Here’s how MJ & Mac rank the remaining 4 contestants. Leave your power list in comments.
MJ: 1. Trent Harmon – Trent has actually been on an upward trajectory all season long and he’s peaking at the right time. His video packages have often emphasized how hard he works and the judges have made a point to note his willingness to take their notes. Top four is about the time when a dark horse comes up from behind and snatches the crown from the presumptive front runner. Both of Trent’s performances were strong. Chandelier was a gorgeous gut wrenching performance coming after a swampy and soulful Sharp Dressed Man. Trent’s versatility is also a plus.
MAC: 1. La Porsha Renae– I gotta say, I think La’Porsha is still out in front. She’s the only person who sang this week that I honestly liked both songs overall, and didn’t have any real problems. I think she was a little under pitch on the finish of one of them, but she still hit two songs full cylinder this week, and she’s been doing that every week. I think momentum for Trent may displace her in the finale, but she’s gotta still be #1. One good week does not a frontrunner make.
MJ: 2. Dalton Rapattoni – Dalton may not make the final but he came out strong this week. God Only Knows was well arranged for his vocal ability and his sweet, plaintive delivery appealing. He threw down the theatrical gauntlet on the second performance doubling down on the emo angst. It was an effective television performance in terms of attracting votes. Also Dalton seems to have the most devoted fan base of all the singers left in the competition. The combination of casuals and committed puts him at least at No. 2 this week.
MAC: 2. Trent Harmon– He sang his face off on Sharp Dressed Man, but I honestly lost the lyrics on Chandelier. Yes, the vocal quality was beautiful, but his diction was terrible. He was so focused on the lilting quality of those high notes that we lost the consonants. It sounded a lot like he was just singing vowels, and it pulled me out of what had the potential to be a truly special performance. I still think he’s made up a lot of ground this week, and if he can continue to perform like he did on Sharp Dressed Man, he might get to the finale.
MJ: 3. La’Porsha Renae – By no means do I believe La’Porsha had a poor week. Even when she’s not at her typical 100% fabulosity she’s still pretty terrific. The problem is that as a woman competing against 3 men on American Idol she gets cut no slack. I mean, Idol tried their best to stack the deck with talented ladies and we’re STILL left with only one at Top 4. With Trent coming up in her rearview mirror and Dalton staying in the game, she had to be at her very best last week. Unfortunately she stepped out of her wheelhouse with Bon Jovi and forgot the words and was a little distracted on her Sia song. I think we’re in for a shock boot this week. I hope it’s not La’Porsha.
Mac: 3. Dalton Rapattoni– 3 and 4 for me are really close. I actually believe Mackenzie’s better song outperformed Dalton’s best song, but Mackenzie’s I Want You To Want Me was my least favorite of the week. So, I think Dalton might edge him out. His Sia song this week, while not the best vocal, was emotionally invested. God Only Knows was very vanilla for me. Dalton wasn’t really in it, and the vocal was just so-so. You can’t be so-so this close to the finale. I think Dalton might actually edge Mackenzie out this week, though I wouldn’t be surprised if he went home.
MJ: 4. MacKenzie Bourg – I had MacKenzie in the pole position for much of the season and here I am predicting he might go. Either he or La’Porsha will leave the competition in a very Chris Daughtry like 4th place shock boot. I think it will be MacKenzie because while La’Porsha had some issues last week she was at least dynamic. An ill-arranged performance of I Want You to Want Me that stripped all of the energy out of the original was followed by a forgettable vocal performance of Titanium. The other three singers commanded the stage while MacKenzie barely made a ripple. And the judges were pretty harsh on him which, admittedly could work in his favor. In which case, I think La’Porsha will go home.
MAC: 4. Mackenzie Bourg – I actually liked his Titanium. The fact that the judges hated it so much makes me wonder if Scott just doesn’t want Mackenzie around anymore. It was such an odd takedown of a contestant, who is normally praised, for a performance that really was pretty good. I Want You To Want Me was just the wrong arrangement. He muted the song, and it didn’t have the drive behind it that it should have had. I think the beatdown by the judges, along with that performance, might send him home this week. It’s a really close call between him or Dalton, but I’m leaning toward Mackenzie getting the axe this week.
