I am truly in unchartered territories here. I have often had a favorite contestant make it as far as the Top 5, occasionally the Top 2 (David Archuleta) but I can’t even remember the last time that my favorite Idol contestant has won.

I have been rooting for Phillip Phillips all season – as I’m sure anyone who reads these things has noticed, but on some level I didn’t think he’d win. Sometimes I wasn’t sure I wanted him to. I wonder if the Idol executives would agree with me when I say that Joshua Ledet or Jessica Sanchez might have been a better fit for the American Idol family? I think they are more moldable, more pop and more green. I think they needed Idol more.

Parts of me wanted Jess to win because it’s been so long since a girl has won Idol, but at the same time, Phillip did a better job and… you know I love him. But I also think after this season, that Phillips was  going to get a contract with someone either way and I think he is more of a rebel. I think he’ll give them a harder time. Maybe that’s a good thing?

And now he’s won. And now I know he’s going to put out his first album and I know I’m going to buy it. I’m getting everything I wanted in a lot of ways and I’m not sure how I feel about it. I’m sooooo happy for him and happy for me, but also wondering if his first album with Idol will be everything I want it to be. Will he stay true to himself? Will he bend to their wishes and create something more main stream and polished? Would I like that? I guess I’ll just have to wait and see.

At least now the poor boy can go and get that kidney surgery that he’s been needing for so long now. I really hope that putting it off to finish the competition (and win!!!) won’t mean more health complications for him and that he will go on to have a long, healthy life and career.

I for one am looking forward to seeing what he and Idol do together and also, can I have the CD yet? Seriously, Phillip, I’m waiting.

Just for fun, here are some of my favorite Phillip Phillips moments from Idol this season:

Last night the final three Idol contestants performed three songs each – one picked by the judges, one picked by Jimmy Iovine and one picked by the contestant themselves. For the most part, I think all three contestants did a great job, per usual. They all got to the top 3 by delivering consistently stellar performances in their own unique ways. The judges gave a lot of high praise last night and for the most part, I agreed.

Joshua Ledet opened the show with Randy’s pick, I’d Rather Be Blind by Etta James. Throughout the competition, Joshua has made a name for himself delivering throwback performances of classic R&B / gospel stars. The judges adore this kid and America seems to as well. His first performance was pretty classic Joshua – which means good, but not my thing. And as much as I think he is amazing, I do have to still wonder where his place is in the current music scene. Because it seems to me he’s going to have to define his place by himself. Much like Michael Buble, what he’s doing isn’t being done right now for better or worse.

That said, in round two he really slayed me with his performance of Imagine – a song that everyone loves, myself included. His performance was, of course, amazing, because the boy can sing. With the right guidance he can go far. Jimmy Iovine chose Mary J. Blige’s No More Drama, clearly trying to present him in a more current song. The judges seemed to love it, but truthfully I wasn’t crazy about it up until the ending which he nailed the way he always does. In some ways, I want Joshua to win the competition. He is a good, sweet kid with a lot of talent but with potentially the toughest road ahead because he isn’t very current. I think with Idol behind him, he could go far and that he would be a great face of the American Idol brand. So even though he’s not my favorite of the three contestants, I would simply be happy for him if he manages to win and I look forward to seeing where his career  goes.

Jessica Sanchez began round two with Mariah Carey’s My All. J Lo stated up front that this is a tough song and she was right. This might be the first song I’ve seen Jessica struggle with. Which is not to say she did a bad job, just that it was the first time I really noticed her out of her comfort zone with all those high, breathy notes that Mariah excels with. In my opinion, Jessica seems more comfortable with a deeper, but still high note and that was evident in her performance though it was beautiful nonetheless.

In round two she chose Aerosmith’s I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing – a bold move, that really paid off. The song fit her like a glove and Steven Tyler sang her high praises for the performance which according to the judges he doesn’t often pay when people sing his songs. Then in round three she did a terrific job with Iovine’s pick of Jackson 5′s I’ll Be There which he hoped would show her in a more youthful light. I think that each of the three contestants deliver something very different in this show. Joshua delivers showmanship in spades where Jessica humbly offers up THAT VOICE. The voice of an angel as Steven Tyler would say and America can’t help but agree. At just sixteen years old, she has the strongest voice in the competition and oozes star appeal at such a young age. Who would be disappointed if Miss Sanchez wins this thing? No one (except perhaps the other two contestants).

