American Idol

Danny Noriega

Danny Noriega may have been the first finalist to leave American Idol this season, but he already has at least a small group of celebrity fans — including Rosie O’Donnell, comedian ANT and Ross “the Intern” Mathews.

Rosie offered Danny a chance to hop aboard the R Family Cruise recently on her blog, and a posting this weekend on Rosie’s Web site shows the singer aboard the ship, alongside his cousin and the celebrities mentioned above. Danny and his cousin both give their moms a shout-out, and the celebrities freak out about his guest appearance.

“I love you. I love your attitude. I love your spunk. I love your sassy ways,” Rosie told the singer.

“I was so excited,” ANT said about finding out the Idol finalist was joining him on the cruise. “I was like, ‘Is he single?’”

American Idol, Danny Noriega, Rosie O’Donnell

Danny Noriega

Comedian/host Rosie O’Donnell posted a v-log on her site, Rosie.com, inviting Danny Noriega to sing and appear on her R Family cruise. Even though she goofed up the American Idol contestant’s name — not to mention David Archuleta’s name — she seemed to be genuine about being a fan of Noriega.

The v-log was recorded while comedian Kathy Griffin also was on site taping a segment for My Life on the D List. O’Donnell’s invitation also included a mention that maybe Noriega could share the stage with another R Family Cruise performer, Cyndi Lauper, recreating his rendition of Tainted Love.

Noriega was given the boot last week, just shy of making the Top 12 on Season 7.

American Idol, Danny Noriega, Rosie O’Donnell

It’s time to move one step closer to the crown. Tonight’s episode separates the semi-finalists from the finalists. Four more are going to be picked off, locking in the Top 12 contestants to fight for the American Idol Season 7 title.

7:02 p.m.

Last year’s runner-up Blake Lewis is taking the stage to perform a track from his debut, Audio Daydream. It’s nice to see the show bring back performers from past seasons, but I think it would be really great if they brought back some older alums. Who doesn’t want to see the return of Ricky Smith (Hercules, Hercules)? Or Amy Adams.

7:09 p.m.

David Cook was the first to make it into the Season 7 Top 12. After a couple of only decent weeks, the singer easily was one of the best two or three performers this week. I may even say he put himself in a great position to make the Top 5.

As Ryan Seacrest walks around 12 stools reserved for the final 12, the Top 16 contestants gather on couches across the stage to see if they make it past this very important cut. After some annoying banter among the judges, it’s time for a recap of the guys’ performances — certainly the stronger of the sexes this week.

The lights are dimmed. David Cook is first up. And, as expected, he’s the first to make the Top 12. Next up, another David … as in David Archuleta. Again, no surprise he’s in the Top 12.

Now, it’s time for Jason Castro. Another standout in the competition, it’s also not surprising he, too, is headed to the finals.

7:21 p.m.

After the commercial break, it’s time for the girls to feel the pressure. The recap is just a sad reminder last night’s episode wasn’t the best showing from this talented pool of singers. At the same time, we can’t forget how much Brooke White shined. She’s been improving week after week, but will she make it?

Here we go. Brooke, in fact, is the first one to stand. And she’s the first one to … make the Top 12. Again, no big surprise here. I’m actually quite happy she was the first to get through, proving she has something to offer.

Kady Malloy was the first Top 16 contestant eliminated from the show, leaving her just short of making the Season 7 Top 12.

Next up, one of my early favorites, Syesha Mercado. Also safe. Now, it’s time for Kady Malloy, who had a rough night last night. As a result, she’s the first one ot leave tonight.

So, what went wrong? She just never hit her stride beyond Hollywood Week. Obviously, she has some incredible talent — if for no other reason that her amazing Britney Spears impressions. But I think this girl could be a great recording artist. It just didn’t come together during the crucial last few weeks.

7:34 p.m.

Now, it’s back to the results. David Hernandez is the next to hear the news. And it’s good news for him, as he joins the other guys as a Top 12 finalist.

Luke Menard was the first guy eliminated from the Top 16.

