# American Idol "Top 11 performance show Elton John Songs" 3/30/2011 *spoilers



## Kamakzie (Jan 8, 2004)

Here we go..

Scotty - "Country comfort" - I thought he did pretty good.

Naima - "I'm still standing" - Wow... that was.... ummm... weird. Reggaeize that song... really?? Buh-Bye!

Paul - "Rocket Man" - For me that was really bad. Voice is just too weak for me. Yeesh..

Pia - "Don't let the sun go down on me" - Another ballad.. Thought it was pretty good, not her strongest but the best of the night so far. She's my favorite.

Stefano - "Tiny dancer" - It was just alright for me. He did do better with the eye contact though. LOL'd when he walked over to JLo.

Lauren - "Candle in the wind" - Hmmmm.. It was pretty good but not her best ever. Judges liked it though.

James - "Saturday Night's alright" - I liked it alright. Not too bad. LOL at Steven Tyler. HAHA Pepsi moment.. oops "we're sponsored by Coke!"

Thia - "Daniel" - I thought she did really nice with it.

Casey - "Your song" - First time I think I actually liked his performance.

Jacob - "Sorry is the hardest word" - I thought he did real good on this. He's not my favorite kind of style but he did good.

Haley - "Bennie & The Jets" - I really liked it. She has that nice blues singer voice. Liked it a lot.

Naima and Paul in the bottom for me.


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## photoshopgrl (Nov 22, 2008)

Not only did she ruin the song but since when does singing reggae mean you get an automatic accent to go with it? That. was. ridiculous.


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## Kamakzie (Jan 8, 2004)

photoshopgrl said:


> Not only did she ruin the song but since when does singing reggae mean you get an automatic accent to go with it? That. was. ridiculous.


Agreed, what is with the Jamaican accent


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## LoadStar (Jul 24, 2001)

Yeah, hate to say it, because she's the only actual Milwaukee person left in the contest, but yeah, Naima was pretty bad tonight.


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## photoshopgrl (Nov 22, 2008)

Pia is fricken amazing. Totally needs to win this thing. Ballad or no ballad, that was fantastic. Every week she's perfect.


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## LoadStar (Jul 24, 2001)

I think if I had one request for Pia, it would be to explore the lower part of her register... I think it could add an extra dimension to her singing. I would also love to hear a fast pop song from her.


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## Odds Bodkins (Jun 7, 2006)

Naima is Sanjaya with the hair.


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## LoadStar (Jul 24, 2001)

Odds Bodkins said:


> Naima is Sanjaya with the hair.


That's a little ridiculous. She's not anywhere near that bad.


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## Odds Bodkins (Jun 7, 2006)

LoadStar said:


> That's a little ridiculous. She's not anywhere near that bad.


Yes she is. She dances like a spastic and butchers a fake Jamaican accent. She's worse.


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## Odds Bodkins (Jun 7, 2006)

Remember when we all thought this season was going to be so good because the talent was way better than last season? The entirety of it all is starting to grate on me like you wouldn't believe. And now Howie Mandel. Lordy.

What's the purpose of Tyler on this show? He was endearing in the auditions but he's out of his depth with live critique. When's X-Factor starting?


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## Odds Bodkins (Jun 7, 2006)

photoshopgrl said:


> Pia is fricken amazing. Totally needs to win this thing. Ballad or no ballad, that was fantastic. Every week she's perfect.


At this point, she's the runaway favorite... at least on the girl's side.


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## LoadStar (Jul 24, 2001)

Ok, I've now decided: I don't like any of these people. They all have singing ability to some extent, but none even remotely seem like anything I'd want to listen to, nor do I see any of these people doing anything substantial after the series.

I might drop in to the show now and again, but for the most part, I think I'm out for the season.


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## jay_man2 (Sep 15, 2003)

Haley did a nice growly Bennie!

Overall not as good as last week from the group in general. I thought it would have been better than it was; Scotty, James and Casey still seem to be the most consistent.


