Haley Reinhart leaves American Idol with a bang

Haley is joined by her father Harry Reinhart during "What Is and What Should Never Be."

With season 10 contestants cheering for her, Haley lets loose on her farewell performance of "Bennie and the Jets" on last Thursday's results show.

Wheeling's Haley Reinhart, a top 3 contestant on American Idol, was sent home last week. Haley brought a mix of jazz, soul, and rock to her songs, and had some of my favorite moments of the season, including "Bennie and the Jets," her duet on "Moanin'" with Casey Abrams, "You and I," "House of the Rising Sun," "I Who Have Nothing" and "What Is and What Should Never Be." Fans of Haley (and I'm one of them) hoped she would continue her rise from underdog to the next American Idol, but the vote for teenage country singers Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina pushed them through to this week's finale.

I thought Haley got better with each week's performances. She owns the stage and has an amazing range. Plus she makes interesting song choices and is not afraid to take risks. After she was eliminated from the competition on Thursday's show she ripped into "Bennie and the Jets" for her farewell performance, ending up in the audience next to the rest of the top 13.

Here's how Haley did the previous two weeks:

Wednesday, May 18: Top Three perform three songs each
The first round of songs where those chosen by the contestants. Haley sang "What Is and What Should Never Be" by Led Zeppelin. According to AI vocal coach Debra Byrd, Haley is only the second contestant since Adam Lambert in season 8 to be cleared to sing a Zeppelin song. Jimmy Page and Robert Plant gave permission for her to perform the song after they received a clip of her singing. Haley's performance of "What Is and What Should Never Be" was my favorite performance of the night and one of Haley's best. Her father Harry Reinhart joined her on stage on electric guitar. Haley had fun with the song and didn't let a fall on the stairs get to her. I love how she started the song very tender, as if she were caressing the notes, and then brought out the rock side to her voice.

The Reinharts rock out.

Haley gives the performance of the season, makes Top 4 on American Idol

Entertainment Weekly has already added Haley Reinhart's performance of "House of the Rising Sun" to their 30 All-Time Best Performances on American Idol.

Last Wednesday's episode of American Idol featured the theme "Now and Then," which had the Top 5 singing a current hit and then a song from the past. Sheryl Crow acted as guest mentor for the singers while Jimmy Iovine appeared to have a strong influence in their song choices. For Wheeling native Haley Reinhart's current song, Iovine picked the unreleased "You and I" by Lady Gaga, which she's performed on her Monster Ball Tour and is on her upcoming album Born This Way. Haley was unsure about singing a lesser known song but decided to take the risk after speaking to Lady Gaga herself, who gave Haley her blessing. "You and I" was a great fit for Haley's bluesy growl and I thought she sang it like it was her song. Iovine noted that on this performance Haley "shows you where she could go" in the music industry, and I agree. Judges Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson were not supportive of the decision to sing an unknown song. But in my opinion, just because songs are released and available to listeners, that doesn't mean everyone knows the words and connects with them. I wasn't familiar with "Gone," performed by Scotty McCreery, and to be honest I did not know several of the metal songs tackled by James throughout the season. I love when a contestant sings a more obscure song and makes me say, "Where has that song been hiding?" Judge Steven Tyler shared this same sentiment, calling the ability to make an unknown song work on stage "a beautiful thing."

Haley's "in it to win it."

For her second song Haley sang "House of the Rising Sun" by The Animals. Sheryl Crow suggested Haley start the song a cappella, which I thought was great advice. Intimate moments with just the singer and her voice on stage are moments I wait for each season on Idol. Haley's interpretation of the song made me feel I was hearing the lyrics for the first time, and hands down, her performance is now my favorite from any singer this season. She took her time with the opening of the song, lingering on the notes and holding the audience's attention in the palm of her hand. When the band joined her, she moved around the stage with confidence and belted out notes while not over-singing. She ended the performance with her fist up into the air, as if saying, "Take that!" back to the judges or any naysayers.


On both her performances last week Haley proved she is a star and willing to take risks. Thinking back to her earlier performances of "Fallin" and "I'm Your Baby Tonight," you can tell how much Haley has matured on stage. Tonight the Top 4 will sing songs from the Lieber and Stoller songbook and they will be mentored by Lady Gaga. The Top 3 contestants will be revealed on Thursday's results show. If Haley makes the Top 3, Wheeling will throw her a hometown welcome and celebration concert just like Mount Prospect held last year for eventual winner Lee DeWyze. According to the Daily Herald article "Wheeling ready to host new 'Idol' party," the events will take place this Saturday, with a parade ending at Wheeling Village Hall and a concert at Arlington Park in Arlington Heights. I know I will be voting for Haley tonight!

Haley Reinhart on American Idol: Will a Chicago native win American Idol two years in a row?

