- Courtesy of buddytv.com
Shane Avery
Staff Writer
@ShaneAvery
I gotta admit, pretty much the entire 10 chosen by Harry, Jennifer and Keith I am satisfied with. The bigger question is did they deliver with their performances?
Last night, it was the Top 15 guys in the spotlight as the judges once again picked only 10 of them to move into the Top 20 and perform for America’s vote. After the girls laid down the gauntlet, the men had to step up and show us what they had.
And did they ever!
So who made it?
Here we go!
1. Caleb Johnson – “Stay With Me” by Faces
First guy out the gate! And what a choice by the judges it was!! Caleb hit the stage like a hurricane and I am seeing big things for this guy. His vocal control was crazy good, and stage presence was fantastic. I truly feel Caleb could be a front runner, but he does need to be careful with the high notes. He can overcompensate sometimes and strain. I don’t want to see him do that, but I’m looking forward to his journey on Idol. Will he make the Top 13? I don’t doubt it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1IxzgNOKGY
2. CJ Harris – “Shelter” by Ray Lamontagne
Just WOW. I’ve always been a fan of the folk/country singer and I can barely put into words what he did with this track. His version of “Shelter” would make Ray proud, and I can’t rave about it enough. The bar has been set for the guys and he is only the 2nd one out. Just absolutely, unbelievable. He is the real deal folks, and I have no doubt in my mind that he is moving forward. Fantastic!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejZP9g6Ts_U
3. Emmanuel Zidor – “Best Of My Love” by Emotions
Okay, so if the competition was based on personality, Emmanuel would have it in the bag. Unfortunately it’s more than that and his vocal just didn’t hold up for me. He really seemed flat at certain times and I’m chalking it up to nerves. I do still enjoy him because he is fantastic on stage, and the presence has me sold. The vocal this week, though, just wasn’t enough, and I’m not sure he’s a sure bet to make the Top 13.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-4POE3-iOw
4. Sam Woolf – “Babylon” by Favid Gray
Once again, I’m REALLY agreeing with the judges on their picks, and I was THRILLED to see Sam make it into the Top 10 guys. I really find his performances effortless and this was no different. His take on David Gray’s “Babylon” was really smart, and he is definitely one I’m going to remember. Also, the girls are going to love Sam, which is always a major plus. He seems comfortable onstage and I never once noticed any nerves. I would love to see more of Sam in the coming weeks, so let’s hope he makes it through.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eWDNkGcey4
5. George Lovett – “Grenade” by Bruno Mars
This was tough for me. I really enjoyed the last performance from George, which was his rendition of “I Won’t Give Up” by Jason Mraz, but then this? I really found the song choice odd, and his voice just didn’t match it. He felt like he was straining at times, and I’m not sure the arrangement was right for him. I do like his voice, and really hope he gets a second chance, but I’m not sure that’s going to happen.
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