Ranking American Idol's top 11

After week 1 of the American Idol marathon finals (remember, this thing goes through the end of May!), below is who one rabid fan likes.

I've gotta say I'm really enjoying this year; like Eileen, I'm jazzed about some of the competitors who are actually getting better and growing week-to-week.

Unlike last year, when it was pretty obvious early on that Jordin, Blake and Melinda were the class of the competition, I think a number of people have a shot at winning it all this season (assuming Archuleta's army sees some deserters at some point).

Note: Our L.A. Times colleague Richard Rushfield has pulled together his own rankings.

They differ pretty significantly from mine... all I can say is only one of us correctly predicted Jordin to win at the start of the Finals round last year (okay, I said either Jordin or Sanjaya....)

-Chikezie: His charisma and happiness really bubbled out this week, he's like a mini-Ruben in that it's hard not to smile when he's having a good time. Plus, like Ruben, he can sing!

-David Cook: He's so creative and down-to-earth; everyone compares him to Daughtry, but I think he's more like Blake Lewis in that you tune in every week wondering if he can keep walking that fine line between interesting and cringe-inducing.

-Brooke White: I had doubts about whether she was too adult, too unhip for this show; her big-time image makeover and savvy at picking songs mean there's no longer anything getting in the way of her great voice.

-Jason Castro: How can you not root for him? He's so obviously a nice, slightly nerdy guy, who's just really into music. There's some steel in him, too.

-David Archuleta: Even though I'm a big fan, I'm glad he stumbled this week--it makes him more human, and also this way if he wins he'll have shown he can overcome, it won't just be a foregone coronation.

And that's about it. I'm pretty sure the next Idol will be one of these five.

The other contestants for me range from I wish they would step it up because I like them (Ramiele Malubay, Syesha Mercado, Kristy Lee Cook); to ehh, whatever (Amanda Overmyer) to there's something about them I really don't like--generally smugness/fakery (Carly Smithson, Michael Johns).

If I had to put money on it, I think Archuleta will win this year, because of his rabid fan base (it reminds me of Taylor's Soul Patrol in how they got together early and seem to be staying solid).

If I go with who I hope wins and think has a realistic shot at an upset, I'm saying Chikezie. There's just something about him that I think makes him a band-wagon contestant--I could see him building momentum and inspiring a national craze, with people walking around wearing "I'm with Chikezie" t-shirts.

Or something like that.

David Hernandez goes home...seriously

So Ryan asks Randy if these three deserve to be in the bottom this week and Randy says it's tough because none of them were very good last night. He says it probably is the right bottom three. Paula says she's never seen a stronger bottom three and that it's difficult because they're all good, but yes, America got it right. Simon says he thinks America got it absolutely spot on.

So, Ryan says he can send one of them back to safety right now and that person is... Syesha. She's coming back next week. phew... I almost picked her last night to go home...

So, it's down to Kristy and David and after 29 million votes, Kristy Lee Cook is safe and David Hernandez goes home tonight. I'm in absolute shock right now... I mean, he should have next week or the week after... not tonight. Unbelievable.

David Hernandez last to join the bottom three

So, next up is 14-time Grammy winner David Foster, performing the Beatles' "Something" with Katharine McPhee. As much as I hate her and as sick of her as I am, she sings the song beautifully. That's all I have to say about that... let's get on with it already... who's going home???

OK here we go... Ryan asks the last four contestants to stand up - David Archuleta, Brooke White, David Hernandez and Ramiele Malubay. He actually brings them to the center of the stage. He starts with David Archuleta and despite his complete screw-up last night, he is safe. Brooke White is next and she, too, is safe. That leaves just Ramiele and David and between the two of them, David should be in the bottom three, I think. And he is. And we get to listen to his mess of a song again... Yipee!!

A bunch of boredom

So, they're doing something new this year - taking calls from viewers. The first call comes in from a 12-year-old Pennsylvania girl and she asks Jason Castro, who looks terribly embarrassed to be chosen first, "If you could be one judge for a day, who would it be?" Jason at first says he'd pick Paula, since she's the most unlike him, but then he says he'd wear some of Randy's shoes with a V-neck like Simon, kind of like a hybrid.

The next question is from some guy in North Carolina, who says he's auditioned for the show 6 times and he wants to know from the judges what it takes to make it. Simon asks, "You've auditioned 6 times? Get another job?"

