Woohoo! Amanda is finally out! I wasn't expecting it... but i'd take it nonetheless! She hasn't been in the bottom since but this week she was out! It only took one comment from Simon saying that she had to show versatility... and she basically said she won't do any other way of singing! I didn't like her from the start. If you see my previous AI blog, I wanted her out of there much earlier. All she does is shout the songs she did.

With her out the top 10 is set! And my core choices are still around! I fear for Ramielle though... although his top 12 performance i thought was really really good vocals... the judges comments really swayed people the other way and it would take some extra effort to lure them back to the fact that she has one of the best vocals in the competition. She has to do good this week or I fear she'd end up in the same boat as Camille Velasco :(

I got a copy of their live performances plus the studio version of the songs from the top 12 week. Some surprises... Syesha's studio song was amazing! I guess being first that week did her in :(  And now she'd have to fight extra hard everyweek to get to the top. Chikezies was just ok. Kristy's Eight days a week was even catchy! Carly wasn't good... very far from her live performance. Even with the studio version, David A's "We Can Work It Out" still wasn't good. Thus, even if he didn't messed up the lyrics, it wouldn't have been a good song for him.

With the exception of Kristy Lee, everyone else i'm having a hard time to say I want them out. Really speaks of the talent this year. But despite that, here is MY ranking which is different from my prediction (as of date).

My top 10 (my choices)

1. David Cook - this guy caught my attention during the semi-finals weeks and hasn't disappointed me yet.
2. Ramielle Malubay - granted, partly ranked high due to my pride to the Filipino talent... but I really love the quality of her singing voice. If only she improves on her on-stage performance!
3. Jason Castro - like Brook, his style of singing I enjoy. But unlike Brook, when he didn't have a great performance, he still did good
4. Michael Johns - quickly losing steam, I still like this guy. I still believes he'd be a great singer!
5. Syesha Mercado - really really great vocals. Hope she gets a chance to go further. Her top 11 performance was a start to the right direction.
6. Brook White - she had chosen good songs until the top 12. I like her style though when she sings the right songs that suits her voice. But her top 11 performance was simple horrible. Great singers don't get that bad.
7. Carly Smithson - originally one of my top bets... after hearing her studio performance, I don't think she had that much of an amazing voice anymore.
8. David Archuleta - honestly, to me he's good but his vocals is not as good as the judges and fans say it is
9. Chikezie Ezie - i initially wanted him first to go but he suprised everybody with his top 12 performance.
10. Kristy Lee Cooks - for me she's got good vocals... good enough to reach this far... but only this far
    

But of course, the reality is, I probably wont have it my way. It would depend on everybody else voting in AI, the performances (past and future) and the pre-conceptions or biases people already have. Thus I think (as of date) it stands this way:

My prediction:

1. David Archuleta - damn! this guy only has to do a little to win the judges over and he already has a horde of fans
2. David Cook - he's great! he's leading most of the polls right now so i definitely see him in the finale
3. Jason Castro - very very good performances thus far making me believe he can go all the way to the top 3
4. Michael Johns - when he's good, he's really good. i think he'd get he's bound to get his second wind
5. Carly Smithson - judging from the fact that she got to the bottom 3 this week, it seems she doesn't really have a good fanbase.
6. Brook White - her string of good performances upto the top 12 would be hard to forget
7. Rameille Malubay - the Filipino texting power can only take her this far... she has to win the judges quickly or she might be out earlier than this
8. Chikezie Ezie - his bluegrass style is a fad and should wear of soon enough unless another surprising performance comes along
9. Syesha Mercado - If she doesn't have another magic moment like last week, i'm afraid she's gone.
10. Kristy Lee Cooks - unless this week was country week and she does well, she's next to go

I should say... the next William Hung-type of American Idol is Pinoy! Presenting Renaldo Lapuz of Reno, Nevada who auditioned in Dallas Texas is the buzz from last night's American Idol show.

Although he was not introduced as being Filipino but accent and name pa lang pinoy na pinoy na.

He wasn't as bad as WH and his song is catchy. Sikat nanaman ang pinoy... sa comedy. :P


Lyrics:
I am your brother
Your best friends forever
Singing the songs, the music that you love

We’re brothers till the end of time
Together or not, you’re always in my heart
You hurt your feelings
And you’ll be running no more