Tonight, the remaining Top 8 American Idols perform songs from the year they were born.
Last week, Megan finally went home, so I’m left with a Top 8 that doesn’t include any more stinker contestants. While I think tonight might end up being the end of the line for Anoop, I’m not hoping anyone in particular goes home. I think we’re going to end up with a top 5 that’ll rival any past season.
Join me here live tonight while the Top 8 perform!
7:57 PM Almost time for the show to start, and I have to confess: I’m battling some sort of cold or flu and my interest level in tonight’s show is pretty low. I’d much rather be curled up in bed with both dogs and a good book. But here’s hoping that someone wows me tonight, because otherwise I might just fall asleep!
Does anyone else think Ryan looks sweet with his new look in the suit? Didn’t really dig the whole polo shirt thing.

Tonight the contestants sing songs from the yearthey were born, and we get to see not onloy their baby photos, but baby photos of the judges. Oh, Randy’s so cute. Kara’s teary in her photo; Ryan says it looks like “she just made a poopy” and she replies that it looks like Simon was baby sitting her. Paula’s pictures is … er … ugly. Simon is pretty funny; and he says “It’s not me.” Paula adds one more picture – Ryan. How cute, with those little rabbit teeth; Paula asks if he liked carrots when he was a kid.
We kick off the show with the oldest contestant, Danny Gokey (born April 24, 1980), singing Mickey Gilley’s jazzy, funky version of “Stand By Me.” One of my readers said Danny should sing country – that’s crazy. He’s totally in his element with this funky R&B stuff. Randy says he didn’t love the gospel/R&B arrangment but Danny made him love it anyway. Kara agreed with Randy and said it just kept going up and up and it ended up great. Paula says the only thing she has to say is “Wow” and that he set the bar high tonight and some other stuff. Simon is laughing while Paula rambles and whispers, “Why are you talkng like that?” Simon tells Danny the beginning was good, the middle was lazy, and the ending was terrific. So what does that average out to be? Great?
Kris Allen is up next (born June 21, 1985) singing “All She Wants To Do Is Dance.” (Trivia note: as a kid he wanted to be a taxi driver when he grew up.) Kris is in the crowd, playing his guitar and surrounded by a little mob of screaming female fans. The jazzy song is a bit of a detour for him but I think it sounds great. I really don’t like that song, to be honest, and I forgot that until the end. Shows that he’s really versatile and a great performer, not just a great singer. Kara says she was glad he picked a faster song but it felt like jazzy funk homework. She says it lost its youth, and the crowd boos. Paula says her quiet faith is heartfelt and genuine and he changed up the song, andhe’s one of the most likeable contestants thehy’ve everhad. Simon says yes, likeablie, and the performance was indulgent, boring and unforgettable. He says it was a stupid song choice, and Randy agrees, explaining that the arrangement made everyone pay attention to the band and not him. Ryan says Simon’s critique was boring and predictable.
Lil Rounds is up next (born October 20, 1984), and we get the story behind her name: yes, she’s named Lil, after her grandmother Lily. It’s not a stage name. Lil is singing Tina Turner’s “What’s Love Got To Do With it.” She looks great but it comes off like karaoke. Again. I’m really bummed because she has a good voice but every week she just doesn’t live up to expectations. Paula says it was important for Lil to take liberties and go outside the box and show who she was as an artist, but despite the fact that she’s a brilliant vocalist she didn’t show originality. Paula says she’s becoming a beautiful karaoke rendition. Simon says they’re not looking for a second or third rate version of Tina Turner, and it was “a ghastly copy cat performance.” He adds that she’s not making the impact she should, either because she’s getting bad advice or making bad choices. Randy says that they all love her and she had “mad talent” but Tina Turner isn’t her. Kara says she needs to make the leap from a singer to an artist. I hate to say it, but i agree with the judges. Lil says,like she does every week, that if she stays in the competition she’ll show people what she’s got.