Phillip Phillips, my favorite from the beginning, closed each round last night, beginning with Steven’s pick, Beggin by MadCon. It was a good fit for Phillip and a touch rowdy which we know Steven loves. In my opinion Phillip had the best performance in round one – and certainly the longest applause from the audience. Phillip has the most unique voice in the competition and possibly the biggest fan base, comprising of mostly us ladies and our daughters.

In round two he chose Matchbox 20′s Disease which I personally adored but the judges seemed to disagree, criticizing him for playing it too safe at a bad time in the competition for doing so. I have to disagree – I think he was giving his fans a healthy dose of Classic Phillip Phillips – in between two bigger performances, he slowed down and delivered the kind of song he’s known for and that his fans adore by now. It’s the reason I turn on Idol each week, frankly. In round two, with the help of Jimmy, he delivered the kind of song the judges were probably waiting for, with Bob Seger’s We’ve Got Tonight. Each week the judges and Iovine have hoped for a bit more melody from Phillip and in his last performance of the night he delivered it in spades, saying, “Yes I can sing melody.” Was it the best melody of the night? No, but that’s not his thing. It was however, his best melodic performance to date and I really enjoyed the change of pace.

I think it’s evident that Phillip Phillips is still and always my favorite of the bunch, with Jessica Sanchez being a strong number two since the beginning. I’d be thrilled to see either win and I’m anxious to see a first album from both now, but I can honestly say I’ll be happy for whoever wins at this point. I think Phillip deserves it and has the most fans so he stands a good chance of winning – but I wouldn’t be surprised if Idol is hoping for a win from the other two – Jessica who offers a more mainstream market and Joshua who is mold-able and throwback in a cool way. Phillips will give them a run for their money with his nonconformist personality but he’ll bring them a lot of fans, so really, they can’t go wrong. 

I just finished watching last night’s Idol and wow. What a show. Here are my thoughts on how the Top 4 did performing each of their two songs – the first a song either about California or by musicians from California ; and the second a song that the contestant “wishes they had written” and find inspiring. For all four artists, round two was infinitely better in my opinion. The first acts were good or okay or even great; but in round two – they really brought it with some major moments.

Phillip opened the show with Creedence Clearwater Revival’s, “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” and he did a good job but for me it was a bit safe. He had some classic moments with it as he got into the song, but compared to what I know he can do, I was verging on unimpressed. That said, in round two he took on Damien Rice’s, “Volcano,” which I have never heard before and his performance left me truly speechless. My notes for this song were simply, “Wow. Just wow.” I thought I knew his bag of tricks pretty well but this song astounded me. He’s been a major contender for me since the beginning and this performance just slayed me (and the judges). Overall a solid A.

Hollie was in the bottom for me this week which was disappointing because I like her so much and enjoy her voice but I found both her performance of  Journey’s “Faithfully” and  Bonnie Raitt’s ”I Can’t Make You Love Me” to be subpar, especially compared to the other contestants who have basically made the Idol stage  their home at this point. She had a few beautiful moments – reminding me of why I like her, but they were so short this week and so small. I love her, but if it were up to me, she’d be going home tonight. C+

Joshua sang Josh Groban’s “You Raise me Up” and then James Brown’s ”It’s a Man’s World” – the first performance for me was fine, not nearly as good as the judges praised it, but fine. I’m kind of used to this by now. But his rendition of ”It’s a Man’s World” was truly amazing, I have to admit. He really had a major moment last night and it’s performances like that which remind me that this kid could win the whole competition regardless of whether I would ever buy his album. I can’t deny those moments and he ended the night, much like my Phillip, with a stuttering A.

Jessica closed the show after a couple of cah-razy good performances with Etta James’s “Steal Away” and  Jennifer Holliday’s “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going.” Some might say that an Etta James song is too old for Jessica, a complaint she’s been getting a lot of but obviously she likes these older songs and you know what? I do, too. And I love her voice and her second song selection. Hot damn, girl. It is clearly anybody’s game at this point because in round two I heard three songs that all had me stuttering and floored. They were all amazing. Easy A.

