Chikezie Eliminated

The Chik has flown the coup !

The Top 10 Perform

The Top 10 were ready to perform and for the first time in a long time, they were NOT singing songs from the 60's. They had to sing songs from their birth year so we were really at late 70's to early 90's so this would hopefully help the performances. And here is how it went:

Ramiele was up first and she decided to sing "Alone" by heart. I thought this was a mistake as Carrie Underwood did a fantastic version of this song a few years ago and even Gina Glocksen did a nice version of "Alone" as well. So, hearing this song for the third time, I wanted greatness. What I got was an average performance. First of all, her outfit was reminiscent of Melinda Doolittle's attire. Ramiele wore her shirt almost up to her bust line leaving little room between her chest and her armpits. She looked like a Pilipino dwarf. Luckily Ramiele is a cute girl but at some point, singing talent wins out over cuteness. She could be on the bubble for this evening.

Next up was Jason "Puff Puff" Castro. Again, this guy just comes off as wasted to me. He sang "Fragile" by Sting while strumming his guitar. And the performance was DREADful. This guy is not Top 10 material. I didn't even understand why he was in the Top 24 while Josiah didn't make the cut. And half the song he was singing in Spanish. It totally didn't work. At least for once the judges agreed that it wasn't that good. Soon Jason will be back on his couch with his bong and a few bags of munchies. Let's hope soon is NOW.

Following Jason was Syesha who sings "If I Were Your Woman." After a few disappointing weeks, she did a pretty good job and this should keep her safe for another week. The one problem I had with the song is that I pictured her singing this song on a Broadway stage. At a certain point she'll be eliminated but after this performance, she definitely bought herself a few more weeks. She has a chance to be like Vonzell Solomon, the one no one talked much about but wound up going pretty far. However, I don't see her getting any further than the 5 slot at best.

Then came Chikezie to hit the stage singing "If Only For One Night." His performance was a cross between Ruben Studdard and Ricky Smith with a splash (a small splash) of Stevie Wonder mixed in. But, it didn't blow me away. I can name about 40 R&B singers that can do much better than this and Chikezie doesn't do anything that special to be worthy of my applause. Hey, I do like the guy but he's far from this years' American Idol. Mr. Eze is on the bubble for this evening.

Brooke White was next and came out with a big piano to sing the Police's "Every Breath You Take." First of all, I loved the straight hair on Brooke. It looked much better than the curls. And yes, she made a boo-boo on the first word of the song but then totally redeemed herself. I thought she did great and this could have been her best performance to date. Mostly, Brooke does a bit above average but never blows me away. This didn't blow me away but I really thought it was a good performance for her and could separate her from some of the weaker women in this competition. Good job Brookie.

Now it was Michael John's turn to sing. Michael has been a disappointment of late and has not wow'd me since Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody." So, he went back to what worked and went with Queen again. He started with "We Will Rock You" and moved into "We Are The Champions." I really didn't love the "We Will Rock You" part as it came off as he was yelling but once he moved into "We Are The Champions" he rocked the house. And he had such great power notes at the end of the song. He totally redeemed himself last night and once again became a contender. Now, we just need to see him to a great NON-Queen performance to see if he can pull that off.

Carly Smithson was next to perform. Once I heard that she was performing Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse Of The Heart", I got excited as I thought it was a good song choice. She sang it well but I actually wanted a bit more. I agreed with the judges that she didn't end the song good. I liked what I heard but I was a bit disappointed that it wasn't better. I don't think she has anything to worry about but then again, she was in the bottom 3 last week so anything can happen. I hope she sticks around as I don't think we've yet to see her best.

Next on stage was David Archuleta singing some ridiculous, corny song called "You're The Voice." I've never heard that song before and I don't think the judges really knew what the hell he was singing either. It was such a cheesy performance and I may have even smelled mild cheddar through the television set, or maybe I just farted. Either way, it was not his best performance. It was the wrong song choice and it wasn't strong enough. I want this kid to be more Clay Aiken but I don't think his voice is strong enough yet as he's so young. I almost wish he waited 2 years before trying out for Idol as I don't think he can win this year but I still expect him to go far. He has a strong fan base so I'm not worried about him when it comes time for elimination.

