The guys brought the house down at The Fillmore in Detroit last night, Feb. 27, with an extremely competitive first round of live performances. Qaasim Middleton and Quentin Alexander were two standouts from the evening. The ladies displayed their talents tonight and brought just as much energy and precision to the show. Jennifer Lopez, Harry Connick Jr. and Keith Urban were again blown away by this American Idol class of singers.
The top five singers from tonight were so close to each other in terms of best performance. The guys had a better night collectively, but there are some powerful singers in the girl bracket. Here are the performances, ranked worst to best, from tonight's episode:
12. The unpolished Shannon Berthiaume tried "Who Knew" by Pink. She brought a lot of attitude to the stage, but she struggled with the softer parts. She didn't own the stage either. It was a tough song choice, and the amateur singer needs a confidence boost if she makes it through.
11. Lovey James took on "Love Runs Out" by OneRepublic. She got off to a shaky start, but her high energy helped. It was better as the song went on, as Urban noted. She was ultimately forgettable though.
10. "Love Gets Me Every Time" by Shania Twain was Maddie Walker's choice for the night. It was a cute performance, but cute alone doesn't cut it at this point in the competition. There was never a point when she turned her vocals loose. The judges chalked it up to song choice.
9. Alexis Gomez introduced herself as the "hippie Mexican hillbilly." Unfortunately, she's having a difficult time figuring out how to let all of those influences live together comfortably. Her "Gunpowder & Lead" by Miranda Lambert capitalized on the country craze, but we still haven't heard her really show off her vocals. She did let loose on this one a bit.
8. Shi Scott's take on "Umbrella" by Rihanna was interesting. It was a risky song choice and arrangement. She would have been better off going with something more melodic. Scott's come a long way though.
7. Katherine Winston's "Safe & Sound" by Taylor Swift was probably the best vocal performance of the evening. She brought a little bit of a Stevie Nicks influence to the pop song, which was a great choice. "Captivating," as J. Lo put it.
6. Joey Cook may not be America's favorite singer, but she's trying. The singer performed "Somebody Like You" by Urban, reworking it as an old-timey tune with her accordion. It was one of the most unique performances of the season. She made the song her own, which is exactly what artists do, an elated Urban noted.
5. Adanna Duru's "Rather Be" by Clean Bandit was a definite highlight. Duru exploded when the song really kicked into full gear. "You're going for blood," J. Lo said. She's a dangerous contestant. You would not be friends with her during the competition because you'd be too afraid of her talent, not to mention a little jealous.
4. Loren Lott took on "Note to God" by Charice. So far she's done the best at showcasing her huge voice. The song choice was questionable, but she made it her own. J. Lo called it a "brave" performance. She's on to the next round, no doubt.
3. Bravo, Sarina-Joi Crowe. She killed with "Mamma Knows Best" by Jessie J. There was some grit and some glamor. She is another dangerous contestant. Props to the band on the arrangement.
2. Tyanna Jones impressed with "Lips Are Movin" by Meghan Trainor. She's so polished. Her command of the stage coupled with her vocals is a winning combination. Another singer contestants should be jealous of because her talent is unmatched.
1. Jax was wonderful with her version of Nancy Sinatra's "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)." It was a performance that would have made Meat Loaf proud with the theatrics. She's a contestant you're always excited to see.