Sadly, all except Hollie. If she doesn’t go home this week… I will be really, really surprised because three performers gave amazing, jaw dropping performances this week and it wasn’t her. I think she’ll be amazing someday, with a little life experience, but she’s not there yet. And those other three contestants? They really are.

What did you think?

It’s come down to the final 5! Last night the remaining five contestants performed, first a song from the 60′s and then a song from the Brit Pop genre (amazingly there were no Spice Girls songs!). At this point in the competition, I feel like all of the contestants have proven their talent, time and again. There were no “flops” last night, everyone did a good job and everyone was in their own zone respectively. So here are my thoughts on each contestant, how they did, and what I think about them at this point in the competition.

Hollie: has one of my favorite voices in this competition but her performances continue to be flip flopping. At first I was not overly impressed with her performance of River Deep, Mountain High in the first half. It was very standard Hollie in that yes her voice was good, but the song didn’t make me feel anything. That said, it’s been stuck in my head ever since so it obviously stuck with me. In round two she really blew me out of the water (like she often does) with Bleedin Love. Mentor Steven Van Zandt gave her the advice to sing to one person instead of the whole crowd and I think she took this to heart and really had a moment. I could see her in the Top 3 after that performance and moreover, she continues to be an artist that I could see myself buying from at the end of the day, she has commercial appeal in my opinion.

Phillip: sang The Letter which I am unfamiliar with but feel like this song was made for him. It was classic Phillip Phillips and one thing I noticed this week, that’s probably been obvious to anyone who’s reading these little reviews, is that his performances always make me feel something. It’s not about technicalities with him, it’s about the feeling of the song. I do also love when he plays with the notes and gets carried away with it. He’s a lot of fun to listen to. Hollie is probably a more talented musician, but he’s a more talented entertainer. And at the end of the day, I mentally pre-ordered his first CD months ago. For me, he’s Top 2. (In round two he sang Time of the Season, a song with a lot more melody – the judges praised him, but personally I found it inferior to his first performance but not bad).

Skylar: sang the heck out of Fortunate Son by Creedence Clearwater in true Skylar fashion. J Lo has remarked often that Skylar kind of punches each note, like she’s fighting the song. For the judges these seems to be a positive, but for me it’s actually getting a bit old. These performances have become stale for me. So it was refreshing for me when she sang You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me in round two and slowed things down a bit, reminding me what I like about her voice. I think it’s obvious that Skylar is a very talented musician and entertainer and I can see her going far in the country music scene, but I don’t think I’ll need to own her album. Taylor Swift is still about as country as I get most days.

Jessica: sang Proud Mary in round one and I thought she did a great job. She was masterful in the beginning with the slower notes and really held her own in the faster middle. Randy was unimpressed, stating it couldn’t compare to Tina Turner, but honestly what sixteen year old girl can? I thought it was great. But her second performance of You Are So Beautiful was downright amazing. Once again, I find myself with Jessica and Phillip in my personal Top 2 of the night.

Joshua: closed the show with Ain’t Too Proud to Beg and To Love Somebody. The judges continue to kiss the ground he walks on, calling him the best musician Idol has ever seen and beyond. I continue to say, “He’s doing a good job, but I still don’t see how he is musically relevant today.” Maybe I’m short sighted, maybe he’ll surprise me, maybe he’s just not my thing. He may still go far in his career and I am not denying he has talent. He does, it’s obvious. But his CD is just not something I need to own, frankly, and I can’t picture a Joshua Ledet album in Target next to today’s musicians. And I’m a Michael Buble fan. I can appreciate older genres and throwbacks. I have to just assume that his genre simply isn’t my thing and that’s fine.

So who’s going home tonight in just a few short hours? Man, I honestly have no idea. It’s anyone’s game. I just hope and pray that it won’t be Jessica or Phillip and (eek!) I won’t find out until I look it up online tomorrow because my DVR only has room for 2 shows at a time and Big Bang Theory and Vampire Diaries win out over a results show (for now).

