Top 10 Perform on Idol

I don’t understand the theme this week. Gwen Stefani was there, and it was advertised as a week of pop songs. I was really looking forward to everyone being forced to sing current songs. But somehow, Donna Summer, the Police, and Cyndi Lauper don't really fall into that category. Apparently no one is actually making them sing the theme this season.

Lakisha started off the show tonight with a good performance of what seems to be the same song every week. She’s such a good singer, but I wonder how she would have done with a more current song. Chris Sligh really surprised me this week. His performance was terrible. It was almost as if he couldn’t hear the band.

Gina was really good tonight. I agree with Randy that her song selection was spot-on. I am starting to think that there is something actually wrong with Sanjaya. How else would you explain the hair tonight? I don’t even think that the singing was that bad (though it was a really strange song choice) – I just couldn’t sit and watch him sing looking like that.

I don’t think that Haley was as bad as the judges thought she was. I think that she will be helped by the fact that most of the people who vote probably don’t know the original. I really liked Phil’s performance. I was glad he took Gwen’s advice and just sang the song. You forget how good a singer he is – tonight he really showed it.

Melinda’s performance was very much like Lakisha’s. Really good, but the same basic type of song she has sung every single week. I understand that the judges/producers want her to win (and rightfully so), but I don’t understand why they don’t push her about taking chances like they do with so many others. I would have loved to hear her sing a No Doubt song tonight. Oh well. Blake was really good again this week. It’s interesting that Simon warned him that he might be falling into the same pattern as Chris Daughtry. I would be excited as heck to be compared to Chris – he’s one of the most successful Idol contestants to date. (I actually have his CD playing in a continuous loop in my car right now – it ROCKS)

I really liked Jordin again tonight. I was also excited to see her actually sing a No Doubt song – I wish they all did something similar. Chris Richardson ended the song on a high note. He’s back to making good song choices, and I thought he sounded much better than Simon gave him credit for.

Based on just tonight's performances, tomorrow night's bottom three should be Chris S., Haley, and Sanjaya. But we all know that it doesn't seem to work that way. So Sanjaya will somehow last another week, and we'll lose a good singer. Sigh...