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## Odds Bodkins (Jun 7, 2006)

That face JLO just made... yeesh.


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## BrettStah (Nov 12, 2000)

The best of the night:
Pia

The good:
Casey
Haley

The average:
Stephano
Scotty
This

The bad:
Naima
Paul
Lauren
James
Jacob


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## frankmint (Feb 1, 2004)

No standouts tonight. I really want to like Paul but he, Naima and Thia were my least favorites. Haley really saved herself I think.


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## BrettStah (Nov 12, 2000)

Haley smiled too much, otherwise her performance would have been better.


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## nyny523 (Oct 31, 2003)

OMG - I did not think Paul could get any worse, yet tonight he exceeded those expectations. Please America - put us out of our misery already!!!

Scotty - overated and boring. Unfortunately, the little girls like him so he won't be going anywhere soon.

Thia - bleh. I don't get the love for her, either.

Naima - yowzer. It's like she doesn't care that this is a CONTEST.

The rest were fine.

Please don't vote for Paul.

Thank you.


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## Maui (Apr 22, 2000)

I thought some, no, I thought many of the performances were very good tonight

*Scotty* - "Country comfort" - Good, not great. it was nothing special and that sinks him to the lower half of the rankings this week. Going first did not help either

*Naima* - "I'm still standing" - Just bad. Nothing else to say.

*Paul* - "Rocket Man" - Weakest voice in the competition. It was better than the last few weeks but he does not compare with the others.

*Pia* - "Don't let the sun go down on me" - Fantastic!! Pia is the best "pure" singer on the show. One of my favorites, but I have always been a sucker for a good ballad!

*Stefano* - "Tiny dancer" - Average and likely to get lost in the shuffle this week.

*Lauren* - "Candle in the wind" - I liked it quite a bit and I liked the little country twang she added to it. Strange since I was really hoping to not hear this song tonight.

*James *- "Saturday Night's alright" - Great performance. It may not have been the best vocal of the night but by far the most enjoyable performance.

*Thia *- "Daniel" - Thia really does have a lovely voice but she just doesn't command attention like some of the others.

*Casey *- "Your song" - Great performance. He reigned in the growling and really did a nice job. This is my favorite Elton song so it would have been really easy for someone to screw it up but he kept it close to the original and I loved it.

*Jacob *- "Sorry Seems to Be The Hardest Word" - I said it in the past and I will say it again. I am over Jacob. I liked the first half of the song better than the second. His over emotional renditions are really wearing thin.

*Haley *- "Bennie & The Jets" - I knew Haley had it in her! I really liked it and love when she adds that bluesy growl to the song. Hopefully this will give her the confidence to cut it loose more often,

*Top 4*
Pia
Casey
Haley
James

*Middle 4*
Lauren 
Scotty 
Thia
Stefano

*Bottom 3*
Naima
Paul
Jacob

If there is any justice in the world Paul and Naima go home, but after last weeks vote who knows what America will do.


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## Jesda (Feb 12, 2005)

I love reggae and reggae-influnced pop and rock; I'm a fan of The Police and Ace of Base.

But throwing in the Jamaican accent was pure cheese. Blech.


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## Roadblock (Apr 5, 2006)

Favorites this week:
Haley
Casey
Pia
James

Meh:
Lauren
Scotty
Stefano
Jacob

Should go home:
Naima
Thia

Although I think Stefano might go instead of Thia. Haley's pretty underrated. She's one of the best vocalists there, just not a great performer.


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## Jeeters (Feb 25, 2003)

I liked James the best. Not his best singing performance, but I sure was entertained watching and listening to him.

I thought Pia crossed the border from singing to yelling at way too many points.

Paul, please leave.

I disagreed with the critique that Naima shouldn't have tried to do Reggae with that song. I thought what she was trying to do was a great idea for that song. Her execution just sucked.

I thought Thia did good. I wish she'd have tried something faster again like she did last week. 

I'm really tired of so many of them going with ballads / slow songs.

