Idol Inspiration
It's Idol Gives Back week, and the Top 8 contestants got to sing an "inspirational" song of their choosing. With several tepid performances in the group, however, it certainly wasn't the most inspirational night of the season. Adding to the funk were the judges' (namely Randy's) frustrating off-the-mark assessments of the performances.

Following is the It's Destiny! panel's take on the AI7 Top 8: Inspirational Songs.

Michael Johns "Dream On"
Tammy: I liked this performance. I thought the song suited his voice (except for those last dreadful notes--it was interesting how he tried to sell it, like what he was doing sounded good...oh, Michael.) He spent too much time at center stage for my liking, though, and I would have preferred that he moved around a bit more and involved the crowd.
Score: 8.5
Liza: I'm not quite sure how this song is an inspirational song per se, and that stupid scarf thing is back, but Michael can do little wrong lately. He's really using his powerful vocals, and he didn't Jordis Unga the high notes! Randy Jackson can shut up with his pitchiness and pigeon-holing. Oh, and hi, Lacey Schwimmer!
Score: 8.25
Destiny: This would not have been my first choice for Michael, but I thought he did a good job with it. And word to Randy Jackson needing to zip his lip! My biggest complaint, however, is with the director of the show: why in the world did you choose to show so many shots of the band during this performance? When Michael Johns is on the stage the camera should stay glued to his beauty. What a waste!
Score: 8.5

Syesha Mercado "I Believe"
Tammy: Syesha was slightly out of tune for most of the song, and I can't say I appreciated the Note of Desperation at the end (I don't like it when Mariah does it, either). Bottom three bound, I'm predicting. And if you don't want to be compared to Fantasia, dear, you have to sing the song differently, and put your stamp of originality on it. Hmm, I wonder why she's having difficulty with that task...?
Score: 7.4
Liza: I don't know why Syesha thought she could possibly succeed doing this song. Yes, she sang it well from a technical standpoint and did at times sound very lovely, but there is no way that she won't get compared to Fantasia, who brought SO much emotion to the song, or even Diana in the grand finale. Syesha? The manner in which she sang it was a bit soul-less and vacant. And pageanty. As usual.
Score: 7.0 (9.0 for vocals, 5.0 for presentation)
Destiny: Syesha knows darn well that she wanted to be compared to Fantasia (and Whitney last week), because she thinks she is at or above their level. Why else would she choose the song? Her vocal abilities are not what she thinks they are. She would do herself a huge favor by going outside of the "diva" genre. Then, perhaps, she might be able to make herself somewhat interesting. This performance was pretty mediocre.
Score: 7.0

Jason Castro "Somewhere Over The Rainbow"
Tammy: I found myself enchanted by this performance. I started off sort of 'meh', but by the end he'd drawn me in completely. He really does have a unique look and sound, and sort of Mraz-ian appeal about him.
Score: 9.3
Liza: Awww the ukulele version. That's a great pick for Jason. It was lovely, but the jumbling of lyrics really bugs me. I know that's how the Hawai'ian singer did it, but it's disconcerting to me. As are some of the faces he makes when he sings. But overall, one of the best of the night.
Score: 8.5
Destiny: Yes, Mr. Castro is certainly appealing. I liked this song choice and performance (though the lyric jumbling did bug me, too). Once again, I was nervous what the judges were going to say about him, and I was pleasantly surprised. Another iTunes hit, y'all!
Score: 9.0

Kristy Lee Cook "Anyway"
Tammy: I have to agree with the judges' comments: good, not great, just about sums it up. The Idol stylist finally got it right, and she did give her best performance so far. I'd be surprised to see her get booted from the show after this.
Score: 8.5
Liza: OK I have to give it up for Kristy because she actually did a really nice job. This is a great song, and I didn't think she was a good enough singer to do this justice, but she totally did. It WAS her best performance of the whole season. I still, however, do not like her singing stance. That shot of her crouching on stage with Paula in the foreground doing her weird Paula dancing kind of thing just looked VERY odd.
Score: 8.0
Destiny: She looked fantastic this week. Perfect outfit, makeup and hair. And I love her singing stance- so cool. And I thought the song choice was perfect, as well. Kristy Lee has undeservedly been branded as the one who doesn't deserve to be there this season, and I don't get it. This was a star performance, and I think she could (and should) be a Country star. She sounded great, and wins the night's award for most effectively conveying an "inspirational" message.
Score: 9.1

