This time we get introduced to twelve great looking contestants and, from what we've seen of most of them so far, there could be some tough decisions to take if they're to be whittled down to a mere five. I am a bit confused about 'the judges' choices', Ryan saying that they get a wild card each. Does that mean they get to choose a girl and boy wild card which would mean 16 going through, or just one girl or boy each? That sounds more likely, producing a total of 13 going through, with any combination of 5+8 or, more likely 6+7.
Chelsea has been chosen to start off the show and does well. She's a country girl, inclined to get confused a bit in the earlier rounds with Skylar and looking nothing like the early model-pose photos we had! Watching her perform on an impressive set I had to think how cool it must be for her to have the video of that performance to keep and play over and over if she doesn't make it through. To be honest, this wasn't very inspiring. Cowboy Casanova was OK but not a lot more. I can imagine Carrie Underwood would have been a lot better and that rather defeats the purpose as most will know her version and forget this one pretty quickly. She may have a lot more to give which this song didn't show. In with a chance but the judges' reviews weren't amazing.
Erica
This the DJ girl who seemed quite a bit older than the others in the previous rounds. She should know which tracks work with the crowd and the judges. Looking so much better, too, after the makeover team, she launched into Adele's What About Love. Her voice is low but good and she's strong and faultless but ... has she got that excitement factor that will attract votes and whatever an Idol requires? Much depends on how the others do. She played it safe and may regret that.
Jen
She's been very professional so far, familiar with the stage and she comes across well with Adele's One And Only. Not as brilliantly, though, as I'd expected, sounding as if she was struggling with this far more than she ought to be. She does get by far the biggest audience response so far, though, perhaps respecting the effort she put in which was certainly a lot more than the first two. although I was disappointed, she may have given herself a chance by taking a chance - even if the result wasn't that perfect.
Brielle
The first teenager of the night. And yes, she's a cheerleader! Her mum can get a bit annoying and may even lose her a few votes. Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay is not a track I'd associate with her but it is a cool song and may work. No, bad start - far too low for her. then she gets into a range she's more comfortable with and we see the more bluesy and raucous girl that earned her place here before. Too much was too wrong, however, and I can't agree with the judges' compliments at all. So far, no-one is a potential winner, or even finalist in my book and I wouldn't be too concerned at saying farewell to any later tonight.
Hallie
This is one of my favourites from the very start. I cannot imagine what she's doing with that guy as a husband though but that's another matter. Feeling Good. She does a fantastic job with this moody classic and copes well with the middle bit but is best simmering with the emotion she is able to express so well. She ended well and looked very good. the crowd seem to love her too. She's the first star tonight and I hope that she keeps going like this. Note to dress department: the blue trousers really don't look cool.
Skylar
The small small town country girl. Nice personality, bubbly and she's shown before that she can extend country to rock and roll. Stay With Me demonstrates that brilliantly. She rocks, looks good and is full of energy, not just auditioning but loving to perform and natural in this element. She may not have been as note perfect as Chelsea but is far more animated and another who should be through to go further in this Series 11. She needs to avoid the screech, though. Otherwise, all credit to to the wild rocking country girl, as Randy aptly described her. She gets the best reviews of the night.
Baylie
Another country girl. And a cheerleader. This is her second attempt at Idol so she ought to know the score. I liked the fact that her grandad had no idea what the Top 24 was! She sang Every Little Thing. Dodgy notes at the start. She has a nice voice - more traditional with good phrasing. Just a few tuning problems really did let her down quite badly, though. She could have been a lot more popular. Steven said she was pretty. Randy came out with his first pitchy for a long time. She may struggle to stay in this competition, I feel.
Ah, Randy talks about a Top 13 so that should be clear now - five girls and five boys get voted through and the judges choose three more to rescue. Good, I understand now!
Hollie
Another teenager. One conspicuous by her absence on the whole show so far. So this, at Top 24, is the very first time many people will have got to see and hear her. Reflection is not a song I know but I wish I did. It starts strangely and sounds very difficult. It does soon get going and she's good, very good when her nerves settle.
She's made up to look really pretty and gets another great audience reaction. the last half of the song worked well. Jennifer says she's one of the front runners. Randy says she's one of the favourites. She deserves the compliments and ought to be safe and sound.
Haley
this girl is so attractive and the camera adores her. Sweet Dreams. Very professional performance with a unique style that I wasn't expecting at all. We don't know this girl. She threw a lot at us tonight and it was a lot to take in. She can act too and has all the 'money shots', as Steven called them, absolutely spot-on. Randy didn't get it and, strangely, he gives her the first bad review of the Season. I hope that doesn't affect the voters as she can really do well and is another of my favourite potential finalists.
Shannon
Only 16, she's been good in previous audition shows but Carry Your Candle is not that good, despite its anthemic feel. She's got a good ballad voice and can belt out this gospel number pretty well but, I don't know, is this an Idol in the making? She was far off key in places but Randy calls her 'hot'? The judges obviously love her but I'm not convinced. perhaps being the only church appeal will get her a big slice of the voters at this crucial stage which the others haven't really even scartched. There's still a big question mark for me after that performance.