Then it was Kristy Lee Cooke's turn. If you remember, I had picked her EARLY on to get far after hearing "Amazing Grace". Now, she chooses another inspirational song in "God Bless The USA" and it was the right choice. First of all, in the week that the US lost it's 4,000th soldier, the song was totally appropriate. Secondly, it fit her voice. Finally, who the heck is going to vote her off singing a song about US patriotism. She's a lock to be safe this week based on song choice alone. However, she actually did a great job singing it. It was her best performance since that initial audition. So, horny teenagers will vote for her as well as EVERY US troop that watches the show.

Finally, David Cook was up to end the show. Let me remind you back in the day that David was my early pick to win American Idol from his first audition. I confirmed that I thought he'd be top 2 once he sang "Hello" a few weeks ago. About 4 words into Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean", I had officially declared David Cooke the winner of this year's American Idol. This guy just knows how to pick songs and change them up. He knows how to sing them. He has stage presence. He knows how to play guitar. He's the full package besides the weird matted down hair and the Joker looking lips. This guy is so smart with song choice and I wish others would learn from what David does and change it up and take risks. I don't think you can do much riskier than performing a rock version of "Billie Jean" and he pulled it off. Congrats David. I probably don't have to watch the next 9 weeks but I'm sure I will.

So, the bottom three tonight has gotta be: Ramiele, Jason Castro, and Chikeze. It's really a toss up. I'm gonna have to go with Chikeze to be the one eliminated tonight.

Next week, I'm on vacation so hopefully I'll have time to write my review. If not, I'll see you the following week. Until then, Birdman Out.

Amanda Leave At #11

Ding Dong, the Witch Is Dead! About time this angry clown went home! I was quite shocked that Carly was in the bottom 3 but maybe that will teach her a lesson to sing a better song. But, Amanda leaves and doesn't make the Top 10 tour. Awwwwww. So sad. Bye Bye !

Top 11 Perform Beatles...Again

Well, the top 11 perform the Beatles again and it turned out to be a huge mistake doing such older music for the 2nd week in a row. We had 3 rounds before the Top 12 where they did 60's, 70's, and 80's. Now, this is the 2nd week of hearing 60's music. ENOUGH already ! I want to hear these kids sing more modern music. Nothing against the Beatles but one week was more then enough as we've now had to sit thru 33 McCartney/Lennon songs being butchered for the most part. So, here's how it went this time.

First up was Amanda Overmyer looking like she is ready for a costume party with her hair and outfit. Her song was so predictable as I actually thought she was going to sing "Back In The USSR" last week. I want to sing a version to her called 'Back In Your Local Bar." This girl can't sing. This girl can't hold a note. This girl yells and screams. This girl is a miserable person that never smiles. Loosen up bitch and enjoy the spotlight performing in front of 30 million viewers. Enjoy it now as your time is ticking (knock on wood). I'm glad the judges FINALLY panned the performance for once. Simon nailed it when he said it was "a bit of a mess in parts." Simon should have not used the words "bit" and "parts" as it was a total mess. This nurse's ride needs to end soon as I can't stand it much longer.

Following Amanda was Kristy Lee Cook who was showing off her legs for the first time. Her legs are far from Haley Scarnato but the young boys who call in will still like the package. She sings "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" which was not the best fit. I think she did a better job than the prior week but this girl really doesn't have a personality or just gets lost in the crowd. She stood out so much in that first audition but has pretty much gone down hill since then. She's lucky that this was not her worst performance so there is a chance she could make it back next week. The jury is still out.

Then came little happy David Archuleta. I'd love to see this kid get mad but he's just so damn happy all the time. Maybe Kristy Lee gave him "some" last night...who knows. Anyway, after a disastrous performance last week, he hoped to redeem himself this week with "The Long And Winding Road" and he did great. He remembered all of his lyrics which was a plus but he sung a nice smooth but strong version of this Beatles classic. Can the golden Arch win American Idol? Yeah, he has a chance as he has a huge fan base already but I see him coming in 3rd overall when we get down to the soup and nuts of this competition.

