The Top 30, Girls Nite

Sorry this is a bit late. And most of them are gone! But here goes:

So a lot of new stuff this season. They're going to try and mentor these contestants from Day One -- is this how they do it on the Voice? This week, the Top 30 get The Dawgfather, Randy Jackson, and a wall-full of Idol's behind the scenes power players, Rickey Minor, vocal coaches, stylists, etc.
Spiritual advisors? Probably the best idea Idol had in a while.
Then, to top it off, Adam Lambert and Chris Daughtry are on hand to show these newbs how they did it back when you had to rely on raw talent LOL.

I'm curious how this will play out: there are 15 girls but only 10 will get to sing? This is a new and especially inventive kind of torture, Idol. I wonder how the girls who don't get called will react? One thing I am impressed with is, we have seen most of these girls. No secret hidden plants like in seasons past.

Side note: Jlo looks awesome, doesn't she? Harry looks like the mature serious one. And what is on Keith's shirt?

1. First up: Majesty. Adam loves her song choice. I love this song, too. But when she gets on stage, she seems swallowed up. Dr. L asks, what is the guitar for? It seems like a security blanket. Her singing was not great. I know she is capable of better, but maybe it was nerves. They want her to go forward, so they act like she did well. But it was the song, not her, that had people moving.

2. Kristen: looks more star-ish than Majesty? Still just as shaky sounding. I don't know this song, and I don't know if it was a good choice? The judges are softballing these guys. Maybe I'm not hearing something -- I'm going to adjust the EQ on the TV.

3. Brianna: best voice so far -- was it my TV? Dr. L did not dig the fashion choice. Still kind of a rough performance. Say, does anyone else think the new stage looks like a glass-top stove? Maybe appropriate LOL. Harry gives some good advice about the trap of vocal triple-axels.

4. Hey this Idol Live thing is cool! It's like how it is when you are really there. Randy runs up and chats with the judges. One unrealistic thing, though: in a real commercial break, EVERY one, Jlo gets her makeup touched up. Not this time.
Jena: I've heard that she is a sort of an Idol fave this season. She does seem to have the goods. Not in this performance, though. This was an odd song choice. The non-rocking-ness of Ricky Minor cannot be overstated. So why attempt it? Dr. L thought it was too theatrical. I thought it was warbly. Harry calls her out on being clueless about the song's meaning.

5. Bria: She looks better without the lipstick thing. She has a bigger voice, stands out from the others thus far. Harry keeps it real saying she shouted it, however. There were moments that were really good, but it was killed by the overdone moments.
 Dr. L says color her unimpressed so far.

6. Marielle: the girl who really wants to be Miley, IMO. Adam tries to rein her in a little.  Hearing her tonight, maybe she needed the speed for some smoke and mirrors? Doing a lame Katy Perry song. Could be me, but this was a bad choice. This was the most karaoke of the nite. But you have to  give her props for actually PERFORMING the song and not just standing there.

7. Jessica: we have been rooting for her since she's from Alabama LOL. Also, she's had a kind of a rough ride so far. She was nervous like all the rest. Keith give a shout-out to Slapout! I think they were dead-on with the criticism. They could all lose the guitars (literally and figuratively), and try to connect with the song and the crowd.


8. Emily: hearing them react to the song choice makes me realize all these girls suffer from doing what they think they want, and not what they need to do. She wants to rock it out? She doesn't do a terrible job, but not a great one either. They JUST said they liked her softer moment in Hollywood. Dr. L liked her performance, but I thought this was another bad song choice.

9. MK: Great song choice - very believable. Like the other girls - the nerves showed, but it was a heartfelt performance. Really connected to the song and the audience.

First we find out who gets saved Ben or Neco....millions of votes! and after the vote it is...Ben Briley! didn't see that coming, but congrats Ben.

10. Malaya:  Big voice, big personality and she chose a song she really loves  - it might be too old for her?  Was stomping around a lot on stage - they will want to work on that with her if she stays in. Maybe channel her energy in other parts of her performance.

I wonder if Malaya and Marielle might cancel each other out if they both stay in the competition.