Shawn Robinson and Bumbly round out the night one contestants. All three were solid, but not overwhelming, on Top 20 solo night.

MONDAY NIGHT

Must advance:
* Dimitirus Graham: Impressive range, standout vocals, passionate performer.
* Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon: Ditto. Like Dimitrius, he’s been impressive every time we’ve heard him sing.

Will advance:
* Alejandro Aranda: Idol billed his audition as the show’s best ever; his performances have certainly been the most watched
* Alyssa Raghu: Idol asked her to up her performance game. She’s sure accomplished that mission.
* Wade Cota: He’s a show favorite, and made a strong case for being in the Top 14 on solo night.

On the bubble:
* You can add Evelyn Cormier to the will advance group unless she stumbles very badly; Idol has just three females in the night two group. No way the judges are going to advance six guys and just one female singer. That would leave just one spot for the quartet of Raquel Trinidad, Eddie Island, Ryan Hammond and Logan Johnson. The decision might very well come down to the duet — their final chance to impress the judges.

See also
A which Top 20 solos were most popular
Ranking the Top 20 solos with video of each performance
This week’s duet schedule and celebrity pairings
Why American Idol has displaced The Voice as TV’s top singing show