AMERICAN IDOL 2011 GRAND FINALE: THE COUNTRY BOY WINS

Thousands auditioned, hundreds were brought to Hollywood, 24 were chosen to perform for America, 13 were given the chance to perform for the finale, and now, 2 are left for the final showdown, but who will win?

The show was opened with Ryan announcing that there were 122 million votes sent in last night. He then introduced the judges and the top 2. After that, we get a performance of "Born This Way" by our Top 13 Finalists, who are all in white.

James Durbin then performed with Judas Priest, with the songs "Living After Midnight" and "Breaking the Law".

We also get to see Randy Jackson's video of the season, he is the Veteran, followed by Jacob Lusk's performance of "I Smile" with Kirk Franklin and Gladys Knight.

Casey Abrams then performed "Fat Bottomed Girls" with Jack Black, followed by the Ladies performing Beyonce songs; "Single Ladies", 'Irreplaceable", Deja Vu", "If I were a Boy", and were later joined by Beyonce who sung "Crazy In Love".

Steven Tyler's video of the season tells us that he is The Loose Cannon. Haley Reinhart then performed with Tony Bennett with the song "Steppin' Out". The performance was followed by Jennifer Lopez's video of the season, and she has the title "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World".

TLC then performed, followed by Scotty performing "Live Like You Were Dying" with Tim McGraw. They then showed us a video of the most Epic-Failure of the Auditioners who didn't make it to the Hollywood rounds. Marc Anthony then sung, with JLo dancing.

Another video, James and Casey were having a fake fight of which elimination was more shocking, until Pia Toscano went out with the title.

The guys from the top 13 performed a Medley of Tom Jones' songs, who later joined them with his performance of "It's Not Unusual".

We get the final music video of Ford, "You Remember" then the top two gave cars to Lauren's principal, and Scotty's music teacher, and they were also given any ford car they want.

Lady Gaga was up with "The Edge of Glory" followed by Lauren performing "Before He Cheats" with Carrie Underwood. Her performance was followed by What the other contestants think of the final two.

Beyonce was up on stage again with "1+1" and the Spiderman In the Dark cast with U2 performing some songs. Steven then followed their performance with "Dream On".

The results, Ryan announced that the winner of American Idol season 10 is SCOTTY MCCREERY with LAUREN ALAINA as runner-up.

Did America get it right? Please leave a comment.

Note: See you all in season 11, I'll be posting you updates about X Factor, and Survivor: South Pacific soon.

AMERICAN IDOL 2011 FINAL PERFORMANCES: REVIEW

This was the best night of American Idol for me. Other than all the performances, I'm happy for Lauren, and I'm glad that she was able to perform on the show, because if she didn't, we won't see "Like My Mother Does". That's the best performance of the night for me. Both of the final songs did get me, and whoever wins it is deserving for me by now.

REVIEW IN RANDOM ORDER:

• Lauren Alaina - "Lie My Mother Does" - I love the song. Lauren really did a good job, she even hugged her mom while she's singing. The performance made me teary-eyed, and I really want Lauren to win now. I love her. I think this performance also changed everything, she won two rounds based on the judges, I hope the voters also see this. I'm gonna play this song always, and it will never be out of my playlist. Lauren Alaina has just proven that she is in it to win it, and she is really going to win it. There were a lot of Lauren haters since Haley was eliminated, but that didn't stop her. She's young, and I think seeing all those harsh comments could hurt her. She cries everytime the judges don't like her performance, but we have to understand that she's young. Anybody on her age, except some, will really feel bad, and some will just keep that to themselves, but they will get hurt. Lauren Alaina is the winner for me.

• Scotty McCreery - "Love You This Big" - it has been a long journey for Scotty. From not finding a group for a long time during the Hollywood week, he's now in the finale. I think all those who rejected him from their group are now regretting what they've done. Scotty is a great singer, and he proved that since he auditioned for the show. This final song also made me want to cry, but I just kept it, and released it on Lauren's performance. There are a lot of Scotty haters out there, but there are more supporters. He's also in it to win it, and for a 17-year-old, the awesomeness of the performances he gave America is enough for him to win.

• Lauren Alaina - "Maybe It Was Memphis" - did she really have a problem with her voice? Why is she so good on all the performances during the night? She did a good job with the song, that made her win this round. I love how she sung the song, and I love the fact that Carrie Underwood chose this song for her.

• Scotty McCreery - "Check Yes or No" - Scotty is everybody's man, he's the man, yeah. He also did an awesome job with his performance, and that gives everyone a hard choice.

• Lauren Alaina - "Flat on the Floor" - I was right, this was one of the top three songs on my list, and I guessed that she will be singing one of those three. This was her first performance of the night, and though there were some parts of the song where she is losing her voice, she still did awesome. SHE'S IN IT TO WIN IT!

• Scotty McCreery - "Gone" - this was 4th on my list, so I wasn't right. I liked this performance better than the first one, and this song is one of my favorite performances by Scotty. He's also in it to win it.

