The penultimate show make it Boy v Girl for the Final.

Trent kicks off the first part of the Final with what would be his 'winner's single'. Falling does suit his voice almost perfectly and flows along OK. I can't get excited about it and it seems to me the sort of track that goes up the charts but drops out pretty soon afterwards. it is missing something. But it has an instant appeal that won't do Trent any harm at all.

Trent will get middle America's vote big time. Despite Dalton's pop talent and La'Porsha's much-expected win, I still see Trent with a strong chance on the public vote there.

Dalton's song is much more impressive, as is his perfprmance. he looks and sounds like someone who wants to win, to perform and entertain. Not sure of the title. May be Cross My Heart. An excellent start but, again, it isn't something I would rush to download. Far better than Trent's performance but Dalton really will need every single teen fan to keep voting to stay in this thing.

He strikes me as the one who will get the most chart success over the years to come and I am sure he'll get a contract from someone come what may. He could also make it here in the UK with the right marketing as we haven't really got anyone like him, with the energy and appeal and genuine ability to get the lyrics across.

Oops. 4Music, the channel showing the series here this year, ahve just shown a trailer for the final to be shown here tomorrow. Who will win American Idol? the voice asks, Trent or La'Porsha? And there is a picture of the two centre screen in the ad.

That obviously wasn't intended to give the game away but it looks like Dalton's run ends here. Shame.

La'Porsha does her single. Again, I can't give you a title but it was a good commercial number and suited her well. Not particularly memorable and her performance was very 'normal'.

In what seems a mad rush to the result now, Ryan announces that La'Porsha is through. Then he follows with the news we already now know that Trent is the other one. Poor Dalton is out. An incredible artist and performer says Ryan. That's true. He was my winner. I hope he moves further on now. There will, of course, be the Idol tour where he can continue to earn and impress record people.

So now it's just the two. Trent chooses the classic If You Don't Know Me By Now for his own song. He knows this one well, you can tell. It's a good performance although I could do without the wailing. He has his work cut out to match La'Porsha, whatever she chooses.

There is little doubt that La'Porsha is the 'natural' winner but I remember Kris Allen beating Adam Lambert and this has the same feel about it. He is quite like an amalgam of several winners in the past. A sort of Mr Average Idol. We really will not get to know much about him at all, I'm afraid, over here, or, for that matter, anywhere outside the States. La'Porsha, too, is unlikely to reach out of her home nation so, in that sense either will be an 'American' idol, period.

I have sort of lost interest in the competition now. The bits about previous contestants, judges and production team etc. are interesting, though. I'll watch the final, of course, and hope for something special but suspect that the best moments will be from the guests. I wonder if Simon will be back.

La'Porsha sings A House Is Not A Home. She is very well made-up and dressed by the makeover team. Good job. That dark blue shade is perfect and may well get her a bundle of votes on its own. Her performance is a bit rambling and not one of her best. That makes several recently that have been going down rather than reaching a climax. She will need something better tomorrow or Trent will steal this thing on song choice.

Round Three. Trent finishes his night with Sia's Chandelier. Something modern for a change. Tough song but he is note perfect and really does a tremendous job with that. He is certainly making a major effort to challenge La'Porsha. The crowd is very impressed too.

La'Porsha does Diamonds, the track Rihanna made famous. I am not so sure I didn't prefer her first effort at this. This one seems a bit overdone. It's odd but just as Trent is coming to the boil, this girl seems to be cooling off quite a lot. I disagree with the judges compliments on this one. It was OK. No more.

So we'll know tomorrow how this ends. You probably know already. I haven't published any videos this time because I just know that if I go looking I'll see the result! Sorry!

It's anyone's guess now as the Top 3 are announced

I have had to avoid Twitter all week. That is the problem with following this show in the UK, trying to avoid the news! Normally I fail miserably and then have to try and write reviews as if it is all a surprise. This year, I can genuinely say that I do not know who makes the final three. I am assuming that there will one more week when the Final comes and we all know who wins so that is the week I have to go into hibernation big time.

My guess is that La'Porsha, Mackenzie and Trent are the ones that make it. My personal preference would be for Dalton to be there and win the thing. So let's see.

Three rounds. First a Home Town performance. Second their own choice. Third the Judges' choices.

Mackenzie may seem to be the weakest competitor remaining but remember Phillip Phillips? American Idol seems to favour the less obvious stars on many occasions. Adam Lambert lost out to little David, of whom little has been heard of since over here! Even here on X Factor we have had some odd winners, like Leon Jackson, never to be heard of again, and The Voice is almost famous for not making winners famous in this country! He is also very original, writes his own stuff and that I admire and respect. He could be a success with some marketing support and, judging by the early tracks we heard during auditions, he may have what it takes to move into what is currently a popular folk-rock genre. So I am saying that Mackenzie needs to be there.

His song is the classic Hallelujah. Nice choice. I am never sure about this song as a soft option, though. My preference is the original and most since have been a bit soft or commercial. This is good but I didn't really feel moved by the song as others have done before. Not at all bad, though, and it hasn't been that much done in American Idol so the public may like it and I am sure it won't harm his chances. 'Nice job', as Harry says.

Dalton, as I have said, is the one I feel should win. He has a natural talent, looks good on screen and I can imagine him capturing a huge bundle of fans and enjoying his fame, reaching across the Atlantic to UK too. he really should get the whole of the teen vote. I particularly like how he understands what is going on on stage and what he needs to do and show when performing. He is bright and I do hope he makes it, however tough that will be on one of the others. He is the star in many ways and would serve the brand well in future.

His song is Calling You. It's not one I recognise. But it is 2016, modern and coms across as a real performance that enlivens the audience. He can work with the camera too and that was great, Is it his last, though? The vote has already been taken so nothing he does now will make any difference. He was good. Jennifer says it'll be interesting to see where he goes during the night. What does she know? I am sure the judges do know and I am looking for a hint. I didn't see a sign that he's going. But it will be a close call.

Trent deserves his place here but I think he would be the one I would put in 4th place. He has been really good, he hasn't put a foot or note wrong all the way through but he hasn't been, how can I put it, very interesting. He has all the 'classic' American, all American Boy stuff going for him and that has to count for something and has launched many previous winners. So it really is anybody's game this year and he stands as good a chance as anyone of making it through.

His song I didn't recognise either but it was a classic sort of ballad that suited him well. I didn't think it suited a young audience that well but many will have appreciated his superb delivery and spot-on tuning throughout. the judges were very complimentary.

Now Trent has said that his family would only come to the show if he made the Final. Ryan surprises him big time by bringing them on stage! Quite what that means I don't know. If I were Trent I'd be assuming that theyw ere brought in to make at least this show as the numbers were looking close for him. However, this might just be a bluff by Idol producers to get us to assume he hasn't made it. And, to be honest, at this stage, if I were his dad I would have insisted on coming as it really is anyone who could be going home now.

La'Porsha seems to be a shoe-in to the Final and, in many people's books, the title too. I can see torms hat. She has been pretty amazing and is certainly one hell of a good singer and she can interpret lyrics very well with all the suffering she's had in the past. I do have a doubt, though, about where she'll fit in in the modern pop world. She'll sell well amongst the over 30s for sure but unless she can bring some new flavour of soul and Motown to the 21st Century and today's charts I just see her as an album seller who will do well but just never get that well known outside a limited area. I would still put money on her winning, though!

She performs Glory very well indeed. The judges didn't want to critique her any more as she is just so good.

Ryan announces who is through.

Trent is first to be announced. And yes! Dalton makes it!! La'Porsha too. So Mackemzie goes. He's done well, though, and should get a contract anyway. He'd better.

It seems that La'Porsha may not have won the public vote and the producers must be a bit worried about that. I think there would have been a revolt had she not made the Final. I also feel she will have to make the Top 2, come what may.

So now they can relax a bit and do the mentor's choice. Bruce Springstein's great Dancing In The Dark is ideal for Dalton. Nice choice. He starts well, slowly but then burst into a really fast and spiced up version that set the stage and audience alight. Jennifer was almost uncontrollable and we learn at the end that she was almost reasy to be dragged on stage to join Dalton. Now that would have been a moment but, of course, not quite as even-handed as the panel needs to be I suppose! That was good. Too short, ending a bit weakly, but good. It won't have lost him any of his fans and may even have brought in some new ones who were supporting Mackenzie. Now he can win this thing, especially bearing mind the vulnerability of La'Porsha's support in terms of actual votes.




La'Porsha gets Stay With Me Baby which she puts her heart and soul into. An excellent cover but I wouldn't rush to see that again. She probably won't either as we discover later that she really didn't like the lyrics of a woman begging a man to stay with her. Now there is something going on here that I am not so sure all of America will appreciate. The song is fair enough, lyrically, for a girl who does love someone that much. If La'Porsha doesn't like it never mind. The judges spot that she was 'acting'. Interesting.



Oh dear, what has the mentor guy given to Trent? It's a Justin Timberlake number I Can Drink You Away. Rubbish. Not at all a pleasant noise. He did his best but I didn't like that at all. He had a guitar but no-one actually knows why. To be fair he gets a lot of credit for how he sang and worked with the band. he is good at that.



Keith Urban ings his new single Wasted Time. He's had 20 No.1s over there apparently. Gosh!

That was pretty good, with a double guitar thing that was an electric banjo as well as a guitar.

Back to the competition. For Dalton the judges choose Everybody Wants To Rule The World. Why? That was average and, as Jennifer points out, the key was low and it didn't work. There was not the energy and Dalton had droped it because he wasn't sure about hitting the notes in a higher key. The ending was dreadful, though, and I think everyone knew that so he is very much relying upon his first two (thankfully impressive) performances. The panel really didn't do him any favours there. It's an old song, stuck in the 80s and no amount of Daltonization can drag it back here and now.



