Summary "American Idol" - Third Group of 12 - March 3, 2009

The final group of 12 from the top 36 performs.

Ryan introduces the six who've already made it through and the judges.

Contestant #1: Von Smith, 22

Video Clip: This is a dream come true for him. He shouted in Hollywood though and he's glad that they gave him another chance. He wants to start anew.

Song: "You're All I Need to Get By," Marvin Gaye

Performance: He's certainly not shouting. He sounds pretty good and the girls will probably like his cute Jesse McCartney-esque looks. He seems a little English boy-band-ish but he acquits himself well.

Randy: Thinks Von kicked off the show the way it should've been unlike previous weeks. Thinks he's better than he was in Hollywood.

Kara: Thinks he's coming into his own and is glad he took Simon's constructive criticism.

Paula: Thinks America is going to remember him and thinks he's quite the showman and loved his performance.

Simon: Reminds him of Clay Aiken which he thinks will be good for him. (But spicier, says Kara). He thinks he looks appalling but that he sang quite well.

Contestant #2: Taylor Vaifanua, 17

Video Clip: She was told she had good natural potential at her audition. She messed up a bit in Hollywood but redeemed herself. She's humbled by the experience.

Song: "If I Ain't Got You," Alicia Keys

Performance: She's a little jittery and breathless at first but she's hitting the lower register notes that hamper so many others. But as usual she comes into her own on the harder hitting higher register stuff. She's a little ungainly in her movement but has a winning presence and is quite beautiful. It's not crazy amazing but nicely done.

Kara: Says it's obvious she's got a voice. She wants more of her personality and wonders what it's like to go shopping with her. The performance leaves her a bit cold.

Paula: Wonders why she's reprising a song from Hollywood week and wished she'd done something different.

Simon: Couldn't remember her from earlier rounds and from that performance he knows why, since she was a bit bland. He also didn't understand Kara's shopping comment. He thinks she's going to be struggling.

Randy: Agrees that it was kind of boring and that Taylor didn't tell them anything about her.

Contestant #3: Alex Wagner-Trugman,19

Video Clip: He chats a bit with Ryan about feeling dorky and going to the gym to beef up like Simon. Simon liked his personality but not his voice.

Song: "I Guess That's Why They Call it Blues," Elton John

Performance: He's singing well but he's dancing kinda dorky and he muffs the words. He recovers quickly but then he inexplicably starts to growl and overdo it a bit oddly. He's very sweet though and he's hitting the notes. Then he dumps the microphone stand awkwardly. It's all a bit goofy. (His dad is also super adorkable.) Before judgment he apologizes for knocking over the stand.

Paula: Says he's certainly the showman and gave them their money's worth, but doesn't know how much money will be spent. (???) She had fun watching him and was glad he got to channel his inner rock star.

Simon: He agrees they had fun watching but not listening, especially to the ridiculous growling. He says he's like a hamster trying to be a tiger. The crowd hollers and Simon says there is no democracy on this show and that the performance was stupid.

Randy: Agrees with Simon kind of and that it was crazy and buck wild in a way. He thinks he can sing but that he screamed it.

Kara: Says the positive thing is he does himself, he gets up there and has fun. And says you can't pay for that kind of choreography. She says if he comes back to ditch the growl. (Before the numbers Ryan also dumps the mic stand, and apparently breaks it.)

Contestant #4: Arianna Afsar, 17

Video Clip: They thought she was adorable and had a good voice. They liked her in Hollywood as well and not just because she was cute as a button.

Song: "The Winner Takes it All," ABBA

Performance: You can tell from the get-go that Simon is going to complain that the song is too old for her. She's doing a bit too much melisma right from the start and not controlling it well. The chorus has some nice bits but some rough ones too. It feels like she's holding back for a big finish. She finally kicks it in and it sounds very strong if a shade flat in places. She has that great curlicue tremor in her voice but skids on the final note.

Simon: Says it was absolutely terrible in parts, that the arrangement was funereal, and that it was too big for her. He's sad because he liked her. She says even though it's an old song she tried to make it contemporary. He says she didn't and it was her worst performance by a mile.

Randy: Agrees and says that she tried to do more with it vocally than was there and says it was the wrong song for her.

Kara: Says that when they called her cute as a button it was a compliment and that tonight was too dark and gloomy and that she needs to be young and shiny.

Paula: Won't go as far as all that and says she had some nice moments but thinks the song was too old-fashioned. She says that she appreciates that she tried to make it more contemporary but that with an ABBA song it's all about melody.

She's deflated but Paula says she still has a chance.

