Adam Lambert, the former "American Idol," runner-up, brings out the best when twelve becomes ten. One of the songs reduces Luke Bryan's incoherent sobs. Another has Katy Perry joke that she feels "threatened." A third song brings the audience to an unstoppable roar.

Two quick cuts were made at the end to reduce a Top 12 to a Top 10 in "American Idol." The lower stakes may have been the reason for some of these incredible moments.

Adam Lambert, the former "Idol", runner-up returned to offer some advice from his experience as someone who has been there before and achieved incredible success and fame in his own musical field. In every case, his advice was right on. He is a great vocalist and stylist. He knows what it's like to be under the spotlight.

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Adam is a great help to the contestants. We were impressed with the quality of performances and the growing confidence of some contestants this week. We wished Adam would find time to be a permanent member of the family.

Iam Tongi, a fan favorite, made a bold decision by performing without his father's (or any) guitar for the very first time. We were impressed that he challenged himself to grow after the first time his guitar broke during Hollywood Week.

It was the first live coast-tocoast voting of this season. So, what happened tonight had more meaning than ever. It was great that no one forgot their lyrics or sang flat. However, there were some performances that were more than just sleepy. These were still offset by some incredible performances, which the producers knew were great because they were placed at the back of the schedule.

Since I am safe at home, you can expect me to be harsher than my co-workers Lionel Richie and Katy Perry. But I could be nicer too. Maybe.

Just for fun, let's rank them from worst to best to see which ones I like. So I can determine who is the best, and see if my votes are correct.

FILLER

Adam Lambert

(I Can't' Stand The Rain, Ann Peebles) Adam Lambert has only gotten better with age. He has a fantastic voice and his rendition of the song "High Drama" from his latest album is full of kinetic energy. He is also a master of the stage. It is this kind of performance that contestants will need to see in order to know what level of commitment to deliver they must have. And coming from an ex-contestant, it has even more impact.

Top 12

Oliver Steele

(Georgia On My Mind, Ray Charles – 25, Mount Juliet TN) While we're not certain if Adam was in our head, our minds also drifted a little as Oliver sang this song. It was the same except for a few seconds at the end when he added a little more sauce to the chorus. He had a nice sound, but was sharing the lane with another singer and didn't stand out. This will ultimately squeeze him out. He performed this in a bar, not on a stage.

Marybeth Byrd

(Dancing Queen, ABBA – 22, Armorel AR) Marybeth threw away the microphone stand in an attempt to get her to loosen up. It didn't work. She was stiff and awkward during the entire performance. Vocally she gave it a country twist and made us feel like we were watching her. She must work on her self-confidence. She asked Adam to describe a confident posture, but that confidence comes from within; we will see it once she has fully felt it. It was a great performance with good vocals and decent visuals.

Colin Stough

("Midnight RIder," the Allman Brothers Band – 18, Amory MS) It's interesting that Colin had torn over two songs prior to his time with Adam, and neither was the song he ended up singing. Adam encouraged him in new directions and this performance was a clear departure from the incredible one he gave last week. He was a consistent vocalist, but didn't really do much with the song, which made it repetitive. Only in the last few bars did he take the song up a notch. His rich, full voice would have been perfect for this era, and it would have perfectly matched the original arrangement. However, we would have preferred to see him inject some of his own personality and energy into it.

Lucy Love

("All Night Long, All Night") Lucy Love, 28 Holly Grove, AR Lucy smiled at the camera but still had her fighter's eye from last week. Although we understand that this is a fighting scene, there was an apparent visual disconnect. Adam told her to have fun and get out of her mind because she needed to bring the party. We were thrown by the somersaulting she did in a few of her lines. Her voice was great with lots of control and power. We liked some of the lines, but others were not so great.

Nutsa

("The Show must Go On," Queen, Tbilisi Georgia, 26) Adam had suggested Nutsa sing a song with less diva-esque singing, but Nutsa was worried that she would not have the time. So she decided to include that note in this song. She started off with a softer note before going into the belting mode that we saw last time. Last week it didn't go well, so we wonder if this will work. She had a great voice on this track and really attacked these stage performances. The outfit was also amazing, and it enhanced the experience. It contrasted beautifully with black-and white imagery behind her. It was an entire show.

Warren Peay

(House of the Rising Sun, The Animals, 24, Bamberg SC) Warren began this song at a new place, showing the tenderness that he has under all of the gravel and grit he usually throws all over the stage. The song was low and deep, with a rumble to lure you in before the full belt kicks in your face. Although not as polished as the full sound of his music, it was effectively used here to create a complete experience from top-to-bottom and throughout the entire song. Warren delivered a song that is full of regret and pain.

