American Idol Season 10 is coming to a conclusion. Tonight, America selects the finalists from the Top 3. If you have been following us throughout the American Idol Season 10 journey, you will know that we have thought Christian musician Scott McCreery was a lock for the finals and the favorite to win. We are not so sure any longer. Haley Reinhart has put together a string of tremendous performances and put Season 10 into question. And even though Christian musician Lauren Alaina has yet to reach her singing potential, her charisma and humor have brought her into the Top 3 with a chance to win American Idol Season 10. I now believe that tonight will be a legitimate battle to decide the American Idol Season 10 final two.
Scott McCreery, Haley Reinhart and Lauren Alaina will each sing three songs this week. They can pick a song for themselves, the judges will pick one and Jimmy Iovine will pick the third. In addition to all of the work to prepare three songs, the American Idol Season 10 Top 3 took a day to go home for the annual American Idol homecoming celebrations.
So tonight comes down to this. Scott McCreery will make the Top 2 unless he stumbles tonight. However, Scott very much needs a special performance tonight to regain momentum that has been snatched by Haley Reinhart. Speaking of Haley, if she continues her run of stunning performances tonight, she could challenge Scott for the American Idol Season 10 title. If Lauren Alaina can just lose herself into three songs and belt out performances like she consistently does in the results show, she will push Scott or Haley out of the top 2 and maybe even win American Idol Season 10.
I do want to take a moment to point out a comment from our Top 13 Power Rankings on March 6th:
“Today, two of the Top 13 show all the signs of winning American Idol Season 10. Scott McCreery and Lauren Alaina are young, likable, good looking and safe for the American Idol voting demographic. The pre-teen girl voters want to date Scott and hangout with Lauren, and their voting mothers want that as well. Both are talented and will have successful music careers, so one of them winning would be a good conclusion to American Idol Season 10.”
Both Scott McCreery and Lauren Alaina have lived up to that prediction and both have a real shot at winning.
It is time for all three to prove that they belong, so join me as I live blog the American Idol Season 10 top 3 performances, right now.
We are going two hours tonight. I need to grab my charger. In case you have not heard, American Idol sponsored James Durbin‘s homecoming celebration.
Beyonce mentored the Top 3 through their personal choices. Did you know that she is an iconic diva, like J-Lo?
Scott McCreery picks “Amazed” by Lone Star. Beyonce thinks Scott has innocent charisma. Scott’s has demonstrated perfect phrasing all season. That is why he has seemed to be a consumate pro from the time the Top 24 hit the stage. That was a very simple song, with a beautiful melody and Scott completely owned it. He needs to work on his stage movements a little, but as a vocal performer he continues to prove that he is a master. He much went higher in his range than he usually does. Steven and J-Lo both loved. Randy had a few small complaints think he finished the song strong. A good Scott McCreery performance but it did not blow my mind.
Lauren Alaina is singing Faith Hill’s “Wild One.” Lauren showed exceptional stage presence. She moved around the stage effortlessly and seemed very engaged with the audience. She certainly had fun with the song. She missed a few opportunities to build on some notes and blow everyone away. The judges did not seem to be blown away but had nothing but nice things to say. A very good performance but not a show stopper.
Haley Reinhart‘s song choice is “What Is And What Should Never Be” by Led Zeppelin. This is certainly a risk. This is a 40 year old rock song that was never a hit. Except for falling down in the middle of the song that was pretty exceptional. Except for the fall, her stage movements were dead on. That was completely in Haley’s pocket. She wailed on this big bluesy rock number. Her voice is big enough and she sang it full out. Haley Reinhart is on fire. The judges gave here a standing ovation and they all loved it. I thought is was pretty incredible as well.
Randy, Steve and J-Lo all say Haley Reinhart created a moment and won round 1.
