American Idol - Part Deux

Okies so...I *know* there are more AI fans out there than Ally & me!! Don't be shy!! :P

So the girls last night...well...I think it's a bit unfair that they break the talent up evenly along gender lines since...well...clearly the talent this year is *NOT* even coming close to being broken up evenly along gender lines. It's really too bad they're not just keeping the best 12, period.

My Personal Faves:

1) Lakisha Jones (sang "And I'm Telling You (I'm Not Going)" from Dreamgirls)
O M G...seriously...ok so we've all seen people like Jennifer Hudson & Chris Daughtry get sent out *way* too early in the competition...so yah anything is possible...but if she doesn't *at least* make the final two I'm going to be totally shocked and unhappy. The really coolest thing about her is how she comes out with just this amazing, huge voice...and then when she talks...she's just so quiet and shy...she's a really really endearing person I think.

2) Melinda Doolittle (sang Aretha Franklin's "Since You've Been Gone")
Like Lakisha, hugely powerful voice and a sweet, shy personality. Really really like her...but I think it'll be difficult for both Lakisha & her to stay in because they're so similar.

3) Sabrina Sloan (sang Aretha Franklin's "I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You")
This one was sort of a surprise for me...I thought she was amazingly good...and I love the tone of her voice.

4) Jordin Sparks (sang Tracy Chapman's "Gimme One Reason")
I thought she started out a bit rough but really came around about halfway through. I think she has an incredible voice...is really mature for her age (unlike Sanjaya on the guys' side)...and I really liked that she chose a more contemporary song amid all the classics that were performed.

5) Stephanie Edwards (sang Prince's "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?")
Actually more people probably associate the song with Alicia Keys...and like Jordin...I liked that it was more contemporary. I thought she was really really outstanding.

6) Gina Glockson (sang Eric Carmen's "All By Myself")
So...I wasn't really blown away by the song she chose (like the last one...probably more people associate with another artist, in this case Celine Dion) for a couple of reasons...first...anything associated with Celine (like Whitney, Mariah, Christina) is *usually* a mistake on this show b/c it's so difficult to be compared to such a powerful, distinctive voice...secondly...and more importantly, I didn't feel as though it really fit her personality. In fact, I had sort of wished I had gotten to hear her sing The Pretenders' song that the other girl did just before her. But...she did do a great job with it (although I think Simon was right...she didn't *quite* hit THE note)...and I really like her because she's very different from the previous 5 I mentioned. I think they're going to have to work very hard to distinguish themselves from the pack if they don't want to be eaten alive by Lakisha...and I think Gina has great shot because she is talented and different.

I really like Leslie Hunt (Aretha's "Natural Woman") & Alaina Alexander (The Pretenders "Brass In Pocket") but I think they'll really need to find songs that suit them *much* better to get far.

There's something about Nicole Tranquillo (Erikah Badu's "Stay") I distinctly *don't* like...she's fabulously talented...but I was with Simon in that I found that performance to be more contrived than *real*. Maybe she'll do better next week.

Okies my personal bottom two:

1) Antonella Barba (sang Aerosmith's "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing")
I never thought she should've made it through the final cuts and onto the show...and when Simon said the song ate her alive, he was dead on, imo. She's just not good enough, especially with this bunch.

2) Amy Krebs (sang Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me")
One of my favorite songs...and totally wrong for her voice...or at least for the way she chose to interpret it.

Since Haley Scarnato (the Meat Loaf/Celine Dion song "It's All Coming Back To Me Now") is the only one I haven't mentioned...I'll just say...bad song choice...bad attitude toward the criticism (imo)...didn't think she was bottom two but don't expect her to last if she can't do better.

So yah overall...girls *much* better than the guys...I'm gonna be shocked if the winner this season doesn't come from among them...and probably shocked honestly if it's not Lakisha!!