Top 24 Solos Pt 1

12 of the Top 24 sing their own choice solo tonight and then tomorrow night duet with some Idols from the past series. 5 will leave this week and next, reducing the numbers to 14 which, presumably, will be the Live Show contestants.

Harry says that these solo rounds will be the most important, the solos being more a guide to how they can work with someone else but not as crucial as how they display themselves,

Stephanie Ngrete starts with a Jessie J number and does it justice for sure. She is a natural on stage and reminds me of Cher, especially in the black leather she has this evening. That was impressive. She has one match in Sonika Vaid and I don't see both going through. The judges seem to think she lacks connection although I thought she did a good job there.

Mackenzie Borg does Say Something which some will recall took Alex & Sierra to the top of X Factor USA. Comparisons aren't always so good and, much as I like this guy, I am not sure the song helped him as much as it might have done. He does put his own turn on songs and did a good job, just not a brilliant job. He is, though, one of the few guys with a chance of getting through.

Jeneve Rose Mitchell sings Angel Sarah McLoughlan, playing a harp too! Amazing. She is simply superb and this performance may be the one that we all look back upon when she is crowned the winner. She is extraordinary and I have a good feeling about this girl from the middle of nowhere where electricity is scarce and goodness knws what life is actually like.

Jenna Rae is also a Country singer. I am not so sure about her. She is clearly aware of the world and can sing superbly and put on a good show but it is a bit full on and lacking shade. She's fine and could be relied upon to perform well in Live Shows but she has a huge amount of competition.

James VIII sings Love Lockdown, a Kanye West song that has escaped my attention to date and, quite frankly, I feel none the worse for that. Pretty tedious stuff. James is sound and knows what he's doing but he doesn't strike me as someone who will make it through any further. Nothing wrong with the guy but I don't see him as an Idol winner. Harry isn't sure about how far he can go. Keith thinks he might be indulgent and needs to come out and kill it every time, not assume he'll go through.

Sonika sings a Taylor Swift number and puts a big gap between herself and Stephanie, dressed in a beautiful and glamorous dress and it's a standing, gentle performance that reaches out to people. I still want her to put across the lyrics better. Everyone loves her voice, though. She is very interesting and may be a surprise competitor later.

Gianna Isabella is the one whose mum was in the Live Shows some years back. Her version of I Put A Spell On You was great. She can really sing, possibly one of the strongest voices there with rock steady notes and seems to know how to appeal. I like her and think she'll do well. Win? Maybe not but she'll be there for a while.

Emily Brooke is possibly the only blonde this evening. She is not at her best, though, and the performance starts quite nervously and it takes a while before she can come across more comfortably. Harry says her talent is unquestionable but she missed the pitch and chose the wrong song. That could be sad for a previously potential star.

Avalon Young may not be as attractive as Emily but she is incredibly accurate with her notes and sings the Justin Beiber number extremely effectively. She seems very relaxed and quite mature on stage yet sings a teen song. She seems in tune with herself as much as anyone. Very reliable and I reckon she'll get through although I don't know how popular she'll be when the votes start being needed.

Jordan Sasser sings All By Myself which is a classic. He is a great singer, handling that very difficult track well. He is a true professional and it is difficult to come up with any reason he shouldn't make the Live Shows. Does he connect though? Keith didn't think he gets the emotion across and Harry didn't like the showing off. Interesting and quite sad for the guy when everyone else is being told to give it their all! He does and gets slammed for it! As I said, I can't think of a good reason for him not to make the Live Shows. But he won't.

Thomas Stringfellow must have guaranteed his place in the Live Shows with his remarkable Creep. He is excellent and puts his true self into almost every word. You can feel him sing even if he looks a bit silly in the check shirt and big hat. He is a potential Idol Runner Up. I see him in a Finale. Great reviews from Harry, Jennifer and Keith. Compelling stuff.

La Porsha Renae is the girl with the big woolly hair who looks round and either 14 or 44. Proud Mary is a classic for her and she is excellent. I can't fault this girl's singing or performance. I don't find her easy to watch but she is damn good and has to make the Live Shows, being head and shoulders above the others in terms of professionalism. Remarkable. Harry says she'll make the other competitors either want to do a lot better or quit!! I imagine she mist be the favourite but will she get the votes?

