Appearing on Wednesday’s results show: David Cook sings his single “Come Back to Me” in a pre-taped segment, and Lady Gaga performs “Poker Face.”
The contestants can choose any song they want, as long as it’s a popular download. That’s a theme? The kids visit Uncle Ryan at work!
(OK, the order is not the same as the spoilers…)
- The kids visit Ryan’s studio – VIDEO –
- Anoop Desai – “Caught Up” by Usher – VIDEO – iTunes
- Megan Joy – “Turn Your Lights Down Low” by Lauren Hill/Bob Marley – VIDEO – iTunes
- Danny Gokey – “What Hurts the Most” by Rascal Flatts – VIDEO – iTunes
- Allison Iraheta – “Don’t Speak” by No Doubt – VIDEO – iTunes
- Scott MacIntyre– “Just the Way You Are” by Billy Joel – VIDEO – iTunes
- Matt Giraud – “You Found Me” by The Fray – VIDEO – iTunes
- Lil Rounds – “Surrender” by Celine Dion – VIDEO – iTunes
- Adam Lambert – “Play That Funky Music White Boy” by Wild Cherry – VIDEO – iTunes
- Kris Allen – “Ain’t No Sunshine When She’s Gone” by Bill Withers – VIDEO – iTunes
Anoop Desai – “Caught Up” by Usher – I am digging the hair. He’s rockin’ the Michael Jackson jacket. He’s working the stage pretty well. Some pitchy things here and there, and I’m not digging some of the riffing, but overall a decent vocal. Randy says, “You’ve picked up your swagger…not the right song for you…the vocals were good.” Kara thinks he played it safe. She called it a frat guy performance. Paula says, “Work on your stage presence.” Simon says, “It was a complete and utter mess…you came over as a wanna be…it gave me a headache.” Anoop disagrees with Kara and that he’s trying to define himself as an R&B artist. Not Anoop’s best, it wasn’t super-original, but Kara and Simon are baked. It wasn’t terrible. 1-866-436-5701
Megan Joy Corkrey – “Turn Your Light’s Down Low” by Lauren Hill – She thinks the judges are going to feel her this time! Eh. I still think this is kind of a mess. Her lack of musicality kills her everytime. This is better than last week, though. She looks beautiful, as always. Kara says, “I really like you, but I think you’re in trouble. Bob Marley is not the song choice for you.” She thought Adele would be better. Kara is shouting at the booing audience. Paula says, “At this stage, you need to take us by surprise.” Simon is still bugging Paula. Paula suggests she sits on a stool and sing a sensitive ballad. Simon says, “The song was boring, indulgent, montonounous…All the things we liked about you are disappearing.” Randy says, “Because you love a song, doesn’t mean you sing it great.” Wow they are slamming her. Megan says she likes her song. “You’ve been saying that every week, ” says Simon. 1-866-436-5702
Danny Gokey – “What Hurts the Most” by Rascal Flatts – Danny get’s a sit down with Ryan. Danny loves Rascal Flatts. Danny says the song he got last week was “like 5th on my list”. Danny says he wants to tone it down this week, and sing his heart out. Wow. I don’t know if his voice is shot or what, but he’s really forcing it on the higher notes and it doesn’t sound good. He’s pouring a lot of emotion into it, I’ll give him that. “This is where you thrive…you leave me wanting more, ” says Paula. Simon says, “This week, I thought it was your best performance…it was so much better than the first two.” Randy says, “Tonight’s show starts right here…very nice, baby, very nice.” Kara said, “You moved everyone in this room emotionally…you really connect with the audience.” Maybe it sounded better in studio? 1-866-436-5703
Allison Iraheta – “Dont Speak” by No Doubt – Allison is going to play guitar tonight. She’s rocking the crazy pink hair tonight! OMG she sounds incredible. I am loving this. Every choice she makes is right on–she knows how to phrase a song. Great finish. Best of the night so far. Randy says, “You were a little ahead of the beat…what is with this outfit.” Uh, the singing Randy? WTF? Kara says, “You don’t need to dress the part…it felt forced, a good performance…not your best.” Paula is glad she brought her “axe”out with her. She likes her intonation and delivery. I agree with Paula! Simon begins babbling about the outfit. Geez, who gives a f**k about her outfit! Talk about her singing! Simon says she shouted the song. Wow, I guess I’m living in some alternative universe. Her outfit was not that weird, and I thought she sounded great. 1-866-436-5704
