And we’re back. It’s another day, and another block of contestants. Here’s how I think they stand in the competition, and I’ve factored in our rumored song choices for this week (as some of them have very questionable song choices).
15) Aubrey Cleland- Stuck with the unfortunate task of apparently opening the show, coupled with a lack of screentime, and an uninteresting song choice, I don’t think Aubrey is long for this world. There are several R&B girls this week, and Aubrey stands to get lost in the group.
14) Breanna Steer- I’ll admit, I’m really intrigued by her song choice. I’m reminded by the fact, though, that Breanna (from the brief time we did hear her) isn’t a very good singer. She’s one of the contestants most likely to not be on pitch during her performance. Coupled with a lack of screentime and an early slot, Breanna is probably going home this week.
13) Juliana Chahayed- I think Juliana is destined for a comeback in a later season. After hearing her voice during round 3, I don’t think her song choice for Vegas is a strong decision. I expected something lighter from her, possibly like a Colbie Calliat song. This might not be a good combination for her.
12) Zoanette Johnson- I think we’re about to see the end of Zoanette. It’s going to be hard to justify putting her through this week. There are some strong choices out there this week, and Zoanette chose a potentially lolzy performance. The only saving grace seems to be the suggestion that she is closing the show. She could sneak into the top 10, but it would be with chagrin of many an Idol lover.
11) Tenna Torres- Did I just rank Tenna out of the Top 10 girls? I did. That vocal just wasn’t good enough. I’m not going to debate WHO should have taken her spot, but the general consensus seems to suggest either Shubha or Isabelle should have been awarded another week. Tenna has no business being in the top 10 girls, and I doubt America puts her through to the top 5 girls.
10) Rachel Hale- Rachel’s song choice is interesting, but potentially not a good song for this type of competition. Much like how Johnny Keyser went subdued with Jason Mraz’s joint last week, I think Rachel’s song choice this week is going to bite her in the butt. Plus, she has to defend herself against the favored Janelle Arthur for the token country girl slot.
9) Melinda Ademi- I used to think Melinda was a shoo-in for the top 5 girls, but now I’m concerned that her song choice (singing something that Angela Miller could barely sing last week) is a set up for her elimination. I hope I’m wrong, and I hope the judges bank on her past performances, but I do see a world where Melinda goes home this week. Remember last year, Jen Hirsch and Elise Testone both sang the same song. Jen was the favorite, but it was Elise who wowed everyone and performed AFTER Jen. I think Melinda has a fighting chance, but she needs a home run.
8) Adriana Latonio- Adriana made enough of an impact last week to get to the top 10 girls, but I don’t think she can survive into the top 5 girls. The girls this year are just too damn good, and Amber Holcomb really is throwing a wrench into everyone’s predictions already.
7) Jett Hermano- Speaking of a girl who is making an impact, I’m predicting Jett’s piano performance this week is going to get her to the Top 10 girls. I don’t think it’ll be a trainwreck like Shubha’s. I’ve seen Jett’s covers before, and I think she’ll have a moment this week.
6) Cristabel Clack- Cristabel might just miss out on our Top 5 girls this year. She’s been a nice contender so far, but Amber Holcomb is really shaking up the list, as she’s gaining traction. If Cristabel blows it out of the box, as Randy would say, this week, she could make people say “Amber who?”
5) Amber Holcomb- I’m thinking Amber sneaks into the top 5 girls. Of course, I’m allowing for shakeups (as the dramatic reduction in Melinda Ademi’s ranking can prove). However, she has upward momentum to build on. The downfall? Candice Glover.
4) Angela Miller- Her Jessie J cover was just alright, and even the judges could only talk about her original performances. If she continues to not be able to connect with material that isn’t hers, she’s going to have a hard time staying alive in this competition.
3) Candice Glover- There are a lot of people gunning for Candice’s spot in the competition. Janelle seems to have defeated her country opponents, and Kree seems to be in a folksy category of her own. Candice still has to eliminate Amber, Cristabel, Adriana, Jett, Zoanette, etc. It’s a wide field in R&B, and it’s a demographic that hasn’t won Idol arguably since Season 3 (Jordin is not R&B). Once Candice is the last R&B girl standing, she’ll gain more traction. In the meantime, those other girls are pulling votes.
2) Janelle Arthur- I still think this girl reminds me of how Carrie started in the competition. Sweet girl. Good voice. Seemingly an underdog. I think there’s a good debate about if Janelle can really win this thing, but the fact that people are talking about it at all speaks volumes about her true potential in the competition. America has always enjoyed contestants that grow from week-to-week, and Janelle could very well do that.
1) Kree Harrison- She’s the most talked about performance from last week, so she’s riding high on my power list this week. If America voted right now, she’s the most surefire girl to go to the top 5. Kree is going to be a hard one to beat, as she’s a genuinely nice person that even her competitors have to give props to. Kree is “in it to win it”, as Randy would shout.
My predictions for this week:
IN: Janelle, Candice, Cristabel, and Jett.
FIFTH SPOT: Melinda or Zoanette. Hopefully Melinda.
OUT: Rachel, Juliana, Breanna, and Aubrey.
