American Idol Season 6

Tonight’s show takes place at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood.

The first performance of the night was Jordin and Blake singing “I Saw Her Standing There.” The song suited both of them perfectly, and it was a really cute performance.

They then went to the video screens as they showed Gwen Stefani live on tour. She sang her song “Four In the Morning” off of her new album. I’d actually never heard the song before, but I liked it a lot.

After Gwen’s song, Kelly Clarkson sang her new single “Never Again.” She performed the song really well, and I thought she sounded amazing.

Following her performance was the “Golden Idols” giveaways, which are basically awards given out to the weirdest and worst contestants of this season’s auditions. It was hilarious to see some of those people again. The winner of the first one was a lady named Margaret Fowler, who was the contestant dressed in a huge yellow muumuu type thing. She was actually at the show, and the whole scenario was so weird. There were more Golden Idols given away throughout the night.

The top 6 guys of the season did a performance also. They were all wearing white tuxes, and their performance was awesome. I loved the way every one of them sounded. After they did their thing for a bit, Smokey Robinson was introduced, and he sang a song too.

An unlikely few, Barry Bee, Doggy Fresh, and Blake Lewis did a performance together. It was definitely an interesting performance, and something I wouldn’t have expected from American Idol. For the first really long part of the song, it was just them yelling into the crowd, which wasn’t very entertaining. Finally, they both started beat boxing, and it was so amazing. It was probably the best I’ve ever heard Blake beat box.

Then it was the top 6 girl’s turn to perform. I didn’t find this performance as good as the boys, but it was still good and entertaining. Joining them later in the song was Gladys Knight who was, of course, excellent. Right after this song was Tony Bennett singing “For Once in My Life.” It was such a heartfelt and cute performance. Melinda sang after, and she was amazing.

Ryan Seacrest announced that the Jordin and Blake would be getting two new Ford Mustangs, which was pretty cool. Right after the they took their new set of keys, Carrie Underwood sang “I’ll Stand By You” again. She sang it during the week of “Idol Gives Back.” I thought she started out really strong, but went a bit flat in some parts. It was still a very good performance though.

Clive Davis was on the show tonight to present a very special award to Carrie Underwood for 6 million U.S C.D sales. He gave quite a long speech on American Idol and its successes. It was pretty boring.

The African Children’s choir, who sang on “Idol Gives Back,” was on the show tonight again. They were so cute, and they all just looked so happy. Sinjaya took the stage right after with “You Really Got Me.” I’m not too sure why they got him to sing again, but I guess it was okay. I just thought it was an odd choice for American Idol.

Greenday was another guest performer on the show tonight. I really liked their performance as well. For the first time since last season, I saw Taylor Hicks perform. I’m not sure what he’s been up to with his music career, but he sounded really good tonight. Another person we didn’t see much of after American Idol was Ruben Studdard, who sang alongside Jordin tonight. They both sounded awesome together.

Up next was Bette Midler singing “You Are the Wind Beneath My Wings.” Kelly Clarkson came back to the stage with a tribute to Sergeant Pepper. I wasn’t a fan of her outfit, but her singing was awesome at least. To me, her and Carrie Underwood are the best winners of American Idol. Taylor Hicks and Carrie also sang again, both with good performances. Ruben also came back to the stage with the top 12 idols.

Finally they announced the winner to be JORDIN SPARKS. I actually had no clue as to who it would be, and either way, I think they will both be very successful.

May 22^nd, 2007

Tonight’s show takes place in the Kodak Theater. I’m not too sure what Randy is wearing tonight, and I don’t know what’s up with Paula’s hair, but at least Simon looks good.

They showed clips of both of their journeys to the season finale.

They will once again be singing three songs tonight. One is their favorite performance thus far, the second is a song they haven’t sung before, and the final one is the winner of American Idol’s songwriting competition called “This is My Now.”

Blake Lewis
You Give Love a Bad Name - Bon Jovi

I like that they gave him a newer hairstyle because I wasn’t a fan of his dark brown hair. I thought this was an awesome performance for Blake. He chose the right song to re-perform, and did a really good job of entertaining the audience. Randy thought the beat boxing was awesome, but the singing wasn’t as good. Paula was definitely more accurate in saying that the whole performance was a ten out of ten. Simon loved the performance quality more than the singing quality.