Haley Reinhart, of Wheeling, has made it to the top 5 on this season of American Idol, and is one of only two females remaining in the competition. Haley has arguably been this season's underdog, both because of the audience preferring to vote male contestants through while ignoring awesome female singers (Pia Toscano!) and because it seems judges Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez, and Randy Jackson are often harsher on her than the other contestants, whose flat or off-key notes they ignore.

During the first few weeks of competition Haley received criticism for "not knowing who she is an artist," as she tackled songs by Alicia Keys, LeAnn Rimes, and Whitney Houston, singing them with her distinctive growl. I'm not sure what the judges expect on a show that has the contestants participating in theme weeks. I love the fact that Haley is versatile enough to sing R&B, soul, country, jazz, and rock. I think she brought those diverse influences to her performance of "Benny and the Jets" during Elton John week, which is one of my favorites from any singer this season. She started the song slow with only piano accompaniment and once she hit the chorus let loose with some very rockin' riffs.

"Moanin'": Scat-Off between Haley and Casey! (Haley won.)

Apart from her singing, I admire Haley's fighting attitude on AI. When Haley was the only contestant to receive negative comments during Songs from the Movies week for her performance of Blondie's "Call Me," she came back the next night for the results show and not only redeemed herself but blew everyone away on the duet "Moanin'" with fellow contestant Casey Abrams. During that performance you could hear the softer jazzy side of her voice; she sounded like she stepped straight out of a 1940s jazz club or something. And, of course, her scatting was fun and just seemed effortless for her. Another highlight, even though she may have struggled with a few notes, was her cover of Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" for Songs of the 21st Century week. She definitely had guts to cover such a current song, and even though it's impossible to outsing Adele, I again enjoyed the jazzy throwback sound to Haley's voice, and thought she would sound great on the radio singing songs in that same style.

I think Haley deserves to make it to the Top 3, but that may be difficult with the large followings for contestants Scotty McCreery, James Durbin, and Lauren Alaina. Right now I think both Scotty and James are locks for two of the spots, which leaves the third spot to either Haley, Lauren, or Jacob Lusk, who I am guessing is the next to go. With Mount Prospect native Lee DeWyze winning AI last year, I think it would be amazing for another Chicago-area native to win the show this year. Go Haley!

Lee DeWyze at Arlington Park, 9/24/10

American Idol Season 9 winner and Mount Prospect native Lee DeWyze returned home on Friday to play a concert at Arlington Park in Arlington Heights. Backed by his own band, he sang a combination of covers and originals and treated the crowd to his first performance ever of new song "Only Dreaming" off his upcoming album due to be released November 16. He said the song is probably his favorite song he's ever written. DeWyze looked very confident onstage and told the audience how much he appreciated their support.

From the two times I've seen him perform live, I've seen how DeWyze connects to the feelings of the music and puts his whole soul into singing. On Friday he tackled covers of Elton John's "Rocket Man," Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody," Dave Matthews Band's "Crash Into Me," and U2's "Beautiful Day." "Beautiful Day" was his first single released after winning American Idol; much to the delight of everyone in the crowd, DeWyze sang his unique version of the song, which he has performed on various TV appearances but isn't the version released as a single. One of the highlights of the entire concert was "Rocket Man," where DeWyze's gritty, soulful take on the beginning made me completely forget Elton John's version. From his pre-Idol album Slumberland DeWyze sang "So What Now," "Annabelle," and one of my favorites of the night, "Stay."  He also sang two songs that he memorably performed on Idol: Simon and Garfunkel's "The Boxer" and Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." I think he sang a few more songs but I am not able to remember them right now.

While DeWyze previously performed at the American Idols Live tour in August at the United Center, this concert was his first solo performance since he won Idol; DeWyze told the crowd that this concert begins his career. I think he sounded awesome with the band backing him and you could tell how much fun he was having performing at home. At one point during the show, after ending a song, DeWyze announced that was the point where he was supposed to be done; his band left. Listening to the screams of the crowd, he remained on the stage and sang two more songs with just his guitar.

What we're listening to: Jason Castro

Two years ago Jason Castro was a contestant on American Idol during Season 7 and was the first person to play an instrument on the AI stage. After Blake Lewis in season 6, AI viewers saw the contestants on the show shift from singers with booming vocals to artists who performed their own creative interpretations of songs. Season 7 found Castro, Brooke White, Carly Smithson, David Cook, and others changing up countless songs. Castro stood out with his interpretations of  "What a Day for a Daydream," "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," and Mariah Carey's "I Don't Wanna Cry." He is one of my favorite singers to come off American Idol, not only because of his unique performances but because of his laid-back, non-Hollywood personality.