La'Porsha is next and I am sure the panel will have chosen better for her. Yes, they play very safe with Adele's Hello. No problem there at all. She does that very well and you know she'll be through. If it's at Dalton's expense then he should demand a contract anyway!




Trent gets a decent track too. it isn't one I know but suits him very well. A far better performance than the others. He ought to stand a good chance and I reckon the votes could be close all round between the three. Nice choice. Keith chose it and he is talented at putting people and tracks together.



So that's it. Voters will by now have chosen the two who get to perform in the Final itself, although there'll be two shows: the Top 3 going to 2 Show and the Final itself. I wouldn't want to call this one. I am tempted to say Trent may take this after all. I would like Dalton to win. La'Porsha is the one expected to win. You choose, America.

Now to avoid Twitter and any site that may bear the news of the shows now being shown over there.

The Top 4

You know, this is as good as a Final in many ways. Five good contestants and I could imagine any one taking the title.

Favourite out there is probably La'Porsha who has put a foot wrong so far but I still wonder just how successful she would be as a long term record selling artist. She is superb as a singer but lacks something on stage and on camera that might hold her back and I am not so sure the Country lands would vote for her,

Next in my book and my own prediction to win is Dalton. He has something of Adam Lambert about him but, while he is not quite so perfect vocally, he has a great personality and a very individual and cool way to present material. He would also be popular across the planet with the right backing.

Then there's the remarkable Mackenzie. He writes very good songs and that should nean he deserves success in the future. He is popular and has a back story that many will appreciate. In the same way that Phillip Phillips sneaked in at the end so too might Mackenzie.

Sonika is the one who just made it to the last five. She is attractive and sings almost anything very well and I can see her going down well across the land. She lacks conviction - I don't think she's had much experience of life - and that shows sometimes in the interpretation of emotions in lyrics. I feel she is the least likely to make the Top 4 but she'll be pleased to make No.5 anyway.

The other candidate is good ol' Trent. I would not have put him in the last few based on early auditions but the guy has grown on me since and I have to admire his very good tuning and how he works with the songs. He has a great range, is more accurate than Dalton and has a lot of support out there. A good 'all American boy' too - he would be a popular choice for the last American Idol. Having said that, he just lacks that presence and magic that La'Porsha and Dalton possess and that's not something you can manufacture. I don't think he would export to places like UK or Europe either.

So, let's see how they do.

La'Porsha starts with a Bon Jovi number. I am not sure that suits her. She is most definitely not a cowboy and so the lyrics sounded odd, as did the tempo and general feel which was not what we're familiar with from this girl. I hope they have more than one track as that will not help her cause. Having said that, rumour has it that she is so far out there that it won't actually make any difference. Scott is already printing the CD covers. I didn't like that at all, though.

Mackenzie Bourg is next to make the Top 4. Cheap Trick's I Want You To Want Want Me is presented in his pleasant and easy-going style. I like the chap and this suits him. It didn't have a wow factor and may have been a bit over-produced with a lot going on in the background. I would have preferred him on his own or less heavily backed. A better job than La'Porsha and, as Harry said, it was 'all right'.

Keith says he hated the arrangement. After I'd written my bit! Nice to see I get some things right.

A past winner, David Cook, performs Heartbeat which I guess is a new single for him in the States. I liked him a lot in 2009 when he won but have heard almost nothing of him here in the UK since. He is jolly good and in this time of Mumfords and similar he could do well on this side of the Pond if his record people would bother trying. This particular track seems to be going nowhere until two-thirds the way through when it erupts and is quite impressive after all. It is one of those rare tracks that you want to play again almost before the first play ends. Nice. Come on SYCO or The Cook Record Company whoever you are, get him over here in 2016, OK.

Two places left. Who gets the first? I'm guessing Trent. Yes, although I don't agree with Ryan referring to Dalton and Sonika as the 'Bottom two'. I do hope that they weren't. Well, Sonika may have been but surely not Dalton? Anyway, Trent shows that he deserves his place in the Top 4 with a super version of ZZ Top's Sharp Dressed Man. I would never have expected that from him and he did really well, adding 'swampy' to the rock song. He 'muddied it up' and that worked well for him. Very smart, as Harry told him. A nice performance. The crowd loved it and that will do him proud. Unexpected and may see him through further than I might have thought. Good move. Best so far.

Dalton is the one that makes the last place. And he was in the Bottom Two with Sonika. Sad to see her go but it makes sense, looking at the talent she is competing with.

Dalton's song is God Only Knows, the great Beach Boys number. He 'Daltonizes' it, of course, slowing it right down and trying hard to pull in the audience. However, it was a bit weak. He should have attracted all his fans with that and he seemed genuinely emotional so maybe that will bring in a few much-needed votes for next week. His arrangement was good. He is a natural performer. He said he was 'a bit shook up' when Ryan questioned him afterwards and you can tell that he will be really disappointed not to make the Final. He has made the Final 4, though and that counts.

Very nice to see Katharine McPhee on stage singing Somewhere Over The Rainbow. The microphone was catching some noise as she sang which spoilt it a bit. She has done very well since with a career in film and TV series which is probably earning her far more than even winning would have brought. She is gorgeous in Scorpion.
I seem to remember that Sia was to act as a mentor in a programme and we did see a glimpse of her with Sonika. Ah, as I write this she is appearing and we see that she is working with each of the four to do one of her own songs. Sia has a remarkable skill and has written so many tracks for top acts across the world. She is good. I dislike the wigs but that's just a thing.

La'Porsha sings Elastic Heart. She does it well - pretty much as Sia would have presented it, but that is no bad thing. Nice job and I imagine she'll sail through to the Top 3.
Mackenzie chooses Titanium. Not my favourite song as so many seem to do it and usually finish up wailing annoyingly. His version is one of the better ones. I still don't think it suits him and I'm not sure he didn't decide not to risk some notes along the way. Quite good but I do feel he could have done a lot better and he needs to beat Dalton and Trent.
Dalton really should do Sia well. I can imagine him interpreting her stuff exactly as both she and he would like and he ought to be more confident too.

Sia performs what I think was Cheap Thrills. Brilliant, brilliant dancers and set design. I am tired of her face-hiding stuff now. It seems more a gimmick than a statement. She is superbly talented and really needs to forget all that. I am sure the way she actually looks will not affect anything. I think she initially didn't want to be successful just because she was a pretty Australian blonde but judged on her music instead. Interestingly, though, she has used the device of an attractive and very sexy dancer in most videos I've seen which I am sure has increased the initial impact of the early tracks. I remember being enthralled by a couple of videos and may not have noticed her otherwise. I even though she was the girl dancing for a while!
OK, back to people with faces. Trent is singing Chandelier,  which Sia says is her favourite song. Trent does an amazingly good version of this and my guess is that he seals his own Top 3 place ther and then. He really does show Mackenzie just what was required. One of the Season's 'moments' I feel. Well done, Trent. Every single note was right and that was not an easy song by any stretch of the imagination. The timbre and timing were just, as Harry said, phenomenal. Very difficult but he gave it 100/100 and, from Harry, that's one hell of a complement.
Dalton is closing the show with Bird Set Free. Another damn difficult track and not as commercial as the others have been. They won't be as well remembered, perhaps. I was genuinely moved watching this. he really did mean thse lyrics - every word and he chose so well a less than famous track. He moved the audience too and may just have knocked some of the sparkle off Trent's performance. He will be remembered.


I do hope he makes it through. So many people say they 'need this'. He genuinely does. Keith tells us how he is up against some insane talent and yet he has that conviction and inspires us all. Keith would rather hear Dalton's inspiring efforts than someone else's perfection. He doesn't say whose perfection he was thinking about, of course!

This is one hell of a competition and a great way to end the series. There will be tears.

The Top 8 are chosen

This week the Top 10 perform and two will go at the end of the show. Gosh, how quickly will this be down to just two people in a Final!

Dalton is announced as first through 'based on your votes' as Ryan says. So that's good to start with.

He sings Radioactive and this might be one of his least interesting performances so far. He tried and did nothing wrong but I just didn't think that suited hi at all. Moderate screams and stuff from the crowd but not explosive as so often they've been. Bearing in mind two have to go home it may be just as well that he was the person receiving the most votes last week.

Keith says more or less the same thing. Nice. The other two agree, complimenting him a lot but also unsure about what he should do. Harry said this was the first time he thought 'what is this guy thinking about today?'

Next, but with Ryan adding 'in no particular order' is Lee Jean. This is another I can see winning. After Dalton's not so great showing Lee has a chance to close the gap. He does Someone Like You, a great track for him that I wouldn't have expected. Very, very good. That worked well and he even put on a bit of a performance for the audience.

Keith wasn't sure about the song choice but Jennifer and Harry were impressed and he really should sail through.

Next up we get three girls and Demi Lovato. That was a bit odd. They all did Complicated, well, a bit of it. Sonika, Olivia and La'Porsha with a line or two each as well. La'Porsha excelled as ever. Demi then went on alone to do Stone Cold which is a dramatic wail of a song that gets applause for her runs when really I didn't think they worked anything like as well as her emotionally held notes. I like Demi and am always impressed by how she pushes boundaries and is really wanting to do 'new' music.

