Summary
"American Idol" - Top Seven Performance Show - April 20, 2010
Theme: Inspirational Songs
Mentor: Alicia Keys
In the audience: Paige Miles, Lacey Brown, and Didi Benami; Capt. "Sully" Sullenberg
We get a video package on Keys' career and philanthropic efforts.
Contestant #1: Casey James
Song: "Don't Stop," Fleetwood Mac. Keys encourages him to "connect" and boost his personality with it since it's so popular.
Performance: He decides that personality means smiling alot. He sounds fine, spirited, gritty, and pulls off a little fiery solo but it doesn't take this overplayed song to a new place.
Randy: Calls it good but not his best, he wants him to step out of his comfort zone.
Ellen: Compliments his guitar playing but doesn't think he was great.
Kara: Wants to see what makes him different.
Simon: Can't believe he chose that song for inspirational week and thought there was no originality to it.
Contestant #2: Lee Dewyze
Song: "The Boxer," Simon and Garfunkel. In stool chat with Ryan he says nice stuff about ousted buddy Andrew Garcia. He picked his song because it inspired him as a young man to play guitar. Keys has him speak the words and convinces him that he is like the fighter in the song.
Performance: Equipped with his acoustic guitar he slows it down and monkeys with the beginning of the song melody-wise. A piano and a string section chime in. He's voice is pretty passionate but the arrangement is a snooze.
Randy: Thinks it's very nice and he's going to have a big career.
Ellen: Loved the choice and seeing his soul and depth.
Kara: Calls this his "moment" and says he was clearly connected and it took him to another level.
Simon: He calls it the best of the night because it was sincere, emotional, and inspirational. Thinks he makes it current. Calls it brilliant.
Contestant #3: Tim Urban
Song: "Better Days," Goo Goo Dolls. She wants him to let people feel inspired by the lyrics and thinks it feels really good.
Performance: The beginning is a little breathy and weakly supported. He is also armed with his acoustic and a string section. This is his worst performance pitch-wise in awhile, he seems to be missing every third note just a shade. It gets a little better as it progresses but it's not very dynamic.
Randy: Thought it was just okay/good karaoke.
Ellen: Says he's like the soup of the day and today she didn't like the soup.
Kara: Thinks he's found his lane and at times sounds commercial but this wasn't the best
Simon: Says if it was the first time they might've been impressed but that this may have been a step too high and a little bit of a letdown.
Contestant #4: Aaron Kelly
Song: "I Believe I Can Fly," R. Kelly (no relation). Keys says he has a challenge on his hands since the song can seem like overkill. She says it needs to feel deep and passionate and pure.
Performance: Aaron also enjoys the help of the string section. He sounds fine, a few pitch and breath issues, but he's not flying.
Randy: Says he picked a giant song and the arrangement was funny but he has pure vocal talent and did a good job.
Ellen: She thinks he's on his way with his big voice.
Kara: She says it was like taking off, rough at the beginning but he got aloft by the end.
Simon: Says they need to judge it in two parts: they like him and he tried hard but in the real world it wouldn't be good for the radio.
Contestant #5: Siobhan Magnus
Song: "When You Believe," Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. Alicia tells her to milk her high money note. She says she's very impressed with her voice.
Performance: Her hair and outfit are a little distracting but her vocals sound good, if a little fragile in the low spots. She hits the modulation nicely and never overdoes it with the screaming, keeping the high notes tender and understated.
Randy: Says she picked the toughest song of the night and says it was just okay for him.
Ellen: Says it was more confirmation of why she was here.
Kara: Says it may have been very well sung technically but her problem with it was that it's not a musical and it was very dramatic and says listening to her responses week to week she's starting to feel like she'd rather hang out with her than buy her record because she still doesn't know who she is.
Simon: Agrees with Randy saying it was the wrong song and that the arrangement was very old-fashioned, too much happened too quickly, and her outfit was distracting. He says the whole thing was a bit odd.
