American Idol 10 Wrap-Up: 25 Best Performances

To the obligatory count: 6 months. 39 episodes. 146 live performances. 12 elimination rounds. Yes, with another season in the history books, I compiled a list of the most memorable live performances up to the Finale.

I must say, whittling down the performances to 25 is absolutely terrible. With a fantastic and diverse set of contestants this year, it was almost next to impossible. Of course, there were a couple of trainwrecks along the way, but it was just a handful compared to the usual. Plus, there were seriously good performances from different contestants. It's almost insane!

One thing though, just like many other lists or countdowns, this one is extremely biased. It's based on personal preferences. There will probably be some performances that are nowhere to be found on your list that may be as high as 10 or something on here - actually I guarantee it. But please respond maturely, flames don't make me particularly happy.

Now, we pay tribute to the performances that made this season worth watching - and reviewing!:

Honorable Mentions!

Week: Top 11 Redux

Theme: Elton John

Week: Top 24

Theme: None

Week: Top11

Theme: Motown

Week: Top 5

Theme: Now

Week: Top 9

Theme: Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame

Here are the TOP 25 Best Live Performances of Season 10:

25. Daniel

Thia Megia

Week: Top 11 Redux
Theme: Elton John

Possibly the most underrated performance this season!! I admit, I thought it was just another boring performance from Thia, but it got progressively better until the end. It was pure, natural and the tone to her voice was lovely. She started and ended great and if she had supported the verses and chorus just the same, this would've been phenomenal. But that's just me nitpicking, I really felt her and I had shivers listening to this.

24. If You Don't Know Me By Now

Stefano Langone

Week: Top 12
Theme: Year You Were Born

This performance showed the emergence of a new credible competitor that week. I thought that this was a very good vocal and it actually reminded me a bit of a fusion of David Archuleta and Elliott Yamin. Sure, he generally sounded really good until the end where he ran out of breath and I could have done with less random oohs and ahhs, but this definitely nudged himself onto the ring of contention. 

23. Seven Day Fool

Lauren Turner

Week: Top 24
Theme: None

It was such a shame that this other Lauren didn't seem to get much credit in this competition. Sigh. To me, she absolutely killed this performance and I was really hoping more people understood just how amazing this woman was and why she deserved to go far in the competition. Sure, she started off slow in the verses, but when she got into it half way through, she never looked back! She has a supple voice with power and although the arrangement was a little too cheesy for my taste, the energy she exuded during that performance was shocking. ROBBED!

22. A House Is Not A Home

Jacob Lusk

Week: Top 24
Theme: None

I admit, I'm not in anyway a big fan of Lusky Stank, but this was a very powerful performance. Color me surprised, but Jacob just made a mockery of the people that week who performed before him, it was as if he was like "B*tches, watch how it's done" - of course, he was competing with the other guys. Haha. I particularly enjoyed the fact that he had some comparatively restrained moments in the beginning and he delivered that song with a lot of style and power. I’m not sure if I was emotionally connected to it, but it made me appreciate him a lot more. The phrasing, the modulation, the dynamics; they were all so pitch-perfect.

21. Anyway

Lauren Alaina

Week: Top 4
Theme: Inspirational Song

Well, this actually felt like an Idol coronation song! It felt original and I could really picture Lauren singing this while being showered in confetti at the Nokia theater. There were a couple of notes early on that were just a touch flat, but when she really hit the power, her vocals soared. I was just glad that somehow she didn't hold back on that note because if Kristy Lee Cook pulled this one really well, I don't see why Lauren can't.

20. What Is And What Should Never Be

Haley Reinhart

Week: Top 3

Theme: Personal Song Choice

This was just flat out awesome! I thought that this was exactly the energy level that Scotty and Lauren forgot backstage. True, her vocals were definitely off on a few instances, but I honestly thought that the dynamics she showed on the verses were stunning, the effort she put into tuning the song to compliment her voice was very well done, and the way she riffed during the last part of the song blew me away. Oh, and she tripped!! I admit, I sort of laughed when I suddenly couldn't see her on the screen, but she recovered excellently. Her father playing the guitar on stage with her was another nice little Idol moment.

