No more second chances. This after showing all of the emotions of last week’s near elimination of Casey. Okay, I confess. I got a little teary-eyed watching that recap. But … no more second chances. The judges’ save is gone. Tomorrow night, two of these young folks go home, even if all eleven are perfect while performing the songs of Elton John (who I’ve got tickets to see in April!).
Wouldn’t it be great if we have another terrific show like last week? Here’s hoping for it. And away we go:
Scotty (Country Comfort): I think I heard them say this is the only country song Elton John ever did. Well, thank you, Mr. John, for giving Scotty such a good song to sing. (And wasn’t the shout out to Grandma cute?) I think the final, very low note wasn’t quite perfection but it was close enough to make me happy. Judges loved it. Me too. I am such a sucker for his voice, and I totally agreed with Randy when he said how comfortable Scotty is on the stage. Starting the night with a 4.7 out of 5 from this country-lovin’ woman.
Naima (I’m Still Standing): Naima puts a reggae twist on the song. It worked a little, but then the off-key stuff showed up again, ruining the effect. Too bad. It had potential but fell flat. (Randy called it corny.) The best I can give her is a 3.6.
Paul (Rocket Man): Hmm. It was quiet and likable and nuanced and yet … Hmm. The judges seemed to say what I couldn’t quite express. It was good but is it good enough? I’m not sure. I’ll give him a 4.0.
Pia (Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me): Another ballad, and they made sure we were aware of it. She looked stunning. What a dress! I wasn’t crazy about the arrangement of the song (the choir effect was good), but her singing transcended what I didn’t like about it. I wish she owned the stage a little more. She gets a 4.6.
Stefano (Tiny Dancer): A very fine performance. The judges pointed out how much better he connected with the audience (i.e. kept his eyes open more). I’m not sure it will hold up as a very memorable song at the end of the evening. Time will tell. I’m giving him a 4.0.
Lauren (Candle in the Wind): Beautiful. Gentle, tender, sweet. Loved the little “country breaks” in her voice on a few notes. Judges were over the moon for the performance. She gets a 4.8.
James (Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting): Piano on fire. No kidding. And so was James. This kid impresses me. He is true rock. He’s got a great voice for a rocker. He knows how to interact with the crowd, playing to them. I thought a time or two he was a little pitchy, but it was minor stuff. He gets a 4.7.
Thia (Daniel): Another lovely ballad. She has a beautiful voice. Randy said it was “safe” and maybe that’s true. Perhaps so safe that it won’t be memorable when it comes time to vote. She gets a 4.3 from me.
Casey (Your Song): The heat was on to do well, to prove that the judges did the right thing. Casey rose to the occasion, let us really hear his vocals which were quite fine. Jennifer says he has “character” in his voice, and I think that was a perfect choice of words. I think the song was enough to keep him safe for another week. I’ll give him a 4.4.
Jacob (Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word): The coach warned about “over dramatizing.” For me, that’s my biggest problem with Jacob. He looked in such complete pain as he sang it made me miserable. What was he doing with his mouth? Ugh. He over-sang it and was pitchy in the middle, but he definitely had a glory note at the end. 4.1
Haley (Bennie and the Jets): Perfect end to the show. Perfect song for Haley’s growly voice. She performed the starch out of the song. She gets the third 4.7 of the night.
My favorites of the night?
Lauren | Haley
Scotty | James
