Syesha Mercado - Press Tour

Live with Regis & Kelly - Interview & performance of "If I Ain't Got You"

EW's Idolatry Video Interviews with Syesha

The Morning Show with Mike & Juliet - Interview & performance of "If I Ain't Got You" VIDEO

And So It Goes...Round and Round

We're down to the "top" three, the finale's only a week away and it's time to board the Idol merry-go-round and we endure three rounds of songs, critiques, phone numbers and interviews. Hold on tight, 'cuz you won't wanna miss a thing...

Round One: Judges' Choice

Paula chose "And So It Goes" by Billy Joel for Archuleta. Note that NO contestant Paula has chosen for has ever gone on to win the show, and 5 of the 6 contestants who performed first during top three week were then eliminated. After a brief violin opening, Archie sings a cappella, which was a very smart move. He delivers a beautiful vocal, arguably the best of the night (although I enjoyed Cook's closing song the best in rehearsal). And so it goes...and so it goes...and so it goes...wow that felt way longer on TV, but no matter. I'm proud of the kid. A

Randy's choice for Syesha is "If I Ain't Got You" by Alicia Keys, which *interestingly* enough, she already performed on a show called "The One." She wears a sparkly lounge singer dress (DC was fascinated by the reflection it cast on the stage in rehearsal), and it is a very standard Syesha performance that lacks the grittiness of Alicia's vocal and delivery and feels a bit uneven. B

Simon went on record saying that he wanted to pick Cook's song so that he could "push him in a different direction" (interesting, since he's also said he'd listen to him "on a personal level.") Simon's choice for D-Cook is Roberta Flack's "If Ever I Saw Your Face" which has *curiously* already been covered by Simon's prodigy Leona Lewis (Simon's sit-in joked that it was a great song choice, which had DC in stitches). Cook sounds a bit off for the first half of the song and ends with his signature shouty note (not hatin', although shouting about YOUR FACE did seem a tad strange). LOVE the shots of his mom standing and swaying in the audience and when his dad mouthed "Who was the first?" when Paula said it was her second favorite rendition of the song. David brought out a Guitar Hero guitar in rehearsal and acted like he was going to "play" it at first. My friend shouted out that we wanted to see him "on the piano" because we had heard that he plays. He cleared up that rumor, saying that he plays a little but not enough to do it in a performance. Then he said he was "terrible" but I think he was talking about Guitar Hero because I've also heard that--like most guitar players--he's no good. A-

Round Two: Contestant's Choice

In an attempt to appear current (and suspend reality), Archie chose Chris Brown's "With You." This made me giggle, because it involves such choice lyrics as "My Boo," and "Hey little mama," but he totally ended up killing it in rehearsal by playing to the crowd and adding some funky fresh moves (one girl actually cried, LOL). Then things fell apart on TV, and the middle was a complete mess as he struggled with the lyrics. It did however result in the best line of the night, when, after expressing my dismay over his forgetting the words again, Mini-Me exclaimed (in all seriousness) "OMG! He must have amnesia or something!" :::Pauses for laughter::: I'll average out the two versions of the performance I saw and give this a B-.

Syesha delivers a sultry cabaret performance of Peggy Lee's "Fever" with a chair in a dangerously short dress. Paris Bennett did this song in season 5 and it wasn't nearly as :::ahem::: hot. Still, burning hot for Syesha is kinda like lukewarm for Cook. She can ACT sexy but I don't find myself wanting to switch teams when I watch her Haley Scarnat-ho it up, ya know? Props to her for loosening up this week and having fun. She knows she's got little chance of making the finale and isn't stressin'. See ya on Broadway, girl! A-

Cook originally chose Collective Soul's "The World I Know" but then changed his pick to Switchfoot's "Dare You to Move" for whatever reason. He experienced feedback in rehearsal as well as issues choreographing the dis-assembly of the guitar, resulting in maximum Cookie time on stage. The song itself was predictable, safe, and felt like it was over in a flash but I ain't mad at him. Also spotted, the best sign ever: "Cougars 4 Cook!" LOL. A-

Round Three: Producer's Choice

The producers (Nigel?) chose "Longer" by Dan Fogelberg for Archie's final song. I hated that they picked such a dreary ballad for him but he sang it well. It was pretty boring and forgettable, but not his fault. A-

Syesha got to "have fun" again with "Hit Me Up" from the Happy Feet soundtrack. Um, yeah. W T F producers? Could your intentions BE any more obvious? She makes the most of it, but it still won't be enough to "save" her. B+

Finally, a decent song choice from the producers: D-Cook has been assigned "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing" by Aerosmith, which Antonella Barba butchered last year. Don't get me wrong, it's no "Iris," but a solid song choice nonetheless. The assembly of the strings on stage was brilliant, and I got chills while listening to this because I felt like (okay, imagined) he was singing to me. Cook didn't go for the big notes Steven Tyler hits, but that was probably wise after what happened when MJ attempted Aerosmith. A

* * *

On the way out we talked to a few of Archie's family members and got to meet "David Cook's Awesome Brother" Andrew who lived up to his awesome title and was as nice as could be (he confirmed that he'll be auditioning again next year so keep an eye out for him).

