The Votes Are In: IDOL 'TOP 9' Unveiled!

After an entertaining night of Idol contestants performing Elton John classics Wednesday night, America had some tough choices to make and vote for their favorites. And VOTE they did....to the tune of an Idol record 55 Million votes! WOW! That's a lot of text messages and phone calls for sure!
We learned early in the show from Ryan Seacrest that Casey Abrams received many of those votes, so he's safe for another week. There were really no surprises that the BOTTOM 3 were: Naima Adedapo, Thia Megia and Paul McDonald. And the 2 voted off by America are:

• Naima Adedapo-She's NOT 'still standing' anymore after the reggae performance Wednesday night led to her downfall

• Thia Megia- Just not enough energy from this 16-year old phenom, but she'll be OK....and I wouldn't be surprised to see her competing on Idol again next year, or on X-Factor this fall, so keep an eye out for her.

Sooooo.....with the two ladies eliminated, unfortunately that means Paul 'Smiley' McDonald lives on to squeak out another obscure tune next week.....ugh.....the pain!

Paul McDonald Lives On!

Other 'Idol' thoughts from Thursday night's results show....

• Best performance of the night by far (and this includes the non-Idol performers too!) was Scottie and Lauren with the country duet of "I Told You So".....very well done!
• Maybe we got a sneak peak of Pia Toscano actually showing some movement on stage with Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" during the threesome performance with Haley and Thia, though I think Haley out-sung her on stage. Not to heap trash on Thia, but she looked out of place here.
• I have NEVER liked Fantasia, and last night's performance just added to my dislike for her. What was that all about anyway? From the crazy hairdo to the dress to the song....HORRIBLE! I flipped over the Flyers game until she was done....Ugh!
• Don't worry about the foursome of James, Paul, Casey and Stefano performing together anywhere soon as a band. Their version of "Band On the Run" had me running to the kitchen for another glass of wine to get through the song......painful!

What are your thoughts on this week's results? Were the right folks sent home? If not, who do you think should have been voted off? Who are your current favorites to make it to the Finals? Let Eddie Idol know your thoughts.
More to come before the 'TOP 9' performances next Wednesday night, but for now, Eddie Idol is.....OUT!  

IDOL TOP 11 Grades: Which Two Go Home Tonight?

Last night’s show on IDOL was supposed to be ‘Songs from the 80’s’, but in a surprising change, it was the contestants choosing and singing songs from the ‘Elton John Songbook’, and it was a VERY entertaining show! I’m still not over the ‘Casey Abrams Save’ from last week, think it was a wasted save and horrible move, one that will come back to haunt the judges over the coming weeks.

That being said, because of the Madman being saved, all TOP 11 will tour, and tonight, two contestants will be sent home, as we find out who the ‘TOP 9’ are…..so dim the lights…..here we go….

• Scotty McCreery: Sang “Country Comfort”…..only song Elton ever performed with a country twist to it. It was awesome, and I agree with Randy, I can see this song on his first album and being performed at a concert, well done Scottie! This kid is a young George Strait. TOP 9 and safe! Grade: A-
• Naima Adedapo: Sang “I’m Still Standing”…. Reggae style, which people will either love or hate. Props to he for taking a risk and being creative, something most folks are NOT doing this year. Probably ‘Bottom 3’ tonight, but I hope for her creativity she doesn’t get sent home. Grade: C+
• Paul McDonald: Sang “Rocket Man”, a song he said he performed years ago with his band and it was a disaster. Well, guess what Paul….it’s still a disaster! Performance did nothing to change my mind that this kid should be sent home. And the flowered suit….again??!! See you on a crest commercial Paul….BOTTOM 3 tonight and should be one of the two to go home! L Grade: D+
• Pia Toscano: Sang “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me”….YES….another ballad for her, and even though she did exactly what all the judges told her not to do at the end of last week’s performance, she nailed it again with another perfect vocal. Still the Front-Runner and still the one to beat!  Grade:A
•  Stefano Langone: Chose to sing “Tiny Dancer”, 2^nd week in a row with a horrible song choice!  Stefano does not do well with ballads, he’s much better with up-tempo songs…and he struggled mightily with this song choice, just as Jimmy predicted he would. Thought the move at the end reaching out to J-Lo was pretty cheesy too….He’s in my BOTTOM 3 tonight for the 2^nd straight week. Grade: D
• Lauren Alaina: Sang the EJ classic “Candle In The Wind.” First time I listened to this I wasn’t moved and thought it was just OK. 2^nd time though, I thought it was as good as the judges thought. Nicely done, but someone needs to pull this girl aside and teach her how to interview and not talk like she’s 12 years old! TOP 9! Grade: B
•  James Durbin: James chooses exactly the song I thought he should with “Saturday Night’s Alright.” He’s certainly not perfect vocally, but his energy, passion and planning on this one was impressive! TOP 9 and still FINAL 4 for me!   Grade: B+
• Thia Megia: Sings “Daniel”, and vocally, it was fine, but also nothing special and just OK. I know I’m being repetitive here with her, but that’s just like she is with her song choices. She could very well be in the dreaded ‘BOTTOM 3’ tonight, and could be going home…..just like the prior week.  Grade: C-
• Casey Abrams: Sang “Your Song.” OK….so you know I’m already bitter that this kid was saved last week, and last night’s performance did NOTHING to change my feelings that he’s very poor vocally. It wasn’t nearly as good as the judges said, and it was very pitchy. I could hear as good a performance at a local bar on karaoke night. I hope he’s in the BOTTOM 3 again, and this time…..he goes home! Grade: D-
• Jacob Lusk: Sang “Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word”. Not one of his better performances, and his facial expressions are downright scary at times! YIKES! :-o I would not be shocked if he was in the BOTTOM 3 tonight, but the last note of the song last night probably saved him from elimination…..so….TOP 9. Grade: C
• Haley Reinhart: Sang “Bennie and The Jets.” She had the coveted final spot of the night, and did not disappoint! It was a great song choice, she really sang it well, had fun performing it, and I believe it was her best performance yet! As Steven Tyler says….she SINGS SEXY!  NO bottom 3 for her tonight, TOP 9! Grade: A-

