Kevin's LEC

It’s the night of the top 8 girls time to let the good sounds vibrate throughout the room.  I feel like we should have some outstanding performances and I look for a few of the ladies to step it up as they need  a good week after last weeks performance. 

• Katie Stevens – Good tone girl.  I love your pitch, and versatility.  Not one of my most favorite performance by you but strong as always.  Being first I really think you need to wow us and while I thought your performance was great I felt like you played it safe. 
• Randy: karaoke feeling and didn’t get it.
• Ellen: Right Song Choice played it safe.
• Kara: Don’t think you know who you are as an artist.  Singing needed to be perfect but it isn’t.
• Simon: You seem confused though to your credit you take the advice and work with but no identity yet.
• Siobhan Magnus – I hope tonight you pull another terrific performance out of your hat. House of the Rising song is one I love and I look forward to hearing your rendition and voice. A cappella start excellent choice.  You have the voice to pull it off and send chills down spines.  Pitch may be a bit of a concern tonight.  Wonderful dynamics be careful not to screech the louder parts.  Home Run in my eyes and ears great job.
• Randy:  Keep doing what your doing it’s hot.
• Ellen: Knows that house, you are why she loves music. 
• Kara: Loved the a cappella vibe at the front.
• Simon: Not a fan.  Interview to performance felt it was weird.  Didn’t do anything different.  Felt there was no moment.
• Lacey Brown – I know you can do better than last week girl.  Make me remember this performance.  Lacey what can I say I felt it was lacking emotion and forgettable.  Just didn’t stand out for me and I really can’t say why.  I keep looking for something that will make me notice and remember your performance as I think you seem like a nice girl but that performance just didn’t do it for me.
• Randy: Sleepy but best performance in a long time
• Ellen: Best song for her to date.
• Kara: Performances like this is why you got here.
• Simon: Didn’t love the song but you sang it very well.  Haven’t heard the right song for you yet.  Perhaps that is what I’m looking for.
• Katelyn Epperly – I loved what you did last week it’s going to get harder to wow me now but I know you can do it.  Great tone don’t think I’ve seen this side of you yet and am liking it.  My foot was taping right along.  Love this piece for you.  You made it seem so easy tonight.  Definitely my favorite thus far for the night.   Excellent pitch and tone I believe.
• Randy: Positive loved the hair but did not see the connection in the song.
• Ellen: Not certain if that was the right song to wow people not enough.
• Kara: Felt like you weren’t competing tonight.
• Simon: Positive likes your hair.  It was request night at a restaurant.  May have been a mistake.
• ME: I disagree with all the above. 
• Didi Benami – Come on girl last week you took a huge risk and it just didn’t work for me.  I am a fan but need you to wow me tonight.  I know you are capable otherwise you wouldn’t be there.  This is what I was talking about.  I love your sound.  You and the guitar are hot.  Don’t loose that.  Pitch was good I think a few notes fell off their mark but overall all good.  Much better than last week.
• Randy: Much better than last week not seeing the wow.
• Ellen: ‘Yes indeedy Didi.  Was nervous but liked what you did with it.
• Kara: One of my favorite moments of the show so far this season.
• Simon: Head and shoulders above anything heard tonight. Did have a wow moment.
• Paige Miles – Last week I for the most part agreed with Simon.  I felt frustrated and let down.  I know you can do better show it tonight it’s on the line.  You look scared, I know your trying to put in emotion, oops pitch, however it just appears like your a terrified puppy.  Sorry Paige I am not liking your song choice.  Your pitch seems all over the place and your just not pulling it off in my mind.  I think you did better last week and have just had another disaster this week.
• Randy: Did not work, song way to big.
• Ellen: Song is suppose to uplifting but was sad and heavy.
• Kara: All wrong.  Tonight was not the night for that song.
• Simon: Horrible choice of song.  Arrangement was awful.  Peanut performance.  It’s such a shame, you have a great voice ( I agree highly. )
• Crystal Bowersox – While your performance last week was a terrific improvement I hope you are bringing more tonight.  Interesting song choice.  Not certain, well you just caught my attention so never mind.  Keep going good pitch, sound and feel.  It would appear you have found your niche.  You have that quality that really helped pull that performance together.  Maybe not the best of the night but great job.  I Loved it.
• Randy: Loved It.
• Ellen: Needs new adjectives best of night.
• Kara: Great song choice for you.  I can see you.
• Simon: One Million % top twelve next week.  Definitely most improved.
• Lilly Scott – I loved your bluesy feel last week and look forward to seeing what you bring to the stage tonight.  ‘I fall to pieces’ High standard to fall in and one of my favorite songs by Patsy Cline.  I’m sorry your just not hitting it for me I’m worried about pitch.  Song is not suppose to be a happy one.  I don’t feel you changed it up enough.  Love that you can hit those notes but I’m sorry I did not enjoy it as much as I feel I could have.  I really think you could have done an overall better job with it.  This was just not the right direction for me.  I’m still a huge fan of your voice.
• Randy: Loved it.
• Ellen : Loved it.
• Kara: Made it current.
• Simon: Very brave but it didn’t have the wow factor.

