The Top 30 of Season 13 of “American Idol” began to solidify in a tense episode. Instead of doing separate performance and Green Mile shows, they were combined, with the performances for each contestant shown before they rode up in an elevator, walked across a large room and learned their fates.
- Emily Piriz, 17, sang “Stars” by Grace Potter for her solo, accompanying herself on piano. The phrasing was beautiful, and judge Harry Connick Jr. said she looked like a movie star. Emily made it into the Top 30.
- Spencer Lloyd, 19, who’d been shown unfavorably during the Group Round, picking a song he knew and then not rehearsing with his fellow group members. He sang an original song (which the judges likened to a public service announcement) and made it through, after judge Jennifer Lopez psyched him out.
- Jillian Jensen, 21, played an original song for her final solo, playing guitar. She said she did it because she felt it was important to really show who she was. Harry told her it’s really hard to decide and looked sad, so that when she told her she was in the Top 15, she reacted tearfully.
- Madelyn Patterson, 22, hasn’t been shown much on camera throughout the auditions, probably because she wasn’t involved in any of the drama. For her final audition, she sang a very bluesy version of “Up on the Mountain” by Patty Griffin. Judge Keith Urban told her they’d spent a long time going through the performances and debating, but that they were going to have to say good-bye. She was cut.
- A group of other hopefuls denied were shown, including Michael Simeon, Labryant Crew and Sabrina Lentini. George Lovett, 24, had left it all on the stage for his emotional final solo, of the Jason Mraz song “I Won’t Give Up,” which was used the underscore the whole montage. Jennifer let him know that he’d made it through.
- A number of contestants chose to do original songs, accompanying themselves, typically on a guitar. Shelby Ann Marie Miller, 16, and Connor Zwetsch, 20, did so and were both cut (with the judges comparing Connor’s song to “Sweet Home Alabama.” Sam Woolf, 17, was one of the best. He was shown singing a song, “I Tried,” that he wrote when he mother moved out several years ago. Jennifer delivered the news, saying they’d tried to figure out who could have the entire package to be the next “American Idol”… and “that could be you.” She actually teared up as he left the room.
- A couple other disappointed contestants were shown in a montage, intercut with comments by Keith about judging.
- Keri Lynn Roche, 24, was pretty confident when she headed in and for good reason. Her final solo (“I’d Rather Go Bliind”) had shown off both her vocal skills and her comfort onstage. Keith told her that “we’ve listened to so many great singers… but we only have 15 singers to choose.” Jennifer told her, “It was so close.” And Keith finished, “But today, baby, it’s a no.”
- Malaya Watson, 16, had a rough start with her final solo, but Harry demanded they start over after she and the band confirmed they were “in the same place.” Her version of Fantasia’s “I Believe” did sound better, then; delicate and powerful at the same time. Harry psyched her out, saying that her name, “has great potential to be a star at some point” — “you’re in the Top 15” girls.
- Maurice Townsend, 26, sang the Miley Cyrus song, “Wrecking Ball,” for his final solo. It wasn’t as strong as some of his other performances, being very stylized, but Harry said it had “a great arc to it.” Keith told him that he’d made it through.
- Randy Jackson dropped in to say hello to the judges, and Keith invited him to sit down. Harry and Keith popped up onstage for an impromptu performance, asking Randy to judge them. Randy declared them “terrible” once Harry turned around and started shaking his butt!
- Bria Anai, 16, sang the James Brown song “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” for her final solo. She declared the process “crazy” when the judges spoke to her, and Jennifer said, “You know what’s crazy? You made it into the Top 15 girls.” Bria tried to psyche out her mom by pretending to be sad when she first came out.
- Jessica Meuse, 23, sang an original song, “I’m Done,” for her final solo. Her strength really shone through on this song, unlike during her group performance, where she’d choked. She was sent in to hear her fate with Jesse Roach, 27, who had sung “Wide Open Spaces” for her final solo, which was a little nasal. She also seemed to forget the lyrics at one point. Jennifer told them they’d run into a problem with the two of them. Harry jumped in: “There’s a limited number of seats on the bus, and … it was so close we’re going to need to hear you guys sing right now.” Jessica had a folky-blues quality to her a capella performance of “Simple Man.” Jesse was a little strained on her version of “Do Ya.” The judges asked them to leave so they could talk. Harry told the other judges that Jesse sounded “more interesting.” Jennifer disagreed. Keith said that Jessica has a broader spectrum but that Jesse is “compelling.” Keith said he wished he could let them both through, but Jennifer reminded him they couldn’t. Harry called them both extraordinary but said the person going through was Jessica.