Seacrest asks her if she knew it was tough. She says she was just happy to have a chance to sing a song that inspires her and she knows no one compares to Mariah and Whitney.
Contestant #6: Michael Lynche
Song: "Hero," Chad Kroeger featuring Josey Scott. Tells Ryan that he thinks the song speaks to all of us. Alicia likes that he's going out of his comfort zone but she wants him to take people on a ride.
Performance: Armed with his acoustic guitar, he starts off solo and tender. The band and strings jump in for the anthemic chorus. Another song without a lot of melodic range. Michael works it but the song feels like it's running along one very small incline not an anthemic upshot.
Randy: Was worried about a band song on a solo singer but thinks he worked it out.
Ellen: Thought he did a great job.
Kara: Says it wasn't her favorite performance, he didn't cut through, and it was all over the place.
Simon: Thinks he sang it really well but was bothered that the song was from the "Spider-Man" soundtrack and says it didn't quite jell for him.
Contestant #7: Crystal Bowersox
Song: "People Get Ready," Jimmy Cliff. Crystal says she picked the song because she's very grateful for everything in her life right now. Keys to tell her to focus on the emotion and she thinks people are going to love the performance.
Performance: With no instrument she starts a cappella. The band comes in and it's very understated arrangement which she ratchets up with her vocals and her emotions.
Randy: Says that is how you do it and gives her a standing O.
Ellen: Says she's never looked more beautiful and loves her evolution.
Kara: Thanks her for taking a risk and says she just schooled all the contestants.
Simon: Says, that was inspirational and is happy to see her emotional since she had seemed closed off. Says it was in a completely different class from everything else.
She was emotional because her dad was in the crowd for the first time.
Directed : Unknown
Written : Unknown
Stars : Simon Cowell Mark Thompson Ryan Seacrest Randy Jackson
Genres : Music Documentary Game-Show Reality-TV
Release date : Apr 19, 2010
Countries of origin : United States
Official sites : ABC American Idol
Language : English
Filming locations : Dolby Theatre, Hollywood, California, USA
Production companies : Fremantle FremantleMedia 19 Television
Summary
"American Idol" - Top Seven Performance Show - April 20, 2010
Theme: Inspirational Songs
Mentor: Alicia Keys
In the audience: Paige Miles, Lacey Brown, and Didi Benami; Capt. "Sully" Sullenberg
We get a video package on Keys' career and philanthropic efforts.
Contestant #1: Casey James
Song: "Don't Stop," Fleetwood Mac. Keys encourages him to "connect" and boost his personality with it since it's so popular.
Performance: He decides that personality means smiling alot. He sounds fine, spirited, gritty, and pulls off a little fiery solo but it doesn't take this overplayed song to a new place.
Randy: Calls it good but not his best, he wants him to step out of his comfort zone.
Ellen: Compliments his guitar playing but doesn't think he was great.
Kara: Wants to see what makes him different.
Simon: Can't believe he chose that song for inspirational week and thought there was no originality to it.
Contestant #2: Lee Dewyze
Song: "The Boxer," Simon and Garfunkel. In stool chat with Ryan he says nice stuff about ousted buddy Andrew Garcia. He picked his song because it inspired him as a young man to play guitar. Keys has him speak the words and convinces him that he is like the fighter in the song.
Performance: Equipped with his acoustic guitar he slows it down and monkeys with the beginning of the song melody-wise. A piano and a string section chime in. He's voice is pretty passionate but the arrangement is a snooze.
Randy: Thinks it's very nice and he's going to have a big career.
Ellen: Loved the choice and seeing his soul and depth.
Kara: Calls this his "moment" and says he was clearly connected and it took him to another level.
Simon: He calls it the best of the night because it was sincere, emotional, and inspirational. Thinks he makes it current. Calls it brilliant.
Contestant #3: Tim Urban
Song: "Better Days," Goo Goo Dolls. She wants him to let people feel inspired by the lyrics and thinks it feels really good.