It’s time to face the piper so to speak.  Let’s see which of our four Idols are staying and which are going home.  I love the group performances.  The producers picked a good song this time.  Very entertaining opening number.

• Tim Urban is safe.
• Todrick Hall I didn’t think did that bad nor think he should be going home and he is not.
• Michael Lynche Big Mike I think will be safe and he is.
• Casey  James should be safe and he is.
• John Park sang gravity Randy and Ellen liked but worried about pitch.  John Park goes home.  I can’t say I’m all that surprised.
• Lee Dewyze sang Lips of an Angel – Lee is safe.  I’m not surprised he nailed his performance.
• Aaron Kelly sang My Girl – and is safe, another one of my favorites from the other night.
• Alex Lambert is safe, I can’t really say I enjoyed his performance so am a bit surprised.
• Jermaine  Sellers is going home.  I missed his performance.
• Andrew Garcia is safe and I’m glad he has another chance. 

For the guys I really feel based on this weeks performances that America got it right.  It will get more challenging the further we go.  Let’s see where the ladies fall.  Danny Goeke performance showed he has grown since being on the idol.  I still love his tone and he is better than he was.  I’m glad to see he has continued to grow.

• Crystal Bowersox – I felt nailed her performance and I feel should be safe.
• Result is safe and I’m not surprised.
• Haeley Vaughn – Her performance just wasn’t there for me and I agree with Simon it was an utter mess.
• Result is going home.  I am not surprised.  Best of luck to you, time and work you can still do wonders with it.
• Lacey Brown – Simon felt she came across as being here for the wrong reasons.  I too felt her performance lacking.
• Result is safe.
• Katie Stevens – Although she has a great voice I felt bored and did not remember the performance.
• Result is safe.
• Didi Benami – I felt very let down and disappointed.  I know she could have done better.
• Result is safe.  Didi I hope you pull it together better next week.  I know you can do better and look forward to hearing it you got a second chance make the best of it.
• Michelle Delamor – Took a risk and I felt she did the song justice and her risk paid off we’ll have to see.
• Result is going home.  I’m shocked it was down to you or Didi and based on last night I felt it should have been Didi.  You are great just keep going and best of luck to you girl.
• Lilly Scott – Don’t fully remember the performance.  What stuck with me is the blues quality in your voice.  I hope you stay I’d like to see more from you.
• Result is Safe.
• Katelyn Epperly – Loved the performance and it still sticks with me.  Look forward to seeing you next week.
• Result is safe.
• Paige Miles – Felt like something was lacking.
• Result is safe.
• Siobhan Magnus – Loved your voice and would be devastated if you go home today.
• Result is safe and again I’m not surprised.

I’m not too surprised with the overall results.  The only shocker was Michelle over some of the other girls.  Just goes to show how important your vote is.  Down to the top 16 starting next week.  I look forward to following it more.

All set and ready for another night of American Idol.  Tonight should be a good show with talented ladies.  Randy rates the guys high and encourages more from the girls.