I don't know what will happen tomorrow, but whatever will be America's decision, they're right for voting these two to the finale. Who do you think will win? Please leave a comment.

AMERICAN IDOL 2011 TOP 2: PERFORMANCES

This is the last chance of the top two to perform and win America's votes. What will happen tonight?

The song selections of the night will be chosen by: our contestants, where they will be choosing among the songs they performed on the show; Personal Idol, where George Strait will be choosing for Scotty McCreery while Carrie Underwood will be choosing for Lauren Alaina; the final song will be the single they will release if ever they won the show.

Before the show begun, there were news saying that Lauren lost her voice and if she can't perform, she has to drop out and Haley Reinhart will replace her, but it was later confirmed by TV Guide that she will be performing.

PERFORMANCES:
ROUND ONE "CONTESTANT'S FAVORITE":

• Scotty McCreery - "Gone" from TOP 5 by Montgomery Gentry
  
• Lauren Alaina - "Flat on the Floor" from TOP 5 by Carrie Underwood

ROUND TWO "PERSONAL IDOL'S CHOICE:

• Scotty McCreery - "Check Yes or No" by George Strait (George Strait's choice)
  
• Lauren Alaina - "Maybe it as Memphis" by Pam Tillis (Carrie Underwood's Choice)
  

ROUND THREE "SONGS THEY WILL RELEASE":

• Scotty McCreery - "I Love You Big"
  
• Lauren Alaina - "Like My Mother Does"

ROUND ONE goes to Scotty, ROUND TWO and THREE goes to Lauren.

NUMBERS:
Scotty McCreery

• 1-866-436-5701
• 1-866-436-5703
• 1-866-436-5705
• 1-866-436-5707
  

Lauren Alaina

• 1-866-436-5702
• 1-866-436-5704
• 1-866-436-5706
• 1-866-436-5708

WHO DO YOU THINK SHOULD WIN ? Follow me on twitter @RenzAlfonso, or Leave a Comment.

AMERICAN IDOL 2011 TOP 2: SCOTTY MCCREERY PERFORMANCES REVIEW

I'll be ranking the songs performed by the top 2 since the Top 13, and I have a feeling that one of the top three songs will be one of their songs for the finale on Tuesday. This review is for Scotty, and the ranking of each of his performances.

REVIEW BY RANK:

1. "You've Got A Friend" (Top 6 "Carole King") - this is Scotty's best performance for me. It wasn't boring, unlike some of his other performances.
   
2. "Amazed" (Top 3 "Contestant's Choice") - he sung this during the first round of the top three performance night, and for me, he was better than Haley in his performance.
3. "The River" (Top 13 "Their Personal Idols") - this is a good performance which followed "Letters from Home". I like how he takes on folkish country songs. I also loved the lyrics of the song, which match his deep country voice reaching for his dreams.
   
4. "Gone" (Top 5 "Songs from Now") - this song was upbeat, and because Scotty is always doing the slow, sleepy, boring songs, I really liked him in this performance which is one of the only few upbeat performances he had on the show.
   
5. "Can I Trust You With My Heart" (Top 12 "Year They Were Born") - this is a soft country song, and I wasn't bored. He did connect with the audience on this song, and that is one thing in the music industry.
6. "Always On My Mind" (Top 5 "Songs from Then") - the emotion and connection he put in the song really got me. This was the part of the competition where I knew that he would be in the finale.
   
7. "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not" (Top 3 "Iovine's Choice") - the judges loved his performance, and I did. This is one of the songs where I really saw his personality.
   
8. "She Believes in Me" (Top 3 "Judges' Choice") - awesome performance. He's really in it to win it after his performance, and I already knew he would be in the top 2 with one of the girls.
9. "Country Comfort" (Top 11 redux "Elton John") - what Elton John could Scotty sing? He thought he was on risk again after he found out that they will be doing Elton, until he found this song, and really did a good job with it.
   
10. "Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)" (Top 4 "Inspirational Songs") - the song did inspire me, though I really believe that it's just an average performance.
    
11. "That's All Right" (Top 9 "Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame") - also an average performance for me, but I love the song, and his take in it.
    
12. "I Crossed My Heart" (Top 8 "Songs from Movies") -another average performance, I didn't like it, and I didn't hate it. I just want him to take on risks during those times.
    
13. "For Once In My Life" (Top 11 "Motown") - he was at risk, but he put a twist on the song, so he wasn't. The judges liked it, but I kind of didn't. Maybe if he did something else which is not country-ish, I would have liked his performance.
    
14. "Young Blood" (Top 4 "Leiber and Stoller") - I don't get the song, and I don't get his take on it. That's all.
    
15. "Swingin'" (Top 7 "21st Century") - worst among my bottom three songs of McCreery. This is another performance I really didn't get, and I don't think he was taking on risks during his performance. I thought he was going to sing something more like Brad Paisley, or maybe "Country Girl (Shake it For Me)".

WHICH SONG SHOULD SCOTTY SING FOR THE FINALE? Tweet me @RenzAlfonso or Leave a Comment.

