AI5 Semifinals Round 3:
The Guys Duke It Out

With one last shot at making the Top 12, the guys turned up the heat Wednesday night on American Idol 5. While most didn't quite live up to their full potential this week (much like the girls), the guys certainly took the lead in terms of drive and passion. The competition is intense as we head into the finals next week, with several frontrunners in serious contention.

Following is the It's Destiny! panel's take on the
AI5 Semi-Finals Round 3: Guys.

Gedeon McKinney "When A Man Loves A Woman"
Tammy: Again, Gedeon stays in his box, and it looks like he's not planning on moving from there anytime soon. He does well with this song, but I don't think that he's as good as the judges like to pretend he is. His version of WAMLAW is a bit too studied, and the glory note he tacked on at the end just seemed out of place and a tad ridiculous.
Score: 7.0
Destiny: Girl, you are so wrong about this one! Gedeon's got it all, y'all! Love the outfit again. Love the singing again. Love everything...AGAIN. There is something so intriguing about him that leaves me wanting to see more and more. Please vote for this guy, America!
Score: 9.3
Liza: Do you love the way he talks too? Because that is just straight-up WEIRD. But having said that, I have to give it up for Gedeon. I am not a fan of this song at all, and I've never really been a fan of Gedeon's, but this performance made me change my mind on both fronts. That was really good!
Score: 9.25
Chris Daughtry "Broken"
Tammy: Chris does a good job with "Broken", though it sounds a little odd without Amy Lee. Last week probably was better for Chris, but this performance still was impressive and professional. His position in the Top 12 is a lock, who are we kidding?
Score: 8.6
Destiny: Yeah, I agree that he's a lock for the Top 12. I've had a feeling since I saw Chris' first audition that he would win this competition or at least make it to the finale. I still feel that way, but it's based on a gut feeling, not because I love him or his artistry. I just don't get anything out of his performances, this week included. Yes, the voice is nice, but it is still in need of some color. He's just too one-note for my liking.
Score: 7.0
Liza: Isn't this the same song he sang last week? Kidding. In a way. Simon is right that it's not a song that people will remember afterwards, and an hour later, I'll have to agree. However, from what I do remember, I did like the performance. His voice tends to get goatish at times, so if he can rein that in a bit, it'll be good. And I agree, he's as much a sure thing for the Top 12 as you can get.
Score: 8.5
Kevin Covais "Vincent"
Tammy: Kevin's vocals were pretty good on this song, which is surprising, because it's certainly a song with which he could have crashed and burned. He seems most comfortable singing this type of tune. But he still seems way out of his league at this point. Thanks for trying, kid.
Score: 7.0
Destiny: Yeah, it's time for the singing frog to go home. The lisp, the nervous twitching eyes, the sweet song. It's all nice and innocent, but it isn't American Idol caliber. The joke's over, folks.
Score: 6.0
Liza: I like the kid; he's funny and is a really good sport, but singing-wise? BORING. Boring song, boring delivery. And also a bit nasally and goatish.
Score: 5.5
Bucky Covington "Wave On Wave"
Tammy: I don't know this song. Bucky did an adequate job with it, doing what he's been doing for the past few weeks. He seems to know the persona he wants to project, and if you like that sort of thing, this is right up your alley. Unfortunately, I don't think Bucky has enough charisma or talent to take him much further.
Score: 7.3
Destiny: I agree that he is doing what he can do probably as good as he can. It's not quite up my alley, but he is starting to win me over. Two weeks ago I wouldn't have said Bucky would be in the Top 12, but now I think he will. I just have this feeling that he's turned up the charm and shown his real self just enough to make America pick up that phone and vote for him.
Score: 7.0
Liza: This isn't my thing either, but I admire the fact that he sticks to his roots and does HIS thing. I thought it was good for what it is, but the fact of the matter is that I'd never listen to it if it came on the radio.
Score: 7.0
Will Makar "How Sweet It Is"
Tammy: Will seems a lot more confident, and his voice shone on his song choice this week. However, I think that more current songs would probably connect with his '11 year old' fanbase, and help define his 'idol' persona. Because after that performance, would you have any idea of who Will Makar is or what kind of album he would make? Not so much. Will needs to make himself memorable, and that was not the performance with which to do that.