Since season 7 ended we have already seen CDs put out by Castro's fellow contestants Brooke White, Michael Johns, David Archuleta, and David Cook (winner of that season). Well, Castro's pop-folk debut was worth the wait.  "Let's Just Fall in Love Again" is a fun, upbeat pop song to play again and again (and again). Hand claps, whistling, and even some ooohs... without a doubt, pop music at its best. Castro sings that he wants to fall in love again, "fall disgustingly fast / and we'll stop hanging out with friends / they'll be so offended." "This Heart of Mine" is another song you'll be singing along to in no time. On "It Matters to Me" Castro sings about wanting to hear about everything he missed while he was apart from his significant other: "Tell me all the things I couldn't see / Cause it matters to me." The Texas native even displays his country side on "You Can Always Come Home" with Serena Ryder, where he sings to a woman who's back with someone who's hurt her in the past and tells her he "miss[es] what we might of had."

Castro co-wrote all but three of the songs, and the CD also includes his cover of "Hallelujah." Even you are not an American Idol fan, I recommend checking out this CD for some undeniably catchy pop songs that feel bright as sunshine.
Find it in the catalog!

What we're listening to: American Idol Season 9

This CD features major highlights from this past season of American Idol and is worth a listen. Season 9 winner and Illinois native Lee DeWyze's gritty-rock cover of "Treat Her Like a Lady" kicks off the album. His performance of this song during R&B week was one of my favorite performances all season long because of how he changed the song to fit his own style. Andrew Garcia's cover of "Forever" sounds closer to Chris Brown's single version; Andrew performed an acoustic, stripped down version of the song on the show, which is why I loved that version so much. Because I really enjoy the smooth soulful sound of his voice I like the studio version too. Siobhan Magnus' voice is absolutely gorgeous on "Paint it Black" from the Rolling Stones; she starts the song in her lower register and then starts to really rock out, eventually hitting one of the huge notes she became known for on the show. Crystal Bowersox takes control of Janis Joplin's "Me and Bobby McGee," singing a bunch of fun and playful riffs. I think Casey James' best performance on the show was his cover of John Lennon's "Jealous Guy," and the studio version is just as good. Michael Lynche proved to be a versatile performer on the stage, singing both pop and R&B and playing guitar. I love his version of India.Arie's "Ready for Love," which he performed on acoustic guitar during R&B week. I wish the song included from Aaron Kelly was "Angie" or "You've Got a Way" by Shania Twain instead of Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing." During Rolling Stones week Aaron totally won me over with his tender interpretation of "Angie," so I am disappointed his version is not included on the Season 9 compilation. Ignoring the fact that "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" is a song that's been covered by several previous Idol contestants, I just can't stand the song after hearing it on the radio endlessly during the summer of 1998 when the movie Armageddon was out in theaters. Curiously, the entry from Tim Urban is "Under My Thumb." His laid-back reggae version of this song didn't go over well on the show, but I do find myself liking his version a bit more on the CD. I don't think the judges gave Didi Benami enough credit after her performances. Listening to her do "Play with Fire," you would think the song was hers and not the Rolling Stones'. I like the tone of her voice and how she emotionally connects to the lyrics in the stripped down arrangement. Katie Stevens closes the album with her version of "Let it Be," which was one of her better performances during the season.
Find it in the catalog!

The Top 10 contestants from season 9 will perform at the United Center on Monday, August 30!

Lee DeWyze makes Illinois proud

It's DeWyze over Bowersox in the Midwest Match-Up; American Idol fans must be disappointed in the lack of airtime given to the contestants during the finale Wednesday night

If you've watched the news or read a newspaper you know that Mount Prospect native Lee DeWyze became the first singer from Illinois to win the title of American Idol last night. During the performance show on Tuesday Lee sang an encore of "The Boxer," "Everybody Hurts" by R.E.M. (selected for him by producer Simon Fuller), and "Beautiful Day" by U2, which will be released as a single. Crystal Bowersox, from Ohio, chose to sing "Me and Bobby McGee" as her repeat performance, while Fuller selected "Black Velvet" by Alannah Myles. Her potential single was "Up to the Mountain" by Patty Griffin. I was disappointed that Lee and Crystal were not allowed to sing any original songs, but what can you expect from a show that forces the contestants to sing (well, lip-sync) tired song medleys during results shows? I thought Crystal had a good chance of winning after she attacked all three of her songs. Even though Lee was not at his best, I still voted for him, thinking of the awesome concert he gave May 14 at Arlington Park. I have voted for Lee all season but after the show on Tuesday I knew I'd be happy if either singer won.

During last night's finale, host Ryan Seacrest reiterated how it was "Crystal and Lee's night" but it sure didn't feel that way for anyone watching. Celebrity guests had more time up on stage than Crystal, Lee, or any of the other contestants from this season. Usually we at least get to see the contestants repeat memorable performances from the course of the season, but that didn't happen. I would have loved to see an encore of Lee and Crystal singing "Falling Slowly."

