It's Andrew Lloyd Webber week on American Idol, although for some it seems more like an episode of Don't Forget the Lyrics.
Let's see how the Super Six fared, shall we?
Underdog Syesha Mercado opens the show with "One Rock 'n Roll Too Many" from Starlight Express. Talk about working the stage--girl stands atop the piano, lounges on it, slides off, saunters across the stage and dances with Ricky. It's altogether sultry, sexy and smokin' hot. Although she manages to keep it from being over-the-top animation-wise, this performance only confirms that she is destined for Broadway instead of the top of the Billboard charts. Will this be Syesha's "Don't Rain on My Parade" (aka the knockout performance that LaToya London left on)? Maybe. But only because she has the smallest fan base and went first. A
Jason Castro admits that like me, he's quite the ALW novice. He also supplies the funniest line of the evening when he says, "I didn't even know it was about...I didn't know a cat was singing (Memory from Cats)...it's kind of a popular song." What he doesn't mention is that he's actually very sick (ironic, since he was the only one to break AI's new "no touching" policy last week. Anyone think TPTB might have purposely sent some germs his way to teach him a lesson?) While I respect Jason's decision not to make excuses (we surely would have heard about it at least three times had one of the girls been in his shoes), I think more voters would have had pity on him if armed with that information. Because, well, there's nothing really good to say about this performance except that--unlike "Michelle" which haunts me to this day--at least it's a forgettable trainwreck. D+
Newly minted Worster Brooke White chooses to sing "You Must Love Me" from the film "Evita." She starts, loses a lyric, apologizes, and asks to start over, thus one-upping herself for the Most Obvious Error In American Idol History. OUCH. I sincerely feel bad for Brooke because let's face it: how many of us would like to have our most embarrassing moment broadcast live on national television? The song is wobbly and a bit uncomfortable to watch but she does manage to get through it and judging without crying or talking back. (Why does the Brittenum twin's "My spirit, has been broken" keep ringing in my ears?) Will pity votes and The Site Which Shall Remain Nameless be enough to save her? Maybe, maybe not. C-
In lieu of a real interview, David Archuleta is asked to allow a family of six poorly-dressed sisters (I have no choice but to stereotype and assume they are Mormon) hug him (hey, what happened to the no-touching policy?) He chooses to sing "Think of Me" from Phantom and try and follow ALW's advice by keeping his eyes open. (Man, first they take away his lip-licking, now his closed-eyes. At this rate he'll be gasp-free by the finale.) Despite some serious lyric flubbing and gasping, I actually kinda sorta enjoyed parts of this. B-
Carly "Irish Eyes" Smithson wanted to sing Phantom's "All I Ask of You" but ALW steered her towards her second choice of "Superstar" from Jesus Christ Superstar. While it was upbeat and suited her personality, somehow I don't think this blasphemous song picked up any of Kristy Lee's middle-America votes. I also don't see it burning up the iTunes charts, and once again feel that songs about Jesus (neither for nor against) belong on Idol. B-
David Cook listened to my pillow talk suggestion and went with Phantom's "Music of the Night." What I forgot to mention (seeing as how I had other things on my mind...) is that I wanted him to either show off his piano skills and/or rock out the arrangement. My bad. David keeps it traditional and proves to all the nay-sayers that yes, he has a voice and it is in-credible. Oh, and the sign David's mom is wielding is so big I think The Other Woman might have been hiding behind it. A
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B-3 prediction: I can say with certainty that the David's are safe. Other than that, I think they are all vulnerable for different reasons and it's too close to call.
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