Sonika next. Since you've been gone is supposed to show us her 'bad girl' side. Unfortunately, to get that song right you need to have had a girl / boy friend and to have some clue about what a 'bad girl' might do or want to do. Sonika hasn't had a boyfriend and is a good girl. So that didn't work. She can sing and I like the idea of putting a character in her head which worked brilliantly last week but she'll need to work on that a lot. Not a good performance and it showed a huge problem for her attempt to win this. I would say she will be lucky to survive unscathed this week.

McKenzie has done well so far, with great interpretations of other people's music and very impressive writing of his own. So this week he takes on the Whitney number I Want To Dance With Somebody. Great song. I like his version but that is such an exciting, powerful and almost desperate song in Whitney's hands that it hardly suits the more cheerful message McKenzie's tone brings. So, it was OK and quite clever but not something I'll be wanting to play again.

Keith liked it. That'll help his votes. Jennifer was impressed too. Harry said what I said. I reckon he'll survive and I can see him winning too if he returns to his best style which is without too much backing and being a bit different.

La'Porsha looks about five but is actually one of the few contestants that have lived. A very smart stage set has her standing in front of a wings graphic and that is well done. She is dressed sensibly for her figure too in a very well-designed long dress. Halo is the song and she reinterprets that brilliantly. I can't see anyone beating this lass unless she makes a real error in song choice. Jennifer says she is a hard act to follow for anyone over there waiting to perform. Harry says that 'as always' she knows how to present a song and also play the competition.

Harry Connick Jnr gets a chance to show what he can do and performs his new jazz-influenced number which I think is his new single over in the States at the time of airing. He plays well and the notes, naturally, are in the right place and in key as it is Harry, after all. Having said that, I reckoned he was a bit uninspiring and a bit behind the beat which was odd. Anyway, an OK job but I put his expertise from the chair above his singing ability this evening.

So there will be two more safe and then it's the 'bottom three'. I presume they will all get to perform as how else would the panel judge? I suppose they could work on past performances but it seems cruel that they all had to rehearse and worry for this big Live Show only to discover that they're out. So I am hoping we hear them all.

Trent stays safe too. When A Man Loves A Woman is one classic song and he is note perfect and impressive in places but, overall, that was a bit boring. He tried hard and did seem to put quite a lot of serious emotion into that. He has a new clean look which suits him. Jennifer said she saw Trent and La'Porsha at the end in the Final! I am not so sure she should have said that, which must have hit the others pretty hard. They liked him.

Now, just one more guaranteed safe act. Tristan, Gianna, Avalon or Olivia? I guess Tristan. It is. I was right. The camera loves her. She is so photogenic. She also looks completely different tonight with gently waving long hair and much paler skin even. Go Rest On The High Mountain is one smart song. Scott Barchetta is the guy running the record label that the winner will sing under. He upset Tristan who had chosen something else and that did show her youth and comparative sensitivity but he may have been right as this was superb combination of Country with a bit of religion which she delivered to perfection. Lovely.

Avalon, Olivia and Gianna are the bottom three, one of whom will be saved.

Avalon sings a number by The Weekend that is very 'Harry-like' with a clear jazz feel to it. She is truly excellent but how deep that'll go in Idol terms I am not sure. Actually, the audience give her a lot of support.

Olivia has the look and the style. She choose Trouble by Pink. Last week she was ill so that might have been partially responsible for dropping her down. She really outs on one of the best shows we've seen tonight, definitely, looking and sounding like a pop star. That was good. Lots of vocal ability and clear talent. Harry says the lack of emotion in that performance could make it difficult for them to choose. I got the impression that they will go for Avalon over Olivia but I think Olivia would be the better bet for the record company. Avalon should join Harry and make records as a duo, that would actually work very well and solve a bit of a problem for both of them.

None of this bodes well, though, for Gianna, waiting her turn there. She would need to blow both acts out of the water. Some People is a big song and she starts well. So good to hear someone starting a song well. Unfortunately the next bit starts very low and that is not easy for anyone. She tries and almost succeeds but it is way out of her comfortable range. It is almost a relief when she gets into the mid and higher sections where she is excellent. Before starting she did say how she should 'put on the make-up and jewellery and put on the act so that people will believe her'. That is very telling. She is so young and has simply no experience and cannot honestly put the right emotion into the lyrics.

Deciding has to be difficult but I would say that Gianna simply didn't make it, despite a good performance and mostly accurate notes. Olivia would be my choice as I believe she is real and can do more that the public would love and I can see her competing with the others that are through already. Avalon is possibly the most naturally musical in a way. But is she commercial enough?

Difficult choice. They choose Avalon. That's fair. I wonder what she'll do next? She is, for sure, though, someone who can deliver lyrics and in that sense I am happy to see her back. Tough for Olivia.

Ryan says that there are just five weeks left. If another two go next week it'll be down to the Top 6. Then I would hope it's just Top 5, Top 4, Finale with 3 and Final with 2. It does rather look like La'Porsha has this in the bag from most viewpoints but the American voters are not as predictable as you might think.

Top 24 Idol Duets Pt 2

By the end of this session we will know the Top 14. Five more go tonight. Joining then on stage will be some great folk from the past Seasons. I am really pleased to see Haley Reinhart, someone who ought to have won. Kelly Pickler, one the stars who only came 6th but did brilliantly afterwards, with a cool and fun personaility which has kept her in demand for presenting as well as singing. Chris Daughtry came 4th and has been a very solid and successful artist since then. A chap called Constantinos didn't do very well at all - maybe 7th at best, I think, but he somehow is still doing well!  And then there's Jordin Sparks who won. Nice group of helpers.

Amelia Eisenhauer joins Kelly for Suds In The Bucket. Should be fun! Real ol' Country style. They were superb together! Great fun to watch and listen to, even if you aren't bothered about that sort of stuff. Kelly is just one cool girl. Amelia is through to the Live Shows. Done deal.

That puts pressure on the others as still five to go.

Haley Reinhard and Kory Wheeler do Benny And The Jets which each of them have done in their own Seasons. Haley is a total natural. Kory is new to all this. Bit of a mismatch and she will dominate. I mean, just look at this girl. Beautiful. And her voice and timing is fabulous. Kory does his best but his days may be numbered. He doesn't share the stage with her. He never looks at her although she keeps looking his way to no avail. The lighting does not do Kory any favours. He looks pale, ill and sweaty. The job of the makeover team is to stop that happening. Or maybe it is the lighting team? Kory gets good reviews from the panel. We'll see.

Lee Jean is paired with Chris Daughtry. Lee is star struck. The song is Home which Chris wrote. Lee is super nervous but Chris works hard to relax him and is a great mentor. Chris dominates the song which is quite understandable I suppose and Lee doesn't get much of a look in really. For all that, I still expect to see him get through.

Oh, David Cook is there too. I hadn't realised. He's with CJ Johnson. They are a good pair. David is a winner and a great mentor too. He understands music in depth and is almost analytic but it works. CJ gets to sing first in the duet. Nice touch, David. Well done. When David does come in, though, it is rather noriceable and could this mean curtains for CJ? I don't see both Kory and CJ making it somehow.

These duets are so much better than the last ones and so far everyone is getting good reviews. Of all this was the least in the rave review listing but not bad.

Jordin is singing with Manny Perez. She may get him to stop smiling in sad songs. No Air requires emotion and if he can produce that it could even help him reach the Top 14. He has the voice. I had to smile as Jordin has lots of curls in rehearsals and then comes out with dead straight hair this evening and looking quite different!

Constantine and Jen are both pretty quirky. My Funny Valentine could work well for them but it is a risk. Jen has a superb attitude and tremendous talent. Whether it is really an 'Idol' talent I am not totally sure but she is really really good and ought to be included in the Live Shows. That actually worked very well and Constantine has become quite an accomplished performer. Harry didn't like the way it went but Keith was totally opposite and gave Jen a standing ovation. She will be through then, or he'll be disappointed.

Kelly is back with Tristan McIntosh doing a song that Kelly wrote with Taylor Swift. Tristan is becoming one of my favourites. i do hope she gets through, despite her youth and comparative lack of understanding the lyrics. Great performance by both but I am not so sure Tristan didn't outdo Kelly out there! Interesting. neither were brilliantly in tune and the band were terrible, banging away sort of in time in the background.

David is very complimentary about Olivia Rox and she gets excellent reviews. If she can find the right songs then she'll be around. Harry says that Idol is lucky to have her and so we can be sure that she's through!

Haley Reinhart is singing the classic Can't Help Falling In Love With You with Adam Lasher. Haley starts and that voice is just mesmerising. Amazing. Adam tries to match her and he does have a great husky tone but he is nt quite as believable and he looks a bit nervous. Understandably! Not a bad job and they did try so hard. Somewhat deadpan review. Maybe that's his end of run.

Dalton Rapattoni is pretty star struck by Chris Daughtry. They go very well together. Chris takes some keeping up with but Dalton manages, quite easily. he is certainly a potential winner in my book. The best of the boys and I see him in the Finale.

Jordin is singing To Love Somebody with Trent Harmon. Now that's one great song but I can't watch these two. Trent's shirt is hanging out and with short jacket he looks like a squaddie fresh off the battlefield. A complete mess. which is a shame as he can sing very well indeed. Awful hair cut and clothes. Just what are the makeover people doing this Season? Dreadful. But good singing. Harry was very complimentary which is a good sign for Trent.

Shelbie Z gets Constantine. Bohemian Rhapsody is a tough call but if she makes a reasonable stab at it it could do her no harm. It is likely to be a memorable moment. It sure was. Nice job. She handled that well. The reviews were not good, though. Surprising and a bit tough on the girl, I reckon. Even though I am not a Shelbie fan I thought she worked hard there. Does she deserve to get through? Maybe not as there have been some better efforts overall.

