by Gina Scarpa

American Idol's Top 8 take the stage for tonight to sing songs from the year they were born.  I'm slightly apprehensive just because that means lots and lots of 80s songs.  It's going to be tough for these contestants to take the songs and make them feel fresh and new but, for a few of them, I have faith that they'll be able to pull it off.  Before each performance, baby photos and childhood stories were relayed in videos of each contestant and I couldn't help but smile.  Let's see if that smile stays on my face through the performances.  Here we go...

Danny Gokey - "Stand By Me" by Mickey Gilley
My love for Danny Gokey is quickly fading by the week and that hurts my heart to say that.  Heading into the Top 36, he was my favorite to win the competition.  However, I'm tiring of his "tug at your heartstrings" songs.  It could be the fact that I'm the world's most cynical person.  The judges can't seem to find one bad thing to say about him and it's completely obvious that they're pushing Danny and Adam towards the finale.  I'm not saying that they don't deserve to be there but I think everybody could use a little constructive criticism here and there.

Kris Allen - "All She Wants to Do is Dance" by Don Henley
I'm still a fan of Kris Allen - he's just the cutest thing, isn't he?  Nice guy, good singer, very likable... it's a winning combo when you think about it.  With people like Adam and Danny in the competition this season, he surely won't win this thing but I still hold out hope for good things to come Kris's way when Idol comes to a close.  Simon and Randy hated his song choice tonight but I thought that it was fine.  Okay, I guess I can see their point though.  Fine doesn't win competitions.

Lil Rounds - "What's Love Got to Do With It" by Tina Turner
Usually, when you ask me which female I want to go Top 5, I'd say Lil but her inconsistency is causing me to rethink that.  While she looks great tonight (thanks for that important feedback, Paula) she turns in a performance that is fair at best.  I just don't get it because I think Lil is super talented.  Perhaps it's song choice.  Simon calls her a second or third rate Tina Turner.  Ouch.  When you're gonna sing a Tina song, you better make sure that you can compete with the original and this performance just didn't come close.

Anoop Desai - "True Colors" by Cyndi Lauper
Speaking of inconsistent contestants... that brings us to Anoop Desai, who I'm actually liking on tonight's show.  Anoop can sing, we know that.  The problem is that he switches back and forth between ballads that really show off what he can do and silly, upbeat songs that make him seem like a frat guy on a dare.  Anoop needs to figure out who he would be as an artist because he's a bit all over the place for me right now.  Still, he surprised me with his song choice tonight and surprised me even more by making me like it.  The judges give it a thumbs up.

Scott MacIntyre - "The Search is Over" by Survivor
Please, America, I'm begging now.  Please stop voting for Scott and keeping him in the competition.  I don't get what he's even doing there.  First of all, and I hope I don't make any enemies by saying this, but "The Search Is Over" is a lame song.   I didn't like it then and it certainly is not a song that comes across as fresh and new in 2009.  The judges don't like his performance and I'm hoping that the public agreed.  On tomorrow night's elimination episode, I'll be keeping fingers crossed that that was the last performance I had to sit through.  Seriously.

Allison Iraheta - "I Can't Make You Love Me" by Bonnie Raitt
Allison must have gotten the message that her outfit last week was partially responsible for American refusing to pick up the phone for her.  She tones down her ensemble, and her mood tonight, for this mellow Bonnie Raitt song.  Allison is the only contestant not born in the 80s.  Considering what a rocker Allison is, and how great the 90s was for rock, I was kinda hoping for a different song choice.  However, I like what Allison did tonight and the judges do too.  It's always hard to say where Allison will end up in the results show each week but hopefully, this week, she'll be safe.

Matt Giraud - "Part Time Lover" by Stevie Wonder
I really think American Idol has a song catalog for the contestants to choose from that is not very large.  Does anyone remember Kevin Covais singing this?  I shudder to this day.  To me, Matt is a total individual, so I hope he'll choose songs in the future that haven't been done.  I still can't figure out why the judges have been so hard on Matt but tonight, they're all about love for him and that warms my heart.  I want Matt in the Top 3 and I doubt there's anything that will sway me from that opinion.  He was energetic tonight, he was entertaining, and best of all, he sang the hell out of it.

Adam Lambert - "Mad World" by Tears for Fears
What a surprise - Adam closes the show.  Of course, Adam is brilliant and gives the best vocal performance of the night.  Nobody gets to give feedback except for Simon, because of time, and all he can do is give the guy a standing ovation.  You don't have to like Adam, but nobody comes close to him.  It's a bit ridiculous actually.

Check out American Idol's results show, Wednesday night at 9pm on FOX.

(Image courtesy of FOX)

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