The “American Idol XIV” Top 12 Girls take Detroit by storm. (Photos property of FOX, FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment)
By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com
Last night, the American Idol XIV guys took the Fillmore stage and created memorable performances.
I have a good feeling that this will be an easy task for half of the Idol Top 12 Ladies!
So, which ladies impressed judges Harry Connick, Jr., Jennifer Lopez and Keith Urban tonight? Who might be in danger of going home tomorrow?
Read on to find out…
16-year-old Lovey James kicked off the show tonight. While I like her originality, she lost me in the intro of One Republic’s “Love Runs Out.” If Lovey gets through to the next round, she needs to make sure that she gives equal parts to the song. B-
Many Reality TV aficionados might recognize Adanna Duru from being on Team Adam during The Voice’s third season. Her cover of “Rather Be” gave me goose bumps. She successfully captivated my attention and I hope America gives her a spot in the Top 10! Way to go, Adanna! A
“Gunpowder & Lead” has been a go-to song for contestants on singing competitions. Skylar Laine and Kristen Merlin delivered show-stopping covers on their respective seasons of Idol and The Voice; did Alexis Gomez deliver with her cover? It was too staccato at times and her vocals were not appeasing to my ears. Alexis might run into trouble next week. D+
Joey Cook is probably the most unique contestant that has graced the show’s stage in the past five years. With accordion in hand, Joey put a smile on all of our faces when she covered Keith’s “Somebody Like You.” She is so talented and it would be a shame to see her go at this stage of the game. A
For some reason, I am not connecting with Katherine Winston. The 18-year-old Folk singer has a lovely voice and her cover of Taylor Swift’s “Safe & Sound” was lovely, but she lacked stage presence… which is a necessity to have when the show returns to Hollywood! C+
Shannon Berthiaume has been slaying each round in the competition so far, but I was severely disappointed with her cover of P!nk’s “Who Knew.” I could not understand her interpretation of the lyrics during the first half of the song. I agree with Harry and Keith’s comments, she needed to pick a song that fitted her strengths. D
Loren Lott delivered a powerful take on Charice’s tender “Note to God.” Her vocals gave me chills and she brought the house down. I hope that both Charice and “Note to God” songwriter Diane Warren were watching this performance, they would be extremely proud of this superb vocalist. A+
Shi Scott has annoyed a lot of fans since her first appearance on the show. Also, she had the daunting task of following an outstanding performance. I felt that her cover of Rihanna’s signature hit, “Umbrella,” was a complete mess. D-
Country girl Maddie Walker tackled a Shania Twain classic for her first performance for America’s votes. Despite showcasing her personality, it was not my cup of tea. She did not showcase any understanding of the song’s message and it was very Thursday night karaoke. C
Many fans have waited to see Sarina-Joi Crowe take the Idol stage! After three seasons of being eliminated, Sarina-Joi finally had her moment to shine and the 19-year-old did not disappoint with her show-stopping cover of Jessie J’s “Mama Knows Best.” I loved her vocal runs and her sweet power notes. Congrats, Sarina-Joi! A
Jax is one of the season’s biggest movers and shakers! So, when she tackled “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down),” Jax gave everyone chills. I loved her presentation and the fact that she infused hard pop rock into the track. I have a feeling that Jax will be a top contender for this year’s crown. A+
Tyanna Jones closed the night with her cover of Meghan Trainor’s “Lips Are Movin’.” It was a great feel good performance that featured a lot of upper register action. I hope she moves onto the Top 12. A
Next week, The Top 24 become the Top 16 as eight artists must go home!
