It’s almost ironic that the Top 12 sang about home this week on American Idol because one of them will have to go there after Thursday night. But it’s also fitting that one of tonight’s guest performers is season 11 winner Phillip Phillips since his hugely successful debut single is called “Home.”
Here’s the deal: there are some really talented singers in the competition this year. But last night was just one of those nights where mediocrity reigned supreme. That sometimes happens, even during seasons with top-notch talent. I just hope this isn’t a sign of things to come and that whoever is still left after the results show steps up their game because they really need to.
So here are some of the questions heading into tonight’s results: because most of the performances were just average, will that mess up the voting and result in a shocking Bottom 3 and possibly a shocking elimination? Is it a given that another girl is going home? And I’m going to bring her up again: has M.K. Nobilette’s historic run come to an end?
American Idol Recap: The Top 12 Sing About Home >>>
DEFINITELY SAFE
I want to preface this by saying I’m very wary this week about putting anybody in the Definitely Safe category for two reasons: one, as already mentioned, this was a pretty mediocre night which could affect the results in a way we’re not expecting, and two, after putting M.K. in this category last week I was thrown off by her being in the Bottom 3, so you never know what might happen. But I’m pretty secure in the two singers I’ve put here this week. (I just hope I haven’t jinxed myself now.)
Dexter Roberts: It’s pretty much a given that Dexter surprised us all by delivering the best performance of the night. Who would’ve expected that? I certainly didn’t. He hasn’t been my favorite of the country singers, but I have to hand it to him: he connected with “Lucky Man” in a way, both emotionally and vocally, that nobody else did. If for some strange reason he’s in danger, now that would be messed up.
Majesty Rose: I almost voted for Majesty last night — almost. As the first half of the song played out, I’m thinking, yes, I am definitely voting for her, she’s up there with Dexter as one of the best. But then it happened: she tried to do more with the song and make it bigger than it needed to be, and her voice suffered as a result. She has two things in her favor: not only was the first half pretty much flawless (and that’s saying something considering how the rest of the performances went), but she got the pimp spot as well.
IN THE MIDDLE
Most of the contestants this week are In the Middle for obvious reasons.
Alex Preston: I personally enjoyed Alex’s rendition of “I Don’t Want to Be.” It’s not a song we’d expect from someone like him; however, I found that it showcased the uniqueness in his voice extremely well. But the judges didn’t like it, and obviously people are on the fence about it online.
Jessica Meuse: She’s been one of my favorites, but “White Flag” was not one of her best. I know the judges were going on about issues with her voice, but for me, the main problem was her inability to connect and commit to the song — that was clearly evident by looking at her face during the performance.
Caleb Johnson: Everyone’s saying that, at this point, Caleb is just doing the same thing again and again, and not giving us a reason to say “wow.” I loved his performance this week, but even Caleb might not be 100% safe after the feedback he received.
Sam Woolf: Sam’s performance is an interesting one for me this week. He wasn’t terrible, but nothing stood out. It’s obvious he hasn’t gotten over his weak outing last week just yet, but he might be heading slowly (and I emphasize slowly) in the right direction (it’s hard to tell at the moment).
Malaya Watson: On any other week, I’d easily label Malaya as Definitely Safe. But I can’t, and here’s why: she was in the Bottom 3 last week and we just don’t know yet if she has a strong enough fan base to keep her out of there again, even after a stellar performance this week. Like with Dexter, I never thought I’d say Malaya was fantastic, but I was actually blown away by how great her voice sounded last night. For that alone, she should be safe, but after the night everyone had combined with her Bottom 3 appearance in the Top 13, she’s not a given just yet.
Ben Briley: Here’s another just okay performance. He was sharp at times and I didn’t feel that connection to the song in the way Dexter did.
FOX Moves Rake to Fridays, Idol Results to 9pm >>>
IN DANGER
C.J. Harris: At this point, C.J. could very well end up in the Bottom 3 — it wouldn’t surprise me. He was good, but went with a safe song choice. The problem there is that it felt like a cover; he didn’t do anything to make it his own.
BOTTOM 3 PREDICTIONS
Jena Irene: While it seems like a given that both Emily and M.K. are bound for the Bottom 3 (or least M.K. is), the third spot is interchangeable — it could be C.J. or it could be Jena. Sometimes it doesn’t matter who performs first (like in the case of Caleb Johnson during Rush Week), but many times it does matter because we don’t remember them by the end of the night. (Then again, that could be mitigated by the fact that we can now vote during the show.) For Jena, what hurt her was her lower register.
Emily Piriz: When a contestant performs during any given episode can affect voting, but I’ll say it again, does that not even matter anymore since voting is open during the show and not just after? If it still does, then Emily singing (on a very karaoke-like performance, I might add) in the middle makes her forgettable. If she doesn’t receive the least amount of votes and/or is out of the Bottom 3 altogether, she can probably thank her military boyfriend because we all know how much voters eat that stuff up.
M.K. Nobilette: It’s time to face the music: M.K. has run out of steam. The judges rightly noted how she felt like she didn’t want to be there. And I was looking at her eyes almost the entire time and you could tell how nervous and uncomfortable she was. Maybe her fans will rally around her after her Bottom 3 appearance last week, but is it enough to save her from elimination?
ELIMINATION PREDICTION
M.K. Nobilette: Ultimately, it’s highly likely that it won’t be enough. When she revealed she’s gay during the Green Mile episode, she made American Idol history. And after her Rush Week performance, almost everyone was pegging her as a frontrunner with the potential to win. Now, it’s looking like victory is no longer in sight for her.
Who do you predict will be in the Bottom 3 and going home? Will it be another girl getting the boot or could we be in for a shocker? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
American Idol airs Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8pm on FOX.
(Image courtesy of FOX)
Staff Writer, BuddyTV
Jeff Dodge, a graduate of Western Washington University, has been a TV news editor for many years and has had the chance to interview multiple reality show stars, including Randy Jackson, Nick Cannon, Heidi Klum, Mel B and John Cena.