David Johns, the resident Australian, is up next. He, too, is safe. Luke Menard, however, is not as lucky. He joins Kady Malloy as one of the four contestants to leave the show just shy of the finals.

7:42 p.m.

It’s back to the girls. There are just four spots left for them. Will one go to Ramiele Malubay? Of course it will. This wasn’t much of a surprise, really. In fact, there’s been no surprise thus far tonight.

Carly Smithson, an early favorite of fans, also gets the go-ahead to compete as a Top 12 finalist. And, much to my annoyance, Amanda Overmyer gets a chance to keep on keeping on.

It’s down to Kristy Lee Cook and Asia’h Epperson. One will stay. The other will go. But a commercial stands between them and the results …

7:49 p.m.
We’re back, and it’s about to be a difficult time for either Kristy Lee or Asia’h. Randy thinks it will be Kristy Lee. Simon thinks it will be Asia’h. So, who gets the boot?

Tonight will be the last night Asia’h Epperson performs on the Idol stage. She had an incredible journey from the moment she sang How Do I Live at her audition, just a couple of days after her dad died. It was one of the most touching stories of the season, but apparently America is heartless! Do I think Kristy Lee should have gone home? Maybe. I definitely think Asia’h should have been around for a couple more weeks, at least.

Now, it’s down to Danny Noriega and Chikezie Eze. One will stay, one will go. Danny has tears in his eyes, sad to see some of his newfound friends leave the competition. America voted … and, again, made the WRONG decision. Chikezie is through, and Danny — clearly the most entertaining contestant of the show — gets the boot.

Danny Noriega was the last Top 16 contestant to be eliminated just short of next week’s beginning of the finals.

I’m not saying Danny was the strongest guy in the competition, but he is a fun person to watch. So, what went wrong? I hate to say maybe America had a problem with his flamboyant attitude, but maybe that was exactly what happened. Or maybe it was just the fact he hasn’t lived up to his potential in the last few weeks … much like Kady Malloy. Or, it could be a number of other factors. You just never know.

One thing that’s for sure — Danny Noriega will be able to use this small amount of fame to make a career of entertaining.

These are just my thoughts, though. What about you? Who should have gone? Who should have stayed? Which singer do you think will be the first to go from the Top 12?

American Idol, Danny Noriega, Kady Malloy, Blake Lewis, Luke Menard, Asia’h Epperson

We’re getting closer and closer to the Top 12 — when the action really heats up and contestants stand a chance for being remembered beyond the May finale. Tonight, the Top 8 guys perform for your votes. (What? You haven’t been voting? That’s why the wrong girls got the boot last week. Now, get with the program!)

7 p.m.

Luke Menard

Moving into a new decade, tonight the Top 8 guys take on songs from the 1980s. First up, it’s Luke Menard singing a little Wake Me Up Before You Go Go. I have to say this may not have been the best choice for Luke. It was a pretty lame performance, actually. Not memorable at all. Still, even without seeing any other performance, I think Luke will sail into the Top 6 (aka the finals).

“A little bit corny for me, but it was alright,” Randy said.

“I was kind of surprised you picked that song,” Paula said. Then she rambled on and on. And Simon was annoyed.

“Luke, I’ll make this very quick,” Simon said. “I didn’t like it. I thought it was weak. It was a little girly.” Simon even said he didn’t even think Luke would survive this week.

7:09 p.m.

David Archuleta

David Archuleta, America’s early favorite is up now. Apparently, he’s thirsty and he has to pee. This according to Ryan Seacrest, who’s been saying some wacky things this season. What hasn’t been wacky is David’s incredible performance, and tonight he adds his keyboard skills for the Phil Collins hit Another Day in Paradise.

I have to say there’s no question this kid is going to do well as a musician. I’m not sure I’m buying the whole “Gosh, I’m good?” shock factor. It’s a little too Melinda Doolittle for me. But, still, you can’t argue the kid has talent.

“It’s like watching one of your concerts, man,” Randy said.

“David, it wasn’t as good as last week,” Simon said. “… You’re becoming … it’s all getting a little too gloomy. There’s no question you’re going to make it to the finals next week; you’ll probably be in the final two.”