JLo looked amazing for a 41 year old woman. Wow.

Steven's critiques are now worthless. JLo or Randy pass off to him, he then wakes up, tries to say some random thing to get a laugh, then his critique is usually nothing more than referring back to the other judges with a "What she said" type of sentence.


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## gossamer88 (Jul 27, 2005)

I miss Simon...that is all!


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## ADG (Aug 20, 2003)

I get the love for Paul's smile, but not his voice. Still, he keeps getting votes.

Naima's gone. If it were up to me Paul would be too, but I'm guessing Thia or Stefano will join her.


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## Cainebj (Nov 11, 2006)

Maui said:


> I thought some, no, I thought many of the performances were very good tonight


I agree with you - I think many of them gave the best performances of their AI mainstage run - surprisingly enough including a couple that I usually can't stand (Scottie).

Haley - seriously? I didn't get it - but I do give that she rocked it on the verse.

Bottom two - Naima and Magilla Gorilla.


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## KyleLC (Feb 6, 2002)

Jeeters said:


> JLo looked amazing for a 41 year old woman. Wow.


Do you really feel you have to qualify that by saying "for a 41 year old woman?" She looks amazing, period!


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## Cearbhaill (Aug 1, 2004)

Pia's been wearing thin for me for a long time. I do not like her BalladBot style and yes, I think she yells in her upper register.

My abiding memory of Haley was jeepers, that song went on and on and on and needed some pep. You can handle Elton going on and on and on with "Bennie!" because there is something stylistic going on with the musicality- his background music had swagger. Here I heard sleepyville.

I am oddly disappointed with almost all of them (loved Casey, don't normally like Lauren but think she did very well) and for me, I think the arrangements and the band are 90% of the problem.
That band lacks zip and the arrangements are often tired. So many times I think that picking up the pace just a little bit would work wonders for some of the arrangements. And there is simply nothing noteworthy about the band- they are bland, their featured guitarists are bland, the rhythms are bland. That Motown bass player last week had amazing basslines, but aside from him I have heard nothing worthy of listening to by this band.
And in combination with contestants lacking big stage experience and unable to breathe life into a song they mostly bore me.
I don't know if it is all them or the advice they are being given, but I want a performer to perform. Not be physically hyper or vocally melodramatic, but inhabit a song, give me something. The whole charisma/star power thing is sadly missing from most of these people.

At this point in the season there is usually someone I like, setting aside last year anyway. So far those at the top of my list this year sit there merely by being tolerably good. Nobody is blowing me away- hardly even a gentle breeze.
Certainly nothing I would pay to hear or see.


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## LoadStar (Jul 24, 2001)

Cearbhaill said:


> Pia's been wearing thin for me for a long time. I do not like her BalladBot style and yes, I think she yells in her upper register.
> 
> My abiding memory of Haley was jeepers, that song went on and on and on and needed some pep. You can handle Elton going on and on and on with "Bennie!" because there is something stylistic going on with the musicality- his background music had swagger. Here I heard sleepyville.
> 
> ...


This. So VERY much every word of this.

I go back and watch video of Kelly and Carrie on American Idol, and I'm amazed that this is even the same show.

Maybe it is time to give AI a break. I guess we'll see after "The Voice" and "X Factor" whether they should just give the whole genre a break.


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## Jesda (Feb 12, 2005)

gossamer88 said:


> I miss Simon...that is all!


Me too. The judges all agree with each other and say generic things.

I'm glad Paula is gone.


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## JFriday (Mar 20, 2002)

gossamer88 said:


> I miss Simon...that is all!


Me too. These three judges can't for the life of them criticize anyone.


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## aindik (Jan 23, 2002)

I like Naima's arrangement, but her singing was awful.

I like Paul. Don't know why, but I do.

James sang the song I thought he should, and he did very well. The piano on fire was awesome. And James was right. He was saying "Pepsi moment" in a bad way, as in setting his hair on fire. Nothing wrong with saying that on a show sponsored by Coke.