Wow... we're still doing this? What a complete waste of time... The next question is for Simon and Ryan - the guy wants to know why they don't just duke it out on stage... Ryan answers, "I say load in the mud, I'm ready."

There's another question, too, but I'm so bored with this, I'm fast-forwarding past it... sorry.

Kristy Lee Cook is next in the bottom three

Tonight is the first Ford commercial for the group and it has a political theme to it - very ironic, considering our governor just resigned today amid a crazy sex scandal. It's OK - a little dull.

They're playing some tape now of how much "American Idol" has changed their lives and just like that, they're back to the results. They're probably trying to get the bottom three out of the way so Katharine McPhee can perform. I hope she's better than Blake was last week, because he was a disaster.

Anyway, Ryan tells Chikezie Eze, Amanda Overmyer, Kristy Lee Cook and David Cook to stand up. Chikezie is first and after more than 29 million votes, he is safe. Amanda is next and she is also safe. David Cook is next and there's no question - he is safe, too. So, looks like Kristy Lee Cook is the second person in the bottom three and oh no, we have to listen to that horrible arrangement again. Oh how funny - she actually says to the audience, "Sorry you gotta hear it again." I still think her voice sounds great with this song - it's just that the song should never be country.

Syesha is in the bottom three

So, we're watching a recap of last night now and I feel like every time I see it, it gets better to me. I half-paid attention while at work and thought it was mediocre, got home last night to blog and thought it was pretty good and now watching the recap, I feel like they were really great. Can't wait for it happen again next week.

So, let's start saving some people... Randy tells Carly Smithson, Michael Johns, Jason Castro and Syesha Mercado to stand up. He goes over Carly's song choice and what the judges said and then tells her she is safe... Michael is next - he does the same thing with him and he, too, is safe... Jason is up now and he's looking delicious, as always, with those gorgeous blue eyes of his... and I'm not the only one who thinks so. I was talking to my friend, Kim, at work today and she, too, thinks there's just something about him that's very sexy - so at least I'm not alone in this. But he, too, is safe and I hope he picks a great song next week - can't wait!!!

Syesha is next and she is obviously in the bottom three - he's probably going to pick four people at a time and one of the group is in the bottom three. No big surprise on this one - she is in fact, in the bottom three. And they make her sing her song now, just in case she's leaving, I suppose - or could it be for extra filler for this hour of nonsense?

Beatles lovefest continues next week!!!!!

So looks like Fox is working overtime to promote "Horton Hears a Who" tonight. Not only did the show start with a cute little clip of the characters watching "American Idol," but Jim Carrey is actually in the audience dressed as Horton, the character he voices in the film.

But great news!!! Apparently, they got so many calls and e-mails that they've decided to change next week's theme. Instead of whatever they had planned, they've decided to do more from the Lennon-McCartney songbook. So, tonight's group song is a medley from the songbook - it's wonderful. It's so nice to hear such beautiful songs and watching Jason Castro shake his cute little behind was completely entertaining.

It looks like they didn't go over the choreography too well because some people are dancing, some aren't... it looks a little messy, but who cares when it sounds so good?

Oh geez... will Sanjaya ever go away? They show him in the audience cheering along with his sister... His 15 minutes are long over... why do people insist on having him around?

"We Can Work It Out," but David Archuleta doesn't

Michael Johns is originally from Australia, but he's been living in America for 10 years now and he lived in Georgia for about 6 years and he's been in Los Angeles for 4 years. He says when you're a musician, you have to find a way to make ends meet, so he's done everything from hard labor to tennis coaching on the side. Other than that, he's done everything he can to keep music in his life.

He sings "Across the Universe" and I'm not sure what to say about it, to be honest. I think Michael Johns is great - I love his voice, and he's really entertaining to watch. But his performance tonight was neither terrible nor spectacular. I can't think of anything to criticize or poke fun at, but at the same time, I can't think of anything to gush about either. And I suppose if he were anyone else, that would be OK, but he's Michael Johns, who has a certain sexiness about him, who has impressed us all in the past, whom we keep waiting to be impressed by again. But it's been a few weeks since he's knocked me over and I'm beginning to wonder if he's got anything left in there. I'm going to hope that next week he comes out and just blows us away - I mean, isn't that what we're all waiting for? He's not in any danger this week, I don't think, but he will be soon if he doesn't do something different next time around.

