American Idol has gone live and the first round went to the ladies on Tuesday night (Feb. 18). Fifteen women entered to the waiting room for the live audience stage, but only 10 got the chance to perform, yet another dramatic twist for Idol's 13th season. As former judge and current mentor Randy Jackson noted, this batch of contestants is a markedly unique and diverse group, and that was clear through the mixed bag performances.
After getting a round of coaching from Jackson and Idol alumni Adam Lambert and Chris Daughtry in a round called "Idol Rush Week," the judges' 10 favorite females stormed the stage.
So, who was good, who was bad and who was just passable? Let's examine the top 10 girls performances below.
The Good:
Majesty Rose: Idol has a penchant for starting and ending its live shows with strong performances, and the show producers continued that trend on Tuesday. Singing the insanely popular, peppy Pharrell Williams song "Happy," the always strong Majesty Rose moved away from the quiet songs (Feist's "1234") and the strong ballads ("Stars," "Violet Hill") for this upbeat anthem. Though her nerves were clear from the get-go, she managed to show her impressive range and let loose. It was easy, it was breezy, it was Majesty Rose.
Malaya Watson: Malaya Watson was the last singer to be chosen from the crop of 15, but my goodness, we're happy she's here. The quirky tuba player went soulful with "Hard Times" by the classic Ray Charles, and she proved that behind those glasses and those silver braces on her teeth, she's an old soul with a grand voice.
MK Nobilette: It must be said upfront that American Idol's first openly gay contestant doesn't have the biggest range, but MK Nobilette stays true to herself, and there's something to be said about that. She took on John Legend's stunning love ballad "All Of Me," and her smoky, deep voice perfectly showcased this track's meaning. And, she had some stunningly beautiful moments in the songs "Oohs." It was nice, quiet and simple. For a night of BIG performances, it was refreshing.
Emily Piriz: My personal favorite performer from Hollywood Week took on another Grace Potter song for the live show with "Paris (Ooh La La)." While the judges, particularly Harry Connick Jr., are mildly uncomfortable with the song's sexual nature, this 18-year-old Floridian could handle the song's material and was notably super comfortable on stage. In a night full of nerves, her ease helped her stand out. She got a little lost in the track's rock instrumentation but still delivered a powerful, sultry performance.
The Bad:
Marielle Sanders: Normally, Marielle Sanders stands out for the strength of her voice, but something was seriously lacking in her top 10 performance. She tackled Katy Perry's "Roar," which is a slightly boring song in and of itself, though it can manage to show a decent vocal range, but she took the "roar" bits down an octave, fell flat in other spots and just sort of... phoned it in. It's quite unfortunate for an otherwise talented gal.
Kristen O'Connor: The judges really like this chick, but I just don't get how she even nuzzled her way into the top 10. She took on Adele's "Turning Tables," and like her take on "Unconditionally," nothing was really interesting about this performance, except for the fact that she was a little ahead of the band for the first half of the song. I already forget what she sounded like, and that's bad enough to be listed among the night's worst.
The Passable:
Jena Irene Asciutto: Jena Irene went classic for her top 10 performance with The Rolling Stones' "Paint It Black." She has a solid rocker voice and really nailed the power behind this song, but the screechiness of her high notes and a few small, sharp missteps knocked this track down a peg.
Briana Oakley: Tackling Demi Lovato's emotional track "Warrior" is no easy feat, but Briana Oakley managed to make this song passable. She managed to pull the emotion and strength out of this heavy song and even truly nailed the high notes. Unfortunately, it took her a bit too long to find the proper footing for her live turn.
Jessica Meuse: Who knew this rocker chick could pull out a country anthem? This Slapout, Ala., native performed Luke Bryan's heartbreaking "Drink A Beer"... but she smiled through the whole thing? As the judges noted, that was awkward. Otherwise, it was a solid showing and proved she could do more than that classic rock thing - she's a true versatile singer.
Bria Anai: "Please be me," Bria Anai whispered before getting called to the Idol stage, where she ended up singing Melanie Fiona's "Wrong Side Of A Love Song." Through her sparkly lips, Anai sang the crap out of this R&B tune... almost too much. But, she showcased an insane range. When MK Nobilette could shine with a quiet song, it'd be nice to see what she could do with a bit of restraint, which is why she's only passable and not "good."
Other Idol notables: After the American fan vote, the top 15 guys was rounded out tonight by country crooner Ben Briley, meaning Neco Starr was once again sent home from Hollywood. And, if you couldn't tell from the girls' listing, Jillian Jensen, Andrina Brogden, Brandy Neelly, Kenzie Hall and Austin Wolfe were sent home before they could even sing tonight.