Randy's criticism of Thia for being "safe" made me laugh. Safe? It's Elton John week. How could any of them be anything but safe? You want safe? Scotty picked the song with "country" in the title. I thought it was funny how all of the Megia kids have first names that end in "ia."

Oh, and after the threads last week, all I heard when Stefano sang was "hold me closer, Tony Danza."


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## Maui (Apr 22, 2000)

LoadStar said:


> This. So VERY much every word of this.
> 
> I go back and watch video of Kelly and Carrie on American Idol, and I'm amazed that this is even the same show.
> 
> Maybe it is time to give AI a break. I guess we'll see after "The Voice" and "X Factor" whether they should just give the whole genre a break.


Well, I am sure they will listen to you and ignore the fact that IDOL placed 1st an 3rd in the broadcast ratings last week. Like it or not, no matter what you think of this seasons contestants, as long as they place that well and continue to sell the songs on iTunes they will not be giving it a break.

And this statement is brought to you by one who would LOVE to see more scripted TV and fewer reality programs on the air.


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## Mr. Soze (Nov 2, 2002)

Sorry, Pia is boring and dime-a-dozen to me.

No-one killed for me last night, but there were a few performances who made me think of killing myself.
Naima was as dreadful a performance as I can remember this year, and should (not will) be joined by Thia and Stefano in the Bottom 3.
Thia may skate and be safe, but the other two gots to go.


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## gossamer88 (Jul 27, 2005)

Thia almost put me to sleep. And Haley best of the night?! These judges are crazy! James is my only favorite but those ears are disturbing.


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## crazywater (Mar 7, 2001)

I am simply not feeling the Haley love. I thought her performance was one of the worst. The worst was Naima. 

Best for me was Casey and James. 

Everyone seems to love Pia but for me she is not memorable at all. I can't name another song she did besides last nights.


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## HomieG (Feb 17, 2003)

Paul and Stefano, pfffttt. That is all.


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## Johnny Dancing (Sep 3, 2000)

@loadstar I am almost with you, about ready to give up on this show. But it is hard not to watch a train wreck.

I do like the new judges but miss Simon's tough love.

*Time for my final 2 prediction.*

*Lauren *- Although never the best of the week, she is very steady and I suspect she will turn it on at the end. Has the crossover big record sale potential that AI has not seen in many years.

*James *- He will gain momentum and votes as Paul, Casey, Haley, and Stefano go home. Puts on a good show every time and that will keep him out of the bottom 3 while others go home.

Wild Card- *Pia* - If she can stop singing that same song each week and not stand there like she is singing the national anthem at the ball park she may have a shot.

*My Favorites this week:*
Haley
Lauren
Casey
Stefano

*Bottom :*
Paul 
Thia 
Naima 
Scotty


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## brettatk (Oct 11, 2002)

I have no idea who's going home. There are a slew of contenders that could be in the bottom 3: Naima, Stefano, Thia, Paul, and Haley. If I had to make a guess on who's going home I'd say Naima definitely and then lean towards Stefano. Something about Stefano makes it unbearable for me to watch him sing, maybe he'd be good on radio.


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## sushikitten (Jan 28, 2005)

I still love Casey. I've liked Paul but agree he needs to go now. And Naima is past due to leave.


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## Maui (Apr 22, 2000)

brettatk said:


> If I had to make a guess on who's going home I'd say Naima definitely and then lean towards Stefano.


Interesting and telling that those are the two remaining wildcards who did not get enough votes to originally get them past the top 24.


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## etexlady (Jun 23, 2002)

I don't get the James love. All he does is scream and screech to me. Of course, I have never cared for hard rock and that seems to be his genre. I enjoyed Haley, Lauren and Casey this week.


