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