The show did have its highlights. Crystal's duet with Alanis Morissette on "You Oughta Know" was cool, and I thought Casey's duet with Bret Michaels on "Every Rose Has its Thorn" worked well too. Those two performances demonstrate that duets between American Idol contestants and celebrities don't have to be awkward or forced (Kris Allen's duet with Keith Urban on last year's finale is another example). I enjoyed Crystal, Siobhan, Lacey, Paige, Katie, and Didi singing "Beautiful" and "Fighter" by Christina Aguilera (and being a Christina fan, I think her performance afterwards was awesome). I also loved seeing former winners (all except David Cook) and contestants (Blake Lewis! Jason Castro! Melinda Dolittle!) back on stage together as a tribute to judge Simon Cowell, who is done with the show.

At the end of the night, though, I was bothered by how the singers didn't get their chance to shine. I really felt that Lee was being punished or something for having to sing a medley of hits with the band Chicago. And, riddle me this: Hall and Oates. Michael McDonald. The Bee Gees. Huh? Don't the producers think American Idol fans would have preferred to hear a final solo performance from Siobhan, Michael, Andrew, Aaron, Didi, or Katie? And why did it suddenly turn into a Janet Jackson concert? I'm confused by how the judges tell the contestants all season long to be relevant and current and be true to themselves, and yet the finale is packed with artists you only hear on easy listening radio stations and the contestants suddenly become back-up singers.

I don't want to end on a negative note, so I'll focus on the strong friendship that Lee and Crystal formed during the show after both auditioning in Chicago last summer. You could tell that no matter who won they would be happy for each other, and after Lee's name was read he told Crystal he loved her and gave her a hug. Their duet during Songs of the Cinema week on "Falling Slowly," which they sang facing each other and each playing guitar, will probably be remembered for seasons of American Idol to come.

For actual singing from the season 9 American Idol contestants, you can catch the American Idol tour. Lee and the other singers in the Top 10 will stop in Chicago on Monday, August 30 at the United Center. Get tickets to the American Idol tour stop in Chicago: Starting last night after the finale they started a promotion on the site where you can buy $20 tickets for 24 hours. (The $20 tickets are on the 300 level.) I checked the availability and was still able to find seats on the 100 level, if you are interested in paying full price.

Lee is in final 2! Midwest Match-Up next week on Idol!

It's a Midwest Match-Up for the American Idol finale next week: Mount Prospect native Lee DeWyze vs. Ohio native Crystal Bowersox. In addition to be super-excited for Lee, I'm also happy that both singers are from the Midwest; many of the winners and runners-up in the show's history have been from the South. Not only are both contestants from the Midwest, but they are both singer-songwriters. Since Lee and Crystal write their own music, I wonder if hope the producers will allow them to sing original songs during the performance show on Tuesday. One sign of progress is that Crystal's song "Holy Toledo" played during footage from her hometown visit on last night's show. Please, do not saddle Lee and Crystal with another horrible song like last year's "No Boundaries," which Kris Allen and Adam Lambert had to endure singing before the song was never heard from again.

On Tuesday's show each contestant sang two songs and you could really tell how much Lee's hometown visit impacted him. He didn't appear nervous on stage and gave the best performances of the night, singing "Simple Man" and "Hallelujah." I think Lee's hometown (and homestate) support will continue to drive him when he takes the stage next Tuesday for the performance finale.

Mount Prospect is holding an American Idol Finale Watch Party on Wednesday in front of Village Hall from 5-10 PM. Before American Idol starts at 7 footage from Lee's previous performances on the show in addition to video from his recent hometown visit will air. Download the American Idol Finale Watch Party poster.

More Lee coverage:
Between paint sales, Mt. Prospect store is Lee DeWyze central
When Lee DeWyze was 'Hoodie Guy' at Potato Creek Johnny's

Get reprints of the Daily Herald:
Special Lee DeWyze section from Friday, May 14
Front page from Saturday, May 15 detailing Lee's hometown visit

Lee DeWyze at Arlington Park, 5/14/10

Yesterday American Idol contestant Lee DeWyze returned home to Mount Prospect and the Chicago-area for a day packed with interviews, appearances, and performances. The grand finale of the day was a mini-concert set to begin at 6:30 PM at Arlington Park. Tickets for the free concert were gone in 12 minutes on Wednesday night, after Lee was announced as making the Top 3, and all of the race day tickets were also snatched up. While I was disappointed I was not able to get any of the concert tickets online, I later found out that general admission tickets to the track were still available for $6. This was an awesome surprise yesterday morning when I read about the tickets the newspaper and I was able to buy a few before they also disappeared.