Michael Johns hit the stage next and I'm still waiting for him to nail a performance as he did weeks ago with "Bohemian Rhapsody." This time he sings "A Day In The Life" and I didn't love it. Part of the song was just painful to me as it sounded like he was moaning during parts of the song. Don't get me wrong, it was an above average performance but I want to see this guy do that GREAT and rememberable performance already. But, I know what this guy can do and I was a bit disappointed. He's just not picking the right song or the right arrangement. I guess the song was dedicated to his friend that died. Not to be mean but that should have been sung at his memorial and he should have chosen a song that shows off his voice much better.

Next to the stage was Brooke White. She was actually looking really good last night whatever they did to her. I didn't even have a problem with the yellow dress. She sang "Here Comes The Sun" which was a great song choice but I would have loved her to do this in front of the piano as she did last week. Her stage presence wasn't working with her strutting back and forth across the stage. She should have maybe sat down on the edge of the stage or maybe on a tall bench but the walking back and fourth was a bit bothersome. It was definitely not Brooke's best vocals as well. She seemed to be going thru the motions and didn't put that emotion into the song. She'll have not problems advancing and the change in music genre will hopefully get her back to what she does better.

Then David Cook hit the stage and I thought he did fantastic again. He did the Whitesnake version of "Daytripper" and rocked it. Yeah, he may be getting cocky as Simon said but I just think he's doing what he does best. He knows how to perform with the guitar and knows how to sing. I even thought it was call what he did with the voice box despite Simon's criticism of that. This was David's 5th performance and I think I've liked 4 out of the 5 so far. I really believe that he'll be last man standing in May.

Following David was Carly Smithson who was singing "Blackbird." I thought this was her worst performance since the competition started. The song was boring and didn't really show off her voice until some power notes at the end. I was really looking forward to hearing her sing and we got a lackluster showing. She's so safe but this was really disappointing.

Pot head Jason Castro was next. I couldn't believe what I was hearing when he sung "Michelle". Half of the song was in French. I don't think this guy can sing English good and he decides to sing another language? What was he thinking? I'm glad he chose this song as it was terrible and finally the judges didn't love his performance either. But Jason didn't seem to care. He just seemed high and was probably craving a munchie backstage once he was done. I'd love for him to fall into the bottom 3 this week but I'm still not convinced that is going to happen.

Syesha Mercado was next singing "Yesterday". Great song choice as it is one of the more memorable Beatles songs but one that you have to do perfectly since it is such a popular song. The problem I had with the song is that I envisioned Beyonce' singing this song and Syesha's voice is not even close to Beyonce'. Still, it was a good performance but it didn't blow me away. I don't think her voice and performance were strong enough to pull off the song. Still, I thought she did a good job and saved herself from the bottom 3 this week.

Chikezie hit the stage next singing "I've Just Seen A Face." The song started out a bit off for me and then he broke out the harmonica which I thought was a terrible decision. However, he ended the song decently. I just don't think this guy distinguishes himself enough from the other participants. I can rattle off 20 R&B singers that are much better than him that I would buy before I ever downloaded a Chikezie song. So, while he may be entertaining to watch, he's basically an average singer that will not make it any further than the #7 slot. It's just a matter of time.

Ending the show was Ramiele Mulabay who was actually looking really cute last night. She sang "I Should Have Known Better." She did such a good performance 3 or 4 weeks ago which I liked but since then, she's been downhill. I didn't hate her performance and there were actually some strong parts of the song which helped negate some of the weaker parts of the song. So, basically (SP - WP) = AP or Strong Part less Week Part equals Average Performance. Remember that formula as it may turn up on next week's Algebra exam.

The best performances last night were really just David Cook and David Archuleta. The bottom three should be Amanda, Chikezie and Kristy but Ramielle could replace either of these 3 in the bottom depending on how the voting goes.