Randy tells him it wasn't his best performance, that he was waiting for something big to happen. he says he could have taken a little liberty and changed a couple of notes. he was OK for him, a little sleepy, but it was all right. Paula disagrees and says it takes an inner strength and an inner confidence to be able to stand center stage and do nothing but sing. Simon agrees with Randy and says he should have done... and then stops to ask what the Irish girl's name is. Seriously? The show's been on now for like 2 months now and he honestly can't remember the name of a contestant he praises each week? Ridiculous. Anyway, he says Carly did something brilliant with her song and that's what he should have done. He says it was a little bit monotonous, that it was solid, it was good, but now is the point where he has to let himself go because he's a big fan of his but he's frustrated because he still hasn't heard what he's capable of doing.


Kristy Lee Cook is from Selma, Ore., a really small town with maybe 500 people. She says if you blink your eyes, you're already through the town. She says the "Idol" experience is totally opposite of what she's used to. She says making the top 12 in her town is like a news flash.

She's singing "Eight Days a Week," and she's changing it up to make it a country song. Oh.... my.... God. It sounds like a polka - I heard like maybe one line and had to pause it... I'm not sure I can go on - I feel humiliated for her. And to be honest, I'm kind of annoyed because she has butchered a classic. I feel like it's OK to change a song to suit your voice or your style, but I think you always have to maintain a certain respect for the original song. I think she completely disrespected this song - turned it into a joke. I mean, maybe country fans out there will love it, I don't know. But I just think it's terrible. They just showed her up close and it looks like she's looking at the judges and she looks worried. I wonder if they hate it and she knows it.

To be fair, her voice sounds great - she's totally suited to this kind of music, but it's just unfortunate because this may be her best performance so far this season (I think it is, anyway) and it's totally overshadowed by this horrible arrangement.

Randy says he actually liked the arrangement and the idea of the song, but he says vocally, she kept trying to force some runs and it would have been cool if she had left it as a country jig. He says he's kind of torn - that half of him likes it, the other half didn't. Paula says she didn't enjoy it, that she shouldn't take what they say too much to heart, that she should be to infuse her own thing - she says she didn't get it. Simon says it was horrendous, that she sounded like Dolly Parton on helium. He says it was a very brave but probably foolish thing to do because that song just doesn't work in that style - that it was like being at some ghastly country fair or something.


David Archuleta is from Murray, Utah, which is right outside of Salt Lake City and he's a junior at Murray High. He says he's the second oldest - he has one brother and three sisters. His mom is from Honduras and his father grew up in Utah. He says his mom likes listening to salsa and merengue and his dad is a jazz musician, so he likes jazz. He says he didn't like jazz when he was little and he didn't like the older music, like from the 60s and stuff, so when he found out this week's theme, he was a little nervous because he wasn't familiar with the songs.

He chooses "We Can Work It Out" because he recognized it as a Stevie Wonder song and my guess is he's chosen to sing that arrangement because what he's singing is certainly not the version the Beatles sung.

Whoa... did he just forget the words? Well, look how the mighty have fallen. I don't mean for that to come out mean because I actually really like David Archuleta, but I think he needed something like this to happen. I think he needed to completely bomb, which is what he's doing right now - it only gets worse after the forgotten lyrics. He needs to see that it's OK to screw up, it's OK to not be perfect. He needs to fall off the horse, so he can get back on it next week.

Having said that, I feel so bad for him - this is by far his worst performance, and honestly, one of the worst tonight - the arrangement is weird...

Holy cow... he just did it again - he forgot the words again... he's just falling apart.

Anyway, the arrangement is weird, he looks uncomfortable and nervous and his voice is just nothing at like what we've heard it to be in the past. Something like this to a 17-year-old can be devastating. I hope he can come back strong next week.

Unbelievable... three times... it's not as noticeable this time, but he definitely slurs a couple of words that he's clearly forgotten. What a shame... but tomorrow is another day and even though tonight is a complete disaster, I am sure his fans will vote like crazy to keep him safe. He's not going anywhere any time soon.

