With Haeley Vaughn finally out of the competition, we tuned in to the Top 8 Girls’ performance night on Tuesday hoping to be in for a more professional-sounding night. And here’s what we found…
Katie Stevens, “Breakaway” by Kelly Clarkson
Emmy: Hey, this song might have bene great for Katie. It totally suits her voice and it’s upbeat and something to which people her age would actually listen. I thought the judges would be very happy with the song choice.
Which I was right…with Ellen. But I’ll be honest, Kara: I really don’t know if I would listen to her on the radio. She really needs to get happier songs and not, as Ellen earlier put it, “a song I would hear in my dentist’s office.” Her outfit was cute, though. I liked her pants, except her heels were very high.
Maddie: Oh, Katie. Why must you keep choosing the wrong song? Because once again, it was nowhere near as good as I’ve always believed you to be capable.
You did do what the judges suggested and picked a younger song — considering that you sang the one song with which pretty much every 11-year-old girl was obsessed back in the sixth grade, I’m not sure how much younger you could get. But it just didn’t work — not at all. Her voice, usually so pure-sounding, somehow managed to miss the melody tonight.
So if this didn’t work, then what IS going to be the right song for Katie? She’s tried old; she’s tried young; she’s tried in between. What’s left?
But the more and more that I think about it, I’m starting to realize that there may never be a right song for Katie Stevens, at least not on this show. She’s got an amazing voice, but it’s not the kind of voice that they look for on “Idol.” Her voice, so big, full and mature, would fit more easily on a Broadway stage.
So hey, New York, watch out: Katie Stevens might just be coming your way.
Siobhan Magnus, “House of the Rising Sun” by The Animals
E: Well, Siobhan, you just don’t settle right with me. I just don’t get her. The way she talks just makes my brain hurt. I don’t want to be mean, but the dragging on of the words and such are annoying.
Overall, I did not like her performance. It was slow, and even though her voice fit the song, it wasn’t that well-executed. I got bored while watching her performance. It was forgettable, and as soon as the commercial came on, it was washed down the sink. I agree with Simon saying that it was boring and dark; Siobhan doesn’t have star quality. I don’t see her as an American Idol. I can easily see her getting into the top 12, but I don’t see her getting far.
M: Siobhan once again wowed me with her pure vocal power — but also once again managed to freak me out more than a little bit. Siobhan and her note-belting, acapela-singing vocals have got talent — that much can’t be denied — but no matter her abilities in performing, she’s also got a personality that is, as Simon said, just outright weird.
I mean, really, what was with her outfit? It looked like she was wearing the top half of a kimono on top of an obnoxiously red skirt suit from the 80s. Siobhan… Is… Just… Strange. And sometimes, strange can be good. Hey, I’m a little weird myself. But in her case…
Well, it’s just strange.
Lacey Brown, “The Story ” by Brandi Carlile
E: What’s with you sitting down and staring into the camera, Lacey? You do it every performance. At least Lacey knows who she wants to be: a country singer.
But like Siobhan’s performance, I got bored with hers. Then again, with country music that has a person whining and crying to themselves, I am easily bored. I can imagine Lacey singing the songs I hear at Cracker Barrel when my family and I eat there. She just has that Cracker-Barrel feel to her.
M: Ugh. Lacey Brown. Just my favorite vocalist in the world.
Um, not.
While the judges may have raved at Lacey’s rendition of “The Story,” calling it her best performance to date, I wasn’t thrilled. But then again, when the sound of her voice never ceases to feel like nails on a chalkboard — in my ears — it’s kind of hard to even consider liking anything that comes out of her mouth. So maybe I’m slightly biased.
But even so, I’m confident in saying that her performance, while maybe not as horrific as I’ve heard before, was easily forgettable. Lacey will be on the border come results on Thursday.
Katelyn Epperly, “I Feel the Earth Move” by Carole King
E: Oh, Katelyn (wow, I called you by your real name), you are hitting all sorts of hookers. You’ve done the city hooker and now you are doing the down South, country hooker. What’s next week (if there is one — please, NO) going to bring? European hooker? Decide on a hooker outfit or no hooker outfit!
This performance was just boring. I just wanted Glee to come on. There was a commercial for it before her, and it was for my favorite episode. I would rather have been watching that commercial over and over than watching her.
See, even Randy sees her changing her look! Ha! I’m not crazy! And, Hooker, you were trying to be less corny? Um, no. You are a country hooker with a lame singing voice. It doesn’t even help that you were wearing purple.
M: I’ve just made a decision: Katelyn Epperly literally has no idea who the heck she really is. Because guess what? She’s someone different every time that I see her on TV. The first week, she went a little overboard trying to go “rocker,” prompting Emmy to give her a less-than-flattering nickname; on Week 2, and she ended up sitting at a grande piano and putting Ellen to sleep; and now that it’s finally closing in on the Top 12, and Katelyn decides to go… country?
Not even, really: Her performance not only didn’t match her big hair (for which, I guess, Simon must have a soft spot) and over-alls, but it also lacked any kind of the spark that gets people dialing in. She executed her song well, but Kara was spot on when she said that it felt like Katelyn was just not trying: It seemed too casual of a performance for such a pivotal time in the competition. It’ll be close, but Katelyn could be in danger of going home…. Please!
Didi Benami, “Rhiannon” by Fleetwood Mac
E: You were playing guitar. That’s nice, but it wasn’t all that needed for this song. All you did was finger-style those strings.
Didi, you put me asleep like all the other girls! The notes you hit were breathy, and I hate breathy notes or when singers just start breathing mid-song. Kara, how was this one of your favorites? It was yucky. I did not like it. I was almost asleep, which is bad because one, I wasn’t not tired, and two, it was 7:30 at night! There is no reason why I should have been tired.
