The theme tonight is "Songs of the Cinema," and Jamie Foxx is the mentor. Each contestant will perform a solo and a duet (with another contestant).
Lee Dewyze sang “Kiss from a Rose” by Seal (from Batman Forever). This is a great song, but it wasn't one of my favorites from Lee. The verses were rough. He didn't quite hit the high notes, and the words seemed rushed. The chorus was good, but Lee still isn't a performer. He needs to interact more. Randy said Lee didn't do anything with the song, and didn't think it was the right choice for him. Ellen said Lee could have done more, but it was still good, and he sang it well. Kara said this was a difficult song, and Lee got lost in it. She said parts were out of tune, but it was still great. Simon said Lee's performance was verging on karaoke, and he tried too hard to sound like the original.
Michael Lynche sang “Will You Be There” by Michael Jackson (from Free Willy). I thought it was a great song choice for Mike. However, his performance was just alright. He didn't blow me away, but it was a good performance. Randy said Mike should have chosen an R&B song. Ellen said Mike is consistently good, but this song was predictable. Kara said she wanted to feel goosebumps, but Mike played it safe tonight. Simon said Mike could have chosen a better song, but he gave it 100 percent.
Crystal and Lee sang “Falling Slowly” by Glen Hansard (from Once) as a duet. They were both playing guitar and facing each other the whole time, which was a brilliant idea. It was the perfect song choice for them. It suited both of their voices, and they sounded great together. Randy said it was a great song by two great singers. He called it amazing and said it could be a hit. Ellen said the performance was great. Kara said this performance was one of her favorite moments of the season. She said she loved the chemistry and interaction between Crystal and Lee, and they brought out the best in each other. Simon said it was fantastic (with a huge grin).
Casey James sang “Mrs. Robinson” by Simon and Garfunkel (from The Graduate). Casey played the mandolin for this song. He did a good job, but it wasn't great. Randy said Casey's performance was laid back and cool, but he wasn't jumping up and down about it. Ellen said Casey did something different with the song, but he could have gone further. Kara said it seems like Casey is fighting to stay in the competition. She thought this song was a good choice for Casey because it was upfront and vulnerable. Simon said neither the song nor Casey's performance had the substance required for tonight. He said it was lazy and a strange song choice.
Crystal Bowersox sang “I’m Alright” by Kenny Loggins (from Caddyshack). This is the Crystal we all love. I thought the beginning was great, and she definitely made the song her own. However, she screamed a little too much toward the end. Randy said Crystal is a true artist, and she made the song fit her. Ellen said Crystal took the song and made it better. Kara agreed with both Randy and Ellen. Simon said Crystal is back in the game.
Mike and Casey sang “Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman” by Bryan Adams (from Don Juan DeMarco) as a duet. They both played guitar as well, with Casey taking the solo riffs. Casey and Mike and completely different artists, but somehow they made it work. It was cool to see the two crooners team up. Randy said the song started rough vocally, but Mike and Casey sounded good together. Ellen said, "as a matter of fact, I have loved a woman." Kara said the duets tonight were incredible and better than all of the solo performances. Simon agreed with Kara and said the duets were one million times better than the solo performances. He said Mike and Casey were really good.
My favorites of the night were the duets. I think Crystal and Lee will be the top two, but I'm not sure which order Casey and Mike will fall.
Tomorrow night Bon Jovi, Daughtry, and Fantasia will all perform.
Unfortunately this is my last week blogging for Idol. I work at a summer camp, and I'm leaving this weekend, so it's adieu to TV until August for me. I will definitely watch the final two episodes though later this summer.