Randy tell him he's a fan of his, but that this week, it was not on point, this kind of vibe is not his vibe, that it felt very forced and that it really didn't work. Paula says it wasn't his best week, but he's a front runner. She tells him to never let it show on his face that he forgot the lyrics, but it's OK, that they all love him. Simon says there are 12 people in the competition trying to win, so he's going to treat everyone fairly. He then tells Davis that it was a mess - he stumbled over the lyrics, that he shouldn't have done the Stevie Wonder version, that it was all over the place and at this point in the competition, he expects incredible performances and this wasn't, that it was his weakest performance so far.

Boy, this week is tough to pick just one person to go home. Last week, I only got 2 out 4, bringing my total to 7 out 12. Clearly, my guessing is getting worse, so let's go through this for a minute. Syesha Mercado was not great and she hasn't been great since maybe the first week, so she's on my list. Ramiele Malubay was terrible today, very cheesy and very dull. David Hernandez was pretty bad, too. Kristy Lee Cook sounded great, but her arrangement was so bad, it completely overshadowed anything good she may have done. David may have been bad tonight, but he was wonderful last week, so I think he's got another week left in him... Syesha hasn't impressed me since the first week, but she also hasn't disgusted me either, so I think she may be OK, too. Ramiele has been disappointing, but since we've seen what she can do, I think America will give her another chance - plus I think Randy saying she may not make it to next week will get her fans calling in like crazy to save her. So, even though I think Kristy Lee Cook actually improved this week, the arrangement was just awful - plus she was in the bottom two last week, so my vote is for Kristy Lee Cook - I think she goes home tomorrow.

David Hernandez "Saw Her Standing There" covering her ears

Brooke White is originally from Mesa, Ariz., a large suburb outside of Phoenix. She moved to Los Angeles so she could work on music. She was a nanny to twin girls and she says it was a wonderful job and she misses them. She says everything has changed since "American Idol," but that it's an exciting change and she's just grateful to be there.

She sings "Let It Be," and this week, she's playing the piano. She, much like David Cook, has been getting better and better, so the expectation for tonight is much higher than it would have been like three weeks ago. I actually like her style - she's kind of earthy, very simple. She's toned down every song she's chosen to a very simple melody, with a slight accompaniment, and it works for her. Tonight is no different - I'm not blown away like I was last week, but she's still in my favorites list. This was a tough song because the chorus is very repetitive and with every "Let it be," you have to make it different and interesting and she managed to do it, I think.

Randy tells her he doesn't think it was her strongest performance but what he likes about her is that she has all this conviction and she gave a very heartfelt performance. Paula says this is her niche, picking song where America can feel her heart, blah blah blah. Simon says he thought it was, again, one of the best performances of the night. He thought it was a brilliant choice of song, that she's done it three weeks running now and actually, it's believable and great.


David Hernandez is from Glendale, Ariz., hometown of the "amazing" Jordin Sparks. He says he got fired from his job as a server at Pizza Bistro on his day off and he's also a student as Arizona State University - he's majoring in broadcast journalism. he says a typical day is waking up at 10 or 11am and going to school and then going to work at the Pizza Bistro (I thought he was an "exotic dancer" at a gay club. Funny how he doesn't mention that job at all). He says he doesn't miss that routine so much.

He sings "I Saw Her Standing There" and he's moving all around the audience and I hate to say it, but he actually moves like an exotic dancer. I wish he would just say something about it so people would stop talking about it already. I mean, he had the perfect opportunity when asked about his job. But anyway, it doesn't really matter because tonight, his moves are way better than his voice. It's like he's another person - where's the big voice? Where's the talent? I don't know if it's the song choice or what, but this is a huge disappointment for me. He may be in danger for tomorrow, because this performance wouldn't have even gotten him past the first audition if he'd sung it then. I will say this, though... he looks really nice tonight - I like the vest and tie, very nice. Especially the way the shirt is untucked, kind of messy looking - it's sexy. He should have picked a better song, though. Bad, bad choice...

Randy says that with this song, which is really simple, he says it was overdone, he was trying to do too much with it, so he was lost from the beginning. Paula agrees and says he overdid it a little - too many runs. Simon says, "David... no, no, no." He says it was corny verging on desperate and that it just wasn't a strong performance.


Amanda Overmyer is from Mulberry, Ind., a small, rural town outside of Lafayette. She's a nurse and she likes to ride her Harley - everyone in her family rides, so she says it's a good way for them to get together. She says now it's all new territory to her - it might be a photo shot, it might be interviews.

