‘American Idol’ Semifinals, Pt. 1: Here Come the Judges

(12 of this season’s top 24 performed this week. Photo: Fox)

Wednesday kicked off Fox’s evil and only thinly disguised plan to wrest power from American Idol’s loyal viewers, as a dozen of the top 24 competed for the first time this season – but not for the public’s vote.

You see, normally at this stage in the semifinals, the voting lines would open. But in this farewell season, with the much-hyped quest for the all-important “Kelly Clarkson bookend” in full effect, producers apparently aren’t leaving anything to chance. So this week, and next week, the judges alone will decide which singers advance. Only until it’s down to the top 14 will viewers finally get to exercise their voting power.

This, of course, is infuriating – or at least silly. You’d think after 14 seasons, Idol producers would know what keeps viewers invested and engaged: a sense of having a direct effect on who wins. But perhaps all this kvetching is moot. Of the 12 contestants who performed this Wednesday – at a showcase pre-taped at downtown Los Angeles’s Vibiana theater and aired in a breathless, whirlwind, hour-long episode – it was incredibly obvious which five were the weakest links. Yes, it’s possible that the judges could maddeningly mess up when they give their verdict on Thursday. But going by the critiques they doled out this Wednesday, it seems like the panel and the public will mostly be in agreement.

Stephany Negrete

I have to give credit to this babydiva for going with Jessie J’s “Mamma Knows Best,” a go-to (non-Adele) gauntlet-throwing song on the singing-show circuit right now. But I’ve heard much better covers of this tune on Idol – by Sarina-Joi Crowe last year, for instance, or even by Lindita just last week. Stephany was emanating a vaguely Nicole Scherzinger/Vegas-performer vibe – gorgeous, polished, and vocally proficient, yes, but somehow lacking connection. I forgot about this performance pretty much the moment it was over.

The judges shared my ambivalence. “You look fantastic, and it was really good to see you on a stage where it feels like we’re at a gig. We’re at a club, and as loose as you were, I think you could’ve even loosened up even more,” said Keith Urban. “You’re the full package. You have every ingredient to be a recording artist and a pop star. You have the voice, you have the looks, you have even the performance quality, but it still has to be connected to what you’re saying,” said Jennifer Lopez. “You’re a good performer, but I felt that something was missing,” added Harry Connick Jr. It didn’t seem like Stephany would be one of the lucky seven moving on to the next round.

MacKenzie Bourg

A Great Big World’s “Say Something” was a smart song selection for MacKenzie; he really thrives doing the sensitive singer-songwriter thing, and once again, just like last week, the girls went wild for him, squeeing and squealing all Beatlemania-style. My one minor gripe is I don’t think he did enough to “make the song his own.” It seemed a little safe and predictable. I would have preferred hearing him totally flip an unexpected, out-of-the-box song choice – maybe even one the early-2000s hip-hop singles he mentioned loving during his pre-performance interview.

The judges harbored no such complaints. “It felt like you felt really good up there, very natural. You did what MacKenzie does, and it’s exactly what you need to do,” said J.Lo. “I think the lyrics were really important to you, and I also like how you changed the melody, but still kept the integrity of the song,” said Harry. “I imagine if that’s your song, an original song, and if this is the first time I’ve ever heard it… do I believe that? And yes, I believed every bit of it,” asserted Keith. And the little girls believed too, screaming again in delight.

Jeneve Rose Mitchell

This was an odd one. After weeks of doing Patsy Cline/Loretta Lynn/Carter Family-style vintage country while dressed like a Hee-Haw extra, this week Jeneve came out looking like Paula Cole, channeled Joanna Newsom/Tori Amos… and played a harp while covering “Angel” by Sarah McLachlan. Well, that certainly was an Idol first. I appreciated how totally passionate and fearless Jeneve was, and I enjoyed this new side of her eccentric artistry, but in this one case, I was glad that America wasn’t voting this week. I’m just not sure how America would have reacted to Jeneve abandoning her country roots for this new age Lilith Fair shtick. I am also not sure if mainstream American really digs harps.

“I think you did yourself a disservice by playing the harp on this song in this way. I would have rather seen you just sing the song, because I’ve seen you sing lyrics before, and I think you’re a very talented lyric singer,” Harry grumbled. But the other two judges were more impressed. Keith was digging the harp, telling Jeneve, “You’re the real deal. Playing the harp is one thing, but playing it standing up, that’s not easy to do. You’re extraordinary, and I love the way you take risks.” And Jennifer, who didn’t even want Jeneve in the top 14 in the first place, admitted, “All right, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I was not sure about you, and I’m telling you that because when I just saw you do that song, I had goosies everywhere. I found it very, very beautiful. Congratulations.” Let’s hope if the judges do put Jeneve through to the top 14, America’s voters eventually agree with Keith and J.Lo

Jenna Renae

I loved Jenna’s first audition, when she sat simply and sweetly at a piano and covered country singer Eric Paslay. But she never got much screentime after that, and for some reason, I hadn’t pegged her as a straight-up country artist. That’s why this week’s performance threw me for such a loop. When Jenna pranced out in a big black hat and fringed cowgirl get-up while sing-shouting Maren Morris’s “My Church,” everything I remembered loving about her was gone. This was corny and contrived. I would have been happier if she’d done Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar on Me” or Color Me Badd’s “I Wanna Sex You Up,” two songs she recalled digging as a kid. Even that would’ve been less hokey.