- Dexter Roberts, 22, the most genuine country boy in the competition, was very country in his final performance, too. Keith told him that they were looking for genuine people in the competition and … we didn’t hear the decision. Instead, we saw Dexter’s reaction in the elevator, where he seemed to cry for a second. Turns out he was just composing himself: he made it!
- Emmanuel Zidor, 22, threw a little trill into his “R’s” in his final solo, “I’m Going Down.” He really threw it down, and the judges seemed to love it, even when he ended with an ear-splitting super-high falsetto. The judges told him he ought to have a “walk off” with Jennifer, in high heels, and he joked that Jennifer would have to buy his shoes. He was crying as he came in to hear the news, because he was so overwhelmed about having made it even this far. Jennifer was teary, too, telling him, “It’s been heartbreaking all day for us.” Then she said, “But I guess next time I see you, I’ll just bring you the pair of shoes, because you’re in the Top 15.”
- After a break, MK Nobilette, 20, sat in the decision chair, chatting with the judges about the connections she’d made at the auditions. During her final solo, of “A Team” by Ed Sheeran, Jennifer called her ” a quiet storm.” Jennifer pointed out that it was a difficult choice because “you’re not the typical ‘American Idol’.” MK said that she was obviously definitely gay, but there had been a lot of changes in America the last several years. Jennifer said, “The world is changing. We think that you could be an American Idol, and we’d like you to be in our Top 15 girls.”
- Kristen O’Connor, 24, who is a nurse, delivered a competent but boring final solo, “Unconditionally” by Katy Perry. Viewers were asked to participate in a Twitter poll: Would she be going through? (I said no.) Erm… OK, well, she made it through.
- Jordan Brisbane, 16, sang “Halo” by Beyonce for his final solo. He has a certain charm to him and a rich voice, too. It was his birthday when he sat down to hear the judges’ decision. Keith observed that, as young as he is “You haven’t had a lot of no’s yet… And today is another yes. You’re in the Top 15.”
- Casey McQuillen was another no, as was Nica Nashae. Jennifer told Nica, “I was pulling for you.”
- Leah Guerrero, who sang “I’d Rather Be Blind” for her final solo, and Andrina Brogden, 19, who sang “Burn” by Ellie Goulding, were called in together. Jennifer told them, “It was brutal, and it was almost interchangeable.” But they apparently weren’t asked to sing for their lives (or if they did, it wasn’t shown). Instead, Jennifer told them that Leah wasn’t going through and that Andrina was.
- Malcolm Allen, another competitor who’s been strong from the start — but had a rough patch during groups — traveled up to hear his verdict after singing “I’m Going Down.” A series of clips from his performances were shown as he rode up in the elevator. Harry said his vocals were good, but he wondered if he was marketable. Jennifer countered with, “I remember him every time.” Harry told him that “ultimately we have to decide who’s going to make the Top 30… on behalf of the panel, I’d like to say that you made it through to the Top 30.”
- Alex Preston, 20, brought his guitar with him to hear the results. He did an original for his final solo, and his song-writing is fantastic, along with a compelling delivery and amazing guitar work. Keith did point out that he’s unusual for “American Idol.” He said, “I’m glad that you’ve made it this far, but we just can’t take everybody… But we’d like to see you in the Top 30.” As he was leaving, Keith kidded him about bringing his guitar in: “You know that thing comes off. There’s a strap.” Alex joked, “Really? I thought it was growing on me.”
- Called up together were two country singers from Alabama, Casey Thrasher and C.J. Harris, who had come to Hollywood after auditioning first on the Idol bus tour and then in Salt Lake City. They were asked to have a sing-off. C.J. sang the Allman Brothers song “Whipping Post,” a very bluesy rendition. Casey sang the upbeat country tune “Don’t Ya.” Harry commented that they were both very much alike. Even Casey saw it, telling C.J. that they both came from Alabama, sing country but are versatile. Harry told them, “It’s just so hard to pick.” And… cliffhanger!
- Tonight, C.J., Casey and the rest of the contestants will learn their fate. Will they make it into the Idol Top 30?
