Welcome back  Idol fans. Last week we learned along with the contestants that there were a few new rules to the Hollywood part of the game. All guys one week, Ladies the next. Also, the show’s producers would be choosing the groups instead of the contestants forming their own. Further, these people would be hearing results immediately rather than gathering into a room hoping they’ve been herded into the proper one. Some of this may be a time saving measure and whether that’s the case or not, I welcome the change. I don’t remember how many started the night but only 28 of the guys remain. The final twist of the week, 8 of them will be soon going home and won’t see the live stage. It will be the same drill for the women, tonight.

Let’s get to last night’s show when 162 women/girls show up at the theater. The women are seated in the theater, the judges take their seats, let’s get started. The contestants are brought to the stage in groups of 10 where they will sing an a capella bit for the judges. After all ten sing, the judges deliberate and make their cuts from then. After that, the next group is brought out and it continues until all have sung. Featured in the first group are Mariah Pulice (her story is she’s a recovering anorexic.. Put on a dry-cry fest during her audition causing me to doubt her sincerity), Angela Miller (before she sang a note she gave a soliloquy about wanting to be the next American Idol- the judges seemed annoyed by that). Last of that three, the Mariachi girl, Victoria Acosta singing Killing Me Softly because, as a Mariachi, she likes to tell a story. Of those three, Mariah gets the big boot along with 4 or 5 of the others. Personally I didn’t think any of them were that great. In following groups more cuts. Ashley Smith.. Black girl, glasses, blonde wig/weave and one of the Nominees, Anne Defani (football stadium announcement in Arkansas). Also, didn’t catch her name but one of the first auditions who in addition to her audition number, did Superbass (one of Nicki’s songs).

In a later group, Rachel Hale (Nicki really likes this one, I like them both) and Janelle Arthur, two country powerhouses go head to head. These two are the only of this group of ten who will move forward. We didn’t hear any of the others. Candice Glover, Megan Miller (girl on crutches at audition) are featured next. Candice and two others from the group move forward, Megan Miller and the others do not. I have to say based on what was heard, I agree with the judges (who the hell just said that 😯 ?).. Next featured are Isabelle (no last name given), she and a few others make it through. Next featured are Kez-bon (remember her? Fire eater or twirler, eccentric to say the least, who has a cold and it’s obvious in her singing), Brianna Oakley (Bullied girl who was featured on Maury and came back to a group of mean girls at school).. 2 others were also in that line that we didn’t hear from, all 4 move on. More than half are now gone (86) as there are 76 going to group round.

At 8:30 that night, the girls are called back into the theater. They had already gotten wind that the groups are predetermined (in a rumor) and that is confirmed for them. The producer announces the groups and tells them to get busy. Same as last week, 20 song list to choose from and they would do well to put any cattiness aside and work together. Now, we all know that isn’t going to happen with most of them, is it… A Lot of individuals in this lot of women. The guys who couldn’t share with others and blend with a group, are now gone. So let’s see what happens…

Okay.. Some of the groups are all team players in the spirit of getting it done and none of them going home. On the other hand, we got some Diva’s up in here (with apologies to our own DesignDiva for using that word that way)… Remember Zonette? The one who’s butt stopped jumping 4 minutes after she did? She don’t like the song her group chose so she ‘ain’t feelin’ it’ when they are working with the vocal coaches. KezBon doesn’t like any of the songs on the list except California Dreaming. I think she’s just happy to be in Hollywood as she skips out to get dinner. The other three decide to practice without her in the morning because they are singing the harmonies of their song (her group is called the Misfits btw). Another part of this hot mess group night is they have to put together a routine to go along with the song. Not working well for some.

The following day the ladies are awakened to get ready to go. When they arrive to the theater, Randy will be absent for part of the day. That may be a blessing for some or a curse. I keep seeing shots of one group who have written the lyrics on their hands and arms (big no no from what I understand). In total, there are 19 groups who will be singing with the Idol Band (and we still have to get through the Solo round). As each performs, they will be judged on the spot and told their fate on the show. Let’s get to it. I’m only going to name the ones who make it through. First up, The Swagettes. This is one of those groups who decided no matter what, get the shit together, work together, worry about who goes home later. They were the first to finish putting their act together. I can’t name most of these pop songs so, you’ll have to watch to get what they did.. They did their thing and Candice Glover, Kamiria Ousley, Melinda Ademi, Denise Jackson all are through. Take note ladies in the audience, This is how it’s done (and I didn’t even like the song).

