Tuesday night was the night America had been waiting for. That’s right, the show has gone from an overindulgent 120 minutes to a more manageable 85. Whew! My pop culture calories were getting out of control!
Ryan informed us that the theme was “most popular downloads,” which meant that they could sing “any song they want, as long as it’s a popular download on iTunes.”
Did you get that? At this very moment, you can go to iTunes and download the Idols’ performances of songs that are popular on, uh, iTunes.
We also got a visit to Ryan's radio studio. Is there no end to this man's self-promotion?
And, oddly, even though the Idols got to pick any song that is a popular download on iTunes, the performances were some of the weakest overall. Maybe these kids need structure in their lives.
Anoop Desai: Could not have been more earnest in his attempt at Usher’s “Caught Up.” Why then, did it seem so silly? Yes, he has a great voice, which I look forward to hearing from my balcony as he serenades me in our shared future. (Note to self: Get balcony.) But Kara’s critique was right on the money; his performance almost seemed tongue-in-cheek. To be the R&B artist he wants to be, he’s gonna have to get a little more street cred -- even more than he earned being in the “Clef Hangers” at the University of North Carolina! I said it before: He needs to stick to the sweet ballads.
Megan Joy: Finally got the chance to sing a song she “absolutely loves” with Bob Marley’s “Turn The Lights Down Low.” Of course, she loves it. And I’ll bet she only listens to Bob Marley for “medicinal purposes,” too. Sadly, it was hard to tell that she was singing a song that she enjoyed, as she looked ready to bolt from the stage at any moment. If she’s around next week, maybe she’ll follow Paula’s advice and sit on a stool and look pretty. Turn the spotlight up, turn the mic down -- a perfect combination!
Danny Gokey: Gave what I thought was one of his weakest performances to date with Rascal Flatts’ “What Hurts the Most.” Surprising, as you’d think he’d be able to draw on the pain of his recent widower status. I guess I stand corrected, though, as Simon lauded it as his best performance. Yes, it was “so much better than the first two,” but Gokey is in a different league than Anoop and on a different planet than Megan. At this point, he can really do no wrong.
Allison Iraheta: Proved that the theme of “popular downloads” was really just another way to promote iTunes with her selection of “Don’t Speak.” Yes, it’s a good song and it WAS popular ... uh, 13 years ago! This girl can sing the phone book, though. And apparently she can do it while playing the guitar -- who knew? While the judges lambasted her wardrobe, the audience and I enjoyed it.