Tonight’s one-hour results show on FOX (8-9PM) should be exciting. I’m hoping that besides the entertainers announced who are scheduled to perform (NONE of which I care to see or mention her) that Elton John will make a surprise stop on the show and perform!

OK…..that’s it from Eddie Idol for now….more to follow…….after the votes tonight!   

IDOL TOP 11 Grades....and Who Makes the 'TOURING TOP 10'?

Last night’s 'Motown Classics’ show on IDOL was VERY entertaining, and America is faced with a tough choice for sure on who to send home next. So tonight we find out who the ‘TOURING TOP 10’ are…..so dim the lights…..here we go….

• Casey Abrams: Kicked things off with “Heard It Through the Grapevine.” OK….enough with the Casey love-fest here! If the show was called ‘American Entertainer’, Casey would be the front-runner…..but it’s a SINGING competition people, and judges too! He’ll tour with the TOP 10….but he’s poor vocally, and he always looks angry and mad at someone….ok, new nickname….’Casey The Madman’….Grade: C-
• Thia Megia: Sings “Heat Wave.” Vocally it was fine, but also nothing special and just OK. She opened up more, but it was very karaoke for me. Not enough heat for me Thia! She’ll be in the dreaded ‘BOTTOM 3’ tonight, and could be going home.  Grade: C+
• Jacob Lusk: Sang “You’re All I Need to Get By.” Steven Tyler was so impressed he rushed on stage to hug ‘Baby Luther’. Vocally, I was impressed with his control and he delivered an awesome performance. Touring! Grade: A-

·        Lauren Alaina: Our country gal sang “You Keep Me Hanging On.” Truth be told, I’m not a big fan of Lauren, but this was probably her best performance since the finals started. She was very entertaining, looked great on stage, and vocally delivered some country sass and attitude to a Motown classic . Grade: B+

·        Stefano Langone: I knew it was a disaster at “Hello” from Lionel Richie! Horrible song choice! L Stefano promises to keep his eyes open, but ….sorry big guy, the eyes closed every time on the big notes. He’s safe for another week and will tour, but in my opinion, no way close as good as last week, and should be in the BOTTOM 3 tonight if I was voting……but he probably won’t be thanks to all those young girls’ texting 75-100 messages on their unlimited text plans that mom and dad buy for them!  Grade: D+

• Haley Reinhart: Sang “You’ve Really Got a Hold On Me.” She looks like Mariah Carey on stage, but did she do better vocally?  The opening was bad, thought she was going to trip down the steps, and you could barely hear her. I agree with what the judges said, as Haley pulled it together in the middle and toward the end, and is a very sexy, soulful singer on stage….but will it be enough? I hope so, but something tells me ‘BOTTOM 3’ and could be headed home tonight. Truth be told, I’d rather see her stay and Thia go, I think Thia is in over her head here and Haley’s a better singer . Grade: B-
• Scotty McCreery: Sang “For Once in My Life,” with a country style. Just OK for me, and he’s a little too animated with all the facial expressions and gestures…..but he was successful in taking a Motown song and making it country to suit his vocal style. TOP 10 and safe! Grade: C+
• Pia Toscano: Sang “All in Love is Fair.” Yet another ballad for her, and even though it wasn’t her best, she still turned in a perfect vocal. She hits notes that no one else in this competition can, and I think is your next Celine Dion in the recording industry.  But I also agree with Randy…..one cannot live on ballads alone, and sooner or later she has to break out and do something different. Steven called her the ‘closest star in the American Idol Universe’. And, by the way, she looked elegant and very beautiful on stage the way she was dressed.  Front-Runner and the one to beat!  Grade:A