Score: 6.5
Destiny: I think this performance and song choice did make Will more memorable than what he's done before. I thought the song was a good choice, and I loved the arrangement he did. That bit at the beginning where he asked the 11-year-old girls of the world to unite in Japanese was adorable. He is smart, too, to embrace his voting demographic instead of trying to fight it. And the outfit was definitely a step in the right direction in terms of creating a pop star identity. Hopefully Will does get the votes. I'd love to see him week to week. And how on Earth does Randy Jackson diss Will and give what Kevin Covais did mad props? Irritating. Oh, and when did the AI website become americanidol.com instead of idolonfox.com?
Score: 8.0
Liza: I didn't think it was a good song choice for him. I've said it a few times this season with a few people, but again, it was very high school talent show. However, I do like Will's voice, and I love his personality (that Japanese bit was hilarious), and he seems very comfortable on stage, unlike his fellow teen partner in crime Kevin, who has perfected the stand and blink stage moves.
Score: 6.5
Taylor Hicks "Takin' It To The Streets"
Destiny: I am not a fan of this song, but I can't imagine how it could be done better. Taylor is just a special artist that is almost too good for American Idol. The judges don't deserve to cast judgment on him.
Score: 9.0
Liza: Destiny, that's so Simon Cowell to Zack Werner. Isn't that what the judges are there for? To judge?? As are we, at least on this website. Heh. Anyway, I thought it was a perfect song choice for Taylor. He is very reminiscent of Michael McDonald in both looks and vocals. In fact, he sounds eerily like him on this song. I would have scored him higher if not for the end when he really started to spaz out with those Elaine Benes dance moves. I had to look away, but I can't deny that his vocals were flat-out awesome, if not copycat.
Score: 9.0
Elliott Yamin "Heaven"
Tammy: That was a seriously subpar performance from Elliott. That song choice did not suit him at all. He tried to do some sort of R&B spin on a rock song, and it just did.not.work. Yikes. That song was completely devoid of any passion. Bryan Adams weeps.
Score: 6.0
Destiny: I totally disagree about the song choice, Tammy. I think it was smart. But I do think he could have put a lot more into the arrangement. I would have liked him to kick the chorus up a few notes and totally bust it. He played it safe. Luckily, he has room to do that based on the hype he's created for himself in the previous two weeks. Here's hoping when he makes it to the Top 12, that he utilizes his voice to its full potential. Because the room for making mistakes or playing it safe is going to disappear quite quickly.
Score: 8.0
Liza: I'm siding with Tammy on this one. I thought it was an ill-suited song as well. He sounded good, but it was far from my favorite performance of his. Elliott is more suited to the soulful songs. I'd really like to hear Katharine McPhee sing the acoustic version of this song, actually.
Score: 7.75
Ace Young "Butterfly"
Tammy: Ace's falsetto on this one at times for me was a wee bit painful. I'm not sure I could take an entire concert of Ace Falsetto without running for the doors. Aside from those few wonky notes, Ace confidently pulled it off. He certainly knows how he wants to market himself, if these song choices are any indication.
Score: 8.4
Destiny: Yes, Ace certainly knows what he's doing. He commanded the stage whilst taking major risks with this song. I do agree that he had some vocal problems, but he pulled it off with such passion and style that he made me kind of overlook those problems. He is playing the game to win, and I love that.
Score: 8.3
Liza: Well, I can't overlook that falsetto. Good grief, that was so cringe-worthy!!! Dogs are howling, glasses are shattering. It was bad, yo. Somewhere in South San Francisco, Sway and his falsetto are cursing their fate. But Ace's saving grace is that he's good-looking (well, he's meh to me, but good-looking to a lot of others), a good performer and knows how the work the camera and the audience.
Score: 6.0

Who Should Be Eliminated
Tammy: Will, Kevin
Destiny: Kevin, Chris
Liza: Kevin, Ace
Who Will Be Eliminated
Tammy: Will, Kevin
Destiny: Kevin, Gedeon (I hope I'm wrong!!!)
Liza: Kevin, Bucky

Click here to check out the It's Destiny! panel's take on the girls of AI5 this week.

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