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American Idol 2018: Top 10


Yes, the theme for this episode was "Disney Song", which somehow always sucks for some and works for others. We had a pretty even mix of songs from the really old ones and some relatively new songs and the result was about what you’d expect. The song choices were, for the most part, interesting and I thought most of them really delivered some terrific performances.

Oh, and Katy Perry was a hoot! Haha.

On with the show!

10. Ada Vox
Circle of Life
All bells and whistles, and nothing more. On paper, this should've been an easy homerun for Ada, but she doesn't have the finesse and vocal control to tackle decently this enormous song. It stretched her too far and once she went off, she struggled. I have no idea why the judges weren't hearing this, but I think there was a possibility that Ada has this rare ability to sing so loud in a live setting that she makes it almost impossible for the judges to hear the terrible notes coming out of his mouth. Sure, there were some shining moments in this performance, but they were vastly overshadowed by some pretty deafening tuning issues.

09. Gabby Barrett
Colors of the Wind
Eh. Where was the girl who sang Little Red Wagon last week? I'm continuously perplexed by Gabby's song choices, and this was no way different. Yes, she sang it well, but it was a disappointingly throwaway performance that left a great deal to be desired.

08. Cade Foehner
Kiss The Girl
Cade's dangerously charismatic, but his take on Kiss The Girl was quite uneven. There were moments of charm and interest and after recycling the same tempo blues-rock number for weeks now, this was a pleasant departure from his usual sound, but for the most part, I was just hoping that someone would tell him to enunciate. I seriously couldn't understand some of his words and that's a problem. Phillip Phillips managed to do something about it, so what's keeping him from doing the same?

07. Caleb Lee Hutchinson
You've Got A Friend In Me
This was a lazy, though smart, song choice for Caleb that didn't challenge him in the slightest. It wasn't vocally dexterous and while it was solid note for note, there was something incredibly karaoke about the performance. If he could begin a growth arc in the next two weeks, it could actually lead to him being crowned the next American Idol in a landslide. Caleb is country. Country voters vote.

06. Michelle Sussett
Remember Me
If not for the glorious acapella verse, this would've ranked lower. Remember Me started off fairly strong with a consistent hold of her pitch and tone, but then the band kicked in and the song started to devour her. Once again, it showcased the weaknesses in her higher end. She needed to stay away from some of these notes that cast a bright light on her inefficiencies as a singer. That said, the starting verse was everything!

05. Jurnee
How Far I'll Go
Exceedingly frustrating. Jurnee, to me, has the most potential to be a legitimate popstar with the package and her crystal clear vocals, but she's really missing the opportunity to carve a niche for herself in the competition. How Far I'll Go was decidedly solid on a vocal standpoint and her eyes looked the most alive here than any of her previous live performances, but Jurnee needs to transform herself into something more unique than this. Her song choices have been pretty all over the place and while that can be a sign of versatility, it can also be seen as lack of definable identity as an artist. She needs to figure this out stat.

04. Maddie Poppe
The Bare Necessities
This is the strategy that let's you be remembered on the American Idol stage. The Bare Necessities song choice was a stroke of genius and Maddie's ability to turn it into something both folky and jaunty at the same time was quite bold. Could it suck? Yes, it certainly could. But you can’t win big unless you bet big. The performance was something different, it was alive, and her lush and gorgeous tone was front and center, and that's all we needed.

03. Dennis Lorenzo
Can You Feel The Love Tonight
An incredibly respectable performance. Can You Feel The Love Tonight was a tough song to sing given the range that it covers, but Dennis pulled it off quite nicely. It allowed him to showcase his beautiful tone to a better degree, and still left room for a nuanced vocal performance. The interesting current flair to his runs were fantastic, and his belting notes towards the end were firing on all cylinders.

02. Catie Turner
Once Upon A Dream
Catie is officially on a roll and comfortably found her groove in the competition. Once Upon A Dream could've been a total disaster - given how she didn't really change anything with the song - but the way her vocals navigated the melody was pretty impressive. Her tone was gorgeous and she knows how to take the music through sweeping motions without getting ahead of herself. Plus, she let some of her fun personality shine through, which can only endear her more to the viewers.

01. Michael J. Woodard
Beauty and the Beast
This was a very, very good vocal performance. Sure, Michael still needs some adjusting to the stage and the nerves, but he's been steadily improving week by week and could potentially win this whole thing. Beauty and the Beast was nothing short of lovely from the restraint, impeccable phrasing, and that terrific glory note that served as the main dish of his well prepared meal. He'd be really smart to stick to these powerful soul numbers while focusing on how to turn them into contemporary pieces.

Dennis Lorenzo
Ada Vox
Michelle Sussett
American Idol 2018: Top 10 Reviewed by DAM on 3:32 AM Rating: 5

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