Jordin Sparks
Fighter – Christina Aguilera

I was a little worried when she picked a Christina song because not many people can sing Christina other than Christina, but I was really impressed with her vocals. The judges keep saying that Jordin has stronger vocals, but Blake has better entertainment qualities. I think Jordin outshined Blake vocally.

Blake Lewis
She Will Be Loved – Maroon 5

I was excited to hear him sing this because it’s one of my favorite songs by Maroon 5. Randy loved the performance because he got to see Blake sing naturally. I think it was definitely a really relaxing performance, but also a bit boring. Simon said he wouldn’t have chosen to sing that song because it may not have the impact that he wanted it to have.

Jordin Sparks
A Broken Wing

This was my favorite performance of the night so far. She was flawless vocally, and her performance was passionate and heartfelt. It completely blew Blake right out of the park. The judges all raved about it.

Blake Lewis
This is My Now

I didn’t like the background singers at all. It actually sounded like they were really off, and then it made him sound worse as well. I really liked the song and the lyrics, but I don’t think Blake really proved that he should win the competition. It might have just been that the song wasn’t his style, but he didn’t sound good enough vocally. Simon thought the people need to judge him based on the first two performances.

Jordin Sparks
This is My Now

I thought that the song would definitely suit Jordin better than it did Blake, which is slightly unfair. Even though she sounded better than Blake, it still wasn’t something a really enjoyed. The judges all agreed in saying that Jordin outshined Blake tonight by a long shot.

May 16^th, 2007

I thought Melinda look really pretty tonight, and her hair looked amazing. They made sure to advertise the Idol Tour that will take place after the show has ended.

Tonight they showed the video clips of all the contestant’s trip homes. There was, of course a lot of fans awaiting them. There were radio interviews, public performances, streets and days named after them, and a lot of love and support.

I was surprised when they announced that Elliott Yamin would be singing on the show tonight. He was in last season’s top ten, and was always one of my favorites. I thought he sounded really amazing tonight, and I’m glad they had him on the show.

The next performance of the night was by Maroon Five. They sang their newest song, but I must admit I wasn’t as impressed with them as I thought I would be. I still love them, but I actually thought Blake sounded better last night than Adam Levine did tonight.

Everyone was completely shocked when Melinda was sent home. In a way, I kind of expected it. Even though she was probably the most amazing singing in the competition, she failed to appeal to the younger audiences. I think Blake and Jordin are there because they are younger and fresher.

May 15^th, 2007

Tonight, the idol’s songs will be chosen not only by themselves, but by the judges, producers as well, adding to a sum of three songs per contestant.

The contestants also got to go home to their home towns this week. Jordin went home to Glendale Arizona, Blake went to Bothell Washington and Melinda to Tennessee.

Jordin Sparks
Wishing on a Star – Rolls-Royce (Simon’s song choice)

I thought the performance was a pretty good one and I really liked the dress she was wearing. For me, her singing became stronger towards the end of the song, and was strong enough for her to stay in the competition. The judges all thought it was really good, but Simon wasn’t a fan of the arrangement.

Blake Lewis
Roxanne – The Police (Paula’s song choice)

I thought this was a good song choice by Paula. Blake has the type of voice that suits this song perfectly. I thought he did a good job, and that his voice really did suit the song, but there wasn’t anything that really amazed me. Randy and Paula liked it, but Simon thought it could have been better.

Melinda Doolittle
I Believe in You and Me – Whitney Houston (Randy’s song choice)

This definitely wasn’t my favorite performance. I’ve never actually heard her go off key until tonight. I was really surprised when Randy said she rocked it and Paula said it was her best performance. I’m not sure what they were listening to, but it was nowhere near perfect, and by no means her best performance.

Jordin Sparks
She Works Hard for the Money – Donna Summers (Producer Choice)

This performance wasn’t as good as her first, but it was still good. I couldn’t help but feel as if the song was lacking something, but she pulled it off in the end. Again, the judges all loved it.

