American Idol 2016 Recap The Top 10 Performance and Results
Tonight, the judges, Keith Urban, Jennifer Lopez and Harry Connick Jr. eliminate FOUR contestants from the Top 14 after last night’s nationwide vote. After, the Top 10 will take the stage to perform for YOUR votes. Kelly Clarkson joins the judges panel, plus she performs. Join our live blog! Next week, two more contestants are eliminated to reveal a Top 8.
Check out the partial list of SONG SPOILERS for tonight HERE.
The show starts with a timeline full of American Idol successes juxtaposed with major pop culture moments. It’s pretty cool!
Jennifer Lopez is sporting major see-through skirt realness. Kelly will sit between Jennifer and Harry! Harry reminisces on attending the Season 1 finale with Will and Grace star, Debra Messing. That was way back in 2002! We see a funny photo of him flashing peace signs.
We get RIGHT TO THE ELIMINATIONS. In no particular order: Tristan McIntosh, Sonika Vaid, Gianna Isabelle, MacKenzie Bourg, Avalon Young and Lee Jean join La’Porsha Renae, Trent Harmon, Dalton Rapattoni and Olivia Rox in the American Idol Top 10!
Jenn Blosil is eliminated while Gianna Isabelle moves on. Really America. REALLY?
Manny Torres, Jeneve Mitchell, Thomas Stringfellow and Jenn Blosil are eliminated. Well, my predictions were crap. We get a quick but sweet goodbye to the eliminees. – Click to Watch the Unveiling of the American Idol Top 10
Kelly was spared witnessing the eliminations. After a video package, a VERY PREGNANT Kelly toddles onto the stage. Ryan helps her to her seat. What a trouper! “I’m slightly knocked up” Kelly quips. She’s 7 weeks away from her due date.
There are five ways for you to vote for your favorite contestants competing in a voting episode onAMERICAN IDOL 15: (1) SuperVote® Online at www.americanidol.com/vote; (2) SuperVote® on the FOX NOW® App; (3) Google Search Voting; (4) Text Vote (SMS); or (5) Toll-free Voting, each asdescribed here. Viewers will be able to submit up to 10 votes per contestant per Facebook account (Super Vote), Google Search, Text Vote and Toll-Free voting!
Let’s wedge in a performance before the first commercial break!
Olivia Rox – Unconditionally by Katy Perry – An early memory for Olivia was watching Kat McPhee singing “Over the Rainbow” on Season 5. Olivia reworks the songs arrangement. She whisper sings the first verse before she picks up the mic to tackle the bigger parts of the song. Her phrasing is precise and beautiful. She took a big risk starting off soft. A quiet interpretation can lose the audience if not done in a compelling way. But Olivia pulls it off. Keith calls her a true artist. Perfect song choice. Jlo loved the arrangement and her control, but felt she could punctuate the big notes even more. Kelly loved the big parts, but loved the subtle beginning, which she calls “tasteful.” Harry loved her head voice in the beginning “You did everything you needed to do.” – Text 1 to 21523 – 1866-436-5701 – Click to Watch Olivia Rox’s Performance VIDEO
In a little video clip, Kelly reflects on the risk she took singing THAT high note on Natural Woman…
Gianna Isabella – Listen by Beyonce – She and her mom watched Idol in the RV during a Brenda K Starr tour. Gianna had a crush on Scotty McCreery when she was 10. “I just found him so attractive.” Heh. I would not have pegged her for a McCreerian. Urgh. This performance is full of pitch problems and sung by the numbers. She keeps taking on big songs she has no idea how to sing. Gianna has not learned how to inhabit the songs she performs. She’s weepy at the end. Jennifer admits it’s not her best performance. JLO SHE HAS PERFORMED JUST LIKE THIS ALL ALONG YET YOU PIMPED HER INTO THE TOP 10. Kelly notes her age. The song was too big for her. Only when she quits thinking about the notes, says Kelly, will she be able to connect emotionally to her performance. Harry says if felt arranged and rehearsed. I agree. – Text 2 to 21523 – 1866-436-5702 – Click to Watch Olivia Rox’s Performance VIDEO
Lee Jean – Skinny Love by Bon Iver – Lee remembers Chris Medina singing “Falling to Pieces” in his audition. He loved the fiance backstory. Lee is a sweet articulate kid. What is it that’s missing from his performances for me? He displays beautiful phrasing and tone here and there, but at 15, like many of the teens who audition for Idol, his artistry is in the infant stage. His pitch was better than usual tonight, but I didn’t get the sense he had a clue what the song is about. Kelly loves him. She notes his love for Ed Sheeran. She suggests he maybe switch up his chill vibe sometimes. Harry thinks MacKenzie is his main competition. The chill thing is what he does, so it’s ok, he says. Watch your pitch, he warns (His voice is probably still changing!) Keith feels he’s a true storyteller. Jlo says to make sure he choose songs that mean something to him so the performances are impactful. – Text 3 to 21523 – 1866-436-5703 – Click to Watch Lee Jean’s Performance VIDEO
Chris Medina is in the audience! He broke up with his girlfriend, by the way. They are still friends. He’s dating someone else who is brain-injury free. Lee completely freaks out when he spots him in the audience. Ryan tries to interview Chris, but mic fail interferes.
