With 4 of the original 7 girls of the American Idol 10 Top 13 now history, and the 6 boys left relatively unscathed, It’s time to lose some boys. My new list has a girl on top and a gaggle of boys sharing the bottom spots.
Check out my list after the jump. What’s yours?
1. Pia Toscano – Can Pia win American Idol? On one hand, she’s beautiful and pitch perfect. On the other, her song choices are predictable, making her ripe for a Tamyra Gray-like shocking boot. For this week, Pia tops my list. Yeah, she sang another ballad. But, she sang it really well and the judges LOVED her. If she nails a few uptempo, contemporary tunes, she could secure her place at the top. Idol is soooo due for a female winner.
2. Scotty McCreery – I also question Scotty’s ability to win Idol. He’s really popular, knows who he is as an artist, sings reliably well every week. But, can he pick up new fans as the others drop off? Will his inability to stretch into other genres hurt him? I think Scotty’s position is still strong, but he has to reveal some versatility if he’s to go the distance.
3. James Durbin – James does his rock thang reliably and entertainingly every single week. His personality is beginning to win people over too. Doesn’t hurt that the judges love him. He’s a very likely candidate for the Top 3.
4. Casey Abrams – Casey’s strong comeback with a lovely “Your Song” last week, finds him hopscotching up the list. But, he’s got to continue to sing well if he hopes to finish in the Top 5.
5. Lauren Alaina – Lauren’s poignant “Candle in the Wind” won her major points and helps secure her finish in the Top 5. She could finish even higher if she can handle the pressure.
6. Haley Reinhart – Haley growls her way out of the bottom 3. She’s figured out what the judges want, so I expect she’ll just keep it up. On the strength of those growls and her short shorts, Haley could be sticking around for a few more weeks.
7. Jacob Lusk – I expected Jacob to be the first male elimination. Now, I actually think he won’t even be the second. He’s got another week or two, and could go even farther if he can get his over-singing completely under control.
9. Stefano Langone – Unless Stefano comes back with a WOW performance, his days are numbered.
10. Paul McDonald – Ditto for Paul, who has been mostly a disappointment since Hollywood.
