Idol Chatter & Voice Views

The Top 14 on Idol include (front, from left) Catie Turner, Ada Vox, Mara Justine, Michelle Sussett, Gabby Barrett, Jurnee, Michael Woodard; back row — Marcio Donaldson, Jonny Brenns, Dennis Lorenzo, Caleb Lee Hutchinson, Cade Foehner, Maddie Poppe and Garrett Jacobs. (ABC Photo)

The time has come for voters to weigh in on American Idol.

And they’ve got quite the task ahead of them come Sunday night, when every member of the Top 14 performs.

That’s because by the end of Monday’s results episode, just 10 singers will remain.

In fact, get set for the shortest road to crowning an American Idol ever. The previous shortest Season was the last on FOX, when the show whittled a Top 10 down to a Idol champ in seven weeks.

This season: We’ll go from a Top 14 to an Idol winner in just five weeks.

That said, here are my rankings of the Top 14.

Disagree? Let me know by commenting below.

See also …
The songs we’ll hear Sunday night
Social media rankings
How to vote

1. Gabby Barrett, 18, Pittsburgh, Pa.: It’s almost as if Gabby has been preparing for this her entire life. And she’s ready. She’s releasing original music during her run on the show. She already donated an Idol outfit to charity. She’s poised and confident on stage. And she has an already-released catalog of music that sounds like she’ll be able to handle any theme thrown her way. And that cover of “My Church?” Hallelujah and amen.

2. Cade Foehner, 22, Shelbyville, Texas: Wow, those last three solos, especially “No Good” in the showcase round … They were something special. I mean, has Idol ever had a contestant who rocks as boldly and as well as Cade rocks? Maybe Bo Bice. Way back in Season 4. The only reason he falls under Gabby on this list is because theme weeks might pose more of a challenge for him.

3. Catie Turner, 18, Langhorne, Pa.: She wouldn’t be a traditional American Idol. But that might make her the perfect Idol at a time when young women are told to embrace everything that makes them different. Her hair-band tossing, tall-pink-boot wearing version of “Call Me” might not have been vocal perfection, but it sure was fun. And let’s not forget the two originals she graced us with earlier.

4. Jonny Brenns, 19, Annapolis, Md.: Jonny won me over singing an original (“Blue Jeans”) in his audition and then sitting behind the keys for a brilliant version of “Somebody Else” on the opening day in Hollywood. He slipped on his final Hollywood solo, but bounced back strong in the semifinals. I’ll attribute the slip to Hollywood Week exhaustion. Hopefully, it will be his performances that make him a fan favorite, not the “heartthrob” label Katy and company are trying to pin on every white guy carrying a guitar.

5. Ada Vox (aka Adam Sanders), 24, San Antonio, Texas: If this show was called The Voice, I’d rank Adam higher because he sure has one. But to go deep on Idol, I think he’s going to need more unexpected song choices like “Creep” and less done-to-death classics like “Feeling Good.” Regardless of how well he sings it, that’s not going to wind up in my music collection.

6. Dennis Lorenzo, 27, Philadelphia, Pa.: Love this guy’s voice. Love his stage presence. Love the variety he’s shown in his performances (from a contemporary choice like “Rude” to a classic like “A Song For You”). I also love the fact that when duets night rolled around, he was still playing that guitar with a hole in it, presumably the one his grandparents gave him years ago that put him on his musical journey.

7. Mara Justine, 16, Galloway, N.J.: I cringed when the judges criticized her hair-flipping. I absolutely loved the wild abandon, the sassiness, the confidence she showed in her showcase performance (“Something’s Got A Hold On Me”). It made me think: Here’s a mega-talented minor who won’t wilt on Idol’s big stage, unlike so many before her, if the judges just let her be herself.

8. Jurnee, 18, Littleton, Colo.: This young woman has the vocal talent to win American Idol. I mean, her version of “Never Enough” was exquisite. When the judges tell her to make it look more difficult, I think they’re really saying that Jurnee needs to find a way to capture the limelight and make herself stand out among a cast of vocal standouts.

9. Caleb Lee Hutchinson, 19, Dallas, Ga.: A no-chair turn at age 16 on The Voice, Caleb won me over with his fabulous audition performance of The Steel Drivers “If It Hadn’t Been for Love.” I’m not sure he’s pulled off another vocal quite as flawless, but that deep voice should serve him well and he has a wide open lane as the competition’s only male country singer.

10. Marcio Donaldson, 28, Compton, Calif: His semifinal performance of “Inseparable” was excellent, but it’s been a steady stream of classics for Marcio that provide little hint at what type of artist he’d be after the show. And while a heartfelt performance is to be applauded, tears at the end of every performance eventually lose their impact.

11. Michael J. Woodard, 20, Los Angeles, Calif.: First, Michael has more experience than Idol has let on. He won “Majors and Minors” with mentors like Adam Lambert, Jennifer Hudson and Jordin Sparks, when he was 14. Still, you’ve gotta love his positive vibe. And his Hollywood Week cover of “Maybe This Time” was a helluva lot better than Katy’s sad attempt at tossing a chair after hearing him sing.

12. Maddie Poppe, 20, Clarkesville, Iowa: She’s an excellent young singer-songwriter. I mean, remember that great original (“Don’t Ever Let Your Children Grow Up”) from Hollywood Week. But I doubt originals will be allowed during the live shows, and I fear Maddie’s best qualities might be under-appreciated given the makeup of the Season 16 cast.

13. Garrett Jacobs, 18, Bossier City, La.: He’s got potential — remember that fine performance of “Wicked Games” in Hollywood Week — but he’s been the most inconsistent male vocalist among the remaining eight. If that doesn’t change, and the “heartthrob” still prevails … well, it will be a pretty clear indictment of why we didn’t need the rebirth of the show always won by the cute white guy carrying a guitar.

14. Michelle Sussett, 22, Miami, Fla.: She’s better known for her stage presence and her dance moves than her singing. But the Venezuelan-born beauty reminded us how pretty her voice is during her “I Can’t Make You Love Me” duet with Luis Fonsi. That probably marked her best vocal so far.