Ps: Speaking of Brit Pop, is anyone else watching this cycle’s Top Model? Right now my Top 3 models are Laura, Analise and Sophie – how about you?

Last night the Top 6 of American Idol performed songs by Queen in the first half and then picked their own song for Round 2, no rules or restrictions basically.

Jessica Sanchez opened the show performing Bohemian Rhapsody and then Dance With My Father in round two. I thought she absolutely slayed it in round one, a very powerful performance that surprised me, it was solid all the way through and beautiful. She got quite emotional in the second song which she was dedicating to her father who is about to be deployed to Singapore with the military, the judges really adored the performance, but I have to be honest it was not my favorite Jessica moment which sounds awful to say, but it’s true. Maybe it was just because I was still so blown away by her first performance. Overall she still gets an Easy A.

Sylar Laine opened with The Show Must Go On, and I really enjoyed her countrified version of this song. It was powerful and perfectly delivered and fit like a glove. In round two she sang Tattoos on This Town - it was very classic Skylar – a good old country song. It wasn’t the best performance ever but it was very good. The judges basically said that she had the best performances of the night… I’m not sure I agree, but I’d give her a B+.

Joshua Ledet sang Crazy Little Thing Called Love in round one which I thought was the perfect song for him. He has so hit his stride and he just sailed through the song in classic Joshua Form. But in round two he surprised me with India.Arie’s Ready for Love  - this performance gave me goose bumps. It was not his usual format, but it was brilliant and I really enjoyed it. That performance earned him an A easily.

Elise Testone sang I Want It All in the first round and I thought it was one of her best performances in awhile. It sounded effortless and really fit her voice beautifully – and I loved her dress, by the way, very pretty. In round two she sang Bold As Love by Jimi Hendrix and Steven commented that the song was too little known for this stage in the competition which made me laugh because I’m a big fan of John Mayer’s version of this song and my husband adores the original so I’ve heard both and know the song well. I thought Elise sang it well, but I thought John sang it better. Round two was a better round for her over all, I’d give her a B+.

Phillip Phillips… I have to be honest, he disappointed me this week. He sang Fat Bottomed Girls in round one and I didn’t love it, possibly because I don’t like the song. I didn’t like it when Puck sang it on Glee and I didn’t like it on Phillip either. The song just felt too crass for him in my opinion and also the instruments drowned him out a bit. In round two he sang Dave Matthews’ The Stone which fit him soooo much better. Jennifer worried he was playing it too safe, but I disagree. The song was much better for him and showed him I think as more realistic to what kind of album he should put out. But his first performance brings him to a B+ / A-  for me and I hate to say that.

Hollie Cavanagh sang Save Me in round one and it wasn’t great, at least initially. It picked up as she went on but it was not her best performance by any means. Amazingly, in round two she closed the show with Miley Cyrus’ The Climb and in my opinion it was the best performance of the night. When she’s on her game and choosing the right songs, she’s one of the best singers in the competition, but when she’s not… she’s not. If she sang all her songs like the last one, I think she could actually win. But overall I’d grade her with a B+ / A- like Phillip.

Last night the remaining Top 7 contestants on American Idol sang songs produced in the last three years. This gave each of them a chance to sing something contemporary and perhaps give America a taste of what kind of album they might put out today.

For me this was another week of very good performances and a few VERY very good performances. I’ll just go person by person again and tell you my thoughts. Oh and I’m going to start grading the performances, too, just for fun!

Skylar opened this week with a Kelly Pickler (love her) song that got  her a lot of praise from the judges. I agree that she did a good job but for me personally it wasn’t a GREAT performance. You know, it wasn’t stand out. And at this point I think standout is important. B-

Colton sang Skylar Grey’s “Love the Way You Lie” which I think is a beautiful song that he did a good job with. But again, just a good job. It all felt very predictable at this point and didn’t give me “goosies” – that said, I hope to see him again next week as he is one of my contenders overall. B+

Jessica sang Jazmine Sullivan’s “Stuttering” and of course nailed it. I always enjoy hearing Jessica sing but I would say that I’d like to hear her surprise us next week – her songs are getting predictable, but luckily predictable and Jessica Sanchez at least equals amazing. A-

