Instead of a bottom three, viewers were only informed of a bottom two in last night’s results episode for “Eighties Week” on “American Idol,” Season 13.
- The show began on a lighter note, with shots of the judges in the Eighties and video of the Top 8 hanging out after the previous night’s performances. This ended with Caleb Johnson and Alex Preston jumping into the pool.
- Then, in the weekly Ford video, the contestants played “Would You Rather” while cruising around in, guess what, a Ford.
- Host Ryan Seacrest announced there would be a bottom two tonight. He called to the stage Dexter Roberts, C.J. Harris, Jessica Meuse and Caleb Johnson, playing videotape of mentor Randy Jackson’s comments. Randy was happy that C.J. took the song “to the high octave at the end.” He said of Jessica that “She had all of the vocals, but she didn’t have the attitude.” Still, he thought she’d done enough. Randy thought Caleb had shown a “completely different side of himself.” Then, Ryan declared safe, in order, Caleb, Jessica and Dexter. This put C.J. in the bottom two.
- Next to the stage were Sam Woolf, Malaya Watson, Alex Preston and Jena Irene. Randy felt that Sam had shown he deserved to be in the competition. Of Malaya, he said, “This is a big song. Some of those notes she hit. Some of them not as well.” He predicted she could be in trouble. Randy felt that Alex’s arrangement might have gone a little too far, and he predicted that Jena’s performance was good enough to keep her out of the bottom. Ryan announced the next person who was safe: Alex. Then he gave the good news to Jena and finally Sam. This left Malaya in the bottom.
- Without much ado, Ryan announced that Malaya was the one leaving tonight. She sang “I Am Changing,” tearing up so bad she could hardly sing.
- Why was it Malaya’s turn to go? In the audition rounds, her sunny personality and youthful wackiness had made her stand out, along with her braces and her pride in playing the tuba in the marching band. Teenage girls probably could see themselves in her, while anyone who remembered going through an awkward stage was rooting for her. The snippets we’d heard of her vocals promised raw talent that had only to be shaped. But the pressure of the live competition proved to be too much. While she was making strides, her often uneven vocals were testament to her nerves. The summer tour will likely be very good for her, helping her to have the confidence she needs, and pushing her to refine her vocal skills.