19. Gone

Scotty McCreery

Week: Top 5
Theme: Now

Just from the first verse alone, I knew that Scotty was destined to do this type of music. This was a PERFECT song choice, and if you think that Scott won’t be selling a lot of records to the Country market, then you are completely out of your mind. His stage presence was heads and tails above his competition, and his ability to connect with the audience was oddly strong. He showed so much personality, his vocals were pretty solid and those crazy eyeballs were hysterical. I was entertained, that's for sure.

18. Georgia On My Mind

Kendra Chantelle

Week: Top 24
Theme: Wildcard

Seriously? Kendra showed the most range, ability, and connection to the song like no other - except for Stefano Langone's Wildcard performance, of course. Plus, she didn't miss a note. I was really taken aback in a good way. No, it wasn't a groundbreaking performance, but she flawlessly showcased her tasty tone and she effortlessly glided around her upper register with this performance. ROBBED! Haha.

17. Uprising

James Durbin

Week: Top 7
Theme: 21st Century

Major points for singing Muse!! Haha. Quite frankly, the weak points on this performance were blatantly obvious. I mean, the verses were carried by his notoriously weak lower register and a few of the screams were trending sharp. However, I seriously appreciated his vision. I thought the overall performance was pretty creative and very interesting. I loved that he came out from off-stage - a first on American Idol, I think - and he had a marching band, for crying out loud! True, he pulled off this performance by mere theatrics, but who was I to complain? I enjoyed every moment of it.  

16. Turn On The Radio

Lauren Alaina

Week: Top 24
Theme: None

Coming into the semifinals, I actually find Lauren precocious, entitled, and downright obnoxious. Yes, I hated her! So, I was seriously annoyed when I realized that she slightly won me over that night with this performance! Haha. I thought her vocals were effortless, the delivery was entertaining, she seemed fairly comfortable on stage and her connection with the song was surprising. Plus, at this early she already showcased the type of artist she would be marketed as: country-pop! 

15. With A Little Help From My Friends

Casey Abrams

Week: Top 13
Theme: Personal Idol

In Casey's words, "I want to be felt". I think I did. Haha. Ok. So while this performance really gave off a strong Taylor Hicks vibe, I actually enjoyed this. Sure, the last 30 seconds was more talk-singing than an actual singing, but I seriously like that he lives in the music, if that makes any sense. The vocals were on point, his musicality was absolutely impressive and he was enthusiastic, which was so refreshing. I thought this performance almost had that classical appeal. It’s visceral, it’s real, and it has a real resonance.

14. All In Love Is Fair

Pia Toscano

Week: Top 11
Theme: Motown

Pia is a freak of nature and this performance proved it! Yes, it was another ballad from her that week, but this was just too impeccable of a vocal that it was just too damn hard not to give credit on its own. The performance was pitch perfect coupled with her lovely tone and a pretty impressive build up. I loved how stripped down the verses were and when she went for the big notes, I just lost it. True, it's not all about hitting the right notes, but it sure doesn’t hurt. Right? Right! Haha.

13. You've Got Another Thing Comin'

James Durbin

Week: Top 24
Theme: None

This was the week that I had to eat my words because I obviously spoke too soon about James. He did prove me wrong when he performed this Judas Priest song - a first on Idol - and did it with some impeccable range that wasn't grating at any point. He was shockingly convincing - I had never considered him convincing in the slightest - and the over-the-top moments were, at the very least, more appropriate than his usual non-sense screaming self and showboating. Everything just clicked - the stage presence, the look, and the voice. Very nice.

12. I Need You Now

Stefano Langone

Week: Top 24
Theme: Wildcard

Never heard this song before and I'm not particularly a big fan of this kind of music, but I have to say that he impressed me greatly. Seriously. I had goosebumps after this performance. He connected well with the song and his vocals were spot on. To me, he understood what the Wildcard was all about and he sang as if his life depended on it. Possibly one of the best male vocal performances of the season! Very impressive.

