This week Grammy award winner Alicia Keys guided the Idol contestants in performing songs of inspiration for the American audience. Casey James was the first to perform. He chose Fleetwood Mac’s “Don’t Stop.” Alicia Keys advised to him to show his personality through the song in order to make it memorable for the audience. He did showcase not only his personality, but also his instrumental talent with a guitar. Judge Randy Jackson thought James gave a nice performance but it was redundant. It was the same type of nice performance he usually gives and James needs to now think out of the box in order to advance to the finals. Judge Simon Cowell explained to James how his performance was uninspiring and thus, didn’t match the theme of the week. This amounted to “a lazy song choice,” Cowell said.
Lee Dewyze chose a great song to perform in Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Boxer.” I thought Keys gave him some great advice that could really help him win the competition. She advised him to remember what the song was about and to feel and then portray that character. If he could accomplish that, then he will connect emotionally with the song and thus, connect emotionally with the audience. He did perform the song very well and connected well emotionally. It wasn’t quite a perfect performance, but it was close. Jackson commended him on the performances he had been giving and provided encouragement. Judge Kara DioGuardi believed that performance was his “moment” in the competition, which proved he connected with at least one person in the audience other than me.
Tim Urban chose “Better Days” by one of my favorite bands, the Goo Goo Dolls, for his inspirational performance. Keys asked Urban to reiterate the feeling of the song so it becomes his own. She seemed very happy with his choice and rehearsal. Jackson, however, felt his actual performance was just ok. Judge Ellen DeGeneres didn’t like the performance either. DioGuardi told Urban he had the right idea with his song choice, but he didn’t execute it as well as he could have. I liked it, but didn’t love it. His beginning vocals were weak, but gained strength as the song went on.
Aaron Kelly took a bit of a risk in choosing R. Kelly’s “I Believe I Can Fly” for his performance. I personally didn’t feel connected with him or the song and I don’t think he felt as connected to it as he should have in order to make it work. Jackson thought his song arrangement was strange, which it was. Cowell liked the end but admitted that he would have changed the radio station if that song had come on.
Siobhan Magnus chose to sing a duet as her inspirational song performance. She chose “When You Believe” by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. I think singing a duet, especially such a big one, when she is only one voice was a mistake and Alicia Keys should have told her so. DioGuardi told Magnus that she felt like her performances were increasing in dramatics each week. Also, she is still unsure of who Magnus is as an artist. Cowell thought her song peaked too early and it didn’t seem like a current performance.
Michael Lynche chose Nickelback’s “Hero” for his performance. This is a song I wish Casey James would have chosen instead. It may have been a big risk for Lynche but it didn’t really work as well as it could have for James. Jackson said to Lynche that “it worked out,” but he didn’t elaborate beyond that statement. Kara DioGuardi made some very good points in her criticism. “You don’t have the tone for that voice…the song became unrecognizable,” DioGuardi said. Cowell had an issue with whether or not the song was actually inspirational because it was the theme from a Spiderman movie. For once I thought Cowell’s point was ridiculous. Who cares if it was featured in Spiderman? The point is how well it was performed by Michael Lynche, not Toby Maguire.
Crystal Bowersox performed “People Get Ready” by Curtis Mayfield and, once again, it was the best of the show and may have been the best performance of hers yet. Randy Jackson gave her a standing ovation. “You keep evolving and growing and getting better and better,” DeGeneres said. DioGuardi was very pleased that she did not use her guitar or any other instrument. Cowell was pleased that she exhibited true emotion by crying during the final moments of the performance.
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