·        Paul McDonald: Sang “Tracks of My Tears”, but Paul…..you’re no Adam Lambert! Remember when Adam did it last year? He had Smokey in tears! Paul used his guitar for the first time on stage. He certainly looked more comfortable behind the guitar, and it obviously helped, because that was his best vocal yet, though there is some question of whether he flubbed on the words of the song, which EI follower Pete ‘I Know Motown’ Rosendale pointed out to me in an earlier message today. Safe and TOP 10…..unfortunately! L Grade: C+

• Naima Adedapo: Sang “Dancing in the Streets.”  Naima entertained, singing well and adding some African dance moves too. She wasn’t nearly as pitchy as she had been the past couple weeks. I think it was good enough to buy her another week on the show, a Summer Tour with the TOP 10, and should keep her OUT of the ‘Bottom 3’ tonight. Grade: B-

·        James Durbin: James gets to close the show singing “Living for the City.” Tough spot to be in, either sink or swim in the spotlight of the last slot of the two-hour marathon show. It started out a little rough for me, but he’s a performer and an entertainer, and once he got rockin’, it was all good! He still needs to stay focused and cut back on the cockiness though. If he controls that, he could be in it until the end. TOP 10 and FINAL 4 for sure!   Grade: B+

Tonight’s one-hour results show on FOX (8-9PM)  will feature former Idol’s Jennifer Hudson and Casey James. Casey’s working on a debut album in Nashville, is rumored to be making an appearance (may just be a crowd spectator?) as he is currently the opening act for the talented country duo SUGARLAND (a fav of Eddie Idol!) on their current US concert  tour. Looking forward to seeing them perform tonight, but odd that IDOL picked Motown Week to have them perform on the show.
OK…..that’s it from Eddie Idol for now….more to follow…….after the votes!   

IDOL: The TOP 11....Rankings and Who Makes the 'Touring Top 10'?

Last week’s IDOL theme was the old stand by ‘songs from the year contestants were born’. Up this week: yet another tired old theme without flexibility…Classic Motown Tunes, one which I’m sure certain folks will struggle with, first that comes to mind is Scotty McDonald and Lauren Alaina….let’s see if they can both sing something other than country!
Up until tonight’s show, here are my thoughts and Rankings on the TOP 11, based on 3 factors: Vocal ability, Stage Presence, and…can they sell records IF they win!

1.    Pia Toscano- I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…the girl has some pipes and can flat out hit notes nobody else can….but can she be more than a Celine Dion Diva wanna-be…..she needs to open up more on stage, and entertain the audience MORE.

2.    Scotty McReery- This kid has gone from someone who I didn’t think was worthy of the TOP 24 to possibly being in the finals….he’s got the country niche nailed and can sell albums afterward

3.    James Durbin- Much talent but a little cocky too….but he has the potential to be in the finals if he puts it all together and keeps focused and more humble that he’s been given the opportunity he has. He’s certainly got the rocker niche nailed down!

4.    Casey Abrams- He’s talented, but very odd….and I’m still not sold on him. There’s a dark side to this kid we don’t know about yet. And just what is this kid’s niche with music? I can’t imagine the type of album he’d make….seriously?

5.    Stefano Langono-He’s grown leaps and bounds, and the judges and America seem to love him. He’s on the rise more so than all others, has stage presence and enough of the young demo to buy a be-bop record he’d make.

6.    Lauren Alaina-Judges and America seem to like her……..but I’m not sold on her vocally. She needs to mature vocally and as a person.

7.    James Lusk- Incredible voice, but lacks the stage presence…and other than a gospel album….what????

8.    Thia Magia- Incredible voice for a 16 year old, sings way beyond her years, but lacks the stage presence it takes to win this thing, yet doesn’t act or dress young enough…..but she’ll still be TOP 10.

9.    Haley Rinehart- Biggest disappointment so far, but has the talent if she’d just put it all together. It’s obvious America (the female vote at least!) is NOT in love with her, voting her in the dreaded ‘Bottom 3’ two weeks in a row. Just not enough guys voting for her. But…with the right song choices and some positive feedback from the judges, think she’ll tour in the TOP 10.

10.           Paul McDonald-The guy is just over-hyped and I don’t see all that the judges and others see. So he’s got a unique voice….so what….I personally think he’s rather poor vocally, has horrible stage presence (big deal, he smiles a lot!), picks obscure songs and is as odd as or odder than Abrams is.

11.           Naima Adedapo-I was happy for her when she made the TOP 24, and maybe she’ll get lucky and tour as a TOP 10 finalist, but she’s got ZERO chance of winning this thing!

OK….that’s it from Eddie Idol before tonight’s Motown Classics Show. Who’s your favorite so far? Who do you think is IN IT TO WIN IT? More reaction from Eddie Idol……AFTER THE SHOW!