Joshua sang one of the few Bruno Mars songs that I don’t know, ”Runaway Baby.” And maybe it’s a good thing I don’t know it, because I might have judged him more harshly if he’d tried to take on “Just The Way You Are” or “It Will Rain.” As it stands, I thought he did a great job – he’s still not the  guy who’s CD I would buy, but I can’t deny his talent – and America loves him. He could potentially win the whole thing. B

Hollie sang Pink’s “Perfect” last night and am I crazy or was her performance PERFECT? I was very confused by the judge’s feedback because I thought she nailed the song. And truthfully I think they went a little easy on other contestants, perhaps just steering along their favorites for all it’s worth? I don’t know. Hollie has been inconsistent in this season and lacks confidence, but she should know that her performance last night was ah-mazing. She kinda made my jaw drop a little with some of her notes. I hope America agrees with me and NOT the judges. A

Phillip… Do I even have to say anything? Can I please just have his CD already and tickets to his first concert? I’m wondering at this point if I’m simply biased and can’t hear anything other than perfection from him. The judge’s feedback was mixed – good stuff and less good stuff. All I heard from his performance of Maroon 5′s “Give a Little More” was GOOD STUFF. People are trying to pit him and Colton (the cutie pies) against each other and neither seems to be biting. Smart boys. I think they’ll both go far, but of course Phillip is my personal favorite. A++++

Elise sang “You and I” by LADY GAGA. Of course she did a good job, making a major comeback from last week, but I just have to say – this might not have been her smartest song choice. She’s no Gaga, I’m sorry, and I think America will see that clearly. I kept wishing she’d sung the notes more like Gaga did which is unfair but true. Still, much better than last week. B-

So where does that leave me with WHO SHOULD GO HOME? I honestly don’t know. They all did a good job, some more exciting good than others. All I can really say at this point is who I absolutely DO NOT want to go home and that would be Phillip, Jessica and Colton. And Hollie this week. I like an underdog. I think Joshua will be safe ultimately  and that it might come down to Hollie and Elise tonight. Or Skylar if opening the show meant her fans forgot her performance by the end of the night. Which I’m sort of guilty of. What do you think?

This week the Top 8 on American Idol took on songs from the 80′s. I have to say, this would not be the decade I’d want to choose from musically – the 80′s are not really my cup of musical tea generally speaking but the contestants overall did a very good job. The Bottom 3 at this point could be anyone because most people brought their A game and the ones who maybe didn’t have big enough followings at this point that it might not matter.

Here are my thoughts on each of the performances:

DeAndre got pretty positive feedback tonight, which just proves to me that he simply isn’t my cup of tea. He is just “fine” for me most weeks and I can take it or leave it. My favorite performance from him to date was his reggae song a few weeks back and he’s moved very far away from that genre at this point. Aside from genre preferences I will say that I don’t think he’s all there yet, which is fine because he’s so young. I think there are other performers in the competition that are much stronger and defined and confident. He would be in my bottom 3 personally but I have no idea if America will agree.

Elise in my opinion picked the wrong song. It just wasn’t good enough for her. It’s a boring, sleepy song and makes her voice sound flawed instead of incredible – and we’ve all seen how incredible she can be. Case in point, she rocked her duet with Phillip tonight hard. I’d much rather judge her on her duet than her solo performance this week. I hope she makes it through to the next round but unfortunately she had one of the weaker performances tonight so we’ll see.

You know I love me some Phillip Phillips. He’s been in my Top 3 every week and despite a somewhat rocky first few lines this week, when he got into the groove, it was the same awesome performance I’ve come to expect from him. I want to go to a Phillip Phillips concert – I adore this kid. This might not have been his best performance but it was still one of the better performances of the night and still very good.

Joshua had one of the best performances of the night and coming from me that’s saying a lot because much like DeAndre, he’s not really my cup of tea either usually. But this song was just perfect for him and you could just see how comfortable he was with it. I think he killed it and though I might not buy his album, I think a lot of people would. I see him being in the Top 3 this week.

