Idol Chatter & Voice Views

We all know how the finalists finished on American Idol Season 11.

Now, here’s how I think they should have finished, with the actual finishes and the pre-season predictions embedded below.

1. Jessica Sanchez: The 16-year-old eventual runner-up was the most consistent and versatile performer over the course of the season. Perhaps more importantly, she’s the contestant most likely to make an impact on the music charts post-Idol, if she isn’t forced to release a bubble gum pop first single like Allison Iraheta from Season 8.

2. Joshua Ledet: He came into his own near the end of the season. And, wow, what a voice. But he wasn’t as consistent as Jessica from start to finish and he’s going to be a tougher post-Idol sell because of his tendency to take every song to church. As I wrote after his elimination, finishing third might be a blessing in disguise. He’ll be given more time to polish that first CD.

3. Elise Testone: Given the right song, she proved she could sing with anyone in the Season 11 cast. Inconsistency did her in, but those renditions of “Vienna,” “You and I” and “Whole Lotta Love” were three of the best we saw this season from anyone not named Jessica or Josh. Someone has to give her a chance to record an album, right?

4. Skylar Laine: There were a whole lot of female country singers auditioning for Idol this season, likely emboldened by the success of Lauren Alaina. Slowly, but surely, Skylar proved she was the best, and she didn’t hesitate to lend her country twang to songs as varied as “Edge of Glory” and “Wind Beneath My Wings.” Plus she stomped across the Idol stage like she owned it.

5. Phillip Phillips: This will tick off the Phillip fans all over again, but who cares? The first really special performance came in the performance finale, when he performed “Home.” Phillip was consistently OK, seldom special, and often clearly overmatched by the competition when it came to vocal prowess. Remember when Nigel said he didn’t want contestants hiding behind guitars? I wonder where Phillip would have finished if his were taken away.

6. Colton Dixon: He actually showed more artistry than Phillip during his run on the show, and I’m still surprised he finished seventh, given his avid fan base and Idol viewers’ preference for guys. I didn’t love his voice. But I loved what he did with “Time After Time.” It’ll be interesting to see if he tries to go mainstream or Christian post-Idol. My guess is a bit of both.

7. Hollie Cavanagh: The little gal with the big voice was the show’s fourth-best singer after Jessica, Joshua and Elise, but I’m totally stumped on where she goes post-Idol. She doesn’t seem prone to the flamboyancy required from pure pop singers today, and I didn’t get the sense that she’s the singer-songwriter type. That’s the reason she lands this low.

8. Erika Van Pelt: I kept writing pitch perfect but a little boring by Erika’s name once the finals began. But she certainly wasn’t boring when she performed “Edge of Glory to earn a wild card spot in the finals. I’m glad she finished high enough to make the tour because she fell victim to voters’ preference for younger singers of the opposite sex.

9. Shannon Magrane: I wish Shannon had been given more time to find her footing in the finals, because the 16-year-old seemed so likable and so talented heading into the semis. Heck, I thought she had a chance to be the last gal standing in Season 11. But she was doomed by back-to-back subpar performances when the finals began. When Steven Tyler says you “crashed and burned,” you know it was bad.

10. DeAndre Brackensick: I know Jennifer Lopez was in love with his voice. But Idol might have been wiser to tell DeAndre to be patient and try out again in a couple of years. He certainly had the Idol look. But the tendency to sing entire songs in falsetto rather than picking his spots to demonstrate his vocal range made his performances a whole lot less appealing than they could have been.

11. Jeremy Rosado: He nudged into the finals by singing a Carrie Underwood song very well in the wild card round, but was one-song-and-done in the finals. The judges praised him for his likability and his attitude. I’m still not sure what type of music he wants to sing post-Idol.

12. Heejun Han: I ranked him fourth at the start of the season because I figured he must be able to sing well, right? Turns out, he cracks jokes much better than he sings, which became painfully obvious again during the group numbers in the season finale. Let’s face it, he made the finals on personality alone.

This is just part of the Idol Chatter recap of Season 11. And more is coming.

Other blogs you might want to check out …

A congratulations to Phillip

A photo gallery of Phillip’s win

The top 11 performances of Season 11

The best and worst of Season 11, from best duet to worst episode

The best and worst of the Idol season finale

A photo gallery from the Season 11 finale

Will a girl even again win American Idol

An exit interview with Jessica Sanchez

A look back at Jessica Sanchez’s Idol performances

An exit interview with Phillip Phillips

A look back at Phillip Phillips’ Idol performances

And, for all the Idol performances, by contestant, for Season 11, go here