American Idol Results

Ruben Studdard, winner of season two, performed. He's going on tour with season two runner-up Clay Aiken this summer.

Usher performed his new single "OMG" with Will.I.Am of the Black Eyed Peas.

Diddy also performed.

Katie, Didi, and Tim are in the bottom three. Katie and Tim are safe. Didi sang "Rhiannon" again for a shot at the judges' save. However, it wasn't good enough. Didi went home.

I'm disappointed. Tim definitely should have gone home. Enough is enough. He can smile, but he cannot compare to the other talented artists that are still remaining in the competition.

The theme next week is Lennon/McCartney.

Tours/Concerts Galore!

Atlantic Records released details today regarding Jason Castro's first headlining tour. To read the full press release, click here.

Tour Dates

4/17 Dallas, TX The Loft
4/22 Phoenix, AZ Chasers
4/23 San Diego, CA House of Blues
4/25 Los Angeles, CA The Troubadour
4/27 Kansas City, MO Bottleneck Blues Bar
4/28 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
4/30 Detroit, MI Pike Room
5/1 Cleveland, OH Grog Shop
5/2 Columbus, OH The Basement
5/3 Orlando, FL Walt Disney World
5/4 Atlanta, GA Vinyl
5/6 Nashville, TN Rocketown
5/8 Clearwater, FL Capitol Theatre
5/12 New York, NY Joe's Pub
5/13 Vienna, VA Jammin Java
5/15 Boston, MA Café 939
5/16 Philadelphia, PA The Note

Also, Paramore is heading back out on tour again this summer. As I mentioned before, they're doing a short spring tour with Relient K and fun. Unfortunately, this tour is not coming anywhere near Texas.

However, last week Paramore announced that they will be headlining the Honda Civic Tour with Tegan and Sara this summer and fall.

Click here for tour dates.

Last but not least, for those of you in the San Marcos, TX area. Shwayze and Cisco Adler are headlining River Fest 2010 on April 22 at Sewell Park. The Couch and Zlam Dunk will also be performing.

Then, the very next weekend (April 30 - May 1)is MR. Fest (My Radio Fest), brought to you by KTSW 89.9, Texas State University's campus radio station. For more information regarding MR. Fest, please follow our blog.

American Idol Top 10

The them this week is Soul/R&B.  Usher is the mentor.

Siobahn Magnus sang “Through the Fire” by Chaka Kahn. I had banked on Siobahn nailing this week, but it was terrible. She sounded whiny and out of control. She missed the same set of notes in the chorus every time, and the ending run was awful. Randy said it was all over the place and never caught on pitch wise, but he still loves Siobahn's courage and conviction. Ellen said Siobahn sounded lost and freaked out. Kara said Siobahn's lower register is not strong enough, but every great singer is entitled to an off night. Simon said this was Siobahn's weakest performance and he's bored of her screaming at the end of her performances.

Casey James sang “Hold On, I’m Coming” by Sam and Dave. Casey showed off his bluesy side. He was grinning ear to ear, clearly enjoying himself. It was a great performance, but I'm still waiting for Casey to blow me away. Randy said Casey stayed in his element, showed his vocal range, and selected the perfect song. Ellen said Casey is consistently good, but she thought it was a bit safe. Kara said she believes Casey has more range in him and he's limiting his vocal skills with his song choices. She wants him to go back to his acoustic guitar and show everything he's got. Simon said it was Casey's strongest performance so far. He said Casey showed a completely different side of himself, and he was really impressed.

Michael Lynche sang “Ready for Love” by India Arie. I loved this performance. Mike kept it simple with tender vocals and acoustic guitar. He was so completely in his element, and he connected with the song. Randy said Mike is in the zone and he's loving every performance. He said it wasn't an exciting performance, but it's good to pull it back every now and then. Ellen said it was beautiful and she loved it. Kara said Mike did an incredible job mastering the intention behind the song. Simon said this was the first time he's taken Mike seriously in this competition. He called Mike's performance terrific and believable.

Didi Benami sang “What Becomes of the Broken Hearted” by Jimmy Ruffin. This was an emotional song for Didi, but I thought she did well. We saw more power in her vocals, and it showed off her tone well. However, there were (yet again) pitch problems, and it just sounded heavy and dramatic. Randy said he waited for that "moment," but the performance fell flat. Ellen said the performance was too dramatic and not Didi's best. Kara said the song was overdone and that Didi seems to have lost her way in this competition. Simon called it over the top and old fashioned.