Blake Lewis
This Love – Maroon 5 (Producer Choice)

For so long, I’ve been saying that Blake’s voice is extremely similar to Maroon 5, so it was interesting hearing him sing one of their most popular songs. I thought it was yet another solid performance. Randy said he should make an album similar to that performance and Simon thought it was better than his first.

Melinda Doolittle
NutBush City Limits – Ike and Tina Turner (Producer Choice)

I thought her outfit was a weird choice for this song. The t-shirt somewhat accentuated her stomach, and it didn’t flatter her. I actually liked this performance better than her last one. Like Simon said, it was a neat side of her to see, and she did it excellently.

Jordin Sparks
I Who Have Nothing

I was so glad she chose to sing this song again, because it stood out to me more than any of her others. I loved it even more the second time around, and it was my favorite performance of the night. I think after that, she deserves to be in the top two. Simon couldn’t get over the fact that a seventeen year old was singing such an old song. I think that’s unfair because with her maturity level, it shouldn’t even be a problem.

Blake Lewis

I thought it was a really odd song choice for him. I’ve never heard this song before, but none the less, he still managed to engage me. I think Paula was right in saying that what he sang tonight really exemplified who he is as an artist.

Melinda Doolittle
I’m a Woman

I had a feeling she would choose his song, because she did it so well the first time. For me, this was her best performance of the night because it showed a bit of sass. Of course, the judges all really complimented her.

May 9^th, 2007

Bottom Two: Lakisha Jones, Blake Lewis
Leaving this week: Lakisha Jones

Ryan talked a little bit about the future Idol Live Tour, which will take place after the show finishes. It will include 50 shows and all of the top 10 idol finalists.

Pink was on the show tonight, and performed her newest hit “Who Knew.” She sounded really good and looked very pretty, but I actually didn’t like the back-up singing in the song. I just wanted to hear her sing, but the back-up singers overpowered her in some parts.

The top four then did their group performance. Melinda, for the first time ever, was off-key in the beginning. It must be that the songs are really difficult to sing, because just like last night, it was a boring performance, and there were a lot of off-key notes.

This week, the idols got to go and see a sneak peek of the new Fantastic Four movie, “Rise of the Silver Surfer.” They showed some previews of the movie on the show, and it looks like its going to be an amazing movie. The actors of the movie were in the audience tonight, and Jessica Alba let everyone know that the movie comes out June 15th.

They showed a video clip and pictures of the idol’s childhoods. It was neat to see how they grew up.

Ryan announced that American Idol is looking for a band. They are looking for the best undiscovered group in America and are accepting submissions by dvd or video. The group can be any age or style. You can go to www.americanidol.com for more information. The next performance of the night was Barry Gibb. He’s definitely not my favorite singer in the world, but he sounded good for the type of voice he has. I admit that I found the whole performance a bit odd.

It was really sad to see Lakisha go, but I think it was the right decision. I have no clue who will make it into the top two. It’s crazy to think that the finale is only two weeks away.

May 8^th, 2007

Barry Gibb from the Bee Gees is the mentor of the idols this week. Some of his hit songs include “Staying Alive” from the movie Saturday Night Fever, “How Deep Is Your Love,” and “You Should Be Dancing.”

Melinda Doolittle
Love You Inside and Out

Barry said the song choice for Melinda was a little unusual, but he decided that she did well with it. I thought this was a good performance for Melinda, but not something that really wowed me. The judges all agreed in saying that it needed something more.

Blake Lewis
You Should Be Dancing

I didn’t like this song on Blake at all. It was really hard to get into his performance because he sang the whole thing in such a high register. His beat boxing was of course really good, but I thought it was a mediocre performance singing wise. Simon thought it was terrible, and Randy hated the beat boxing.

Lakisha Jones
Staying Alive

I thought the performance was just okay. She didn’t bring anything exciting or original to her performance, and Randy said it was quit pitchy throughout the entire song. Simon really cut her down and said the performance was even scary in some parts.

Jordin Sparks
To Love Somebody

Barry said that he hadn’t heard a better version than Jordin’s. I was excited for her to sing this, because I think she could do something really amazing with it. I thought that it was definitely the best song of the night so far. Something about it was so sincere, and it also had flawless vocals. The judges all said she was the best so far.

