Top 7 Performance Show Recap By Jillian Kuras
April 19, 2006
Welcome to another Tuesday night on American Idol! Tonight, the remaining seven contestants tackle The Great American Songbook with the help of the legendary Rod Stewart. This theme is probably the one I've been the most excited about since the top 12 started. I am really hoping for big things from both Elliott and Kat.
The night begins with an intro clip of the contestants meeting Rod. Rod is there with his fiancée Penny and their infant son Alistair. I work with children six days a week, and I have to say, Alistair may be the cutest baby I've ever seen. Even though the name Alistair reminds of a seventy year old British butler, he's adorable.
Anyways, the clip is actually very nice to watch and the contestants seem to be having a lot of fun. They seem to be more relaxed and at ease with Rod than with any of the other musical guests thus far.
Up first tonight is Chris Daughtry who has chosen the song What a Wonderful World. Rod acknowledges that Chris grew up singing rock music but still thinks he will do well tonight.
Obviously this song is something completely different for Chris and I think he did very well with it. I actually think his true fans will really embrace this performance. I think they will realize that a song like this truly shows what a great singer Chris is even though this clearly isn't his recording style.
Once again, something about his big power notes did bug me a little though. I don't know if it's a lack of control or what but his vibrato seemed just a little too overbearing to me. Overall I liked the performance though and I found very soothing. Almost like a male Norah Jones type of performance.
Randy tells Chris that he liked the sensitive performance and that it was the bomb. Paula likes that he broke out of his mold and says it was fantastic. Simon says he thinks he should take some of the credit for this performance considering he told Chris weeks ago he needed to do something different. He also says Chris proved he can be better than he has been lately and that it was a great performance.
As Chris stands with Ryan waiting for his numbers to be read, Ryan makes a comment about how Chris has lost the eye makeup this week. So apparently a lot of fans noticed the heavy eyeliner as I did last week.
Up next is Paris Bennett who is singing Foolish Things. Rod says that Paris has a lot of raw power in her voice for only being seventeen which is a comment a lot of the celebrities have made this season.
I don't want to pick on Paris too much tonight because I do think this is her comfort zone so I will keep the non-singing comments brief. I hate her outfit. Is this really the same girl who was booty dropping to a Beyoncé song just a few weeks ago? She looks like a 40 year lawyer on her way to close a deal.
Back to the performance, and actually, it's one of Paris's better ones. This is without a doubt the genre of music she should record (think of when she sang Fever a few weeks back). These types of songs are just so effortless for her and I'm sure her grandmother has been a big influence on her. I don't think it was an outstanding performance, but I do think it is one of her best so far.
Randy tells Paris she was in tune, classy and that it was one of her greatest nights ever. Paula says it reminds her of Paris's original audition, that she was born to sing in this era, and that she could have big success if she recorded and album in this genre. Simon says it was stylish, cool and terrific. He does however add that he prefers her 'grown up singing voice' to her 'Minnie Mouse speaking voice'. I'll tell you, Simon is reading my mind!
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