My American Idol 10 Top 12 Power List! It’s pretty much the same as last week, except Paul, Lauren and Jacob move down, Naima moves up. Check it out after the jump.
What’s yours?
1. Scotty McCreery – Scotty remains at #1 on my list. I’m not sure he can win, but he’s had two really good performances so far. If he can mix it up a bit and keep his momentum going, he could take it all.
2. Pia Toscano – She has rock-solid vocal chops and impressed the judges and Idoldome crowds. But, if she insists on competing with a diet of Whitney and Celine, viewers are going to get bored quick. She’s got to show some versatility–pick some current material. Or at the very least, prove she can handle up-beat material.
3. James Durbin – Mr. I-never-met-a-note-I-couldn’t-scream is listening to the vocal coaches and dialing it back. The result? Dude can sang. This week’s theme “Songs from the Year You Were Born” will allow him to pick some classic hair metal, so I expect him to have another good week.
4. Casey Abrams – Casey has charisma and personality. If his health holds up, he could at least finish in the Top 5. Alas, I would not be surprised at all if he left early due to his medical issues. Two hospital trips in as many weeks is not a good sign.
5. Naima Adedapo – Naima had somewhat of a breakthrough performance this past week. But, it was uneven, and I’m wondering if she’s just a little too weird for Idol viewers. I’m thinking Nadia Turner here. Naima has a strong start…emerges with a mohawk (or something equally wacky) and gets eliminated.
6. Stefano Langone – I’ve got Stefano at mid-pack for now. But, a break out performance could shoot him to the top and make him a front runner. That is, if the producers don’t bus him with another crappy dance remix.
7. Paul McDonald – Paul’s pitchy and somewhat baffling Ryan Adams cover last week pushes him down the list. He’s got to find a way to keep the quirk without losing the audience.
8. Lauren Alaina – Lauren’s snoozy performance of “Any Man of Mine” last week, and her reaction to the panel’s criticism indicates that she might not be ready for Idol. She’s wilting under the pressure. I hate the lowered age requirement. Lauren is a good example of why it sucks.
9. Thia Megia – On the other hand, Thia seems to be handling the stress like a pro. But she’s so dull and disconnected from what she sings. She’ll have to step it up soon if she hopes to survive.
10. Haley Reinhart – I’ve got Haley way down near the bottom. But, if she finds her niche (not country!) and proceeds to sing the hell out of her song picks, she could move up.
11. Jacob Lusk – Jacob will be the first male eliminated from Idol. His performance last week was shouty and off-pitch. When he can rein it in, Jacob has the potential to be spectacular, but he has a hard time controlling his vocals.
12. Karen Rodriguez – She’s got solid vocals, but her song choices are terrible. And I’m not sure Idol viewers are latching on to her Latin flavah. Unless she changes it up this week, I think she’ll be the next to go.
