Guests steal the show

Top six--singing love songs with the help of Andrea Bocelli. This is gonna be great. Lotsof time, too, for each contestant, hopefully it doesn't get filled up with idle chatter. Each Idol gets two numbers... as if Taylor needed any more help. High hopes for Paris tonight.

They show Celine Dion saying if God had a singing voice, it'd sound a lot like Bocelli. Run some great clips, it's all to promo Amore, which has a great song on it, Because We Believe. First time I heard it I assumed it'd been around forever. And David Foster, Andrea's producer, is with him too.

Idols are totally blown away by his singing. They show him teaching the kids how to warm up. David's kindof a jerk, he's a bit like Simon--but without his charm. Andrea says you become great only if it's your destiny, David's like oh, really.

Katharine first, singing I Have Nothing, written by Foster. They give her some good ideas, she says she was really nervous. Foster and Andrea both say she has a good voice; she winds up singing opera with Bocelli, it's pretty cool, actually. He says you have to say also she's beautiful, and nice, Foster's like how do you know all this?! In odd yellow dress, guess she's going for classic look, just accentuates her fatness. And like always she's totally playing to the camera. Nice big voice, and pretty powerful. She's really come into her own I guess as the competition has gone on--one of those who feeds off her own confidence. Audience is totally in the palm of her hand, she's very much in control. Dress is a bit out of control. There's a moment where she stops to fix her hair, that in a nutshell is why I don't like her. Wow, Sasha Cohen's in the audience.

Randy says it was only okay, waaay too big for you. It didn't come close to Whitney Houston. Paula says it's now getting serious and tough, there were pitch problems, your zone is not pushing your vocals, in your natural voice. Paula has mike problems, but tells her to know herself. Simon says by choosing that song it's like you're coming out and saying you're as good as Whitney Houston--you're not. He just rips her, calls it cabaret. Says it's a step backwards for you; poor Katharine has a surprised look on her face, guess she didn't see the script change coming.

Elliott next, in classic suit, singing A Song for You, he says it was like a good luck charm. Uh, not a good reason to sing a song, but maybe he's comfortable with it. Andrea guesses just from his singing he probably knows it very well, wow, he's very good. Foster's pretty tough on him during auditions, but Elliott finally gets what he wants; Foster says he really, really sings well. Wow, and from get-go, Elliott just busts through, what a great tone. It sounds like he's live, just grabs you from the start. Good singing is so subtle--not sure why this is grabbing me, but it is. It's like the old Elliott is back, with that unique sound. He's like totally relaxed, and just singing. Randy is like did not like arrangement but loved the vocals, you were dope, you were the bomb. And Paula is like in tears, says you move me, you celebrate what this competition's all about. And Simon's like laughing next to her, it's a little outof nowhere. Simon said seven weeks ago I said you were one of the best male vocalists we've ever had, tonight, in part, that was like a vocal master class, it was superb. Hmm, the wheels are turning, the judges are trying to throw a monkey wrench into everything.

Kellie next. In nice peach top, black stretchy pants. Ryan asks if she's dedicating it to anybody special, she says Ryan, thanks for reminding me I don't have a boyfriend, I'm lonely. Unchained Melody. Hmmm. Andrea says her voice is sweet. Foster says she's a little robotic. He gets her to throw in a falsetto at the end. Andrea says she's very happy, and I like her, and this is important on stage, I think. Foster asks him what color hair she has, and he says blonde. Ugh, start is a bit off-key though. Foster says it can be boring if sung without passion, and Kellie so far is playing it safe. Middle is better, she's a little tender. Still all over the place though, think she may be too nervous about ending. Quite flat at times, this is a bit painful, not sure why she isn't just relaxed. Or maybe this is just the LeeAnne Rains version. Wow, falsetto is quite interesting, overall it's one of the weirdest performances ever, but it's Kellie, so you like it maybe more than you should. Randy is just laughing, she says I don't know, I'm just really scared, Randy says not the right song, very strange. Paula says it's hard at this stage, you need to raise the bar each week, I adore you, but you need to show greatness now. Simon says that deserves tears, for a different reason. Simon calls it never-ending, no heart, no warmth, and bland; gets cut off at the end by the music.

Paris, in black and white, so looking forward to this and what they think of her. No pre-interview with Paris, singing The Way We Were. She says she had to choose a love song wisely, since she's only 17. Andrea and Foster are like wow-wee, she's great, Andrea says she has a voice like me, it's incredible. Foster just has one piece of advice, sing the start softer. Andrea says she has an extraordinary voice, and absolutely incredible, spectacular voice. Oh, chills at the start, she's singing in such a sad way, pace is just perfect. Funny little smile suddenly. She sings with such conviction, and stillness. A bit too much head bobbing, maybe, at times. Belts out big; oddly tone doesn't have the vibrancy at times, but it's so smooth, and she really pours her heart and soul into it. And huge loooong last note. Randy is like it was pretty good, liked it, not blown away, you can sing anything. Paula says she thought she oversang a bit. Simon says bit old-fashioned, like you were trying to impersonate someone older, and off to Ryan.

I guess I liked hearing what Andrea/David had to say about her, then maybe the actual performance--I really think she's best in small, intimate rooms, rather than big huge arenas, which sounds counter-intuitive with her great voice. But it's like Billie Holiday--you want the darkness, the smokiness, the intimacy physically as well as vocally.

Back with Taylor. Hmmm. Just Once. Andrea says he's a good singer, is very interesting. David says he has got drawn into the song and the way Taylor was doing it. Andrea likes his song choice; David says he potentially has the most charisma. In weird tuxish outfit. Nice beginning, nice and intimate, and he's very believable. I like him best like this, rather than all crazy--he's good at these story songs. Funny, if he didn't have gray hair, not sure he'd still be around, his voice is merely okay, it really is about his performance for him. His voice has an interesting insistency to it, you wind up listening. Tori Spelling's in the audience.... Randy says it was totally a bad song, didn't like it at all. Paula says not his favorite song, look handsome as heck. Simon says you looked uptight, outside of American Idol that song's nothing special, the phrasing, the performance, like something in a hotel lounge. Paula stands up to try and rally the crowd for Taylor. Uh, he's got the votes, chill.

Hmm, Chris, looking very dapper in suit, I think he'll be very good tonight. So far it's been a bit disappointing, except for Andrea and David, who are the most astute of anyone they've had on the show so far. They're total pros. That's really the best part of the show for the competitors, the amazing coaching. Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman, Bryan Adams. Interesting choice. David says he's not singing from deep enough. Andrea lies down to sing, Chris says it was kindof awkward for him. But you know, tone is really improved, and Chris says that too. David says he sings great, if he delivers the performance of his life he'll do amazing. Tough song, it's so mocked. Chris slooows it down, very soulful. He's really impressed me the last few weeks, wants to win very badly. It's good, I like listening to it, and it's different. Some flatness here and there, but intensity is there as always, and he's very believable. Ending is good, although my attention wandered now and then. Randy says it was amazing, love you; Paula goes crazy, love you; Simon says great performance, good choice, as they're running out of time.

So it wasn't as great a night as I thought it could be, oddly enough since this is the highest-caliber group they've ever had I'm not sure down the stretch I've enjoyed the performances as much. They're not just letting go; maybe because they know they're good enough and don't have to. They leave Ryan's mike on so you can hear him now and then during the performance highlights. Kellie's falsetto really was quite good. And Paris... such a pro. I fear for her for this competition, but she's definitely gonna be around for years.

Elliott, 2
Paris, 4
Chris, 6
Taylor, 5
Kellie, 3
Katharine, 1

Photo of Kellie by C. Gomez via Flikr.