Race times were moved up to 1 PM to make time for the concert and many Lee fans filled the stands watching the races as they counted down till Lee's arrival. Around 7 PM we started to hear screaming in a corner of the stands; Lee was making his way through the crowd surrounded by bodyguards (he was preceded by a bagpipe player!). Before Lee sang he spoke to the crowd a little; he was very overwhelmed by all the fans who came out to see him. Mayor of Mount Prospect Irvana Wilks also said some words before giving him the key to the city and proclaiming May 14 to be Lee DeWyze Day.

Fans try to catch a glimpse of Lee DeWyze as he makes his way through the crowd at Arlington Park. He was 3 feet away from me, but I couldn't see anything!

Originally scheduled to sing only three songs, Lee ended up singing ten in total during his acoustic set on a small stage in front of the Winner's Circle. One of the first things Lee told the crowd was that he was going to sing more than three. He kicked off his set with Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody," which he said is a song he would like to perform on the show. He followed that with an original song. Next was Hinder's "Lips of an Angel," much to the delight of all the fans who sang along, which he performed during one of the semifinal rounds. Lee also sang "Walk Away" by Ben Harper before going into "The Boxer," one of his best performances on the show to date. At times he had trouble singing the lyrics because of how overcome he was with emotion (either that, or he forgot the words). Lee followed that with a cover of Dave Matthews Band "Crash Into Me," requested by his brother. He then went into another original song. Unfortunately I don't know the title, but he infused the lyrics with an intensity that I haven't seen him do on any song on American Idol. He really let loose while singing it. He introduced the next song, "Holiday in Spain" by Counting Crows, as being one of his favorites. At one point he jokingly began to sing Seal's "Kiss From a Rose," which he sang for this past week's songs of the movies theme and received negative feedback from the judges. Throughout his set Lee had fun with the crowd and even asked, "Am I smiling enough?" to reference a criticism he has received on the show about being too serious. Several times throughout the night he commented that he was told he had to leave, but he stayed up there to keep playing.

Lee started to sing "Hey, Jude" and then stopped to ask the audience to clap together during the song. After he got a few lines into the song with everyone clapping along Lee had to stop singing and moved to the side of the stage with his head in his hands because again became very emotional. He said that while he's been out in California he hadn't realized the extent of his support back home; over 41,000 people were in attendance at the concert last night. Lee ended the concert with a performance of "Stay," another of his original songs. Completing his set, he threw his guitar strap into the crowd, but even then he wasn't done; he came back on stage to wish everyone a good night.

I think the concert last night at Arlington Park was Lee at best. He was relaxed while singing and really let go, especially while singing his original songs. I loved his response to the crowd's support. He wanted to keep singing songs no matter what the American Idol handlers (or whoever they were) told him. I thought it was a possibility that he was going to have to be dragged off the stage! Lee told the crowd that when he goes back to California and performs at the next live show he will be thinking of everyone supporting him back home. I had an awesome time at the concert and definitely look forward to seeing the footage of Lee's hometown welcome on American Idol next week.

Images from Lee DeWyze Day (from the Daily Herald)

Do you want your own neon yellow "Vote 4 Lee" t-shirt or a blue "BELEEVE" shirt? Check out Where to buy Lee DeWyze merchandise for Mount Prospect businesses that sell Lee paraphernalia!

Lee DeWyze celebrations planned for Friday

Last week the very enthusiastic and helpful Harry Connick Jr. guided (and composed for and accompanied) the Top 5 on American Idol as they sang Frank Sinatra songs. Lee DeWyze's "That's Life" stood out as the best performance of the night, and on Wednesday's results show he was the first contestant revealed to be safe. Tonight the Top 4 contestants (Lee, Crystal Bowersox, Michael Lynche, and Casey James) perform songs from the movies. The three contestants that make the cut on Wednesday night's results show will then travel to their hometowns for parades, interviews, and other celebrations. If Lee continues on, he will be in the Mount Prospect and Chicago area this Friday! Wednesday night tickets will become available for Lee's Friday concert at Arlington Park at arlingtonpark.com. For more information about the concert click here.

Mount Prospect is ready to welcome home Lee DeWyze. In the morning Lee will do TV and radio interviews before throwing out the first pitch at the Cubs game at 1:30. At 4:30 there will be a parade along Northwest Highway, followed by the Arlington Park concert at 6:30. Read the Daily Herald article If he makes the cut, Arlington Park will host Lee DeWyze party to read more about the celebrations planned for Friday.

And don't forget to VOTE VOTE VOTE tonight!

