Summary "American Idol" - Sudden Death Round/Girls Pt. II- Feb. 27, 2013

We will meet the final 10 female contestants who will be cut down to five.

First up is Melinda Ademi who is a 19-year-old music major at Hunter College. She had previously auditioned in season 10. She feels more ready now. She sings "Nobody's Perfect" by Jessie J and takes a lot of loud, squeaky breaths. This song is doing her no favors in eiher her lower register or her more comfortable belt. She definitely has breath control problems and later in the song, pitch issues as well. It was a very clenched performance without any real peaks. Keith loved it and felt like her nerves were getting to her and she finally took control of it. Nicki compares it unfavorably to Angela's performance of the song last week. She liked it but didn't love it and tells her to try a different artist. Randy thought it was okay but that it didn't have any big moments. Mariah thinks she was too nervous and her voice was wavering and she thought she got there by the end.

Next up is Candice Glover is a 23-year-old excursions coordinator from South Carolina. She got cut last year in Vegas. She sings "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" by Aretha Franklin. She starts off understated and easy breezy. She does some nice work in the chorus and bridge and tears it up at the end. Keith gives her a standing ovation. He loved it and thought it was a good choice. He sings to her that she's a natural singer. Nicki thinks she was born to do this. Randy thinks she's grown since last year and tells her to be even freer. Mariah agrees she's a great singer.

Next up is Juliana Chayahed who is a 15-year-old sophomore in high school in California and writes original songs with her sister. She sings a way slowed down version of "Skyscraper" by Demi Lovato, while accompanying herself on guitar. It is glacial, her voice feels clenched and her breath is getting away from her. She is endearing but she definitely feels too young. Keith can tell that she's nervous and could tell that she was struggling with pitch but he loves the purity of her tone. Nicki thinks she has a signature sound. She thinks her timidity works for what she does but might not work in this competition. Randy likes the honesty of her delivery. Mariah thinks she has an angelic quality.

Next up is Jett Hermano a 25-year-old from Seattle. Accompanying herself on piano she sings "The Only Girl in the World" by Rihanna. It starts slow and slight and improves greatly when the band kicks in and she starts belting. She brings it back down/up to her airy register for the end. Keith loved the unique arrangement. He thinks she brought out the sexiness in the song. Nicki also liked the arrangement and the breathy falsetto stuff but she thought it was going to climax to something but it never did. Randy agrees thinking it was going to rock out more. Mariah thinks she's a unique addition to the show and that she's unpredictable.

Next up is Christabel Clack who almost talked herself out of coming to Hollywood but then God gave her the lyrics to the song she was working on. She's 29, from San Antonio, and a worship leader. She toured as a backing vocalist for a gospel artist. She sings "No One" by Alicia Keys. She's very cute, she's got some chops but seems to rely on the break in her voice just a little too much and the song is just a dead bore. She livens it up with some big notes and runs and gets Randy on his feet. Keith thinks it was fantastic and he loves her voice and that thing, that croaky thing. He thinks she has crazy potential. Nicki likes the song for her and her rasp but thinks it got more out of control today. Randy loved it and loved the rasp and she may have oversung a bit but she let herself go. Mariah loved when she sang "His Eye is on the Sparrow" and wants her to show more of that.

Next up is Aubrey Cleland a 19-year-old student from Oregon. She is beautiful and poised but she is having some pitch issues that seem like they might be nerves related as she sings Beyonce's "Beautiful Nightmare." She ends strong. Keith loves that she made it her own and loves her balance of poise and fire. Nicki says she is obsessed with her and thinks she looks and sounds current. Randy is a huge fan and agrees that she's a very commercial artist. Mariah thinks she's limitless.

Next up is Rachel Hale, a 22-year-old from small town Arkansas currently attending Belmont University in Nashville as a songwriting major. She sings "Nothin' But the Water" by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals which is a bluesy-country jam. She does pretty well at the start but it picks up in quality during the chorus. She has a little pitch struggle at the end but she powers through. Keith gives a shout out to the band and liked seeing that side of her even though the song got away from her a little bit but he loves her spirit. Nicki loves her burst of confidence and that she came alive. Randy liked that she picked up an uptempo song and seeing this energetic side of her. Mariah thinks she may have heard better performances that reflected her before but she liked it.

Next up is Breanna Steer an 18-year-old college student whose home was lost in a recent flood during Hurricane Isaac. She thinks "Bust Your Windows" by Jazmine Sullivan with a kind fo latent Latin vibe. She's got all kinds of sassy attitude. She seems in danger of going flat a lot, like she's just holding on to the pitch but she carries it with the perfomance. Keith didn't know the song and he loves it despite it's violent nature and he liked her whole vibe. Nicki says "work, work, work" and thinks Aubrey and she should do a group and they could take over. She says she's giving sexy on a stick. Randy agrees and thinks she is totally commercial and ready like Aubrey and it was a perfect song choice. Mariah loves the song and her presentation of it and agrees she's very marketable.

Next up is Janelle Arthur a 23-year-old fitness instructor from Tennessee. She considers herself a country girl like Dolly Parton. She sings "Just a Kiss" by Lady Antebellum. She's very smily and pageanty but she sings well enough. She's defnitely been better than this but it's the song's fault. Keith agrees and thinks it's a limiting melody in the chorus and that she did a key change to show off so it wasn't a great choice for her. Nicki thought it fell a little bit flat and she feels like her confidence was lacking and disconnecting she tells her not to try too hard. Randy agrees with Keith and Nicki and says she's his favorite country singer and says it was a bad song choice. Mariah agrees with all of that but is rooting for her.

The final contestant is crazy Zoanette Johnson, she of the tight leopard print, wild tresses, and outsize personality. She is 20 years old and lives in Tulsa and works with the elderly. She starts off shocking strong singing in some African tongue singing "The Circle of Life" from "The Lion King." Although her personality and presence remain larger-than-life this may be her most serious performance in terms of ptich control and conviction and concentration. It's all at 11 though with very little sense of dynamics but that's not what this perofrmance was about. Keith, Nicki, and Randy all stand. She breaks into tears. Keith loves how unpredictable she is and calls her the queen of the jungle. Nicki says she just served it and she makes her so emotional and is so proud of her. She doesn't care what people say about her she says she's unforgettable and she's a superstar and thinks the song was a smart choice. Randy says Zoanette just showed America why she's here and how great her spirit is. Mariah says it's almost like her spirit is almost too big to be contained and that's what she was trying to give.

The five going through: Zoanette, Aubrey, Breanna, Candice, and Janelle

The five going home: Melinda, Juliana, Christabel, Jett, and Rachel

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