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## MNoelH (Mar 17, 2005)

Jacob sounds like he's singing from his throat, a throat that is filled with phlegm. I just don't get the love for him. He has talent, he hits notes, he holds notes, I don't know why I hate hearing it so much. There was only one of his songs that I really liked. I think it was Georgia in the early part of Hollywood week, but I can't remember for sure. He also doesn't enunciate at all. I hate not being able to hear what words are being sung.

Paul was, and has been, horrible. He has a unique character and voice, but I just don't really like it.

Naima was just horrid last night. I liked her sound in the beginning, but most of her performances have maybe been too personal - like she's bringing WAY too much of herself into the songs instead of singing something that would appeal to the many instead of just herself.

Thia is too young and has no stage presence. She'll be a nice addition to a cruise line.

Casey did really well tonight. I liked that he sat still and delivered a beautiful song.

I was surprised that I like Lauren as much as I did. I've constantly thought she was good, but she's never done anything amazing. Not sure this was amazing, but it was really good... especially for a song that has so much special all over it.

Stafano took a very difficult song (didn't they say that it was written specifically for Elton's voice/range?) and didn't mess it up. I liked it and appreciate that he's listening to the critiques and improving each week.

Hailey stunned me. I thought that was the best performance of the night and I had tears of happiness in my eyes when she finally delivered what she should have been doing these previous weeks.

Scottie has a great sound. I really think he would've been better off on some show for CMT, but he's consistently done well and always sounds great.

Pia always always always delivers. She has an amazing voice and gives me goose bumps almost every time she hits the stage. Like the judges, I wish she'd show more range, but how could she possibly pass up an Elton John ballad on Elton John week? I honestly don't think she could and don't blame her for choosing what she feels most comfortable with.

I think James is having a blast and each week it shows. He's a showman and he's doing great and he should continue. I really enjoy watching him have fun up there. The yelling when I don't think it belongs is getting old, but that's his thang, so I'll put up with it.


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## aindik (Jan 23, 2002)

Casey's change of appearance wasn't radical enough to merit footage of his trip to the barber shop. He looks better, but not all that different. Ryan Seacrest's hair change was more drastic.

Can we nip the Jimmy Iovine experiment in the bud, please? The mentors were bad enough in prior seasons. Now we have the same one every week? He's terrible. I'm tempted to FFWD through the entire pre-song video package.


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## nyny523 (Oct 31, 2003)

aindik said:


> Casey's change of appearance wasn't radical enough to merit footage of his trip to the barber shop. He looks better, but not all that different. Ryan Seacrest's hair change was more drastic.


OMG - how BAD was Ryan's hair?!?!?!

SO bad!!!!


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## MNoelH (Mar 17, 2005)

nyny523 said:


> OMG - how BAD was Ryan's hair?!?!?!
> 
> SO bad!!!!


I barely noticed it... just thought it looked different somehow and liked it.


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## KyleLC (Feb 6, 2002)

MNoelH said:


> I barely noticed it... just thought it looked different somehow and liked it.


I noticed it was different, but couldn't figure out what had changed. I didn't like it much, but it's normal for me to dislike someone's new hair style until I get used to it.


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## Roadblock (Apr 5, 2006)

LoadStar said:


> I go back and watch video of Kelly and Carrie on American Idol, and I'm amazed that this is even the same show.


Well, that's 2 finalists out of what, 100 now? Not a great comparison. I think the show is pretty much the same now as it's always been.



JFriday said:


> Me too. These three judges can't for the life of them criticize anyone.


Simon checked out way before he left. He threw in some criticisms but he was too busy flirting with Paula and Kara to actually listen to the performances.



aindik said:


> Can we nip the Jimmy Iovine experiment in the bud, please? The mentors were bad enough in prior seasons. Now we have the same one every week? He's terrible. I'm tempted to FFWD through the entire pre-song video package.


Showing us his advice to the contestants about what to do in their performance often spoils any benefit following that advice would give. It's annoying.


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## rondotcom (Feb 13, 2005)

I can't hear "Tiny Dancer" anymore with out thinking of the Russian defector who was in love with Bailey Quarters.


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