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After watching the Boys perform, I gotta say, that was fairly disappointing for a first live show. Next up is the girls and hopefully they are better. After they perform, America will vote again and decide who makes it into the Top 5 of each gender, creating a Top 10. The Judges will then pick 6 contestants to sing once more in hopes of being one of 3 Wildcard choices picked by the panel to round out Season 11's Top 13. Who survived the dramatic cut? Who got a second chance? This... Is American Idol!

Recap and videos after the JUMP...


Chelsea Sorrell

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"Cowboy Casanova" by Carrie Underwood - Not much to say here, going first is almost never a good thing. She has a nice Country voice but this just comes off as a bad attempt to imitate Carrie Underwood and it definitely isn't as good as the original. I like the growling but she sounds pretty nasally throughout the whole thing. With two other more prominent Country girls on this show, things do not look good for her.


Erika Van Pelt

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"What About Love" by Heart - This was a little shaky and not the best song choice in the world but one would have to be a fool to not recognize Erika's potential. She sounds great in the chorus but it also sounds like she's holding back a bit too much. Again, she has a great voice but the competition is fierce this year, her chances of being voted in by the public are unfortunately slim.


Jen Hirsh

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"One and Only" by Adele - Jen got off to a great start in Hollywood and got a lot of airtime showing her powerful and sweet voice. It didn't really work out tonight. It's a rather weak performance considering what we know she's capable of doing. It's a disappointing and lackluster performance that didn't show America the pipes she has. Elise will be singing the same song later tonight, if she outdoes Jen, I think it's safe to say she's in trouble.


Brielle Von Hugel

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"Sitting on the Dock of the Bay" by Otis Redding - Strange song choice, not exactly what I think of when I think of a song I want to win over millions of viewers with. Her voice has the potential to be real good but it's not ready yet. Part of the problem is Brielle thinks she's that good already. America prolly hasn't forgotten about her psycho two-face mother since they keep showing shots of her. That alone will be a nail in her coffin.


Hallie Day
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"Feeling Good" by Nina Simone - Hallie came into this competition with a lot of momentum but I'm not confident this performance will get her to the next round. Kinda sleepy arrangement. Some parts sound good, others really don't. She still can't seem to bring herself to the point of smiling or showing her personality and I think that will also do some damage to her chances.


Skylar Laine

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"Stay With Me" by Faces - Good song choice. Not going with a typical Country song but deciding to show off a Bluesy Rock side instead was nothing short of brilliant. She sounds great, I love her phrasing and growl. Something about the hand waving before the final chorus really sells me on her. She worked the stage and made me want to dance. Very well done.


Baylie Brown

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"Amazed" by Lonestar - Eek.. How would you like to be the person going after that awesome performance by Skylar? Especially since you're also a Country artist like her? I used to think Baylie could be a lock for the Top 13 but that's definitely not the case. To my surprise, she totally fell apart here. She is WAY off-key. Some parts are so bad, I'm actually embarrassed for her. Combine that with the sleepy, uninteresting arrangement, she's toast.


Hollie Cavanagh

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"Reflections" by Christina Aguilera - I was worried about Hollie's chances because of the severe lack of airtime she has gotten. Elements in her voice and performance are reminding me of Pia Toscano. I kinda feel like I'm watching the coronation song for the winner. Some parts weren't perfect, like the high note which was a bit weak. But there were several parts that were very powerful and beautiful. I believe in Hollie, I hope America does too.


Haley Johnsen

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"Sweet Dreams" by The Eurythmics - Ugh.. I was really looking forward to this. Terrible song choice. This arrangement is weak and just horrendous. Sadly, sounding even worse is Haley herself, who can't stay in tune for any of the song. She throws in a lot of really off-key runs. There is no denying the power in her voice. Anyone that has looked her up on YouTube knows how much vocal potential she has. Unfortunately, she really blew it tonight.


Shannon Magrane

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"Go Light Your World" by Kathy Troccoli - She's dressed like she's going to prom. The entire performance is pretty bland, shaky and boring to me. Shannon is a good singer but she doesn't really have a unique voice, artistic style or emotional connection that is required if I'm going to be a fan of yours. The bright side for her is that there have been some pretty big mess-ups from other contestants, I can see Shannon slipping through to the next round.


Jessica Sanchez

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"Love You I Do" by Jennifer Hudson - This girl has a voice and stage presence well beyond her years. It's nice to see a girl with such a big voice to be singing something uptempo. Solid performance and she delivers an awesomely strong final note. I think this performance was a tad bit overrated by the Judges but it was still really good and Jessica is still one of the top singers in this game.


Elise Testone

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"One and Only" by Adele - My favorite girl! I'm so glad she's got the last spot tonight, she's plenty talented to close the show and deserves to be remembered by the viewers at home. I love the originality and uniqueness in her voice, she puts a chilling and soulful touch on the song. Playing on the piano was a great idea. The worst thing about this performance is that the Judges didn't give this a standing ovation. The emotion and rawness she puts into this song is unreal. America, you have a few really talented and unique artists here. Don't get it wrong!


Ranking:
  1. Elise Testone
  2. Jessica Sanchez
  3. Skylar Laine
  4. Hollie Cavanagh
  5. Erika Van Pelt
  6. Jen Hirsh
  7. Shannon Magrane
  8. Chelsea Sorrell
  9. Hallie Day
  10. Brielle Von Hugel
  11. Baylie Brown
  12. Haley Johnsen

Results


Top 10:

Phillip Phillips
Jessica Sanchez
Hollie Cavanagh
Joshua Ledet
Heejun Han
Shannon Magrane
Skylar Laine
Elise Testone
Colton Dixon
Jermaine Jones


Wildcard Candidates:

 Jen Hirsh- "Oh Darling" by The Beatles



Jeremy Rosado- "I Know You Won't" by Carrie Underwood



Brielle Von Hugel- "Someone Like You" by Adele



DeAndre Brackensick- "Georgia On My Mind" by Ray Charles



Erika Van Pelt- "Edge of Glory" by Lady Gaga



Reed Grimm- "Use Me" by Bill Withers




Randy selects Erika

Jennifer selects Jeremy

Steven selects DeAndre
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