Next shown, Raisin’ Kane… Praise The Lord and Pass the Ammunition.. Morgan Lee Boberg, Lauren Mink, Brandi Hotard and one other (only 3 of them solo’d) are all through. Next, Almost Famous – Savannah Votion, Lizz Weiss, Daysia Hall, J’Leigh Chauvin chose a song that naturally has no harmonies and decided to add them. Nicki says that’s a remix, Mariah is kind of rolling her eyes. At the end of the song, Mariah asks how they felt about the harmonies. She says she felt they were half on, half off. After a quick deliberation, Daysia, is the only one who makes it though. It was Savannah who put the harmonies together and she ain’t happy to be going home. Neither are the other two. It is what it is ladies, your idea didn’t quite work. Thems the breaks and you’re all going home because Daysia kept forgetting the words and you had to cover for her. She even had the words written on her hand. (why is it when people forget the words on these shows, they are given a pass? I suspect so they still have someone to send home on the next round).

The Dramatics- The name fits. Kriss Mincey, Janel Stinney, Crystabel Clack, and one other… Okay, Ms Janel is a MAJOR Diva in the sense of the word I mean it. She, is an Arteest who is a Soloist. She pretty much blew off her group the entire time. Even in the prestage interview where she spewed forth this arteest garbage, the others had to fight to keep from laughing at her. During the group performance she tried to do these Diva runs which tells me, she forgot the words or never knew them to begin with as if she were something special. At the end of this crapfest, Nicki gave the standing ovation (Randy is still not there, he’s in his studio or something like that). Keith asks her if she enjoyed the song (clearly none of them did). Nicki says she enjoyed them messing up the words more than any other performance today. Keith is a bit shocked by that and asks Janel if she rehearsed at all. She says Yes… Mariah asks a similar question, she says yes. Then Nicki asks what’s going on that she didn’t want to rehearse with the other girls.. Now come the waterworks. OMG. PLEASE. She says that she doesn’t fit in. She forgot to tell Nicki that she is an Arteest Soloist because Nicki bought that line of bullshit. Ho-Ly Phar-kin Crap! All four go to the next round. They must REALLY be desperate for people to send home.

Okay you get the point of the group rounds. There were some howlers, and a few who shined. Some groups who all got cut. There was a lot of Oh’s, Hey’s, Yeah’s as the all pretty much tortured the musical scale as they forgot the words. Final performance of the night, The Misfits. ResBan’s group. Now, all throughout the rehearsal time, she was a bit flighty and a wildcard for the group to say the least. They had agreed to do a song that didn’t make her want to toss her lunch because she hates the pop princess stuff. Kind of a girl after my own heart. The song was Be My Baby and they pretty much sang it stock out of the box and it was Good. Standing O from Nicki. She love them and all 4 move on to the next round. ResBan’s group were nervous enough to lay eggs before she opened her mouth and started singing and it went uphill from there.

If you want to see the performances, you can find them here. If you want to see the full episode complete with the drama, here is where I watched it (close ad to watch as free user – start video now.. Close anything else that pops up, download nothing, click nothing).

Solo night..

47 made it through to this day from the original 162. The contestants have free reign here.. Almost anyway. They can choose from a list, do an original, can play an instrument or use the band. Also, I am skipping past any Hallmark bullshit here. I’m over the sob stories.

Angela Miller – Original song.. She wrote it a couple months prior to the show, it’s about releasing emotional baggage, and it’s called “You Set Me Free”. She played the piano with the band….. No way she will not make it through.

Candice Glover- I assume her song was “This Girl Is On Fire”.. She did a good job.. That’s all I really know about it. Similarly, Janelle Arthur.. I don’t know the name of the song, some country song (of course, that’s what she does).. She’s been a solid performer most of the way through. They both have.