Wow, that’s some big stuff for Simon to say this early in the competition. Of course, it’s not really shocking at all. I think little David (there still are three of them in this competition) may be the earliest standout possible winner of any season.

7:18 p.m.

Danny Noriega

Danny Noriega needs to have a better week this week than he’s had the past two, so can he do it with Tainted Love? As a whole, it was a better performance than we’ve seen in recent weeks. I’m sure Simon’s going to say something about the signature head bopping. The biggest problem with Danny this week is that he seems to be breathing in all the wrong spots. It’s kind of distracting. But I think he’s incredibly entertaining.

“Danny, you can do this,” Randy said. “C’mon, man.”

“I love that you’re, you’re like this bright light in the competition,” Paula said. “… You’re real. You’re the real deal.”

“I thought it was horrible, the whole thing,” Simon said. “Absolutely useless. … I hated the arrangement. I hated the performance. I hated the vocals.”

I’ve been meaning to say this for a while now, but does anyone else think Danny is a little bit like William Sledd?

David Hernandez

David Hernandez has made plenty of headlines this week for his alleged past as a gay stripper. But, after singing It’s All Coming Back to Me Now, he may be making headlines for another reason — being one of the most improved singers week to week. This performance, while not perfect, certainly could be one of his most remembered. I think it’s enough to keep him in the competition. The judges?

“You got that big old voice,” Randy said. “Good song choice for you, man.”

“You’re finding your niche,” Paula said. “I think you have some of the best vocals in this whole group, here.”

“David, it wasn’t as good as last week,” Simon said. “But you’ve 100 percent secured a place in the finals.”

7:31 p.m.

Michael Johns

Michael Johns is going up next. The resident Aussie is taking on Don’t You (Forget About Me). While I think Michael’s one of the best male vocalists in the competition — at least one of the most experienced — I thought the arrangement of this song was a little slow. I’m just not all that impressed, but he’ll certainly be safe on into the finals.

“Good song choice,” Randy said. “I loved it, dude.”

“I’m so glad you are the type of artist who is defining who you are,” Paula said. “… You have this presence that’s different and unique.”

“Huge talent, but you haven’t connected with the right song,” Simon said. “I really, really like you.”

7:40 p.m.

David Cook

After some technical problems with his guitar, it’s David Cook’s turn. Until this week, I wasn’t completely sold on David’s talent. This week, with his version of Hello, I think he proved he’s a force in the competition that could be worth watching. His ability to play the guitar, mixed with some sweet, sincere vocals, I think it works.

“I think that could be a single and be a hit,” Randy said.

“That was fabulous,” Paula said. “It would be a hit today, and it should be a hit today.”

“David, that was a very brave thing to do, and I loved it,” Simon said. Right on, Simon. Right on.

Jason Castro

Next up, Jason Castro. When he talks, it’s awkward. When he sings, it’s pretty incredible. So, how does Jason handle Hallelujah? First, I have to say it was an incredible song choice for him. It totally fits his mood and personality. The performance, not surprisingly, is incredible. If Jason would release a CD today, I would buy it the day it came out. (Luckily, I can buy his stuff on iTunes … how much could they actually plug that connection?)

“You did a pretty good job of it,” Randy said. “I give you props for it. And I give you props for coming out without the guitar.”

“You made it sound so effortless,” Paula said.

“I thought it was absolutely brilliant what you just did,” Simon said. “Arguably one of my favorite performances of the whole night. … You are getting better and better and better. I’m very happy.”

7:52 p.m.

Chikezie Eze
The last contestant of the night is Chikezie Eze. While Whitney Houston’s version of All the Man That I Need may have been more popular, Chikezie took on All the Woman That I Need. Even though it’s one of Chikezie’s best showings, I still think it was rough. Really rough. I promise I don’t have anything against him personally, but it’s time for him to go.

“You did a good job of it,” Randy said, commenting on the tough song choice.

“Your personality, I was waiting for this upbeat thing,” Paula said. “But your vocals sound really good tonight.”