While J.Lo appreciated this effort, telling Jenna, “I felt like you were really in your element, and you seem to have a lot of joy when you’re singing, which I hadn’t seen from you before,” Keith felt the strident performance was a bit one-note, saying, “I’m still curious to hear other sides of you, so that there’s a yin and yang, because there’s a lot of yin and yin going on right now.” And Harry noted, “I liked the energy and enthusiasm, but here’s a fine line between singing as enthusiastically as you can, and shouting. I felt like it was a little bit shouted, and I think your pitch was sacrificed as a result of that.”

James VIII

OK, I flat-out hated this. Yes, James tried to put an original spin on a Kanye West song, and I give him credit for the effort, but James VIII is no Kris Allen. James stripped Kanye’s “Love Lockdown” of everything that once made it cool, turning 808s & Heartbreak’s dark and menacing anti-love tirade into an almost unrecognizable, schlocky, wannabe-John Mayer bland blues jam. The entire performance seemed lazy and repetitive, and the judges, especially Jennifer, looked bored and unimpressed throughout.

“Um, that was an interesting choice of song, to do it that way, because it kind of stays so even. I just don’t know that it grabbed me or the audience in the way that it could have,” sighed J.Lo. “You’re a talented guy and fun to watch. That’s super-easy, what you just did, but when is it going to start getting more complex? I don’t know how far down the road you can get [doing that],” said Harry. “You’ve got to be really, really careful between being chill and being indulgent, because the indulgent thing can happen really fast. It’s not compelling enough to keep me interested,” agreed Keith. It was looking like James VIII would not make it to this season’s top XIV.

Sonika Vaid

Doing Taylor Swift and the Civil Wars’ “Safe and Sound,” Sonika delivered one of the strongest vocals of the night, and she showcased some raw emotion and vulnerability that I hadn’t noticed from her before. But this girl still has a long way to go, when it comes to being comfortable onstage and truly connecting to the material she sings, before she’s a “Kelly Clarkson bookend.” There was a still an Idol Season 3 feel to this performance, as she belted the ballad in a floor-sweeping gown.

“I thought that was a really good job. In fact, it was one of the more emotional performances I’ve seen. Really accommodate the words even more, because if you equate that with your ability to sing, it’s very powerful stuff,” said Harry. “Choose songs that really make you feel something, instead of just stuff that suits your voice, stuff that makes your heart sing,” advised Jennifer. Keith was the most impressed, admitting that he was so captivated by Sonika’s vocals that he forgot to take notes: “Your voice is so good, Sonika. It just is.”

Gianna Isabella

It was surprising that, instead of going with the expected big Mariah Carey or Celine Dion power ballad, Brenda K. Starr’s pride and joy went with Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’s darkly cool “I Put a Spell on You.” That was a risk. Granted, Gianna’s cover wasn’t as great as Casey Abrams’s fiery Season 10 version or last year’s magnetic rendition by Quentin Alexander; she still seemed a little too rosy-cheeked and cutesy for a spooky tune like this. But I liked her sass and spunk. And Gianna certainly seemed pleased with her performance, smiling confidently and triumphantly when it was all over.

“Well, firstly, the voice is undeniable. There’s moments of when you’re really starting to own that stage, but it was a little inconsistent. But what was good about it tells me there’s a lot more to come,” said Keith. “Clearly, you’re a student of American Idol, because you hit big, loud notes in the right places. That’s great; everybody in the room claps. But how can you arc your performance? Challenge yourself to find as much meat in there as you can,” advised Harry. And Jennifer told Gianna she has “the most privileged voice, maybe, in the competition.”

Emily Brooke

Oh, dear. What happened to Emily? Was she still suffering from the illness that plagued her during Hollywood Week? Probably not, since even when she was under the weather before, Emily for the most part brought it. Not this week. Her cover of Voice winner Cassadee Pope’s ironically and incorrectly titled “I Am Invincible” sounded croaky and frog-throated from the start, as Emily struggled with her tricky lower register, and it never improved from there. This song was way too big for this little girl, and it was her downfall. It was downright to painful to watch Emily, who almost made it to the semifinals last year, go from this season’s heavily pimped comeback kid to also-ran in the course of just two minutes.

“I really like you, but I don’t know if that was the best song for you. It played in the lower part of your range, which isn’t the sweetest and most beautiful part of your voice,” lamented J.Lo. “I’ve never heard you struggle with pitch as much as you just did. Maybe this was a little bit of an off night for you, because your talent is unquestionable,” said Harry. Fellow country singer Keith was the kindest, telling Emily, “That song didn’t play to all those strengths for you, but what I did like about it is that you’re trying, exploring, and looking for more of your artistry, so congrats on that!” But Keith was way too nice. This performance was awful, and I think even Emily knew that.