She sings "You Can't Do That" and she looks great - not as good as last week, but still way better than that week where they made her look like a cartoon. I kind of wish she'd take the blond out of her hair, but she's wearing simple striped pants with a tank top and a colored scarf, simple and comfortable, like last week. Last week, her make-up was a bit more subdued, it reminded me of Ally Sheedy in "The Breakfast Club," after Molly Ringwald cleans her up - so it was refreshing. But the eyeliner is back this week... oh well, can't have it all, I suppose.

But putting that aside, her performance is fantastic. I feel like she pulled a David Cook on this a little bit - she rocked up the song without destroying it - she made a few subtle changes and it was great. I would say it was her best performance so far - no mistakes, no pitch problems, great use of the stage... just wonderful, really.

Randy says she took a Beatles son and took it to a Southern bar and rocked it out. He says he loved it, that it was very cool. Paula says she looks fantastic, that she's smiling, having fun. She says she's blown away. Simon tells her it wasn't as good as last week and that she slurred a lot of the words and he didn't understand them. He also says it's a good thing she's in the competition because she's like a breath of fresh air when she comes on, but if he's comparing week on week, it's not as good as last week.

Things "Come together" for Carly Smithson

Jason Castro is from Rockwall, Texas, and for the past two years, he's been a student at Texas A&M University in College Station. He declared a music minor this past year, he says he wanted to learn a little more, and it ended up being the only class he failed. He says his family is from Colombia and that he went down one summer with his brother to spend time with his cousins and he says they don't really speak English, but they love the Beatles and they would sing along with the music. He says he fell in love with "Yesterday" and as he's gotten older and learned more about music, he's really gained an appreciation for what the Beatles did - it was really revolutionary.

He sings "If I Fell," one of my favorites, and as usual, he looks utterly adorable. He brings the guitar back and almost immediately, the audience starts clapping along with the song. He actually changes the melody just a little bit toward the end and as much as I hate when people change classics, this was very subtle. I don't think I can say enough times how much I love Jason Castro. I think he's funky but simple and completely mysterious and intriguing. I don't think he's the best singer in this group, but he has character and I think that's what people are drawn to. He did a great job, but it wasn't as good as last week, I don't think. It was still way better than Ramiele, though.

Randy says he liked it but he didn't love it and the reason he didn't love it is because it's one of his favorite songs and he wasn't crazy about his changing the melody. He says it threw him and he found himself tuning out. But he says it was all right. Paula disagrees with Randy and says that she feels his heart and the audience feels his heart. She says that he doesn't do all the runs like the other singers and that he doesn't have to because he has an emotional connection to the songs he chooses and that's what America connects with. Simon tells him that last week he was incredible and that tonight it was all a little bit like a student in a bedroom at midnight. HUH? I have no idea what he means by that, but I'm sure I'm not the only one out there who would be just fine with him in a bedroom at midnight. OK - I'm getting sidetracked now... Simon says the song was quite boring. He says Jason is very unique, very different and that he's a big, big fan of his, but that he's not going to make the same impact this week that he did last week because it was the song that made it so special. He tells him he has pick brilliant songs that suit his style. He finished by saying that it was good enough to stay another week but that it was not as good as last week.

Carly Smithson is originally from Ireland but she's been living in San Diego for about three years and she loves it. She says all her family lives in Ireland and she misses them. She works 7 days a week, bartending and waitressing on and off and then Saturday nights, she plays music.

She sings "Come Together" and starts off the song doing this weird gyrating motion that's a bit disturbing for me. I'm a little disappointed with the camera work on this number because it looks like she's using the stage, but we don't really see it because of the camera angles - they keep panning to the bandleader and the screens up by him. I feel like we're missing out on the performance side of Carly and I've been grasping at straws to find something about her that's unique and not quite so blah, so I was hoping to find something positive to say about her tonight.

I mean, let's be real - she has a great voice, she rarely makes a mistake and she has a certain comfort level on stage that the others don't. But having said that, I still find her very bland and her voice isn't spectacular enough to make me go out and spend money on her album. So, while she's a great performer, I feel like there's nothing really special about her, nothing that separates her from the rest. I'm sure many of you out there completely disagree - but I can't shake my ambivalence.

