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American Idol 8: Ranking The Top 11 – After The Double Massacre
by Sting7
-- 03/16/2009
The American Idol game has definitely changed. This week, we learned about the new rule – the judges’ save! The time is now to show you are save-worthy! Some Idols have proven to be indispensable. Others, not so much. Into which group does Kris (right) fall? Who is heading for the finale, and who is late for the door? Sting7 ranks the remaining 11 contestants.
Two down, ten to go before we get to the winner of American Idol 2009! They all want to win, but who is putting in the hard yards to do it? Just a reminder, these rankings are not just based on singing skill. It's that and all the intangibles. It's who has captured the public’s imagination. Who are they talking about around the water coolers and in the break rooms? Who's gaining, sustaining, and losing momentum? Who is looking the most Idolesque? Put all of those things together, and you get the rankings.
Here's how it all comes together. (The contestants' position last week are show in parentheses.)
(1) Danny Gokey – He is still The Guy. Interesting that he was the only performer who chose to punch his arrangement during Michael Jackson week. What it says is that Danny knows what he's doing! Maybe that music director experience? But no matter what you do to an arrangement, you have to deliver it. Danny just does. Time after time. His “P.Y.T.” wasn't pitch perfect, but it was absolutely joyous. He seemed to be lost in the music and he took us with him.
(4) Adam Lambert – There is something a bit indescribable about Adam Lambert. Yes, he has a vaunted rock growl, he has range all over the place, he has definite skills. But there is a strange magic to him. Personally, I don't know that I have entirely bought in, but there is no denying the fever he seems to inspire. Parts of his “Black or White” were just wince-worthy, I thought, but he was received like a conquering hero. He moves up, but I sense trouble ahead.
(3) Lil Rounds – This is a lady who knows how to work a stage. I love her bluesy, gospel-tinged vocal style. But that style doesn't necessarily go with anything. Her Michael Jackson week performance was right on the edge of suitability. I have faith that she will work it out, though. Lil will be with us for quite a “li’l” while. And in that time, she will find her center. Woe be to all to the others when she does.
(2) Scott McIntyre – This is a case of a performer being static. Scott showed some of his magic on Michael Jackson week, but when compared to the rest of the field, he was only in the middle of the pack. I gave him a bit of a break because so much of Michael Jackson's catalog should only be performed by Michael, so he didn't have as much to choose from as you may think. Scott, like Lil, will have plenty of time to get his feet under him. He's just one Idol moment away from making the finale.
(8) Matt Giraud – Matt is beginning to regain some ground. He was very effective on the piano and sang “Human Nature” beautifully. His vibrato is close to Michael Jackson's, so this should have been a week where he shined. And he did! Here's the question: Can he choose his songs smartly enough to maintain his position or maybe even crack through the top four? Time will tell.
(5) Allison Iraheta – Based on your emails, some of you think I have Allison ranked a touch high. I think this girl is definitely the dark horse of the competition. What concerns me is that the judges seem to want to pigeon-hole her into the Rocker Girl. Allison can manage the rock stuff, but she can do more than that. When she tries, the judges may slap her down for it. The voters tend to follow the judges when they are not sure. What I love about Allison is she may be the most fearless 16-year-old the show has ever seen. She is becoming the one I can't to wait to see what she does next – just like Kelly Clarkson way back when. How 'bout that…
(7) Alexis Grace – Last week, I said Alexis thinks her voice is bigger than it actually is. Tuesday night, Simon said the same thing. This creates a tricky situation for Alexis. She's either going to take his advice and aim a little lower with her song choices or she's going to try to prove him wrong. Jennifer Hudson had to win an Oscar for Simon to admit he was wrong! To her credit, Alexis deftly maneuvered through “Dirty Diana” without stepping on a land mine. However, the next couple of weeks will be crucial for her. She'll either move up or scrape the bottom.
(6) Anoop Desai – Last week, I had plenty good to say about Anoop. As soon as I heard the intro to “Beat It,” I audibly groaned. It was a performance so clumsy, it forced me to agree with the suddenly more lucid Paula Abdul that no one, and I mean no one, should ever sing this song again. It is such an iconic song for Michael Jackson that anyone else will be compared to the original and it won't be favorably. He didn't even throw in a hee-hee! It makes me wonder if he actually chose that song or if it was “suggested.” If it was suggested, he should have refused, like apparently Jorge Nuńez did. Come on, Anoop! You can do better! In my gut, I think the feisty frat boy will dust himself off and come back with a vengeance.
(11) Megan Joy Corkrey – Rumor has it Megan has added 'Joy' and subtracted 'Corkrey.' She is driving our editors nuts! I'll just call her Princess Caw Caw. Her Highness is an interesting case to watch. Last week, I said she needed to charm America a bit. I think she is succeeding! Her smile is gorgeous and she is showing she is kooky in a likeable way. I say keep going! I firmly believe Megan will win folks over as the weeks go by. If she can make it to big band week, her stock should soar. In the meantime, she has to think a bit harder about her song choices. Imagine how adorable she would have been singing “I Just Can't Stop Loving You”! Or even “Butterflies.” Keep your head in it, Megan!
(12) Kris Allen – Even I have to admit that Kris was downright charming with a guitar, despite the fact that we couldn't even hear it. How cool of a performance would it have been if he could have had a stripped down version of the song? Just let the band supply the bass and drums and let Kris carry the tune! Kris did his job, though, and his performance was pleasing if not exactly vote-inspiring on this end. He's on the right track, but his improvements weren't enough to improve his ranking.
(13) Michael Sarver – Michael actually surprised me this week. His voice is stronger than I thought. Vocally good, presentation-wise he was like one of those singers at a corporate party. Not Idol-esque at all. I sense Simon is going to hang the “old-fashioned” hat on him sooner or later. Still, I think he is the weakest of the performers. If his style is truly in the R&B arena, he's got a lot of work to do to measure up to Danny and Matt. I just don't think he's going to have time.
So, there you have it! Am I being too hard on Michael Sarver? Are you warming up to Megan Joy Corkrey? Next week, I will rank the top 10!
If you haven’t already, be sure to check out these other recent articles on Foxes On Idol:
Sting7 has been a respected published writer for many years, as a music editor, entertainment critic, columnist, and interviewer. He loves cold lemonade, ice cream, and kittens! You can email Stinger at stingseven@yahoo.com.
