The lines were drawn as the top 6 took on two songs each, resulting in some of the best and worst performances in Idol history, not to mention some hilarious judging.
The contestants tackled the Hal David/Burt Bacharach songbook, as well as songs that they wish they had written. While Ryan pointedly called Idol “the original show that launches superstars,” there were certainly some un-superstar-like performances this evening.
We also got to learn some weird fun facts about the contestants, such as: Angie likes hardcore music, Amber snacks on frozen shrimp, Lazaro is a Spanish redneck, Kree loves rodeos, Janelle once played a boy in a play, and Candice’s South Carolina accent is almost Jamaican.
Songs of Hal David and Burt Bacharach
Angie Miller
Angie kicked off the show with “Anyone That Had A Heart,” the classic style of which really suited her voice, but the judges criticized her for lacking passion in her performances. They commented that perhaps because she has such an impressive range and perfect pronunciation, that she makes it look too easy, and loses some of her humanity.
Amber Holcomb
Amber rocked a Charlie’s Angels-style jumpsuit to knock out another effortless performance of “I Say A Little Prayer for You.” The judges loved it, praising her song choice, the arrangement, and how natural her performances are: she doesn’t try to over-sing. Nicki thought there might be even more to her great performance, saying: “Sometimes when your boyfriend ain’t around you can really focus.” Oooohhh, Burnell!
Lazaro Arbos
Lazaro, Lazaro, Lazaro. There are almost no words for his performance of The Carpenters’ “(They Long To Be) Close to You.” Pitchy. Dropped lyrics. A key change that he completely ignored. There have been terrible contestants in Idol seasons past, that have stuck around due to an inexplicably passionate fanbase. But at this point, the voters are not doing Lazaro or Idol any favors. Mariah Carey nearly had an aneurysm in her efforts to keep her critique positive, and Nicki Minaj would have nothing to do with him. Come on, America. It’s time.
Kree Harrison
A first-time visit from her brother inspired Kree’s great performance of “What the World Needs Now Is Love.” She really made the performance her own, starting off a cappella and building in intensity, proving she is just as strong as the other girls in the competition. The judges praised her natural, humble performance, and the genuine emotion she is able to portray.
Janelle Arthur
Janelle’s performance of “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again” may have been cheesy, but was impressive when you consider that she’s allergic to feathers and was basically wearing a dreamcatcher around her neck. Janelle’s perky personality didn’t help make the cheesy song any less cheesy, nor did her awkward mid-song interaction with judge Keith Urban. Nicki told her flat-out that she thought the performance was boring.
Candice Glover
Candice blew everyone else out of the water tonight, starting with her powerful performance of “Don’t Make Me Over.” The song showcased her voice beautifully, and the judges loved that she managed to make an old song sound so current. Keith placed her in his top three, and Nicki was ready to start a women’s revival.
Songs the ‘Idol’s’ wish they had written
Angie Miller
Angie made up for her first performance by returning to the piano to perform Christian singer/songwriter Kari Jobe’s “Love Came Down.” This sort of piano ballad suits her voice much better, and earned her a standing “O” from Keith and Randy. The judges made it clear that she should stick to what she does best: the piano.
Amber Holcomb
Amber’s blossoming romance might have had something to do with her decision to sing Beyonce’s “Love On Top,” and she seemed to have more fun with this than any of her previous performances. A true Beyonce-in-training, Nicki put Sasha Fierce herself on notice, because Amber’s performance proved she’s a diva in the making.
Lazaro Arbos
It would have been merciful if the powers that be let Lazaro just sit out this second round, but instead he brought out his shiniest bowtie to sing Robbie Williams’ hit “Angels.” The judges agreed that he redeemed himself the tiniest bit with this performance, but when the kindest praise that criticism-phobic Mariah Carey can give you is that your performance was “more in the direction of a performance that would be preferable,” it’s clearly time for you to go home.
Kree Harrison
Kree got in touch with her country roots with Kris Kristofferson’s “Help Me Make It Through The Night.” Her genuine country performance touched a chord with all four judges, particularly Keith Urban, who called it “a real buckle polisher.” A country superstar in his own right, Keith told Kree that she is “everything that’s beautiful and pure about country music.”
Janelle Arthur
Janelle had big shoes to fill, following fellow country competitor Kree. Unfortunately, her performance of Garth Brooks’ “The Dance” fell a little flat. Keith thought it would have been better if she had accompanied herself on the guitar, rather than the whole backing band. Nicki felt it was “not enough to get a leg up over the other girls tonight.”
Candice Glover
Candice proved she is the best in the competition with her powerhouse performance of The Cure’s “Lovesong.” She could have handily taken on any diva ballad from Whitney or Mariah, or even just regurgitated Adele’s cover of “Lovesong.” Instead she took apart the haunting melody, and reassembled it into something completely her own. Randy Jackson called it not only one of the best performances in Idol history, but one of the best in the history of talent competition shows, period.
Tune in Wednesday at 8/7c for performances by distinguished Idol alumni Kelly Clarkson and Scotty McCreery, and to see if America has finally sent Lazaro packing.
Do you agree with Randy: Was Candice’s performance the best ever? Do you think Lazaro will be able to survive another week?