AMERICAN IDOL 2011 TOP 2: LAUREN ALAINA PERFORMANCES REVIEW

I'll be ranking the songs performed by the top 2 since the Top 13, and I have a feeling that one of the top three songs will be one of their songs for the finale on Tuesday. This review is for Lauren, and the ranking of each of her performances.

REVIEW BY RANK:

1. "Anyway" (Top 4 "Inspirational Songs") - this was Lauren's best performance from the top 13 to the top 2. I really felt it because her singing came from something, the destruction on her hometown.
2. "Candle in the Wind" (Top 11 redux "Elton John") - this song really redeemed her in the competition after all of the performances she had since the Top 24. This is a big hit, not only to the judges, but also to her fans, and to some of the people who aren't really her fans.
3. "Flat on the Floor" (Top 5 "Songs from Now") - I love Country, I love Carrie Underwood, and I love Lauren Alaina. That is one of the success why I fell in love with this song, and the way she took it really hit me.
   
4. "If I Die Young" (Top 3 "Jimmy Iovine's Choice") - this was actually in my top three, but since she just sang it, I guess she won't be singing it again. I love the song, and the lyrics and vocals of the song match Lauren.
5. "Any Man of Mine" (Top 13 "Their Personal Idol") - the judges didn't love this performance, but I did. She has to do this song in the finale, and take it in a different way, where the judges will be impressed.
6. "Trouble" (Top 4 "Leiber and Stoller") - she took on a really big risk, and I really loved how she took on the song. She doesn't want America to think that she's evil, and they didn't, but she really did a good implementation of acting in the song.
7. "The Climb" (Top 8 "Songs from Movies") - I agree with Iovine, her version was much better than Miley Cyrus'.
8. "Bron to Fly" (Top 7 "21st Century") - I disagree with everyone who said that she pulled back with this song, she's a country artist, and she's just sticking with her genre just like what Scotty is doing.
9. "I Hope You Dance" (Top 3 "Judges' Choice") - great job for Jennifer Lopez. The way she sung the song was really awesome, and she connected with the audience.
10. "Unchained Melody" (Top 5 "Songs from Then") - this trended on Twitter after her performance. The song is old, but the way she sung it make it modern.
11. "(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman" (Top 9 "Rock and Roll HAll of Fame") - we see how mature Lauren is on this song, and how brave enough is she to take on a really hard song.
    
12. "Where You Lead" (Top 6 "Carole King") - the part of the competition where I really fell in love with Lauren and her voice, week after week, I've really seen her grow, and this song also brought her back to the competition.
13. "You Keep Me Hangin' On" (Top 11 "Motown") - the beat of the song really made me feel like moving. This also showed us that Lauren really has powerful vocals.
14. "I'm the Only One" (Top 12 "Year they were Born") - this is one of the performances where I didn't quite see Lauren shine, but she also did a good job with this one.
15. "Wild One" (Top 3 "Contestant's Choice") - I never thought Lauren would choose a song like this, she has really good vocals, but the performance was boring.

WHICH SONG SHOULD LAUREN SING FOR THE FINALE? Tweet me @RenzAlfonso or Leave a Comment.

AMERICAN IDOL 2011 TOP 2: WHO WILL PERFORM FIRST?

We're down to two. The country youngsters, Scotty and Lauren are both in the finale, but what would happen with the votes? I hope it's not what I am expecting. The two will be singing this Tuesday to get America's vote, but will it be the country boy or will it be the country girl?

After the elimination show on Thursday, Ryan Seacrest flipped a coin which has Scotty and Lauren's faces in it, one on each side. The person who wins will determine whether he wants to perform first, or second.

Scotty won, but for Scotty is a gentleman, he asked Lauren if she preferred to perform first or second, and Lauren chose to perform second.

So Scotty will be performing first, and then Lauren. How many songs will they sing, four or three. I hope four.

What will happen in the finale? Tune in.

AMERICAN IDOL 2011 TOP 3: GOODBYE GROWLING, THE COUNTRYBOY AND THE COUNTRYGIRL IN THE FINALE

The show started with Ryan announcing that there were 95 million votes sent after the performance show last night. Jimmy then predicted that one of the finalists would be a guy, and obviously, he was talking about Scotty.

They then made fun of Randy's favorite line of the season "You're in it to win it." There were two stools on stage where the top two will be sitting by the end of the show.

Haley's hometown video was then show, where 30,000 fans attended followed by the Ford Music video. We also got a performance from the Italian boyband Il Volo.

Scotty's hometown video followed the boyband's performance, and then Nicole Scheringer performed with 50 Cent with her new single "Right Here". The video for Lauren's homecoming was then viewed.

The results followed, and Scotty was announced safe first. Lauren was then announced safe next, and Haley was eliminated.

This would really be an extra fun finale, two young artists, both country singers, but will it be the country boy or the country girl? The top 2 performance will be on Tuesday next week, same time, and on Wednesday, the finale would follow with surely lots of surprises.

