The Music of Motor City brought out some standout performances (particularly from Janelle Arthur), a legend (Smokey Robinson) and a major trainwreck (Lazaro Arbos).
Some of the big questions to ponder as we head into tonight’s results show: did Lazaro do enough damage to himself that he can’t recover from? Were last night’s performances just a technically as everyone already knew Devin would be the next to go? And even though she’s one of the frontrunners, does Angie Miller have a big enough fan base to keep her out of the Bottom 3? Let’s take a look at everyone’s chances:
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DEFINITELY SAFE
Candice Glover may have performed first, but she had one of the top three performances of the night and her already strong fan base should still be enough to keep her from being in danger. (Unless we all of a sudden have a Jennifer Hudson moment — imagine if the Judges Save was around back in season 3.)
For a while, I’ve said that Janelle Arthur has a very generic country voice. But last week, I started taking note of her. And now with her stripped down arrangement of “You Keep Me Hangin’ On,” she’s finally proving why she deserves to be in this competition and why she should stick around for many more weeks.
And of course, Kree Harrison is safe as well.
IN THE MIDDLE
The judges absolutely loved Amber Holcomb’s performance of “Lately.” And I’m aware that many people in the comments section for the Top 8 recap loved it as well. But it was very apparent that barely any of her notes were on key during the first half of the song. (Everyone else watching the show with me last night also heard it.) She was in the Bottom 3 last week, and has a good chance of being the first girl to be sent home. You never know, she might end up in the Bottom 3 again, though it’s definitely not her week to go. (I know I’m going to get a lot of flak in the comments for putting her in the middle instead of safe, but I have to tell it like it is.)
And then there’s Angie Miller. She’s been one of the frontrunners this season, but choosing “Shop Around” was a big mistake. This is not the type of song you pick if you want to gain votes or if want to compete against the rest of the contestants. And it hurt her as a result. Is her fan base strong enough still to keep her from the danger zone? Even if she ends up in that unfortunate position, she won’t be eliminated.
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BOTTOM 3 PREDICTIONS
Devin Velez: I still really like the tone of his voice, but we all knew coming into this week that he’d be in trouble. He hasn’t done enough to stop the inevitable.
Burnell Taylor: For some reason, the judges were going gaga over his performance. After seeing Candice and Janelle change up their arrangements, Burnell’s by-the-books rendition came off as very safe. Since the judges didn’t say anything negative, his fans might not vote for him as much, putting him in the Bottom 3.
Lazaro Arbos: And then we come to Lazaro. He’s been riding the sympathy wave for weeks now. And this week is expected to be the same, except this time he’ll be getting sympathy not for his story, but for the trainwreck group performance (where Burnell and Devin ended up throwing him under the bus without naming names).
Devin is the only person who’s guaranteed to be in the Bottom 3. Out of the three I named above, I’m not 100% certain about Lazaro’s chances right now. The sympathy vote I mentioned is in play, but how much will it affect the vote? Not enough to keep him out of the Bottom 3, or just enough to keep him safe? If Lazaro does not take one of the spots, it could go to either Angie or Amber.
ELIMINATION PREDICTION
Devin Velez: There’s not a whole lot to say here. With Curtis Finch, Jr. and Paul Jolley gone, the next in line to go was always going to be Devin.
Is it inevitable that Devin’s going home? Or will the unexpected happen? How much will the sympathy vote affect the outcome for Lazaro? Share your predictions in the comments below.
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(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.