• Crystal Bowersox: One thing I will say is that I love her pitch.  Just don’t like the screaming.  100% better than last week and she does not seem as street performer.  Enjoying the emotion.  She said she wanted it to be a little more gospel in her rendition and I feel she succeeded.  Not a wowing performance but good none the less.  Randy gave good report.  Ellen did as well saying it’s raw natural talent.  I do agree.  Kara said she recovered from last week and that she hit a new level.  Simon acknowledges how sick she was and states she is a serious artist.  Compliments all the way around.
• Haeley Vaughn: A bit bubbly but let’s see how she does with her song.  She seems tense tonight and needs to loosen up a bit.  Great move in to the chorus but I’m not sure if her pitch is on.  Decent performance, I don’t think she has found her niche yet.  Once she does she could be formidable.  Randy keeping it real didn’t work for him.  ‘Excruciating, pitchy’.  Ellen says she shouldn’t stop smiling and she did not connect.  It was memorized and had no feeling.  Kara she needs about a year to strengthen her voice.  Simon blunt as always says  it was a complete and utter mess. 
• Lacey Brown: I hope we like it as well Lacey.  Starting off pitchy come on girl recover.  Better, rough start could hurt.  Once she got in the chorus it sounds good, she has decent sound and performance is over all better than last week.  A more upbeat song which makes it more enjoyable but I feel it could be forgettable to a lot of people.  Randy felt it was very Karaoke and I agree.  Ellen felt she didn’t change it up and that it was adorable and good.  Kara felt last week they were losing her tone.  Kara wants her to step it up.  Simon felt marginally better than last week and that she is participating in a contest versus showcasing her talent.  I agree whole heartedly.
• Katie Stevens: What a voice.  wow.  Boring song for me.  but I like more upbeat songs.  Pitch sounds great and the song is much more relevant to her this week than last week.  I can’t say that I’ll remember this performance come tomorrow but she did an excellent job.  Randy it had moments and that she needs to take a few more risks.  Ellen can’t believe she’s 17 and that the performance was still too old for her and not to hear what she would in her dentist office.  Kara agrees with Ellen and is frustrated.  Kara feels the end was better than beginning.  Simon ‘get some experience and tell us what kind of recording artist you want to be’ also that it was not a winning performance.
• Didi Benami:  Lean on Me by Bill Withers I love the song you better wow me girl.   No your getting swallowed up by the band.  I can barely hear you.  Chorus is a little better.  I love the way you feel the music but I must admit I’m disappointed I expected more and I know you have it in you.  Don’t know if the song was too big or what but it did not work for me.  Randy – Deep rooted soul song did not work.  Ellen – Loves her voice not the best song choice for her.  Kara – It wasn’t good.  Looking for consistency.  Simon – Bad choice of song, is frustrated, felt it was a wasted opportunity.
• Michelle Delamor: With Arms wide open by Creed very risky.  Another song I love and I know you can do it.  I love the softness in your voice.  Sounds good to me.  I’m liking it and am enjoying what you have done with it. Towards the end I feel you may have changed a tad too much but I love what you did.  Overall  I loved your performance and feel I will remember it tomorrow.  Randy – A few pitch problems. Most pos outfit.  Didn’t do enough with it.  Ellen – Did do a lot with it.  Almost worded but not quite.  Kara – Favorite of hers to this point.  Felt believable.  Simon – With Kara, thought first half was stronger than second half.  Took a risk and it paid off.
• Lilly Scott: Good voice and pitch, almost too soft in the beginning then it seems like you got into your groove and the song had a good bluesy feel to it.  I think you’ll make an awesome blues singer should you go that route.  Overall a good performance but not one I’m sure I’ll remember tomorrow. Randy – Love the unique quality, Worked it out favorite of the night.  Ellen – You have got it.  Best of the night.  Kara – You just had your first moment, riveted to see what came next.  Simon – Makes the point about being relevant and showcasing.  Thought it was good and feels Crystal was stronger.
• Katelyn Epperly:  You defiantly hit your intimacy goal.  Very sweet and enduring.  In one word Elegance.  You have a great voice and tone and the emotion in your eyes told the story to back up the lyrics.  Wonderful while not a big fan of slow songs I loved the work you did with this.  Randy – Really liked it, great until the last couple of notes.  Ellen – liked that she was playing the piano.  She fell asleep too slow.  Big note at the end woke her.  Kara – kind of loved her.  have an incredible instrument.  Figure out who you are real quick.  Simon – smart choice of song made her contemporary, worried she might become corny.
• Paige Miles:  Good pitch, not really enjoying the performance. Your doing a good job but I feel like something is just lacking.  You can hit those notes just felt very night club to me.  Randy – Liked it not over the top with it.  Not the best choice for her wants to hear longer notes.  Ellen – Disagreed with Randy and loved it.  Kara – smile and have fun but lack of the connection.  Simon – agree with randy.  Two weeks in a row bad song choice.  Strong voice with bad decisions.
• Siobhan Magnus:  Think by Aretha Franklin big song good luck girl.  You have the personality for the song, I have my foot taping right along.  Great job on the high notes.  Congratulations you are knocking it out of the park.  This is your caliber girl.  Not certain if you made your own version but you caught my attention well done.  Randy – It was dope he loved it.  Ellen – Loved it too compared her to a snuggie.  Kara – can’t get over that note.  Simon – Such a strange person as a compliment.