“That was a Whitney song, right?” Paula said. “… Then I don’t think that worked at all.”

WHO GETS MY VOTE: There’s no question that person is David Cook. He was incredible. I have to admit Jason Castro continued to impress me, and David Archuleta always does well. But it’s David Cook who’s number I’ll be dialing …

WHO SHOULD GO: I worry about the always entertaining Danny Noriega, but I think the two who really should go are Luke Menard (I know I said he would be safe earlier, but I changed my mind) and Chikezie Eze. Based on song choice, alone, these two should be in major danger.

American Idol, Jason Castro, Chikezie Eze, David Cook, David Hernandez, Danny Noriega, David Archuleta, Luke Menard, Michael Johns

We’re down to the Top 20 — 10 guys and 10 girls — and American Idol is starting to get really interesting. Or, at the very least, entertaining. Tonight, it’s the Top 10 guys singing classics from the 1970s.

7:02 p.m.

Michael Johns performs during the first week of live competition.

Michael Johns is first to take the stage. His musical ammunition tonight is Go Your Own Way. The Aussie certainly maintains his professional approach. While I think he’s a good entertainer, it’s become clear to me Michael isn’t the best male singer in this competition — though I suspect he’s one of the three Simon Cowell says are quite talented this season.

“I was waiting for you to let go,” Randy Jackson said.

“Michael, it was OK,” Simon said. “It was, by far, your weakest performance so far … It was a very weak choice of song for you.”

7:10 p.m.

Jason Castro has stood out from the crowd thus far in the competition by playing his guitar. This week, though, it wasn’t as strong of a performance as what he brought to the table last week.

Jason Castro, after a stunning first week performance, is back on the stage. The performer says he has struggled with the interview portion of being an Idol contestant. But he’s back on stage with his guitar, which certainly could be a secret weapon this season. This week, he chose I Just Want to be Your Everything. Tonight’s showing is not nearly as good as last week, but Jason clearly is focused on showing he is a real musician. That’s what this show needs, though the guitar also may be the thing Jason is hiding behind. Eventually, it will be interesting to see if he can perform without the guitar?

“With the guitar, it’s all cool,” Randy said. “… The vocals weren’t that great.”

“I thought the song was horrible,” Simon said. “… It didn’t go together this week. … This week, it was all out of sorts.”

Luke Menard performs during the first week of live competition.

Luke Menard reveals he’s part of a touring a cappella group, which he credits to being a strong force in preparing him for the Idol stage. Tonight, he is backed with a band for his rendition of Killer Queen. It’s better than last week, but still Luke isn’t stepping up as much as he could … should he be able to stay in the competition.

“I think this was really a great week for you, Luke,” Paula said.

“I think it was a mistake,” Simon said. “You are always going to be judged with the original. … The singer of that song had originality and charisma. You didn’t.”

Ryan just referenced Luke as “Dawson’s Creek,” which is kind of funny. Truth be told, Luke does look like James Van Der Beek, the star of the WB hit series.

7:24 p.m.

Now it’s Robbie Carrico’s turn. It turns out this ex of Britney Spears likes drag racing. And tonight the guy who’s a little bit Bo Bice and a little bit Bucky Covington (picture it), he’s singing to prove he really is a serious rocker. Hot Blooded is the song he chooses to prove his point to Simon. I have to say, it didn’t do much for his case. Sorry, Robbie fans, I’m just not impressed.

“I thought you did a pretty good job with it,” Randy said. “I was just waiting to be wowed.”

“Robbie, I think it some ways you played it a little bit safe this week,” Paula said.

“You don’t have to get so defensive about it,” Simon said. “Actually, I thought the vocal was OK tonight.”

7:34 p.m.

Danny Noriega

He had a rough first week, but Danny Noriega is back with hopes to redeem himself. If truth be told, I hope he can redeem himself (even in that terrible 1970s sweater). The song choice this week, Superstar, certainly was a lot better than trying to recreate Elvis. I think it may be enough to put Danny back in the competition, though he’s coming from a really rough week. Still, I know Danny could do much better.