More American Idol; or, Being a brief update on Lee DeWyze

Mount Prospect native Lee DeWyze continues his trek on American Idol tonight when the Top 5 perform Frank Sinatra songs with Harry Connick Jr as the mentor. In the previous four weeks of the competition Lee has always been one of top performers each night. For Beatles week he sang "Hey Jude," where he was joined by a bagpipe player for the last part of the song. The bagpiper player threw the judges off and was definitely a surprise, but it also made him stand out. During Elvis week he performed "A Little Less Conversation." Paul Simon's "The Boxer" was his pick during the inspirational songs week (in support of Idols Give Back), which all the judges said was his best performance ("Treat Her Like a Lady" remains my favorite performance of his or any contestant from this season). Last week the Top 6 sang from the Shania Twain songbook in what was probably the best overall performance night of the season. Lee took on "You're Still The One," and although I think he started out shaky, I really enjoyed how he updated the song. Crystal Bowersox and Lee are the only contestants who have never been in the bottom three on results night. If Lee makes it to the Top 3 some sort of parade-concert-celebration will be held in Mount Prospect! Right now I don't see anyone taking Lee's spot in the Top 3. I think it will be Lee and Crystal in the finale.

If you're a big American Idol fan like me, check out these Lee DeWyze articles from the Daily Herald and American Idol photo galleries from ew.com:

Newspaper stories written about Lee DeWyze:
Area citizens can show their support for 'Idol's' Lee DeWyze
Mt. Prospect is proud of Lee ... but is it ready for this?
DeWyze almost ditched 'American Idol' audition
Mount Prospect native's 'Idol' contract means death of band
Lee tees are all the rage at Prospect High School

More on American Idol from awesome Entertainment Weekly writer and obsessive AI fan Michael Slezak:
The 20 Best Performances Ever
13 Most Awkward Mentor Moments
20 Songs We'd Ban from the Show Forever!
American Idol Grads: Your Next Favorite Song?
Catching up with 13 Former Contestants!

(sorry for the poor quality graphic. My Vote 4 Lee t-shirt was a little wrinkled when I took a picture of it before I left the house this morning!)

Top 10 on American Idol; or, Lee DeWyze Leaves Everyone in the Dust

Mount Prospect native Lee DeWyze made last week's cut on American Idol, which means he will be going on tour with the other members of the Top 10 this summer. He gave a strong performance of "The Letter" by the Box Tops, forgoing his guitar and instead riffing a little with the back-up singers.

This week's theme was R&B/Soul music, and singer Usher acted as mentor to the contestants. He thought Lee had a great voice but needed to get rid of his nerves and "own the moment." Before taking the stage Lee talked with host Ryan Seacrest about having that Moment the judges have been waiting all season to see. Watching the show, I immediately thought, "No! Don't talk about what you need to do to have a Moment!" I was thinking of past seasons where contestants who had a Moment did so because it was unexpected and just happened (think Fantasia Barrino's "Summertime," David Cook's "Always Be My Baby," Blake Lewis' "You Give Love a Bad Name," Elliott Yamin's "Song For You," Melinda Dolittle's "My Funny Valentine," Adam Lambert's "Mad World," or Kris Allen's "Heartless" to name a few).

Performing "Treat Her Like a Lady" on his guitar, Lee attacked the song and injected the lyrics with his distinctive rock growl. I love how the song built to a crescendo as the band kicked in to join Lee and his guitar. He completely made the song his own and appeared much more comfortable on stage than in past weeks. The performance was the best of the night, and will most likely be remembered as one of the stand-out performances from season 9. Judge Ellen Degeneres was correct when she said that "the night starts now." Judge Simon Cowell told Lee that if he watches the performance back he will be able to see the night his life changed.

The only other contestant who I thought came close to Lee was Andrew Garcia. I have continued to root for him even though he has struggled in recent weeks. I loved his take on the Chris Brown song "Forever." I am guessing that the bottom three contestants will include Didi Benami and Tim Urban. I'm hoping it's Tim that goes home, but I've wanted that to happen since week one of the semifinals rounds.

What did you think of the show last night?

Top 12 on American Idol

During last Thursday's results show on American Idol we saw the surprising eliminations of contestants Katelyn Epperly, Lilly Scott, Todrick Hall, and Alex Lambert. I didn't think anyone in that group deserved to go home. Katelyn and Lilly both received positive comments from the judges in past weeks; Lilly especially was considered a strong contender this year due to her indie rock vibe and style. Todrick was quite creative with his song arrangements, and although Alex fought his nerves I think he would have improved with more time on the Idol stage.

After his rock interpretation last Wednesday night of Owl City's "Fireflies," Mount Prospect native Lee DeWyze remains one of the stronger contestants on the show this year and is my favorite this season. Performing "Fireflies" on his guitar, he gave the song a rock edge. My second favorite singer is Siobhan Magnus, from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Last Tuesday Siobhan sang "House of the Rising Sun." She began singing the song a capella; her voice has a unique quality that you can't help but be drawn to.

