TheAmerican Idolhopefuls pulled double duty as they were tasked to sing two songs each. The first was a song from theAdelesongbook. The second was"Songs That Make Me Wanna Dance.“With superstarCiarataking on the mentor role,it was another night of excellent music from seven artists with big dreams of being a star.So who remained after the two drastic song choices? Well, America made their voice heard and botched it once again. In a complete shocker,McKenna Faith BreinholtandJulia Gagnonleftthe reality competition.
With the race to win tighter than ever, the contestants fought to stay in the game.Through the guidance of judgesKaty Perry, Luke Bryan, andLionel Richie, theAmerican Idolhopefuls gave it their all in a night where anything can, and will happen. Former mentorMeghan Trainorjoined in the night performing a pair of her new songs.But when it comes to the competition, the world of country music will be dominating the Top 5 with three finalists.So, which of the fourteen competitive performances made it into my top ten? Dim the lights!
American Idol
Twelve American finalists (six men and six women) compete in a singing contest.
10Will Mosley
“Rolling in the Deep”
Taking on the hit Adele classic"Rolling in the Deep,“Will Mosleygave us grit, like he was performing in the back of a smokey backwoods country bar. From a song selection perspective, there was no other Adele track that would have suited Will better. Will has a classic country voice. When it comes to Adele, there’s a specificity to her voice. She has the ability to run. She has a way to hold her words with ease. Will, not so much. It’s not innate in country music.This caused him to be a bit woobly at the tail end of his words.Will made the song suit him. It worked. As Luke joked, Will will tell his friends back home they made him sing Adele. Will did the theme the best he could.
9McKnenna Faith Breinholt
In a round where the songs that were supposed to make you want to dance,McKenna Faith Breinholtselected a Katy Perry song that might not actually be the most dance-heavy track. Regardless, this was her chance to honor Katy for saving her the week prior. McKenna completely reinvented the song. She has a very solid voice for a song that is completely out of her wheelhouse. This is a pop song that was turned into a rock performance.McKenna proved she’s got the ability to rock out.For McKenna, it still seemed like a very safe performance despite the cool vibes and stage presence.
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8Will Mosley
“Give Me Three Steps”
The world of dance is expansive. When it comes to music, dance doesn’t have to be pop music only. So, of course, the country dude was going to go country. Thankfully, he explored the world of classic country rock. Taking on “Give Me Three Steps” byLynyrd Skynyrd, Will eased into it vocally. His voice fit perfectly with the song. But it was a bit boring. He gave some two-step when the song asked for three.He was praised the week before for his usage of the entire stage, so he tried to play that card again. This time, it didn’t quite have an impact. It lacked purpose. It seemed as if he was moving through the motions because he was advised to. Will is a consistent player onAmerican Idol.At this point, don’t be surprised to see him in the finale.
7Abi Carter
“I Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up)”
What was dance night slowly shifted to Night of 1000 Rock Songs.Abi Carterwent with a headbanger inFall Out Boy’s “I Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up). The song is big. A bit too big for her. Because it was heavy rock-based, there was an element of being overpowered by the arrangement. The band took over. Abi knew she missed her big high note. Why? Well, she lost her mic pack!She handled it like a professional, even if the snafu almost cost her the performance.
6Julia Gagnon
Julia Gagnon’s decision to pick “Roam” byThe B-52swas a wild choice. With so many other dance-based songs within The B-52s songbook, “Roam” actually allowed her to soar vocally.Despite a nice voice and nailing her big notes, Julia was not comfortable with a movement-based performance.She tried to balance her vocal prowess with the urge to dance, and she seemed uneasy. Sadly, her journey onAmerican Idolis over, and if you had to pinpoint where she faltered during her run, it was her inability to be a star on stage. But there’s always room to grow.
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5Julia Gagnon
“Set Fire the Rain”
This round was going to be easy for Julia Gagnon. She could have picked any of Adele’s entire catalog and would have slayed. And surprise, she did.Julia’s rendition of “Set Fire the Rain” was pitch perfect.She flipped the musicality of the song just enough to not be a replica of Adele’s version. Julia was going to excel in this category, so it lacked the surprise factor. She lacked the star presence. But she easily has one of the biggest voices in recentAmerican Idolmemory.
4Jack Blocker
“One and Only”
Perhaps the threat of elimination illuminated something withinJack Blocker. Adele is not known for a folky singer-songwriter aura, yet Jack decided that was no problem for him. He gave “One and Only” a doo-wop vibe. And it was brilliant. Paired with a slick baby blue suit,what Jack exuded was nothing but smooth and cool.There was magic inside of him. He once again proved that he doesn’t need a guitar to shine. By allowing himself to showcase his versatility as an artist, Jack’s winner potential is very much on the rise now more than ever.
3McKenna Faith Breinholt
“Make You Feel My Love”
Written byBob Dyaln, originally performed byBilly Joel, and made famous again by Adele, McKenna Faith Breinholt was exemplary on “Make You Feel My Love.” It was almost as if it was meant solely for her. Her performance was extraordinary.McKenna’s performance was very much in her wheelhouse.Wearing a mature emerald green dress, she looked and sounded like a star. She gave a pure and genuine performance. Her time on Idol might be over, butthis is absolutely not the end for this future megastar.
2Abi Carter
“Hello” is one of Adele’s most triumphant songs. It has become a viral meme just because it’s so iconic. Abi decided this was the Adele hill she was ready to die upon. For Abi, it was absolutely the right choice! Abi has an exceptional range. She has such a drastically different tone than Adele that she was able to bring the track into her own world. Where Abi lacked the power Adele has, she didn’t attempt to do something she wouldnt' be able to achieve.She utilized the purity of her instrument in all the right ways.When Abi Carter sits behind the piano, she dazzles. It’s possible that this was her crowning performance of the season. This was an angelic performance.
1Jack Blocker
“Long Tall Sally”
Dance and Jack Blocker don’t seem like a likely pair. For Jack, he said that it wasLittle Richardthat made him dance. And boy, did he move and groove. Jack was in the pocket. His performance was extraordinary. It took him all season, but Jack Blocker has found himself. He knows how to perform on the biggest stage on television.He strayed just far enough to bring versatility to the stage, yet maintained his brilliant artistry.The kid who auditioned for the judges is not the man that appeared on that stage. Jack made a brilliant song selection and gave a performance that was fun as hell! This was his best performance all season.
American Idolairs Sundays at 8:00pm onABC.All episodes are available to stream the next day onHulu.
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