American Idol Season 7
American Idol - Following two Lennon & McCartney weeks, "American Idol" moved onto birthdays, with everyone singing songs released in the year they were born.The big winner this week was Kristy Lee Cook, who's song choice may mean survival for another week courtesy of a shared birthday with Lee Greenwoods "God Bless the USA."Kristy entered the week as the odds-on favourite to be sent packing, but this week she had the judges giving their unanimous approval for the first time in the current series.The usually scathing Simon Cowell said "Your best performance by a mile," adding "and I have to say that was the most clever song choice I have heard in years." and I must agree with him the girl 'done good' and deserves to stay another week.David Cook put in the top performance of the night, as he doesn't back off from a challenge and this week he pulled off a superb version of Michael Jacksons "Billie Jean" in his unique rock/emo style.Randy Jackson, who liked almost nothing all night, was positively drooling with his praise. "I gotta say, I think you're probably the most original, the most bold contestant we've ever had," fair praise indeed.
"That was brave. It could have either been insane or amazing, and I have to tell you it was amazing," said Simon .Michael Johns finally delivered putting in a strong performance after a series of below par efforts. After having success earlier in the competition singing "Bohemian Rhapsody," he went back to Queen and sang a "We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions", the audience and the judges lapped it up.
"This is the first time with you I saw star potential," Simon. "Tonight you just got it right."
Syesha Mercado also impressed with Stephanie Mills "If I Were Your Woman," but she may suffer from the early performance, she seemed to fade into the background. Paula Abdul liked it describing it as "fantastic" with Randy adding "the best I've ever heard you sing, including when you auditioned," Brooke White talked in her intro about being able to play the piano by ear, but promptly fluffed her first note and had to restart the song. Ironically, the judges liked that, no accounting for taste they also felt her version of "Every Breath You Take" by the Police would have been better had the band stayed out of it entirely.
David Archuleta had to put up with Ryan Seacrest teasing him about his age and his high-school prom and who he was going to take.
But back to the serious stuff the judges weren't crazy about the song choice, "You're The Voice" by David Foster, with Simon calling it "reminiscent of a theme park performance." But the audience reaction said it should be good enough to keep him on the show and have his prom date looking for a replacement.
Carly Smithson seemed stunned to be in the bottom three last week, and looked to rebound with a cover of Bonnie Tylers "Total Eclipse of the Heart." But the judges weren't buy into it, they thought that there was something missing.
"Something didn't quite work. I think you were so tense and uptight during the performance ... you've got to lighten up a little bit," Simon. Jason Castro sang Stings "Fragile," accompanied by his obligatory guitar, drawing a - vocals were as usual "very nice and pleasant."
Paula both loved him, though Simon seemed to have had enough of the guy-with-a-guitar act. "I think its time that you start taking this a little more seriously," he told Castro. "That was the equivalent of someone buskin outside a subway station. Everything about it was too laid back. You're not going to win if you keep doing that week after week."
While nobody was truly bad, two singers who fared worse than the rest Chikezie with "If Only For One Night" by Brenda Russell. It wasn't awful, but for a singer who has survived up to this point by the virtue of some well-timed up-tempo numbers that allow him to use his energy and personality, it wasn't a good choice, so he too enters the danger zone
Ramiele Malubay opened the show with Hearts "Alone," struggled, though part of the problem was that she was ill, hastily acknowledged by Ryan and the judges, but even so Malubay failed to connect, Randy's I hated it, followed by Paula being unable to find anything positive from the performance, with only Simon saying that she'd probably make it to next week.
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