In fact the entire Wild Card segment just brought me to tears and invested me in the whole dang season that there's no turning back now.
The first member to make it into the Top 10 based on popular vote was Phillip Phillips.
As predicted, Chase and Jeremy suffered from their lack of exposure and Phillip moved right on through.
The results show included comments from Jimmy Iovine, who typically renders a harsher critique than the Kinder, Gentler Judges. Some things I agreed, some things I didn't. I wasn't on board with his assessment of Phillip. I don't find him all that original. I get a real David Cook vibe off of the artist Phillip is setting himself up to be.
The girls were brought up four at a time, and the first two to make it into the Top Ten were Hollie Cavanagh and Jessica Sanchez.
Jimmy commented that Brielle's pick of "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" was too old fashioned and he was right on... especially since he echoed what I already said in my blog yesterday. She still justified it, speaking of herself once again in the third person. I wasn't particularly heartbroken nor surprised when she didn't make it into the Top Ten.
He also stated that Jessica is the one to beat, which I also alluded to in yesterday's blog pegging her the One to Watch for Season 11. If there's a girl to win this thing, breaking a streak of male winners since Carrie Underwood, it's this girl.
By no surprise another favorite guy of mine, Joshua Ledet, joined Heejun Han over in the coveted stools for the Top Ten.
I agreed with Jimmy that Heejun is a bit of a confusing pick for the show, but not really surprised with all of the screen time that he got he made it through with the votes.
But Heejun maintains he'll keep things light with the comedy as his Idol journey continues.
The next four ladies who came up to the chopping block gave me a little bit more of what I wanted in Skylar Laine:
It also gave Shannon Magrane really good news that her inspirational ballad won the hearts of American voters.
But Jimmy also echoed my complaint from yesterday about the high school pageanty look by saying she looked more like she was dressed for the prom. I hope with the help of a stylist she can be more youthful and fun rather than this too-old-for-her-years songbird she established herself to be last night.
Jimmy also repeated my dissatisfaction with both Baylie and Chelsea, even going so far as to say Carrie Underwood karaoke wouldn't cut it. It looks like we both were right.
The Idol dream also ended for Aaron, whose performance Jimmy considered cheesy. He wasn't any more charitable to Creighton ("screechy") or Reed ("too cabaret") and apparently the audience agreed - even if Steven, J-Lo and Randy all sang their praises.
Elise Testone was joined by Erika, Jen and Haley, but only Elise won her rightful place by America's vote as the last girl chosen for the Top Ten.
Jimmy felt Jen, while the voice was good, didn't have enough soul and praised Erika's restraint despite J-Lo's advice to push herself even further. Meanwhile he underscored Randy's assessment Haley's performance was a "nightmare."
With only two spots left Ryan called down four of the remaining boys, including my DeAndre, Colton Dixon, Eben and the Gentle Giant himself, Jermaine Jones. This is where I got a little nervous. With Jermaine securing not only the pimp spot but having a really emotional journey thus far this season, it seemed likely his fans would vote him through.
Likewise for Colton, whose Idol journey is two years in the making (as is DeAndre's - but Colton's has been way more televised.)
When Jimmy sang the praises of both Jermaine and Colton I knew my little DeAndre was in trouble. And of course he was sent back to wait his fate through the Wild Card stage as he did not secure the top 10 vote. Those final two honors went to the guy who barely missed the Top 24 and the guy who didn't bother to audition.
Thus began the Wild Card round where the judges had to pick 6 out of 15 singers in order to select one Wild Card contestant each. Jen got the first opportunity to sing for her life and sing for her life she did. She selected "Oh! Darling" and did a fantastic job, although lost her breath in a few spots trying to knock it out of the park with her vocal gymnastics.
Jeremy sang second, with a Carrie Underwood tune that brought J-Lo to tears. In fact there probably wasn't a dry eye in the house when he fell apart at the end of the song himself after a performance that brought his fellow contestants to their feet.
Brielle got her second chance and laid it all on the line with a more sedate and serious performance. This gave her mom a little more face time on camera as well, but didn't really do anything for me to reconsider my earlier position (as Jeremy's emotional performance had done.)
Randy made my night by recalling DeAndre for his second chance. He sang "Georgia on My Mind" which showed way more range than the EW&F tune he sang for the live performances on Tuesday. It was another old fashioned tune that I wasn't sure showed the best of what he could do. But the girls loved it - as I was sure they would.
Seeing this baby tremble with the importance of the moment was enough to win over even more than what I was before. Though I wasn't actively conscious of it, the stakes for him to advance shot WAY up.
Erika sang next and FINALLY let it go with Lady Gaga's "Edge of Glory." I was practically on my chair for her performance. THIS is what she needed to do yesterday. THIS is what sets her apart. NEVER EVER EVER EVER resort to an 80s pop ballad when you can rock that kind of powerful vocal.
N E V E R.
With that vocal she outshone every other Wild Card wannabe that went before her.
The judges gave the last spot to Reed, a drummer who definitely dances to his very own beat. I thought the audience was screaming for him beforehand and as he performed we could see why. He's definitely entertaining. That said, he's not an idol and the performance ultimately was easy to discard.
I figured at this point the judges would pick Erika, Jeremy and Jen.
Randy announced the first Wild Card pic - Erika Van Pelt.
J-Lo announced her Wild Card pick, and after the tears she shed for him it could be none other than Jeremy Rosado.
That left Steven with the third and final Wild Card pick. I didn't let out a breath until he told him that he could let his hair down and I knew that despite all odds my favorite had skated in by the hair of his chinny chin chin.
My favorite... I wanna adopt him... he made me care about Idol once more... DeAndre Brackensick.
This is shaping up to be a season with a lot of heart, and contestants that wear their hearts on their sleeves. I think both Jeremy and DeAndre won some fans tonight with their earnest gratitude for making it into the Top 13, so I hope we see that reflected in the votes next week.
And for the first time in a LONG time... I'm excited about next week.
Oh American Idol... you did it to me again. I'll even forgive you for making theme nights out of Stevie Wonder and Whitney Houston, two artists I usually pray no contestants ever sing because of the high karaoke factor.
Till next week... Geevie OUT.
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