ROSADO'S RECAPS: American Idol - The Cultute of Pop, DVD, Movie, TV, Pop Culture Review

ROSADO'S RECAPS: American Idol

Posted: Thu, 3 Mar 2011 6:11:10 PST

3-2-11

7:00 pm CST-A wildly enthusiastic crowd rocks the rafters at the American Idol concert hall in Hollywood ...and none of the Top 12 females for Season 10 have sung a note yet. So resumes Top 24 week with the judges looking for supreme excellence right out of the gate..and unlike the guys, I think the girls are going to more than merely deliver.

Ta-Tynisa Wilson-Her barely tamed Afro echoed her gritty take on Rhianna's chart topper Only Girl In The World. Steven thought it was good, Jennifer felt she took it home, but Randy brought out the boo birds saying it was just “okay”. For me, I thought Ta-Ty may have alternating between singing and shouting the song at times. But so far, I think it's good enough of a performance to pull her through, but we still have 11 girls left to go...and I have a feeling it's gonna be a musical cat fight to the finish.

Jeff's Grade: B

Naima Adedapo-Offering a big band take on Summertime, she did the near impossible...took a song that Fantasia used as her calling card in Season 3, and made it her own just like she did...Jennifer and Steven loved it to pieces, with Tyler comparing her to a young Ella Fitzgerald. No argument from me with that final ascending note being a bonus.

Jeff's Grade: A-

Kendra Chantelle-This Sarah Michelle Geller lookalike scored with a soulful take on Christina Aguilera's Impossible that got better the more it progressed; great vocal control and power all over...all the judges praise her efforts, but Jennifer feels we haven't seen her at her best yet..For now, Kendra's certainly silenced her critics.

Jeff's Grade: A-

Rachel Zevita-Girl with the marquee ready name comes out of her cape and a-swingin' on the Fiona Apple standard Criminal, displaying ingratiating confidence, but I don't think the voice matches the 'tude or moves just yet, but the potential is more than there...As for the judges, Steven thought it was too Broadway, Jen stays in the same vein asking if she wants America to see her in that light. Randy's a bit more blunt in his critique saying it just didn't work...I liked it a bit more than him, so if she survives, I hope Rachel will go for something a lot more accessible/commercial next time.

Jeff's Grade: B-

Karen Rodriguez-One of the most beautiful of the 12 female finalists, that was also her failing in her take on Mariah Carey's Hero; it was just too beauty pageant for me. Still, that nice run of notes in the end proved mighty impressive, along with a creative segue into Spanish. But the judges were like peas in a pod agreement wise, with Steven saying she should cut a duet with Jacob on this tune.

Jeff's Grade: B-

Lauren Turner-Imagine if you would country music's Wynonna Judd in rocker mode...do so and you have Lauren with a dash of rocker chick 'tude at the end...Interesting combo for her rendition of blues queen Etta James' Seven Day Fool, but I'm still torn at the end whether it's yay or nay. Dawg man Randy trots out another “That's how you do it” with Steven stating she was just simply Lauren..

Jeff's Grade: B-

Ashton Jones-One of my big favorites this season, this Tennessee titan impressed me yet again with her comfort level on the stage with her shout to the audience at the start to knowing how to work those cameras while taking on the Monica track Love Over Me...Jennifer has the same feelings as she praises the diva in her, Steven says she's sweet, and Randy feels he sees her being something else than what she's representing, but at the same time, no complaints. If this is just her first week, I can't imagine just how good her future appearances are gonna be. Best performance of the night thus far.

Jeff's Grade: A

Julie Zorrilla-One favorite follows another with this way pretty California dream giving her take on Kelly Clarkson's Breakaway, but she sings it in a distractingly lower register. Week one is where you gotta bring out as much vocal fireworks as possible while being careful not to over sing. Unfortunately, Julie did neither; she didn't sing hard enough, had no spark whatsoever, and I think it's house lights down for her come Thursday.

Jeff's Grade: C+

Haley Reinhart-I think this was this cutie's coming out party tonight as she gave a smoldering, sexy spin on Alicia Keys' now classic Fallin'. Randy says it didn't do anything for him, saying it was karaoke, Steven thankfully is the voice of reason here saying he liked it a lot, and Jennifer loved the variety in her voice, which echoes my fave strength of Haley's...Not to mention those killer curls...don't ever give those up, girl.

Jeff's Grade: A

Thia Megia-Crucial moment for this potential pop princess who's gotten a great hair makeover and she delivers an oh-so beautiful take on Irene Cara's classic ballad Out Here On My Own. Big risk to do a slow one out of the gate at this point of competition, but she knocks it out of the park with an untapped vigor that hints at great things to come. Steven adored it, Jennifer said it was amazing to hear someone start off a'capella at this point of the game, and Randy compares her tone to a young Michael Jackson. Whoa...Nice job, kid...My fave vocal of the night thus far...along with being my first top of the heap grade of the year thus far...

Jeff's Grade: A+

Lauren Alaina-This country cutie comes out twangin' with a funky by way of Nashville rendition of Reba's Turn On The Radio . It's a little outside the box for her, but Lauren's trademark sass, confidence and power remain intact. Jen said she didn't even need to try, adding that Lauren's effortless and a natural, Randy agrees on the latter adding she's a mix of Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood (yeah....I had the latter in mind, but the Big Dawg is on it: Alaina does a little bit of Clarkson in her), and Steven says she kills him...in a non-life eliminating way, of course.

Jeff's Grade: B+

Pia Toscano-Girl with the prettiest name in the whole bunch offered a killer take on The Pretenders ballad I'll Stand By You, opening up in an appealingly relaxed lower register which masterfully climbed, and wrapped with a operatic flourish that would have made Roy Orbison gasp. Even the contestants froze in awe, while the judges and the audience rose in unison, resulting in the first such standing ovation of the season...and I would have been doing it too, if not for this computer on my knees, but hey, I gotta record this momentous moment for blog-sterity...Randy overuses the phrase to death, but this performance was definitely “the way you do it”...Steven said he had a WTF reaction, and Jennifer basically echoed her homeboys...

Jeff's Grade: A+

JEFF'S FINAL THOUGHTS: Did I tell you this was gonna be a musical cat fight or what? Best Top 12 females night in years, if not ever. Performance by performance, almost every girl outdid the other, and you can't ask for much more, especially at this point.

Man, now I know the torture and mental anguish Randy, Paula, Kara, Simon, Steven, Jennifer and Ellen have gone through over the years...but at this point, my predictions for the Top Five are:

Pia, Thia, Haley, Lauren A., and Ashton. Wild Card Choice: Kendra. Potential Dark Horse: Karen.

What promises to be one of the most exciting, nerve wracking and no doubt controversial elimination nights in Idol history is hours away.

-Jeffrey Rosado

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