Scott MacIntyre – “Just The Way You Are” by Billy Joel – Gah. What a boring song choice. No band tonight, just piano. He’s less bland without the band backing him. This is one of his best performances, although he’s still pitchy and overreaches his range in spots. Definitely his best so far. Kara says, “I think you made some very smart decisions tonight…moving, coming from an honest place.” Paula says, “I’m most proud of you…it has everthing to do that makes me forget about that challenge.” But then…it’s still the challenge, isn’t it? Simon says, “You’re best performance by a country mile…it’s a different Scott.” Simon notes his “Ryan Seacrest hair”, and is glad he didn’t take Paula’s advice not to play the piano. Randy says, “One of the best.” Scott has bought himself another week, or maybe two. 1-866-436-5705
Matt Giraud – “You Found Me” by the Fray – Matt gets the Ryan treatment. He loves the Fray, and he’s going to sing a current song. He’s not sitting on the stage, but out in the audience surrounded by the pit girls. Hm. Off the bat, this is sounding off key. He’s not bringing anything new to this very current song, and he still sounds nervous. It’s affecting his pitch and vibrato. Paula says, “You aborted the thing we love about you…it became a sound alike.” Then she compares it to the Coldplay song. EEP. Simon, “We don’t like you this week…it felt very put on, very uptight, not a good commercial song…you’re becoming all these different people…I didn’t get it.” Wow, he’s getting slammed. “It was the wrong song for you…Apologize would have been you.” Kara says, “You keep going between rock and pop…you are going to hae to commit…you are a talented guy, you don’t deserve to go home.” Matt insists that R&B isn’t the only thing he can do. Stay in your box Matt! 1-866-436-5706
Lil Rounds – “Surrender” by Celine Dion – Lil thought a lot about it, then picked Celine Dion. She’s going for her “moment” tonight. Lil, why are you screaming at me? This is kind of a pitchy mess. She’s coming off a little desperate. Randy says, “This would not have been my song choice…you sang it really really well…but young it up a little.” Kara says, “I was surprised…when you go up there it’s effortless…we got a glimpse of who we saw in the beginning. We need to see more of that.” Paula says, “I don’t want to see an AC Lil Rounds…I know that’s there.” Simon says, “I found it quite similar to a wedding performance…”One” by U2 that MJ Blige sang would have been a good choice…your personality is getting sucked out of you.” Ryan, stop badgering Lil’s kids. Lil is crying, and now that the kids are in the picture, that’s like, a zillion more votes for Lil. 1-866-436-5707
Adam Lambert – “Play That Funky Music” by Wild Cherry – He sang a soft song last week…now he wants to pick up the pace, and make an old song sound current. This is a great vocal, but it doesn’t sound very current to me. Adam is back to the heavy-metal high notes–the song sounds more 80’s hair band than current rock and roll. I don’t understand why he didn’t pick a new song. “True genius, ” says Paula. She’s comparing him to Mick Jagger and other R&R greats. Simon says at least he’s not Karaoke…you are original. Gah. this is the kind of performance Simon typically slams. “You are definitely in the star zone, ” says Randy. Kara says, “Every week, I can’t wait to get to the show and see what you’re going to do.” Then she mentions studio…57? Isn’t that 54? But at least Kara can count this week. 1-866-436-5708
Kris Allen – “Ain’t Know Sunshine” – Kris likes taking old songs and making them new… He’s playing piano tonight. He’s got a couple of string players on stage with him. Hell yeah, this is pretty awesome. And it sounds current. I’m hearing this on AAA radio. Kris’s transformation over the course of this competition has been unbelievable. He is the diamond in the rought. Randy says, “You are definitely in the zone tonight.” Kara can count tonight, “That is artistry.” Paula says, “That could be the first cut from your album.” Simon says, “You showed some confidence tonight…great arrangement…Your best performance so far.” 1-866-436-5709
