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Learn more- "American Idol" - Top 8 Performance Show - April 13, 2011
Ryan notes that JLo has been named the "World's Most Beautiful Woman" by People magazine.
In the audience: Hank Azaria, Rob Reiner, Elvira
Theme: Songs from the movies
Contestant: Paul McDonald. Will.i.am thinks he should slide in like Tom Cruise. Jimmy thinks there should be beatboxing in the middle. Will thinks this is wrong, the opposite of what the song is about. They had a great time rehearsing so Jimmy hopes Paul brings that.
Song: "Old Time Rock 'n Roll," Bob Seger
Performance: Paul skips down the stairs in his fancy suit and then shimmies around the judges' table. It's a very energetic performance. He rocks a tambourine during the sax solo. Paul's voice just seem suited to the song, not big enough in some way. But, he had fun as did the audience.
Steven: Steven wants to borrow his suit and he loves his crazy, wild abandon.
JLo: Thinks he's going a little further each time and getting more polished. She thinks he killed it.
Randy: Says America just witnessed the first song at a Paul McDonald concert, he loves that he's not typical.
Contestant: Lauren Alaina
Song:"The Climb," Miley Cyrus. Jimmy says Lauren is a much stronger singer than Miley Cyrus. She picked it because she can relate. Jimmy tells her to go get Pia's votes. (He knows that's cold but it's the reality). Will says not to steal them, but invite them with spaghetti and cupcakes.
Performance: She's fine, starts off a little emotionally in the right way, then she telegraphs the chorus, has a little trouble climbing to the big note but finishes off just fine. The crowd loved it.
JLo: She loved hearing her sing it and the tear in her voice. She says she doesn't need to steal anyone's votes since she's getting plenty of her own.
Randy: Says the Lauren of Nashville is roaring back. Calls it amazing.
Steven Says she was the first one they thought might be the "Idol," he loves what she brings to a song and what it brings to her. He says it was beautiful and she moves him beyond tears.
Contestant: Stefano Langone
Song: "End of the Road," BoyzIIMen. Jimmy and Will pump him up and want him to bounce back from the final three spot. They love his choice. Stefano wants to start fresh.
Performance:He sings it well but if his goal was to take his performance to the next level, well he doesn't quite make it. It's a fine vocal but there's not a lot of sizzle. Although he does ramp things up at the end.
Randy: Says Wanya is going to text him and tell him he slayed the song. Randy likes that Stefano now believes. Calls it his best vocal to date.
Steven Says he proved tonight that he knows how to milk a song, he says this is so not the end of the road for him tonight, it's just the beginning.
JLo: Says it's like he's finally got it and she knows he's singing to win instead of singing to stay. She says that was the shiz, although I think she said the other word.
Contestant: Scotty McCreery
Song:"I Cross My Heart," George Strait. He switches to this one mid-stream for "Everybody's Talkin'" by Harry Nilsson. Jimmy think it's fine.
Performance: It's pretty perfect. Aside from the microphone thing of course.
Steven Just loves his voice and that all of America has fallen in love with his voice.
JLo: Says everybody wants them to be tough but she thinks he was "wow, really good." She says it wasn't her favorite song choice but he performed it beautifully.
Randy: He loves that he did that song and that he's following the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" model. Says he's grown greatly.
Contestant: Casey Abrams
Song: "Nature Boy," Nat "King" Cole. Jimmy and Will thinks it makes him small and if he whispers he'll get lost. So they try to make him switch to Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight." But Casey says he doesn't want to lose himself in this process. Jimmy wants him to think about winning. Casey says he was torn. Jimmy thinks it's a mistake that he didn't take his help.
Performance: Playing his upright bass and does a groovy, low-key bossa nova take. He throws in a bit of a growl and mugging but it works. He scats a bit over his bass solo and shows great control over his voice during runs at the end. He finishes up a sweet blue note. Jimmy was wrong.
JLo: At the beginning she was nervous but as it went on she liked it and how he's crossing boundaries like Norah Jones, and she hopes America got it.
Randy: Agrees and also hopes America gets it, he can see him as a Buble-type, he thought it was genius. He says the world can not to live by pop stars alone, we need art for zen balance.
Steven Loved it and that he did was in his heart, not what Jimmy said he should do and that's the truest sense of artistry. He also liberally quotes a Nat Cole song that has goofy lyrics. "Ke-mo, ki-mo spare-o-spare Ma-hi, ma-ho, ma-rump-sticka-pumpernickle, sup-bang, nip-cat, polly-mitcha-cameo." (Or something to that effect.)
Contestant: Haley Reinhart.
Song:"Call Me," Blondie. Says it's crazy that there's only two girls left. Jimmy tells her to show off her pipes and to transform into a character that embodies the song.
Performance: She's going the "sexy" route with her very short dress and high boots and the come-hither looks. She growls and writhes. She sings in French, she walks awkwardly she applies her voice to emphatically.
Randy: Didn't love the beginning and that it felt karaoke and says it wasn't a singer's song to really showcase her.
Steven Agrees with that but says when she nails the just right chorus she's got it going on and he loves her dress.
JLo: She says she's afraid to say anything negative about the girls because she doesn't want them to go home. But, she agrees with Randy that she didn't love the song for her.
Contestant: Jacob Lusk. Jimmy tells Jacob it was a mistake to preach to people last week. Jimmy tells him not to be corny.
Song: "Bridge Over Troubled Water," Simon and Garfunkel
Performance: Jacob starts off under control. He hits one big note in the chorus and brings it back down. He does a nice job, especially in terms of restraint and creating dynamics.
Steven Pounds the table and swears and is bleeped and is astounded by how angelically he sings.
JLo: Asks who does that? About his last note. Calls him a gifted vocalist and glad that it comes from another place. He pulled the chills out of her.
Randy: He believes every word Jacob sings and is glad that he took his time and blew it up at the end.
Contestant: James Durbin
Song: "Heavy Metal," Sammy Hagar. Jimmy doesn't like it, he wonders where the hook is. James disagrees and tries to make his case. Jimmy isn't hearing it. He tries to dispute Jimmy. Will sort of backs him up. James asks America to give metal a chance.
Performance: He brings out Zakk Wylde to play guitar with him. He sings it well enough. Zakk plays better, which seems like an unfair advantage. This is the first time I've believed that he's really metal, so that's something.
JLo: Says it felt really, really real. She says the performance are killing it dead in the studio tonight.
Randy: Says we were just at a James Durbin concert and gives big ups to Zakk. He's glad he stuck to his guns and says he can see him on the next Ozzfest.
Steven Says it was outstanding. Glad he gave Jimmy some lip.
Bottom Three Prediction: Paul, Haley, Jacob
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