That's a wrap for the Vegas Rounds. (Thankfully) We've seen glimpses of stardom in returning contestant Candice Glover, vocal acrobatics from Curtis Finch Jr., and, to put it nicely, a "performance" from Zoanette Johnson. But really, judges? You gave her a standing ovation? That's an insult to every person who has ever set foot on the Idol stage.
In triumph, there is also loss. And in the past two weeks, we saw some incredibly gifted singers let go. For what reason? I don't have a clue. Oh, wait. They want a girl to win, that's why. We saw the soulful and charming Johnny Keyser sent packing. *cue tears* We also had to say goodbye to David Willis and his awesome hair and funky wardrobe and Bryant Tadeo, a boot that got one of the loudest boos from the audience, who had vocals as smooth as a blanket washed with Downy and a quite confidence I would have loved to seen more of. But perhaps, one of the biggest blows for me was seeing one of my early favorites, Josh Holliday, sent home. Sure, his voice was shaky when he went into falsetto but he sang a great original song. It's not too late, judges. Come on, let's send him back in for a surprise Top 21! No? Okay.... *sulks in a corner*
The girls are really talented this year so I was sad to see some of them go. Most of them, I blame on poor song choice. Or, at least, that's what I tell myself to prevent my miswired brain from formulating a crazy conspiracy theory. I'll surely miss Cristabel Clack's raspy voice but I agree that it wasn't her best performance. Also, can we please, please retire No One? It's a great song, and I love Alicia Keys, but it's been so overdone on Idol that it's practically a death sentence. Also, Rachel Hale and her bubbly personality and megawatt smile had to leave in order for my fave, Janelle Arthur, to continue her Idol journey. Janelle's previous performances were strong enough to get her through despite a good performance of a vocally constricting Lady Antebellum song. Apparently, there can be only one country girl this season. Oh, well. She will be missed.
On the other hand, I have high hopes for Juliana Chahayed who did her own arrangement of Demi Lovato's Skyscraper. Her voice is so angelic yet haunting and I love her breathy voice when she hit some of the notes. She's also a songwriter and at 15 years old, she's already a force to be reckoned with. I hope she auditions again next season! (Along with the prematurely eliminated Schyler Dixon and David Leathers Jr.) Do I even have to discuss Shubha Vedula and Jett Hermano who got conflicting critiques about staying/not staying on the piano? Add Josh Holliday to the mix and we have a migraine. So what do they really have to do judges?
Also, we got introduced to a few strong contenders in Amber Holcomb, Breanna Steer and Aubrey Cleland. These three gorgeous ladies all displayed confidence, amazing vocals and sass that Nicki Minaj was quick to relate to. These three got little to no airtime in the previous episodes and Vegas round has definitely helped their chances by introducing them to the voting public before the Live Rounds begin. However, I admit that their voices aren't as distinct to me and the voters might end up choosing just one, two at a long shot, of them to advance.
So, here's an official list of the American Idol Season 12 Top 20!
Girls:
Adriana Latonio, 17
Amber Holcomb, 18
Angela Miller, a18
Aubrey Cleland, 19
Breanna Steer, 18
Candice Glover, 23
Janelle Arthur, 23
Kree Harrison, 22
Tenna Torres, 28
Zoanette Johnson, 20
Boys:
Burnell Taylor, 19
Charlie Askew, 17
Cortez Shaw, 21
Curtis Finch Jr, 24
Devin Velez, 18
Elijah Liu, 18
Lazaro Arbos, 21
Nick Boddington, 27
Paul Jolley, 22
Vincent Powell, 29
My prediction for the Top 13: ( Ryan Seacrest mentioned a Top 10, but it's possible that the judges will decide on three wildcard picks)
GIRLS: Angela, Candice, Janelle, Kree, (Amber/Aubrey/Breanna)
BOYS: Burnell, Cortez, Curtis, Devin, Lazaro, Paul (Charlie)
NEXT WEEK: I'll do my best to post about the performances of the Top 20 before they announce the results and I'll be blogging about one of my new favorite bands, Motion City Soundtrack!