Tim Urban sang “Sweet Love” by Anita Baker. I thought Tim sounded like a lounge singer. His stage presence is awkward, and he doesn't know how to connect with the camera. It was a good vocal but not impressive. Randy said Tim sounded like a singing waiter, but at least he sang in tune. Again, Randy called it a flat performance and wants Tim to really connect. Ellen said it was a tough song choice and she just didn't get it. Kara called it was Broadway and Vegas rolled into one and said that Tim took the soul out of the song. Simon didn't even critique Tim. He said "You're not going to win, but you’re going to smile, the audience is going to vote for you, and you’ll be here next week."

Andrew Garcia sang “Forever” by Chris Brown. Finally, someone chose a current song. Ladies and gentlemen, Andrew is back! This is the Andrew we all fell in love with. Tonight he was back in his element, and I loved it. It was my favorite of the night. Randy said Andrew made the song his own and called it his best performance. Ellen said it was an amazing, strong performance. Kara said this was one giant leap in the right direction for Andrew. Simon said Andrew's performance was miles better than the past few weeks, but he still needs to show more personality and drive.

Katie Stevens sang “Chain of Fools” by Aretha Franklin. Katie has such a big voice, but I wish she had more vocal training. It was a good performance, but Katie could have done more with the song. Randy said it was one of the best vocal performances and it showed off her pipes, but she needs to find a way to connect. Ellen said Katie has great vocals, but she needs to pick a current song. Kara said Katie has found where she belongs in Pop/R&B, but she needs to make it young and commercial. Simon called Katie's performance robotic and cold, and he still doesn't believe she's an R&B artist.

Lee Dewyze sang “Treat Her Like a Lady” by the Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose. I absolutely loved this performance. Lee made it his own. This sounded like it could be a current record. Lee could be a dark horse in this competition. He may sneak up on the other contestants. Randy said it was unbelievable. Ellen called it the best of the night. Kara said Lee brought the song into his world and it could have been on his record. Simon said, "This is the night your life may have changed forever."

Crystal Bowersox sang “Midnight Train to Georgia” by Gladys Knight. Last week Crystal said she had a surprise for this week, so she played piano in the beginning and stood up and walked around during the chorus. As usual, this was a fantastic performance. Crystal even hit some high notes that I didn't know she could hit. She also showed more personality, but I still love her with her guitar. Randy said it was another great performance by Crystal. Ellen said Crystal showed another side of her, and she's in it to win it. Kara said she was glad that Crystal took a risk and can't wait to see what she'll do next. Simon said it was a sensational song choice with incredible vocals, but he's worried that Crystal will let this process suck the identity out of her. He said she's real and should not change.

Aaron Kelly sang “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers. His vocals were shaky in the beginning, but Aaron settled into it. It was a good performance, but it was boring and lacked dynamics. Randy said Aaron has more soul and flavor than he showed tonight. Ellen said it was a good song choice and Aaron did a good job. Kara said she liked it but it needed more energy. Simon said it was an okay performance, but it's been done so well on the show before that it didn't compare. However, Simon believes Aaron is safe for another week.

My favorites of the night were Andrew, Lee, and Crystal (with Casey and Mike following closely).

I think Tim, Didi, and Katie will be in the bottom three.

Tomorrow night Usher will perform, as well as Diddy and season two winner, Ruben Studdard.

Top 11 Results

Group performance returned this week with "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go" by Wham!

Miley Cyrus sang "When I Look At You" from her new movie, The Last Song. The judges should have critiqued her. It was terrible as expected. Why does she feel the need to headbang to a ballad? She did the same thing last year with "The Climb."

Joe Jonas and Demi Lovato sang their new duet, "Make a Wave."

Paige, Tim, and Katie are the bottom three.

Paige Miles went home. Simon told her that singing for her life wouldn't help because it's the end of the road for her tonight.


Next week the theme is R&B/Soul, featuring Usher as the mentor.

American Idol Top 11

The theme this week is Billboard Hot 100 No. 1's, and Miley Cyrus is the mentor.

Lee Dewyze sang “The Letter” by the Box Tops. This was a new sound for Lee with a big band jazz sound. I love his voice, and it was a good performance, but the song is forgettable. Randy said Lee knocked it out of the box. Ellen compared Lee to her favorite pen. Kara said she's never heard Lee sound better or look more comfortable on stage. Simon said he was surprised by the song choice because it was a bit corny and didn't define Lee as a contemporary recording artist.

Paige Miles sang “Against All Odds” by Phil Collins (the Mariah Carey version). It was pitchy from the start and didn't get much better. When Paige gets into her higher register and belts, she sounds so much better; unfortunately, her soft voice was terrible tonight. Randy said it was pitchy all over the place and nothing came together at all. Ellen stuck to the positives: Paige didn't fall in her tall heels and she looked beautiful. Kara said she feels like Paige has stopped competing and said it was the worst vocal of the season. Simon said Paige's performance was all over the place, and he could tell that she knew it was bad too. He said she has stopped believing in herself, and he believes she's in serious trouble.

