“American Idol” snowballed closer this week to the fifth-season showdown.
The final three contestants were required to sing three different selections for America this week. The first selection was picked by the most influential recording executive in the known universe today, Clive Davis. The second selection was the judgesÂ’ pick, and the third the contestants chose on their own.
Ryan Seacrest and the judges were in very playful moods this week! I think that the secret romance between Ryan and Simon is starting to shine through a little to obviously, wouldnÂ’t you agree? LAUGH, I SAID! Just jokes, everyone.
Seriously though, the final three have so much talent you could tell that it was gonna be anyone’s game! Clive chose the R. Kelly classic “I Believe I Can Fly” for the lovely Katherine McPhee. She sang the song well but never really honed in on the spirit in the song. The judges were tough on the first one, but the second brought the house down! Simon chose the “Wizard of Oz” classic “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” for Kat. In a dramatic and magical moment, Kat was captivating and ethereal. Simon called it the best performance of the entire season. Katherine obviously loves to sing jazzy blues tunes. She performed “I Ain’t Got Nothing but the Blues” as her final pick. Her last performance seemed a little compulsory and uninspired, but her voice was dead on. Katherine is in the finale, where I predicted that she would end up all along. She has the voice, but does America want another female vocalist to win this year? Three of the four previous seasons have had female winners. If history repeats itself, we could have a hot new blues vixen as our “Idol.”
Taylor Hicks and the rest of the Soul Patrol were on fire Tuesday night! Clive Davis chose the Springsteen hit “Dancing in the Dark” for Taylor. Taylor infused the performance with so much raw fun and energy that he had inspired the dancing diva herself, Paula, to stop being a wallflower and put on her dancing shoes! What a lucky man to dance with her! Taylor had one of his strongest nights ever and he needed it. His performance of “You Are So Beautiful” was vulnerable and controlled. Simon thought it was his best of the competition. Taylor Hicks is his own person on stage and that is what makes him fun to watch. Also, the man can sing! My girl, Polly Bressie, has been a Taylor fan from the beginning and she says if she was going to a dive to be entertained, Taylor is the only one that she would be happy to see! Will Taylor prove that you do it better if you do it with soul? Can he really be the next American Idol?
I am a sucker for the underdog, so I hated to see that it is over for good old Elliott Yamin. Elliott started off strong if a little bit tight! Simon told him to relax after he sang Clive’s pick from Journey, “Open Arms.” Elliott seemed a bit nervous for the first selection, but he still sang it cleaner than the other two sang their first selection. Paula chose a Bobby Caldwell hit, “What You Won’t Do For Love,” for Elliott. He came out relaxed and powerful but didn’t seem to know how to end the song. Elliott chose Donny Hathoway’s “I Believe To My Soul” as his own pick. The performance was not his best but I still voted for Elliott! YA’ MEAN? If only I would’ve voted 2,000 more times! Elliott should be so proud of himself. In Hollywood in January with all the talent and beauty all around us, I never would have guessed Elliott to make the top three! Now I just can’t wait to hear that voice again on CD!
Next week, it is for all the marbles! The finale! Do you have the McPheever or are you feeling the fire of the Soul Patrol?
