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Naima Adedapo sang with her heart but her style was a bit too niche for the voting public. CREDIT: Michael Becker/ Fox

Someone on my live coveritlive blog tonight said “Idol” has yet again become a “sausage fest.”

For the first time in “Idol” history, the first four out are women! (That’s with an asterisk since Casey last week was the bottom feeder but was saved.)

Tonight, we lost precocious teen Thia Megia and quirky Milwaukee mom Naima Adedapo.

Neither was shocking departures. In fact, the consensus on Zap2it’s expert panel of “Idol” viewers had Naima and Thia as most likely to go home. My prediction was Paul McDonald and Naima gone with Stefano Langone as the third one in the bottom three. I liked Thia’s performance last night so I let my personal biases keep me from thinking she’d go home.

Let’s study …

Continue reading Who are the two out tonight on ‘American Idol’? »

If you want to live blog, you can join me for the results show tonight with Fantasia and the combo of Jamie Foxx and will.i.am.

‘American Idol’ top 11 (redux) results show live blogging

Continue reading ‘American Idol’ top 11 redux results show live blogging »

Casey Abrams stripped it down on "Your Song" last night. CR: Michael Becker/Fox

No big news right now. Let’s do a quick ranking of the top 11 and where they stand:

1. Scotty. I’m still keeping him at No. 1 until he proves otherwise. I don’t think his performance last night helped or hurt him either way.

2. Lauren. She has sweetness and heart. She has shown signs she could make it to the finals and turn this into teen week.

3. James. James didn’t blow me away last night but his stagecraft can keep the voters voting regardless of his vocals, which ultimately are not as interesting as the man he’s constantly compared to, Adam Lambert.

4. Pia. She is boring me now but good looks and a powerhouse voice means she’s only one great performance away from a secure spot in the top 5.

5. Casey. “Saved” a week ago, I think he has learned what works for him and what doesn’t. Relax, sing, and cut back the growling. He can be redeemed all the way into the top 5 in my opinion.

6. Jacob. He has …

Continue reading Idol tidbits: Jimmy Fallon, Pia Toscano, Simon Cowell »

In this Jan. 20, 2011 photo, Elton John poses for a portrait while promoting the new film, "Gnomeo and Juliet", in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)

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After last week’s strong Motown week, Elton John night inevitably became a bit of a let down. It wasn’t bad, mind you. There were no disastrous performances. Some contestants changed things up but most stuck to their knitting, with mixed results. The first hour especially was a bit soporific.

The judges also over-praised some performances that were merely okay.

We are at the stage in the competition where some contestants are starting to bore us by not bringing anything new to the game each week. Yet others keep up the faith even when …

Continue reading ‘American Idol’ top 11 (redux) performance recap »

If you want to live blog tonight with me, use this function below. If not, just post comments.

‘American Idol’ top 11 (redux) performance show live blogging

Continue reading ‘American Idol’ top 11 (redux) performance show live blogging »

The “Idol” songwriting contest is back – with modifications.  Yahoo reports that you, the average person, can help Taio Cruz (”Dynamite,” “Break Your Heart”) write this season’s coronation song. I erred earlier. It’s not the coronation song, just something Taio Cruz will sing at the finale. My bad!

Starting this Wednesday night (March 30) through May 13, aspiring “Idol” songsmiths can go to www.americanidol.com to hear the opening bit of an unfinished Taio tune, and then add lyrics to it to help complete each verse. There will be four submission phases, after which fans will vote among the top three finalists. Then the winning version of the song will be the one that Taio performs on the “Idol” finale!

As for the coronation song, we don’t know if they are going to bother with one. The history of coronation songs is rather checkered.

The problem: they’ve generally sucked, whether professionals do it (Kara DioGuardi, that means you and your “No Boundaries!”) or amateurs …

Continue reading A modified ‘Idol’ songwriting contest with Taio Cruz »

I have been very remiss about following the 11 “American Idol” contestants on Twitter. I know I should be. MTV did a tracking for me.

