Adam Lambert as a cute widdle baby!
Last night’s theme was songs from the year the Idol contestants were born, and there was the added treat of seeing everyone’s baby pictures! Best performances of the evening: Adam Lambert, Anoop Desai, and Allison Iraheta.
Danny Gokey – Stand By Me by Nickey Gilley
Danny did a slower version of the song, which is definitely something that’s never been done on the show before. He sounds a little jazzy and his voice is steady, if a bit raspy. But at least he’s not shouting or going off-key! Good performance overall.
Kris Allen – All She Wants to do is Dance by Don Henley
Kris came on with an electric guitar and while it seemed promising at first, I’m not a big fan of the arrangement. It sounds like his vocals were doing one thing and the band was playing another song. I agree with Randy’s comment about how the arrangement seemed self-indulgent.
Lil Rounds – What’s Love Got To Do With It by Tina Turner
Lil’s improved a lot in this performance but her vocals weren’t as impressive as when she first started out, and she went a little pitchy on the big notes. Simon thought it was a “ghastly copycat performance” and thinks she should start becoming more original. I think he might be right, she’s just not quite clicking anymore. Lil left the stage looking like she was about to cry.
Anoop Desai – True Colors by Cyndi Lauper
Awww Anoop was such a little cutie as a baby! And his performance was wonderful. Beautiful arrangement, excellent vocals, especially the falsetto on the last note. He even apologized for overreacting last week, even though Simon said he didn’t have to. Looks like we’re gonna be seeing more of him this season!
Scott MacIntyre – The Search is Over by Survivor
Oh dear, what a very awkward train wreck of a performance. Scott tried to rock out to this song with an electric guitar but the playing was too random and his voice was incredibly pitchy. Stick to the piano, Scott!
Allison Iraheta – I Can’t Make You Love Me by Bonnie Raitt
Allison was incredibly tonight, as always. Beautiful interpretation, perfect phrasing, and astonishing vocals. I love how she was able to make such a grown-up song her own without sounding like a little kid singing for her relatives. This girl is a star, I can totally foresee her making it to the top 3 if she keeps this up.
Matt Giraud – Part Time Lover by Stevie Wonder
Matt started off the song very slow and bluesy and immediately I could see a distinct improvement from last weeks’ performance. Steady voice, and he made a connection with the audience. He seems more confident and sure of himself now, and I hope he keeps it up!
Adam Lambert – Mad World by Tears for Fears
And last but certainly not the least, Adam Lambert with Mad World. I definitely think that he should be American Idol, though I’m not really sure how the public will receive his gender-bending antics. I personally love it. Because what really matters is his performance and so far, he is one of the most outstanding contestants I have ever seen in this show. His entire performance was haunting and unforgettable – even Simon gave him a standing ovation!
So who do you think will be eliminated this Thursday?