Tim Urban sang “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” by Queen. He used the stage and seemed to be letting loose and having fun, but it was boring. Tim's vocals were decent, but there was nothing outstanding about his performance. Randy said Tim's vocals were boring and karaoke. Ellen said she felt like he was auditioning for High School Musical. She said it was corny and he pushed too hard. Kara compared Tim's performance to Zac Efron in Hairspray (not a bad thing, but not appropriate for this competition). She said he didn't do much with the song and didn't like that he was acting like a star because he hasn't established himself as a star yet. Simon said Tim's dancing around the stage distracted from the song, which was pointless and silly.

Aaron Kelly sang “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith. Aaron has both laryngitis and tonsilities; bless his heart. It was evident that his voice wasn't all there, but it was still a good performance and a perfect song choice. Aaron is the youngest contestant, but he knows his voice, and he knows how to play this game. Randy said Aaron had a few pitch problems, but he redeemed the night in spite of his sickness. Ellen said it was the perfect song choice and she can see his career already. Kara said Aaron knows how to pick songs that accentuate his voice. She complimented his consistency, but said she wants to see more stage presence from him. Simon said Aaron is brave, but old fashioned for his age. However, he said Aaron has zero chance of going home this week.

Crystal Bowersox sang “Me and Bobby McGee” by Janis Joplin. This is my girl. I'll say it again and again: she's fantastic, and I love her voice. This was a perfect song choice and she rocked it. Randy called Crystal a star and a dope singer. He said she is was this competition is about. Ellen said Crystal has an amazing voice and she's consistently great, but she's still missing a full connection. She said Crystal is too shy and stoic on stage. Kara said she is seeing more personality in Crystal's performances, but she wants to see Crystal let go completely. (Crystal hinted that she might leave her guitar behind next week.) Simon said he wouldn't change anything. He said Crystal is doing her own thing and still progressing week by week.

Michael Lynche sang “When a Man Loves a Woman” by Michael Bolton. I knew I was going to love this performance the minute I heard the first note. Mike is so good at connecting to romantic ballads. It was a beautiful performance that had me melting. Randy said that Mike knows who he is and uses that to his advantage. Ellen said that it was a safe song choice, but she loved it. Kara said Mike's performance was technically good, but boring and overindulgent. She said she lost her connection with him. Simon said the song was almost too much. He said Mike was trying to make an old school song sound relevant, but he has tons of charisma and a very good voice.

Andrew Garcia sang “Heard It Through the Grapevine” by Marvin Gaye. Miley made Andrew put the guitar down for this one, which I think was a good choice. However, the song was too low for Andrew. It sounded like he was talking instead of singing. Andrew is this season's greatest disappointment. He peaked too soon and doesn't know what to do now. Randy said it was the wrong song choice and just not a good performance. Ellen said Andrew's performance wasn't enough to gain voters. Kara said Andrew is just chasing that moment he had in Hollywood with his Paula Abdul cover and it's playing with his head. Simon said they may have overrated Andrew's "moment." He said Andrew sucked the soul out of this song and called it corny.

Katie Stevens sang “Big Girls Don’t Cry” by Fergie. I hate this song, but I like Katie's voice (most of the time). The chorus was all over the place vocally, so this song just didn't do much for me. I still agree with Simon that she needs to go country instead. Randy commended Katie (once again) for listening to the judges' advice in choosing a younger song. Ellen said this was Katie's best performance. Kara said Katie still has some pitch issues, but she believes this Pop/R&B genre is the right choice for Katie. Simon thinks that Katie could find a more loyal market in country music, and he said meeting Miley was the best thing that could happen for Katie because they're the same age and Miley has been so successful.

Casey James sang “The Power of Love” by Huey Lewis and the News. Casey is such a rock star. He had me smiling at the first note. It was a great performance, and Casey looked like he was having fun, but I still want to see him move around more. Randy said he wasn't crazy about the song, but it was a good performance. He also said Casey is the best musician (guitar player) they've had on Idol so far. Ellen also wasn't a fan of the song choice, but she said it was the best vocal of the night. Kara said Casey is on another level. She said he's in the zone and ready to make an album. Simon disagreed by calling the performance old fashioned and comparing it to an 80s cover band. He said there was no effort or originality in it.

Didi Benami sang “You’re No Good” by Linda Rondstadt. I thought it was a good song choice. She missed some notes in the beginning, but I liked her attitude and swagger. Randy said Didi's performance didn't translate and was pitchy all over the place. Ellen said she didn't understand the song choice. Kara said it felt dramatic- like Didi was playing a character and trying to be something she's not. Simon said Didi's performance was ironically "no good" because she didn't sound like herself.

