Siete

American Idol's cut to seven starts with Ryan and the contestants huddling backstage on Latin Night, talking about gosh knows what. They introduce Jennifer Lopez, based on the way she talks to them you can tell she's smart.

Melinda Doolittle up first, doing Sway; Lopez advises her to be sexy, she says that'll be her biggest challenge. All in black; silky smooth if nothing else. It's okay; but no warm intimacy or energy, it's all cool, laid back, more jazzy than anything else. Very good tone, but I don't think she works for Latin music. Crowd luvs her; Randy says another solid performance, to shrieks. Smooth and sultry says Paula, subtle; Simon says he didn't like it--no personality, appeared much older, loungey; someone as good as you has to wow us every week. Lazy and wooden, to boos.

LaKisha Jones next, getting the big guns out of the way. In kind of a tigery red/black dress, matches the Coke advertising. Singing Conga, Lopez says she needed help with movement, audience is cheering her tape; it seems pretty fun, actually. Whoah, LaKisha--starts out standing on the table in the audience, totally going for it tonight; a frenetic quality to it, not totally natural--also poor dress choice; but she's really trying. I actually think she could lose votes tonight, seems so un-Idol-like. Sings well, but it all seems so forced. Randy likes it, calls it hot; Paula says she felt it was more safe than anything else, need to step it up; Simon gives her a chance to respond, she says she felt she was outside her comfort zone, but Simon says he agrees with Paula, you were having fun but not sure about everyone at home, and the dancing wasn't very good.

Chris Richardson next, also in red/black. I'm sensing tonight is gonna be bad for everyone but Jordin, none of them really have any that cool Latin flair. He's doing Smooth, not very well in rehearsal; Lopez says he needs to sing slightly higher. Hmm, he's actually not bad to start--off-key true, but a little bit of urgency in the voice. Now it's degrading, it's more chanting than singing. And so out of tune. Oh, gosh, he's wailing. Randy says very cool, Paula says it was a hot, sexy performance; Simon says bad vocal, but felt more contemporary and at least a good performance. Hmm, Simon was just praising to praise, he wants Chris to stick around tonight.

Haley Scarnato next, oh boy. Turn the Beat Around, which Lopez says is hard because it's all about rhythmn; they bring Blake in to do beatbox. Out in crazy striped top and tight black shorts. Singing tentatively, and off the beat; and off key too. Can't understand her; she's actually no longer singing, just reciting lyrics. Does her patented pageant-style moves; almost perfunctory movements, she's really horrid. Randy pans it, says really karaoke; Paula just says you had fun up there; Simon is laughing, says you have a good tactic with the clothes--can't do well based on your voice so just tart it up. Vocals were so rushed, couldn't understand most of it.

Phil Stacey, doing Maria, Maria--hmm, based on rehearsal seems pretty good. She shows her goose pimples, has some praise for him. In ridiculous poseur outfit--cap, leather; starts out odd, not quite in the groove. But slow and controlled; it's at least interesting what he's trying to do, but oh so not believable. Like Elvis doing In the Ghetto. As it goes on it gets worse; it's just stupid, and off-key; breaks on last notes. Somewhere thousands of Hispanics are cracking up. Randy says you didn't quite connect, mostly boring; Paula says vocally good except for end; Simon says you're a nice guy but no originality, lifeless, flat, nothing there to get excited about. Ryan offers him an out, is it tough on the voice; he dodges, says totally randomly his daughter just got a stuffed animal cow, she calls it Simon Cow.

Jordin Sparks, who I think will bring it. In tan top, black pants; asked what theme she'd choose, she said 80s music--born in December 1989! Wow. Lopez loves her, says her rendition of Rhythmn's Gonna Get You reminds her of Michael Jackson. Wow, she's having fun right from the get-go; she really likes performing. Very dramatic, with nice head movements; by far the best of the night, and she's just started. Totally has got the sultryness, the playfullness down. Maybe a bit slow, deliberate at times; but nails the final part, so confident and a big voice. Randy says absolutely wonderful and great to see someone as good as you; Paula loves her authenticity and calls her adorable; Simon says okay, not stunning, no progression though.

Blake Lewis, doing I Need to Know by Lopez's husband; she tells him to be more believable. Out in hat and red top, khakis; hmm, he has a good, fun vibe--he's such a ham, this song totally plays into that. It's too bad he always looks like he's kindof got a sneer on his face; audience is into it--he creates dramatic tension. Dance moves are hilarious; no cutesy beatboxing though. Randy says best song choice, hot performance; Paula says smart performance, captured the essence of who you are; Simon says best choice, best performance.

And we close tonight with Sanjaya Malakar. Mesami Mucho, Lopez says he really impressed her, she says she loved him; advises him to take his time and not rush. Wow, it's fun watching her coach him, says it's a great choice for him. Slow and sultry, on a stool, calm; audience screaming for him--wow, he's good! My gosh, hair is relatively normal, he's in a sportcoat. Some mike problems, but very controlled and smooth, and above all totally believable. Even his Spanish seems good. It's like he doesn't even care about the audience, just doing his thing--and people are transfixed. Yeah, Sanjaya! Randy says one of the smartest contestants he's ever met, that was actually really good; Paula says smooth, it was nice; Simon says he couldn't understand a word of it, sang like a 14-year-old; I'm going hate myself for this--but it wasn't horrible.

Well, this might be the beginning of the Sanjaya run to the top. We'll see; so much depends on his song choice, and confidence. Odd that the judges weren't more effusive in their praise, I guess he's really gotta dig himself out of his hole with them.

Sanjaya Malakar
Jordin Sparks
Blake Lewis
Melinda Doolittle
LaKisha Jones
Chris Richardson
Phil Stacey
Haley Scarnato