American Idol: Hot, Hot, Hot

So we’re a mere week away from the showdown we’ve been waiting for, and it’s clear everyone here wants it and wants it bad. But now, it’s not about want, and it’s not about talent because they all shine for very different reasons. It’s about who deserves it and who won’t drop the ball when the stage lights get hot, hot, hot. This week, we drop the themes, and give the judges and contestants an opportunity to pick whatever song they want. Oh, and because they have to fill up an hour show, it’s two-song time! Yay!

It’s the last chance for these contestants to show us the type of artist they will be if given the chance. So now it’s time for my boys to hit the stage. I know who I want to make it through, and if you’ve been reading so far, I’m sure it’ll be no surprise for you, but I’ll save my griping until the results. Lights, Camera, Action!

Danny’s up, and Paula has picked Terrence Trent D’Arby’s “Dance Little Sister.” I don’t know it; neither does Danny, and I can’t believe the millions of teeny boppers out there who watch the show will know it or like it. Vocally, he sounds great, but his performance is a little wacky and over the top (The dancing! Oh, the horror!), and you could tell he just wasn’t jiving with the song which made me feel disconnected and made his seem disconnected.

I get why she picked the song. His voice sits very well in the pocket of the song, but it almost seems like sabotage to Danny to get saddled with such an unknown. Sure, people like risks, but at this point in time, you want to please not confound the viewers. And I left that performance going, “Huh?!” The judges stick behind him though. Randy loved his hoarse tone, Paula said he did “really good,” which at this point equates to not that good. Kara thought he sang well but gyrated too much, and Simon agreed the dancing was “desperate” but he sang it well. He would have rather heard a different song from Terrence, but whatever song he said, I still didn’t know, and it probably wouldn’t have helped him.

Then it’s on to Kris. It’s clear who the important judges are since Randy and Kara have to share a pick. I wish Paula didn’t have a pick, and maybe Danny would have had a chance. They choose OneRepublic’s “Apologize,” a song I’ve heard enough of but can’t help not turning the station and singing along whenever it comes on the radio. I think this is the perfect choice, and I’m surprised Kara and Randy did THAT well. The lead singer has a very unique voice so I’m afraid Kris will not be able to compare, but I’m sweetly surprised.

He sits behind the piano, and sounds pretty similar to the lead, but the song doesn’t control him. He still controls it. I think it’s beautiful, and shows exactly where Kris would fit in the industry and Randy agrees. He then changes his tune a bit (sucking up to Kara per se?), when she says she wished he’d taken more of a risk and maybe played without the piano or with his acoustic guitar. She’s kind of being hard tonight, and it seems like she’s positioning herself to be the new Simon Cowell. (Did you hear his contract is up, and he may not renew it? But she could never be as genuine or hilarious. Oye! Don’t go!) Paula didn’t like one bum note, which I believe I caught but didn’t care one bit about. Simon doesn’t really diss or praise him, but laments Kara for picking the song and then complaining he didn’t do something different than the song she chose for him. See, Kara is not replacement for the Cowell.

Adam’s song this week from Simon is U2’s “One”. I’m eager to see what he does with the song, and if he can make me like him before he’s in the finals, as I am vehemently campaigning against him. But I will say, in terms of pipes, if anyone can pull of such a huge and haunting song, he probably has the best shot. (Oh my! Was that a compliment coming out of my mouth for Adam?)

(Side note: Apparently, this song was not in the AI repertoire, but since Simon just knew it was the perfect song, he had to call up Bono and get permission personally. Oh what a sexy braggart you are!)

I like how he starts the song which is soft and low, but that’s probably because I hate it when he squeals like a madman, no matter how insane it is that most men and women can’t even hit some of those notes. When he starts to wail, I start to lose it since I really do love this song. Plus I swear there are a ton of flat and sharp notes in there! Randy thinks he rocked it, but didn’t like his arrangement. Kara kisses his butt again. Paula declares him the American Idol, and Simon says it’ll be the biggest AI upset ever if he’s not in the finals.

On the second go round, Danny chooses “You Are So Beautiful” by Joe Cocker. This song IS so beautiful, and he sits back on a stool for some soft crooning. You can tell this is his choice as it’s actually good. He holds back and lets his voice do the telling, and I like this reserved side of him better than the Danny-go-wild side. He crescendos towards the middle but it’s not all over the place and ends soft and sweet. He has a great voice; there’s no denying it, and like Randy says, Danny can really sing. Kara says that this song had everything she was looking for from him in the first song. Paula is stunned, and although Simon didn’t love the arrangement, he though it was a “vocal master class.” Haven’t heard that critique in a while! He may have put himself back in the running, but we need to hear the final performances to know if it was enough.