Last night the Top 12 contestants performed songs by the Rolling Stones. Michael Lynche sang "Miss You." It wasn't one of the best performances of the night, but I think he has plenty of fans behind him because he is a lovable guy with a big personality. Katie Stevens performed "Wild Horses," which was miles better than her semifinal showings, but she still doesn't stand out to me so that I would want to pick up the phone for her. Paige Miles was fighting laryngitis and still hit the big notes on "Honky Tonk Women." Casey James performed "It's All Over Now" on the electric guitar and put a country-blues spin on the song. I think Andrew Garcia's performance of "Gimme Shelter" was very strong compared to what he's done in previous weeks. I haven't felt connected with any of Aaron Kelly's past performances and actually thought he should have gone home on Thursday, and then he performed "Angie" and won me over. I also enjoyed Didi Benami's interpretation of "Play with Fire" and Lacey Brown's "Ruby Tuesday." I know they may have stumbled a bit during the songs but I thought they both conveyed their emotions while they were on the stage. Singing "You Can't Always Get What You Want," Crystal Bowersox gave another confident and strong performance. Siobhan Magnus's "Paint it Black" was the stand-out performance for the judges. I agree with the judges--when she belts out the notes she is reminiscent of last season's runner-up Adam Lambert. Lee DeWyze sang "Beast of Burden," which the judges thought was a safe choice; Simon is still waiting for Lee to have a "moment" on the stage. While I agree he may not have the personality of other contestants, I thought the combination of Lee's gravelly voice and his interpretation of the song on guitar made "Beast of Burden" sound like it was his song. I picked up the phone to vote for Lee and I hope he makes it through to next week!

Tim Urban is the contestant I think should go home tonight. His re-imagining of "Under My Thumb" just was not pleasant to watch or listen to. He seems like a nice enough guy but I am not a fan of his music. Which contestant did you vote for? Who do you want to see go home?

American Idol recap: 16 singers remain

Jermaine Sellers and John Park, two singers from Illinois, were sent home with the lowest votes out of the male contestants on American Idol Thursday night. I know the judges accused him of pushing too hard while he was singing, but I wanted to see Jermaine perform another week. He has a good voice and I love his geek chic; without a doubt Jermaine is a more interesting contestant that Tim Urban, who somehow remains on the show. Mount Prospect native Lee DeWyze, who performs again with the guys on Wednesday night, has received positive feedback for his last two semifinal performances of Snow Patrol's "Chasing Cars" and Hinder's "Lips of an Angel." In addition to having a rich growl to his voice, DeWyze also has unique song choices. I don't even care much about the pitch problems noted by the judges because he actually feels the lyrics of the songs when he sings. I was especially impressed by his acoustic guitar interpretation of "Chasing Cars." As a viewer I can't stand when contestants choose to sing songs that have already been covered on the show in previous seasons.

A unique song choice and heartfelt interpretation of that song definitely makes a contestant stand out. I admit that because we didn't see much of Siobhan Magnus during auditions and Hollywood Week I was not interested in her when the judges announced their Top 24 picks. However, after Siobhan sang Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game" in week 1 of the semifinals I was hooked. What an awesome song choice! Her powerful voice and quirky, unpredictable sound bites in her interviews have made her a fan favorite very quickly. As for my other favorites, I'm still sticking with Andrew Garcia and Didi Benami, even though they have had trouble living up to previous performances. Despite being hospitalized last Tuesday, Crystal Bowersox returned Wednesday night and gave one of the night's best performances. And although the boy is so nervous he doesn't have hardly any stage presence, I find myself rooting for Alex Lambert. I really enjoy the natural soul he has to his voice and it is refreshing to see a contestant who is without Hollywood-airs and still rough around the edges. I just love an underdog.

Tomorrow night the Top 8 girls perform, and the Top 8 guys perform Wednesday night. On Thursday we'll finally be down to the Top 12.

Top 24 on American Idol: Who are your favorites?

At the end of American Idol's Hollywood Week judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, Kara Dioguardi, and Ellen Degeneres made their final choices of which 12 women and 12 men made the top 24 for season 9. You can see videos, photos, and Q&A info about season 9 contestants on American Idol's website. You can also check out Entertainment Weekly writer Michael Slezak's assessment of the contestants at ew.com. I recommend visiting EW's American Idol site for recaps and Michael Slezak and Kristen Baldwin's Idolatry video segments.

