Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Every year at this time, I present my picks for the top 10 Idol performances from the Season that’s about to end.

These selections are based on the performances I’d most like to watch again.

And, my, oh my, there’s not a single performance from an Idol guy.

Candice Glover and Angie Miller lead my list, with three songs each.

Of course, I think they should be squaring off this week for the Idol title.

Kree Harrison has one performance among the Top 10, backing my contention that she’s been more solid than spectacular during Season 12.

Here’s my list. If you have one you think should have been included but wasn’t, feel free to chime in below.

1. Candice Glover — “Lovesong” (Top 6 Week): Randy Jackson called it the best vocal ever on Idol. That might have been a bit of an overstatement. There was Fantasia’s “Summertime” back in Season 3, after all. But it was a wonderful performance by Candice, on a song by The Cure that you wouldn’t expect her to sing.

2. Angie Miller — “Try” (Top 3 Week): Covering Pink is no small feat. But energized by a trip back home to Beverly, Mass., Angie was more than up to the challenge and ready to prove to the Idol judges that she can do just fine away from the piano, thank you. The fact that it’s a great song certainly helps.

3. Janelle Arthur — “You Keep Me Hanging On” (Top 8 Week): A hit for the Supremes back in the 1960s, this song has been covered by everyone from Rod Stewart to Kim Wilde to Alvin and the Chipmunks. Janelle turned it into a country ballad and the result was one of the most creative and well-executed performances of Season 12.

4. Kree Harrison — “She Talks to Angels” (Top 5 Week): Kree said she liked the fact that no one would expect her to sing this hit by The Black Crowes on Year of Their Birth Night. She was right. But with the help of a big ending and an impassioned vocal, it wound up being the best of those songs and my favorite performance from Kree.

5. Angie Miller — “Bring Me To Life” (Top 7 Week): It was classic rock week on Idol and Angie made the best pick of the night, this song from Evanescence. She’d say later she prefers rock over pop, and this vocal is proof. Even an Idol wind machine set on gale force couldn’t detract from one of Angie’s best performances.

6. Candice Glover — “I Who Have Nothing” (Top 10 Week): Yep, the song’s way too overdone on shows like Idol. But Candice did it oh, so well. And served notice in the very first episode of the finals that she would be a force to be reckoned with in Season 12. It turned out to be anything but a fluke.

7. Angie Miller — “Who You Are” (Top 4 Week): Angie sitting at her piano, singing her favorite artist (Jessie J.). It had all the makings of an Idol moment, and she delivered. The first 45 seconds of this performance is simply amazing.

8. Janelle Arthur — “When You Call My Name” (Top 5 week): Janelle says she was obsessed with Vince Gill as a young girl, so she chose to sing one of his songs on Year of Their Birth night. Some questionable song choices got the gal from Tennessee in trouble occasionally on Idol, but she sure got this one right.

9. Candice Glover — “When I Was Your Man (Top 4 Week): When a woman sings a song originally performed by a guy, you’re supposed to change the words. Candice didn’t bother. And it didn’t matter one bit. The Idol judges awarded standing ovations to many lesser performances over Season 12. How this one didn’t bring them to their feet is beyond me.

10. Amber Holcomb — “Power of Love” (Top 4 Week): For most of Season 12, I had no idea what the judges were talking about when they sang Amber’s praises. But this performance is a glimpse of her potential. The a cappella opening is wonderful. Given another year or two of experience, I have a feeling Amber would have been much more prepared for the Idol stage.