11. Dancing In The Streets

Naima Adedapo

Week: Top 11
Theme: Motown

CRAZY!! One thing about Naima? You'll never know what you're going to get! Seriously. Is she the best singer? Hardly. Is she the strongest singer? Not really. Does she have the whole package? Doubtful. But goddammit! She was the most entertaining and she knew how to use them to the hilt. She brought the stage presence other contestants were lacking and just made the other favorites look duller than usual. Plus, her vocals were shockingly on pitch.

10. Out Here On My Own

Thia Megia

Week: Top 24
Theme: None

This was really impressive! I have to say, she got major points for starting a capella - it's pretty tough to stay on pitch when the piano comes in. Plus, her vocal control was just astounding. I'm seriously not a fan coming into the semifinals as I find her terribly robotic - she can work on that - but she obviously has the talent. Of course, the vocals weren't perfect as she went a bit flat in some of her notes, but she definitely caught my attention more than most of the girls who performed before her that night and she made this song pretty dynamic and relevant.

09. Rolling In The Deep

Haley Reinhart

Week: Top 7
Theme: 21st Century

I was ready to write her off as another Haley - Scarnato or Vaughn - but instead she'd shown that she deserved to go much farther in the competition. This performance was incredible! Sure, the vocals weren't perfect by any means - some of her falsetto was off - but that didn't affect the awesomeness of it all. Her transition to that falsetto was amazing, her phrasing was absolutely gorgeous and the best parts were when she did her own adlibs. What she can do with her voice was absolutely crazy! The judges were annoying though when they gave her a bit of a half-hearted praise after a far more superior performance than, umm, James Durbin? Nothing more to say.

08. Candle In The Wind

Lauren Alaina

Week: Top 11 Redux
Theme: Elton John

Arguably, Lauren's most powerful vocal on the show. It was connected, unassuming, surprisingly strong, and confident and she also managed to bring a fabulous country vibe to the song, which made it sound like I was hearing it for the first time. I love that she added some texture to her voice and her tone was just beautiful. Plus, the vocal choices she made were actually quite interesting. This, to me, was a moment for Lauren and it probably made me consider her as a potential winner of American Idol. 

07. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow

James Durbin

Week: Top 6
Theme: Carole King

The a capella sounded really good. There were one or two wonky notes in there, but his vocals were surprisingly unaffected. Now, I must admit that at first listen, I was a little disappointed when the rocked out arrangement kicked in. To me, he should have kept it sparse, ditched the guitar and dropped those over-the-top last two notes. But in hindsight, it wouldn’t have worked if it was purely stripped-down. I mean, the song needed music for some of the more melodic segments, and I was actually glad that somehow they kept it relatively subtle. Besides, his vocals remained in tact even after the tempo changed, so it's all good.

06. Bennie And The Jets

Haley Reinhart

Week: Top 11 Redux
Theme: Elton John

HARDCORE BANGAGE FTW!! HAHA. Seriously, this was the week where everyone paid attention to her and where she actually stolen the “dark horse” title away from Stefano Langone. Everything really did come together for her with Bennie And The Jets. It was fun, she delivered some impressive vocals, her voice had more character and her stage presence - though still awkward - worked. There were interesting choices of throwing in some jazz during the opening verse, and just the whole performance aspect was well thought out. I guess, somewhere in America, Syesha Mercado called to silently pass her throne to Haley as the most underrated contestant on American Idol. Haha. And yes, Haley justified her presence on the show with this rousing performance.

05. You've Got A Friend

Scotty McCreery

Week: Top 6
Theme: Carole King

Beautiful!! This was exactly what he needed to do. I thought he sounded really good, his phrasing was a little interesting than usual, and it was convincingly heartfelt. And as much as everyone harps on the inevitability of Scotty's win, this was the first week where he genuinely LOOKED like a potential, deserving winner. Yes, after that night, I didn't mind Scotty sailing through to victory one bit. "Gangsta hands" notwithstanding, I really loved this performance. He even held the microphone relatively straight! Haha. Definitely his best vocal performance on American Idol and this also proved that Scotty is one of the best storytellers to come on this show in a long time - aside from another performer..

