Blake & Jordin Make It Final On American Idol
American Idol had it's final night of competition Tuesday night with a showdown between a contemporary artist and a classic vocalist. Blake Lewis and Jordin Sparks are the best Top 2 this competition has seen since Justin and Kelly. The judges and producers made it obviously clear who they want to win, but try as they may to belittle Mr. Lewis in an attempt to raise up Ms. Sparks, there's no doubt that he is one of the best contestants and artists this show has ever seen. It would be nice to have a finale in which the viewers could just choose who they like without any campaigning from the judges and producers via pointed remarks, declarations of the winner, uneven editing, etc.. Blake and Jordin are both more than capable of doing their own bidding, and the audience is more than capable of deciding whom they like. Regardless of the outcome, these two turned in a respectable night, providing a nice cap to an entertaining season.

Following is the It's Destiny! panel's take on the AI6 Top 2: The Finals.

Last week we asked our readers which guest panelist you wanted to come back to review the finals with us. And the winner is... 16-year-old Chris D. from Niagara! Chris was our first guest panelist of the season, proving that going first may not really be a bad thing...

Blake Lewis "You Give Love A Bad Name"
Chris D.: I appreciate it when contestants bring a bit of artistry to the usually drab AI stage, however, I much preferred this the first time around. His vocals were off in spots (the mic stand maneuvers didn't help that). I think the greater problem lies in the fact that the original is belted and Blake isn't exactly known for his powerhouse vocals, likely due to his small mouth. Still, he kept me entertained, which can't be said for 3/4 of this season.
Score: 8.0
Tammy: I'm glad to have you back, Chris, but...WHAT? I couldn't disagree more. Blake made this song a performance and effortlessly worked the crowd like a real pro. You wouldn't know that it was only his second time performing this song. His vocals, while not overwhelming, were certainly not so bad that he needed to be repeatedly dinged by the judges for being more of a 'performer' than a vocalist (which is just a nice way of saying you can't sing). I mean, save that comment for Sanjaya, y'know?
Score: 9.7
Liza: Ah, Chris. I see why you won the contest to come back with lines like "Blake isn't exactly known for his powerhouse vocals, likely due to his small mouth". HA! And I totally get what you're saying about preferring it the first time around. While I didn't like it the first time, I have grown to appreciate it more, and I guess I do like it better than I did earlier, but I think it lost a lot of its magic by being redone. But that's par for the course everytime there's a reprise (i.e. Fantasia's "Summertime", Katharine McPhee's "Over The Rainbow"). Performance quality and energy was tight, but the vocals were weaker. But I also agree with Tammy that the vocals weren't so bad that he needed to be dinged for not being a vocalist. They'd need to save that one for his next performance!
Score: 8.0
Destiny: Welcome back, Chris! Too bad I have to disagree with you right off the bat. I thought Blake sounded fantastic on this song. Blake is a brilliant singer, and I, too, resent the fact that the judges paint him as a weak vocalist. It's a cheap shot, and it's simply not true. They are correct, though, in their assessment that he is a great performer. This ties with his original version of this song as the best performance of the season out of anyone. Sure, the first time he did it it had that extra keep-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat magic of a first time surprise. But what this reprisal lacked in surprise, was made up for in Blake's command of the new huge stage, venue and crowd. We've never seen anything like this on American Idol, and I for one am more than thrilled to see it. Bravo, yet again, Blake! And how cute were Chris Richardson and Phil Stacey in the audience cheering on Blake? They were so proud of him, they were like beaming parents. Love it!
Score: 9.9