NOTE: Anyone know 'technically' why the LINK to my Idol Blog, for whatever reason, when I add it to an e-mail as a hyper-link, the message isn’t making its way to people’s mailboxes? Last week’s and the previous week’s messages were NEVER delivered, even to myself, can’t figure out why!? Help a Blogger out here folks!

TOP 12: Who should go home this week?

Once again….in the interest of running against the clock after a busy day of work and March Madness….here’s my thoughts on last night’s ‘Songs From The Year They Were Born’ show and who’s in trouble tonight…..drum roll please….and dim the lights:

SAFE

·       Casey Abrams-A very odd performance, and squeaky and screechy….if I was voting, he’d be in my bottom 3, but…with America, he should be safe to sing another week….still….a very odd character this Casey is!

·       Pia Toscano- Odd musical arrangement, but she sang a Whitney classic well….VERY SAFE

·       James Durbin- Another nicely done song by rocker Bon Jovi….VERY SAFE

·       James Lusk- He sang last and that always helps, but it was hard for me to grasp the song by Heart….kept envisioning Ann Wilson singing it…..he should be SAFE

·       Scotty McReery- He did Travis Tritt better than Garth, another consistent and well done performance….his start is shining brighter….VERY SAFE

·       Lauren Alaina-Was surprised with a Melissa Etheridge song choice, but she did it well…..SAFE

·       Thia Magia- I thought she sang well, and does sing and sound much older than she really is….SAFE

·       Karen Rodriguez-Actually better than she was the prior week, and should be SAFE

·       Stefano Langono-OK….I’ll give props here, maybe the BEST performance of the night, and clearly in my eyes the best he’s done so far….VERY SAFE

IN TROUBLE:

·       Naima Adedapo-Wasn’t great, hard song by Tina Turner, but was easy to forget, very pitchy…BOTTOM 3 & could well be headed home tonight

·       Haley Rinehart- Didn’t like the song choice or the arrangement, but she does look great on stage….2^nd week in a row though she will most likely be in the dreaded BOTOM 3, and could be headed home…but I truly hope she gets to sing another week! She wasn’t NEARLY AS BAS as Naima or Paul Squeaky McDonald

·       Paul McDonald-Just WTF do the judges and everyone else see in this guy???? OK…so he has a unique voice….so what!! He butchered another classic song, this time an Elton John song, and his moves and mannerisms are just hard to watch. I won’t be surprised at all if he’s in the BOTTOM 3, and I really hope he’s the one going home tonight!

OK….that’s the quick and the skinny from Eddie Idol tonight! Looking forward to the 1-hour show with last year’s winner Lee Dewyze performing, he’s struggling and needs a boost in record sales! NOT looking forward to Black Eyed Peas….I’ll turn the NCAA basketball games on when they perform! More reaction from Eddie Idol……AFTER THE SHOW!

IDOL BOTTOM 3: Did the RIGHT Idol Go Home?

Going into tonight's results show, thought the dreaded BOTTOM 3 would include some combination of Ashthon Jones, Thia Meghia, Stefano Langono, Karen Rodriguez and possibly Paul McDonald because of his obscure song choice that few were familiar with on Wednesday nights show. Of those five, thought the two guys were safest best to stay the course.
So....dim the lights.....and it came as NO surprise that Karen and Ashton were in the BOTTOM 3 mix tonight, but......
Haley Rinehart? Are you freakin' kiddin' me America????? She's got more going for her than most of the girls in the TOP 13 (overall a solid package with voice, looks, stage presence, all the intangibles to be a star!) and has the 2nd best pure voice to Pia. Incredible to me that she had to sweat it out tonight, just incredible! 

But, all is well, and Ashton 'I thought I was a Diva?' Jones is packing her bags at the mansion and headed home tonight, and I'm not surprised or unhappy in the least. There was no way the 'Judges save' was going to be used tonight either, and Ashtn actually sang worse tonight than last night. I will admit that I was a bit surprised that it wasn't Karen leaving instead of her, and think little Thia should be counting her lucky stars that she was not in the BOTTOM 3 mix.

Maybe the BIGGEST announcement of the night? Casey Abrams was absent from the show and is back in the hospital. That’s too bad, because he’s definitely a front-runner in Season 10.

Adam Lambert looked good and sounded good on the acoustic re-mix of 'Aftermath', as I expected he would be. One of the BEST voices ever on Idol......who the heck did he lose out too again? :-/

Overall, a solid Week #1 Finals show......should be many exciting weeks ahead!   

The TOP 13: The GOOD...The BAD..and The UGLY...& Who Goes Home Tonight?

