IDOL UPDATE: TOP 7 TO PERFORM TONIGHT & RANKINGS

SEASON 11, TOP 7 of AMERICAN IDOL

The TOP 7 will perform tonight on the American Idol stage with this week’s theme, songs of this decade, as in songs recently recorded from 2010-12. Obviously, this should definitely help the younger contestants, who’ve been asked on many a week so far to sing songs from before they were born, almost every week since the finals started. The last time that we had a more current theme, the result was by far the best performance night we’ve had all year on Idol. Hopefully everyone should be able to pick a song they’re comfortable with, and one that isn't too obscure. My advice: pick a song that you love singing, and sing it like it's your own!

OK....let's move on to my TOP 7 RANKINGS headed into tonight's show, drum roll please.......

1.  Jessica Sanchez.......still by far the most talented singer and overall performer in the competition. I see her having another great night on stage tonight!
2. Colton Dixon......has a knack for taking a song and truly turning into something current and making it his own....he's in a fight with Phillip for this 2nd spot.
3. Phillip Phillips.....probably most peoples pick to win it all or at least be in the Finals, but I still think he's too much like Lee DeWyze of two years ago.....boring and predictable!
4. Joshua Ledet.....great voice, maybe 2nd best next to Jessica, but has a tendency to over-sing and scream a bit to much. If he controls that, he's my designated 'dark-horse' for the Finals
5. Elise Testone.....truth be told I'd love to rank her higher here and see her in the Finals, but she's too inconsistent. She needs a BIG night tonight, but sadly, I see her struggling with songs of the last few years. Come on Elise, I'm pulling for 'ya big time!
6. Skylar Laine.....I'm still not sold on the young Reba wanna-be. I think she's got some polishing up to do, and isn't ready or worthy of too much praise and 'over-hype' at this point.
7. Hollie Cavanaugh........tons of potential here and just hasn't been able to find the right songs to connect with the last few weeks. More so than Elise, she is fighting for her Idol life tonight, so she needs that magical performance to turn some votes her way! Tonight's current music theme should help her in a big way.

OK….who's your favorites from the TOP 7? Who's 'in it to win it'? More from Eddie Idol after the TOP 7 perform a current hit on tonight's two-hour (no idea why it's still two hours, could easily be cut to an hour!) show on FOX.

As always, stay tuned for more ‘Eddie Idol’ chatter and grades on each performance…….after the show!