“Danny, you’ve got amazing vocal skill,” Paula said. “You really do. … Just perform. You’ve got the ability; you’ve got the talent.”

“It wasn’t a fantastic vocal,” Simon said. “… You were overconcentrating on it. … You look terrific on camera, by the way.”

7:43 p.m.

David Hernandez

David Hernandez is up. The former gymnast has turned his focus to singing. A surprising song choice, David chose Papa Was a Rolling Stone for 70s week. I’m not sure this is the kind of music that really can make him stand out, though he certainly has a strong voice. I think David is better suited performing more modern music — or even original things meant only for him. He certainly ended on a strong note, though.

“Now this is the David Hernandez that we fell in love with,” Randy said. “… That’s how to put it down.”

“Your voice is so pure, it pierces right through the heart,” Paula said. “… There were some notes there that were amazing.”

“This may surprise you, but, in my opinion, that was the best vocal of the night so far,” Simon said. “… I like the fact that when you are given some criticism … you treat it as a challenge.”

It’s clear we’re at that point in the season where commercials fill the space between the lack of enough content to fill a 90-minute episode. I guess I shouldn’t complain about commercials after each performance, based on the alternative — terrible group songs. (Have I mentioned this too much?)

7:53 p.m.

Jason Yeager

Jason Yeager is a self-taught instrumental musician. He taught himself a few instruments, though he hasn’t really showcased too much of that talent this far in the competition. “I really want to find a killer song that I will be able to play guitar on,” he says.

This week, Jason chose Long Train Runnin’. So far, he hasn’t really stood out in the crowd. Tonight is no exception, either. It seems a few seasons from now (should Idol continue …) Jason Yeager likely won’t be a name we all remember. The one thing that is certain, though, is Jason certainly is in danger of being sent home this Thursday. But maybe I’m wrong.

“It was a very pitchy and just kind of karaoke for me,” Randy said.

“I’m having a tough time figuring out how to … it’s a song that doesn’t have many notes in it to show your vocal range,” Paula said.

“It was like you were drunk at a party,” Simon said. “You’re just a quite good singer who can’t perform very well.”

8:04 p.m.

After wearing this tangerine-colored suit last week, Chikezie toned down his fashion for this week’s show.

Chikezie Eze should have been sent home last week, if you ask me. But he’s here for one more week, at least. So, let’s buckle up and make the most of it.

I Believe is the song Chikezie hopes will keep him singing this season, and he even added a little tough by throwing his own name into the lyrics. While the performance certainly was not as great as last week, I still can’t get past that. And I’m just not sure Chikezie is all that talented. Maybe I’m missing something.

“Chikezie is back,” Randy said. “… That was hot, baby.”

“Very clever to pick a song and a story and point to this one (Simon) and say, ‘You better remember my name,’” Paula said.

“You look better. You sounded better,” Simon said. “… It was a million times better than last week.”

David Cook

Now it’s David Cook’s turn, who’s apparently a “geek” for words. He does crossword puzzles and, tonight, he breaks out the guitar.

Playing the rock guy behind a guitar certainly is helpful to David’s success. All Right Now is a much better song choice for someone in this genre. I think David could really start picking up momentum as the Chris Daughtry of the season. For me, I’m starting to get what the fuss is all about with David.

“To me, you’re our real rocker from the boys this year,” Randy said. “… I really kind of believed you right there.”

“David, you are the real deal,” Paula said. “You got it. You got it, you got it.”

“It was solid,” Simon said. “… I don’t think that film helped you. It was boring, and that’s partly your problem. Because you don’t have a lot of charisma.”

8:20 p.m.

David Archuleta is, without question, the leader in this season’s competition. This kid can wail.

He arguably was the best performer last week — among all Top 24 contestants, even. So, can David Archuleta maintain his rumored lead in the competition? We’ll see. First, David mentions his chance encounter with the Season 1 contestants. See the video of David’s impromptu performance.