David Cook "Innocent"
Tammy: The Raine Maida inflection as he sang, the weird posturing in front of the judges for the second half of the performance, and the strange song arrangement (hello first verse, where might you be?) all added up to a very sub-par performance for David. Oh well, we all have off weeks.
Score: 7.8
Liza: Um, where did that voice come from? That low voice thing was kind of scary. While I appreciate that he did not stick us with all ballads this week, WHAT was that song, and WHAT was that cheesy "give back" thing on his hand?
Score: 6.25 (points deducted for the hand thing)
Destiny: I thought this performance as a whole was good. It started off kind of weird, but David tied it all together in a cool and professional way. I, for one, loved the bracelet around his hand and the message written on the other (and perfectly revealed at the end of the song). The judges just killed the whole thing, though, with their idiotic comments. To call an "inspirational" song performance pompous is just ridiculous. It wasn't David's best, I agree, but it was good.
Score: 8.5

Carly Smithson "Show Must Go On"
Tammy: This girl is just living in the wrong era. She seems like she'd be most comfortable in the 80's, with big hair and power ballads aplenty. Tonight, she again sounded like she was straining her voice, and the song never really reeled me in.
Score: 7.7
Liza: I'm perplexed by this song choice. This should have been her week to Celine it up with a schmaltzy ballad. Last week's song was so beautiful, and this was, as Simon said, angry and out of place with the night. And I don't think her wardrobe improved too much. And I have got to call shenanigans on her claim that she saw Freddy Mercury on Live Aid when she was a little girl. She was 2 years old! There is no way that she remembers that!
Score: 6.0
Destiny: Like last week, Carly's song was better than her singing/performance. She has an appealing personality when doing her post-singing stage banter, but has yet to show any real beauty or emotion in her voice while singing, and this week didn't change that. To make things worse, the second half of the song totally fell apart and was just a complete off-key, off-tempo mess. She was lucky the judges didn't really stick it to her.
Score: 4.0

David Archuleta "Angels"
Tammy: His best performance since 'Imagine'. The song suited his voice, and he seems comfortable hiding behind the piano. Whatever works, I guess.
Score: 8.3
Liza: I really like this song when Robbie William sings it, but I really didn't like the ways in which David changed up the melody. I'm really not getting Randy tonight because the runs being the hottest moment on this show? WHAT?! I thought he oversang it a bit.
Score: 7.25
Destiny: I thought this was David's worst performance by a mile. I've never cared for this song (contrary to Simon, most of Europe, Tammy and Liza), and David didn't do anything to change that. I thought he sounded weak during the first half of the song, and the second half only got slightly better. You'd think this guy who loves songs with a "great message" would soar on inspirational songs week, but it all was just nothing.
Score: 7.0

Brooke White "You've Got A Friend"
Tammy: She was workin' the singer-songwriter vibe again, with more success this week. She failed to wave her magic wand and enchant me the way Jason did, however. It was more along the lines of 'lulled me to sleep'.
Score: 8.4
Liza: I have a total soft spot for Carole King's version of this song, so combine that with Brooke wearing her heart on her sleeve while singing this song, and I just love it. The judges called it "pleasant" and not exactly in a complimentary way, but just because she didn't glory-note it doesn't mean it wasn't beautiful.
Score: 8.75
Destiny: I agree with Tammy that Brooke did a good job with the song, but that it lacked a magic wand of enchantment that a singer like this needs to make a big impact in this competition. I would have liked a more "friendly" take on the song from her, rather than the slow and somber version she gave. Singing and performing aside, I have to say that I didn't care for Brooke's hair or the staging of the song. She is best when her hair is naturally curly and she is sitting (perhaps at the piano or on a step) connecting to the audience just straight on. This whole thing just seemed a bit too fancy/formal and not earthy enough. As has come to be routine with her, Brooke was more emotional and made more of an impact AFTER she sang rather while she was singing.
Score: 8.0

Who Should Be Eliminated:
Tammy: Syesha
Liza: Syesha
Destiny: Syesha or Carly

Who Will Be Eliminated:
Tammy: Syesha
Liza: Syesha
Destiny: Syesha

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Last week we asked you, "For Whom Did You Vote On Idol?"
31% Michael, 15% David A., 14% David C., 10% Jason,
7% Kristy Lee, 5% Brooke, 3% Carly, 1% Syesha, 1% Ramiele

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