American Idol Top 11

Diana Ross was a very welcome guest this week and offered contestants a great songbook though not all of them took full advantage of her wonderful songs. On a recent Inside the Actors Studio, Ross appeared for 2 hours talking about her musical and film career and quite frequently singing her hits as well. It is definitely one to catch on Tivo next time it is on. If anything for the music and of course through the luxury of fast-forward, if you're bored you can always skip through the parts that don't interest you.

Now, for the review of American Idol with links to performances!

This week Simon and Ryan were more civil and playful in their banter and in general Simon was not as "mean" as he usually is. I call it honest rather than mean but I've also been called rude on occasion. :)

Paula cried...but it was a good performance. Not one to shed so many tears over but with all the Coca-Cola she consumed she was probably overwhelmed with emotion, sugar and caffeine.

Now that they're all together, it is easy to see that collectively the girls are better than the boys, at least so far. Further evidence is seen in the bottom 3 which were all guys.

Now, I'll break it down by contestant (spoiler alert--if you don't know who kicked off yet, you'll know once you read this):

Blake Lewis ("You Keep Me Hanging On"): Blake tried to bring this Motown hit into 2007 with an electronica feel that was heavily criticized by the judges who think Motown sound should stay Motown. They are right to a point but Blake had a good instinct here and his voice sounded good too. I'd like to see him showcase his voice a little more in the future but this was good and something I could listen to again. He got through to next week.

Chris Richardson ("The Boss"): Chris gave a fun performance showing off his moves and making full use of the big stage. His singing however was not too commanding in what seemed like a song that required a little more attitude and volume. Chris is through to the next round though, and should be around for weeks to come.

Chris Sligh ("Endless Love"): Chris tried to make this song his own by adding a different sound but in this case, it really was not right. It was much different than Blake's song transformation and seemed to change the meaning of the song. "Endless Love" is a love song that takes its time. Chris' version sounded much like Coldplay's "Speed of Sound" which just made it weird. He has a great voice and is showing creativity though so it will only get better I'm sure. Can't blame a guy for trying and he'll be there next week.

Gina Glocksen ("Love Child"): This girl rocked it again this week with a provocative song. The cool thing about Gina is that she knows music and appreciates it as displayed in her enthusiasm for Diana Ross. She's through to next week.

Haley Scarnato ("Missing You"): Another lyrics faux-paux happened when Haley took the stage though like Paula said, most of the time no one in the audience will ever know when you make a mistake with words. Haley was visibly upset by her mistake and did not do well to keep her composure during the judges' comments. She did show, finally, why she was there despite any memory lapse and stayed in the memory of the voting public because of an otherwise strong performance. See you next week Haley.

Jordin Sparks ("If We Hold On Together"): Jordin at 17-years old is showing incredible maturity in voice and stage presence. I didn't realize she was only 17 until last night missing that bit when it was mentioned previously. I love this song from The Land Before Time, my favorite animated dinosaur film. It is no surprise she is through to the next round stronger than she started.

Lakisha Jones ("God Bless the Child"): There is little to say other than Lakisha had another strong week with a song that carries a lot of soul. Can't wait to see what she'll do next.

Melinda Doolittle ("Home"): She brought Paula to tears this time with her moving rendition of a song from The Wiz. It was great and Melinda was the only one who was able to do what Diana Ross has done so well...tell a story through the song. She really evokes the emotion of the words through her singing and that is so important especially when the lyrics weigh so much. Keep it up, girl! See you next week.

Phil Stacey ("I'm Gonna Make You Love Me"): He didn't make me love him. I don't know if I'll ever like Phil really. He is just not my favorite idol. He did perform well and I'll give him that though he was still in the bottom 3. Like Paula, I want to say something nice and I've said it. On to the future.

Stephanie Edwards (Love Hangover): I can't help but think of the former host of the Tournament of Roses Parade when I see her name but that fades once this Stephanie Edwards steps on stage. This wasn't her best performance because the best and most fun part of the song wasn't performed but she is talented.

Sanjaya Malakar ("Ain't No Mountain High Enough"): How does this guy keep messing up songs that are so great, and how does he keep showing up with the oddest hair of the group? This week he wasn't responsible for his hair but still, it made him look like a girl not that the hoop earrings didn't help that along. The outbound call centers are in business next week despite Sanjaya's lackluster performance as he is on to the next round after finishing in the bottom three.

Brandon Rogers ("You Can't Hurry Love"): He kept the Motown sound but that wasn't enough because he forgot his words and frankly tried to dance though didn't really have the moves. It was awkward to watch. I'd go on but he got voted off so let's keep moving.