A good set of performances. Emily, Jordan and James would seem to be the obvious ones in trouble. Let's see how they manage with the duets next.

The Top 24.

Stephanie Ngrete starting the show again and looking very impressive again with This Girl Is On Fire. That will get her in the Top 24 for sure. Despite her obvious stage professionalism and being one of Jennifer's favourite performances, I still have a doubt or two about how far she can go.

Shelbie Z is strong and quite aggressive, not particularly feminine either. No denying that she can sing but do I want to see her on my screen? Not really. She makes the Top 24. That's deserved. Again, how much further I don't know.

Michelle Marie has been a bit annoying and I haven't been that convinced by her performances to date. She is talented and brave but I wouldn't give her a place on the Live Shows and I feel there will be better for the Top 24 too. She doesn't get chosen. She is very good about accepting this, though, and did herself a tremendous favour with all the audience with that attitude. Well done. She'll be in another talent show before long.

Collette Lush had been a strong contender before but her latest ones have not been so good at all and that last one in front of the bigger audience didn't work at all. You feel sorry for her and the judges were quite surprised and disappointed. Harry says he was shocked. Some you think are going to win and then they fade away. She doesn't make the Top 24.

Jessica Cabral is in the same boat. Some very good auditions but she doesn't make it.

Jessica Clark and someone called Ameet we hadn't actually seen that much of get bad news. One or two others are rejected too, including one or two we might have seen more of but mostly the producers have cleverly been showing us the future stars most of the time and not so many heading for home. One girl was shown talking to her mother on what I assume was 'facetime' but the image of her mother was scary and some!

Mackenzie Bourg changes the fortunes back to success as he sails in to the Top 24, the first guy through. Can't Help Falling In Love With You worked so well for his audience!

Trent Harmon was the one who had trouble with his voice, illness-produced, which was sad. But he pushed on through. I wasn't as impressed with his Tiny Dancer but he makes the second guy spot in the Top 24.

Jenn Rae, Kory Wheeler, Adam Lasher and James VIII get through. We don't see their performances.

Jeneve does Ring Of Fire quite strangely. I don't think she has seen so many people before! Yes, she's moving on. Top 24. Will she make the Live Shows?

CJ Johnson brings strong rock performance, not heard much elsewhere. He deserves that spot.

Amelia Eisenhauer has been interesting, Very smart. Just 16. A very accomplished stage performance, singing and with the fiddle. Nice. One of the best. She is so mature looking and sounding.

Lee John is another youngster but, again, one of the leading contenders in my book. Great guy and no doubt, he's on his way and shouldn't just be Top 24 but Live Show too.

That's half we've now seen accepted.

Avalon Young is one of the very few 'current' contenders. She makes it. Not yet sold on her personality but maybe she'll grow on us.

Dalton Rapattoni is one of the stars for me. If a guy wins it could be him. He's through and must go a long way.

Manny Torrens has been pretty good all the way through. Another Top 24 member.

Then we see several pretty good people go before Thomas Stringfellow comes in. His girlfriend dumped him the night before and the emotions come through strongly in his performance. Nice. He deserves his place and will be interesting to follow.

Just at the moment the guys are beginning to look more interesting than the girls. I can imagine Dalton or Mackenzie winning, for instance, and Lee being in a final with CJ in a Live Show. Several weeks ago it was almost the reverse with few guys impressing me but several girls. There are a few still to come, though.

Sonika Vaid is one that could do well if she can make that link with the audience that is still not there. Talented and I do like her but I am not sure how much further she'll get. Definitely deserves Top 24.

Malie Delgado worked hard on stage and you'd think she would just sail through. Quite a surprise that she didn't make it. Plenty of professional competence but we didn't see that much of her.

Olivia Rox has been coughing a lot and also pushes on through. Very good, she can hold and entertain an audience. Another contestant who really deserves her place in the Top 24. Good choices by this panel all the way through.

Emily Brooke is one of my favourites. She looks lovely, sounds great and is a very cool performer you enjoy watching and listening to. I can see her making records. She'll do well. very well. Definite Top 24 and No.1 girl.

