By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, filed originally on Wednesday, March 11, 2015
So now we have a top 12 "American Idol" that the judges, the producers and the public should be proud of.
At the same time, it's the year of the R&B singer, with Clark Beckham, Rayvon Owen, Quaasim Middleton, Tyanna Jones, Adanna Duru and Quentin Alexander all competing.
There's no real country superstar in the making, with only Maddie Walker in the mix and she has no chance of winning.
The best shots at pop stardom? Jax and Sarina-Joi Crowe. The closest clone to Daughtry? Nick Fradiani.
Then there's the queen of quirky Joey Cook, who doesn't quite fit into any particular genre.
The not-quite-ready-for-primetime player? Poor Daniel Seavey, on the show three years too soon. He has some soul in him but his voice isn't fully formed.
"American Idol" pre-taped this episode on Tuesday, probably because they needed to edit it down to one hour. (I was told by someone who was there that it was because one of the judges had a commitment tonight.) Squeezing 12 performances was a challenge but they pulled it off with some editing and (barely) any intros. They also introduced us to Scott Borchetta, this year's mentor who helped nurture Taylor Swift. He'll be doing a press conference tomorrow and I'll listen in.
Overall, this is a really strong group, one of the best "Idol" has ever had in terms of depth. (Think seasons 5 and 7.) Realistically, six of the 12 could win this and two others have an outside shot. That's impressive.
So if you've fallen off the "Idol" train, get back on. It's not a bad ride.
Tomorrow, we'll hear the top 11 perform as the first finalist is eliminated.
I really hope Daniel goes home. He got on further than he needed to in a year with way too much competition.
My favorite tonight? It's a close call but Tyanna, Jax, Clark and Rayvon are all near the top.
My rankings: 1. Rayvon 2. Tyanna 3. Clark 4. Jax 5. Quentin 6. Quaasim 7. Nick 8. Joey 9. Adanna 10. Daniel 11. Maddie 12. Sarina
This does not mean I want Sarina to go home. This was just an off night for her. I'll give her a pass.
First up: Sarina-Joi Crowe ("Love Runs Out" OneRepublic) - Is she off key here? Her pitch is a mess. She and the band are not in sync. The judges were way kind.
Grade: C-plus
Chance of being eliminated: No way, despite a bad performance. She's earned a break.
Rayvon Owen ("Wide Awake" Katy Perry) - He has perfect pitch, just glides through this one with passion and grace. JLo: "You felt that moment." HCJ: "You sounded terrific." Keith: "Exponentially better at the end."
Grade: A
Chance of making the top 11: Of course
Daniel Seavey ("Straight Up" Paula Abdul) - He brings plenty of verve but he really looks so absurdly young compared to his counterparts and isn't meshing with the band. He makes Scotty McCreery seem like a senior citizen. HCJ: "You're young and you're inexperienced. Compared to what we saw before, the performances haven't been strong and your inexperience is showing." Keith: "If you find an emotional song, you'll kill it."
Grade: B
Chance of going forward: Least likely
Maddie Walker ("Suitcase" Gwen Sebastian) - She looks a bit more comfortable than she did last week. She has a good voice but has a facial expression frozen in pageant mode. There seems to be no there there. Keith: "It suited you." JLo: "I saw you getting in the head of it. Sing it and it'll come out exactly the way you want it to come out."
Grade: B
Chance of going forward: 50/50
Tyanna Jones ('Wings" Little Mix) - Wow. She really can bring it. She is packed with confidence and vocal ability all wrapped into one. JLo: "Your composure on stage at 16 years old." HCJ: "It's really crazy how comfortable you are."
Grade: A
Chance of moving forward: Naturally
Nick Fradiani ("In Your Eyes" Peter Gabriel) - A lilting, slightly less mournful version of this song. He is a pro through and through. "You have a great look and a great voice. You have to believe in yourself as much as America." JLo: "I want you to pick a song where every part of your voice is undeniable."
Grade: A-minus
Chance of moving forward: 99%
Jax ("I Want to Hold Your Hand' Beatles) - One word: Gorgeous. Who would have thought this trifle of a Beatles song could be turned into such a touching ballad? Keith said she could have taken the entire song on the piano. JLo: "Compelling." HCJ said she didn't even need the band.
Grade: A/A-minus
Chance of moving forward: certainly
Qaasim Alexander ("Sir Duke" Stevie Wonder) - His vocals are just okay but who cares? He's Mr. Showboat er... Showman! HCJ: "Will we hear an entire performance without an explosion of energy." Keith: "You showed everything you could do. You killed it!"
Grade: B-plus
Chance of moving forward: guaranteed
Clark Beckham ("It's a Man's Man's Man's World" - James Brown) - This is sweet spot of a song. Of course, he kills it. You could tell he's done it 1,000 times. Keith: "Killer dude." JLo: "Vocal of the night. Amazing."
Grade: A-minus/A
Chance of moving forward: almost a necessity
Joey Cook ("King of Spain" The Tallest Man on Earth") - She is almost charming in this take, even with the winks and the ukele and the flowery dress. JLo said she filled up the big stage. HCJ was duly impressed.
Grade: A-minus/B-plus
Chance of moving forward: decent
Wild card picks
Quentin Alexander ("Royals' Lorde) - A deeply emotional performance. HCJ: "You are deeply in touch with your emotions and artistry." Keith loved the spirituality.
Grade: A-minus
Chance of moving forward: good
Adanna Duru ("You & I" Lady Gaga) - She has charisma but she did get a bit pitchy. HCJ: " You have to channel it through a specific place. It was really out of tune." JLo: "You need control of your performance."
Grade: B/B-plus
Chance of moving forward: okay
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