Idol Chatter & Voice Views

We got guest glimpses of Ariana Grande and Zoey Deschanel.

We got to watch Ryan Seacrest make moves in slow motion.

Jena Irene performs “My Body: on American Idol’s Top 5 show. (FOX Photo)

We got Jennifer Lopez getting the goosies. Not once, but twice.

Most of all, we got a solid night of performances from the Top 5 on American Idol as, for the first time ever, viewers served up the song choices.

On with the recap.

Best of the Night: Yes, you can deliver a high-octane performance and deliver a splendid vocal at the same time. Jena Irene proved it when she took on Young the Giant’s “My Body.” I was eager to hear Jena sing the song the second I spied it on the spoiler list. She didn’t disappoint. Like guest mentor Jason Mraz said, this gal just has a “sparkle.”

Runner-up: Alex Preston delivered one of his best performances of Season 13 with a heartfelt rendition of “Say Something.” I wondered if he’d be able to pull it off without a female partner. Well, Idol provided a backup singer, who did just enough without intruding too much on Alex’s wonderful interpretation of the song. And I’d be remiss not to mention Caleb Johnson, who ended the show in rousing fashion, belting out Whitesnake’s “Still of the Night.” That said, the performances by Jena and Alex were my personal favorites.

Worst of the night: This is easy. Sam Woolf tackled “Sing” by Ed Sheeran and had no business doing so. He wasn’t up to the high parts that make the original special and, for once, the judges didn’t sugarcoat their feedback for Sam … well, at least not as much as they usually do. Harry Connick Jr. said it best. Sam promised funk. Instead, his performance, devoid of energy, “defused the funk.”

Sam Woolf meets Ariana Grande on American Idol Top 5 night. (FOX Photo)

Please save him/her: Jess Meuse. I think she’s the third best singer on the show behind Caleb and Jena and she deserves one more week, at least. She missed what should have been a moment when she sang “Summertime Sadness,” but her vocal was still one of the night’s strongest. Unfortunately, I think she needed to deliver that moment to survive Thursday’s show.

Line of the night from the judges: Keith Urban to Sam Woolf after Sam got to meet his celebrity crush: “I’ve gotta say, when Ariana Grande came out, you went as red as that Coke sign behind you. I’ve never seen your face that red.”

Baffled by the judges: Well, Caleb Johnson was pretty lucky not to get harsher critiques for the night’s opening performance, a cover of Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing.” Jennifer even said that was one of the performances that gave her goosies. Ironically, Caleb was more honest than the judges, admitting the performance had some “pitch problems” in his post-performance clip.

What should happen Thursday: A bottom two of Jess Meuse and Sam Woolf, with Sam heading home. He is clearly, by far, the weakest contestant still standing.

What will happen Thursday: A bottom two of Sam Woolf and Jess Meuse, with Jess heading home. Idol voters will support male cute over superior female vocals almost every time.