No shockers tonight, as my predicted bottom three ended up being the actual bottom three. Elise was the first one saved, as she should have been despite my own worry that she’d get the green weenie. Erika jumped about two feet in the air when she got the last save, so we can assume that making the tour was a huge deal to her as well.Shannonwas the contestant who was eliminated one spot short of the tour. I mean no offense toShannon, but that was about the least painful result anyone could have hoped for.
Shannon will be fine. She’s younger than my own daughter is, with another year of high school to deal with and a strong family around her. They aren’t exactly on food stamps (Daddy’s rich and her Momma’s good lookin’), so she won’t miss the tour money like Elise or Erika would have. She doesn’t desperately need to be a singer so much as she’d like to be a singer. The only negative about Shannon’s run on the show was that she was in too much of a hurry. She could have waited a couple of years and been a serious contender.
The show itself wasn’t much to write about. I fast-forwarded through the lip synced Demi Lovato song, and I liked Chris Daughtry’s new single.
Power Rankings
10- Erika Van Pelt: Now that she’s made the tour she might relax, and bring her considerable talents to the big stage. If she doesn’t she’s gonna be gone in a hurry.
9- Heejun Han: Serious cracks are showing in his Teflon coating on the show itself, but his voting bloc is still very much in his demographically unique corner. How long can they avoid the obvious, and delay the inevitable?
8- Elise Testone: If Elise blows one out of the park next week she might rebuild some momentum, but if she doesn’t she is on borrowed time. Her demographic fanbase is getting it’s butt kicked and it’s lunch money taken away by Heejun’s demographic fan base (let alone the Southern bloc), so won’t ever be easy for her.
7- Deandre Brackensick: I ranked him above Heejun because Heejun isn’t as good as he is; I expect him to be the next guy out of the competition anyway, because there are way more Asians watching than Hawaiians.
6- Hollie Cavanagh: By the time we get down to seven or eight contenders the tiny quibbles about her intonation will be pointed barbs, and the top five are going to be a tough crowd to break into this year.
5- Joshua Ledet: You know it’s a tough crowd when your “moment” only gets you up to fifth place. Colt and Skylar aren’t that far ahead of him, but their demographic bases are traditionally stronger (and more consistent) on the show.
4- Colt Dixon: Colton is in a good position right now, having jumped on a piano one time and “rocked out” another time recently. He gets to go back behind the piano for a couple of weeks to recharge, and maybe find his own moment.
3- Skylar Laine: Fifth through third will be interesting, and don’t assume the survivor of that battle won’t take down Phil-Phil or Jessica, and get their happy butt into the finale. Skylar needs to work on her intonation and pick better songs, and I have to believe that she will. Isn’t it about time for her to get to sing a country song again?
2- Jessica Sanchez: The judges were probably overly harsh with her this week, but this kid is a learner. She’ll find a way to use it to good effect.
1- Phil Phillips: He sounded really good this week, and he added coming back from surgery to his list of heroic accomplishments. I’ll lay 2-1 that some lucky child is going to be saved from a burning building soon, and by early May we might finally get that elusive cure for cancer. I missed the guitar, though. Love the guitar….