I'm still saying that on May 13th, our Final 3 will be David Cook, Carly Smithson, and David Archuleta. Until then, it's just a matter of the order the others leave.

So for now, Birdman Out.

Finishing At #12 Is...

And eliminated in the 12 spot is David Hernandez !

The Top 12 Finally Perform

Well, we are finally down to the Top 12 for American Idol Season 7. Who will take this year's crown? After three rounds of eliminations and now last night's performances, I've officially picked my final 2. But, you are gonna have to wait to read all of this other nonsense first. Last night we finally got the Beatles night that they've been trying to book for years. How did it go? Let's get started....

Syesha was first up to hit the stage. She sang "Got To Get You Into My Life" and all I was thinking was "Got To Get You Off Of The Stage." Come on. First of all, I must apologize to Nadia Turner as I compared her and Syesha. Nadia is a much better singer. Forget about LaToya, Tamayra, Vonzell, and Jordan. She's not even close to that level. She's not even as good as Lisa Tucker or season 5 and Stephanie Edwards of season 6. I thought she had more potential but I guess I thought wrong. She's a pretty girl but a pretty face, tits and ass don't win American Idol. Just ask Haley Scarnato from last season. Her voice was terrible but her nice legs got her to last 5 weeks. Syesha hit a few good notes but there was a lot of it that was a bit rough. Not the best way to start off the show. She could be in trouble this week.

Following was Chikezie. First of all, I hate those Argile vests. Get rid of that. Chikezie sings "She's a woman" and actually, he did a good job. It was different and sung well. I wasn't sure where he was going with that bluegrass sound but it was good to not hear an R&B vibe for once. At first I hated what he was doing but then I just stopped thinking to much into it and I just had fun with it. Was it a great performance? Hell no. But, it was fun. I still compare him to Rueben Studdard and he's not on that level. He's more Ricky Smith mixed with some George Huff. Still, last night's performance keeps him safe.

Next up was Ramiele and she needed a big performance after last week's lackluster showing. She sings "In My Life" and it was really boring. I just felt like she wasn't into the performance and just stood there singing a boring song while boring me in the process. I think she needed to do something more upbeat. Ramiele is a much better singing than she's shown the last 2 weeks but this could put her in danger. She definitely won't make it nearly as far as Jasmine Trias. I'm thinking I think she has Julia Demato disease - the pretty girl with an OK voice that is very forgettable. Ramiele could be in trouble as well this week.

Then came Jason "Dreadlocks" Castro. He does the guitar thing again and sang "If I Fell." I just don't get it. Someone needs to explain this guy to me. First of all, he always seems stoned or is just dumb. Then, a few of my M.L.F.s - Music Lover Friends - keep telling me that he's so Jack Johnsonish. Well, I don't know who the heck Jack Johnson is and if he and Jason Castro sound alike, then as far as I'm concerned, the both suck. I think I walked into the kitchen for a snack in the middle of his performance. If I was British, I'd call that performance "Rubbish." Again Jason, light up that doobie and hit a park with all your other unshowered, dirty, granola, guitar playing, bad singing friends. But, I still think he'll be safe unfortunately.

Next up was Carly. First of all, I'm used to the tattoo on the arm now. It totally defines her. She sings "Come Together" and did what Amanda can't do - sing a rock song and not yell it. I actually thought she was better last week but I still thought it was a great performance. This girl has such range. She can pull off a pop song but she can really pull off the rock song better than Nikki McKibbin, Ryan Starr and Kimberly Caldwell combined. She is by far more talented than any of the other girls in this year's crop.

Hitting the stage next was David Cook. If you remember back in the auditions, I had said in the middle of his performance that he could win American Idol. Well, I'm starting to really believe what I had originally thought. This was big. He was coming off an amazing performance last week of "Hello" and now was following Carly. Could he pull it off? He sung "Eleanor Rigby" and it was excellent and he didn't even need the guitar. This guy is solid and is the one male performance I really look forward to seeing each week. There is a great chance we'll be seeing him deep into May.