04. Your Song

Casey Abrams

Week: Top 11 Redux
Theme: Elton John

He almost got eliminated a week before this, but Casey went back and fighting! Sure, this performance actually proved that he's not the best singer in the bunch - and without his growling, he just exposed his weakness vocally. But you know what.. this was still very impressive! It was emotional, tender, powerful, and a chill-inducing performance. There was a serious emotional connection that I thought was missing from most of the contestants - no matter how trained their voices might be - and Casey, to me, just outright embodied the feeling of the song. I loved how he just sit there and showed his fellow contestants that they don’t have to meander aimlessly across the stage to give the judges some illusion of "stage presence". Outstanding! Oh, and it was also refreshing to just hear him sing without all the vocal affectations he usually put on.

03. I (Who Have Nothing)

Haley Reinhart

Week: Top 4
Theme: Lieber and Stoller

She was lambasted by the judges prior to this performance but Haley returned to perform the absolute hell out of this song and deliver another stirring vocal that will be named one of the best of the season. Really. This performance just proved the fact that out of the four remaining contestants that week, she's the only person capable of actually having a "moment" every single episode! I admit, it was a little theatrical, but who was I to complain? This was incredible! So. Much. Emotion. Nevermind Jordin Sparks' equally brilliant version because Haley brought another side to it. Oh, and I actually loved the look she had in her eyes during her performance. If only eyes could kill, Randy's dead now! HAHA.

02. I'll Stand By You

Pia Toscano

Week: Top 24
Theme: None

So… this happened! Pia was just like any other cannon-fodder when she entered the Final 24. We never saw her during the auditions and we only had one or two clips of her singing during the Hollywood and Las Vegas round. So, obviously, I was incredibly shocked that the biggest surprise of the semifinals ended up being the beautiful Pia Toscano. So nuanced, so flawless. I loved how restrained her verses were and then just went all the way towards the end. Lovely phrasing. Impressive control. Great range. Gorgeous girl. What's more to ask? A little personality maybe? But that criticism of not having a strong personality was the same thing that has often been said about Carrie Underwood. So, whatever.

01. House Of The Rising Sun

Haley Reinhart

Week: Top 5
Theme: Then

No doubt, this was a phenomenal rendition. I, for one, had been actively looking for a water cooler moment this season and I believe I legitimately found it with this performance. Seriously. This was by far the strongest performance I have seen all season. Lovely phrasing. Great musicality. Outstanding vocals. Even the a capella bit was like watching a vocal masterclass. I especially loved the look on her face after this performance. It was like saying, "How you like that judges? What are you got to say now?" Haha. Abso-fcukin'-lutely badass! Yes judges, you have NOTHING - and I mean, NOTHING - to bitch about this number! Thank you very much!

American Idol 10 Wrap-Up: 10 Worst Performances

Last year sucked bigtime that I had no choice but to make the list bigger by adding five more performances - I just had fun writing for most of them. Haha. This season, however, is a totally different story. Not so much stinkers, so I'm reverting it back to 10.

SEASON 7 Worst Performances
SEASON 8 Worst Performances
SEASON 9 Worst Performances

Here are the TOP 10 Worst Live Performances of Season 10:

10. I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues

Paul McDonald

I wanted to violently grab him by the shoulders and explain to him like I would a child, “Paul, sweetie, stop moving around aimlessly on that stage and don’t move your right hand like you’re luring a kid with a chocolate bar.” I admit, Paul's dangerously charismatic, but this performance was just all over the place.

09. Hello

Stefano Langone

Stefano! You killed yourself with this song choice and you didn’t even know it. Haha. It wasn't hardly the most terrible in terms of vocals, but it was bland and ridiculously cheesy. He sounded nasally, his phrasing was shockingly weird, he almost had zero connection with the song and he just warbled his way throughout his performance. 

