- Theme: Mariah Carey songs. Songs performed: David Archuleta - "When You Believe"; Carly Smithson - "Without You"; Syesha Mercado - "Vanishing"; Brooke White - "Hero"; Kristy Lee Cook - "Forever"; David Cook - "Always Be My Baby"; Jason Castro - "I Don't Wanna Cry."—IMDb editor
- "American Idol" - Top Seven Performance Show - April 15, 2008
Theme: Mariah Carey songs
In the audience: Actor Dan Schneider from "Head of the Class"; Ramiele Malubay; Teri Hatcher;
At the top of the show Ryan reminds the audience, that in light of Michael Johns' surprise departure, that viewers need to vote to keep their favorites safe.
Video package on the fabulously successful career of tonight's mentor Mariah Carey.
Mariah meets the contestants with her little dog in tow and tells them not to be intimidated and to look at her "like, whatever, that's my friend that I met last week that sings for a living and writes songs occasionally." She says she's glad she got to see them now because one day some of them might be big stars. Ah, that Mariah, always so positive.
Ryan chats with the judges about the week's theme given that they often tell contestants not to sing songs by divas like Mariah. Randy "I've Worked With Mariah" Jackson says he's looking for people to put their own identity into the songs. Simon jokes that this is make or break for Randy's career tonight. Randy jokes that he's going to get up and sing.
Contestant #1: David Archuleta
Song: "When You Believe" (So not only is boy wonder taking on Mariah, but Mariah AND Whitney)
Video: David says he doesn't feel worthy of being in Mariah's presence and genuflects. She is sweet and advises him to try for a quick falsetto break, tells him not to be frightened, and calls his singing beautiful.
Performance: David is rocking leather pants (!). He starts strong and then cedes the first chorus to the back up singers to go on a melisma run of "oh"s. He does a super quick falsetto run like Mariah advised and nails it. This is fully in David's inspirational song wheelhouse.
Randy: Calls it one of the toughest ones in the catalog but as he's often said "if you can sing, you can sing anything, you can sing anything that was the bomb baby!"
Paula: Says Mariah must be proud
Simon: Agrees and says he would've bet money that this was the song that David would choose. He says he doesn't think we're in for a lot of laughs tonight. He thinks that David's performance set the benchmark for the night. (He mentions he had a number one with that song in the U.K. at Christmas. The winner of the 2007 version of the Simon's "X-Factor" talent show, Leon Jackson, covered it.)
Contestant #2: Carly Smithson. On the stools Carly talks about missing Michael Johns saying it's been boring without "MJ" who apparently was a cut-up on the Ford commercial shoots.
Song: "Without You" (Which is technically a Badfinger song, which most people know as a Harry Nilsson song which Mariah covered in 1993).
Video: Mariah thinks Carly made a great choice as the song is a classic and she says she thinks she's doing an amazing job on the show. Carly calls Mariah a big sunshine ray
Performance: She's wearing a pretty purple dress and, after a decent low register open, she pretty much just sings the rest of the song at the top of her range, occasionally shouting. And by skipping the second verse and singing the chorus three times and then going straight to the end of song modulation the song is kind of boring since there are so few lyrics.
Randy: He likes that she challenged herself but doesn't think that she believes in her lower range and says it was pretty good.
Paula: Liked that she showed some vocal restraint
Simon: Really wanted to hear her sing this song even before it was Mariah week, unfortunately he doesn't think she pulled it off which makes him sad because he believes she's capable but that she's still overthinking. She says she's relaxed. He thought it was just okay.
Contestant #3: Syesha Mercado
Song: "Vanishing"
Video: Mariah thought it was a wise choice and gives her pointers on helping to hit the low notes. She thought Syesha was really cool, composed and did a great job. Mariah says this tune, which she wrote as a teenager, is still one of her favorites.
Performance: Shiny in a gold dress we also think it's wise that Syesha picked a song that most people won't know so there won't be a one to one vocal comparison. And surprise, surprise she does a nice job laying off the beginning and then pouring her heart into the big climactic wailing bits. Overdone a bit but almost completely in tune. The crowd gives her props.
Randy: Thinks she always picks the toughest song and was afraid for her and thought she did a good job on it "all things considered."
Paula: Calls her smart in picking a song that not many people know. (I can't believe Paula and I had the same thought, yikes!). She thinks overall it was "unbelievably magical."
Simon: Says technically it was very, very good indeed but disagrees about song choice thinking it was risky to pick something unfamiliar.
Contestant #4: Brooke White. Sitting on the stools Brooke tells Ryan she had to miss her sister's wedding. (Even though she isn't my favorite it makes me sad to think if she gets voted off tomorrow it will be like she missed her sister's wedding for nothing). Apparently her sister sent her a reassuring text.