Randy says what he loved was that she was strong and confident, she was having a good time and she sounded amazing. He says it was a stellar performance. Paula says that watching her felt like she was already watching a star. Simon tells her that week after week, so far, he thinks she has chosen the wrong song. Until now - he says this reminds him of, 6 years ago - exactly the same week, Kelly Clarkson.

David Cook is from Blue Springs, Mo., and he says he had a pretty standard upbringing - it's a nice, quasi-quiet suburban town. He says that before "American Idol," he was a bartender at a bar in Tulsa, Okla., which was also a music venue, so he was able to play shows there from time to time. He says it's the only job he's ever had where he can totally be who he is and nobody faults him for it.

He sings "Eleanor Rigby," and it starts out a little scary. I say scary, because I'm actually nervous for him - he's been consistently getting better and better and I feel like every time he steps on stage, the expectation just gets higher. The beginning is scary, simply because it doesn't immediately blow me away. It's just kind of OK... until the chorus. When the chorus hits, he comes completely alive, the song comes alive, it's like the verses were a slow crescendo to this explosion of greatness. I may be gushing a bit, but David has been my surprise love. I hope Jason isn't hurt by my infidelity, but David is so creative, so intelligent - his choices are flawless, his arrangements are fresh and interesting and unlike Blake Lewis, who slaughtered songs to make them his own, David Cook puts his signature on every song he sings without removing the essence of the original.

And what I love the most about David is that he's so good, he's made me forget how awful his hair is - when the show started, it was all I could think about when he was on screen - that awful hair, it's like a comb-over, when are the stylists going to fix it, etc... But it's like that doesn't even matter anymore. I'm usually so used to focusing on the visual - this one made a funny face, that one has on an ugly dress - but when he comes on stage, I'm listening. He's so good, I just want to stop everything and listen.

Tonight was not as great as last week's performance, but to me, he's still better than anyone we've seen so far tonight. Randy tells him that he proves that you can definitely rock out on "Idol." He said it started a little pitchy but once he hit the chorus, it was rockin'. Paula says she's been telling everyone he's the dark horse of the competition. I'm not sure what she means - he's been one of their favorites every week. It's not like he's come out of nowhere. Simon says he thought it was brilliant. He says if this show remains a talent competition and not a popularity contest, he actually could win the entire show.

Judges to Ramiele Malubay: Never been so bored "In my life"

There are really no words to describe how excited I am for tonight. I've been waiting years for them to sing Beatles music and tonight is the night. I almost can't believe it's really here. I hope the contestants choose their songs wisely and I hope they don't change them around too much - these songs are classics - the contestants really need to walk a fine line between making the songs their own and completely butchering them.

Tonight is also the unveiling of the new "American Idol" set. It's actually pretty cool - I like how the band is up on top instead of some pit. It looks nice - there may be a few too many "American Idol" logos around the stage, but I suppose it's only appropriate.

Well, enough with the idle chatter - let's get on with the music. This week, along with their selections, we get to hear more about where the contestants are from. Syesha Mercado is up first tonight. She is from Sarasota, Fla., currently living in Miami. She is currently a student and a working actress - she says she was always active in dance and music and remembers always being surrounded by music. She says her mom is a singer and she remember listening to the oldies station in the car with her parents. She says it's exciting because she's getting a chance to sing music she grew up listening to.

She sings "Got to Get You into My Life," which was on the Beatles' "Revolver" album. The first few lines are awful - totally out of tune, but then she starts to get a little bit better. I'm not sure her voice is well suited to this song. First off, the original has an edge to it and she's singing this song with a very fluid, smooth kind of sound - it sounds kind of odd and out of place. Plus, she's on this big, brand new stage and she just kind of stands there, never really utilizing the space she has. I don't know - it wasn't terrible, but it's a weak start to the night, I think.

Randy tells her it was a nice arrangement, kind of like the one Earth, Wind & Fire did, but tells her that it started a little bit rough, with a few pitch problems, but that by the middle of it, she started to get into it. He tells her she needs to loosen up and have fun, but that it was all right. Paula tells her it started out pitchy, but that halfway through, she found her zone. Simon actually disagrees and says it was better than all right. He says it was a great choice of song. He says she looked very nervous and that she needs to get past that, but he thinks she was much better than last week. What did she sing last week, again? It couldn't have been that good if I can't even remember...oh yeah, she sang that Whitney Houston song... I guess Simon's right - this week is better because last week was incredibly boring. But still, it wasn't great - it was just OK.

