American Idol season 11 is well underway with the most well-balanced collection of talent the show has had in years. The judges have gotten back to critiquing the performances this year, which is a shock since Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez added nothing but star-power last year. The race is on to see who will make it to the finale at the Kodak Theater and fight for a recording contract. Here is where I believe the contestants stand at this point in the competition.
9. Heejun Hun
A natural comedian and trained actor, Heejun is the funniest contestant Idol has ever had with a constant stream of one-liners in his video packages and spot-on reactions to Seacrest. Unfortunately, Idol is a singing competition and while Heejun has talent, his voice isn’t on par with the top singers this year. He bastardized Billy Joel’s “My Life” in an unfunny, bad karaoke performance that will probably keep him in the bottom three until he is sent home.
8. Deandre Brackensick
Deandre has an unbelievable falsetto, but suffers from being young and not knowing quite what type of artist he wants to be. He in back to back weeks delivered weird, awkward versions of “Endless Love” and “Only the Good Die Young.” The model Idol winner in the past few years has been guy playing the guitar and Deandre is anything but that. He made the tour and should be happy with that.
7. Elise Testone
One of the season’s older contestants at 28 years of age, Elise’s experience shines through with her seductive, sultry voice that she can move you with almost effortlessly. Unfortunately, she got some strange critiques in top 12 week and his been in the bottom three each week since. Part of her problem has to do with how she has taken the news. Sometimes she shows utter frustration and lack of compassion for her fellow competitors when they get sent over to join her, all marks against her receiving votes from American. Luckily for her, she killed Billy Joel’s “Amelia,” and her vocal prowess cannot be denied. Whether upping the amount of smiles she makes per week can shoot her up the list remains to be seen, but she has a future in the recording industry, no doubt.
6. Colton Dixon
Season 11’s resident punk rocker with his mullet hairstyle and Indy rock roots. His stripped down tender version of “Piano Man” on a red piano was an Idol moment, no doubt and if he can continue changing things up, there is reason to believe that he has a chance to win. Cut last year in the Hollywood stage of the competition, Colton almost didn’t come back and audition this year, simply accompanying his sister to her audition. The judges forced him to sing and he finds himself going on the Idol 2012 summer tour and guaranteed a six-figure payday. His story is strong and his personality remains appealing for voters of all ages.
5. Skylar Laine
Skylar can aptly be described as an 18-year old version of Reba McEntire with natural spunk and youthful energy always a part of her energetic and fun performance. She slayed “Stay with Me” by Faces to make it into the top 13, a performance so colorful and engaging, that it may have been the top performance on Top 25 night. I haven’t heard her hit a bum note yet and if I was a country fan, she would be at the top of the list. She continues to grow as a performer and is definitely one to continue to watch as the season progresses on.
4. Joshua Ledet
Nicknamed “Mantasia” due to the wide array of similarities between his voice and that of season 3 winner Fantasia Barrino, Joshua has an enormous powerhouse of an instrument. His take on “When a Man Loves a Woman” was a huge Idol moment and one I implore you to seek out on youtube. He sometimes has trouble connecting emotionally with his lyrics, but as he gains more experience on the big stage, another Idol moment or two for him should be forthcoming. His laid back, charming demeanor make him an appealing candidate for America’s vote and one that could easily win this season’s title.
3. Jessica Sanchez
The tone and pitch of the awe-inspiring 17-year old Jessica Sanchez’s voice can take your breath away. On Whitney Houston night, she delivered a stupendous version of “I will Always Love You,” that earned a standing ovation from the judges and brought the house down. She can sing the phonebook and may finally bring Idol its first woman winner since 2007. Whether she goes for an up-tempo number or a diva ballad, the world stops when Jessica sings and I can’t wait to see how she continues to one-up herself week after week.
2. Hollie Cavanagh
My personal favorite contestant of Season 11, Hollie reminds me of Celine Dion and no example better illustrates that than her take on Celine’s “The Power of Love.” The 18-year old Australian tells a story each week with her voice and always leaves you satisfied with her ability to hit the high glory notes to close each performance. That she didn’t receive a lot of screen time in the audition stages and has ascended so rapidly shows that her voice has captured the attention of America. In Top 25 week when she needed to stand out to make the Top 13, she went with the Pocahontas song “Reflection” that showed the control, enunciation, and personality that defined the type of performer she is to the masses. If she continues to make smart song choices and tries some up-tempo numbers, she can make the finale in May.
1.Phillip Phillips
A simple, unassuming guy that is one with his guitar, Phillip represents the type of contestant that has won Idol for the last several years. His takes on “Superstition” and “In the Air Tonight” showed the versatility his vocals and guitar skills bring to the table. He is also a guy that is not going to change who he is as was seen when he flat-out disregarded Tommy Hilfiger’s advice to not wear gray on stage when performing Billy Joel’s “Moving Out.” His performances are always fun, the chicks dig him, and he makes each song his own. What makes this season so intriguing is that the top 6 contestants are all capable of winning and how they handle the pressure in their 90 second weekly performances will determine elimination order and the deserving winner. The only guaranteed winner this year is America.
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