Song: "Hero" (Fun fact: Mariah says she wrote this song for Gloria Estefan. Now that you know that can't you hear her singing it?)
Video: Mariah loved Brooke and thought she was a really genuine person. She advises Brooke to try and hit a few high notes and to just sing how she's feeling in the moment.
Performance: Although she played guitar in the clip, Brooke plays piano for the show. Mariah Carey songs are not a friend to Brooke's voice or style of singing and the song is pretty lifeless. She doesn't try for any high notes and adds in a lot of half-hearted "yeah-yeahs" and "whoa-ohs."
Randy: Liked that she brought her singer-songwriter thing to it and was really down with it until the bridge and then, not so much.
Paula: Thinks every ounce of Brooke is authentic to who she is and thinks it was brave but that there were a few bum notes and that she got nervous and sped it up.
Simon: Doesn't think Brooke had much choice but to do what she did (since she's not a power singer). To him it was a bit like ordering a hamburger and only getting the bun, it was a missing the vital ingredient.
Then there's some pointless cross talk between the judges, Ryan and Brooke about condiments, buns, relish, mustard, Simon is saying something about "to-mah-to" while Paula marvels at the complementary grey outfits Brooke and Ryan are wearing.
Contestant #5: Kristy Lee Cook
Song: "Forever"
Video: Mariah liked her choice because it's a song most people don't know and she really delivered it well. She tells Kristy that she gave her goosebumps, which, understandably, Kristy can't believe. She also tells her that she likes how Kristy sings it better than her own version and thinks she could have a "big hit" with it. Kristy promises to try to emotionally connect with the song.
Performance: She looks lovely with lots of blond extensions and does a countrified version of the tune but is just kind of "meh" after the last two, much stronger weeks. She seems to struggle with the low parts at the beginning, squinting a lot, but hits a couple of nice notes along the way. Kind of a snooze. No goosebumps here.
Randy: Didn't think it was amazing and that there were a couple of pitchy notes in the first part but that she definitely stepped up at the end.
Paula: Says she's smart but doesn't really explain why. She's also blown away and thinks with this arrangement Kristy could have a country hit.
Simon: "You probably weren't jumping for joy when you heard it was Mariah Carey week," zings the acerbic Brit. He says she managed as well as could be expected, that it was a little bit whiny at times, and overall just wasn't great. She didn't give him chills.
Contestant #6: David Cook
Song: "Always Be My Baby" (I thought for sure he was going to cover her cover of Def Leppard's "Bringing on the Heartbreak.")
Video: Mariah's surprised at the choice but thinks what David has done with it made her proud as a songwriter, since it proves her song can be changed and stand the test of time. She also thinks that this could be hit for him, not in a selfish way for her as a songwriter but in a selfish way that she wants to hear him sing it.
Performance: It's a low and raspy start and he's making some odd choices with the melody that aren't out of tune exactly but a touch dissonant giving it a creepy edge for a sweet song. The stately strings add to the dark vibe. He builds to a climax, rocks out at the end, hits a big note and then a weird unresolved note at the end.
Randy: "Dude, I think more than almost anyone on this show you're ready to make an album. I've never stood up this season" - he stands up- "that was the most brilliant performance yet."
Paula: Thinks it was pretty awesome and that the song could be in a movie soundtrack right now. She says he's "it."
Simon: "It was like sort of coming out of a karaoke hell into a breath of fresh air. It was original, it was daring, it stood out by a mile, and this is a sign of a great potential artist: someone who takes risks, congratulations."
David cries a little bit. (We think it's because he's getting such high praise on the night his brother, who is sick with cancer, is in the audience). Whatever the reason, it's very sweet.
Someone's holding a "Simon for President" sign. Ryan rips it in half
Contestant #7: Jason Castro
Song: "I Don't Wanna Cry"
Video: Mariah confers with Jason on tweaking the melody and he's giddy. Mariah thinks he's really unique and enjoyed working with him
Performance: He makes a nice falsetto start and gives it an almost Latin feel, he does a nice job and sort of Sting-ifies it.
Randy: Didn't really love it, he felt like he was at a weird beach luau and someone was playing music in the distance
Paula: Would love to be at that luau listening to Jason all night long
Simon: Doesn't know what a luau is but agrees with Paula. He didn't think it was the best vocal of the night but thought it was identified with Jason and dubs it a "cool" version.
He adds that he thinks the guys completely won the night.
Tomorrow night: Mariah performs and perhaps the bell finally tolls for Kristy Lee
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