Tonight, David chose Imagine by John Lennon. Not only is it a popular song, but it’s one that’s tough to recreate. David, however, nailed it. This kid really has it going on.

“Dawg, that’s one of the best vocals I’ve ever heard on the show,” Randy said. “… That was brilliant.”

“David, you are ridiculous,” Paula said before making some crazy comments about wanting to “squeeze his head off” and “dangle it from her rearview mirror.” What? Oh, Paula.

“Very, very risky to do a John Lennon song … but it worked,” Simon said. “Right now, you’re the one to beat.”

WHO GETS MY VOTE: David Archuleta. And he should get your vote, too. This kid is one of the best singers ever to grace the Idol stage. As much as I think his entire “Oh, golly, gosh, gee” attitude is a big act, it doesn’t matter. The kid has a voice. And singing John Lennon? Incredible. I’m also going to toss a few votes to Danny Noriega, who showed the biggest improvement from last week.

WHO SHOULD GO HOME: There’s no doubt Jason Yeager is in trouble. He seems like a nice guy, but he’s so forgettable. Chikezie may have saved himself for another week, though I want to send him home based on last week’s effort.

American Idol, David Archuleta, Chikezie Eze, David Cook, Luke Menard, David Hernandez, Jason Castro, Danny Noriega, Jason Yeager, Michael Johns, Robbie Carrico

Is this year’s talent the best yet? We’re about to find out as the Top 12 guys compete live for the first time this season on American Idol.

7:01 p.m.
The Top 12 girls are waiting in the wings, and Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell are ready to give their critics. It’s only a matter of time before Paula yells “touchdown” or Simon says someone sounds like a karaoke singer. It’s almost all too predictable. But I love it.

“I’m looking for personality, originality and, obviously, you’ve gotta sing well,” Simon says. Obviously.

Tonight, the contestants will sing songs from the 1960s. These themes certainly are what can make — or break — any contestant.

7:09 p.m.

David Hernandez is the first up this week. The 24-year-old is from Glendale, Ariz., home of last year’s Idol winner, Jordin Sparks. Could lightning strike twice in the same city? We’ll see.

He certainly has a voice unlike anyone who’s been in the competition before. This early in the competition, though, it’s tough to see David as a leader of the pack. He is the first we’re seeing live, after all. The plus side is that David seems to have control over his voice; whether he’s singing high or low, he has it in control.

“You’ve got brilliant vocals to rely on,” Paula says. “… Really cool. Really cool. Good job.”

Chikezie Eze during his Season 7 audition. The jeans and T-shirt look certainly was a lot better than a tangerine-colored suit.

Chikezie, formerly known as Chikezie Eze, is next up. The 22-year-old college student from California made it to Hollywood Week last year, but he didn’t give up. And it worked out for Season 7.

When it comes to cheesy suits, Chikezie already is on top of his game. Didn’t the stylists explain looks are important in this competition? Tangerine suits aren’t the way to go, either. But on to the vocals. I have to say Chikezie has a good voice, but his song tonight doesn’t make him stand out way above the competition … at least not in my books.

“It was pretty good, man,” Randy says. “… You can definitely sing.”

“I absolutely hated the whole performance, and I’ll tell you why,” Simon said. “The suit is hideous. …” (See, I’m already aligned with Simon.)

7:25 p.m.

David Cook is up. One of this year’s rockers, David is a Missouri resident and bartender hoping to make a difference in the competition. Already, he’s a favorite among many fans — and the judges.

Tonight, David performs Happy Together by the Turtles. This well-known tune certainly was not what I would have expected from the resident rocker. But what would Chris Daughtry sound like singing this song? Maybe not so unlike David. I’m not sure what to think at this point, honestly. I guess it was OK.

“I thought it was good,” Simon said. “I thought you shouted the song a little …”

So far, there haven’t been too many truly negative comments. Maybe the judges are giving contestants a little time to settle into a live audience.

7:34 p.m.

Jason Yeager during his original audition.

Jason Yeager, another contestant we haven’t gotten to learn much about, is up next. The 28-year-old is a singing server, and he took his son to the audition to experience the dream.