Jessica
I'm waiting for a pop star to emerge rather just a smart big song singer. I thought it might be this young girl but maybe not.This girl started badly and had a lot of trouble finding the right notes but her eventual interpretation of Perfect Man got a huge amount of audience rapport. She gets the first standing ovation from the judges and Randy goes yo-yo over her. He calls her one of the best singers of the two nights. Were they watching the same performance as I was? Yes, she had some great attitude and a good way of moving around but I cannot agree that the pitch was perfect. Clearly, she's through, whatever the vote.
Elise
One of the slightly more mature girls but looking just as good as the others tonight. She has that earthy sound to her voice. She sings One And Only (again) and what a difference to Jen's version earlier, which may well see the latter depart. Elise was much much better. husky may be the word I was looking for. She's good. Playing the piano and then getting up and really doing justice to this track. For me she did all the judges had said that Jessica did - but far, far better. The best of the night by a long way. But there's no standing ovation for her. She reminds me of the wonderful Haley Reinhart from last year. Muted comments from the judges - they say she's 'the best voice here' but for some reason they don't go overboard like they did for Jessica which I don't understand. Nice personality. I want Elise through.
Now it gets tough...
The votes are announced and these are the people who get the most - the Top 10, and thus automatically through to the first Top 13 show next week:
Phillip
Hollie
Jessica
Joshua
Heejun
Shannon
Skylar
Elise
Colton
Jermaine
Some surprises there - Chase doesn't make it, despite the good looks and sole country guy. Hallie and Reed, Haley too, three of my own predictions failing at the first hurdle. Had Hallie been wearing that yellow dress and looking as massive next to the others (well, not Jermaine!) then I could see why she might not be selected but to date she has been both attractive and come across so well. Reed and Haley did nothing wrong - just not regarded by voters as what they wanted, I guess.
Now the judges give six of them a second chance. they choose Jen, Jeremy, Brielle, Deandre, Erica and Reed.
Each really does let loose and gives us their all. Quite stunning, especially Jeremy with a Carrie Underwood number that was absolutely in his zone and delivered to perfection. Brilliant! Well done that guy who had looked gone a day before. Brielle excels and more than makes up for a poor earlier showing with Someone Like You. I take it back. She is good, but not for the judges who don't like her.
Jen did Oh Darling but maybe tried too hard. Good, better than before but not as impressive as Erica who brought out Lady Gaga as a trump card and wowed everyone with Edge Of Glory. Tremendous, and smart choice by someone who should know. Deandre went a little crazy with Georgia, OTT but well done and not as crazy as Reed's Use Me where he put on a great show, totally original and so talented. Reed deserves his own show, no doubt, but he may be just too wild for this one.
In an emotional announcement. Erica, Jeremy and Deandre get through at last, completing the Top 13 that go forward to be with us for a while longer.
Heejun is the one who really shouldn't be there, in my view, and the Korean has now put out two cowboys. Why is he there? It can only be for the boost his humour brings to the audience but surely that can't last much longer?
It was a long night and, for Chase, Hallie, Chelsea, Baylie, Adam, Reed, Creighton, Aaron, Haley, Brielle, Eben and Jen, a long drive home.
This the DJ girl who seemed quite a bit older than the others in the previous rounds. She should know which tracks work with the crowd and the judges. Looking so much better, too, after the makeover team, she launched into Adele's What About Love. Her voice is low but good and she's strong and faultless but ... has she got that excitement factor that will attract votes and whatever an Idol requires? Much depends on how the others do. She played it safe and may regret that.
She's been very professional so far, familiar with the stage and she comes across well with Adele's One And Only. Not as brilliantly, though, as I'd expected, sounding as if she was struggling with this far more than she ought to be. She does get by far the biggest audience response so far, though, perhaps respecting the effort she put in which was certainly a lot more than the first two. although I was disappointed, she may have given herself a chance by taking a chance - even if the result wasn't that perfect.
The first teenager of the night. And yes, she's a cheerleader! Her mum can get a bit annoying and may even lose her a few votes. Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay is not a track I'd associate with her but it is a cool song and may work. No, bad start - far too low for her. then she gets into a range she's more comfortable with and we see the more bluesy and raucous girl that earned her place here before. Too much was too wrong, however, and I can't agree with the judges' compliments at all. So far, no-one is a potential winner, or even finalist in my book and I wouldn't be too concerned at saying farewell to any later tonight.
This is one of my favourites from the very start. I cannot imagine what she's doing with that guy as a husband though but that's another matter. Feeling Good. She does a fantastic job with this moody classic and copes well with the middle bit but is best simmering with the emotion she is able to express so well. She ended well and looked very good. the crowd seem to love her too. She's the first star tonight and I hope that she keeps going like this. Note to dress department: the blue trousers really don't look cool.
The small small town country girl. Nice personality, bubbly and she's shown before that she can extend country to rock and roll. Stay With Me demonstrates that brilliantly. She rocks, looks good and is full of energy, not just auditioning but loving to perform and natural in this element. She may not have been as note perfect as Chelsea but is far more animated and another who should be through to go further in this Series 11. She needs to avoid the screech, though. Otherwise, all credit to to the wild rocking country girl, as Randy aptly described her. She gets the best reviews of the night.