Contestant # 5: Ju'not Joyner, 26

Video Clip: He's the one whose adorable little son came in the room during his audition. He did well in Hollywood. This means a lot to him.

Song: "Hey There Delilah," Plain White T's

Performance: It's very tender but doesn't show much range at first. It's like a lullaby, sometimes captivating and sometimes soporific. He hits a sweet light falsetto note. It's a little downbeat but he's got great control. Nicely done.

Randy: What's cool about what he did was that he switched it up and he appreciated that he pulled back on most of it. He loved it.

Kara: She liked his spin and thought it was smooth and fluid and thinks he can bust it out even more on the next song.

Paula: She thought it was great that he changed it up from Hollywood and thought it was nice vocal.

Simon: It was better than he thought it was going to be. He just wished he'd stripped the whole thing down so he could've had a moment but he knows he was nervous. (Ju'not says he got a cortisone shot in his butt. All the judges agree this is TMI).

Ryan elicits that the cortisone shot was for his voice because the smog in L.A. is inflaming his asthma.

Ryan interviews Nathaniel and Kristen about their drama in Hollywood, they profess to love each other now and blame the drama on their group mate, whose name I'm forgetting.

Contestant #6: Kristen McNamara, 23

Video Clip: Randy liked her boldness at her audition, at which she had purple-striped hair. In Hollywood her group was a mess. We get a recap of the drama.

Song: "Give Me One Reason," Tracy Chapman

Performance: She's easy and smoky but verging on pageant-y with the smiley-smiling. She's not moving much though and may be a little too understated. She was my favorite in the auditions but she's not blowing me away and isn't coming off bold anymore. She semi-muffs the ending by trying to do too much vocally.

Kara: She likes the hair better and thinks she's a great singer but was disappointed in her song choice, envisioning more of a Kelly Clarkson/Pink vibe. She also says she needs to dial in the outfit.

Paula: Remembers that she sang Clarkson's "Because of You" in Hollywood and thought that this was too safe but showed she had great range.

Simon: Can't figure out who she is from the awful Hollywood look to now looking like her mom styled her like a pageant contestant and didn't love the song choice. But he does think she has a great voice and feels like she's not quite comfortable even the smile she's giving him right now.

Randy: Agrees with Simon and thought the song should be easy for someone as good as she is but she didn't do too much with it. Thought it was karaoke-esque.

Ryan asks who she is. She says she wants to record in the Clarkson-Leona Lewis mold and has always had trouble with style. (Bummer, really dug her).

Contestant #7: Nathaniel Marshall, 19

Video Clip: He knows he has the reputation, completely deserved as shown in the clips, as a drama queen. Apparently we haven't seen who he truly is: goofy, good-natured, humble.

Song: "I Would Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)," Meatloaf

Performance: He starts off alright, quietly, but takes a wrong turn rhythmically. The music gets faster and he starts some awkward dancing and pointing that is very high school musical/karaoke. He sounds okay but not really special. The music slows again and speeds up again, it's an awkward cutdown of the song and he's not knocking it out of the park.

Simon: He says a minority viewership will like it but the majority like him will think it was excruciating. He can't get the bad image out of his head, especially the weird Olivia Newton-John headband. He says it was memorable and backpedals a bit to call Nathaniel likable and fun.

Randy: Likes him too but is curious about the song choice. (Nathaniel says he and his mom would dance around to it when he was a kid.) He thinks he can sing but it's hard for him to imagine what kind of an artist he would be. Simon suggests a "keep fit" video.

Kara: Says that he can sing but if he wants to be taken seriously he needs to do something serious for the next song. Simon says that this is what makes Nathaniel different. She says she wants him to be her karaoke buddy. Simon asks who he's there with. Ryan finds Nathaniel's grandma in the audience who says she liked it.

Paula: Loved him in Hollywood week singing "Disturbia." (The other judges can't believe how good her memory is.) She thought that was a bold choice and made him relevant. Simon disagrees. She says this was more like the Boy George version of this song.

Nathaniel says he likes to have fun and that he will definitely be Kara's karaoke buddy. Ryan brings Nathaniel over to the judges table and gives Simon his headband. Ryan tries to put it on him.

Contestant #8: Felicia Barton, 26

Video Clip: She's the one who got back onto the show after Joanna Pacitti got the boot. She really thought she was going to make it. She took the criticism to heart and hoped to get called back, and she did.

Song: "No One," Alicia Keys

Performance: She looks great, terrific style, and sounds pretty great. She leans a little too heavily into some of the notes and hits a few clunkers but mostly does very nice work.

Paula: She and Felicia agree that everything happens for a reason. She's so glad they brought her back and hopes they continue to do so.