What are your thoughts about the top 2? Did America get it right? (I think YEAH!) Leave a Comment

AMERICAN IDOL 2011 TOP 3: REVIEW

Three songs tonight, I never thought that the show would last for two hours with only nine songs performed. The top three has three songs to sing, one is the personal choice, the other is Iovine's choice, and the last one will be chosen by one of the judges.

ROUND 1 Contestant's Choice.
Best: Haley Reinhart - unanimous REVIEW BY RANK:

1. Scotty McCreery - "Amazed" by Lonestar - this was his nest performance of the season for me... I think he will be in the finale, and now I see why he's still in the competition. There is real talent within him.
2. Haley Reinhart - "What Is and What Should Never Be" by Led Zeppelin - she did a good job, but I like Scotty's performance better. I'm sometimes annoyed by her voice.
3. Lauren Alaina - "Wild One" by Faith Hill - there are some parts of the song which I didn't really like, maybe she would be better with "Independence Day" by Martina McBride. I would love to see Lauren on the finale though.

ROUND 2 Iovine's Choice
BEST: Scotty McCreery - JLo and Randy; Steven's vote goes to Lauren
REVIEW BY RANK:

1. Lauren Alaina -"If I die Young" by The Band Perry - the song really touched me. I agree with Steven that round 2 ges to Lauren Alaina. She's young, and she already have that in her. Also an awesome song choice by Jimmy Iovine there.
2. Scotty McCreery - "Are You Gonn Kiss Me or Not" by Thompson Square - this is another good performance from Scotty. I think he is really in it to win it now, and I take back everything I said, Scotty is deserving to be in the top three.
3. Haley Reinhart - "Rhiannon" by Fleetwood Mac - I love this song, but when Haley sang it boringly, and I felt that with her little sleepy voice at the start of the song, and she's sometimes losing her voice, so I think Didi's version is still better. The Upbeat part saved the performance.

ROUND 3 Judges' Choice
BEST: Lauren Alaina - JLo and Randy voted for her; Steven voted for Haley.
REVIEW BY RANK:

1. Lauren Alaina - "I Hope You Dance" by Lee Ann Womack - I love this song, and I love her. Her take on the song was really amazing, and I think she will be able to go on. She's going to grow, and she will be more awesome.
2. Scotty McCreery - "She Believes in Me" by Kenny Rogers - the last performance of the night for Scotty. His performances were all great, I have nothing more to say about him.
3. Haley Reinhart - "You Oughta Know" by Alanis Morisette - (All the things I'll be saying will be based on my opinion, I didn't mean to offend anyone) Randy did a complet sabotage. This is one of Haley's worst performance for this season. I preferred Haley in the finale more than Scotty, but now, with two performances in the bottom of my list, I think it's Scotty.

OVERALL:

• Lauren Alaina - she did an awesome job, and I can see her grow in the show. She's young, that's why she can't really take much of the criticism, but she will learn, and I know that she is deserving to stay in the competition.
• Scotty McCreery - the little girl/mothers/chick-magnet of the show. I definitely think he will survive the elimination tomorrow because of all the fans that he made during the show.

POSSIBLY GOING HOME: Haley Reinhart, two performances gone wrong. Her voice is really flat, and I don't see people buying her album after she wins the show. I want to see her in the finale performing with the eliminated contestants, and I hope that none of her fans, or anyone will take this as a big deal.

THE RESULTS TOMORROW:
Nicole Scheringer will perform "Right There" and the music video premier of Beyoncé's "Run The World (Girls)".

WHO WAS THE BEST OF THE NIGHT? WHO WILL BE IN THE FINALE? Leave a Comment

AMERICAN IDOL 2011 TOP 3: PERFORMANCES

The top three will be having a huge selection of songs, for they will be the captain of their own ship for one of the songs of the night.

The songs tonight will be based on their personal choice, Jimmy Iovine's choice, and the judges' choice, which were leaked during the Homecomings. The contestants will be mentored by Beyoncé this week. Who will stand out tonight?

PERSONAL CHOICE:

• Scotty McCreery - "Amazed" by Lonestar
  
• Lauren Alaina - "Wild One" by Faith Hill
  
• Haley Reinhart - "What IS & What Should Never Be" by Led Zeppelin
  

JIMMY IOVINE'S CHOICE:

• Scotty McCreery - "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not" by Thompson Square
  
• Lauren Alaina - "If I Die Young" by The Band Perry
  
• Haley Reinhart - "Rhiannon" by Fleetwood Mac
  

JUDGES' CHOICE:

• Scotty McCreery - "She Believes in Me" by Kenny Rogers (Steven's choice)
  
• Lauren Alaina- "I Hope You Dance" by Lee Ann Womack (Jennifer's choice)
  
• Haley Reinhart - "You Oughta Know" by Alanis Morisette (Randy's choice)
  

NUMBERS:

• S. McCreery - 1-866-436-5701 or 5704 or 5707
  
• L. Alaina - 1-866-436-5702 or 5705 or 5708
  
• H. Reinhart - 1-866-436-5703 or 5706 or 5709
  

Who was the best of the night? Who will make it to the finale? Please leave a comment.