Another country girl. And a cheerleader. This is her second attempt at Idol so she ought to know the score. I liked the fact that her grandad had no idea what the Top 24 was! She sang Every Little Thing. Dodgy notes at the start. She has a nice voice - more traditional with good phrasing. Just a few tuning problems really did let her down quite badly, though. She could have been a lot more popular. Steven said she was pretty. Randy came out with his first pitchy for a long time. She may struggle to stay in this competition, I feel.
Ah, Randy talks about a Top 13 so that should be clear now - five girls and five boys get voted through and the judges choose three more to rescue. Good, I understand now!
Another teenager. One conspicuous by her absence on the whole show so far. So this, at Top 24, is the very first time many people will have got to see and hear her. Reflection is not a song I know but I wish I did. It starts strangely and sounds very difficult. It does soon get going and she's good, very good when her nerves settle.
She's made up to look really pretty and gets another great audience reaction. the last half of the song worked well. Jennifer says she's one of the front runners. Randy says she's one of the favourites. She deserves the compliments and ought to be safe and sound.
this girl is so attractive and the camera adores her. Sweet Dreams. Very professional performance with a unique style that I wasn't expecting at all. We don't know this girl. She threw a lot at us tonight and it was a lot to take in. She can act too and has all the 'money shots', as Steven called them, absolutely spot-on. Randy didn't get it and, strangely, he gives her the first bad review of the Season. I hope that doesn't affect the voters as she can really do well and is another of my favourite potential finalists.
Only 16, she's been good in previous audition shows but Carry Your Candle is not that good, despite its anthemic feel. She's got a good ballad voice and can belt out this gospel number pretty well but, I don't know, is this an Idol in the making? She was far off key in places but Randy calls her 'hot'? The judges obviously love her but I'm not convinced. perhaps being the only church appeal will get her a big slice of the voters at this crucial stage which the others haven't really even scartched. There's still a big question mark for me after that performance.
I'm waiting for a pop star to emerge rather just a smart big song singer. I thought it might be this young girl but maybe not.This girl started badly and had a lot of trouble finding the right notes but her eventual interpretation of Perfect Man got a huge amount of audience rapport. She gets the first standing ovation from the judges and Randy goes yo-yo over her. He calls her one of the best singers of the two nights. Were they watching the same performance as I was? Yes, she had some great attitude and a good way of moving around but I cannot agree that the pitch was perfect. Clearly, she's through, whatever the vote.
One of the slightly more mature girls but looking just as good as the others tonight. She has that earthy sound to her voice. She sings One And Only (again) and what a difference to Jen's version earlier, which may well see the latter depart. Elise was much much better. husky may be the word I was looking for. She's good. Playing the piano and then getting up and really doing justice to this track. For me she did all the judges had said that Jessica did - but far, far better. The best of the night by a long way. But there's no standing ovation for her. She reminds me of the wonderful Haley Reinhart from last year. Muted comments from the judges - they say she's 'the best voice here' but for some reason they don't go overboard like they did for Jessica which I don't understand. Nice personality. I want Elise through.
Now it gets tough...
The votes are announced and these are the people who get the most - the Top 10, and thus automatically through to the first Top 13 show next week:
Phillip
Hollie
Jessica
Joshua
Heejun
Shannon
Skylar
Elise
Colton
Jermaine
Some surprises there - Chase doesn't make it, despite the good looks and sole country guy. Hallie and Reed, Haley too, three of my own predictions failing at the first hurdle. Had Hallie been wearing that yellow dress and looking as massive next to the others (well, not Jermaine!) then I could see why she might not be selected but to date she has been both attractive and come across so well. Reed and Haley did nothing wrong - just not regarded by voters as what they wanted, I guess.
Now the judges give six of them a second chance. they choose Jen, Jeremy, Brielle, Deandre, Erica and Reed.
Each really does let loose and gives us their all. Quite stunning, especially Jeremy with a Carrie Underwood number that was absolutely in his zone and delivered to perfection. Brilliant! Well done that guy who had looked gone a day before. Brielle excels and more than makes up for a poor earlier showing with Someone Like You. I take it back. She is good, but not for the judges who don't like her.
Jen did Oh Darling but maybe tried too hard. Good, better than before but not as impressive as Erica who brought out Lady Gaga as a trump card and wowed everyone with Edge Of Glory. Tremendous, and smart choice by someone who should know. Deandre went a little crazy with Georgia, OTT but well done and not as crazy as Reed's Use Me where he put on a great show, totally original and so talented. Reed deserves his own show, no doubt, but he may be just too wild for this one.
In an emotional announcement. Erica, Jeremy and Deandre get through at last, completing the Top 13 that go forward to be with us for a while longer.
Heejun is the one who really shouldn't be there, in my view, and the Korean has now put out two cowboys. Why is he there? It can only be for the boost his humour brings to the audience but surely that can't last much longer?
It was a long night and, for Chase, Hallie, Chelsea, Baylie, Adam, Reed, Creighton, Aaron, Haley, Brielle, Eben and Jen, a long drive home.
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