Anoop Desai is up next (born December 20, 1986, same birthday as David Cook), and he’s stoked because the Tar Heels won … something. I don’t follow sports. Anoop apologizes for overreacting last week – but I don’t remember him saying anything rude. Apparently Kara gave him a critiqye and Anoop responded with “Excuse me?” He says he feels badly about that. In any event, he’s singing “True Colors,” by Cindy Lauper. It’s a totally stripped down version, and he’s doing a great job! I was a little nervous when they said he was singing this but he sounds great. And he looks great tonight. I love Anoop so I’d love to see him stick around a bit longer.Randy says he was hot tonight and that it was a nice, controlled vocal. Kara says he controlled the song, rather than the song controlling him, and that’s what it’s all about, and he showed he could take a pop song and interpret it with soul. Paula says flawless and something about a rainbow. Simon says Anoops is like a singing yo yo; last week was abysmal and while he doesn’t think it was fantastic this week it was very good. And he adds that Anoop doesn’t have to apologize for any response, that it’s a two way street. the judges can be horrible to them and they can be horrible back.
While we’re on the break, can I just say how glad I am that we’re down to an hour performance show now? I need some ice cream and I really want to enjoy it without having to focus on the show. I want to focus on my Friendly’s Vienna Mocha Chunk.
Scott MacIntyre (born June 22, 1985) is up next, and wow, he’s not at the piano! I don’t know if I like this. He’s got an electric guitar, and he’s singing “The Search is Over.” OK, I hate this song, so I’m biased. But he looks great. They’ve managed to control those blond curls without making him look like a doofus. I don’t know how I feel about him as a pop star; I love him at the piano as a balladeer. Not a fan of him with the guitar. The crowd loves him, and Kara commends him for coming out with the guitar. She says the same thing about the piano I said and says there were some overambitious parts and he didn’t quite hit it. Paula says she would have picked an acoustic guitar, and he responds that it’s his “punk side.” She says bravo, even though she just said some of his notes were screeching. Simon tells him to go back to the piano because that’s where he’s comfortable and the song was atrocious, as was his guitar playing. Randy says that it was just all OK, didn’t show him as a star.
Allison Iraheta is up next (born April 27, 1992). In her video,her mom says that as a baby Allison talked too much so she took her to the doctor, who told her not to worry because her daughter was going to be a big singer. Allison is singing Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” (Love this song.) She’s doing a good job, but not nearly as good as we’ve heard her before. Paula says that she’s undeniably Allison and loved the tenderness in the song and how she made it her own. Simon says it was very good and she just has to sort “you” out a bit and make her a bit more likeable, because her personality isn’t coming out. He says he doesn’t know much about her. Randy says she reminds him of Kelly Clarkson; I can see that. Randy tells her she needs to engage the public a bit more. Kara says she could take ‘adult content” (err … adult content? It’s a love song, or an unloved song, right?) in that song and make it young and believable, adding “Let’s go make a record, man.”
OK, I just saw a commericial for a salon here called Sweet N Sassy, a salon and spa geared towards tweens and teens. Girls can have facials and spa treatments, fashion shows, and even have a limo come and pick them up for parties. Err .. right, we need to teaching young girls how to be self-indulgent princesses?
But I digress. Matt Giraud is up next (born may 11, 1985) singing Stevie Wonder’s “Part Time Lover.” Another song I hate. But he’s singing well, and he looks good with the Justin Timberlake hat. Randy says best vocal of the night, Kara says incredible, Paula gives him a standing “o” and Simon says much better. I don’t think it was that great, but we’re in a hurry right now because we still have to get Adam in and it’s already 8:58.
Adam Lambert (born January 29, 1982) tells us that as a kid he liked to play dress up, wearing capes and hats, and he knew he’d be a performer. His parents are so cute. Adam’s singing … err .. I’m not gonna lie, I don’t know what the song is. “Mad World?” He looks really good tonight. But he’s sitting on a chair with some weird light that makes his legs look kind of transparent. And as usual, he’s great. Simon says the bad news is we’re out of time so he’s the only one talking, and the good news? He stands up and give him a standing ovation.
The best performance of the night? Danny Gokey, in my opinion. Loved the jazzy “Stand By Me.” And I don’t care what the judges say, Kris Allen did a great job with that stupid song. Who failed to impress? Lil Rounds and Scott MacIntyre.
Who’ll be in the bottom three? I think Scott, Anoop and Allison. Not because Allison or Anoop deserve to be there, but someone has to be there.
But what do you think? Who’s going home tomorrow?
YOU be the interviewer! Here’s your chance to ask your favorite Christian music artist a question when I head to Nashville for the 2009 Gospel Music Week. And don’t forget to follow me on Twitter!
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