In house mentor, Scott Borchetta is noncommittal when asked by Ryan if he has his eye on any of the singers. He goes on to say the Top 10 have to bring it now, blah blah blather.
Avalon Young – Stitches by Shawn Mendes – Justin Guarini singing “Get Home” by Oleta blew her away. “I was in love with him!” Hm. I’m not loving this song choice. It’s a bland pop song that doesn’t give her the opportunity to show off her R&B chops. She needs a song that allows her to dig in and get a little funky. She did pick up steam on the chorus. Her vocal is lovely, but lacks her usual swagger. Harry notes her “cool vibe” but wasn’t sure about the half time groove. It fell flat for him. Keith felt her nerves in the verse, but then she loosened up. Jlo agreed it wasn’t the right song for her. Kelly finds her absolutely captivating. She loves anything she sings. She notes that it’s so noisy, on stage, that it’s hard to hear! “Cut her some slack.” Kelly is really adding an interesting perspective, as someone who has been there and done that. – Text 4 to 21523 – 1866-436-5704 – Click to Watch Avalon Young’s Performance VIDEO
Dalton Rapattoni – Hey There Delilah by Plain What Ts – Chris Daughtry was his guy during season 5! He went to bed upset when he was eliminated. Winner David Cook has inspired the way he approaches covers. We get a clip of “Always Be My Baby.” Dalton’s arrangement transforms the song into a driving pop punk tune. Nope. I was not expecting that. Honestly, I have to say…this is an improvement. Maybe the lyrics don’t warrant that arrangement? But it was a fun and energetic performance and I appreciate that he stripped away all of the annoying twee out of the original arrangement. Keith calls it “electric barnyard.” Jlo thinks he has a lot of heart. Kelly says it’s rare that singers are as comfortable on stage as Dalton. She loves his versatility. Harry thinks he’s batting 1000. FYI: Dalton puts his eyeliner on the night before so it smudges perfectly. – Text 5 to 21523 – 1866-436-5705 – Click to Watch Dalton Rapattoni’s Performance VIDEO
Kelly sang THREE Aretha Franklin songs throughout the season 1 competition! Pretty much why she didn’t give Lee a hard time about his Ed Sheeran overload.
Harry goes on and on about Kelly and how great she is. He’s been teasing her throughout the night. Gah. The live shows really are back. Harry as annoying as ever! Kelly warns that she might cry during her live performance…
Tristan McIntosh – Nothin’ Like You by Dan + Shay – She’s been watching American Idol religiously. She loved Jessica Sanchez. “I Will Always Love You” was her favorite. Tristan REALLY needs to work on her performance skills. She’s only good when she’s ballading at the piano. That was pitchy, it was uncomfortable watching her awkwardly work the stage, and she didn’t connect to what she was singing at all. She’s got to pick songs that mean something to her. Jennifer didn’t like the song. She notes the youngish Top 10 as if it was just dawning on her. Kelly remembered her being lost in the moment at the piano. She suggests Trisha Yearwood song for her. “I want to hear you sing a song you’ve really felt,” she says. Harry would choose songs that have crossover appeal. Stand there and sing if working the crowd causes pitch problems, he says. Keith doesn’t think the familiarity of the song is important–pick a song that works. This particular song was tricky to sing, he says. – Text 6 to 21523 – 1866-436-5706 – Click to Watch Tristan McIntosh’s Performance VIDEO
MacKenzie Bourg – I See Fire by Ed Sheeran – At first it was his mom’s thing. But then American Idol became a way for the two to bond. He loved William Hung when he was 11. All the kids on the playground were talking about him the day after the performance. Now I’m back to not feeling MacKenzie. Harry asked him what the lyrics meant to him. That was a good question, because I didn’t feel a connection to what he was singing. The arrangement was interesting, but he sucked the life out of that song. Bland. Maybe he’s the type of artist who really needs to sing his own music to shine, because I really loved his performance of the self-penned “Roses” last night. Kelly says her baby was doing flips during his performance. She loves that he knows exactly where he wants to go as an artist. Harry asks him what the lyrics mean to him. His answer was passion. Keith felt the performance pulled the audience in. Jlo is interested to see what songs he chooses going forward in order to make an impact. – Text 7 to 21523 – 1 866-436-5707 – Click to Watch MacKenzie Bourg’s Performance VIDEO
Kelly’s Walk on By was one of her favorites to sing in competition. She was supposed to perform “Anyone Who Had a Heart” but changed at the last minute. What are you doing? Everyone asked. “Hopefully making a good decision!” she said.