Siobahn Magnus sang "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder. This was such a weird song for her. I didn't like it. She's taking those "high notes" too far now. Screaming is not singing. Randy loved her performance and said Siobahn is fearless. Ellen said she wants to see more from Siobahn. Kara said Siobahn always expresses herself with her performances. She said it wasn't her best, but the end note was amazing. (False!) Simon said Siobahn didn't hit the high notes as well as she has before, and the screaming at the end is getting repetitive. He said everyone, except Crystal, needs to start pushing themselves and trying harder to be relevant because tonight was a disaster.

My favorites of the night are Crystal, Casey, and Mike.
The bottom three will be Paige, Tim, Katie. Paige is going home.

Featured New Artist of the Month: Danny Gokey

Danny Gokey finished third on American Idol last year (Season 8). He was a favorite from the beginning of the season with his tender raspy vocals and heart-wrenching story. Danny's wife, Sophia, died after having routine heart surgery just a month before Danny's audition. Because of this, Danny was known as the contestant with the tragedy. With the release of his debut album, My Best Days, last week, Danny is letting the world know that his "best days are ahead."

On American Idol, Danny proved to be a versatile and creative artist, often taking risks with his song choices. His shining moment, however, was when he sang "What Hurts the Most" by Rascall Flatts during country music week. Randy Travis, the mentor for country week, suggested that Danny take the country route after Idol because of his storytelling capabilities. Danny always portrays great emotion and sincerity on stage, which is a valued quality in country singers. So, that's exactly what Danny did.

Danny's album debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 chart last week. Many Idol albums fail from the start, but My Best Days is one of my favorite Idol albums. In fact, I'd rank it among debut albums by Carrie Underwood and Kris Allen as far as favorites go.

Tracklisting
1. My Best Days Are Ahead of Me
2. Like That's a Bad Thing
3. I Still Believe
4. Tiny Life
5. Get Away
6. It's Only
7. Life On Ya
8. Crazy Not To
9. Be Somebody
10. I Will Not Say Goodbye

Danny's first single, "My Best Days Are Ahead of Me", has been climbing the charts for about two months now. He recently performed it on American Idol as well. I love this song because it's the message of Danny's life. He went through a terrible tragedy, but he's also living a great adventure. It's a beautiful message for everyone. "I don't get lost in the past or get stuck in some sad memory. My best days are ahead of me."

This is a pure contemporary country album. With that, there are several upbeat fun songs like "Life On Ya" and "Get Away." There are also some wonderful ballads like "Tiny Life" and "Crazy Not To."

My favorite song on the album is the final track, "I Will Not Say Goodbye." This song portrays the opposite end of Danny's life message from "My Best Days Are Ahead of Me." This song is about pain and loss. I think the contrast between the first and last tracks is beautiful. Danny is moving on in his life journey, but he will never forget Sophia and their journey together. "I don't want to feel better. I don't want to not remember. I will laugh, I will cry, shake my fist at the sky, but I will not say goodbye."

It is evident that Danny worked very hard on this album, choosing the right songs for him and taking time for creativity. He's got a great future ahead of him. Be sure to pick up his album!

Kris Allen and OneRepublic

On Friday I went to see Kris Allen and OneRepublic at Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio. We waited in line for four hours to get third row seats, and it was completely worth it. We got to hear Kris Allen's soundcheck. He sang a couple songs that he didn't perform at the concert including "Come Together" and "Red Guitar."

Kris Allen was amazing. My roommate and I were dancing and singing along the whole time. He performed several songs that he sang on American Idol last season including "Let It Be" and "Falling Slowly."

Kris opened with a mashup of "Heartless" and "Gangsta's Paradise." Video recording was not permitted at our concert, but you can watch an acoustic performance of this mashup here.

Kris also performed several songs from his debut album including "Can't Stay Away" and "Is It Over." During "Alright With Me," Kris brought a bunch of girls on the stage to dance and sing along. My roommate and I were really disappointed because they just stood there and most of them didn't even know the words to the song (even though they were all wearing homemade "I <3 Kris Allen" t-shirts). Finally, Kris closed with his first single, "Live Like We're Dying."

OneRepublic was also fantastic. I haven't bought their new album yet, but after seeing them live, I'm determined to get it as soon as possible. OneRepublic played a variety of songs from both of their albums. Of course they played their big hits, "Apologize" and "Stop and Stare." They also played "Tyrant" and their third single "Say (All I Need)" from their debut album, Dreaming Out Loud.

OneRepublic's newest album, Waking Up, released back in November. They've brought a whole new sound to this album. I was glad to get a real taste of it at the concert. They played six songs off of their new album, including their new single, "All the Right Moves."

This was one of the best concerts I've attended. Both Kris Allen and OneRepublic are extremely talented and entertaining live performers. Be sure to support these incredible artists and pick up their albums on iTunes.