Then it was Brooke White's turn. She comes out and sits at the piano to sing "Let It Be" which was a great song choice for her. She's a pretty girl with a nice voice. I almost want her to have a stronger voice but she pulls off each song to the best of her ability. Simon has a total crush on this girl like he did with Christina Christian. This girl will easily make it to the Top 6 but then could run into some trouble. But, good job Brookie.

David, the stripper, Hernandez was up next. I hated the tie he was wearing. He sang "I Saw Her Standing There" and it was a bit cheesy. I like David but he's not that original. I can see a performance like that at any bar on Open Mic Night. If this guy was once a stripper, how come he doesn't dance that great on stage? You'd think he could put more into his performance. Simon hit it right on the money saying it was "corny." That corn could turn up in the feces tonight as he put himself in a position to go home.

Amanda Overmyer was next to sing. I can't stand her black hair with blonde streaks and what was up with those goofy pants. She looked like she was dressed up for a costume party. She sang, uhhh, I mean yelled "You Can't Do That" and I hated it. Was she even singing English? It was so awful that midway through the song, I fast forwarded it to the end as my ear drums couldn't take it any longer. It was that painful. I don't know why the judges like it but I'd rather have diarrhea that sit through another of her performances. She's up there with other idols I've hated - Fantasia Barrino, Paris Bennett. and Mikalah Gordon. I know she'll be safe this week as the judges like her but I hope America sees what I see.

Michael Johns took the stage next and I was hoping he would come out and rock the house as he's been a bit disappointing the past 2 weeks. He sings "Across the Universe." He does a good job but again, it was missing something. I thing it was the wrong song choice. I know he can do much better and needs to change it up a bit like he did when he sung "Bohemian Rhapsody." Michael will still be safe but he's losing points quickly. He really needs to step it up and have one of those really rememberable performances ala David Cook.

Following was Kristy Lee Cook who I was a fan of from back in the audition days. I'm starting to think that she's surviving each week due to looks and not due to musical talent. There was a girl a few years ago, Lindsey Cardinale. Remember her? Probably not. I think Kristy could be falling into that same category. She sings "Eight Days A Week" as a country song and it was pretty painful. I'm not sure if she's country or pop. The band was much louder playing their music than her voice. I think she's a candidate for the Bottom 3. Not good Kristy. There should only be one "Cook" in the competition and his first name is David.

Finally, there was David Archuleta who's been a fan favorite but how will this 16 year old do on the big stage? He sings "We Can Work It Out" and he didn't work it out. It was flat and I lost count of how many times he forgot his words. I think once the nerves were gone he ended decently but this was not a good performance. I think they'll put a scare into him tonight making him think he's eliminated but he's not going anywhere yet. Little girls will be placing calls to save him and hopefully he'll learn from this disaster.

So, who goes home? There are 4 people that should be in the bottom 3: Syesha, Kristy, David Hernandez, and Ramiele. I think Kristy gets by due to looks as horney 16 year old need a girl to drool over. So, that leaves Syesha, Hernandez, and Ramiele as the bottom 3 and Syesha should probably go home tonight.

As for the finals in May, it's gonna be David Cooke vs. Carly Smithson. Mark my word...this is your Final 2 !

Well, we shall see how it plays out. Until then, Birdman Out.

Top 12 Revealed

We now have our Top 12 after last night, Asia'h, Kady, Luke, and Danny (Danielle) went home. So, our Top 10 stand as follows:

BOYS
David Cook
David Archuleta
David Hernandez
Michael Johns
Jason Castro
Chekezie Eze

GIRLS
Carly Smithson
Brooke White
Kristy Lee Cook
Amanda Overmyer
Syesha Mercado
Ramiele Mulabay

Basically, this will come down to 3 or 4 people depending on if Michael Johns gets his act together or if Brooke White is really a good singer. But, the BIG 3 as far as I'm concerned are: David Cook, David Archuleta, and Carly Smithson.