AMERICAN IDOL 2012: WHO WILL BE JUDGING SEASON 11?

FOX executive confirms that Randy Jackson and Steven Tyler signed a multi-year contract with American Idol and will return in season 11. However, Jennifer Lopez only signed a one-year contract giving her a chance to make a decision whether she wants to renew, or to just focus on her music career.

We also found out that American Idol 2012 will premiere on January 22, 2011 and will be on the same weekly schedule.

If Jennifer Lopez will not return, who will replace her? Will Kara DioGuardi return? Will Shania Twain be finally in the judges' table after the 8th season of Australian Idol was cancelled? Well, we will see about that this 2012.

Will American Idol be better or worse without JLo? Who will replace her if she decides to leave?

AMERICAN IDOL 2011 TOP 3: WHO CHOSE WHICH SONG

These are some of the songs the top three will be singing next week:

• Haley Reinhart - "You Ought to Know" by Alanis Morisette
• Scotty McCreery - "She Believs in Me" by Kenny Rogers
• Lauren Alaina - "I Hope You Dance" by Lee Ann Womack

These songs were chosen by the judges, but which judge chose which song?

Suggestion for Jimmy Iovine and the Contestants

Jimmy Iovine will also be choosing songs, he knows better than the contestant, so he better choose the best song for them.

Here are some of the best songs for the contestants:

Haley Reinhart

• "Mercy" by Duffy
• "Born This Way" by Lady Gaga
• "Love The Way You Lie" by Rihanna

Scotty McCreery

• "Country Girl (Shake It For Me)" by Luke Bryan
• "Kiss A Girl" by Keith Urban
• "American Saturday Night" by Brad Paisley

Lauren Alaina

• "Undo It" by Carrie Underwood
• "Because of You" by Kelly Clarkson
• "Independence Day" by Martina McBride

My Thoughts:

• Haley Reinhart - I think Haley has a chance to be in the finale, but for this week, she better choose some of the current songs so she could gather America's votes.
• Scotty McCreery - I don't know about everyone, but I think Scotty should sing something upbeat this week because he might be sent home.
• Lauren Alaina - my favorite. I think she should do some songs which are extra powerful, where her vocals will be challenged so she will be able to invite James' voters.

WHAT DO YOU THINK SHOULD THE TOP THREE CHOOSE? WHAT DO YOU THINK SHOULD JIMMY IOVINE CHOOSE FOR THEM? Please leave a comment.

AMERICAN IDOL 2011 TOP 4: SECOND SHOCKER OF THE SEASON

Who would expect Pia Toscano would leave so early? This week, another shocking elimination has happened.

Over 72 million votes were cast, but only three will make it to the Homecoming. The show was opened with the boys singing a duet of "Start of Band" by Brad Paisley and Keith Urban. It was followed by a duet by the girls, with "Gunpowder and Lead" by Miranda Lambert. The performances were followed by the results, where there were three golden seats to be taken by one of the contestants. The first contestant in the top three was Lauren, giving her a chance to go back in Rossville, GA, and she really was happy, I loved her reaction.

After that, Gaga sung You and I, which was watched by the contestants through DVD, and Enrique Iglesias sings "Dirty Dancer". Jordin Sparks followed the back to back performance with her new single "I Am Woman" and after all those performances was the world premiere of Steven Tyler's "(It) Feels So good" music video.

Finally, after all those music, the results were revealed. Haley was the second person sent to the golden seats, and Scotty followed sending James Durbin home. Durbin was really emotional, as weel as Jennifer Lopez. This shocked everyone, even him. His final song was "Maybe I'm Amazed" where he had some problems with his vocals because of what just happened.


DID AMERICA GET IT RIGHT THIS TIME? I'll say NO for the SECOND TIME.

AMERICAN IDOL 2011 TOP 4: REVIEW

Last week, Lauren was in the bottom two, but she really fought her way to get some votes. Will she make it?

The worst performance of the night would go to Scotty, both of the songs he sung were really boring. I think he will make it, because of his fans.

The Leiber and Stoller songs were much better than the Inspirational songs, I thought last week, it would be the NOW songs to invite me, but I loved the THEN, and I also thought that Carole King week would be boring, but it turned out interesting.

INSPIRATIONAL SONGS:
REVIEW BY RANK:

1. Lauren Alaina - "Anyway" - this is the only song that gave life for the first round, I love that she did it, because I really believe in her, and I want her to be in that HOMECOMING.
2. James Durbin - "Don't Stop Believin'" - James was like having his concert when he sung the song, and I love how he did it, good performance for opening a show.
3. Scotty McCreery - "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)" - it's an average performance, wasn't boring, but wasn't inviting. I know Scotty will surely be in the top three, but I really hope the audience vote fair, because Scotty is not that great.
4. Haley Reinhart - "Earth Song" - there were some issues with her attitude towards the ten year judge on American Idol, she just has to face it, her performance wasn't good, and she has to accept that she has to leave now.

