Tonight's March 4 episode of American Idol saw the departure of four gentlemen, bringing the male side down to eight. By the end of tomorrow's ep, there will be a total of 16 contestants who will battle for the top spot. Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban and Harry Connick Jr. had a few words of advice for the guys who made it through, but, for the most part, each contestant showed why they deserved a spot.
Aretha Franklin kicked off the show, paying tribute to her hometown of Detroit and the legacy of Motown. It was nice to hear the Queen of Soul introduce the episode. Check out her new album, Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics. We hear there's a killer cover of Adele's "Rolling in the Deep."
Scott Borchetta showed up during the ep, and he was introduced as the Season 14 mentor. The singers should be extremely thankful considering this is the same guy who helped bring Taylor Swift to the mass public.
We said goodbye to Michael Simeon, Savion Wright, Riley Bria and Trevor Douglas. Wright and Simeon were a surprise. Bria and Douglas, not so much.
Here's who made it to next week, ranked worst to best:
8. Nick Fradiani chose "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" for his song. He brought some pop licks to the Stevie Wonder classic. It was one of the singer's better performances, but his looks are helping move him forward in the competition without a doubt. He didn't deserve to make it instead of Savion Wright or Michael Simeon, but that's the nature of the beast.
7. The little man, Daniel Seavey, was the first one to learn his fate. He took on Marvin Gaye's "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" and instantly became your grandmother's favorite contestant. It was his most spirited performance. He definitely sang it too low, as Urban said, but he'll be able to get away with that.
6. Mark Andrew went with "Papa was a Rollin' Stone" by The Temptations. It was an effortless performance that had Andrew leaving the comfort of the microphone stand. The bubble gum arrangement was disappointing and didn't do the singer any favors though.
5. Quentin Alexander was the last contestant to make it through to the next round. His performance was rocky, but it was unique. He grooved to "Master Blaster (Jammin')" by Stevie Wonder. Connick thought there was some reservation because he was the last one to make it. That's a good call, so we'll give him a pass. Will America?
4. Underdog Adam Ezegelian made it through to next week, so he performed "I Want You Back" by The Jackson 5. He added some rock 'n' roll to a killer arrangement of a song everyone knows. "That was the perfect song for you," Urban said. Who would have thought? Most impressively, Ezegelian brought the house down without a hard rock hit. That's a good sign.
3. Rayvon Owen's "My Girl" by The Temptations broke a few hearts. It was a smart choice considering it's such a well-known song. Owen's vocals were delightfully soulful, and he has an incredible falsetto. He continues to be one of the most consistent performers this season.
2. Clark Beckham channeled Smokey Robinson on "Tracks of My Tears." He showed off his range, going from a smooth falsetto to his gritty homebase vocals. He looked confused onstage as the judges each took issue with his performance. Urban had it right, Beckham should have performed the tune solo with the electric guitar. But that's with the benefit of hindsight. While he didn't break everyone's hearts, he certainly got people moving. Don't worry, Clark. America digs you.
1. Qaasim Middleton wins the award for Best Dressed. His "I Wish" by Stevie Wonder was intense. There were moments when he sounded off key, but he made up for it with his energy level. "You're so damn funky," J. Lo said. She also advised him to show off his vocals more and be conscious of it. "That's what we're looking for," Connick added.
