So as always followers this is my recap for the Top 16. This time I am combining both the girls and guys nights in one long post. So it’s Tuesday night which mean its ladies night-LOL. Have you ever noticed that incredibly goofy smirk that Ryan has on his face? I’m trying to decide whether or not that’s normal or because he thinks he’s full of himself. So Ellen why are giving Simon Eskimo kisses? Awkward much? So the first performance of the night is the young and talented Katie Stevens from Middlebury, CT. Yeah CT represent! Warning wrong song choice may lead to your elimination. Tonight Katie decided she was going to take a chance with a Kelly Clarkson song, Breakaway. In my mind I am thinking why would you even try and attempt that. It’s like one of the biggest American Idol DON’TS. Do not ever sing a song by the IDOL-LOL. Stupid much? I also want to know why she picks all these songs where she wants to sing in her lower range. She kills a song when she sings in her upper register. Great potential from this young lady. Randy felt that her performance failed in comparison to Kelly. Ellen said she didn’t feel the words. Kara again tells a contestant that they have a great radio voice but they don’t know who they are as an artist just yet. Simon compliments her saying that she has actually taking their advice from week to week while some of the other contestants simply ignore it. Siobhan Magnus “the strange one” was next in line to perform. Having chosen the Animals House of the Rising Sun she started the song with an amazing acapella introduction. I personally loved the seemingly flawlessness of the vocal and the subtle strength behind it. Definitely goose bumps (Paula reference). Randy said her performance was hot. Ellen said she was captivated and Kara said it was brilliant to start acapella. Unlike the rest of the judges Simon felt that she didn’t have that moment and he was unimpressed. Up next was Lacey Brown with Brandi Carlile’s the Story. I feel that this was her best performance to date, however I am still not impressed. But Lacey is incredible performer she exuberates so much personality and start quality in her performances. I feel like I am just waiting for her to pick that song that will create her “moment.” Randy felt it was the best performance from her in a long time. Ellen felt like the song was written for her. Kara said she made it seem effortless to sing and Simon said it was good. At the halfway point is Katelyn Epperly with a Carole King classic, I Feel the Earth Move. Vocally Katelyn is amazing but she lacks so much when it comes to performing. I feel she hasn’t yet connected to any of the songs she’s performed since her initially aired audition. Randy didn’t feel the vibe. Ellen feels she has a great voice and a great look. Kara felt like she was going through the motions and not really competing. Simon felt that it was sort of like a request night at a restaurant. Tonight Didi recovers from her Lean on Me performance. Her choice tonight was Rhiannon by Fleetwood Mac. Accompanied by her guitar we again saw the Didi that wowed the judges Hollywood week with Terrified. I love the tone of her voice and the break in it as she goes for the higher notes. Randy said she was better than last week. Ellen said to that yes in deedy Didi. Kara felt it was one of her favorite moments so far this season. Simon agreed with Kara saying it was head and shoulders above anything they’ve heard tonight. The whole performance was a moment. – I see you sneaky camera man. ;-) Paige Miles is said to have one of the greatest voices however she did not deliver tonight with her performance of Charlie Chaplin’s Smile. Her performance definitely showcased her voice in a different way. I am still not a fan. I feel like she is just trying to get by. Randy said it didn’t work. Ellen felt that the performance wasn’t uplifting as it was meant to be. Kara said it was all wrong and Simon felt it was a horrible song choice. Crystal Bowersox is definitely Top 12 material. She came on stage tonight she was original and just herself. Her performance of Tracey Chapman’s Give me One Reason was a great choice for her at this point in the competition. She is by far one of the best of the night she just does her thing on stage. Randy loved the honesty in her delivery. Ellen felt she was the best of the night. Kara felt it was a great song choice. Simon feels she is the one everyone else has to beat. Lilly Scott closed the night with I Fall to Pieces by Patsy Cline. Lilly has an incredibly unique voice. She makes getting on that stage each week seem effortless. She is a great vocalist and I love the indie vibe about her. Randy said she was in the zone and he loved the mandolin. Ellen loves her originality and her voice. Kara felt she made Patsy Cline sound current. While Simon felt that she had no wow factor. So after all the girls have performed I feel like we will be saying goodbye to Katie Stevens and Paige Miles. However, America is funny and we may be losing entirely different contestants and now on to the boy’s performances. 