Simon: Thought it was good, that the first part was better than the second and that it was a bit copycat and isn't as enthusiastic as Paula.

Randy: Is glad she's back, agrees with Simon about the copycat thing and says she should go her own way a bit more but that overall it was hot.

Kara: Thinks this is her best look and thought she had attitude and presence. She hit a few bad notes but Kara really noticed her tonight.

Ryan chats her up about being called back and her excitement.

Contestant #9: Scott McIntyre, 23

Video Clip: His audition went well as did Hollywood week. He wants to seize the moment and live in the words.

Song: "Mandolin Rain," Bruce Hornsby

Performance: He begins seated. He's got a light AC voice, not unlike Hornsby or a Jackson Browne. He stands and because he's blind he's a bit awkward but not nearly as much as you might think. It's a very pleasant performance of a nice song. He hits a couple of nice big notes. There aren't any fireworks but it's a charming performance and a brave one at that.

Randy: Had some problems with the vocal but thought that the parts that were great were really great. Every time he hears him sing he can feel the passion.

Kara: Pounds the table and says he moves mountains when he steps on the stage and even when there are issues with the vocals his heart comes through. She hopes America votes him through so they can see him play and sing because that's when he shines. He hopes that too.

Paula: She says whatever challenges he faced to get here she's glad he got here. She thinks he's a genius on the piano and can't wait for America to hear him play and he's blessed us all with his gift and he's one of their finest.

Simon: Wasn't crazy about the song but Scott is growing on him because he thinks he's starting to believe in himself. He thinks there are better singers in the competition but that he was the most memorable and will be amazed if Scott doesn't sail through.

Ryan chats him up and Scott has him give him a high five.

Contestant #10: Kendall Beard, 24

Video Clip: She had fun at her audition in Puerto Rico. She was freaked at final judgment. Her father does an alligator dance when he's happy.

Song: "This One's For the Girls," Martina McBride

Performance: She's a perky blond made for contemporary country. The low parts are just okay and the high parts start off well but get progressively shakier then get better again and then get a little flat again and then a lot. Rough.

Kara: On the positive tip she's got great personality and picked the right genre but that there were some issues with the vocals.

Paula: Thinks she's adorable, loved her outfit, and thinks she did a good job, and was smart choosing country music.

Simon: Thinks she was smart with her genre choice and that's she's cute. Halfway through he couldn't wait for it to end since it got shrilly and thinks that she could've chosen a better song. He says it wasn't his cup of tea but that a lot of people who watch the show will like it.

Randy: Agrees about making her personality come through and the genre choice but his problems were with her shaky vocals.

Contestant #11: Jorge Nunez, 21

Video Clip: We get the feedback about his pronunciation issues and how he worked on them for Hollywood.

Song: "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me," Elton John

Performance: (Must someone always sing this song?) He's still got that Marc Anthony thing going on. It's a little earnest but technically it sounds very good. Save one bad note which he recovered from, it was a strong vocal. The backing vocals are way too loud though.

Paula: Is so proud about how hard he worked with a dialect coach after taking their notes about his accent and thinks he was so good and just wants to squeeze him.

Simon: Says they were wrong and patronizing to tell him to disguise his accent since it makes him different and he should be who he is and that there are plenty of popular "Spanish" artists who have accents because they're "Spanish." He thought his vocals were great.

Randy: He says it wasn't perfect but really, really good.

Kara: She says "that's your gig, you're a singer." She says it comes from inside and is touched. He starts to cry and so do Kara and Paula.

Contestant #12: Lil Rounds, 24

Video Clip: Did well, Randy called her a mixture of Fantasia and Mary J. Blige. She has three kids and misses them.

Song: "Be Without You," Mary J. Blige

Performance: She looks great, sounds good even on the low notes, and her articulation of the fast parts is nice and precise. She is truly a natural. It would've been nice to hear a song with more melody than rhythm and more range but she's got soul and fire.

Simon: "Brilliant." His favorite performance of the night but he wouldn't have chosen the song since she sounds too much like the original. He says she has great prospects and is undoubtedly one of the best.

Randy: Agrees and says she's one of the best and is glad she kept her swagger on. He loved it.

Kara: Says she was a powerhouse the first day they met her and still is. She says she's been a steady boat and can't wait to see what she's going to do next.

Paula: Calls her first class and has a sneaking suspicion she'll be around for more Lil Rounds.

Predictions: This was probably the strongest group so far. Felicia and Lil for sure and then a tie between Ju'Not and Jorge. (One of those two and probably Scott will likely come back as wild cards).

• Documentary
• Game Show
• Talent Competition
• Music
• Reality TV