Idol Chatter & Voice Views

American Idol introduced us to eight members of its Top 20 during part one of the Hawaii showcase round Sunday night.

We’ll have to wait until next Sunday to learn if Dillon James advances. But based on the amount of screentime he’s gotten and the judges’ reaction to his Sunday night performance, here’s betting he does.

Advancing Sunday were Nick Merico, DeWayne Crocker, Louis Knight, Francisco Martin, Jovin Webb and Jonny West among the guys and Just Sam and Faith Becnel among the ladies.

For the most part, I agreed with the judges’ decisions. Yeah, I thought Camryn Leigh Smith and Geena Fontanella both performed well enough to advance.

But I also know Idol invited 23 gals and just 17 guys to Hawaii, making the odds longer for the ladies than the gents if the show is going to enter the Top 20 round with a fairly even split.

Here are my picks for Sunday’s Top 5 performances.

1. Just Sam: “Como La Flour” — The young lady from Harlem decided to sing a Top 40 song in Spanish. That ranked as the night’s boldest song choice. She made it work. Beyond that, Just Sam has a way of lighting up the Idol stage.

2. Francisco Martin: “Falling” — The guy best remembered for his struggle with nerves gave Idol fans something else to remember with this outing, delivering a heartfelt performance that came off as both emotional and confident.

3. Jovin Webb: “You Are the Best Thing” — His raspy vocals were in great form on this song, and stage presence is not a problem for Jovin. And he seems more ready for the limelight than most of the male performers on the show.

4. Jonny West: “You Found Me” — Idol is very high on singer-songwriters Francisco Martin and Louis Knight, but if Jonny keeps performing and singing like that, he’s going to be a force to be reckoned with. Nothing flashy, but great range and a great voice.

5. DeWayne Crocker: “Old Town Road” — DeWayne wanted to deliver a upbeat performance and calls it “the most fun I ever had.” The crowd and the judges loved it. And it indeed wound up being one of the night’s most fun performances.