LEIBER AND STOLLER SONGS:
REVIEW BY RANK:

1. Lauren ALaina - "Trouble" - I love the way she sung the song, and how she stepped out of her comfort zone. Well, this is the only song familiar to me among all the other songs sung, but she really did a great job.
2. Haley Reinhart - "I (Who Have Nothing)" - I can't believe I'm saying this, but Haley connected with the audience, and she sung the song good.
3. James Durbin - "Love Potion No. 9" - I don't quite get his performance. His vocals were amazing but I need more connection.
4. Scotty McCreery - "Young Blood" - Why now Scotty? Why? I want Scotty to be deserving, but I just don't see that. I know he will stay, I just need a reason why he is deserving to stay. The song was boring and weird.

OVERALL RANKING:
MY TOP TWO:

1. Lauren Alaina - I'm glad that she finally stepped out of her comfort zone. I know she will have a good future, and I really hope she will be in the finale.
2. James Durbin - he's really singing his way to the finale, and he's doing a great job with it. I love James, and I would love it if he would win, because nobody has won the competition with his genre.

MY BOTTOM TWO: Scotty McCreery - he is really in the bottom of my list, and I want him GONE. Sorry Scotty fans.

POSSIBLY GOING HOME: Haley Reinhart - we can say that Haley has gathered fans from the past few weeks, and though I prefer her staying in the competition than Scotty, I also don't see why she's here. She did a good job, and I think that's a reason why she's here, but she's not worthy in the finale. That's all.

THE RESULTS TOMORROW:
Steven Tyler's "(It) Feels So Good" music video premiere, and Jordin Sparks will be going back to sing a single.

WHO WAS YOUR FAVORITE? LAST GIRL OR LAST BOY STANDING? Please leave a comment.

AMERICAN IDOL 2011 TOP 4: PERFORMANCES

The top four will be taking on songs from the Leiber and Stoller songbook, and Songs that Inspire which was revealed just today. The top 4 contestants are mentored by Lady Gaga.

PERFORMANCES:

INSPIRATIONAL SONGS:

• James Durbin - "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey
• Haley Reinhart - "Earth Song" by Michael Jackson
• Scotty McCreery - "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)" by Alan Jackson
• Lauren Alaina - "Anyway" by Martina McBride

LEIBER AND STOLLER SONGBOOK:

• Haley Reinhart - "I (Who Have Nothing)" by Ben E. King
• Scotty McCreery - "Young Blood" by The Coasters
• Lauren Alaina - "Trouble" by Elvis Presley
• James Durbin - "Love Potion No. 9" by The Clovers

NUMBERS:

• J. Durbin - 1-866-436-5701 or 5705
• H. Reinhart - 1-866-436-5702 or 5706
• S. McCreery - 1-866-436-5703 or 5707
• L. Alaina - 1-866-436-5704 or 5708

Who was the best of the night? Who had the best song choice? Who will be eliminated tomorrow? Please leave a comment.

AMERICAN IDOL 2011 TOP 4: SUGGESTIONS FOR "LEIBER AND STOLLER"

And then there were four. 6 episodes left for American Idol, but who would make it to the tour? Will Lauren Alaina's fans be threatened for what happened last week? Will Haley keep it up with her performances? Will the tables turn for Scotty and James?

• Haley Reinhart - "I'm a Woman" and "Lucky Lips" would be perfect for Haley. Haley better do her best this week because I know that she's next.
• Scotty McCreery - Scotty is the luckiest contestant this week for he can really get Elvis' voice. Maybe he can do "Hound Dog" or "Jailhouse Rock" or any song by Elvis.
• James Durbin - I wanna see James do a twist with "On Broadway" and "Kansas City" because these songs are too old and I know that he could do something to make them a little modern.
• Lauren Alaina - Lauren can do "Trouble" and "Stand By Me". For "Trouble" she could use her high notes and take it to gather all the votes that she need to make it to the top three. ANother song that she could sing would be "Stand By Me" where she can make it a little country, and a little upbeat, and I know this is going to leave a big impact on the judges and the viewers.

WHAT I HAVE TO SAY:

• Haley Reinhart - not that I'm being unfair or anything, but I really want Haley to leave. I never really thought that this girl could make it this far. A little deserving, a little not deserving, but I really like some of her songs. All I can say is that she better do her best to get Jacob's voters.
• Scotty McCreery - he's boring sometimes, but he's deserving to make it this far. He has a future in country music, and maybe he will be a member of Grand Ole Opry.
  
• James Durbin - he really improved a lot. He struggled a little during Hollywood week, but he's really making it to the top now.
• Lauren Alaina - the youngest contestant among the top four. I think she will stay longer if her fans were threatened from last week, they'll vote a million times if they could just to keep her in the competition. Lauren will make it to the top three, and I'm sure with that.

