Michael Becker / FOXHair changes, crazy performances, weird mentoring session, oh my!
Last night's American Idol was definitely entertaining, to say the least, and the night's theme, Billy Joel songs, definitely provided the Top 10 with a challenge. Some rose to the occasion while others stumbled. Still, in the end, only one will find themselves movin' out! (See what we did there?!)
So, after sitting in on the live show last night to witness all the action, what can we tell you about who scored best among the crowd? And who looks to be a goner?
Top Five Performances of the Night
5. Skylar Laine
This girl is country and we love it. Sure, her rendition of "Shameless" wasn't pitch-perfect, but we still enjoyed it. A lot. We're just waiting for Skylar's true breakout moment on Idol—so far the three themes selected by the show haven't really allowed her to do.
4. Jessica Sanchez
Holy pipes, Batman! Jennifer Lopez was right: it did seem as if "Everybody Has a Dream" was somehow written for the pint-size ballad belter. Sure, we sometimes think Jessica over-sings, but she showed some restraint in this performance and we definitely got "goosies" when the choir joined in.
3. Phillip Phillips
Listen, Tommy Hilfiger: no one cares what color someone is wearing when they can sing like Phillip, OK? Phillip's "Movin' Out" was just plain awesome and the dude gives 110 percent every time he's out on that stage.
2. Colton Dixon
We won't lie: as soon as we got home from the taping, we hoped on iTunes and downloaded Colton's version of "Piano Man." Idol's resident rocker managed to take on one of Billy Joel's most iconic songs and make it his own.Week to week, Colton has been consistent and "Piano Man" was his best Idol outing yet. And if the studio audience's reaction is any indication, Colton is going to be around for a long time.
1. Elise Testone
America, if Elise ends up in the bottom three for the third straight week after her ridiculously amazing/perfect/flawless rendition of "Vienna," we're going to send you to bed without dessert for a week. Make that a month. We were obsessed with Elise's performance from the moment she started singing in the footage of her mentoring session. She was that good.
Who's In Trouble
3. Hollie Cavanaugh
OK, pump the brakes: we don't think Hollie will is in any danger of being in the bottom three tonight. Girl can sing, for realz. However, we really think someone, perhaps Jimmy Iovine, needs to step in and tell Hollie to switch it up and advise her to sing something other than a ballad, or you know, anything other than a ballad. Haven't we all learned from the Pia Toscano fiasco?! She needs to set herself apart from Jessica Sanchez and prove she's not a one-trick pony.
2. Erika Van Pelt
While we loved Erika's dramatic new 'do (black pixie cut > red and blonde highlights!), we weren't blown away by her performance of "New York State of Mind." Erika found herself in the bottom three last week and needed a truly stellar outing to help climb out of the land of three stools.
1. DeAndre Brackensick
Our sweet, sweet DeAndre clearly had trouble with this week's theme and it showed in his performance of "Only the Good Die Young." He looked umcomfortable and unsure of himself and going first definitely didn't help his chances.
Bottom Three Prediction: DeAndre, Erika and Hollie.
Exit Prediction: DeAndre. Last night's lackluster performance + singing first = bad news bears for our well-coiffed teen.
American Idol Top 10 Exit Poll
Agree? Disagree? Sound off in our comments!