M: For the first time in a long time, I genuinely enjoyed Didi’s performance. I saw something in her that I haven’t seen before, and I’m happy to say that she deserved to make it through another week.
Her voice sounds sweet to my ear without being the cliché or average-sounding pop voice; her tone is unique without sounding alienating, which is necessary when you are aiming to gain votes from such a large audience. Having a polarizing sound, I think, was Adam Lambert’s downfall last year: While millions loved him, millions hated him, as well. There was no between.
Didi, in contrast, will probably never have this problem when she is on the show. Her voice may not be everyone’s favorite, but it’s not anyone’s complete least favorite, either. And just because of that, she just might be able to stick around. She wasn’t fantastic, but for a night that was pretty much the definition of “suck” up until then, she was good enough for me.
Paige Miles, “Smile” by Nat King Cole/Tony Bennett
E: First off, her name and the song she picked rhyme! That was the most exciting thing out of all these performances!
Well, Paige, your song had already put me to sleep, and we were 20 seconds into this. Yay for you! I think you broke a record. Paige messed up badly for this song, and this was the wrong time to do that. Actually, any time is the wrong time to do a bad song. I can easily see Paige going home, but that is if people actually think about how bad she was. They might just give her that sympathy vote. Paige, I thought you were going to go into the Top 12, but I am afraid I was wrong.
M: Paige! Paige! Paige!
Sorry, but I had to say that; it may be the last time that I get to — not including this Thursday’s eliminations. Because after poor Paige, once so strong, came out on the “Idol” stage sounding so weak, she’s almost certainly heading back to her preschool classroom in Naples, Fla.
Because let’s face it: As much as I love Paige, her quirky personality and her big voice, “Smiles” was all over the place tonight. No matter how you slice it, there’s no getting around it. From the performance’s soft beginning to its boring middle and its muddled end, it was a mess. And it’s a shame, too; Paige has shown so much potential in the past few weeks. But unfortunately, all a contestant needs is one bad night to end it all.
Which is poor Paige’s situation at the moment. And I know that she deserves it after a performance like this, but I still like her as a performer all the same; not to mention, I seriously like the name Paige. I’ll miss hearing it on TV.
Crystal Bowersox, “Give me One Reason” by Tracy Chapman
E: I love you, Crystal! When I heard the words “electric guitar,” I thought that maybe I wouldn’t be put asleep. The electric guitar is used for loud, upbeat songs. I hope she wouldn’t let me down!
You had to be kidding me! Where had the pumpiness gone? I was going to be put to sleep soon!Yes!
There we go. Oh! Then she lost it. What was this?! A roller coaster. At least she has a powerful voice and a good stage presence. She knows what she’s doing, and I will be seeing her next week.
M: Can I just say, “finally?”
And in more than one way, too. I finally saw someone since David Cook get up on stage with an electric guitar and not make a fool of themselves; I finally saw Crystal continue to step out of her shell; and I FINALLY saw a girl’s performance on Tuesday that blew me away.
Because how couldn’t Crystal and her powerhouse vocals have blown you away? Crystal succeeded in every way that every contestant before her failed. She chose the right song, executed it flawlessly and,
most importantly, was able to prove to America that she was for what “Idol” is truly searching: an artist.
A pure, creative, genuine artist.
At first, I wondered how Crystal would be able to adjust to “Idol” and its Hollywood ways. After all, as a 24-year-old mother rocking dread locks and a piercing under her lip, Crystal Bowersox is not the spitting image of previous winners like Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood.
But guess what? That’s what makes her who she is. And I’m a fan.
Lilly Scott, “I Fall to Pieces” by Patsy Cline
E: Was this country, Lilly Scott? Why, it almost sounded like it. It suited her voice very well, and she didn’t put me to sleep, which was fabulous because pretty much everyone else had. Lilly, you had one of the best performances of the night. I will be seeing you in the Top 12 with your funky earrings, unique style and various instruments.
M: Can I just start off by saying that I want Lilly’s style sense? Her dress was gorgeous tonight, and I swear, if I could pull of the platinum blond locks the way she does, I’d try it in a heartbeat (Too bad I couldn’t). Her style is unique but also just undeniably Lilly; she, just like our other female front-runner, knows how to be herself.
That shows in her music, as well, particularly tonight: Although her rendition of “I Fall to Pieces” wasn’t my favorite out of what she’s done on the show thus far (I still love how she was bold enough to take on The Beatles in the Top 24), she proved to me that she could do what Adam was a pro at last season: tackling any genre and making it her own. If Lilly Scott and her bold fashion statements can make that country song current, then, well, what can’t she do?
Overall:
E: All the songs tonight were sleep-tastic. The girls could make an I-can’t-fall-asleep CD. Sadly, the first person who would be on the CD would put whoever asleep and none of the other girls would be heard. The judges keep saying that the girls are the most talented. Well, I HIGHLY DISAGREE. I have yet to see this star power/talent that the girls supposedly have. I think the boys have to talent, and they will be holding onto that for a while, even into the Top 12.
M: Tonight was just downright dissapointing. I thought that the first week without Haeley would be an instant success just because she wasn’t there, but now I’m starting to think the opposite. Hey, maybe Haeley being here actually made the other performers seem better just because she was so much worse — let’s just hope that they come around and redeem themselves come the Top 12.
E: Hits: Crystal and Lilly
Misses: Katie, Siobhan, Lacey, Katelyn, Didi
The Big Misses: Paige
M: Hits: Crystal, Lilly
Misses: Paige, Katie, Lacey
M: Who should go home: Paige, Lacey
Who will go home: Paige, Lacey
-Emmy Lindfors and Maddie Conway