We see a few more fall by the wayside. Lee's girl Sara doesn't make it. Quite a few more fail too. Gianna Isabella has had her mum around a lot and that has been a bit annoying and she is pretty good on her own. She is Top 24 and a judges' favourite! I'm not totally convinced yet.

Just four more to go by my calculations.

Jenn Blosil is one of the unique performers in this competition. If American Idol is to go out on a high and different note then Jenn should win. She is unusual. Mature beyond her years but so talented and original. Nice. Glad to see her there in the Top 24.

Tristan McIntosh has grown on me as the auditions have progressed and her last one was one of the best. She is one of those girls who looks different each time you see her. She's through. Two more places.

Kayce and Jordan compete for the last boy's place. Jordan is impressive. Kayce is too, not quite as strong but good for all that. I think I'd pick Jordan but I'm not sure either will go much further than 24. Jordan gets it.

The last place is a girl. Lindita does a spirited performance of Bang Bang and is pretty good. La'Porsha Renae is a performer extraordinaire and does full justice to The House Of The Rising Sun. Whereas Lindita says she lost 150lbs to make the show, La'Porsha comes from a bad area and looks like she has put on 150lbs. It doesn't matter. She is the better of the two and has a classic look that will be familiar to people over ensuing weeks. You have to feel sorry for Lindita but she isn't an Idol.

So that's it. Now let's hear them sing.

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.

Oh dear. Group Round at Hollywood.

In my last post I had hoped that they might have done away with this part of the round; the Group farce. It is just so frustrating to watch. Some seem all set and just have a great time rehearsing and getting on but others struggle even to find someone or one of their band leaves or gets grumpy and the others are left to pick up the pieces and simply, with the best will in the world, cannot be expected to compare easily with those others with the trouble-free environment.

It is almost a bit like being born on the wrong side of the tracks. Some guys just can't help what happens to them but still suffer. Unless the panel spot the problem or get advised by the various staff on duty observing developments. Yes, there needs to be some stress test and it's good to see how people get on with others and can work together to get over challenges but this is unfair a lot of the time.

So, whilst it may make good TV, I am more than glad that this is genuinely the last American Idol Group round I'll have to report on.

The best I can do as we're shown some full tracks but mostly extracts, and mixed up at that, is highlight the names of those that I spot getting compliments, mostly from Harry. All those shown make it through and were captioned by the programme. Many others go through too but, with no captions, I guess they don't get too much further whereas the captions do.

Kory, Jenna Rae, Jordan Sasser, Kelsie Watts make a great start. Good work for a day. All four make it through.

Jenn Blosil, Bri Kay, Lynnzee Fray, Sara Sturm were another good group who managed very well. All through.

Amelia Eisenhauer, Tristan McIntosh, Lee Jean. Tristan gets a special mention.

Avalon Young, Jeneve Rose Mitchell, both get big appreciation from the panel.

Chynna Shyrod, Terrian,

Trent Harmon is still there with something he calls 'Mono'. whatever that is. It's contagious so he has to perform alone. He deserves to get through for all the effort he's making. Good talent and he is easily through.

Michelle Marie, Ashley Lusk, Lindsey Carrier don't match Shelbie Z in their group. Michelle maybe had something bouncy about her but Shelbie Z was the only one that really made it. Lindsey didn't make it. I'm not sure about any of them really.

Elvie Shane and Ashley Lillinore didn't survive after poor performances. Mackenzie Bouro does well. Cameron Richard doesn't make it.

Dalton finds himself with a couple of girls in a pretty chaotic time. The 'Poh' girl left and another girl Anatalia joined them. Kassy had been with him since the start. Not bad for an hour's rehearsal and no sleep. He was still the stand-out but they all go through.

Sonika and Stephany Negete sound great in their group. The Russian Andrew is impressive but Keith didn't think they performed very well. They all get through anyway so both groups with problems survived after all.

A group with some odd looking guys and the girl with green hair is uninspiring and almost embarrassing to watch as they have no rhythm or mutual understanding by the look of things. They're out.