Here are the top 11 ranked by Twitter followers as of 6 p.m. March 29, 2011. Scotty’s following is not surprising given his age and his popularity. Casey at No. 2? Obviously, those fans did not step up last week!  I’m really not sure how much this ultimately correlates to real votes. But it’s data and people are hungry for data!

1. Scotty McCreery: 49,606

2. Casey Abrams: 48,341

3. Paul McDonald: 40,863

4. Lauren Alaina: 34,804

5. Pia Toscano: 34,538

6. James Durbin: 33,439

7. Thia Megia: 33,033

8. Stefano Langone 30,545

9. Jacob Lusk: 19,969

10. Haley Reinhart: 19,216

11. Naima Adedapo: 15,628

Facebook. I’m not even sure these pages are official. Some appear so, some don’t. Some of the contestants are active, some aren’t. I couldn’t even find a page for James Durbin!

1. Scotty McCreery: 39,660

2. Thia Megia: 22,384

3. James Durbin: 13,327

4. …

Continue reading Does Twitter following equal votes? »

AP

My Simon Cowell interview set for 2:20 p.m. EST today was postponed. (He was in taping so my guess is I wasn’t the only one who waited for naught. But at least they are looking at a rescheduled time. He has to be  happy about the turnout yesterday in Los Angeles with 15,000-plus people, but we all know L.A. has not been fertile ground for “Idol” save for Katharine McPhee.)

That frees up some time for me to work on what would be good Elton John songs for the contestants to sing. Hopefully, they will stick to his best songs from the 1970s.

Here are the 11 contestants, ranked in MJ’s “Power List” order:
1. Scott McCreery – I’m impressed at his age that he’s so comfortable with who he is and what he sounds like. He could pull off several Elton songs with aplomb. Elton’s lower-range is highlighted on “Blue Eyes.” “Little Jeannie” could be re-worked to Scotty’s advantage.
2. Pia Toscano – She has been told to avoid ballads so “Levon” is out, though she could certainly do justice …

Continue reading Let’s think Elton John songs for the top 11 »

British singer Elton John performs during a concert in Zurich, Switzerland, Friday, Oct. 16, 2009. (AP Photo/Keystone, Walter Bieri)

Never mind. “American Idol,” in a press release early Friday morning, said the theme next week was songs from the 1980s.

But for reasons I’m not sure of, they switched yesterday to Elton John songs in time for his 64th birthday.

If anything, this will make it easier to offer suggestions for the top 11 (redux) contestants early next week.

John is supposedly a part-time Atlantan but sightings of him in recent years have been few and far between. (In the 1990s, he used to spend a lot more time in these parts). A recent Rolling Stone cover story said Atlanta is his “main” U.S. home. He also has homes in Los Angeles, London, Venice, South of France and Old Windsor, England.

This is the second time Elton John was a theme. You’d have to go back to season 3, top 9 week. John mentored that week and famously complained a couple weeks later when LaToya …

Continue reading ‘Idol’ theme swap: not 80s songs, but Elton John songs »

AMERICAN IDOL: Casey Abrams is saved on AMERICAN IDOL airing Thursday, March, 24 (8:00-9:00- PM ET/PT) on FOX. Pictured L-R: Ryan Seacrest and Casey Abrams. CR: Michael Becker / FOX.

Even if Casey Abrams sticks around, can he handle the stress?

Abrams looked like he was hyperventilating on stage after the judges handed him the save Thursday. TMZ reports he fell to the floor in a hallway afterwards and had to be helped in a chair. The story also said he felt guilty the judges had to use the save on him so early.

And he reportedly had yet another blood transfusion for his internal bleeding. Not good.

The poor guy is 19 years old, looks 35 and has the internal problems of a 66 year old!

Continue reading TMZ reports: Casey Abrams had yet another blood transfusion Thursday »