Ten Finalists Compete

Tuesday’s theme was “Soul and R&B” and the guest mentor was Usher. One word: yum. Handsome, talented, kind, smart.

Siobhan met Usher and was “wicked nervous”. She chose “Through the Fire” by Chaka Kahn. Usher said she has a “unique vocal ability”. I thought she started out a bit nasally, especially in the lower registers, then her voice cracked once, no twice, on the higher notes. Yikes!! She moved to pure pitchiness and ended up standing in front of the judges looking totally bummed. Note to Randy: courage and conviction can only take you so far in this competition. I fear her look of utter dejection may be seen by voters as “I’ve given up” and, honestly, I’m not sure that she hasn’t.

New this week: post-performance footage. Some high on praise, many close to tears.

Ellen: Captain Kangaroo called (from beyond) and wants his jacket back.

Casey was next with “Hold On, I’m Comin’” by Sammy and Dave. Usher was “really impressed”. I was, too, except for that rapid vibrato thing he has. He’s a pretty good package: looks, guitar talent, and enough singing talent to get by.

Michael chose “Ready for Love” by India Arie. I like it when the guys choose songs that girls have made into hits. Usher warned him to “make sure they feel that energy”. I was slightly distracted by the effect the backlighting had on his ears, making them glow like ET’s finger, but otherwise, there were no flaws in his performance. The only thing I would have changed would have been to have him make eye contact more often.

Didi chose “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted” originally sung by Jimmy Ruffin. During her run-through with Usher, she broke down after she was finished. Usher said it was a “very emotional song for a very emotional young lady” and that she would have to make that commitment during her performance in order to make it work. I didn’t feel any emotional connection at all from her performance. She was a little pitchy and made it sound like just a song, nothing special. I didn’t like her 40’s glam look, either. I didn’t feel like it suited her OR her song choice. I would have liked it better had she been sitting on the edge of the stage in a simple dress.

Tim’s song choice was “Sweet Love” by Anita Baker. Usher urged him to “hold on to the memory” of being in love and to “own it”. Tim did neither. Technically great, but flat and emotionless.

Andrew chose “Forever” by Chris Brown. I was sure I wouldn’t like it, because I’m so biased against Mr. Brown. Usher said he loved that song and Andrew made him “love it even more”. I loved the way Andrew sang it; he certainly made up for the fact that it was a Chris Brown song. Andrew’s BACK!!!

Aretha Franklin’s “Chain of Fools” was Katy’s song choice. Usher thought she had “pizzazz and attitude”, but I could barely get past what she was wearing. Spaghetti strap romper with pleather leggings??? I’m agreeing with Simon --- her performance left me cold. AND it wasn’t even as technically great as she usually sings.

Lee, recovering from walking pneumonia, chose “Treat Her Like a Lady” by the Cornelius Brothers. Usher said he was “a special treat”. All I can say is “WOW”!!! I think Lee’s performance may have been this season’s “aha” moment.

Crystal chose “Midnight Train to Georgia” by Gladys Knight. Usher told her: “You got a real shot, kid!” She chose to play the piano, which was both good and bad. She admitted that she hadn’t played the piano in a while, and ended up looking at the keyboard a LOT, which took a little away from her performance. Thankfully, she stood up partway through and finished without playing the piano. Simon said she should quit listening to Kara’s theme: try something new, think out of the box, and stay true to who she is as a performer. I agree.

Aaron sang “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers. Usher said he was “incredible”. He was a little shaky during his performance, which is uncharacteristic for him. He wasn’t as strong as I expected him to be. It could be that Ryan threw off his confidence by introducing him as the “high school student”. Way to go, Ryan.

My picks for Bottom Three this week: Siobhan, Didi and Tim. I would send Didi home.

But, America’s voting --- I’m not gonna put any money on it!!