Results!

First safe is Lee.
Next is Olivia.
Next is Jen.
Next is Dalton.
Next is Manny. That's the first I was not sure about.
Next is Tristan.
One left. That's Trent.

Sad to see the end of the road for Amelia but the others I had predicted.

Now we know who the public can vote for. There will be four more to go next week and then the Live Shows start with  a Top Ten.

This is proving to be a great show.

Hollywood Week: Solo Round. No surprises.

Solo round makes more sense. Contestants have to choose, rehearse and perform a track in a day.

Stephanie Ngrete is first on screen. Good solid performance of Adele's Set Fire To The Rain. For all that I don't see her winning, although she will make the lower numbers.

I don't know Thomas Stringfellow's number, nor Avalon Young's. Olivia Rox does an original song so I wouldn't know that anyway! She has plenty of style and is someone I would expect to go far this year.

John Wayne Schultz does a Keith Urban number without his hat. Pity about the hat which was his lucky charm too. Obviously someone pinched it which is a bit sad as he seems a decent sort of guy. sings well, if a bit 'ordinary' Country. Hat or no hat, he hasn't much competition amongst the guys this year but then I have noticed a distinct lack of good ol' boys getting through anyway. It is not, I feel, a year that a Country guy will win.

Mackenzie Bourg avoids the scrum to choose a number (apparently only three can choose any one track) and sings his own number Roses. He is good. Not only is that a cool song that he has written on his own but it was performed really well. He is definitely someone we will see more of.

Shelbie Z knocks a Heart number into the next park but looks very odd doing the slut drop.

Karl Hooper (or similar) does a reasonable Coldplay number.

James VIII is still there and has a good voice but not a great deal of presence, other than a cool name.

Tristan McKenzie was almost knocked off the list for the song she wanted, despite being one of the first three to choose it. Seems like another girl of the top three for it decided to help her by switching. Nice. Tristan herself is excellent and I feel she may have done well anyway and perhaps made a bit too much of it all as she could have done wonderfully well with almost any song.

Sonika Vaid is another super performer and I can't imagine her and Stephanie both being selected for the live shows. They are pretty similar. Both good. Sonika just lacks a bit of experience in being on stage.

Lee Jean rocked Stitches. Brilliant. Sara Sturm is like his girlfriend but she's just sort of OK. The panel seem to like her, though, so the two may stay together for a while longer. I see Lee in the Live Shows. Not sure about Sara.

So far Lee and Mackenzie have been the ones that have impressed me most. Olivia Rox a fairly distant third but I know there are many girls (but few boys) still to see.

Jenn Blosil did a fine job of True Colors. Emily Brooke is excellent, a real star, and she looks the part too. Just a little too much like Carrie Underwood, that's all, but that can hardly be criticism. She is not happy with her performance, though, but we'll see what the judges think.

Malie Delgado comes on stage and does her version of Stitches with a very scratchy voice that has suffered from her recent illness. Mionne is also struggling with her voice. Neither are that great, though, voices regardless.

Jessica Cabral has also been ill but puts on an impressive show. I still don't find her likeable but she is good.

Joshua Wicker I don't remember at all. He wears one of those odd caps that make him look like someone out of a 50s movie. An old-style guy. Quite good but not marvellous for me.

CJ Johnson rocks out with You Can Go Your Own Way and that's something lively that's been missing. Not an Idol but nice guy.

Jeneve Rose Mitchell is the girl from middle of nowhere and she is the big discovery of the year in my book. Great. Original Country.

Dalton Rapattoni does Hopelessly Devoted To You in a completely different way to Olivia Newton-John. Nice. Cool guy and he is another definite in my book. He has to be on the Live Shows, never mind Top 24.

There are 75 waiting to know who moves on. I would guess that there are a few 'definites' amongst them and if you find yourself in a room with them then it will be a room of people who will be going through. I am guessing that the three rooms will be 24, 25 and 26 so that will also be a hint as to who gets to the last 24.
No, I was wrong as two rooms get through and that looks like a lot more than 24 still. Yes, the trailer for tomorrow's programme says that 51 will perform in front of an audience and that is when the cut to 24 comes. OK. That should be worth watching and maybe we;ll get, at last a bit more from each of the leading contestants as recently there hasn't been much by way of performance really.

I am also guessing that the 24 get cut in half to the Live Show Top 12. Then the fun starts.

That's it. We've now seen the winner. Just not sure which.

The last auditions start with a very accomplished Jessica Cobral who really impresses the judges. She sounds as if she is already a recording artist with a super voice, control and she just seems so professional. Harry says he would be shocked if she didn't make it 'very far'. She's overdone the teeth whitening, though.

Cody Ostrenga is a world champion horse riding balloon shooter and a belly dancer. He tries to sing Proud Mary but singing isn't something he'll win. He's a smart guy and looks great, easily entertaining everyone but, regrettably, not a singer.

Brian Dale Brown is a big cellphone salesman who has auditioned every year. Thank goodness there won't be another year. He makes Hollywood as he does have signs of a decent voice beneath all the silly stuff but that'll be the end of his road, I'm afraid.

Gina Naomi Baez is a sort of older cheerleader type, looking just like a girl from an anerican 1960s movie and carrying a dog. The combination is like an advert for a hoover or something and she might have been better ditching the dog and just doing a gentle ballad. She's pretty disappointed. I think she had sold it to herself that she would go through. I would have given her another chance as she was actually quite good but all the impressions were needing control.

We're getting lots of 'almost made it' people and it's quite sad as some have to be sent home and that's the end of the Idol road for them, with no 'Come back next year' option. I suppose there'll be The Voice or something else. Or they can come to UK and enliven our X Factor.

Next is Melanie Huber who has recently recovered from some nasty illness. With her short hair and odd socks and harsh glasses, she is not someone you would immediately expect to see pictured on an album sleeve. She is definitely different and, musically, quite appealing. She'll be through easily. Next stages, though. Not so sure.

Rachel Karryn performs with her dad playing guitar. Bianca Espinal sings with her granddad playing guitar and each of them get through as well as a few more we only get glimpses of but all seem to have old folk around with guitars. We don't see much of those two either so I can't really say much about them.

Next up is Justin Sullivan who is infatuated with Kelly Clarkson. Harry moves a pull-up poster of Kelly so that she appears to be singing with him. The guy is pretty average, though. The best part is the joke Harry cracks when asking if the young Filipino guitarist on stage with him is his dad! Hilarious, after all the acts shown with people accompanied by members of their family.

Chynna Sherrod is a pleasant change from all that. She 'represents', as the jargon has it, Connecticut which is where Harry is from too. He cracks another joke about how two different people can 'represent': Hey I'm from Connecticut and live in  a mansion with a swimming pool and eat at restaurants. Yeah, and I live on the street. She is a great singer, though, and has some personality although not that much . So she's through but that's probably as far as she gets.

Lilian Glanton has a few million chickens. She is real Country with a crazy accent, jeans, blonde hair and is full of Alabama. She sings her own song. Nice personality that puts most of those who have gone before tonight well in the shade. I like this girl and that was a cute little song too. She almost doesn't make it as Harry doesn't go for her at all. She reminds me of a girl who did Country and was quite amusing and came about 6th a few years back. She's had quite a lot of success and this girl could do well to follow her lead. Oh dear, what was that other girls's name. The Red Shoes girl.

Kacye Haynes talks about how he used to use drugs but now seems to have got himself off them. He looks and sounds pretty mature and comes across quite strong. He reminds me a bit of Nick who won last year, quite passionate and, although a bit 2000s, he is a bit different to a lot of this year's people. Keith is not impressed but Harry and Jennifer put him through.

Zach Person has the right look and lots of talent. A great blues guitarist and he certainly sings the blues well too. Quite unique and refreshing. He should do well. I am not sure how many votes he'd garner on the Live Shows but he certainly should stay with the programme for a while yet. Nice chap. One of the better ones in a very average evening so far.

Collette Lush is a nanny and comes in wearing what look like clown's trousers. Now she was good. She is proud of being a redhead but she should be more proud of her talent. Super talent. She made a big impression on all three. Harry wondered whether she thought she could make it all the way to the finishing line. Keith says that's a big old star that goes next to her name on his sheet.

Avalon Young is quite plain-looking and talks about how plain she is too. Like a tom boy. She could use some work from the makeover team but her voice is great, doing justice in a major way to the Beyonce number. Another good one. She could do well. She plays guitar well, it worked with her singing, not against it as some have done.

Usen Isong is an actor with a name that's different. He can perform but his singing was a bit painful on the ears. The judges must have heard something different as they loved him. Nice guy for sure but I am not at all sure he should be through. Oh well. Good tv.

Jaci Butler has green hair. She's the lead singer of a band who have green and black as a sort of theme so it may not need to stay. It is bright, though! Her band is a rock band so this should be good and a nice change. I was a bit disappointed with her Bruno Mars number. The judges liked her and put her through. I think she needs that band or some heavy accompaniment of some sort.

We then see a few fly through but we'll have to wait for another day to find out who or how good they are.

Looking a bit more amazing is Stephany Negrete. She sounds pretty good too and with no instruments in sight she just stands there and sings, making a very good impression indeed with Who's Lovin' You Now. Jennifer pointed out that she was more concerned with thinking about the next note than the meaning of the words. Fair point. She is certainly through but will need to be a bit more natural next time. No need for the makeover team, though.

Manny Torres is a Porto Rican so gets an automatic yes from Jennifer. He does a great job of This Love from Maroon Five. Nice attitude and voice and he deserves a place. Sounds great and very relaxed.