Since the LINK to my Idol Blog for whatever reason wasn’t making its way to people’s mailboxes  (yesterday’s messages never were NEVER delivered, even to myself, can’t figure out why!!??) and in the interest of running against the clock after a busy day of work….here were my thoughts earlier BEFORE tonight’s show: (Posted before the show, with POST SHOW comments to follow)

THE GOOD

·       Casey Abrams-Another solid performance, though I’m still not a BIG fan…..SAFE

·       Pia Toscano- Ditto….the girl has some pipes and can flat out hit notes nobody else can…..SAFE

·       James Durbin- Nicely done rendition and showed his softer side….SAFE

·       Haley Rinehart- In my opinion, the BEST of last night…..SAFE

·       James Lusk- Could have done without all the choir singers, but the guy can hit some serious notes…..SAFE

·       Scotty McReery- I’m a BIG Garth Brooks fan, and this was just OK….not nearly as good as the judges made him out to be , but….SAFE

·       Naima Adedapo-Wasn’t great, but give her credit for stepping OUT of her comfort zone….SAFE

THE BAD

·       Lauren Alaina-From the stupid outfit to all her pitchiness, she butchered the song….Shania had to be cringing….bad performance in my eyes….but good enough in most other folks eyes to make her…..SAFE

·       Ashton Jones-Thought she was just OK…..AGAIN! She could be in the dreaded BOTTOM 3 tonight!

·       Paul McDonald-This guy is quickly getting on my nerves, hated the obscure song and the performance…won’t be surprised at all if he’s in the BOTTOM 3, but he’s probably SAFE to move on.

·       Thia Magia- As I feared in my Idol Blog that I posted early yesterday that nobody read (except Ray and Pete….thanks guys!), she got swallowed up last night and will most likely be in the BOTTOM 3 and could possibly go home tonight

·       Stefano Langono-I didn’t care at all for his performance or his rendition of the Stevie Wonder song….he’s a ‘Latino Justin Bieber wanna-be’…..BOTTOM 3 tonight possibly, but the teenie bopper girls will cast enough votes to keep him SAFE

THE UGLY

·       Karen Rodriguez-Another BORING BALLAD that’s getting old quick….BOTTOM 3…..and BEST chance of going home tonight…BYE-BYE Ballad Queen! At last we get to her David Cook’s farewell song for Season 10!

OK….that’s the quick and the skinny from Eddie Idol tonight! Looking forward to the 1-hour show with Adam Lambert’s acoustical new-mix version of ‘Aftermath’ from his debut album….he’s one talented performer! More reaction from Eddie Idol……AFTER THE SHOW!

The TOP 13: What They Will Be Singing Tonight

The Lineup and Song List for tonight's TOP 13:
Lauren Alaina: “Any Man of Mine” (Shania Twain)
Casey Abrams:  “With a Little Help from My Friends” (The Beatles)
Ashthon Jones: “When You Tell Me that You Love Me” (Diana Ross)
Paul McDonald: “Come Pick Me Up” (Ryan Adams)
Pia Toscano:   “All By Myself” (Eric Carmen)
James Durbin:  “Maybe I’m Amazed” (Paul McCartney)
Haley Reinhart:”Blue” (LeAnn Rimes)
Jacob Lusk:    “I Believe I Can Fly"  (R. Kelly)
Thia Megia:    “Smile” (Charlie Chaplin)
Stefano Langone: “Lately” (Stevie Wonder)
Karen Rodriguez: “I Could Fall in Love” (Selena)
Scotty McCreery: “The River” (Garth Brooks)
Naima Adedapo:   “Umbrella” (Rihanna)

Some thoughts........

• There are an awful lot of ballads on this list, YIKES!....could be a real risk for some, but for Naima, singing in the final spot of the night could be a blessing, I think she'll stand out when she takes the stage and performs, so this could be a BIG moment for her.
• I’m perplexed by James Durbin’s first-round song choice, Paul McCartney’s “Maybe I’m Amazed.” With a theme that Idol singers can choose from— Your Personal Idol — thought he’d choose another rock song for sure.
• Scotty McCreery should do well again singing Garth Brooks’ “The River”, a favorite of mine from the Garth Brooks collection of hits. 
• Karen Rodriguez singing yet another ballad tonight...UGH! :--0
• Looking forward to Haley singing a Lee Ann Rimes song, and Jacob Lusk should shine again singing "I Believe I Can Fly:"
• Paul McDonald is singing an obscure song choice with "Come Pick Me Up", so hopefully it's easily forgettable, and with Alaina going first, maybe she'll lose out with the voters too, although a strong song choice for her with "Any Man of Mine" by Shania Twain.
• Casey and Pia, strong Idol favorites at this point, should both do very well tonight. On the opposite end, I'm afraid getting swallowed up tonight will be Thia, Ashton and Stefano.....not at all crazy about their song choices or their spots in the lineup for tonight's two hour show on Fox.

By the way....IDOL is once again pre-taping this week’s performance show, the first of the Season 10 finals, so we'll have to wait at least another week or so for an actual 'LIVE' performance show on FOX from our finalists.
OK.....an interesting night ahead for sure....more late tonight or tomorrow on the actual performances before the results how tomorrow night....until then, Eddie Idol is....OUT!