Avalon Young

One of coolest girls ever to appear on Idol, this swaggerocious tomboy hit the stage in a hoodie, leggings, and sneakers (my guess is she did not max out whatever wardrobe budget Idol gave her), and she turned Justin Bieber’s “Love Yourself” into her jam. She had so much personality and sparkle – without, unlike some other pageanty contestants, trying too hard – and she sounded fantastic, aside from a couple minor shrill moments. I adore how self-possessed and relaxed and likable Avalon always is, how she really seems to know herself and what she wants to do.

“You seem to be the most in tune with who you are in the moment. The only suggestion I would make, maybe on the very last time you sang the chorus, you could’ve modulated it up. But I think you’re terrific, and that was really strong,” said Harry. “You had the whole audience in the palm of your hand the minute you opened your mouth. Your voice has a tone that grabs people right away, and then you were smart enough to choose a song on the radio right now that everybody knows and loves,” added Jennifer. I think everyone will soon know and love Avalon Young, and that she could be a real role to young female pop fans, too. She’s just cool.

Jordan Sasser

This Michael Bolton-esque male diva has annoyed me since his first audition, but I will say I liked his makeover this week. Gone was the man-bun and Bonnaroo hippie styling; in a sleek leather jacket and short, slicked-backed new ‘do, Jordan sort of looked like Muse frontman Matt Bellamy’s less cool younger brother. However, the key words of that last sentence are “less cool.” His song choice – Eric Carmen’s “All By Myself” from 1975, famously covered by Celine Dion in ’96 – seemed so old-fashioned and irrelevant (very Clay Aiken-circa-Season 2) right after Avalon’s funky-fresh performance, even if the song did showcase his big ole pipes. In short, Jordan was still annoying.

“You have a great gift. You can sing. But please don’t lose the emotion. I felt it was too theatrical for me, and I missed a bit of the heart,” said Keith. “I agree with Keith a little bit, because I feel like that should’ve broken our hearts, and instead it made me think, ‘Is he finding the right part of his voice?’ I shouldn’t have been thinking that,” explained Jennifer. And Harry was bluntest: “You have a great voice, but that was real showoff-y to me. You don’t have to do all of that. I don’t like that big, loud, let’s-show-everything-you-have [act]. You don’t need all that. Just sing the song.” It seemed Jordan might soon be all by himself – on a plane back home.

Thomas Stringfellow

Thomas’s cover of Radiohead’s “Creep” was a welcome 180 after Jordan’s Carmen karaoke. This was one contestant that really connected with the lyrics, even if he did the Josiah Leming/Alex Preston thing and adopted some sort of weird indie-rock English accent, extending every vowel into about eight syllables. (Side note: This is a relatively new musical phenomenon known as “indie-pop voice.”) It all worked: Thomas’s endearing post-breakup awkwardness and shy-boy vulnerability, his vowel-chewing, his earnestness, his rawness, his coolness. This kid just might give MacKenzie Bourg some serious competition, but hopefully there’s room in the top 14 for both of them.

“I really love what you do, and I actually felt like you really played with your voice in a way I hadn’t heard before. You were kind of pushing the envelope, and I like that. You sing with emotion, and it really fills the room,” raved Jennifer. “I thought that was tremendous. Here’s an example of when you did yell, I think because you were frustrated with what the song was about – the whole creepiness of it and who you are. That’s what you’re supposed to do as a singer. I love the fact that you stood there and you sang it, and you were very aware of the words,” said Harry. “What I love about you is that your natural way of performing is actually to lean into abandonment. That’s when you’re at your best. It’s really compelling,” added Keith.

La’Porsha Renae

There was much to love about R&B dynamite diva La’Porsha’s cover of the Tina Turner version of “Proud Mary.” La’Porsha came to win, and she pulled out all the stops. She performed. She was feisty and fierce. She slayed, she killed, etc. But this was a very copycat performance, from the leg-shimmying dance moves to even the Tina-esque fringed mini-dress La’Porsha wore. This was incredibly entertaining – but it wasn’t original.

However, the judges didn’t seem to notice, or at least they didn’t mind. “I think one of two things is going to happen as a result of your being in the performance tonight: You’re either going to make other competitors get better, or you’re going to make them want to quit,” laughed Harry. “It’s a joy to listen to you sing. Voices like yours, I swear, I dream about them. And you’re just going to get stronger and stronger,” said J.Lo. This might be true. La’Porsha is definitely a force to be reckoned with, and a genuine threat. But I hope as she gets stronger, she also gets more creative.

So to me, based on Wednesday’s performances alone, it was obvious who should be cut this week: Stephany, Jenna, Emily, James, and Jordan. And it seems the judges felt the same way. But the judges won’t make their final decision until after Thursday’s two-hour show, when all 12 contestants perform duets with past Idols (Season 2’s Ruben Studdard, Season 3’s Fantasia, Season 10’s Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina, reigning champ Nick Fradiani, and, in a refreshing turnaround after he was so shut out of last year’s finale, Season 13’s Caleb Johnson).

Will any of Thursday’s alumni pairings redeem this week’s fallen contestants, or hurt the chances of the presumed frontrunners? My guess is no. But we will have to wait to see if good or bad things come in twos. See you then.

Parker out.

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