THIS WEEK ON IDOL:

The top 4 will be taking on songs from the "Leiber and Stoller songbook" and the top three will be revealed.
Jordin Sparks will be performing, and Steven Tyler's music video premiere will be on the results show.

What do you think should the Top 4 do? Please Leave a Comment.

PAULA ABDUL CONFIRMED AS FOURTH AND FINAL JUDGE ON US X FACTOR

The post-American Idol judge turned to Live to Dance judge is back to join her fellow Idol ex-judge for the American version of X Factor.

Ever since Simon announced that there will be an American X Factor, we all knew that Paula is one of the judges who will surely be in the judging panel.

Now, it is confirmed, Paula Abdul will be joining Simon Cowell, LA Reid, and Sheryl Cole on X Factor, and it would surely be fun to see the two together again in the judging panel.

Let's see how would the show turn out to the public this Fall 2011.

What do you think will happen with X Factor US? Are you glad to see Paula back with Simon? Leave a comment.

AMERICAN IDOL 2011 TOP 5: AND THEN THERE WERE FOUR

3 weeks left. Tonight, the top 4 will be announced, and one has to be eliminated.

The top 5 finalists performed a groups song from the 60's, "Happy Together" by The Turtles. The ford music video for this week also premiered with the top 5 singing "Be Yourself" which is originally by Audioslave. The music video shows Jacob walking down the stairs, James juggling while balancing a chair on his chin, Lauren throwing some cards on a board, Scotty doing some tricks with his bike, and Haley parking her car.

Lady Antebellum then performed "Just a Kiss".

James was called, and he was sent to one side of the stage. Lauren was called and was sent to the other side of the stage. They will be split in two groups.

A pre-recorded performance of "On The Floor" by Jennifer Lopez and Ryan dumped popcorn on Steven Tyler's face. We also get a sneak peek on JLo's new music video.

Next to be called was Jacob, and he was sent to Lauren's group, while Haley was sent to James' group. I guess it's really Jacob tonight, and Scotty is safe.

For the first time, Lauren was in the bottom two, and this is the third time Jacob is in it.

Lauren was announced safe, and Jacob Lusk was eliminated. Your top 4 are Lauren, James, Scotty, and Haley.

It's an equal battle this time, 2 girls, and 2 guys in the top 4, but next week, would it be the last girl standing or the last guy standing to make it to the top three? Did America get it right? Please Leave a Comment.

AMERICAN IDOL 2011 TOP 5: REVIEW

The saved contestant was eliminated again last week, who would it be this week? I hope it's not Lauren.

Of course, this review will be based on my opinions, and though I put Scotty in the Bottom 2, he will surely be safe.

I thought the NOW songs will be fun, but they aren't really. I thought the THEN songs will be boring, but it turns out the songs from the 60's are the best part of the performance show.

SONGS FROM NOW:
REVIEW BY RANK:

1. Lauren Alaina - "Flat on The Floor" - all the performances were boring, hers really woke me up from my sleep. The reasons may be because I love Carrie Underwood or simply, I just love her. The judges also loved her performance, and that long haired guy who plays the violinist joins her on the stage again. Just sayin'.
2. James Durbin - "Closer to the Edge" - he had an average performance for me, average, interesting, inviting, but it was kind of a little cheesy.
3. Scotty McCreery - "Gone" - average, not risky, but inviting. This guy will definitely survive the competition.
4. Jacob Lusk - "No Air" - good song choice, not boring, but not inviting. It's just a matter of picking a good song, doing your best to sing it beautifully, and making people want to have more. He didn't do that this time.
5. Haley Reinhart - "You and I" - I always said she could go with Lady Gaga, but I'm talkin' about Gaga's songs which reached the charts, not this one. Good song choice for her voice, but Gaga's version was way much better.

SONGS FROM THEN:
REVIEW BY RANK:

1. Haley Reinhart - "House of the Rising Sun" - Haley was never on the top of my rankings list, but she really hit it this time. I love the song choice, I love the way she sung it, and I love how she made me want to listen to her voice.
2. Lauren Alaina - "Unchained Melody" - the song trended on twitter after her performance, she did really awesome, and I know that she is now really in it to win it.
3. James Durbin - "Without You" - I love how he put his emotions to the song. He was always on my top three, and I think he has the biggest chance to make it to the finals.
4. Scotty McCreery - "Always On My Mind" - average performance, nothing more.
5. Jacob Lusk - "Love Hurts" - he did it also average, but it is really a great song choice.

OVERALL RANKING:
MY TOP THREE:

1. Lauren Alaina - she's definitely going to make it to the top 4, with both of her performances being loved by the judges and by the audience, I have no doubts, she would make it.
2. Haley Reinhart - this is actually her first time to be in my top three. I think she's also showing America how great she is.
3. James Durbin - as I just said, he has the biggest chances to make it to the finale.

BOTTOM TWO: I think they will be put to safety in random order again, and I definitely think that Scotty McCreery will be at the top, but I didn't think he did enough to invite me with his average performances.

