The American Idol 11 Top 9 performed songs from Their Own Idols. Read my Recap. Now, read what the rest of the blogosphere had to say about the performances.
‘American Idol’ recap: Stevie, Take the Wheel – Have you any dreams you’d like to sell? It’s only Stevie Nicks who wants to wrap around your dreams and… convert them into what ended up being one of the best Idol episodes ever! What a coup to have this rock and roll legend and one of my favorite singers of all time as a guest mentor. She was able to pinpoint exactly what the Top 9 contestants needed to hear, and a wide-open “the idols sing songs from their idols” theme was exactly what season 11 needed this week. Yesterday’s gone, yesterday’s gone… – Entertainment Weekly
Live at American Idol: The Top Nine Dish on Emotional Show! Plus, Who Is Feeling Under the Weather?! – Which contestant was under the weather? Phillip Phillips, who opted out of doing press after the show because he wasn’t feeling well. Phillip is no stranger to illness during his Idol run as he had surgery a few weeks ago, so here’s hoping the crooner gets better soon! – EOnline
‘American Idol’: 20 Things You Didn’t See on Wednesday’s Top 9 Show – 5. During Skylar Laine’s performance of Miranda Lambert’s “Gunpowder and Lead,” Elise Testone, Colton Dixon and Phillip Phillips are marched out to the floor and into the crowd. It’s not clear yet that a trio number is on the horizon so many are scratching their heads. The contestants, meanwhile, do their best to blend in but it still looks and feels a little awkward. – Read more at Hollywood Reporter
‘American Idol’ 2012: Top 9 Idolettes wow the judges – But only after being dressed by Tommy Hilfiger again. Hilfiger isn’t risking rejection again, after his fashion advice was roundly ignored by the Idolettes last week. This week he meekly directs them to the racks full of “Idol”-branded merchandise and tells them to pick their own outfits. “Don’t forget, you can mix and match!” Hilfiger says as they start to poke around. “By the time we get to the finale, the styles will be outrageous,” Hilfiger tells the camera, which we take as a warning. – Washington Post
‘American Idol,’ Season 11, ’9 Finalists Compete’: TV Recap – The Idols took on their personal idols tonight on “American Idol,” singing songs of the performers they aspire to be like. Everyone stepped up their game, filling the stage with emotion, rock and even redemption. And Steven Tyler was livelier than he’s been in a while. Before they hit the stage, we saw Tommy Hilfiger consulting with the group. His effort this week: to allow the Idols, with consultation, to discover their own personal style, a style he expects will evolve until the finale, into something unique. – Wall Street Journal
‘American Idol’ Recap: Go Your Own Way – Welcome back to American Idol, where they are still trying to make Tommy Hilfiger happen. The designer gives the top nine contestants a few fashion tips that they promptly ignore because DID YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENED TO ERIKA VAN PELT? Lesson learned, man. – Rolling Stone
‘American Idol’ Recap: The Top 9 Perform Songs From Their Musical Idols – After weeks of tackling dated songs (and generally performing them poorly) all it took to give “American Idol” a shot of adrenaline was to allow the contestants to sing songs from their own musical idols. Finally, no more trying to fit their voices to Billy Joel’s style, or forcing them to sing Stevie Wonder when all they want to do is Dave Matthews. This week saw most of the finalists truly bringing their A-game, resulting in an eclectic array of musical choices that actually offered some modicum of entertainment value. – Huffington Post
O yes! Heejun is first of ‘American Idol’ singers to bring judges to their feet – You have to give this much to the nine remaining finalists on “American Idol” – they aren’t making it easy to vote them off. Singing songs from their own personal idols seemed to inspire everyone to greater heights this week. Granted, that’s partially because the judges were in an especially generous mood on Wednesday night, giving no fewer than five standing ovations on the night. None, however, was more surprising than the first. – The Clicker
‘American Idol’ Recap: Stevie Nicks Crushes on Phillip Phillips – Someone has a crush on Phillip Phillips, and that someone just so happens to be Stevie Nicks. The legendary singer-songwriter openly ogled the Dave Matthews soundalike and fan fan during her gig as the celebrity guest mentor on Wednesday’s American Idol, wherein the nine remaining finalists performed songs by their respective idols. – The Hollywood Reporter
‘American Idol’ top 9 performance recap: five standing o’s – The “American Idol” judges fell over themselves tonight. Five of the singers received standing ovations. With the theme of picking your idols, everyone was able to pick songs they knew really well. So everybody had a chance to shine. Unfortunately, I just wasn’t as excited as the judges. There weren’t any disastrous performances tonight but not really anything that would have lifted me to my feet – or at least off my couch. – Access Atlanta
‘American Idol’ Recap: Elise Testone, Phillip Phillips & More Get Standing Ovations From Judges – Last night’s episode of American Idol had the contestants singing songs by their own Idols. Who would the contestants pick and would it be the right choice? With mentoring help with Jimmy Iovine and Stevie Nicks, they all rocked it. But did they five of the nine singers really deserve standing ovations from judges Jennifer Lopez, Randy Jackson and Steven Tyler? – OK Magazine
‘American Idol’: The Top 9 Idols Cover Their Idols, Then Cry About It – We’re down to single digits on American Idol, and as the numbers fall, the stakes (and number of tears) rise. Last night the remaining singers were tasked with covering their idols, with the legendary Stevie Nicks serving as mentor. During rehearsals, Nicks warmed them up like a proud mother hen and even sang duets with a lucky few. It all resulted in a record five standing ovations from the judges. Find out if they earned them or if everyone just felt especially generous last night. – Idolator
9 Finalists Compete – Welcome to American Idol, where standing ovations have become completely meaningless (also known as my parents’ worst nightmare—they will not stand if they don’t think a performance is deserving, the rest of the audience at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra be damned). Tonight, the idols took on songs by their idols. Get it? Let me know if you need me to explain it to you. – AV Club
American Idol 11: Top 9 Know All There Is To Know About The Hunger Games – Since I will be forced to sit through two hours of American Idol a la Stevie Nicks and NO ONE will sing Silver Spring AND the fact I seem to have the damned flu, why not write this damned post a la The Hunger Games. After all, keeping every performance show at 2 hours this season means the fallen are further exploited in stirring music-ed montages at the beginning — milking Jermaine Jones dishonorable discharge still, are we? That poor guy, the odds were never in his favor. – Top Idol Blog