New Single: Boney James & Syesha Mercado

Boney James & American Idol's Syesha Mercado

Release Exclusive Internet Only Single

The Only Place You Are "Gonna Get It" Is On iTunes!

Urban Jazz Icon and American Idol's Last Woman Standing Release iTunes Exclusive on May 12th, 2008

Los Angeles, CA- On May 12th two-time Grammy Award nominee Boney James and current American Idol Top 3 finalist Syesha Mercado join forces to release the soulful uptempo groover "Gonna Get It" exclusively on iTunes. Written by James and critically acclaimed R&B singer-songwriter Rahsaan Patterson, "Gonna Get It" pairs the multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer James with the last woman standing on American Idol - seductive songstress Syesha Mercado. Says James: "The first time I saw Syesha perform, I was incredibly impressed. 'Gonna Get It' seemed like a perfect fit for her. I'm really proud of how well she's doing on American Idol."

It's up on Boney's MySpace for listening: http://www.myspace.com/boneyjamesmusic

More Idol Trivia

In the history of American Idol, there has never been an all-male top three.

David Archuleta has yet to use a mic stand during an Idol performance (there have been 14!)

Jason Castro only performed one song without the use of a guitar and/or stool, and it is generally considered to be his worst performance (The Beatles "Michelle," top 11 week).

David Cook has yet to sit during a non-group performance.

Elliott Yamin is the only male to ever finish in third place.

None of the contestants Paula has ever been assigned to choose a song for during top 3 week have gone on to win.

Sanjaya sported at least eight different hairstyles during his run on the show.

Every one of this year's top 6 girls was either married or engaged. Those same six girls performed at the beginning of the top 20 girls show.

Songs from the Shrek soundtrack have been featured 5 times this season.

The big Idol stage has seen the likes of 17 "black divas" (and that's not including the semi-finals!)

At least four contestants (Carrie Underwood, Bucky Covington, Haley Scarnato and Anthony Fedorov) were in serious relationships during their run on AI but ended things with their significant other shortly thereafter.

None of the first six AI winners share the same astrological sign.

Elvis's "Suspicious Minds" is now considered to be a kiss-of-death song after claiming the contestantship of the only two (Chris Daughtry and Colton Berry) who sang it on the show.

Syesha was the first contestant to ever perform atop a piano on Idol (both seated and standing).

At least seven former contestants have gone on to appear on Broadway.

Jason Castro is the only contestant to ever drastically boost sales of another artist's version of a song after he performed it on Idol, and he did it twice. (Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah" and Israel Kamakawiwoʻole's "Somewhere Over the Rainbow.")

Hometown Visit Coverage & Song Spoilers

The top 3 are making the rounds in their hometowns today. Look below to find their corresponding hometown media coverage with pictures, videos, articles and live feeds.

David Cook Blue Springs, MO Live Feed

David Archuleta Murry, UT Media Coverage

Syesha Mercado Tampa, FL Media Coverage

Song spoilers for next week's show will be posted in the comments section as they become available.

Top 3: Hometown Visit Schedules

The Top 3 are on their way home...to visit. Friday is a whirlwind of events for each contestant, and they'll be back in LA to rehearse their three songs for next week (judges choice, producer's choice, contestant's choice) before they know it. Footage from the hometown visits will air during Wednesday's results show.

Here's what they're doing:

David Cook (Blue Springs, MO)

Morning Appearance on the Fox 4 Morning Show
11:30 A.M. Free mini-concert in the downtown Power & Light District, Kansas City, MO
3:30 P.M. Homecoming Parade, Blue Springs, MO
4:00 P.M. Celebration/Concert for 10,000, Blue Springs, MO
7:00 P.M. Cook at the ‘K’ - David to throw out the first pitch and sing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” at the Kansas City Royals game

David Archuleta (Murray, UT)

Morning appearance on Fox 13’s “Good Day Utah”

Appearance at Murray High School

Utah Jazz game where he will sing the National Anthem

Syesha Mercado (Tampa, FL)

8 A.M. Good Day Tampa Bay
10:30 A.M. Bradenton City Hall (downtown)
12:30 P.M. Booker High School in Sarasota (Not open to the public)
3:30 P.M. Ca D’Zan Mansion at the Ringling Museum - open air concert
7 P.M. National Anthem at Tampa Bay Rays vs. Angels game in St. Petersburg