The top 5 remaining contestants of American Idol season 8 were looking really sharp as they came up on stage for the Rat Pack theme. What with everyone in the Rat Pack being dead and all, their mentor was a mystery to them, until it was revealed that Jamie Foxx would be helping them out.
Kris Allen – The Way You Look Tonight
The arrangement for this song was pretty traditional, with a band, and pretty. Kris doesn’t have the widest range or the best vocals, but he can definitely interpret a song well. That’s one of his strengths and I think that will take him far. The song gets livelier in the middle and although it did show his limitations, it was still a good performance.
Allison Iraheta – Someone to Watch Over Me
Allison turned 17 the day before, happy birthday to her! Sometimes I forget that she’s so young, because holy crap can this girl sing! Yesterday’s performance just blew me away. She hit a lot of nice notes in the middle, and was overall tender and sweet, despite the sexy edge of her husky voice. I’m not sure if Allison will win the competition, but I think she can make it as far as the top 3.
Matt Giraud – My Funny Valentine
Matt loves jazz so much that he took it up in college, but just because you love something doesn’t mean you’re good at it. He was off-pitch from the start and the phrasing was a little strange. Although he improved as the song went along and hit some big notes, Matt’s performance pales in comparison to the other two – and will probably do so next to Adam and Danny’s. Flawed performance, sucky vocal arrangement – who else thinks that Matt Giraud is next to go?
Danny Gokey – Come Rain Come Shine
My first impression of his performance was that it felt very restrained, but as he went along I realized that this is one of his best vocals ever. He had confidence and swagger, and he handled the melody very creatively. I don’t know if he can win the competition, but one thing’s for sure: he’s not leaving this week.
Adam Lambert – Feeling Good
Can we expect nothing less than a theatrical and drama-filled performance from Adam Lambert? Of course not! Sure, it was a little showy and he held onto his glory notes a bit too long, but he breathes life into this competition like nobody else has. I don’t think it’s his best performance, but it was definitely entertaining – performance-wise and vocally.