THE FINAL 13: THOUGHTS & RECAP

OK.....so I'll start by saying that after 40 Million Votes, 6 Wild Card Sing-Off's and the LARGEST single-night cut ever on Idol.....I’m not 'completely' thrilled with EVERY choice in the 'FINAL 13' picked last night, but....pretty pleased for the most part. Some Eddie Idol thoughts from last night.....

• TOP 5 Guys: Casey Abrams, Jacob Lusk, James Durbin, Scotty McCreery, and Paul McDonald Wild Card: Stefano Langone.  

So....I'll crow here and say my picks were dead on for the TOP 5, though I'm NOT sold on Paul McDonald, but thought America would put him in. Of the 3 Wild Cards chosen to sing again for the guys, I didn't think Stefano was worthy to be in the FINAL 13, thought it should have been Robbie Rosen. Oh well, at least it wasn't Stefano, so I'm glad for that. Have fun building those ships Stefano!

• TOP 5 Girls: Pia Toscano, Lauren Alaina, Haley Reinhart, Karen Rodriguez, Thia Megia            Wild Cards: Ashthon Jones and Naima Adedapo

4 out of 5 here on the TOP 5 for Eddie Idol, so not tooo bad. I'm soooooo glad that Haley and Thia got voted through in the TOP 5, but baffled by Karen Rodriguez, though I'm sure she would have been a Wild Card anyway and pimped by J-Lo. Feel good part of the whole show for me was Naima being chosen as the final spot by Steven Tyler, very happy for her. :-) Still not sold on Ashton Jones and don't think she's the Diva she and the judges think she is, and I thought Kendra was easily the better choice for a Wild Card spot over her...she sang so much better than Ashton did....oh well.....bummer. :-/

• Who Got Screwed? Robbie Rosen and Kendra Chantelle....thought these two should be IN and Karen and Stefano should be OUT and flying back home today. Kendra is especially a talent, and I really think she should not have been passed over, she sang well enough to part of the FINAL 13. She absolutely killed on the middle and end of 'Georgia On My Mind' last night. Judges....WTF?
• How do you spell R-E-L-I-E-F?.....Not having to put up with Clint 'Jun-Bug' Gamboa anymore!
• My Front-Runners: Still sticking with my original two before the TOP 24 were even chosen: Pia Toscano for the gals and James Durbin for the guys, though I think both have stiff competition to beat and it will be a tough battle for both to get to the FINALS.
•  Girls Win!.....and have the edge with a 7-6 tally in the FINAL 13, as EI predicted it would be.
• J-Lo's Video......made me dizzy....too much going on and I didn't know WTH to look at next! :-o

More to come next week when we get two hours of Idol on Wednesday night (8-10PM on FOX) watching the FINAL 13 perform for the first time together, followed by a one-hour results show Thursday night from 8-9 PM on FOX. Adam Lambert is set to perform "Aftermath" from his debut album, but done acoustic style. Also featured that night will be a performance by Diddy-Dirty Money, who will be joined by Skylar Grey.
We’ll also likely hear the new Idol farewell song, for those voted off, by David Cook — the cover of Simple Minds’ “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” — which for some reason was omitted from last night’s show, too tight on time I guess.
OK.....that's a wrap! Until next week....Eddie Idol is....OUT!

TOP 24 WEEK: Girls TOP 12 Recap & Who Should Move On?

There was no doubt that ladies were more impressive last night than the guys were Tuesday night, with way more talent to choose from. I really wish the semifinals lasted much longer than just this one week. I have so many girls rated so closely, it's much harder to pick the TOP 5 for them, and seems unfair to determine their fate by a single performance on the Idol stage.
That said, here’s the recap from last night's show and who I think will be in America's TOP 5 tonight and who may be a Wild Card:

 Ta-Tynisa Wilson- "Only Girl"......From the outfit to the song choice to the vocals, a train wreck! She was very pitchy and did NOTHING to stand out.....ta-ta Tynisa, you're going home tonight!

Naima Adedapo- "Summertime"....Awesome outfit that she wore that she herself designed, and thought she really put her own twist to the song. Very good stage presence too, she's got something 'special' and I hope the voters see that and put her through, but I have a feeling she may get left out and have to be a judge's Wild Card choice......either way, I hope she moves on and isn't sent packing.

Kendra Chantelle- "Impossible"....has the good looks and a solid bluesy voice to match that can hit all ranges, this girl is talented and 'TOP 5' worthy, the only thing that may hurt her tonight is she sang early in the show. If she's NOT voted thru by America, she'll be a good choice as a Wild Card pick.

Rachael Zevita- "Criminal"....I really liked this girl.....BEFORE last night's disaster! What a disappointment, UGH! From the black cape (Holy s*** Batman!) to the strutting all over the stage and almost tripping, just a bit over the top for me and many others I fear. Hope she's got her bags packed, she's headed home tonight.

Karen Rodriguez- "Hero".... Sang in both English and Spanish, much to J-Lo's delight and many others in the Idol audience. Started slowly for me and a bit shaky, but was for more impressive toward the middle and end of the song. Don't think it's TOP 5 worthy, but I think she's in the running for a Wild Card pick.

