AI: 5/17 — 3 x 3 = Great!

May 18, 2005 · Filed Under popmedia

Now that was a great show — the best top 3 ever! While I do think that there is a clear distinction/ranking of the singers, based on last night’s performances, it’s also crystal clear that they all did very well last night, and that there were no clunkers out of any of the 9 performances. Clive Davis picked great songs for each of the 3, as did each of the singers themselves. The weakest song choices, IMO, were those made by the judges — and even they weren’t all that bad.

Bo was clearly the best performer of the evening. Three different songs/styles, and he pulled them all off without a hitch. Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me (Clive Davis’s choice) was seemingly a stretch for Bo, but he was more than up to the task of packing that song full of genuine emotion. Within a Dream — A Capella. Daring. Simple. Haunting. Powerful. Awesome. (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction — Paula didn’t really do Bo any favors, as this song really requires the Stones’ brand of crunchy-ness. That said, Bo did a nice job with the vocals, and rose above the non-crunchy horns & strings. Simon was right about it being “fluff,” but it was good/well-done fluff!

Carrie did a great job on Cryin’ (Clive’s choice), as Roy Orbison always had a country-friendly element to his music, and she really did a very nice job of delivering the emotional impact of the song. Air Supply’s Makin’ Love (Out of Nothing at All) was an interesting choice. It helped that Clive liked it, and I think that she did a very, very nice job with it. I’m not too much of a man to admit that I like Air Supply, despite (or perhaps because of ) the extreme cheeze factor in their music, but I hope that an Air Supply song is well-known enough to not hurt her vote count. Randy’s choice of Man, I Feel Like a Woman was quite appropriate since, as Clive noted, Country-Pop (like that doled out so successfully by Shania Twain) is right in Carrie’s wheelhouse. Carrie had fun and delivered a nice, energetic, & fun performance to close out the show.

Vonzell also delivered three strong performances, with I’ll Never Love This Way Again (Clive’s choice), Chain of Fools, & On the Radio (Simon’s choice). She was upbeat, emotive, had fun, and was (as always) infectiously entertaining. I really do like Vonzell, but I don’t think her performances last night warrant her getting into the finals next week. Someone’s gotta go this week, and out of the 3, I think it should be her.

That said, Vonzell’s fanbase could dictate otherwise. If this is the case, then I think that Carrie is at risk. I honestly don’t see Bo not getting into the finals — he was clearly better than both of the girls last night, and I’d hate to watch the finals without him (but I would still watch… ;-)).

So, there you have it — after 9 great performances by 3 great singers, I think that we’re going to bid a fond adieu to Baby V tonight.

-ghp

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Tags: american idol, music, realitytv