La’Porsha Renae – Diamonds by Rihanna – American Idol was like the Super Bowl for her and her mom. Same! Finally, someone is commanding the stage! La’Porsha wearing a dramatic cape, navigates “Diamonds”–which isn’t a super melodic song to begin with–fiercely and skillfully. Her adlibs are absolutely exquisite. This girl can SANG. Glad she’s off the corny karaoke train, bringing her own interpretation to modern pop songs. La’Porsha is special. Kelly is GROOVING in the audience. After, Kelly is standing and is all “WHAT WHAT WHAT.” The crowd is on their feet. La’Porsha is tearful as the crowd WON’T stop cheering. “That’s such a talent!” Kelly exclaims, “You are so so blessed.” Kelly was so excited, she spoke out of turn. She’s Kelly’s pick to win. Keith felt she gave pure humanity up on stage. The crowd is providing his critique, Harry says. – Text 8 to 21523 – 1866-436-5708 – Click to Watch LaPorsha Renae’s Performance VIDEO
Sonika Vaid – Bring Me To Life by Evanescence – Her mom watched American Idol more than she did! WOW. I have NEVER seen Sonika so loose and free on stage. She digs into the song, finally tapping into something deep inside herself. I believe her anger and her angst. Is this a turning point for Sonika? She’s got a great voice, but has been tentative and unsure in performance. I had no faith in her ability to sing big songs. I’ve changed my mind. Keith thought the song played to her strength. Jlo calls her dangerous if she finally comes into her own. Kelly notes that she’s never pitchy. Kelly loves that she wasn’t nervous following La’Porsha. Harry loved that she expressed an angst and passion that we haven’t seen yet. – Text 9 to 21523 – 1866-436-5709 – Click to Watch Sonika Vaid’s Performance VIDEO
Trent Harmon – Like I Can by Sam Smith – – A tornado almost interfered with an American Idol finale! He remembers David Archuleta singing “Imagine” and after he sang it to the cows forever. Trent is sounding really healthy and proving why HE deserved to go straight into the Top 10. Not only can he sing and arrange songs, but he connects to what he’s singing in a visceral way. That performance was absolutely compelling. He left everything on the stage. That’s how you do Idol, people. Jlo calls him an artist and amazing vocalist. Kelly notes how unique his voice is. She wants to hear more of his falsetto. Harry thought it was fantastic. He loves runs and goes on a long rant about how they can be overdone, but feels he and La’Porsha do them right. – Text 10 to 21523 – 1866-436-57010 – Click to Watch Trent Harmon’s Performance VIDEO
Time for Kelly to sing! The panel agrees she was a breath of fresh air. But first, we flash the contestant’s digits. They’re different this week! In performance order.
Kelly Clarkson finishes the show with a performance of Piece by Piece. Click to Watch Kelly Sing – SHOWING THE KIDS HOW IT’S DONE OH YEAH. The recorded version of “Piece by Piece” is a sweet poignant song about finally finding happiness. But this? HOLY COW. Kelly immediately raises goose bumps with a performance that is so full of heartbreaking emotion, that even Keith Urban is crying. Kelly tears up near the end–turning away from the camera to compose herself. There is barely a dry eye in the studio. And kiddos? There’s your vocal and performance masterclass from Kelly. That’s how you get it done on Idol.
The Top 10
Fast pass announced yesterday
La’Porsha Renae
Trent Harmon
Dalton Rapattoni
Olivia Rox
Revealed tonight after America’s Vote
Tristan McIntosh
Sonika Vaid
Gianna Isabella
MacKenzie Bourg
Avalon Young
Lee Jean
Eliminated:
Manny Torres
Jeneve Mitchell
Thomas Stringfellow
Jenn Blosil