And he is the last through.

Bus Auditions and some more who make it through very easily

Bus Auditions is an odd title but this is where the AI bus goes around places and people get a chance to

Po is Chi Scott's sister. Chi reached the final 24 last year. Nice girl that I would like to have seen do better. This one has a sort of broken voice and is a good performer. She is pleasantly natural and impressed all the judges a lot. Straight through. Her real name is Miranda. Po is a TellyTubbies thing. I'd forgotten all about TellyTubbies and thought that they were only a British thing too. See what you learn watching American Idol.

Amelia Eisenhauer comes with a samurai sword. I am not entirely sure why. She is a confident girl with quite a bit of experience and really does know what she's doing. She comes in to the audition room with a fiddle but only plays a few notes at the start. Harry says she has a mysterious quality and I agree with that. Another strong, slightly rough-edged audition from a girl. Clearly talented this one. I don't think her granddad was the president.

Joy Dove is a bouncy, very cheerful girl. Jumbalayo I haven't heard since Karen Carpenter passed away. Full of energy and she just sings away. She may not get much further but quite fun to watch and at least she was in tune.

Nice chap up next. Mackenzie Bourg puts a medley together and sounds a bit like a more mature Justin Bieber, cleverly doing one of each of the judges' tracks - not an easy thing. 'You're a smart son of a something!' jokes Harry and, once again, he's spot on there. This is one cool dude who is very likeable, very grateful to get through and I can see him getting on very well. Watch that one.

Andrew and Aaron are nerds and are not the prettiest of contestants, particularly with low cut jeans on bend-over. A very odd couple. Not sure what they are doing together. Bits are pleasant in places but most of that was rubbish. 'A Gregorian acid trip', says Harry. 'A Gregorian Cant.' said Keith.

Next up is another one to watch. Jenna Renae plays piano and sings very well and looks totally at home. A good voice, lots of emotion but without going over the top. Not Country, more Elton and soul. A very, very good audition and she is a must to move forward. She is also photogenic and will look good on the posters. 'She's good.' says Harry.

Mario Bonds thinks he'll be the Season XV winner. He's been blind since age 10. That's a tough gig. He comes across very well, full of confidence and humour. His performance is maybe just a bit OTT but he does have a good voice if only he could control his breathing and cut out some of the chewy bits. Jennifer is spot-on when she says there are some parts that were great and others that weren't. Great person but he's not going through. Bit sad. I think I would have let him sing another song to see whether he had just been a bit nervous and might have made a good audition without all the odd bits after all.

Adam Lasher reached the last few in Season XIV. Everyone liked him and I don't know why he didn't go further. The judges clearly like him again. A quick and simple audition by this professional-looking and professional-sounding guy. He's going to do well this year.

Another one who made Hollywood last year is Emily Brooke. She made it a bit further actually too. So she's back and is very nice and modern. I like this girl and wonder how she can be just 16. With the lyrics of her audition song and clear confidence she shows a lot of experience and talent. I doubt if she's just been at school for the last year.

That's nearly it. One more audition programme and that will be that. We will have seen the Season XV Idol Winner. If, that is, we haven't seen her already.

Oh. Did I say 'her'?

Yes.

The search continues in Denver and Little Rock. But only John Wayne really impresses.

Welcome to Denver. People here seem quite big and look older. Oh, there's a beer festival next door. That explains it.

Emma or Amber Lynn and James The Eighth (don't ask!) do their thing to start us off. Emma Lynn sings an off the wall number and actually does quite a reasonable job of it. Quite a talented girl. The guy's guitar leaves quite a bit to be desired and he is a fan of odd stuff too but, again, not a bad audition and certainly different. Both are interesting but I can't see them going far in this competition after Boot Camp.

Emily Wears is a professional auctioneer and does an amazing job of the true spiel! That's really quite impressive but more so is her performance. I love this girl and she came across really well. I don't know the song but it was good. Unfortunately, she doesn't make it, none of the judges wanting to put her through. Pity. I think she was pretty annoyed with herself too. Normally she'd be a classic case of next year she'll be along and will get through easily. That makes it all the tougher this time. That's it. We won't see Emily again.

Chris Johnson is quite keen to move on. He is a professional musician doing whatever it takes in Memphis but he wants more. He picks a Hall & Oakes number which doesn't do much for me but the panel like him. They call him a Road Warrior and say how well he performs in a natural way. When Keith says 'Let's get you out of Memphis and on to Hollywood' that is exactly what he wants to hear.

Nashville, Arkansas is where a very young-looking chap comes from. I think there about four people living there and lots of dogs. He calls everyone 'Sir'. Ethan Kuntz is just 15. He sings the Blues and actually sings them well. Unbelievable because he's way too inexperienced to know anything about the Blues or what's behind the lyrics. He is very good, nevertheless. Keith has mixed reactions. Harry is not keen, despite him being so good, worrying about his not being able to handle some mixed genres. Jennifer is very keen to put him through. Keith is torn but he has to decide. He puts him through and we'll see what he can do in a while. he may need to change his name if he gets famous.

Mary Williams loves horses and sparkly stuff. She lives on a ranch with dogs and horses and says Y'all a lot. she does old school Country. Yes, she can don that well. Good voice and, with no accompaniment, she just hits all the notes well. Remembering how they weren't sure about Ethan being stuck in a groove I was wondering what they'd decide this time. Keith was not convinced this time but Harry was so she's through.

Xavier Sollen is a noisy chap but his job is to warm up audiences so that makes some sense and you sort of forgive him. He gets them chucking balls and Jennifer gets her first shot right in the basket, much to everyone's surprise. Nice fellow but he can't really sing. he did wake them up a bit though.

Teryan comes from a bad part of town. She uses music to escape from the drugs and guns and whatever goes on where she lives. You sort of don't want to say no as you want to rescue this girl from that world. However she didn't do that good a job of Happy. Such a shame. She's pretty and comes across well. They put her through and that's nice but I am not sure how far she'll get.

A singing Nomad called Blue is like a hippy chick. Leanne McIsaac comes across pleasantly and puts together a song specially for them. Cute, not the simplest song and I don't know if she is an Idol. I think she should have tried a better song and shown that she can sing as she seemed disappointed not to get through. Thereagain, she wouldn't have been good doing Abba and One D songs.

Tommy Stringfellow is probably last up in Denver. Give Me Love by Ed Sheeran is a cool number for this chap. Straight away you can hear that he has something special. He's good and ought to balance the books as so far it has been all girls showing talent so far. He deserves his golden ticket for sure. Hope he survives Hollywood.

Oh, there's more. Someone called Tank. He also comes with a teeny wee 'Boom Box'. Slightly embarrassing dancing we can do without. Tywan Jackson is his name. His singing isn't bad. But he isn't in tune and it gets a bit painful after a while and even The Carpenters' Guitar Man sounds bad, which is a shame, as that's a nice song. Very oddly, the judges seem to like him. he actually gets through, seemingly because he can 'entertain'. Now that doesn't make any sense to me, unless they need to balance a black v white thing. Nice chap but surely he shouldn't be through.

A big cowboy comes next. John Wayne Shultz was here a few years ago and lost out at a crucial stage to Scotty McCririck who went on to win the whole thing. John was as good and maybe better as he's more mature. So we know he's through to Hollywood for sure. It will be interesting to have a class act in there and to see how far he goes. Nice, Very good audition. And I'm not a Country fan.

Leah Harbert is frightening. I hope they stop her soon. Thank goodness.

We get reminded that Tori Kelly, currently topping the US Charts go a fair way through American Idol a year or two back and has done very well despite not reaching the Live Shows.

Jordyn Simone is 15 going on 25. She is good, doing Who's loving you? the Jacksons' number. They find it hard to believe that she is just 15 and she gets through so easily. Now there is someone who ought to do well. 'She'll look exactly the same at 45' says Harry.

Back to Little Rock,, Kassy Levels auditions well and is shown with Rhea Raj. She is different and also does a super audition, not that we see much of either. Both fly through. Chap with a beard and his hat on backwards next. Jake Dillon has a super Country-style voice and does a Kenny Loggins number about Ben. Nice track and he has to do well. Yet, again, Harry and Keith worry about his being stuck in a groove in the competition - a bit like some that have gone before. They could be right but pure Country guys have won quite often! For a moment I am thinking he is not even going to make Hollywood but Keith gives him that chance. Thank goodness. Even if his journey stops there, like several others' might too, he will have had that experience that the panel have already given to quite a few more questionable talents mostly on the basis of their just being a bit more current or pretty.

Ashley has a crazily long name and comes from Hawaii. She is seemingly very relaxed and out there. Her song is Black Velvet. I don't know. She looks lovely and sings OK but she doesn't really fit anywhere. She gets through but I feel that will be the end of her run.

Andrew Nazabekian is from Russia! Just flown in. He used to live in New York but his parents went back to Russia so he had to go to. He is a more serious singer and I am not sure how his slightly broken English will go down with voters. The panel just seem to throw him through anyway. I still think that's as far as he'll go.

Now this is the last one. From Kentucky Elvie Shane gives us House Of The Rising Sun and seems to have something a bit more interesting about him. Quite entertaining. Good choice of track and he knows what he's doing too. He's a good one to watch.

Philadelphia auditions. Everyone's a bit different.

This week sees the Philadelphia auditions. They seem quite a markedly different bunch to what ahs gone before. Almost everyone is quite memorable.

Gianna Isabella has a mum who shared a studio with Jennifer Lopez and had connections with Mariah Carey. She auditions with House Of The Rising Sun which is sort of OK but not exactly spectacular. Nevertheless she deserves a place at Boot Camp as she may have some hidden abilities.