Lauren Turner- "Seven Day Fool"....Maybe it was the song choice, but it was just OK for me, not great. I don't think America will vote her through, so if she makes it, it'll be as a Wild Card because the judges certainly seem to like her a lot!

Ashton Jones- "Love All Over Me".....She reminds me of Syesha Mercado, but.....I don't like her nearly as much, and I never connected with her on this song.....just didn't do anything for me. I could be wrong, but I think she's going home tonight.

Julie Zorrilla- "Breakaway"....Gotta' say, biggest surprise and disappointment of the night for me. She was in trouble from the moment she picked “Breakaway.” If you’re 'gonna try and sing a Kelly Clarkson song on Idol, you better have the pipes to back it up. Instead, Julie was all over the place and very pitchy. She's done and headed home, but fear not, as I think she's one of the most beautiful Idol Contestants ever on the show, so I'm guessing she'll have a modeling career and we'll see her face on TV at some point.

Haley Reinhart- "Fallin' ".....2nd BEST performance of the night! Don't know WTF Randy was listening to, but this girl has that Idol look and sparkle, and a unique voice to back it all up! Thought she delivered a very sassy and sexy performance, and she's easily in my TOP 5 tonight, just hope America agrees with me....and not Randy on this one!

Thia Megia- "Out Here On My Own"......Most talented 15 year-old in the competition and I've liked her from her audition in Milwaukee. She took a risk by singing a song with a sleepy-type performance on a night when many others did just the opposite, but it seemed to work for her and the judges loved it! So did I, so I'm saying 'TOP 5'.....but if America screws up, then she's a front-runner as a Wild Card pick! 

Lauren Alaina- "Turn On The Radio".....I'm still not all ga-ga over this girl like the judges are, but, she'll make it through as the lone 'country gal' in the competition......TOP 5 tonight because she's been pimped by Idol more than a hooker in South Philly, :-o....but she wouldn't make the cut if I was voting. 

Pia Toscano - "I'll Stand By You"....BEST performance of the night! I've said it before and I'll say it again here....she's the most talented girl and the one to beat in this competition. Breezes through to the TOP 5 tonight!

TOP 5 GIRLS: Based on what I've seen and heard, in this order: Pia Toscano, Haley Reinhart,  Kendra Chantelle, Thia Megia, & Naima Adedapo in the Finals.

As for the WILD CARDS tonight: I would not be at all surprised to see three girls and no guys get the the Wild Card slots from the judges picks, but it will probably be 2 girls + 1 guy, giving the ladies a 7-6 edge in the TOP 13 FINALS.

Speaking of the Idol Judges after the first two shows: Randy is the new 'gentler' Simon, J-Lo the new 'tougher' Paula and although I loved Steven Tyler in the auditions and Hollywood Week, what the heck has happened to him on these first two shows? He's lost his swagger and he looks stoned! Steven....WTF dude?

More from Eddie Idol tomorrow after tonight's two-hour results show (8-10 PM on FOX) and your SEASON 10 TOP 13 is revealed!  

TOP 12 Guy Recap.....Girls up Next

OK, here's a recap of the Guys Performances from Tuesday night's show and who should advance:

• Clint Jun Gamboa- "Superstition"....He looked a big bug on stage with the fake glasses, and way too much jumping around which affected his vocals. Overall a rather weak performance....'Jun Bug' should go home.
• Javany Barreto- "I'll Be"...Good song choice and voice was just OK. Was definitely more karaoke-like than the first, so I agree with the Big Dog on that. Don't think he's worthy to move on in this competition. 
• Jordan Dorsey- "OMG" .....I hate Usher and this was a complete f'in train wreck! I really dislike this guys personality anyway, so I'm glad he failed miserably....bye-bye JD! :-)
• Tim Halperin- "Come On Over"....I was really hoping Tim would do much better, but this was just bad all the way around. He should have done a different song, but....too late now, I say he goes home.
• Brett Lowenstern- "Light My Fire".....Carrot Top, Jr. didn't do anything for me with this song, so instead of lighting the fire, I'm lighting this kids hair on fire and sending him home. C 'ya hair-boy!
• James Durbin- "You Got Another Thing Comin".....Talk about rockin'!! The first time EVER on Idol that a Judas Priest song was performed, and he nailed it, holding back nicely as well on too many 'Adam Lambert type' screeching. Easily a 'TOP 5' worthy performance ....he's IN!
• Robbie Rosen- "Arms of An Angel".....I really like this kid, but I was worried before he even took the stage knowing the song choice ahead of time. I don't think it was a bad performance, but not sure it was good enough to be 'Top 5' worthy. If he moves on, it will have to be as one of the 'Wild Cards'.
•  Scotty McCreery- "Letters From Home".....Gotta' hand out props here, I'm not a big fan, but...great song choice, true to his fan base, and picked a song he could nail with his voice! Easily one of the 'Top 5' guys, he's IN! 
• Stefano Langone- "Just The Way You Are"......Nice kid, but this was just OK, nothing great for me, and don't think he's 'Top 5' worthy. Maybe they'll be enough young chicks to vote him through, but I say if he moves on, it would have to be as one of the three Judge's 'Wild Card' choices.
• Paul McDonald- "Maggie Mae"......I've always been a huge Rod Stewart fan, and I don't think Paul did anything good for this song. Sure he's unique and quirky and all the adjectives used to describe him, and the judges seem to love this guys voice, but is he 'Top 5' worthy? If he goes on, it's by the skin of his teeth......so I'll say America votes him in the 'Top 5'....if not, then he probably moves into the 'Top 13' as a 'Wild Card' pick.
• Jacob Lusk- "A House Is Not A Home"......BEST PERFORMANCE of the night if you ask me! If America knows anything about great vocals, easily a 'TOP 5' performance here! This kid is special. If for some reason America screws up, he's a shoe'in to the 'Top 13' as a Wild Card choice.
• Casey Abrams- " I Put A Spell On You".... I'm still not a BIG fan of this kid like others are....not yet anyway....but this performance was good enough to be 'Top 5' and he's in the finals safely.