Tyson Venegas

("For Once in My Life," Stevie Wonder, 17, Vancouver, BC). Tyson was encouraged by Adam to choose a song that would show off his playful side, while also delivering a strong vocal performance. Although we could have done with a bit more energy, his voice was so silky and smooth that it didn't really matter. It was a solid performance at this stage in the competition. It's a good thing it can hold up to the opening slot of the night.

Haven Madison

("Livin' on a Prayer," Bon Jovi – 17, Clarksville, TN). Madison was a little shaky the first time on stage. Adam told her to lose the polish and loosen up. It was a great move for a classic rock song. She delivered a dynamic performance that showed a different side of herself. She has a great voice when she sings in private, but also showed impressive control when she poured it on. Katy joked about feeling "threatened," calling Haven "the next pop star".

Zachariah Smith

("Don't Bring Me Down," Electric Light Orchestra, Amory MS) Zachariah gives a fearless performance. He brings so many toys to the stage. Adam had suggested that he work with a smile. He even got to wear his own "fly jacket". But this was about an amazing vocal performance and charisma. Zachariah has a natural talent for performing on stage. When he is on stage, our adrenaline levels go up. He also sang acappella, falsetto, and a few other things.

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We Ani

("Something’s Got a hold on Me," “Etta James” - 24 Harlem NY) We gave us a stirring performance half way through the show that accomplished everything she wanted to. She looked fierce. She played with the band, the audience and attacked the stage. She delivered a killer voice that was sometimes smothered by the band or the sound mix. This piece was filled with so much passion and joy, just by performing. We were as lost as she seemed to be.

I am Tongi

(Bring It On home, Sam Cooke, Kahuku HI - 18) Wow! What a big step for Iam's confidence and stage presence. The loss of the guitar allowed him to focus on his voice and bring it all out. It was a powerful vocal with depth, control, and resonance. He sounded like he wrote the song. It was so easily controlled, with beautiful nuance and little vocal infections. The roar from the crowd that brought out the judges reminded us he has always been here, and is loved!

Megan Danielle

("Angel From Montgomery," Bonnie Raitt, 21, Douglasville GA) So classy, so tasteful, and utterly heartbreaking. From the first line on, we were left a little stunned. This is the power in her connection to her songs, her grit and her perfect control of her instruments. We hope Megan realizes how good she is. She says she is starting to, but we also hope that it does not mess up the magical blend within her which brings these palpable moments on stage. This was subtle, and it was exactly what we wanted to feel in this show within two minutes.

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PREDICTIONS AND RESULTS

We're confident about our Top 4 because they keep delivering week after week. The bottom line is that none of them are at risk of being sent home.

We worry, as we flip to the bottom of the page, that Oliver Steele seemed a bit boring and was in a lane that was occupied -- and even more so -- by Warren Peay. We'd say he was the one going home if we had to guess.

The other is a bit harder to guess. Marybeth did a great job and country music is very popular on today's shows, so this should be enough for her to be saved... putting Lucy Love and Nutsa in danger. It makes sense that both were saved last time, and they would be back on the block.

There's been some online backlash and chatter that Nutsa is not American, on a show that has that word in the title. But "America's Got Talent", which brings international talent to the US without issue, continues to do so. Some people can be hung up by strange things. We don't know whether it's just noise or if there's more to it.

We understand that, even though we ranked Nutsa above Lucy, the judges did not see that there was a disconnect between us and Lucy. Nutsa, we'll guess, is also seeing more in America than us.

Warren Peay was the first to be voted into the Top 10 of "American Idol 2023". We Ani joined him, followed by Iam Tongi Megan Danielle and Zachariah. This was exactly what we were expecting to see, as those four made up the Top 4 of our own personal list.

Colin Stough was expected to follow Haven Madison. Oliver Steele was the surprise winner. This year, America seems to be digging the bluesy, gravelly sound. Will they get rid of the two women? Marybeth Byrd could have joined Nutsa, or was it a mistake?

Tyson Venegas moved into the Top 10 leaving Lucy Love Marybeth Byrd, and Nutsa in the spotlight. The Americans didn't choose two of them the previous week. Would they pick one of them now? This means that the men will have a 6 to 1 lead over the women of the Top 10 - but these are some fierce ladies!

The final result was that America reaffirmed what they said last week. Marybeth Byrd slipped to the Top 10 leaving Lucy Love and Nutsaoutside again. This time, there was no Judges' Saving to keep them from the competition.

The show will continue on Sundays and Mondays, 8 pm ET. ET on ABC.

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Title: American Idol 5th Judge: Katy Perry 'Threatened' by One Singer, Luke Bryan Reduced to Tears
Sourced From: www.toofab.com/2023/04/30/american-idol-recap-katy-perry-threatened-crowd-drowns-out-judges/
Published Date: Mon, 01 May 2023 07:10:08 +0000

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