Now, let the fun begin !

Top 8 Girls Perform

Well, it was 80's night and it was now the girls turn to perform. So, let's see how it went:

First up was Asia'h Epperson. She broke the cardinal rule of signing Whitney Houston. The song was "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" and I personally wanted to puke with somebody. Was the song nearly as good as Whitney Houston? Not even a little bit. Why sing a song from an artist that you aren't going to even come close to being as good as. She did an okay job which a song she shouldn't have touched but I'm not sure what the hooplah is behind this girl. I don't think she's that good and is terrible at pronouncing many words if you listen closely. I still think she'll advance to the next round.

Next up was Kady Malloy. She then "sung" Queen's "Who Wants To Live Forever" and it was BAD. Come on Kady. I didn't even know what song you were singing when you were singing it as it was so out of tune. This girl should have tried a Debbie Gibson or Tiffany song as she had a better chance of making that sound a bit more listenable to. Anyway, this is the last we'll have to hear from her as she's a goner tonight.

Then it was Amanda Overmyer's turn. She yelled "I Hate Myself For Loving You" by Joan Jett. It was a great song choice for her but I just can't stand the screaming and yelling. She can't sing, she has minimal personality, and needs to loosen up. Actually, she needs voice lessons too. There's been girls in American Idol that tried the rocker route but at least had a decent voice. This girl really irritates me when she performs. She could be on the bubble tonight despite what the judges thought of here. The best part of that performance was when she stopped.

Next came Carly Smithson singing "I Drove All Night" by Cyndi Lauper. The judges thought it was Celine but the Celine version was not until recently so I'd have to think she was singing the Cyndi version. I thought she nailed it. Her voice on the chorus was incredible and as far as I'm concerned, just blew away the competition in terms of the girls. I think Simon critiqued her was to push her further towards greatness as she is much more talented than the rest of her competition.

Following was Kristy Lee Cook who I liked from the start. She chose a great song in Journey's "Faithfully" and did a decent job. It wasn't a great job but it was much better than the prior week. But, if she advances, she really needs to do something unique as she doesn't stand out. She has a Kellie Picklerish voice but Kellie had personality and Kristy is a bit dry. I hope she advances but she could be on the bubble as well.

Ramiele Mulubay was up next singing Phil Collins' "Against All Odds." She did an above average job but it was far from her best. She's a real cute girl but her skirt was quite boring. She has a nice voice but she too needs to do something different to make her stand out from the rest of the crop. She did hit some great notes and I think she should be safe.

Next up was Brooke White. She is coming off a strong performance from last week. Brooke comes out without the Guitar and sings a very original version of Pat Benetar's "Love Is a Battlefield." I thought she did a great job. She's been consistently solid for 3 weeks getting better each week. Brooke is hitting her stride and is probably the 2nd best female in this year's competition.

Finally, Syesha Mercado hit the stage to sing Whitney Houston's "Saving All My Love For You." Again, please don't sing Whitney. It's not even close to as good as the original. Why don't people learn. Yeah, she sang it nicely but it was the wrong song choice. Don't get me wrong, she does have a nice singing voice but I don't like when people sing some of these songs that she shouldn't be touching. She'll have no problem advancing to the next round.

So, who goes home? I'd have to think it is Kady Malloy for sure. The 2nd elimination should be Amanda Overmeyer as far as I'm concerned but I don't think that is going to happen. So, basically, it will be anyone but Carly Smithson or Brooke White. Even if Syesha Mercado was the one who got eliminated, it wouldn't surprise me.

Well, the real competition begins next week with our Top 12. Until then, Birdman Out !

Top 8 Boys Perform

Well, we are at the stage of the game where 2 more boys go home to make up the Top 6. After last night, this should be really easy to pick two guys to say good-bye to. Here’s how it went for 80’s night.

