American Idol: 2.16.10

71 left, and 24 will make it through.

No judge's feedback for the final solos, and what do we see?  People sitting, judges deliberating.

The contestants are split into three rooms.

Time to hear some singing!


Angela Martin - She sounded really good in her final audition with the band, but isn't this the same song that she sang in her original audition?  (American Boy)

Jermaine Purifoy - He sang Brickhouse, and turned it R&B in a way I didn't really like. 

Casey James - He sang Bubbly, and I love the song, and I really like him.  I think he did a nice job. 

Jermaine Sellrs - He sang Man in the Mirror during his audition, and he was a little shrieky and harsh in his higher notes. He had excuses excuses excuses because the band played a part that they hadn't wanted them to.


Siobahn Magnus - Ellen told her in her first audition that she looked too old.  For her final audition, she let her 19 year old self dress like a 5 year old, but she has quite a good voice.  I really like her.

Crystal Bowesox - She played the guitar and a harmonica and jammed to If it Makes You Happy, and I really liked it.  She's got a lot of talent.


Alex Lambert - He played the yukilele.  Not so well.  He sang Sunday Morning in a previous audition, and was kind of blah.  For his final audition, he broke out the yukelele again and sang some Jason Mraz.  I like him.


Michael Lynche - He also sang I'm Yours, with guitar.  Eh.  I liked Alex's better.


Todrick Hall - He turned I'm Yours on it's ear, and it was kind of cool.  I like the Jason Mraz version better, but I appreciate his change up.

Thaddeus Johnson - His mom is with him all the way, and he admitted to being a Momma's Boy.  The band started playing the wrong song, and he told them so, and they started right.  He sang Man in the Mirror, and he has a lisp that I find distracting beyond belief.  If he could fix that up, he'd be really good.

Charity Vance - I think her outfit is straight out of 1990.  Oh well.  She's got a nice voice, and she sang Gravity.


Tasha Leyton - her Day 1 audition was really really good.  How was her final audition?  We didn't see it.

Cocky Mary Powers - She really got under my skin during the group round.  She sang some Hot & Cold, and it was kind of weak to me, and she was wearing an oddly shimmery skirt.

Lloyd Thomas - He also sang Man in the Mirror, and it was kind of boring.


Bryan Walker - did not hear his audition.

Hope Johnson - Her day 1 audition was really nice.  Her final audition was Daughtry's Home, and I think it was a foolish choice for her voice.  She doesn't have a big voice, and the song seemed to dwell in places her voice wasn't best in.


Shelby Dressel - She swore her way through flubbing the lyrics in her initial audition, and Ellen liked her earlier in Hollywood.  She had lyric problems before her final audition, but did she remember them when it counted?  She seemed to remember them, and she did well on the lyrics, though she had a weird flub in some tones. 

Aaron Kelly - He forgot his lyrics.  And that's no good.  He is only 16, so he can come back if he doesn't get through.  It's a shame that he forgot his lyrics so badly because he's got a nice voice.  He managed to pick the song up again, but it took a while.

Ashleigh Rodriguez - Oh, she hit the stage and sang Jordan Sparks' Battlefield really really well, and she owned the stage.  She's got really good presence.


Lee Dewyze - have we seen this guy before?  H was really good.

Joe Munoz - He sang Man in the Mirror probably best that we have seen.

Haeley Vaughn - it was a really nice version of I'm Yours, though she got shrieky at times.


Janell Wheeler - Uh oh, she's got vocal problems, and she sang some Taylor Swift, and it was obvious that her voice was not happy, but she managed to do pretty well, considering.  It helps that she's gorgeous and has good stage presence.

Judge's are heading to the rooms.

But first, some more singing.

Tori Kelly - She's cute and did well.

Lilly Scott - She's got silver hair and I did her voice.

Andrew Garcia - I want him to make it just so I can buy his version of Straight Up.  He was so good.

The judges entered Room #1.  Ellen got the honor of telling the room that are through to the next round.  In this room, Lilly Scott, Siobahn Magnus, Tyler Grady, Michael Lynch, Thaddeus Johnson, and Katie Stevens, among others.  I also saw Casey James in there.

Next, Room #2.  This is the room with Mary Powers, among others.  They are not going through.  Goodbye, Room #2.  Try again.  Also in the room of disappointment were Charity Vance, Bryan Walker, and Hope Johnson, among others.  Hope looked crushed.   I hope that she tries again.

How about Room #3?  They are in.  That's Janell Wheeler, Angela Martin, Shelby Dressler, and others.

This is more than 24 people celebrating.  In fact, it's 46.  And that's the problem.  The judges went to re-watch all the tapes and had to make their final decisions.

What's this?  No chair of Doom?  They are doing it right in the (World Famous, we're told) Kodak theatre.  And, duh duh duhn.... it's the most... emotional... cut.... yet.  Oh, Seacrest.

They will go down from the holding room, one by one.  And there is a Chair of Doom right on stage.  And we are told that they sip from their new (Vitamin Water Sponsored!) cups.  Oh, Seacrest!

First up is new daddy, Michael Lynch. His daughter's name is Layla Rose.  Nice.  Simon told him that he has improved over the week, but wasn't sure if Michael believes in himself.  He's in (for now...)

Didi Benami is next, and I really really really like her.  She sang Angel in her final audition, in honor of her best friend who died.  I just love her.  Simon told her that she wasn't the most consistent, but when she was good, she was really good.  She's in.  Unanimously.  Awesome.

Can I just say, wtf is Kara wearing?  It's like a giant gold sack with rouched sleeves.  Awful. 

Caitlyn Epperly - She didn't do the best connecting with the audience at first.  I love the dress she wore in her final audition.  I also like her voice.  We'll see if she is in.  Ellen told her it was cruel to make her wait, and didn't delay (too much, more than comedically necessary) to tell her she is in. 

Shelby Dressel is up next.  Was it good enough?  Randy told her she had high and low points.  She is unfortunately not in this year, and she was encouraged to come back and try again.

Casey James is up next.  Kara likes him a lot, and so do I.  Ellen said, as Casey walked up to the C.o.D, "Hey, Kara, he's got his hair down for you."  Kara said "Nice.'  The judges began talking about the fact that Casey's home town is called Cool, and it's pretty cool that he's going on to the Top 24.  Yay!  Kara gave a foot pop when she hugged Casey congratulations, and Randy picked on her about it.  bwah ha ha.

Aaron Kelly is up next.  He's through, and I don't know if I think he deserved to, but we'll see...

Lee Dewyze was on the bubble, but he's in.  I think he's got some potential.

Todrick Hall was proposing to girls poolside before the final decision.  They didn't dally in giving him a yes, and he's in.  He could be something.

Jessica Furney is next, and she was one of the only ones who got the lyrics right in Sweetest Escape.  She is not in, and she was not happy about it, and tried to convince the judges to change their mind (not going to happen).  Ellen told her it was not the end of the road in her career, and she didn't believe it and started getting pissy again.  Simon told her she wasn't helping herself, and the decision has been made.  She blamed the whole thing on losing her voice from group day because her group sucked.

So, we got 7 of the Top 24 tonight.  The rest will be revealed tomorrow.  Looking forward to it.  10 more girls and 7 more guys will be though tomorrow.