Wednesday night is guys’ night on idol Lee DeWyze was up first with an interesting choice, Owl City Fireflies. I love Lee’s husky/raspy rock voice he definitely put his own spin on it. I am actually not that impressed but considering I am such a diehard Lee fan that I'll download it on iTunes anyways. Randy said he made it work. But he wasn't sure about the song choice Ellen thought it was great. Kara said that Lee looked like he was more confident tonight. He made the song better. The performance was solid but wasn’t his best moment. Simon expressed how he’s glad Lee is in the competition and that tonight’s performance was better than his last. Up next was Alex Lambert tackling Ray Lamontagne’s Trouble. I think this a great choice for his voice. I feel Alex has an incredible voice. His performance does need some work. Randy said it was a good song choice however he is not jumping up and down. Ellen felt he became a mushy banana u get better and better. Loves his innocence and how pure it is. Kara feels that his performance is still stiff and he needs to let go. Simon feels that he needs to relax and have a good time. He advises Alex to think about Randy in a bikini. Tim Urban surprised me tonight with his vocal of Hallelujah. It was his best vocal to date even though I absolutely despise him. You can tell he wants to make it to the top 12. However he looks incredibly goofy and cheesy on stage. Randy felt he did a pretty good job. Ellen said he was fantastic and leapt on the stage to give him a hug. Kara said she could feel the beauty and sorrow within his interpretation of the song. Simon expressed that it was a very smart song choice and that he was terrific. Vote for the worst is probably extremely happy right now. Andrew Garcia decided to tackle another female artist’s song with his choice of Genie in a Bottle by Christina Aguilera. Hmmm I don't know what to think I’ve never heard this song done acoustic before. Andrew is an incredible performer/ vocalist. Randy likes the cardigan but the song didn't work for him it didn’t showcase his range. Ellen felt it was a great choice but the genie came out of the bottle too late. Kara said it just wasn't great. While Simon felt the performance was a little bit desperate. Casey was up next with Keith Urban’s You’ll Think of Me. I love Keith Urban he is so incredible live. I feel like it was a great choice for Casey. However Randy felt his choice was safe and feels he has more of an edgy Stevie Ray vibe. Ellen said he was honest not tying to be a rock star but missing that spark Simon said it was his second best performance it made him appear sincere. Aaron Kelly is up next with I'm Already There by Lonestar. I like how many of tonight’s have a more intimate vibe about them. It’s almost as if the guys are all finding a niche in which they are comfortable which is good this stage of the competition. Overall this wasn’t the best for Aaron. I want to say Aaron sang the song flat. He was always just below the actual notes and he looks tired. Randy said it was a job well done but he still has some work to do. Ellen feels his performance is real. Kara on the other hand felt it wasn’t relevant to his life. In contrast, Simon felt it was the right type of song for Aaron song to sing because he is good at conveying emotion but it was not a great vocal. Now at the second to last performance of the night Todrick Hall decided to take on Queen’s Somebody to Love. With all the Glee ads between the commercials I couldn’t help but feel like this was his audition for season 2. I felt the vocal was horrible where's the melody??? But I will say this Todrick is an incredible performer. Randy felt Todrick was back. – But back from where bad to horrible? Ellen said he did a good job. Kara didn't know whether to laugh or to love it the singing was good. Simon felt it was good in parts. Last and probably the guy to bear at this point is Michael Lynche with Maxwell’s This Woman's Work. Mike has a great falsetto. I much prefer the R&B Mike compared to acoustic guitar Mike. His performance was absolutely incredible. It was filled with so much emotion that you could tell he has actually lived what he is singing. Randy felt his performance was really really really dope. Ellen said oh my god that was so beautiful. It feels like the show just began. The performance was so emotional that Kara was brought to tears. Kara expressed how she has never cried before. Simon said this performance was so needed at this point competition. It was by far the best performance in all of the live shows thus far. With all guys having performed I foresee we may be saying goodbye to the Andrew Garcia due to bad song choice and either Casey or Aaron. I am patiently waiting to find out who the Top 12 will be of this season. The results are only hours away my only hope for tonight’s result show is that I hope they don’t pick an overplayed cheesy song to sing as a group number.-LOL
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