I have no idea who’s going home but I loved Crystal, Katelyn, and Siobhan.  Look forward to results tomorrow.

Well it’s another night of American Idol.  Let’s see how the guys do.  Crystal was taken to the hospital and that is why the guys came on tonight instead of the ladies.  Well I wonder what happened there.

• Big Mike Lynche is first with a James Brown song ‘This is a man’s world’   Pitch seems good.  Emotion seems there I’m enjoying his performance Don’t like the song choice but I’m not a James Brown fan to begin with. All in all I’d have to say good performance, while I still like him overall I still feel he needs to step it up even more. I agree with the judges it’s the best we’ve gotten from Big Mike but I still feel he can deliver more.
• John Park is up next I appreciate his self reflection from what he did last week.  Song will be ‘Gravity’ by John Meyer.  Aarrghhhhh another slow song.  He caught my attention with the first note and seems to be holding my enjoyment.  A bit pitchy in the chorus I think.  Just slightly though.  I feel overall a better song choice.  I agree with Randy there was nothing new on the take of the song.  I think this kid, should go far if he can continue to grow as he did over this past week.  I can see what Simon is saying Believability is a big issue.  Thank you Kara, yes get out of the Ballad Sleepy thing.
• Casey James is on next hey can you redo our house here? lol  Such a refreshing personality.  Can definitely rock the guitar, This is they type of performance I enjoy.  Pitch is good occasional problems.  Weird sound when he swallows the mike.  Overall best of the night for me thus far.  Split Jury on the Judges.  I seem to agree with Kara and Simon.  I still feel overall his overall performance is best for the night thus far.
• Alex Lambert is up singing John Legends ‘Everybody Knows’.  Ouch bad song choice, I’m not even sure if the guitar is in tune.  Pitch is awful.  Middle of song is a little better.  His pitch is killing him tonight maybe he should have gotten sick before hand.  Not seeing any kind of wow.  I can’t remember last weeks performance.  I agree with Simon, confidence is definitely lacking in this kid.  I stand by my earlier statements just didn’t sound right or look right for me.
• Todrick Hall, I think it’s great that this kid listens to the judges and is attempting to become a better artist as a result.  His voice is so clear, on the fence right now.  Pitch sounds good until the chorus.  May have changed the song a bit to much.  I applaud the originality,  he seems to have come around in the second half.  I almost feel his arrangement is just weird.
• Jermaine Sellers I missed the performance due to taking our puppy for his last nightly walk.
• Andrew Garcia: Pitch wasn’t there.  I enjoyed the overall performance.  I feel something was lacking.  Not certain what he is missing.  I agree with Kara the song was a safe choice.  I agree with Simon as well not a wowing performance and was okay.  Although I do enjoy his voice.  I look forward to next week seeing what he comes up with.
• Aaron Kelly: My Girl by the temptations is a large order.  He appears much more confident than last week.  He’s sticking close to the original.  I’m afraid he might get dinged for not making it his own.  I’m actually enjoying this performance way more than the others it has energy, and the pitch is good.  This song would have made me stop and watch the show.  Good critique from Randy.  Ellen said forgettable and I actually disagree.  Kara gave a good critique.  Simon didn’t like it because he felt it was all over the place.  I disagree with Simon.  I understand what Simon is saying but I feel his performance outshined the others tonight.  I think Simon wants this kid to be his very best and will therefore always have a constructive critique for him.
• Tim Urban:  I look forward and appreciate his pre song candor.  So much better than last week.  He seems much more in his element tonight and less like a David Cassidy Imitator.  Randy saying Karaoke.  I didn’t hear the pitch problems Randy and Ellen are saying.  Kara saying he needs to work on arrangement may be what he needs.  Simon gave kudos.  I agree with Simon and am impressed by his overall approach.
• Lee Dewyze:  Stage presence aplenty.  Excellent, I think there may have been one or two notes he missed.  Excellent emotion, wonderful feeling.  Seems like they saved the best for last.  He took a chance but I feel it paid off.  We have a new winner for the night. 

All in all there were only a few gentleman that really stood out.  I look forward to results.  I have no real solid predictions other than I see Lee, and Aaron as definite long term contenders.  Big Mike may be there longer but really has some heavy competition in my eyes.