Jason’s song choice tonight is Moon River, a classic that’s tough to perform as a little-known musician, especially on a show such as Idol. There’s no doubt he has a voice, but the next Idol? I’m not sure it’s there. At least not at this point. He did have a strong closing, though.

Let’s see what the judges have to say.

“… It’s a tough song to sing, probably tougher than you probably thought,” Randy said. “… You had a couple of problems with that song pitch-wise.”

7:46 p.m.

Robbie Carrico, the guy who once dated Britney Spears, has gone from boy bander to rocker. Tonight, Robbie even mentioned touring with Britney, something that makes him stand out (good or bad) from many others in the competition. He certainly has some professional credit — and he’s not alone — coming into the competition.

His rendition of One is different than any other version I have heard of the song, and it doesn’t really make the bandana-wearing Carrico seem all that rocker-esque. Right now, I can’t really take this guy seriously.

“I think you picked the perfect song for you,” Paula said. “… The vocals, they weren’t over the took, they were right in the pocket where they should be.”

Simon, in his own way, said the performance was the best thus far. He also doubted the rocker vibe Carrico puts off. And I agree.

David Archuleta, a singer who allegedly had a recording contract before making the Idol finals, has certainly been a favorite. The teenager chose Shop Around for his first live song on the show, and it certainly was a good choice. Of course, his young, innocent sound would work on just about any hit from the 1960s. Could David be the next Idol winner? Well, he certainly has the teenage girl and grandma votes cornered.

“You were just born with this gift,” Randy said. “… This dude is just ready to go.”

“When you got it, you got it,” Simon said. “… That was, by a comfortable mile, the best performance of the night so far.”

Without doubt, the judges are right. David is a little giggly and, dare I say, a little unbelievable as the “shy” kid. I’m not sure he’s completely full of himself, but I could see it coming soon. The “Oh, gosh” factor only goes so far with me. Sorry.

8 p.m.

Danny Noriega also was a Hollywood Week finalist during Season 6, but he was cut on the first day. So, could Season 7 be the one for this teen? Starting with Jailhouse Rock during 1960s week may not have been the best choice. The tempo of the song was a little too speedy for my taste, which makes me a little sad. I have to admit Danny is one of my favorites — because he’s young, has potential and isn’t completely full of himself. At least he doesn’t appear to be at this point.

“You know how to have a good time,” Randy said. “… It was an interesting song choice for me for you.”

“Danny, I thought the performance was verging on grotesque,” Simon said. “… The whole performance was hideous.”

I’m not sure I completely agree with Simon, but I do see his point of view. Tonight certainly didn’t showcase Danny’s best vocals; it did, however, get the judges in their first real fight of the night. Oh, it’s going to be good.

8:12 p.m.

Luke Menard at his initial Season 7 audition.

Luke Menard is one of the oldest contestants this season. The 29-year-old auditioned in Season 6 (this seems to be the story of the season) when he went to Memphis and didn’t do so well. This year, in Omaha, he got the golden ticket.

“This opportunity, it’s the chance of a lifetime,” Luke said. “… I came here to become the next American Idol.”

Tonight, his attempt to gain America’s votes came through a performance of Everybody’s Talkin’. It’s, perhaps, a lesser-known song, which could help out. Luke has a soft, simple voice. And good, strong looks to back up his character. But the performance tonight was not a good start for this Idol hopeful.

“In a nutshell, whether you were pitchy or not, it was forgettable,” Simon said. “… Nobody’s going to remember you.”

Next up, Colton Berry. Another competitor who hasn’t seen much air time thus far, Colton may be seen as the guy who stole the spots of a few other favorite contestants this season. So, will the 18-year-old stand out at this point?

Singing Elvis’ Suspicious Minds wearing crazy, bright blue pants (seriously, wardrobe matters, people) is not a great place to start in this competition. And the strange facial expressions? I have to say, at this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if Colton is one of the first to go. But that’s just me.

“It was nice to see a different side of you,” Paula said.