Chikezie actually looks kind of nice tonight - I'm a big fan or argyle sweaters. I'm not sure the tie matches the sweater, but still, overall, I like the look. Anyway, he says he's from Inglewood, Calif., which is just outside of Los Angeles. He used to work at LAX as a screener, the guy who tells you you can't bring your drink past security, who checks bags and feels people up. He says he grew up listening to Nigerian cultural music, not really American music, but he says that while he practicing for the show, his mom started singing along with him. When he asked her how she knew the songs, she said she listened them all the time at home, which he says is not true. So, he feels like he's playing catch up while he had an encyclopedia at home.

He sings "She's a Woman" and to be honest, I'm not incredibly familiar with this song. Now, I grew up on the Beatles - my father is completely fanatical about them, but I admit that even as a child, I would skip over songs that didn't appeal to me. So, while I do recognize the song, it's not one of my favorites, not one that I know by heart or anything like that. I do know that there's no banjo in the original, though.

Huh... well, I'm not sure what to say about Chikezie tonight. I could repeat for the hundredth time how I don't like his attitude and I hope he goes home, but let's put that aside for a moment. Let's call a momentary truce - just for tonight - because I think I like this quirky arrangement he put together, I like the hint of a country sound, I like the banjo. Plus, he's performing - he's moving around the stage, he's dancing, he's really giving it his all out there. He must have really felt like he was going home last week and now he's acting like he has nothing to lose. He's just letting loose, giving it what looks like 150 percent. I'm still not his No. 1 fan, but he's moved up a slight notch tonight. He kind of updated a classic without destroying it or disrespecting it in any way. So, at least for tonight, I'm going to hold my fire.

Randy tells him he was thoroughly entertained. He says he loved the arrangement, loved the down South sound, loved the falsetto. He says he smashed it. Paula says she was waiting for this and that the reward paid off. I have a feeling she meant to say the risk paid off, but whatever. Simon says he's really surprised that he agrees with Randy and Paula. He says that what he loved about it was that unlike Syesha, he's actually changed within a week, that he took control over the stage, that it was a unique version of the song and that he thought it was terrific.

Ramiele Malubay says she is from Miramar, Fla., and that she works at a sushi place. She says she pours soy sauce into little, little cups and caps them and she goes home smelling like soy sauce. Wow... talk about fascinating. She also says she comes from a musical family - her sister plays the guitar and drums, so they put the two together - her sister plays guitar and she sings once in a while, for fun. She says her family is from the Philippines and that he has fond memories of listening to her parents sing "Yesterday" in the car.

She sings "In My Life," dedicating it to her close friends, who have left the show already... probably Danny, her BFF. She starts the song on the stairs, facing away from the audience, looking up at a camera and it's so cheesy, I almost want to fast-forward right past the whole thing. It's just so dramatic. And her dress is just not cute - she's wearing a strapless black dress with this huge patent leather-looking white belt under her bust... She has horrible taste in clothes - I haven't seen her wear one nice thing this season. Plus, to top it off, tonight, her singing is terrible. It could be that she's just been better in the past, but the truth is, that even without a comparison, this performance is just not good.

You know what it is? I noticed this a few weeks back, but never mentioned it - her phrasing is terrible - she takes breaths in very strange places and chops up phrases. It takes away from the flow of the song, I think. For example, there's a spot where she sings, "All these places...gasp... had... gasp... their moments..." It's just so choppy - and dull. I feel like she gets more boring every week. The week she did the disco song, the judges didn't think it was great, but I kind of liked it, because you actually saw a bit of fun in her. She keeps relying on the ballads and that's eventually going to get old. In fact, it's already old for me.

Randy tells it was kind of pretty but it was also kind of pretty boring. He says he kept waiting for her to do something special and interesting to the song but that it just laid there. Paula starts by telling her she looks lovely - blatant lie - but that it was pretty safe and that she's holding back. Simon says he was bored to tears throughout the entire song, from the awful standing on the stairs to the walking in the middle with a dreary song choice, which did absolutely nothing for her. He says it was forgettable, boring and he expects a lot better from her because she's better than that. Ryan then asks Randy if he thinks she did enough to make it to next week and Randy actually says he doesn't know, that it was pretty boring. Oh geez... is she actually pouting like a 2-year-old? I can't even take it anymore. Next...