Jimmy Iovine picks “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not” by Thompson Square for Scott McCreery. He brings out a guitar for round 2. Good job Jimmy. This is a perfect song for Scott. That was a great performance by Scott. He showed a little range and added some growl to his vocal. I think that may have been his moment. A fully complete performance. Scott delivered a full body, nuanced, fully engaged performance. Everything came together for Scott McCreery with that performance. Steven loved the way he delivered the chorus. J-Lo thought he was in the zone. Randy declares Scotty is in it to win it. That is the type of performance Scott needed tonight. That was perfect.
For Lauren Alaina, Jimmy Iovine goes to today’s charts for “If I Die Young” by The Band Perry. They are a Christian band. Jimmy is good at this. Another great performance. Lauren really pushed her vocals and delivered some big notes. The competition is heating up. In this week, more than ever, Lauren is performing more as a professional than as a competitor. J-Lo loves her tone. Both Randy and J-Lo picked up on her losing herself in the song but complimented on her recovery. t didn’t hear her mistake, evidently she got caught up in the emotion of the song and missed a chord change. Lauren delivered another great performance. No one is backing down tonight.
Haley Reinhart will be singing Stevie Nick’s “Rhiannon.” Jimmy tells her to build to the end so America can hear every color of her voice. Haley gets the full Stevie Nicks wind machine treatment. That was beautiful visual performance but the vocals we just okay. Her pitch was perfect but that song did not show off her voice. That was okay but it was not up to par with her past three weeks. Randy and Steven enjoyed it. J-Lo thought it was beautiful moment. Like the judges, I thought it was good but not special. It was like a throw away from her first album.
Steven thought Lauren took round 2. J-Lo and Randy adamantly thought Scott took round 2. Jimmy thinks we saw Scott transform into a star tonight.
The judges pick “She Believes In Me” by Kenny Rogers for Scott McCreery. This is a really schmaltzy country ballad for the 80′s. This song challenges Scott’s range and he proves to be up to the challenge. A perfect delivery of that song. Very beautiful. I was hoping for a more emotional moment that never came. Steven thinks he sang the big chorus with ease. J-Lo says they were trying to challenge him with that big chorus and that he showed them. Randy loved it. The judges all complimented him on the technical singing and I agree. That was a beautiful vocal performance.
For Lauren Alaina, the judges selected “I Hope You Dance” by Lee Ann Womack. That was solid. Tonight, as many times with Lauren, I am left wanting more for her. She sang perfectly but she held back. She could have gone for a big finish but went soft. She walked out like she owned the stage and she sang well. I just want more. The judges went gaga (not Lady) over her performance. I am not sure I saw what they saw or heard what they heard.
The judges have saddled Haley Reinhart with Alainas Morrisette’s “You Oughta Know.” Not only do I haet this song, it is completely wrong for Haley. If she pulls this off she deserves to win. Haley soars through the big chorus really unleashing her big voice. However, she muddles through the rappy verses. The rapid fire lyrics in the low end of her range really tied her in knots. She finished huge though. Randy loved the choruses. Steven said she was amazing because she nailed the choruses. J-Lo loved the choruses. Aren’t songs made up of both verses and choruses? The Haley Reinhart train ran out of steam tonight because of poor song choices by Jimmy and the judges.
Steven thinks Haley won round 3. J-Lo and Randy thinks Lauren won round 3.
Nothing was better tonight than Haley Reinhart singing “What Is and What Should Never Be”, but both Scott McCreery and Lauren Alaina were consistently better than Haley. I think Scott McCreery assured himself a spot in the American Idol Season 10 top 2 and may have solidified his shot at the title. It will be a battle between Lauren and Haley to join Scott next week.
Join us tomorrow night as we live blog the American Idol Season 10 top 3 results show.