We see a pile of successes as more people go through but we'll have to wait a while before knowing who they are.

Derek Huffman fails on three counts. First he says he's a major Idol fan but can't get any of Clay Aitken's questions right. It was pity because all the answers were actually Clay! Quite amusing, although I do find Clay a little odd. Secondly, he brings on a little CD player and plays a Shaggy track background as he tries to sing along. Thirdly he can't sing.

Country boy Isaac Cole is a real country boy and has a haircut that looks like a coconut. The panel seem to like him. He is nearly good enough and gets through. It looks as though his parents were really surprised. He certainly had a day to remember as his own 'idol', Keith Urban signs his guitar case. Nice. I doubt if we'll see much more of the lad though.

Sarah Sturm works in an egg restaurant. Cheerful lass and she chose a good song with Your Lips Are Moving and is such a plain-looking girl that I actually hope she'll do well and get the benefit of the makeover team's work for a few weeks.

Ellis Spanks is weird. He comes in with what he calls a Jesus hairpiece and not a great deal else. Very odd. He tries to sing Lady Gaga's Born This Way but he can't really sing. He makes us laugh but that's all.

Quirky describes the next girl. Jenn Blosil is quite strange but also endearing. You sort of want her to do well but don't know what she'll do. As it happens, she does a great job of Imagine Dragons' Radioactive. I quite like her. No idea how she'll get on from here but she could do well if she gets some support and chooses the right tracks. No-one there to meet her afterwards. That was a shame. Maybe there ws someone hiding outside.

Harry Cohen has his grandad with him who fancies just about every girl he sees. Some might think him  a bit pervy but I think he's OK. Anyway, his grandson, Harry or Harrison sings a song he has written himself and it's pretty good. The lad's a bit odd but he can sing and can write from what we hear.

John Greene has a sad back story and that might explain why he has a big passion in his voice. He is currently in Matilda on Broadway and that puts him in a particular category. Harry says no, unsure whether he can be made to appeal in other genres but Keith and Jennifer get him through.

Next auditions in Denver.

So many good people. How will they ever choose just 12?

Down in Little Rock and they kick off with a little rocker in shorts. After a few minutes of him chatting with Harry about the Louisiana accent he gets to Give Me Love, the Ed Sheeran song. And, despite seeming to be about 13 years old he sings that really really well. I don't know what to make of this fellow Cameron. He just looks so young and seems out of place. He's though to Boot Camp but will be one of those contestants who really will wish American Idol could return next year.

Daniel Farmer sings nicely. Good voice but a bit ordinary and occasionally a strange octave lower note emerges that sounds weird. then he goes off an octave higher which may show some great range but I really don't think I can see him in the charts or selling albums to more than a few specialists.

Dalton Rappotoni has a very good audition. He sings Phantom Of the Opera accompanying himself on a guitar. Amazingly good. Reminded me of Adam Lambert, one of the best ever guys on AI. Superb and interesting tone. He is one to watch and throws several others we've seen so far way out of the game. Nice.

La Porsha Danae gets a big intro so I guess we'll be seeing more of her. She has big and slightly unflattering hair. She comes on with her baby with Jennifer has to hold. She sings Creep well and with some passion. Quite a talent and easily through. I have some doubts but the panel reckon she could be capable of shutting down quite a lot of the competition if she continues to perform that well. We'll see. I am not so sure.

One things is certain and that is there is plenty of interesting talent coming along in just these first two sets of auditions. Now, I know they will have been edited and saved us from being dragged through a pile of rubbish but, in comparison to some years, things are looking good. So far Dalton, in my view, is the one that will take some beating.

I have just noticed that we're not seeing much of Ryan. Kris Allen is making a good job, though.

Maddie McAllister is a country girl from Arkansas. She comes in with a chicken. Her chickens have the biggest breasts in Arkansas!! Oh boy. Nice girl but she's off key. So many of the contestants here are working on farms and coming in with this or that animal but few more seem to impress until the next lad appears. 'Do you have any creatures with you?' asks Harry.

Trent Harmon maybe a real Country boy but he redoes one track into a totally different thing that is more soul than anything. All a bit weird. The guy gets a great compliment from Harry as one of the favourite auditions so far. I don't quite see that but he's through and may have to leave the 3000 cattle ranch and restaurant for a while. I like the sound of his family's restaurant where the cows are grazing just a few yards from where the steaks are served.

Ah! Ryan's back, welcoming us to San Francisco. Hopefully we'll see some people with flowers in their hair and a few less tractor drivers and chicken-carrying girls.

We get a slightly annoying waste of time with an otherwise nice girl saying sorry a lot in some practice filming to promote the show. Brook Sample is a waitress. I like this girl. she does a Dixie Chicks number and that's not an easy one to cover with just a piano. I like the fact that she was genuinely surprised at getting through. She could do well but they'll need to help her and stop her saying sorry so often!

Olivia Rox performs the lovely Bruno Mars When I Was Your Man and she is super talented. A very gentle but natural, quite spell-binding audition. I like her a lot and surely she has to go far.

Melanie Tierce is another great singer. San Francisco is producing some really good girl auditions. All of them could make the Live Shows. harry says people would pay to watch her audition and says she's the best so far! That makes about five he's said that too! But he does genuinely mean what he says. They could make a show with just the girls. Well, the girls and Dalton.

Miss Alalska next!! 'Oh Jesus!' she says as she comes in. 'No, I'm Harry. Jesus couldn't make it'. says Harry. This is Maylie Deroado or something like that. Yet another very interesting girl. She looks good but just has a great personality and isn't the cheerleader type that Miss Wherevers often can be. How on Earth can they choose between all these girls?

Brandyn Burnette sings a song he wrote himself called Lost. It's pretty good and he puts a lot into this audition. Very good indeed and that's one for the boys. He deserves his spot in Hollywood. Ryan took a seat in Harry's place for no reason other than something that just happens when Harry starts messing around. Brandyn gets four yesses!

The Chavez family seem to be the biggest AI fans ever, with all the series on old VHS tapes. Kirstie is the daughter that is performing. To be honest she's not very good, losing the notes and screaming tinnily a lot. I think I might well just send her to Hollywood for the sake of her parents! And that's what they do but I doubt if she'll get much further as she really is not very good at all. Sorry, nice people but she's not a singer for this show.

Sarah Hayes talks herself right out of a ticket. She comes in all confident and sassy but throws it away. She shows signs of talent in what little she does and Harry thinks that they're goofing around may have put her off but Jennifer and Keith say no. She probably offended Keith with her attempt to define Country too. that didn't help and I think she'll be a bit less 'confident' in her next audition, wherever that may be. Odd.

Tristan McIntosh is 15. Great look and great personality. her mum is in the army in the Middle East somewhere. She missed her but carries on regardless. Also confident but this was a far better audition. Why Baby, Why? was a good choice and she sits at a piano and really seems to know what the song is all about. Nice job. She's good and definitely needs to be in Hollywood. Next comes a very emotional moment when, even to her family's surprise, the AI team have arranged to get her mother home from the Far East. Huge moment and well set up. All very genuine. Good ending, and I don't usually like that sort of thing.

This is... the Farewell Season

Harry Connick Jnr, Keith Urban and Jennifer Lopez have been three excellent judges and mentors and I feel they will guide us through the series to end in a good way, assisted as ever by Ryan Seacrest, not looking that much older than he did at the outset.

There is a rapid run through of previous winners. It was interesting to see whether I remembered each one and whether any were still making good music now. A few are.

Michelle Marie gets the honour of kicking us off. At the age of 15 she can sing well, although most of it is at full volume and lacking any real emotion. Good notes and sound but she is a bit too much and over excited and when the audition room gets invaded by several (quite odd looking but probably very nice) people I do wonder whether the panel were wondering what they'd done! Just as I write this, Harry says that the people coming in had scared the sh#t out of him!

I don't think she's going to get much further and I'm not totally sure she was the best audition to start this series off with but it may have been the sort of thing that American production team people think their viewers will like.

In Atlanta they have winners Rubin and Lee and possibly Kris, I'm not sure, to greet some of the contestants.

The next one up is Josiah Siska, a totally Country & Western guy with a superbly low voice. He is a nice fellow and Ghost Riders In The Sky may be a 1950s number but he does a great job. Nice audition, although he doesn't strike me as modern that really doesn't seem to matter on this programme. He's through.

Third up is a powerful girl with It's A Man's World and a lot of runs that were pretty pointless. She's through too. I don't recall her name but I don't see her making any Live Shows.

Fourth up is Billy Bob who is a Honky Tonky man. He is gigantic. You can listen to him talk all day. Great character. Some of his sentences were classic out of some Western film. He doesn't sing too well, though, which is a shame.

Lee Jean is another 15 year old but nothing like the girl at the start. He just strikes you straightaway as more mature and 'normal'. I don't know the song he sang but there was something special about this young man that, despite some notes going astray, showed talent. he has to go through and we'll see more of him. Nice job.

Off to Denver and we meet Jeneve Rose Mitchell who lives somewhere with no electricity. She uses a generator to watch TV and spends most of her time with horses. She is genuinely from the outback! Off the grid on 'Saddle Mountain'. Amazing. she is very original, playing a cello and singing. Fascinating. I don't know where she fits in but she is through and should be good to watch as she must surely progress.

Sonika Viad is a very pretty girl with parents from India and the first almost typical 'pop star' of the evening to audition. Nice voice, a simple look but all the more attractive for that. Harry says that she could win, she just sang, no runs or fancy bits.