Marcio, Jon Lasaasen, Kylle Tommasson, Kayce Haynes do Uptown Funk. They're through too.

Joy Dove, Daniel Farmer, Lindita. Oddly, Daniel loses out and the others carry on.

Eliz Camacho, Gianna Isabella, Dana did not get on. Eliz was annoying and a pain. She didn't make it but was fair and not nasty to the other two as we'd expected might have been the case. Jennifer remarked that the 15 year old Gianna out performed the two 24 year olds.

Joe Dahman, Alesani, Olivia Thai, Jessica Paige. Only Jessica makes it through.

CJ Johnson, Jessica Baker, Zach Joseph, Jess. Zach loses out.

Thomas Muglia, Joey Hendricks, Bryson Dunn, Thomas Stringfellow. The two Thamses survive.

Manny Torres, Malie Delago and Christian Eason put on a very good performance.

Laurel Wright, Marshall and a couple of others wreck Staying Alive

La Porscha Renae, Tonie and Marlena have the same song. Marlene had trouble in rehearsals. Once again she forgets the words, despite reassuring everyone that she wouldn't. However, she sort of pressed on and they all make it after all. The girl with the hair is the one you tend to remember, though.

Hollywood Week: Lines of Ten

I always find this part the worst to watch, never mind report on. In X Factor it is called Boot Camp but Hollywood Week is pretty much the same idea. Put everyone in a big room and see who gets on with others and can survive sufficiently well to impress the panel (and a few advisers we don't see!) and make the Top 40.

These 'Lines of Ten', as the sessions are called, work well. I still have memories of Scotty McCririck running around looking for a band to take him a few years back. Nightmare viewing and bad for the contestants too as some know each other well, some just naturally fall together but several are clearly individuals, and several will, I am sure, have suffered as a result. Scotty did, of course, go on to win and I think the judges make some allowances too. We did see a few dreadful 'group' performers still reach the Live Shows.

This seems better organised this year, as the come up on stage in groups of 10 but don't have to perform together. They just do a brief own thing and, if the panel hasn't already decided that they want them (as often they have) then this is their chance to influence the instances where they're on the cusp between in and out.

Interestingly, and no doubt because the producers can edit the show to highlight certain contestants, several names come to the fore as we watch. No doubt others are also through but these are definitely ones to watch, as those of you who have checked out the Top 24 spoiler might already have realised.

Dalton Rapatonni is really quite impressive in my book. He has the look and the attitude.

Jenn Blosil has passion and a super voice.

Thomas Stringfellow is good and a certain appeal that is modern like Dalton but with a touch less good looks.

Olivia Rox has star quality but probably doesn't match Jenn's tone.

Jessica Cabral gets airtime but is a bit average.

Melanie Tierce didn't sound anything like as good as she had in her superb first audition. (She falls at this stage. That was quite a surprise but she didn't do well enough. Simple.)

Sonika Vaid continues to sound lovely. She is a real contender. Great attitude too.

LaPorscha Renae is through. The hair you will not forget.

Manny Torres is one of the leading guys this year.

Harrison Cohen is not through. He seemed excellent. Oh well.

Daniel Farmer is a lesser version of Manny, quite good.

Lee Jean is cool and another major guy contender for the title.

Melanie Huber doesn't

Shelbie Z

Others fly through

Jeneve Rose Mitchell ' this is the girl who's off the grid' Brilliant.

Gianna Isabella confident and great personailty, Strong contender.

Tristan McIntosh very very attractive personality. Super voice. Definite contender plus plus in my book.

Kyrsti Jewel is 16 on the day. Wails a lot. Pretty but she wails a lot. She doesn't make it.

Michelle Marie is a bit boring and same tone all the way through. She does but I do hope she doesn't go much further.

Trent Harmon is ill but pushes on through. Good voice for all that and emotionally all there. He gets through and I hope he survives.

Miranda Poh Scott is lovely and sounds cool and modern. She's through.

Last up is Emily Brooke. Smart girl. Looks nice and has a mature attitude. I think she could go all the way this time. Nice girl. Great audition. She is through.

Oh dear, I think it is Group round next after all. Damn. That is annoying.

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.