Performance: The beginning is a little breathy and weakly supported. He is also armed with his acoustic and a string section. This is his worst performance pitch-wise in awhile, he seems to be missing every third note just a shade. It gets a little better as it progresses but it's not very dynamic.
Randy: Thought it was just okay/good karaoke.
Ellen: Says he's like the soup of the day and today she didn't like the soup.
Kara: Thinks he's found his lane and at times sounds commercial but this wasn't the best
Simon: Says if it was the first time they might've been impressed but that this may have been a step too high and a little bit of a letdown.
Contestant #4: Aaron Kelly
Song: "I Believe I Can Fly," R. Kelly (no relation). Keys says he has a challenge on his hands since the song can seem like overkill. She says it needs to feel deep and passionate and pure.
Performance: Aaron also enjoys the help of the string section. He sounds fine, a few pitch and breath issues, but he's not flying.
Randy: Says he picked a giant song and the arrangement was funny but he has pure vocal talent and did a good job.
Ellen: She thinks he's on his way with his big voice.
Kara: She says it was like taking off, rough at the beginning but he got aloft by the end.
Simon: Says they need to judge it in two parts: they like him and he tried hard but in the real world it wouldn't be good for the radio.
Contestant #5: Siobhan Magnus
Song: "When You Believe," Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. Alicia tells her to milk her high money note. She says she's very impressed with her voice.
Performance: Her hair and outfit are a little distracting but her vocals sound good, if a little fragile in the low spots. She hits the modulation nicely and never overdoes it with the screaming, keeping the high notes tender and understated.
Randy: Says she picked the toughest song of the night and says it was just okay for him.
Ellen: Says it was more confirmation of why she was here.
Kara: Says it may have been very well sung technically but her problem with it was that it's not a musical and it was very dramatic and says listening to her responses week to week she's starting to feel like she'd rather hang out with her than buy her record because she still doesn't know who she is.
Simon: Agrees with Randy saying it was the wrong song and that the arrangement was very old-fashioned, too much happened too quickly, and her outfit was distracting. He says the whole thing was a bit odd.
Seacrest asks her if she knew it was tough. She says she was just happy to have a chance to sing a song that inspires her and she knows no one compares to Mariah and Whitney.
Contestant #6: Michael Lynche
Song: "Hero," Chad Kroeger featuring Josey Scott. Tells Ryan that he thinks the song speaks to all of us. Alicia likes that he's going out of his comfort zone but she wants him to take people on a ride.
Performance: Armed with his acoustic guitar, he starts off solo and tender. The band and strings jump in for the anthemic chorus. Another song without a lot of melodic range. Michael works it but the song feels like it's running along one very small incline not an anthemic upshot.
Randy: Was worried about a band song on a solo singer but thinks he worked it out.
Ellen: Thought he did a great job.
Kara: Says it wasn't her favorite performance, he didn't cut through, and it was all over the place.
Simon: Thinks he sang it really well but was bothered that the song was from the "Spider-Man" soundtrack and says it didn't quite jell for him.
Contestant #7: Crystal Bowersox
Song: "People Get Ready," Jimmy Cliff. Crystal says she picked the song because she's very grateful for everything in her life right now. Keys to tell her to focus on the emotion and she thinks people are going to love the performance.
Performance: With no instrument she starts a cappella. The band comes in and it's very understated arrangement which she ratchets up with her vocals and her emotions.
Randy: Says that is how you do it and gives her a standing O.
Ellen: Says she's never looked more beautiful and loves her evolution.
Kara: Thanks her for taking a risk and says she just schooled all the contestants.
Simon: Says, that was inspirational and is happy to see her emotional since she had seemed closed off. Says it was in a completely different class from everything else.
She was emotional because her dad was in the crowd for the first time.
Genres : Music Documentary Game-Show Reality-TV
Release date : Apr 19, 2010
Countries of origin : United States
Official sites : ABC American Idol
Language : English
Filming locations : Dolby Theatre, Hollywood, California, USA
Production companies : Fremantle FremantleMedia 19 Television