Jordin Sparks "Fighter"
Chris D.: It's nice to see a different Christina song being sung for a change. heh. Christina is known for her 4-octave range, and it was evident some of the notes were out of Jordin's range as she resorted to shrieking. Good not great.
Score: 8.0
Tammy: Shrieking is right. First of all, who in their right mind would have picked this song for Jordin? After the Bon Jovi night debacle, you'd think that she would be wise enough to stay as far away as possible from any song that even remotely has any 'rock' elements, as it is very evident that she just cannot sell such a song. This performance was very karaoke, and Jordin did not work or move around the stage at all (the latter which could probably be blamed on those boots which sported dagger-like heels...just looking at them, I think 'ouch!').
Score: 7.9
Liza: I think Jordin was trying to prove her critics who say she can't do up-tempo numbers wrong. Uh, she failed. She also showed that she was more of a small, intimate stage kind of gal. She got eaten alive on that big stage with that band. Her vocals could not pierce through until she started shrieking/shouting. I also thought her timing was off on the beginning of the spoken part.
Score: 7.5
Destiny: I have to agree that this wasn't a great song choice or performance for Jordin. The quick tempo and jam-packed amount of lyrics make it a serious challenge of a song to sing. Jordin gets points for making it through the song without a blunder, but at this stage of the game we're looking for so much more than just getting through a song. She sounded vocally weak and out-of-breath. That being said, Jordin is charming and has such an appealing tone to her voice that even her weakest performances are enjoyable.
Score: 8.5

Blake Lewis "She Will Be Loved"
Chris D.: You can definitely hear a bit of Adam Levine in Blake's voice. The problem is there's little else to say; he did well as expected, which likely spoiled his chances.
Score: 8.2
Tammy: While the Maroon 5 song was once again a fine fit for Blake's voice, a song with a little more bite to it, like 'Harder to Breathe' seems like it would have been a better choice. 'She Will Be Loved' doesn't really resonate, though his vocals did sound lovely (except for the falsetto, which I was not so much in love with).
Score: 8.5
Liza: I was so underwhelmed not only by the song choice but the performance. Maroon 5 again? And a slow song that's meant for a strong singer with good falsetto? This was a bad choice for Blake. I agree with Simon - it doesn't make much of an impact unless you can really sing it. It kind of goes against everything that makes Blake stand out. And that falsetto sounded rank. Sorry! (But he's in good company - Adam Levine's falsetto sounds rank live too!). And is that a pink shirt with a green and brown argyle sweater?! Gah!
Score: 7.0
Destiny: I thought Blake sounded great and turned in a heartfelt, well-crafted performance of this song. I agree, though, that this wasn't the best song choice he could have made. I think he would have been better served, in terms of racking in votes, to choose another up-tempo song instead of a ballad. That being said, where can I buy the record?
Score: 9.0

Jordin Sparks "A Broken Wing"
Chris D.: While the instrumentals tended to drown her out, her vocals were superb. One of the finest vocals of this season.
Score: 9.75
Tammy: Jordin did sound quite strong in her lower register as the song began, but she was very shaky throughout, and there was a moment or two that were borderline painful as she once again went sharp while reaching for notes that weren't quite within her grasp. And better than the original, Randy? Nice to see you're not playing favorites or anything.
Score: 9.0
Liza: I think Randy meant better than the first time she sang it, which I agree with. She sounded absolutely lovely. This was the best vocal of the night.
Score: 9.3
Destiny: Oh, I think Randy clearly meant Jordin was better than Martina McBride, in his full-blown playing favorites mode. It was a bit overreaching either way, seeing as this wasn't even better than Jordin's original version of the song. But Jordin is not to blame for the judges'/producers' behavior, so I won't hold that against her. The judges' comments aside, I appreciated the effort Jordin poured into her extremely theatrical delivery of this song. Like Liza said, Jordin sounded lovely. There were a few wobbly notes throughout, but the overall outcome was a great performance. And Jordin looked sensational to boot. Loved the outfit.
Score: 9.2