Jessica got high praise this week but to be honest it wasn’t my favorite performance for her. I didn’t love the song choice – I found it kind of … jumpy. And by that I guess I just mean that the pace was so fast that you never really got to savor any of the notes and enjoy her beautiful voice. She did a great job though and I hope to see her in the Top 5.

Hollie is such a talented singer, her voice really is incredible, but the beginning of this performance wasn’t great. It wasn’t bad it just wasn’t great. The judges talked a lot about letting go and not analyzing every detail so much, and I don’t think she’s there yet. She will be an amazing performer when she’s older I think, and she really finds that confidence to just sing. But for me this week she’d join DeAndre in the bottom three. Both are very talented but don’t seem to have the confidence to own it yet.

Colton for me was the best performance of the night. He absolutely slayed it. I don’t typically like this style of singing. On some performers it comes across as very whiney, but I love it on him. He has been a favorite of mine from the beginning and tonight he absolutely wowed me.

Skylar closed the show with a ballad which is pretty different from her typical upbeat country songs and I have to say this was her best performance to date for me. It was beautiful and the judges loved it, too. She and Jessica for me complete my Top 5 of the night and I’m looking forward to seeing what she performs next (assuming of course that she stays in the competition, because really at this point it’s anyone’s game).

So what did you think of 80′s night? Who’s your favorite? Who are you ready to send home?

I just watched last night’s Idol performances (someday I’ll be able to watch live AND vote) where the Top 9 performers sang songs by their idols.

The judges commented that everyone seemed to really bring their A game and were doing really well and I have to agree. For the most part, it was a lot of amazing performances. The ones I didn’t like I would really say, “I didn’t like as much” or “it just wasn’t for me personally” – nobody outright stunk though. And a lot of people wowed me.

Colton Dixon opened the show with a Lifehouse song and did so well. He was a front runner for me last week and this week I thought he really delivered again. My only complaint – and it’s not a new one, is that I wish he would enunciate a bit better. Maybe I’m nit picking, but it would be swell to  understand all the words. Skylar did another country song (of course) by Miranda Lambert and of course she did great – she is a little ball of energy and she always delivers. I don’t know if it was her best performance but it was very good – if anything she might have peaked too soon and now I’m expecting too much from her. HeeJun surprised the heck out of me by actually taking the competition seriously this week. He clearly realized that joking his way through the competition would only get him so far. This was absolutely his best performance to date with “A Song For You” by Donny Hathaway – which I love, but I’m still not convinced he’ll be a long term contender.

Hollie is another performer who sings so well but again her enunciation could use improvement, especially in her lower range. But when she hits those higher notes, she’s incredible. DeAndre was actually my least favorite performance. He sang almost entirely in a very high falsetto and the judges absolutely loved it, but it just wasn’t my thing. He probably did what he was going for great, but it’s not something I’d listen to personally. Next Jessica Sanchez, who you know I adore, sang a song by Beyonce but slowed it down to a beautiful ballad. For me the beginning was a touch rocky, but once she got into it…. man it was beautiful. She has an amazing voice. I hope she continues because I think she’s terrific.

Phillip Phillips sang a song by Jonny Lang and you know I’m about to go all teeny bopper fan girl on you because heck yes, I adored it. When he opens his mouth I turn into that blubbery Backstreet Boys Fan Jen of the 1990′s. Totally different genre and not typically my favorite – but his raspy voice instantly caught my attention. He is an amazing performer and still my favorite of the group. Joshua sang a Mariah Carey song and yes he did a good job, but I don’t know. He’s just not my favorite. I think that he could be a major contender though, the judges love him and America seems to agree.

Elise Testone closed the show singing a Led Zepplin song which initially made me think “Wow, she’s in trouble” but she absolutely blew it out of the water. I think this was her best performance to date and brought her up to Major Contender Status for me. And I can tell how big a change of pace this is for her for me (for me for her?) because I just had to do an image search for her for the first time – that’s right guys, this is her first time being featured on here (Proudest moment of her life, I’m sure)!

So personally if I were going to send someone home, it would be DeAndre – and best performance of the night would  go to either Elise or Phillip. How about you?