Next comes a lad called Joseph who sings semi-operatically as if he is in pain. He looks like he is suffering too. Big voice but he's all over the place. Everyone's saying 'Let's go Jo' and they look as if they had really not expected anything other than a Golden Ticket.

Next we have a nice girl police officer. Reanna Molinaro has a nice name and attitude too. Once she had handcuffed Harry she does a lovely job of a Patsy Cline number. She'll be through.

Sylvia yodels. Oh dear. She is a cool lady but really she gets a bit annoying after a while. Lovely character and she hardly stops talking.

Shevonne has auditioned five times before. she looks a lot better than before. Laurel Wright too has been here before and, from last year a guy whose name I missed returns and did Benny & The Jets. All three sounded like they should go through and they do.

We see Nick Fradiani briefly who has an album coming out soon.

Joshua next and he has a good voice and nice personality. One of the better guys so far, after Lee Jean. Possibly the first to have made me stop and listen and you get the feeling he really means what he sings. He is easily through and I'd like to see him.

Jordan Sasser and his wife Alex are both entering the competition. He looks a prat with the mini pony tail. Alex sings Bruno Mars and plays a ukelele. It is neither one thing nor the other. Nice enough girl but it's all a bit sweet. No passion, all on the surface. So she gets a 'no'. In quite substantial contrast Jordan does a pretty good job of Celine Dion's It's All Coming Back. He is a bit over the top but he could be helped to control that. He gets through and certainly can perform although whether he'll stand out isn't s clear. He might be a bit 'ordinary'.

Kerry Courtney is a solid singer but a bit heavy on the guitar. He has quite a lot of emotion going on in this slightly off beat number and it doesn't really show off whatever talent he may have as well as it might at the start. As he progresses, however, he gets in to it and he is interesting. Quirky, as Harry says. Idol material I am not sure about. Jenny says he gets dark and even a bit scary at times. He goes through, deservedly so. It was interesting also to see that he was on his own - no-one to shout and jump up and down when emerging with the Golden Ticket.

Shelbie Z is a powerful Country South singer. She delivers a Carrie Underwood number well and flies through to Hollywood round. She could be a competitor although i don't know how she'll g down with the voters if she gets that far. She can be a bit over the top after a while. She was a Voice contestant.

Kanye West closes the first show of this Final Season by doing an audition himself. Quite funny, especially with his mum chatting with Ryan outside.

A good start. Quite a classy show in comparison to X Factor at the same stage. Far fewer bum auditions, indeed only one or two that I recall. The panel seem settled in their skins and just enjoy life. The small audition room with no instruments other than an occasional piano accompaniment or the auditionees own guitars works well for me.

American Idol: Season XIV. The Top 3 for the Finale selected.

Rayvon starts with a track that is sort of what we're getting used to hearing from him but he doesn't do this as well as some he has performed in the past. It's certainly not bad but not quite as good as I think he needs at this vital stage.

Clark did not have a great week last week but is still here and this time gets the U2 classic to perform. Once more I am hearing some lazy phrasing and not ideally placed notes. It is like he has reached a peak a few weeks ago and is either now trying too hard and losing it or just not picking the right songs to stay well within what he can do well.

He gets compliments from the judges but i felt the crowd were a little less warm. If you listen again to the judges they say it was 'pretty good' and 'I like what you did but you need to listen to the lyrics' and 'your voice is good but...' Make of that what you will.

Easily the best of the guys so far, could Nick be heading for the Final? I would never have thought that at the outset but he is consistently good, in tune and confident. A good choice once more, although this got a bit tedious after a while and ended poorly. Still, that's the song's fault not so much his. He made a good job of the main part and gets much better reviews from the panel than Rayvon and Scott. Nice guy. I see him as the runner-up now. Not a memorable runner-up but he'll get some hits and sales out of all this.

Really good performance by Jax. She just owns the stage and although My Generation wasn't the track I'd have picked for her, she did really well with it and surely has to be the winner of this whole show? Very impressed and knocks all the others into a very cocked hat. Brilliant.

Nick's second number is a sort of rock and country sounding Back Home that has never graced UK charts yet. I swear that there's a banjo in there somewhere. A jolly sort of number with a simple catchy line or two but nothing spectacular. It won't do him any harm, though. Depends what Scott does but he may even pick up some calls from Texas.

I see this as Scott's last chance really. Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay is such a classic song and, as Scott once was at the start of all this, it is exactly his sort of track. He just needs to take it gently, feel the lyrics and get the message across just like Otis did and he may make the Top 3. Unfortunately, he doesn't. It's a mess and not an attractive sound at all. Scott really has lost it, I'm afraid. he has become tedious and not even nice to watch. Pity, as I would have had him as the winner once upon a time.

Nice job, Rayvon. In complete contrast to Scott. This guy has scarped through each week for some time and may have to again but I do hope he makes it this time. That was a nice version of an interesting track for him.

Simply fabulous. Jax is really showing the others just how good she is and just how diverse she can be. You cannot get much further away from The Who than Evanescence. Brilliant choice and she can get away with just sitting there, a little vulnerable, playing the piano and there was a backing track I didn't notice it. Jennifer thinks she's amazing. Harry is clearly impressed too. Keith doesn't get a look-in. Well done, whatever. I'm sure he would have been very complimentary as well!


Better, Clark. Just standing there in a smart suit and singing a track from a modern film, '50 Shades Of Grey', this will earn him some much-needed votes. Whether they'll be enough to knock Rayvon off at last I don't know. At the end the song gets rather messy and I am still not convinced about his note selection. he would be so much better just delivering the song's message gently and in tune and with some real emotion.
Another excellent choice by Rayvon and he doesn't ruin the lyrics or notes by inclusing lots of decoration where it isn't needed. A good track to finish his entry request for the Top 3. Now, will it be granted? He deserves to be there in my opinion. Jennifer was looking for more emotion but Harry reckoned he had that and also complimented him on the arrangement, saying that was 'smart'. More than he said to Clark.

This is a judges' choice for her but I don't quite see why they chose this. It's OK but doen't do a great deal for me and I would say that Rayvon takes this last round. Jax still takes the whole day, though. She made as good a job of that as I think she could and my guess is that she can just do whatever anyone throws at her, which is quite an achievement. Jennifer says that they chose that because they thought it suited her but they felt that she was passing the attention to the guitarist and almost hiding behind him. That's not her style but if she wasn't that cool with the number I can well imagine it being a reasonable move to make. She'll still make it through.

Here's Nick chasing the Big Country vote now, and that's not a bad move at all. A good choice by the judges for him. they're on his side I reckon! A good, measured performance. he could have ruined it by going too fast or too loud but he controlled it nicely. Lots of good feedback there and he damn well should make it through. the question is: who won't get through to the Top 3 Finale?

It turns out that it was Rayvon's last day after all as he loses the votes this week. So it is Jax, Nick and Clark in the Finale.

American idol: Hollywood Round Pt 4 Solo Performances

Now we have the solo rounds, when the contestants just get to perform. This is the big chance for everyone, make or break for everyone!

Lauren Lott sounds very professional and actually good with Adele's Skyfall. A powerful song and current which helps her to appeal but she really did know what she was doing anyway. That was as a stunning version that ought to see her very safely home. Jennifer rightly calls that a superstar performance. Well done, Lauren.

Daniel Seavey is very young and even sounds very young. Ed Sheeran's  I See Fire he can sing well and he has a nice personality but I would give him another few years to learn about love and girls and the world. He is very good but it would be as some sort of cartoon teen idol if he were to go further in this competition.

Veyron gets a lot of good advice from the mentor guy. Over-singing is a common complaint and that's almost a certainty with the 70s Let's Get It On. He is pretty critical of the mentor and I would imagine he gets whacked behind the scenes. Not a clever move. We smile at him but also grimace a bit. He can sing but is he really an American idol?

Shi is nervous and bubbly but is a fabulous performer and seems to relax once she gets going. She sings an Etta James number I am not familiar with but wish I had been as it sounded superb. Too short; maybe it was edited down although that wasn't obvious. I like her but the panel didn't feel that was a particularly good job. She may survive as there is no-one quite like her.

Adam Lasher is at home on his own on the stage with an earthy Free Falling. Is it a bit bland maybe? Decent bloke but maybe that's the last we see of him. There are some competitors in that area.

Big Ron and Adam get axed at that point so some good people are still in there, including several that, frustratingly, we didn't see perform. Oh well. Maybe next time.

Quinton Alexander is one of the very visible candidates. He is just 20 but really does own the stage and put across tracks well. I don't know the song he does but it was good and the panel love him. Looks like he'll be around for a while.

Maddie Walker is the Country girl we need in the show. She also does pretty blonde in spades. Well done indeed.

Trevor gets a brief burst on our screen. He's a cool guy and seems to have found a place in all the panel members' hearts as well as many of my readers'. If he's through then he's got bags of support out there.

Alexis seems to have recovered a bit more and puts on a reasonable performance but to my mind she's out of key. Harry stops her anmd suggests she tries again which is a nice gesture. She has had to deal with a lot of nerves but still can't find the right note to start with. That's tough but she's out.

Jax follows and sings Let It Be. She manages to bring a massive amount of emotion and star quality to her performances. I don't know how or where it comes from as she is an odd little thing to watch but it works whatever it is. Easily and straight through.

Michael Simeon is the guy that has the cheeky look Jennifer finds very attractive. I don't really get it but I think we can assume he'll be through.

Nick is the 'old guy' at 28 and that is the cut-off age for the competition. He sings a great version of a David Gray number, Babylon. I'd put him through to the next round as he just seems to be totally reliable and the panel pick up on this and his likeability. A winner? No, but a good TV contestant.

