Sunday on American Idol Season 22, the top seven sang twice — doing songs by Adele, and "Songs That Make You Want to Dance" — and both themes were tricky. Adele is incredibly tough to pull off (I usually recommend that contestants avoid her catalog, as well as Whitney's, Mariah's, and Celine's), and obviously, this was a very specific theme. The dance theme was much more open-ended, but the top seven just did not want to dance. Surely there has not been a more choreography-phobic, left-footed cast in the history of this show. More like So You Don't Think You Can Dance, amirite?
So, any viewers expecting some Donna Summer disco or fun, song-of-summer pop bops were in for some major disappointment. Poor guest mentor Ciara's advice was all for naught, as she repeatedly gave the top seven tips on how to work the stage and most of them blithely ignored her.
Anyway, at the end of the night, after 19 million real-time votes were cast coast to coast, McKenna Faith Breinholt and Julia Gagnon danced their last dance, and they were cut. Those two at least tried to go dance-pop. Smoky chanteuse McKenna got out of her comfort zone with a cover of judge Katy Perry's own "E.T." (which she did as a thank-you for Katy saving her last week). And Julia took on the roles of both Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson — "That's one way to show off an extra set of lungs!" quipped Lionel Richie — for the B-52's' "Roam." I personally think "Dance This Mess Around" or "Rock Lobster" would've been better choices, but I don't recall the B-52's ever getting covered on Idol, so I appreciated Julia's risk. As for McKenna's apparently risky choice, she's the second contestant of Season 22 to get eliminated after covering a Katy tune (the other one being Roman Collins on top 12 night), so maybe it's Katy's catalog, not Adele's, that Idol hopefuls should steer clear of.
McKenna and Julia actually chose wisely with the Adele theme. McKenna cheated slightly by doing the Adele version of Bob Dylan's "Make You Feel Like Love," but it fit her style perfectly. And powerhouse Julia, who'd already covered Adele this season, sounded totally in her element on "Set Fire to the Rain."
But the judges and Ryan Seacrest have repeatedly warned viewers that this season's race is a very close one, with no clear frontrunner, so these ladies' time was simply up. "If you think that your faves are safe and you're not voting, you're wrong," Katy declared Sunday. "It is so tight right now. You have to vote. It is anyone's game."
So, now we know the contestants who made it through to next week's Disney Night in Florida, even if they didn't exactly dance their way into the top five. Check out their performances below.
Songs That Make You Want to Dance
Jack Blocker, "Long Tall Sally"
Jack is a clever, creative, shapeshifting song stylist, and I bet he could.ve taken on Ciara's own "Goodies" and figured out a way to pull it off and Blocker-ify it. But I like this choice, because who doesn't want to cut a rug and shake a tailfeather to Little Richard's groovy music? Jack, who admitted he's not a good dancer but enjoys "acting a fool," was serving Chris Isaak/Jerry Lee Lewis realness, and he started the episode with a burst of energy that other performers of the night weren't able to match (although Abi Carter came close). Lionel said Jack "embodied Little Richard and Chuck Berry" and told him, "Give me more of that!" Luke Bryan told Jack, "We didn't know you have all that angst and yelling in there!...Ten out of 10."
Abi Carter, "My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark"
Like I said, guys, "Songs That Make You Want to Dance" is a very subjective category. And apparently Abi likes to dance to Fall Out Boy. Was she unable to clear "Dance, Dance" or something? All I know is this particular FOB song is her "jam," and it was probably smart of her to stay in that alt/emo lane, which she's carved out for herself with her My Chemical Romance and Evanescence covers. Former Warped Tour artist Katy was digging the vibe, gasping, "Where has all this energy been? ...Why were you saving that? That performance made me scared for my job."
Will Moseley, "Gimme Three Steps"
These Season 22 kids do not like to dance!! Will couldn't even do the three steps Ciara asked him to. His Skynyrd cover was solid but basic, certainly free of surprises, and for the first time this season, I started to feel like Big Mo was plateauing. Katy called Will a rock star, and Luke told him, "I don't think I've heard you hit a bad note all year; you sing your butt off." But I was underwhelmed.
Emmy Russell, "Shut Up and Dance"
Emmy confessed that she also was too nervous to dance and make use of the stage, so she went against Ciara's advice and stayed at the piano for this entire Walk the Moon cover. Her performance was pleasant, sort of Sixpence None the Richer, but definitely not dance-y; she took all the air out of the song and made it kind of sad and flat. "Were you going yo get up and walk around? What happened?... I was waiting," said a confused and disappointed Katy. But then the judges, including Katy, raved on and on about Emmy's supposed progress, with Katy saying this was the most confident she'd seen Emmy and Luke saying, "That may have been your best vocal we've heard from you." I still don't think Emmy has progressed enough to keep up with her competition, but the judges and viewers just seem to love her.
Triston Harper, "Trouble"
Triston was the contestant who seemed the most excited about this theme, and while the 15-year-old kid was a bit awkward onstage, at least he gave it a real try, listened to Ciara's tips, and once again tried to "out-gyrate" Luke. He performed with actual abandon and was clearly having a ton of fun. "You're just a whole different energy and lightness of being, and I'm so happy for you," Katy told him.
Adele Songs
Jack Blocker, "One and Only"
This bluesy, swaggy makeout ballad was a perfect pick for this retro cool cat. This was a sexy and brazenly confident performance. "I think you are fully feeling yourself now. That's what rock starts do. You are someone that we are aspiring to now" Katy said, while Lionel told Jack, "You have a relaxed period about you. Keep doing it."
Will Moseley, "Rolling in the Deep"
This was a good idea on paper, because I can totally imagine "Rolling" as a cry-in-your-beer country song. And that dramatic intro was pretty cool; Lionel was especially feeling it. But the performance went nowhere from there. Will soon showed his limitations when, for the first time this season, he was forced to do a song outside his wheelhouse. The verses sounded way too low, and he struggled throughout, even if Luke assured him, "You nail it every time." Not this time.
Emmy Russell, "Water Under the Bridge"
Of anyone in the top seven, Emmy was going to be the most challenged vocally by the Adele theme. I just commend her for making it through an entire Adele song. Her performance lacked dimension, dynamics, and theatrics, but by Emmy standards, it was solid. Katy said she "never sounded better than tonight" and "got the memo"; Lionel told her, "You've conquered your demons. ... You're standing in your light"; and Luke sort of shaded her by telling her she was "very smart" to stay in her limited range so "you don't get yourself in any trouble."
Triston Harper, "Easy on Me"
This country arrangement didn't truly allow Triston to soar or belt, but finally he stopped holding back, the end was very powerful. This performance was a needed contrast to his silly "Trouble" number. Luke said this was "really real, really you, and really well-done," and Katy told Triston, "It's about how you sell the story. Those words are also your words."
Abi Carter, "Hello"
Returning to her piano after a recent series of high-energy punk/pop princess performances, Abi was back in her comfort zone, but there was nothing boring or safe about this. Luke actually said Abi was in her "magic zone." This tour de force was haunting, a little bit Goth, and just stunning. Katy said, "It was beyond. It was on another level." Lionel gushed, "That's the best I've ever heard you. It was so delicate. So soulful ... It was personal." Abi is the last Platinum Ticket contestant standing this season, and I think that ticket might take her all the way to the finale.
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