The Girls order of performance for tonight's show and song choices:

1. Ta-Tynisa Wilson - “Only Girl” by Rianana
2. Naima Adedapo - “Summertime”  The Old Gershwin song from Porgy and Bess
3. Kendra Chantelle Campbelle - “Impossible” by Christina Aguliera
4.  Rachel Zevita - “Criminal” by Fiona Apple
5.  Karen Rodriguez – “Hero” in Spanish and English (Mirah Carey version)
6. Lauren Turner - “Seven Day Fool" by Etta James but it’s Jully Black’s version
7.  Ashthon Jones- “Love Over Me” by Monica
8. Julie Zorilla - “Breakaway” by Kelly Clarkson
9. Haley Reinhart - "Fallin” by Alicia Keys
10. Thia Megia- “Out Here On My Own” by Irene Cara
11. Lauren Alania Suddeth -“Turn on the Radio” by Reba McIntyre
12. Pia Toscano -“I’ll Stand by You” by Chrissie Hynde & The Pretenders

Should be an exciting night watching the girls performances tonight! I'll have more critique after tonight's show to follow tomorrow. I'll make my TOP 5 Girls picks and add who I think will be the three 'Wild Cards' to round out the 'Top 13', so keep checking back for more from Eddie Idol!  

TOP 24 WEEK: Guys are up First!

One song and DONE.....that’s how the American Idol experience will end for many of this year’s 24 semifinalists.....and that's a darn shame if you ask me!
The drama begins tonight at 8 PM on FOX, when the 12 male semifinalists compete for spots in the finals in a special 90-minute episode of Idol. Thankfully, IDOL is squeezing 12 performances (18-24 minutes of singing) into a 1 1/2 hour time slot instead of stretching it over two hours as they’ve done in the past. The ladies will perform Wednesday night, and the voting results announced on Thursday night's show.
From my research, America's votes will select five males and five females for the finals this week. Each judge will then select a 'wild card' representative, making it the TOP 13 when it's all over on Thursday night. Not sure I'm liking this format, as for some contestants, it may be the first time we hear them sing a complete 90-second song! Geez!! I’m also a bit perplexed by the news that the performance episodes this week are 'pre-taped' rather than 'live', maybe FOX's way of ensuring the show ends on time, but....I'm more than a bit concerned, as pre-taping means editing, and I don’t trust Idol to 'play fair' all the time. Much like the way some contestants are constantly featured during auditions and in Hollywood Week while others are virtually ignored. Could and Idol favorite possibly get a do-over and we as voters not be aware of it? Could happen, and rumors will abound I'm sure on blogs everywhere that it did.
OK.....so check out the list below if you don’t mind knowing what the guys will be singing ahead of time on tonight's show:
1. Clint Jun Gamboa – Superstition by Stevie Wonder
2. Jovany Barreto – I’ll Be by Edwin McCain -
3. Jordan Dorsey – OMG by Usher
4. Tim Halperin – Streetcorner Symphony (Come On Over) (Rob Thomas)
5. Brett Loewenstern – Light My Fire – Doors
6. James Durbin – You Got Another Thing Comin’ by Judas Priest
7. Robbie Rosen – Arms of an Angel by Sarah McLachlan
8. Scott McCreery – Letters From Home – John Michael Montgomery
9. Stefano Langone – Just The Way You Are – (Bruno Mars)
10. Paul McDonald – Maggie Mae by Rod Stewart
11. Jacob Lusk – House is Not a Home
12. Casey Abrams – I Put a Spell On You
Check back tomorrow and Thursday after the guys and gals perform for my assessment and who will be in the TOP 13 on Thursday night......more from Eddie Idol......after the break!