Competing with him is Katharine Skinner at just 15. She looks a lot older. Not a good performance, though, of Alone. In fact it was quite painful and I am sure she's out for another year or two.

We see Michael, Nick and someone called Emily get through. Emily we will, presumably see another day.

Clark Beckham is a busker who is looking much healthier now. He plays a piano on stage this time and puts on a great version of Try A Little Tenderness. Nice.

Mark Andrews is 29 which I thought was past the age limit but maybe he was allowed to join at 28 earlier in the competition. He trundles along with a track that I didn't know and he forgot the words too but it was well covered. He says he was really tired and the panel remark that many people are just looking tired and failing because of that as much as anything else.

We get a glimpse of Alexis Gomez and Naomi too. Alexis and Mark and Clark get through with Katharine Winston who we'll see another day. I would definitely like to see more of Alexis Gomez.

Joey Cook is very individual and chooses Nothing's Going To Change My World. There are some cool Beatles tracks this year. Unless we miss a lot of her performance here, she wouldn't have had any trouble remembering those words this time! She gets all nervous but afterwards which is just as well.

Lovey James is one of the best really young ones. Just 16 but good. Rayvon is a clear favourite too. He is one of the stand out guys. Riley Bria started the whole Season off and does Keith Urban numbers that just work for him and, especially, America. Nice guy with cool tracks and a guitar.

Rayvon, Riley, Tiana, Lovey and Joey get through and we get a glimpse of several others, including Hollywood!

One more cut and then American gets to vote. The next cut is the really tough one.

There are some very good people this year. Some seem to have made it through so far on just fairly average but solid performances and may start to excel in Live Shows whereas others are quirky and make mistakes but have an adorable quality about them.

American Idol XIV Auditions: Day 7 San Francisco

Ever since Scott MacKenzie sand about the city in 1966 I have wanted to go there. This is the last place on the Audition run.

Katherine Skinner doesn't look or sound like the best of adverts for the city. She is 15 going on 45 and, for a moment when she was talking about getting the coat from Bowie I thought that maybe she was 45 and that might have been true. To be fair, she did sing well, doing Florence & The Machine's Shake It All. Jennifer Lopez has just more or less said what I said about the Bowie thing!  I was put off with the psychic cat business and the chatter and the coat but she did win me over. She does have a talent and maybe will annoy people so perhaps we won't see much more of her. Or the cat.

Erika David is more 'normal' with an Alicia Keys tune that was neither here nor there. Chandler Leighton is very 'Frisco with the stylish hat and dead straight blonde hair. Nice, cool.

Ryan Pinkston is older and a bit off-key although Harry said he was pinpoint accurate!

They all get through but none struck me as Idols, I am afraid.

Andrew Bloom next. Harry says 'Hello Andrew, what's your name?' Hilarious. Not too sure what his style was. Not something that I would buy but he was more or less in tune and seem to know what he's doing so could probably put a could performance in at future stages if necessary. So he drifts through but, again, makes no lasting impression.

Kellyeanne Rodgers seems to have too many letters in her name but sings very sweetly.

The next guy has about 40 members of his family with him. Luckily they're not all in the audition room but he had 60 in the house at the time. Reno Anoa'I has an extraordinary surname but at last we have a genuine talent that isn't just rehearsed or for show. Nice fellow doing the Rod Stewart I Don't Want To Talk About It number. If he can do more than just the 'white suit' type of act then he could do well. He gets a ticket to Hollywood. The place erupts as he seems to have most of the 60 with him.

Now we get a Puerto Rican chap who worships Jennifer. Harry gets called Henry which is quite amusing. He is Samuel Prince. He has some fun with the panel but he can't do a great deal on the singing front. So he doesn't get through. Just as well.

Then there's a bundle of people who don't make it.

Rayvon Owen has a nice gentle but good voice and sings Wide Awake that should go down well with the panel after quite a few not so good people. Good audition and a good-looking chap too who will have appeal amongst the home audience if he's lucky enough to get to the voting round. Not so sure he will but he deserves to move forward a fair bit.

Listening to the panel I am glad that we have this consistent three. They talk sense and, apart from Harry's great good humoured messing about, they don't seem to be trying too hard to impress.

Twins. Ezekiel and his brother with an old-style name too are a lovely couple and miss the chance that they might have had to retune. they weren't very good anyway.

Maddy Hudson is another quite loud teenager. She has the over-powering mother who means well but are we really bothered about her? No. Let's meet the girl. She performs very well although isn't that pretty to watch but that was a great audition regardless. Jennifer marks her down as one of her favourites so that bodes well for her. Lots of compliments. I think they were a bit over the top when they said that she should tell everyone else to go home and Keith thinks she could win. Remarkable.

American Idol XIV Auditions: Day 6

Down in New Orleans, where Harry grew up. You can just tell he feels so at home there. The first guy's family grew up with Harry's. Drew Plaisance is terrible. I think he only came on to say something about growing up near the star. Dreadful.

Angelica Jelly Joseph is the first reasonable act after a huge pile of not so good stuff. You can almost sense the sighs of relief from the three panel and, particularly, Jelly.

Tiffany stringer is from Texas. You might have guessed that she is a cheerleader. She does a Cher Lloyd number. something modern for a change as so far almost everyone is doing ancient stuff. This girl is good. Strange hearing a number from an X Factor UK #4 or #5 act. She gets through, just, as then runs hilariously, missing Ryan and the cameras!

Young lad up next. In shorts and sandals. Greyson Turner is just 15 and sings something he's written himself. Remarkable stuff. Good voice. Good song. Lots of passion for someone so young. Easily through and one to watch.

Sarah Quintana is a really cool jazz singer. Love that and so do the panel. Harry tries to say that she shouldn't go through. Jennifer agrees but they don't see her doing anything in the competition. Odd but probably right.

Quentin Alexander sings Royals by Lorde. Nice. He's a cool guy and from New Orleans and the streets there. He's a bit laid back compared to what you'd expected looking at him but he'll get a chance to impress another time as they are more than happy to put him through.

Mikey Duran is 19 and went to the same school as Harry. He sings a song he's written. Quite a few are doing that. Seems risky but at least they can't be accused of copying anyone or karaoke. Nice job. they have trouble stopping him but not in a bad way. He steams through. I don't think he'll get that much further but nice fellow for all that and worth the next stage.

Very pretty girls follow. Nalani Quintello. Tori Martin. Hope Windle. All get another chance.

Ricky Dale Hendricks is 17. He does hunting and fishing too. Fairly tedious Country track but he knows what he's doing and puts on an impressive performance. Lots of likeability for this one. Good looking young fellow would get bags of girls' votes if he were to get through.

Bianca Jade is a drag queen who is a bit in your face. Not a bad singer but not really good enough. She does get through, though.

Adam Lasher is related to Carlos of the amazing Santana. He also does a track he's written himself and is great. So risky doing it that way but those that do pull it off do so really well. he has a thumb in plaster and has a cool image. Nice fellow. Could do well.

Eyebrow manufacturers would like Erica Washington. She is also pretty good, singing Beyonce's Halo pretty well. Possibly as well as the star does it. Good singer. Lots of talent. Pity about the eyebrows.and bad hair. another who will keep going for a stage or two but maybe not go all the way.

American Idol XIV Auditions: Day 5

Now we're in Minneapolis for the next set of auditions. The format of showing mainly good people is so much better than some other years.

Shannon is first on. With a surname like Berthiaume that's a lot of vowels and she gives us all the vowels from House Of The Rising Sun. Keith says she has a raw talent and I agree. She may have slightly overdone the thing but as the production team play Janis Joplin in the background maybe that was only part of what she's capable of. Nice.

Shannon is followed by some geeky guy. I'm not expecting to be impressed. Kemil Casey is the name. I don't think we need to try to remember it.

Morgan Ovens has a funny name but sings totally convincingly. We only see a glimpse though. With Courtney Guns competing on the name front she gets through with a couple of others we only get short shots of.

Vanessa Andrea is a sweet girl and has a great Country style. she gets upset but actually sings herself better. I like that girl. She's cool. A bit old style perhaps and her audition suited her to a tee. Not sure where she goes from here but she's fun to watch and you have to smile at her comments about Keith and Jennifer.

Zach Johnson comes on like he's had too much chocolate and coke but settles down with a nice and well-tuned Country song. Sleepy stuff. However, he gets through and actually gets a promise from Keith to get him up on the stage at a forthcoming concert. Harry's dubious but we get to see it for real!

Aaron Bissel is a cute boy with a really nice voice. We don't see much of him.

The next girl may not appeal to some of our Left Wing readers. Cindy Joel likes hunting and shoots bears with arrows and fires pistols at things. She does a lovely version of Patsy Cline's Crazy. She's got some talent. Just gets through. She killed a bear last weekend. Harry explains.

Amusingly, the next guy comes on in a bear outfit! He's no good.

Next guy is in Million Dollar Quartet a musical about Jerry Lee Lewis and others. Jacob Tolliver is excellent but Harry says that he can't get through without being himself. Keith wants to hear him sing a song as himself not as a character. He does a Sam Smith number and is easily through.

Hannah Mrozak is 16 but sounds 36. Full volume stuff but very good. she could do well.

Kristi Kroker has yet another unfortunate name. Nice girl but not good enough, as were several more following in the clips. Mark Andrew is back again and I expect he'll make it this time. Good, committed singer and a bit different. Keith asks for another track. He comes out with I Want To Be Like You. Not so sure about that but the panel do see that he is set apart from so many others and he can certainly stay in tune. Nice guy.