Melinda Doolittle
How Can You Mend a Broken Heart

I thought that Melinda did a much better job with this song than her first one. In my opinion though, I still don’t get an amazing feeling when I watch her. I’m still waiting for her to do something so incredible that I can’t stop watching. The second half was better than the first, but Paula said she still wanted her to try harder to give it a wow factor.

Blake Lewis
This is Where I Came In

This song was definitely better than his first one, even though it didn’t take much to beat his first performance. The song suited him much better, and he sang it well, but I don’t know if it was enough to stay in the competition. He didn’t get very good comments from the judges, and Simon thinks that he may be going home this week. I completely agree, because this was a crucial time in the competition to step it up, and he didn’t do that.

Lakisha Jones
Run To Me

Once again, I found myself a bit bored. I admit that it was much better than the first one, but still lacking. I can’t help but feel that the contestants aren’t stepping up like they should be. Simon said that she could also be very vulnerable tonight.

Jordin Sparks
A Woman in Love

This is another great song, and I know she could do really well with it. This was actually my favorite of the night, even though the judges thought it wasn’t very good. I feel a lot of passion when Jordin sings, and that really appeals to me. I think she has something some of the other contestants don’t.

May 2^nd, 2007
Voted off: Phil Stacey and Chris Richardson

Of course, they showed the usual video clip of last night’s performances. If I had to pick two people to be voted out tonight, I think it would be Jordin and Chris. This is solely based on last night’s performances, because I think that everyone else really stepped up, and these two brought nothing amazing to the table. As Ryan took to the streets to ask viewers what they thought of last night’s show, there were a lot of people who said Jordin had a rough week, so I thought that maybe it would be her turn to go. There was another video clip of last week’s “Idol Gives Back.” They are still encouraging people to donate until the end of the month.

The first performance of the night was by a guy named Robin Thicke. He is currently number one on Billboard’s R & B chart. I’d actually never even heard of him before, which is surprising. I thought it was an extremely odd performance. I didn’t like it very much at all, but I guess it was good for the style that he does.

The ford commercial this week was to Painted Black and was a circus theme. Ryan announced that their songwriting competition received 25 000 entries from people all over America, and that they have already narrowed it down to 20. You can go to www.americanidol.com to vote for the one you like best, and the one that is selected will be sung at the finale, and released by the idol winner. The first person to be voted out was Phil Stacey. I was upset that he was going home because I was really starting to enjoy him. It was sad to see him go, but I know he will definitely have a career in the future.

Before they announced the other contestant to go home, Jon Bon Jovi sang what I’m assuming is a brand new song, and it was amazing. I’m thinking that it was called Memory, or something along those lines. It was a slower song, and the performance was completely captivating. He announced that his official tour will start next January.

The final person to be sent home tonight was Chris Richardson. It was upsetting to see him go too because he was always so entertaining. There is no question that he will have a career in the future.

April 25^th, 2007

This week’s results show was extended to two hours because of the special continuation of “Idol Gives Back.” Ryan announced that they received over 70 million votes last night, which beats the record of any American Idol Season. This meant that Newscorp would be donating 5 million dollars to their cause. Ryan then went to the video monitor to show Ellen DeGeneres at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. She was there to introduce Earth Wind and Fire, who were performing from the Hall. They did a medley of some of there old hits.

They showed a video of Randy in New Orleans. Even two years later, the state has still not been restored, and nothing was being done for some of the people who live there. There was a family with 6 children living in a tiny space that was only supposed to be a temporary relief, but turned into a permanent home as nothing is being done for them.

The next clip showed Quincy Jones with the idols. He was preparing them for their group performance on the show tonight. They did a really good job with it, and all sounded good individually. Ben Stiller then came on with a video clip. He started singing and said he wouldn’t stop until they donations reached two hundred billion dollars. He did a good job of entertaining, and it was a funny surprise.

They showed once again Ryan and Simon’s trip to Africa. They said there were 1.2 million people living in a space the size of Central Park in New York City. There was a little boy who lived completely alone with his sister. When their parents passed away, they were forced to live and survive on their own. It only costs 16 dollars to educate a child in Africa for a whole month.

Paula visited the boys and girls clubs of Los Angeles. There are 4000 of these clubs across the country and they serve as a safe place for kids to go after school. They are so significant for cases where both children’s parents work, and without these centers, the children would sometimes be left alone in dangerous neighborhoods.

