The Top 10...

Ok, so I'm writing this WHILE watching tonight. Something new for me so we'll see how it goes. I just don't want to do it all for memory again so here goes...

Um...WHAT the junk was up with that kiss between Simon and Ellen during the intro of the show? I would've been fine never having seen that. Awkward is an understatement. And speaking of awkward, another that should be outlawed from the show along with the holding up of fingers for the number to vote for...is the "double hand wave". Katie did it tonight when they all first come out and I just cannot deal. I don't know what it is about it, but I can't stand it.

Usher was a good mentor for this genre..he's an excellent singer and has been in the industry long enough to actually know what he's talking about. However, the sunglasses at all times have got to go. Just dance for us Ush, that's all we ask.

Ok... first up was Siobhan: Oh my. She was NOT good. She was VERY flat on the majority of the song and the screaming with her has really got to stop. It (the screaming) is not exciting anymore and it's getting worse every week. I have decided that I legitimately do not like her. I was on the fence with her for a while and now I'm over it. As a person she seems fun and I enjoy her "quirky self" but as a singer, I'm done with her. I'm glad the judges weren't singing her praises after that like they usually do. I felt bad that she looked like she was about to cry and then actually DID start crying at the end, but reality is a tough pill to swallow. And tonight, her reality was that she sang that horribly. By far the worst she's done.

Casey: Oh, would you look at that, he's playing the electric guitar again. Dude, put it down. For one week in your life, put the guitar down. His voice though sounded great tonight actually. I LOVED the horn section playing with him. Usher was right, excellent song choice for him...it fit his voice perfectly. I hear a little Danny Gokey tone in him every once and a while and tonight I heard it a lot. I'm just honestly sick of the electric guitar EVERY week. Starting to come off as a one trick pony there, fella. Time to switch it up. I hope he was serious when he said that he was gonna play the acoustic next week instead. I mean, you might want to try putting it down COMPLETELY, but as long as it's not the electric again, I'm fine. Judging just his voice alone though, tonight was a good night for him.

Big Mike: I like him, I do. HOWEVER, he's starting to come off a bit cocky and I do not like that. Maybe it's just me, but I just feel like he's a little TOO confident. It's not a big deal, but there is a slight arrogance about him lately. With that said, he's got a great r&b voice. I mean, that's basically his deal anyway so I'm not surprised he did well. It was a nice change up for him to just sit with the guitar, but it was a TAD boring. He for sure needs to be an r&b singer though. I still say he's got some of, if not THE, best pitch of the entire top 10. I can't really remember a time ever hearing him that he was off pitch. If nothing else, that is something I can fully support because that is ACTUALLY what this competition is about.

Didi: First off, I LOVE the song she chose. Love, love, love it. I'm so glad she picked that. I just really really like her. And I like her voice. I'm not sure about that full length gown she was wearing, but HER I like. Her voice wasn't as good tonight as it has been, but it also wasn't as bad as it's been (Anyone else remember the Lean On Me week.... yikes!). She's for sure not an r&b singer and you could tell. Her voice just doesn't really fit a song like that. But, even in spite of that, I thought she did pretty good. I don't like how the judges are so hard on her all the time. She always does much better than what they say. Sure she wasn't GREAT tonight, but cut the girl some slack. You are the same judges that thought Paige Miles was worthy of the Top 24 so OBVIOUSLY you don't know what you're talking about at times. And Kara needs to stop. Just stop everything. If she pulls that "we just don't know who you are" crap ONE more time I might jump thru the TV and slap her straight in the face. I wish Didi would tell her to shut it one week. I also wish that Ryan wouldn't have been so vague telling us that "Didi sang that song specifically for someone".... Um... what? I'd like the info, please.

Tim: Since I'm writing this while watching, I can honestly say that Tim has not sung one word yet and I am ALREADY annoyed. His mentor session with Usher was painful. Painfully awkward. I just don't want to have to listen to him again. Ever. But, alas, I must. Oh, and surprise, surprise....he was awful. I just don't even like the sound of his voice. Like if he had good tone, it might make up for the fact that he sang flat or bad or whatever, but that's just the problem... he does not have good tone. Because of that, even when he could have the potential to sound good, he still doesn't QUITE get there because his tone just isn't that great. I guess toward the end there he started to sound a little better, but C'MON! Get off the show! GET OFF!!!! Please. Just. Leave. And his laughing during the critiques... maybe he knows that he's awful. Or maybe he's completely oblivious to the fact that Simon was dead serious about the fact that he's never gonna win.