Did your favorites make it? A couple of my early picks were gone the first day, but I was happy that several of my favorites were told they would continue. I am rooting for local singers Jermaine Sellers (Joliet), John Park (Evanston), and Lee Dewyze (Mount Prospect). We haven't heard any more singing from John Park since his Chicago audition footage weeks ago, which probably has hindered him from gaining more fans. Jermaine Sellers got slightly more airtime during Hollywood Week, but I think his take on "One of Us," at his audition in Atlanta, remains his best performance. And after briefly showing snippets of Lee Dewyze during his audition footage and group performances in Hollywood, he received a chunk of airtime performing the Fray's "You Found Me" on guitar. What may have helped him stand out from other contestants, though, was his enthusiastic I-can't-believe-this-is-happening-to-me response after he was told by the judges he made the top 24.

I was also happy to see that Andrew Garcia (he performed an awesome acoustic rendition of Paula Abdul's "Straight Up"), Didi Benami (she sang a Kara Dioguardi-penned song on guitar), Crystal Bowersox (she sang "You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman" on guitar and harmonica), and Lacey Brown (she sang a unique interpretation of "Over the Rainbow") made the top 24.

The top 12 women perform Tuesday night at 7 PM; the top 12 men perform Wednesday night at 7 PM.

Get ready for Hollywood Week on American Idol

Tonight begins the Hollywood Week round of auditions on American Idol. If you're like me and want to know more about the contestants who made it to Hollywood, visit the American Idol website page Hollywood Week Hopefuls. Each of the contestants is listed along with a photo and video footage of his or her golden ticket interview. Some of the auditions themselves are up on the site, but as far as I can tell they are the auditions that already have aired. Because many joke/bad auditions were shown in lieu of the good auditions we still haven't heard many of the contestants actually sing!

Hollywood Week is also the first time we will see the new fourth judge, Ellen Degeneres. For auditions in cities across the country different celebrities filled the fourth judge spot: Victoria Beckham, Kristen Chenoweth, Shania Twain, Mary J. Blige, Avril Lavigne, Joe Jonas, Katy Perry, and Neil Patrick Harris.

Do you have favorite contestants you're looking forward to hearing more from in Hollywood Week and (hopefully) the rounds to come? The inevitable negative result from becoming attached to a contestant so early is that he or she won't get past Hollywood Week and we'll have to choose new favorites. Oh well. Anyway, here are my favorites I picked from the audition footage shown so far. I organized the contestants by their audition cities. Feel free to add a comment with your favorites!

Boston auditions: Benjamin Bright (sang "All My Loving" by the Beatles), Justin Williams (sang "Feeling Good"), Leah Laurenti (sang "Blue Skies"), Mike Davis (sang "Yesterday" by the Beatles), Tyler Grady (sang "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye)

Atlanta auditions: Jermaine Sellers from Joilet, IL! (sang a R&B-flavored "One of Us" by Joan Osborne), Tisha Holland (sang Christina Aguilera's "Impossible"), Mallorie Haley (sang a country-fied version of Janis Joplin's "Piece of My Heart")

Chicago auditions: Crystal Bowersox (sang "Piece of My Heart" by Janis Joplin), John Park from Evanston, IL! (sang "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know" by Blood Sweat & Tears and received many compliments from guest judge Shania Twain), Lee Dewyze from Mount Prospect, IL! (sang "Ain't No Sunshine")

Orlando auditions: Lacey Brown (sang "Somewhere Over the Rainbow")

Los Angeles auditions: Andrew Garcia (sang a soulful version of Maroon 5's "Sunday Morning"), Didi Benami (sang "Hey Jude" by the Beatles and made it her own)

Dallas auditions: Hope Johnson (sang a very joyful version of Lee Ann Womack's "I Hope You Dance"), Todrick Hall (sang an original song about making it to Hollywood)

Denver auditions: Jessica Furney (sang "Footprints in the Sand"), Mark Labriola (sang "Tempted" by Squeeze)

Upcoming CD releases from American Idol alumni

Some of the most unique and creative singers to perform on American Idol are releasing CDs within the next month. Kris Allen, last season's winner, releases his self-titled debut November 17. I'm excited to see that his album includes his cover of Kanye West's "Heartbreaker" as a bonus track! Adam Lambert, the season 8 runner-up, releases his CD, For Your Entertainment, on November 23. And last but not least, Allison Iraheta's Just Like You comes out December 1. For their originality in song arrangement and just being crazy-talented, Allen, Lambert, and Iraheta were my favorite three contestants from season 8. They took risks with their song choices and made the songs their own.

Jason Castro, from season 7, releases his debut on January 26, 2010. Many fans remember his versions of songs like "Hallelujah," "What a Day for a Daydream," and Mariah Carey's "I Don't Wanna Cry" (one of my favorite Idol performances ever).

Other CDs by former American Idol contestants that have already been released:
Heartbreak on Vinyl by Blake Lewis
Christmas from the Heart by David Archuleta
Play On from Carrie Underwood