08. Light My Fire

Brett Loewenstern

HAHAHA. What?! “Light My Fire?!” Seriously, Brett? “Come on baby, light my fire..” Umm, no! I will not do anything like that. This was, by far, the gayest Light My Fire rendition I've ever seen! Seriously. I mean, I appreciate him for being who he is - even if he tried to whip his hair like Willow Smith countless times - but there are just some songs that people cannot perform like that. It was just too awkward.

07. I Believe I Can Fly

Jacob Lusk

Jacob was seriously sharper than a diamond drill bit and the judges barely commented on it!! What gives? Maybe all the smoke and mirrors of over singing totally distracted them from the fact that he was wildly off key.. like really off key. If Stefano was cheesy, Jacob's was an extra large bowl of nacho cheese.

06. Love Will Lead You Back

Karen Rodriguez

Prepare for 50% English, 50% Spanish and 100% Boring. Wait, in hindsight, that piece of bread - or whatever that was - on her head made her look more interesting. Haha. Fine. I'll stop. But seriously, this song once again showcased the weaknesses in Karen’s higher end. Plus, when she sings “en Espanol” I’m always left wondering if she is making fun of me because, yes, I don't understand what she's singing about. Haha.

05. Love Hurts

Jacob Lusk

Let me channel Jacob Lusk, "It hurts! It hurts! It hurts!". Yes Jacob, we know!

04. I'll Be

Jovany Barreto

Seriously, what's the point? No, it wasn't THE worst vocals, but he had ZERO charisma on stage. The best part about Jovany’s time on stage? It somehow made Randy Jackson use the word “modulation.” Ok, if I prefer Mr. Jackson's critique over the performance, THERE'S REALLY SOMETHING WRONG!

03. Breakaway

Julie Zorrilla

Nom. Nom. Nom. Yup, that song ate her up. Haha. Her voice sounded thin and flat and the back up singers just overpowered her vocals. Such a shame because I pegged her as a possible upset coming into the semifinals.

02. OMG

Jordan Dorsey

I felt violated on several levels. That performance was so damaging and inappropriate that it should be barred from going within 100 yards of a playground. The song choice was just as dumb as his shoulder movement and the performance in itself was EPIC for all the wrong reasons.

01. No Air

Jacob Lusk

Let’s mix No Air with terrible vocals and weird sexual gyrations. Awesome! Haha. Ok, I don’t even want to talk about this performance. In fact, I’d love if we could all forget it even happened. Thank you very much.

American Idol 10 Wrap-Up: 15 Season Highlights

Compared to last season - which was unforgivably boring - Season 10 stepped it up a notch. Yes, there's nothing boring this year! From the infuriating judges, to the out of nowhere eliminations, to flaming pianos and even random wrestlers hitting Ryan Seacrest in the face. Haha. I've seen everything on this show!

So, just like every season, I decided to come up with this year’s 15 American Idol 10 Highlights.

SEASON 8 Highlights
SEASON 9 Highlights

Here are the 15 Moments of Season 10:

15. So What?

Arguably, this year's batch is one of the strongest on American Idol EVER. I mean, I actually liked everyone in the Top 13 at some point or another. So, to see the first 6 eliminated contestants perform out of nowhere was a pleasant surprise. Sure, it didn't sound all that great, but just the thought of them together made me grin like an idiot!

14. When Randy Jackson Punched A Girl..

I don't like Randy Jackson AT ALL. But the clip where he accidentally punched a girl - who turned out to be the very talented Molly DeWolf Swenson - had me laughing. I hate to admit it, but this was probably one of the highlights during the audition rounds. Aside from of course, the..