Andrew: I loved that Usher called him out on the fact that he was TOO nervous. I think that's been a lot of his problem. He gets too wrapped up in the whole thing that he psychs himself out. Excellent choice of song....loved the upright bass! I feel like he got back to the "Straight Up" vibe from Hollywood week and sounded really great. He for sure looked less nervous so the Usher mentoring must've helped cuz he seemed more at ease this week than he's been. I am SO glad the judges thought what I did about getting back to his vibe. It was about time he did that, and about time they stopped giving him such a hard time.

Katie: Aretha Franklin? REALLY!? Oh good Lord have mercy. Why? Why do people do that!? Here's the deal...if you are TRULY a musician, you should KNOW to never, ever, EVER sing Aretha, Whitney, or Mariah. Only Aretha, Whitney and Mariah should sing Aretha, Whitney and Mariah. That should be a universal rule and people should know to never break the rule. I mean for real! Why!? It obviously could've been a lot worse than it was, but it was still not that great. Just way too big for her! And the worst part, she thought she was owning it. Not so much. Again, not as horrible as it had the potential to be, but seriously...who honestly thinks they can own an Aretha song? Katie... seriously... get a clue. I can understand why the judges were saying she did well tonight because it was better than previous weeks, but still.... she's never gonna win either so why the false hope? Just a waste of time if you ask me.

Lee: Well look at Lee go! He's also got a little Danny Gokey vibe going, just like Casey. I thought his vocal was great tonight. For me, that was the best I think he's ever sounded. I still don't LOVE his voice, but that was really good. He seemed to be way more into it tonight too than previous weeks. I feel like he finally got out of his box of "I can only sing 6 notes"...cuz that's what I'd been feeling from him. But he was really just screaming those notes out tonight! I think that was the "moment" they'd been wanting him to have. Good job, Lee....good job!

Crystal: Ok... when she started singing at the piano I got chills. I LOVE that song..I mean who doesn't?! And honestly the moment she started singing it...just that 10 second blurb in her time with Usher...I had goosebumps. I could have done without those background singers standing pretty much ON the piano. Take a step back ladies. And while you're at it, tell the sound guy to turn your mics down. But back to Crystal... you rock. I'm not entirely sure you should've done that falsetto thing in the middle, but the rest of it was great. Great choice switching to the piano. You could tell she wasn't 100% comfortable on it, but it was great. Her voice is just really cool and I'll say it again... I want her to win. Someone like her just really needs to win. Every winner, with the exception of Taylor Hicks and probably Fantasia, has been so "cookie cutter" American Idol with their voice....if that makes sense. She is out of the box. We need an out of the box winner, since we were ROBBED of that last year when Adam came in 2nd! Crystal needs to win because Adam didn't. There, I said it.

Aaron: Ok, Aaron. I am torn with you. You have a good voice, you actually do. You just don't quite do it for me. Maybe there have just been one too many times where you sang flat or something, but I can't seem to get off the fact that I'm still mad about the fact that you are in the top 10 and Alex Lambert isn't. I would rather listen to him than you. Aaron did okay tonight. Just okay. It was better than other performances from him, but it wasn't great. If I had to chose between him and Tim though, I'd probably pick Aaron. Pound for pound he's a better singer. AND, he doesn't annoy the begeezus out of me. I thought it was a big, and ridiculously false, statement for Usher to say that he could possibly WIN this thing but it wasn't horrible.

I really hope that Tim goes home. I don't think he will because little girls are probably dialing their little fingers off, so I'm not sure who it will be. Based on vocals alone tonight, I would not be surprised if Siobhan was in the bottom 3 tomorrow. I don't think she'd be the one leaving, but she was probably the worst vocal tonight. I honestly don't know who will be in the bottom. Didi maybe? I hope not, but I really think tonight is a toss up. I just want it to be Tim. Or Katie. They need to go sooner rather than later.

Overall, tonight was a better night than most. OH and someone needs to help me out here.... there was a girl sitting behind Usher with blond hair and dreads. WHO WAS SHE!? I know I have seen her before and it was driving me NUTS that I couldn't figure it out!! I don't know if she was on this show, or a different show, or WHAT, but I know I have seen her somewhere before and I could not figure it out. If anyone knows, PLEASE let me know!!