Now, OMG… Zoanette Johnston, The Diva (well, one of them)… Didn’t like the song she had originally prepared. So what she does is sit down at a drum set and makes up a song on the fly. Halfway through it, she stops the band and instructs them to slow down. The band in this case, being the backup singers as well (who were singing and playing to her tempo). This 20yo is a clown. I think, she’s a joke contestant intended for comic relief. I’ll give that she’s lively but I do not see her going a lot further in this competition.

Along with an Asian named ‘Jett’ who we didn’t see, all of the above are sent forward. The three that were in line with them, are gone. Shaking my head..

Next up, Shubha Vedula from Mt Pleasant, Michigan. She sang a Maraih Carrey song. Couldn’t tell you what it was but I didn’t hear any sour notes. Julianna Chahayed. Again I don’t know the song but the judges liked it. This brings out KezBan, who also does an original song. She says that it’s like watching her child take his first steps on the the steps are in words and measures. For some odd reason she let Zoanette help style her. Whatever.. Her song was what I would imagine someone doing while stoned in a desert commune circa 1968. It didn’t suck, completely but the judges gave her fate then and there. It’s a no. She’s good with it as she did AI for the fun of it. She’s a square peg in a round hole, she says.  Outside, she talks Ryan into giving her a job. She is now a microphone boom operator/carrier. She’s happy to be included (all joke of course).

Ashlee Feliciano- She says she isn’t feeling well and it kind of shows. At the end of whatever that song was she pushes out one of those sob ballad high notes. She hit the note but I guess it’s not part of the song. She was trying to show the judges what she can do. I already know that later, it is shown she did not make the cut. Randy said it was an interesting song choice and he turns to the audience contestants, and tells them to liven it up, people are too serious and Debbie Downer with their song choice.. My words, not his, but I completely agree. They don’t seem to listen to him though…. Sob story after sob story about break-ups and just shoot me. Melinda Ademi comes up and at least her song is a little more up tempo. This pleases the judges..

Kree Harrison- has had a rough ride with the judges. She is singing Stars by Grace Potter. She’s singing for her now deceased parents. She does a good job… Judgement time.. Kree makes it through as well as two others. One that doesn’t that surprises me is Brianna Oakley. Ashlee also was let go during this group..

I guess this is the end of the girl’s solos but wait! The 24 of them are called back for some other news. It’s time to cut this group to 20.. Randy calls 3 forward, including one of them they JUST sent forward (cruel) and tells them they are done. Now they want a singoff to determine who the other one to send home is. He asks for Stephenie Schimel, to sing whatever she likes, With the band. She is a returning suspect by the way. She does.. I don’t know the song, but she does pretty well. The next one is Rachel Hale. I guess earlier she was put through by the skin of her infectious personality because her song wasn’t good. She sings her song and does pretty well too. Stephenie is out, Rachel has made the top 20. Stephenie leaves, Zoanette stays.. Not that I don’t like Z but Come On….   Really?

Now it’s time to get rid of 8 guys. There is more singoff. First, Adam Sanders.. ‘Take Your Chances’ by Celine Dion and he asks the band to lower the key by one full step. His solo last week was not good. Neither was this one. I don’t think so anyway. He should have lowered it another step because I don’t think he hit a note at all. The entire thing was flat. Next, Josh Holliday.. Georgia on my mind with a 12/8 ending.. He wants to be a gospel singer and while he’s playing up the ending of the song, he splits his pants from the crotch to the knee. Everyone gets a good chuckle out of it. Now it’s time for the cuts. Nicki wants the people who are called to take 3 steps forward. Peter Garrett, Marvin Calderone, Devin Jones, Kenny Harrison, Will White, Tony Foster, David Leathers Jr, and Adam Sanders. All cut.

If you want to see the performances, you can find them here. If you want to see the full episode complete with the drama, here is where I watched it (close ad to watch as free user – start video now.. Close anything else that pops up, download nothing, click nothing).

See you next week in Las Vegas when the 40 contestants perform in a sudden death semi final in front of a live audience.