Kris chooses Kanye West’s“Heartless,” which is officially a hip hop song, but was also covered by The Fray. He pulls out his guitar and starts doing his Jason Mraz thing which he can now claim as his official, badass Kris thing after this performance. It’s smooth and cool and just plain amazing. I think I rewound it three times. I definitely downloaded it on iTunes and made my fiancé watch it. (He loved it also by the way.) Randy says that it’s even better than the original and The Fray version, and I have to absolutely agree. I wish it was more than 1:17 minutes on my iTunes. Kara wished he’d done that to “Apologize.” Paula this Kris is relevant, and Simon said, he’d written him out after the first song but that changed his mind. Yes! After this one, I’m officially on the Kris bandwagon. It’s been a rough battle between he and Danny from the start, but now there’s no denying it.

To close out the night, Adam chooses Aerosmith’s “Cryin’.” This song and “Crazy” are among my favorites from the early 9. I wish he hadn’t. He ruined this song for me. Okay, maybe not ruined because Steven Tyler on this song is just too great to ever be ruined, but it’s pitchy and the harmonies with the back-up singers are off, and then he’s screaming. There are a few cool, crazy notes, but I’m done. The judges once again, aren’t listening to the same performance as I am since Randy thinks he’s the best thing ever to come to American Idol. Kara can’t believe he hit those notes which is odd because he didn’t hit all of them. Paula think if Steven Tyler were his mentor for this performance, he would have nothing to say, and Simon goes one step further saying he won’t kiss his butt (riiiiiiight!) because upsets happen when butts are kissed too much since we all assume everyone else will vote for that person.  He says that Adam deserves to be in the finals and basically puts the call out to vote for this kid.

I will say, overall, it was the best final three American Idol ever. Maybe a little anticlimactic but vocally ridiculous. I’m pretty sure now, after hearing the final two songs, that Danny’s “You Are So Beautiful” can’t redeem him enough to make it through, especially after last week’s horrid performance.

THE RESULT

We kick off the show with a huge Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian plug from Ben Stiller and the other cast mates. It’s funny but not funny enough. I KNOW the movie will be funnier than this. It has to be. The first one was so good, and the previews look great.

We’re then treated to a visit by the beautiful and talented singer-songwriter-musical instrument playing Alicia Keys, who introduces the organization Keep A Child Alive. (This is there way of continuing American Idol Gives Back, without having to shell out a ton of dough this season, clearly!) Noah, a 15-year old Rwandan rapper,who looks like he’s 10, sings a cover of R. Kelly’s “The World’s Greatest” with some international backup singers, some African flair and some crazy dancing. (I suppose if some African teen came to visit America and saw all the kids grinding they’d be a little weirded out too.)

Oh, damn! I forget that there’s all this talk, talk, talk before we actually get to hear results. Fortunately, this week’s talk consists of the hometown visits and I love the awed expressions on the finalists’ faces they see how much support they have out there.

We get to see Danny in Milwaukee, Kris in Arkansas and Adam in San Diego. (East coast really didn’t represent this year, did they?) Anyone else notice that besides that ride in the car, Kris’s wife looked really, really upset? I don’t know how well she’ll be able to handle having a famous husband that everyone wants to bed, but I think she’s already starting to realize that sharing isn’t that fun.

Jordin Sparks performs some song about love being a battlefield, but not THAT love is a battlefield song. She clearly just stole the metaphor and made it into a bad pop tune. She also doesn’t sound too great tonight. I remember her voice being so much bigger, but I suppose pop will reel you in. She looks fantastic however!

Katy Perry doesn’t look so fantastic except that haircut is KILLER. Loving it. Otherwise, she looked like she should be officiating a wedding in Las Vegas with her showgirl-esque Elvis costume. She sings her song “Waking Up In Vegas,” which I love to sing to but hate to listen to live apparently. She always seems like she running out of breath.

But finally it’s time to find out the results. First save is……Kris! What? Really? Yes! Could it be? Could my dreams of a Danny-Kris battle which Kris would clearly win, really be coming true? (I mean I love Danny, but like Melinda Doolittle’s season, she had the pipes, but no one knew exactly what kind of artist she’d be and so she was out third. And Kris has the little girl vote on lock.)
Could a big shocker be waiting after the commercial break? I hoped, but my mind told me, ‘Nisi, you’ve already predicted what’s going to happen. Just be happy that Kris made it through.’

And my mind was right. Adam is sent through, and we have our American Idol final two. Both are bound to be successful no matter who wins, but when you’re in a competition, you always want the top title.

O! O! O! There were also about 84 million votes cast. Insanity. I can’t wait for next week to hear what songs they chose to sings and who performs on the biggest American Idol finale EVER.

Season 8, Episodes 36 & 37: Top 3: Performances & Top 3: Results (originally aired May 12 and 13, 2009)

For more on the Top 3 Performances and Results, read Kris Allen??!! by Amanda Walker.

For more on American Idol, click here.

Photographs courtesy of Fox Broadcasting Company.