Before we get to the rankings we would like to say a few parting words to James Durbin. I have fallen in love with this young man this season. He is so ernst and thoughtful and passionate about what he does. Throughout the season he openly expressed his love and fidelity to his fiance. All of these young people have a lot on the line but James seemed to be the one sacrificing the most and needing this success the most. We do wish him the best. We hope to see him use his new found fame to show families struggling through the tourette’s and autism diagnosis that there is hope and a light in the distance. One thing is pretty clear from James’s post Idol reviews is that James will not go the Daughtry route but pursue some harder and more experimental musical opportunities. Hoping for success for you James Durbin. I am not a big metal fan but I commit to buying your first release.
1) Scott McCreery- He is like the old boyfriend who is the same as he was when you first met him, but months of wonderful the relationship turns monotonous and you start looking for new excitement. Christian musician Scott McCreery needs two very strong weeks to get America’s attention. As Paul MacDonald, Jacob Lusk and Casey Abrams have left American Idol Season 10 those votes seemed to have drifted to Haley Reinhart. This week, Scott McCreery needs at least one edgy song, performed seriosuly, to capture James Durbins‘ voters, maybe the Allman Brothers, Lynard Skynard, a Neil Young rocker or maybe even one of Third Day’s edgy songs. Jimmy Iovine and the judges selections scared to death because they are going to try to make Scott step outside his genre.
2) Haley Reinhart- People like Haley Reinhart is why I like American Idol. She spent the first part of the season in the bottom 3. Week after week you could hear the voice but she seemed lost. Her performances were all over the place and all of them were unfocused and disconnected. She fit the profile of a great singer who was just happy to be there and was enjoying her time on the show. Then she flipped a switch. Haley Reinhart‘s eight straight show stopping performances catapulted her into a threat to Scott McCreery for the American Idol Season 10 title. Since the judges have no idea of what to make of Haley Reinhart, I suspect that their song selection for her will be disastrous. Watch for J-Lo to pick some contemporary R&B silliness like she sings. Jimmy Iovine’s selection should be good, I think he gets her. Remember he convinced Haley Reinhart to sing that unreleased Lady Ga Ga a few weeks ago. Will Haley Reinhart join the ranks of Kris Allen, Lee Dewyze and Jordin Sparks to upset the season long favortie and win American Idol Season 10? I now believe that is possible.
3) Lauren Alaina- What a wonderful story. The youngest of the American Idol Season 10 came out of the auditions as a producer favorite. Remember, American Idol was going for a Taylor Swift or Justin Beiber phenomena this year and lowered the entry age. Lauren Alaina then waltzed through Hollywood Week with charm, humor, confidence and a huge voice. Then she started reading about herself on the Internet. The absolutely horrific things said about her online visibly shook her confidence. Her audition and Hollywood week popularity kept her in the game through a series of poor performances. The judges, the vocal coaches and Jimmy Iovine encouraged her through this period to believe in herself. Then, as she prepared to perform “The Climb”, Jimmy Iovine told her she was a better singer than Myley Cyrus. Then she went out and proved it. Then she sang a duet with Scott McCreey during a results show and America remembered that Lauren Alaina is a great singer. Her struggles with confidence have held her back but her charisma and comedic skills have brought her into the American Idol Season 10 Top 3. If she manages to cross the her confidence barrier and really let loose like she does in the results show duets, Christian musician Lauren Alaina could vault to the top of American Idol Season 10.
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there, I think she saw the future of the show and realized she would not be part of it. This must be a difficult week for her as she prepares to perform knowing that nothing short of a miracle will get her into the American Idol Season 10 Top 3. It’s not talent, it is maturity and confidence. After a strong first performance she just refused to try for the pay-off notes in “Unchained Melody.” Without those notes that is a pretty bland song. Her lack of confidence has been Lauren’s story for the entire season. Unless Lauren Alaina decides that she has nothing to lose and pulls out all the stops next week, she is headed back to Georgia. I think it will be a short visit and then Lauren Alaina will spend the rest of her teen years on the road, with tutors, creating a career that will endure for decades. The girl has talent and star quality and I am sure there is a line waiting for the chance to develop her into a star.
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