The next performance of the night was Il Divo, singing “Somewhere.” They were really good, and it was an awesome performance. Ryan then said they were going to pull a seat number from the audience, and that person could come up on stage. The person turned out to be Jack Black, and he came running up on stage. He then started singing “Kiss From a Rose” by Seal. He asked for critiques from the judges and they all were really harsh with him, except that Simon said he was better than Sinjaya. It turns out that Seal was actually sitting in the audience and told Jack that it was the best rendition of the song he’s ever heard.

Carrie Underwood actually went to Africa to help with some of the children there. They made a really amazing video of her time in Africa with the song “I’ll Stand By You” playing in the background. It was almost like a music video layout.

After the video, Rascall Flatts performed their song “My Wish” at the Hall, and they were awesome too. The next performance was Josh Groban singing “You Raise Me Up,” along with an African children’s choir. I thought it was a really inspirational performance, and the choir was so adorable. I think my favorite performance of the night was Kelly Clarkson. She just sang so beautifully.

They did a skit of the Simpsons where Simon was auditioning for American Idol, and Homer, Lisa and Marge were pretending to be the judges. The next performance was really crazy because they did some sort of hologram of Elvis Presely singing, and Celine Dion was singing beside him. It was amazing to see, and I’m still in awe of how they did it, and made it look so completely real. I just can’t believe that they can do something like that. The final performance of the night was Annie Lennox, singing “Like a Bridge Over Troubled Water,” and of course she was amazing as well.

The best part of the night was that everyone was safe! However, it didn’t seem as exciting after Ryan said that they would instead send two people home next week.

The show finished as the idols had a session with Bono, and then sang “American Prayer.”

They had various stars make short appearances by video, including David Swimmer, Terri Hatcher, Dr. Phil, Hugh Grant, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Gweneth Paltrol, Goldie Hawn, Mark Anthony, Chris Kattan, Rob Lowe, Lisa Kudrow, Kiera Knightly, Twiggy, Jason Biggs, Kevin Bacon, Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts, Madonna and more.

May 1^st, 2007

This week’s mentor is Jon Bon Jovi, and the idols will all be singing songs of his.

Ryan announced at the beginning of the show that over the past week, American Idol has raised almost 70 million dollars for “Idol Gives Back.”

Phil Stacey
Blaze of Glory

I didn’t really know this song before Phil sang it, but it was really amazing. This was definitely Phil’s best performance in my opinion, and also one of the best of the night. I also noticed that he looked like he really enjoyed singing it. Randy and Paula both really complimented him.

Jordin Sparks
Living On a Prayer

Even in Jordin’s rehearsal with Bon Jovi, he said that the song was extremely difficult to sing, and it seemed like she was having a hard time with it. I think that the performance was really lacking. I just don’t think rock is her thing. The chorus in this song is so strong, but I thought that for her, it was the worst part. All of the judges cut her down a lot.

Lakisha Jones
This Ain’t a Love Song

Jon was really glad that Lakisha picked this song because he said it is a more soulful song. I was hoping that Laskisha would have a better week this week. I have to admit that the beginning of the song wasn’t my favorite, but once she got into it, it was just perfect. This was exactly what Randy said…that the beginning was a bit pitchy, but the middle and end really captivated everyone.

Blake Lewis
You Give Love a Bad Name

Jon said that Blake’s rendition of the song was very adventurous, and perhaps a bit risky. It sounded like Jon was a bit nervous for it. As soon as Blake came on, I noticed that he died his hair a really dark brown-y red-ish colour. It looked alright, but I prefer him more as a blonde. His performance was amazing! He ended up using a lot of his beat boxing. Randy said it was the most original performance ever sang on American Idol. I thought it was really cool and will get him a lot of votes.

Chris Richardson
Dead or Alive

I thought Chris chose a good song for his voice, and he did a really good job with it. It wasn’t the most amazing thing I’ve ever heard, but it was decent enough to stay in the competition. The judges all complimented him, but Simon said he wasn’t sure whether it was good enough to stay or not.