Luke Menard kicked things off poorly singing Wham’s “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go.” Oh, no. What a horrific song choice for Luke. It was such bad performance. If he was dressed like a cheerleader with pom-poms, it may have been perfect if he was performing at a high school pep rally but this was in front of 30 million people for a chance to advance. His voice was weak and pitchy and the dance moves were beyond cheesy. I felt like I should have been singing “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go” to him as he has one performance left and that will be after he’s eliminated on Thursday night.

Following Luke was David Archuleta. This kid is just always so happy. Wouldn’t you like to see him pissed off for once? He needs a little edge to him. He comes out sitting at the piano to sing “Another Day In Paradise” by Phil Collins. I loved the piano effect and his voice is solid. I loved when he left the piano to finish the song. It was not his best performance but I liked it. He will have no trouble advancing and is one of the better guys in the competition. Plus, little girls love him so he’ll be around for a while.

Then came Danielle Noriega. He just gets me sick to my guts. I hated everything about his performance from his hair with purple streaks to his outfit to his hair to his makeup to his voice. He sang “Tainted Love” and the song was just so tainted. His voice is not terrible but it seems like he loses focus too often and then gets pitchy. But, the voice isn’t the full issue. It’s the entire performance. Yeah, maybe he’d be good singing at a goth college bar but I’d buy an AJ Gill CD before I ever would purchase a Danielle Noriega CD. We had to deal with Sanjaya last year in the Top 6 so let’s hope America doesn’t make that same mistake again having this guy advance any further. The ride is over Danny. Get off and go home.

Following was David Hernandez who we just found out on TMZ used to be a gay male stripper. Now, that’s an American Idol for ya ! Anyway, David sings a strange song. He chooses Celine Dion’s “It’s All Coming Back To Me Now.” Now, there are a few artists one should not touch: Barbara Streisand, Whitney Houston, and Celine. What made this stranger is that David is a GUY singing such a powerful song by a woman. I actually like David and thought he did a good job with the song. It definitely wasn’t his best performance but I think it should be good enough for him to be safe for the week.

Michael Johns was up next because David Cook was having guitar issues. Michael needed a strong week after a disappointing outing last week. David sings “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” aka Theme From The Breakfast Club. This was a good song choice for Michael. I thought he put on a good performance. I actually with he choose an edgier song but he changed it up a bit and put on a good show.

David was now ready and came out with the guitar to sing “Hello” by Lionel Richie. He totally changed the song and really put on the best performance of season 7. Back when I first saw David in the auditions, I turned to my wife and said, “This guy could win American Idol.” After last night’s performance, he blew away the competition and made Michael Johns and David Archuleta looks like amateurs. Wow. David Cook as our American Idol? He definitely could be standing there in May.

Then came Jason Castro. Is this guy stoned all the time or what? He’s always smiling and his eyes look half closed. He sings “Halleluah” and I just don’t get it. I don’t know why the judges like this guy. He’s not a terrible singer but it’s nothing special. What am I missing? Do I need to be on the same drugs as Paula to understand why this performance was so good? I thought it was boring and weak. It doesn’t show off a strong voice. It just shows off him playing a guitar. I think he’ll advance but I’m not sure what the hoopla is behind this guy.

Finally, there was Chicken of the Sea. Ooops, I mean Chikezie. He sings “You Fill Me Up” and did an okay job. His little teeth are so little if you haven’t noticed. That’s not the problem. The problem is that we’ve had this guy on the show before and his name was Ruben Studdard. I wasn’t a Ruben fan that year as I wanted Clay but Ruben still won American Idol. This guy isn’t half as good. It was strange that he also picked a song that should be untouchable – Whitney Houston – and he’s a dude. He could be on the bubble tonight.

So, who goes home on this final elimination before the Top 6 is announced. Luke Menard is a shoe in to leave. Then it comes down to Danielle Noriega or Chickezie. And, please, please, please let it be Danielle.

That leaves 6 guys to make up our Top 6. Here they are in order of how they should finish:
1. David Cook
2. David Archuleta
3. Michael Johns
4. Jason Castro
5. David Hernandez
6. Chickezie

So, until tomorrow, Birdman Out.