“It was OK; it wasn’t quite as bad as the other Elvis song,” Simon said. “… You have no relevance in today’s charts, in the music industry.”

“That was very karaoke,” Simon added. Ahh, I thought we were going to miss out on that tonight.

8:28 p.m.

Garrett Haley, another teenager in the competition, auditioned for Idol when he and his family was in San Diego on vacation. It seems to be working out for the 17-year-old from Ohio.

Even though he hasn’t been given too much camera time this season, I think Garrett has one of the better voices tonight. He chose a song that allowed him to sing — not just perform — and that’s especially important this early in the show. The Carpenters song Breaking Up Is Hard to Do certainly helped his case, too. Was he the best? Not necessarily. Should he be safe for another week? Absolutely.

“I love the song, but the thing that struck me with this performance here was you didn’t do anything with it,” Randy said. “… You’ve got to bring something new and interesting to it.”

“It was boring, your voice sounded a bit whiny, you looked a bit terrified …” Simon said.

Seriously, I didn’t think it was that bad.

8:39 p.m.

Jason Castro at his Dallas audition.

Jason Castro is taking advantage of this year’s addition of using instruments on stage. The 20-year-old says he only sang a handful of times in public before, well, tonight. So, what will this memorable performance entail?

Jason chose What a Day for a Daydream, and his voice certainly is matched well with the lyrics. Plus, playing a guitar, that definitely sets him apart from his competition. Even though I didn’t know much about this guy before, tonight he really put himself in a place to be one of my favorites this season.

“For me, you did blow me away,” Paula said. “… You picked a song that was absolutely perfect for you.”

“Jason, I thought that was in the top 2 performances of the night,” Simon said. “You, like David, have just got it.”

8:48 p.m.

The last performer of the night is Michael Johns, 29. The Australian still has his native accent, and he certainly seemed to be one of the strongest guys in the competition coming into tonight.

Light My Fire by The Doors is his song of choice. There’s no doubt Michael has the experience; he looks and acts like a seasoned performer on the stage. This easily looks like it could have been his sixth or seventh week in the competition. Personally, I didn’t love it. But it was a great performance.

“You just throw all caution to the wind,” Randy said. “You’re always you. … You were the bomb tonight, baby. That was hot.”

“I would say, Michael, you are the most consistent contestant we’ve had,” Simon said.

WHO GETS MY VOTE: Tonight, I have to give it up for Jason Castro. It’s tough to pick just one, but that’s who can count on getting phone votes from me. Playing the guitar and making the song his own, as Paula would say, made him tonight’s definite standout. (I also may make a few calls for Danny Noriega, who made a bad song choice tonight. He definitely needs to be remembered for his earlier work.)

WHO SHOULD GO: Without question, I think Chikezie Eze and Colton Berry are at major risk for being the two guys eliminated this week. I also think Luke Menard could be in some trouble because of the criticism given to him by the judges.

American Idol, Michael Johns, Danny Noriega, Colton Berry, David Archuleta, Jason Castro, Robbie Carrico, David Cook, Luke Menard, Garrett Haley, Chikezie Eze, Jason Yeager, David Hernandez

Danny Noriega

Now you won’t have to wait until the end of the season to get recorded songs from your favorite American Idol finalists.

Starting this week, Idol is teaming up with iTunes to offer downloads of all performances for 99 cents each. That means the best — and even the worst — performances from this moment on will be available for you to own and play again and again. In other words, should a stellar rendition of Heart’s Alone (remember Carrie Underwood’s show-stopping performance in Season 4?) be presented early in the season, you won’t have to wait for the “greatest hits” compilation at season’s end.

Having so many Idol performances available from the beginning also means you can create you own little Danny Noriega or Joanne Borgella CD, even if those finalists don’t make it to the end of the competition. That’s pretty exciting, right?

Once the show is narrowed down to the Top 12, you also will be able to purchase video performances for $1.99 on iTunes. In addition, you also will be able to pre-order tracks from a specific finalist for automatic download. This means the iTunes Top 100 really could be overrun by Idol finalists. Not that it’s a bad thing.

American Idol, iTunes