Melinda Doolittle
Have a Nice Day

I wasn’t worried at all about Melinda doing a rock song. You could tell that Jon just really loved her in their rehearsal together. Even though the judges all liked it, it wasn’t my favorite performance. It was as if she thought to sing a rock song, you needed to have a really harsh sound. For some reason, it just seemed like she was trying too hard to be something she’s not. Simon thought it was in a different league than everyone else. Maybe it just wasn’t the style I’m used to.

At the end of the show, there was a video clip of George Bush and his wife Laura Bush thanking America for their donations over the past week.

April 24, 2007

This week’s theme is songs that inspire.

They showed a glimpse of the trip Simon and Ryan made to Africa. It was completely eye opening and heartbreaking to see some of the footage they had. It’s devestating to watch the things that are happening across the world. There was garbage covering the entire ground, and children with no parents. I think they are doing an amazing job of introducing people to help, and will be a great encouragement to people across the world. Ryan also announced that Newscorp will donate 10 cents for every vote, but only as long as Americans reach 50 million votes. I really hope they can achieve that goal.

Chris Richardson
Change the World – Eric Clapton

I couldn’t really picture Chris singing this song at first, but I liked what he did with it. I thought it was a really good performance for him, and it really let the audience see what an amazing voice he has. The judges all really liked him tonight, and Simon said it was a very soulful performance.

Before the next performance, they played a video clip which showed the viewers that “Idol Gives Back,” isn’t based solely on Africa, but rather on a variety of places across America and Africa. The judges traveled to places in the States including Louisiana and Atlanta, showing that it is also places among us which require our help as well.

Melinda Doolittle
There Will Come a Day – Faith Hill

I thought Melinda’s performance tonight was amazing. The passion with which she conveyed in her performance was overwhelming, and it was a really amazing and beautiful performance. Paula called her “magical,” and Simon loved the fact she really made the song her own.

Blake Lewis
Imagine – John Lennon

This is probably one of the best songs of all time, and its very hard to sing it and not be compared to John Lennon. It was a good performance, and I liked the subtleness of it, but I couldn’t help but feel that something was missing. I felt like he could have done so much more with the song because it is so amazing, but he didn’t give it that extra push. All of the judges agreed in saying that the song didn’t really go anywhere, but yet, it was still a very sincere performance.

The next video showed Ryan Seacrest at a feeding centre, where mal nourished children can enjoy three hot meals a day. It was heart warming to see these unfortunate children receiving the food they need deserve. These centres not only feed the children, but help find them means of an education and a future for less than 50 cents per child a day.

Lashisha Jones
I Believe – Fantasia Barrino

Over the last few weeks, I’ve lost a lot of my faith in Lakisha, and I think it’s because she never brings anything new to the competition. I thought she looked very beautiful tonight in a gorgeous black dress. She definitely has extremely strong vocals, but it wasn’t an outstanding performance. The judges actually cut her down quite a bit, with Paula saying subtlety saying the preferred Fantasia’s version to hers.

Phil Stacey
The Change – Garth Brooks

I was so glad that Phil decided to sing another country song again tonight because that was what he really shined in. Although this is a great song, I think it’s hard to keep the audience engaged with it. I thought his vocals were quite good, and it was another solid performance. The judges all really complimented him, and Paula even said it was his best performance. Simon made a good point in saying that last week he had more of a country tone to his performance, and it sounded much better. I completely agree that he needs to stick with that country tone to succeed.

The final video of the night was of Simon at a local food bank. Every year, the 50, 000 food banks across America, give food to thousands of people in America who don’t have enough to eat. Simon loved the environment which it introduced because almost everyone who worked there were volunteers. Because most of the food is donated, you can get a substantial amount of food for only a dollar. Simon called it a miracle, because it truly was really amazing to see that this existed without so many of us knowing.

Jordin Sparks
You’ll Never Walk Alone

I thought she sounded a bit shaky in the beginning of the song, or perhaps she just had a lot of vibration in her voice. For some reason, I didn’t like this performance as much as some of her others. I felt that so much of the song was almost like she was shouting. She still has an extremely powerful voice, but it just wasn’t my favorite tonight. I guess it must just be a difference of perception, because Randy said it was the best performance on all of American Idol, and the judges all loved it.