POSSIBLY GOING HOME: Jacob Lusk - I really want Jacob to stay, but his performances didn't do anything good for him to be in the top 4. I just hope America change their mind about him, and give him a chance to prove more of his talent.

THE RESULTS TOMORROW:
Jennifer Lopez will be performing, Lady Antebellum will also be performing.

WHO WAS YOUR FAVORITE? WHO WILL MAKE IT TO THE TOP 4? Please leave a comment.

AMERICAN IDOL 2011 TOP 5: PERFORMANCES

It was another shocking elimination last week. This week, the contestants will be singing songs from Now and Then. Each contestant has to do two songs, one current, and one from the 60's. This week, the contestants will also be mentored by Sheryl Crow.

PERFORMANCES:
NOW:

• James Durbin - "Closer to the Edge" by 30 Seconds to Mars
  
• Jacob Lusk - "No Air" by Jordin Sparks
  
• Lauren Alaina - "Flat on the Floor" by Carrie Underwood
  
• Scotty McCreery - "Gone" by Montgomery Gentry
  
• Haley Reinhart - "You and I" by Lady Gaga
  

THEN:

• James Durbin - "Without You" by Badfinger
  
• Jacob Lusk - "Love Hurts" by The Everly Brothers
  
• Lauren Alaina - "Unchained Melody" by Todd Duncan
  
• Scotty McCreery - "Always on My Mind" by Brenda Lee
  
• Haley Reinhart - "House of the Rising Sun" by The Animals
  

NUMBERS:

• J. Durbin - 1-866-436-5701 or 1-866-436-5706
• J. Lusk - 1-866-436-5702 or 1-866-436-5707
• L. Alaina - 1-866-436-5703 or 1-866-436-5708
• S. McCreery - 1-866-436-5704 or 1-866-436-5709
• H. Reinhart - 1-866-436-5705 or 1-866-436-5710

Will they announce the last girl standing tomorrow? Who will make it to the top 4? Who do you think should stay? Please leave a comment.

AMERICAN IDOL 2011 TOP 5: SUGGESTIONS FOR "SONGS FROM NOW AND THEN"

The top 5 finalists will be taking on songs from Now and Then. One current, and one from the 60's. The songs chosen for the "NOW" category were from the current Billboard Hot 100 list, so I'm sure they will be really current, if they're not on that list, they're on other charts.

• Scotty McCreery
  One of the three eople who were never in the bottom three, and I think it will go on. He has an amazing talent, and I think is starting to really feel the competition last week when he transformed boredom to fun.
  NOW: For the current song, he should do something which isn't boring. Not Like "Swingin'"... I think he should do "Without You" by Keith Urban. It's soft, but not boring. If he wants to do an upbeat song, he could go with "Country Girl (Shake It For Me)" by Luke Bryan because this is definitely a country music, though it's not a risk for him.
  THEN: He would make a hit with "Stand By Me" by Ben E. King. I think he did great on Carole King week, and I hope he will do good this week if he doesn't want to be one of the people on the "Shocking Eliminations" list.
• Lauren Alaina
  She is getting stronger and stronger every week, she digested all of those criticism, and now she is in it to win it... She was never in the bottom three.
  NOW: Lauren could absolutely go with "Firework" by Katy Perry. It's still current, and I think it suits her voice so much that she would be the best performer of the night.
  THEN: I'm thinking of "The House of the Rising Sun" by the Animals for her, I think she would do a good job if ever she finds herself into this. She would also definitely rock if she could sing "Come Togeter" because she also has a voice for ROCK.
• James Durbin
  Another person who was never in the bottom three this season. I think he already got America, and I think this will go on until the finale.
  NOW: I wanna see James doing some rock song this week. Maybe "Adolescents"
  by Incubus, but I don't know if Idol has the rights to this song.
  THEN: I see James Durbin doing "Satisfaction" or "Paint It Black" by The Rolling Stones and will be leaving a huge impact to everyone.
• Haley Reinhart
  She's a good singer, but she has to do even better to stay in the competition. She is one of the contestants I don't see in the finale since the Top 24, until now.
  NOW: Haley Reinhart could do "Born This Way" by Lady Gaga, if it's allowed, because Gaga will be performing on the results night. Another song I had in mind for her would be "Price Tag" by Jessie J, though I don't really see her making this kind of record, she could still try.
  THEN: She could sing the first ever "Leaving on a Jetplane" by Peter, Paul and Mary which was released in the 1969. I think she would survive if she ever do this.
• Jacob Lusk
  I don't know what is happening with America, but I think this guy is doing good in performing every song he picks. I just hope there's no racial criticism happening, because he's really good.
  NOW: "Forget You" by Cee Lo Green. This is an upbeat song, and I think he would do good. He has to save himself from elimination.
  THEN: "Hey Jude" by The Beatles. This is a song that always get the hearts of people, maybe he could also survive if he do this song.

5 Contestants left? Who will make it to the finale? What do you think should they sing? Please leave a comment.