Blake Lewis "This Is My Now"
Chris D.: And the tradition of the dreck coronation songs continues. There was a definite disconnect from the song and the audience as he sang, clearly because the song was an ill fit stylistically. He further struggled as his timing wasn't completely in synch with the back-up singers and he stumbled over a few notes along the way.
Score: 7.0
Tammy: Blake looked like he wanted to be anywhere other than on that stage performing that soaked in saccharine, vomit-inducing mess of a song. He completely checked out during the song and seemed to be already conceding defeat. Sad. Too bad the songwriters were in the audience and he couldn't rip on the song.
Score: 7.0
Liza: Oh poor Blake. I felt his soul being sucked out by the musical demons as he sang this dreck. This song makes Blake's choice of "She Will Be Loved" even more curious. Closing with two ballads is going to kill him. But he was screwed anyway when he was given this song. The only thing he could have done was try to re-arrange it and add a little beat-boxing just to stand out. Otherwise, without even hearing Jordin sing it, I know he's going to get slaughtered by her in the last song. But then again, I don't think he wants to win anyway, especially if he has to sing this at every appearance. I give him credit for trying to get through it, but it did not work at all.
Score: 7.0
Destiny: I have to disagree with all of you. I thought Blake actually put a lot into this performance and seemed fully committed to it. I didn't get a phoning-it-in vibe at all during the performance. And I seriously appreciate that. I thought his staging of the song was endearing and so entertaining. It was all very Moulin Rouge. And if we had heard him do this song without the expectations of it being a corny coronation song, I think it definitely has an alternative vibe to it and could be a Lewis hit. Being one of the rare ones who actually listened to and rated all twenty songs in the songwriting competition, I was slightly disappointed with "This Is My Now" as the choice (it would have been my 3rd choice out of the 20), as I think "In Your Eyes" would have been a better fit for Blake. But Blake made me like "This Is My Now" more than I did, and as any artist of worth would do, he put his own spin on the song. I agree with Liza that he could have maybe beatboxed/noised-it-up and re-arranged it a little more, but I am more than satisfied with what he did. I'll be rewatching this one and buying the single.
Score: 9.2

Jordin Sparks "This Is My Now"
Chris D.: I wasn't as satisfied with this as the judges were. The first bit sounded a quartertone flat, but she recovered and finished well. On a side note, since the season is now over, this tops AI3 as the most mediocre season ever IMO. No one had a "wow" moment as Jennifer did with "Weekend in New England," as Bo did with "Whipping Post," or as Paris did with "These Foolish Things" to name a few. It appears as though Idol is losing some of it's steam. Hopefully CI5 will be more promising.
Score: 8.75
Tammy: Jordin did perform this song better than Blake, but this should come as a surprise to no one, as Idol coronation songs aren't generally suited for a male's voice (recall Justin's version of "A Moment Like This", for instance). However, any appreciation I had for her flew out the window when they showed her rehearsal footage during the recap at the end of the show, and Jordin was practicing tearing up during rehearsal. The little shyster! And yet? You know with those tears, she just sealed her fate as the next American Idol winner. Bah. I call shenanigans!
Score: 8.6
Liza: I disagree a little, Chris, about this season. I thought Melinda's "My Funny Valentine" was a "wow" moment, and I suppose Blake did on Bon Jovi night. Sanjaya had a few wows, although not the "Whipping Post" kind. Heh. I don't hold any hope for CI5 to be more interesting, as the last two CIs have been dreadful. But, back to Jordin, this song suits Jordin much more than Blake, and I fully expect her to sing it Wednesday night with fireworks raining down. She nailed the requisite glory note and choked up at the end, a la Carrie Underwood in the season 4 finale. Girl knows how to play the game, and it's game, set, match, Jordin Sparks.
Score: 9.0
Destiny: I didn't think this was a vocal knock-out as the judges tried so hard to paint it as being. Yes, Jordin sounded lovely on the song, but in no way would I say that she "wiped the floor with Blake". I expected more from her, especially in the glory notes department. Too bad all this favoritism and seeming shenanigans have to exist, because they taint the impression one has of Jordin Sparks and leave a bad taste in one's mouth. Despite all that, I thought this season was a good one, with several standout moments. Stay tuned for our Top 10 list coming soon!
Score: 9.0

Who Should Win:
Chris D.: Jordin
Tammy: Blake
Liza: Jordin
Destiny: Blake

Who Will Win:
Chris D.: Jordin
Tammy: Jordin
Liza: Jordin
Destiny: Jordin

Thank You, Guest Panelists!
This season we've kicked things up a notch by welcoming a different guest panelist to our reviews each week. We'd like to thank each and every one of them for their input. It's been a blast!

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