13. Tyler-isms

I seriously had some reservations when American Idol cast him as a judge on the show. But his soundbites during the audition rounds were so random, I completely lost my sanity! Haha. I'd give you a couple of his incredibly delicious quotes: "Well hellfire, save matches. F*ck a duck and see what hatches.", "What's with the jujubees on your oohoohbees?", "I don't think I've ever heard anybody squeeze the flavor out of that song. You squeezed it out so slow it was like Vanilla Fudge and Eleanor Rigby." and "Slap that baby on the *ss and call me Christmas!"

12. From 24 to 13

The biggest cut the show EVER had. I figured that there will be a Top 13 this year based on the Finale schedule. Yes, I tried to count backwards and it didn't seem to add up if they will have the usual 12. But just the same, an additional person in the Final round means a more diverse group. Plus, the Wildcard round on that same episode was absolutely great television - the six (6) people the judges picked to perform gave stellar performances - especially Kendra Chantelle and Stefano Langone.

11. .. and they're back

American Idol started with this tradition two seasons ago, but the fanboy in me is always giddy every time I see an Idol alum back on the show. Best performance this season? Hands down, Jordin Sparks. It was like the second era that the show unveiled the newer, fiercer Jordin Sparks on American Idol debuting a new single. But that's not to take away the other Idol performances - all of them did absolutely fantastic with their songs.

10. Who said Jennifer can't act?

I will NOT focus on Chris Medina just because I didn't think he's even worthy of a Top 24 spot - so the decision to cut him was just about right for me. Jennifer Lopez, on the other hand, reacted like she'd won an Oscar. Haha. While I didn't question her emotions during that moment - Yes, I thought it was genuine - why would you even say that you don't want to do it? Umm, Jennifer, you’re making millions of dollars to eliminate contestants from a reality show, so if you don’t want you’re job, I’ll take it off your hands. Haha.

09. Look at yourself in the mirror..

Don’t ever.. EVER.. try to tell voters what they should think because you just end up looking like a complete and utter loser! I don't want to elaborate on this non-sense, but yes, this was one of this season's highlights - fortunately or unfortunately.

08. Flaming Piano. Marching Band. Zakk Wylde.

There comes a time in every Idol viewer’s life where he or she has to just sit back and say, “There’s only so much cheese I can take on this program.” Well, some of James' performances marked that moment for me. Haha. No, I don't mean that as bad thing but the theatrics were just so over-the-top I personally was unable to handle it. Nonetheless, he made this season utterly entertaining. At some point, I even thought he was THE CHOSEN ONE until..

07. James Durbin's Elimination

.. he got eliminated at Fourth place. To be honest, I saw this one coming. In a night of hostility and vote saving, with now a clear front runner in tact in Scotty McCreery, James was bound to get screwed. True, he makes good TV with his theatrics and whatnot, but he's an inconsistent vocalist - he couldn't stay on pitch to save his life - and the judges NEVER criticized him for that. As I've said, most people can see the blatant bias towards James and America may be slow sometimes, but they aren’t stupid.

06. Hulk Hogan on Idol

This surprise appearance was quite memorable. It started with a wrestling montage of James and Paul and that was some funny stuff. But when I saw Hulk Hogan suddenly appear on American Idol, I assumed I had nodded off and was dreaming that something so cheesetastic could possibly have occurred, but I was wrong! That was reality! HAHA. Hulk Hogan came on stage to tell James and Paul that they were safe and James was in full “geek-out” mode. Priceless!

05. Rise Of The Underdog

If you had told me 12 weeks ago that Haley Reinhart would end up as one of the Final 3 this season, I would have slapped you in the face and called you a liar! Haha. Yes, I hated her during the early round of this season. But something happened after Bennie and Jets and she suddenly hit her stride - turning into a legitimate darkhorse. And even though she was ultimately the human pinata of this year's judges turned cheerleaders, Haley fought hard and turned it a great number of musical moments - certainly giving us more than what we expected. If she won, Haley would've kicked Kris Allen butt as the greatest underdog to win American Idol. She didn't, but 3rd place was quite the event already.

04. The "judges"

Of course, these three "judges" turned "cheerleaders" should be part of this countdown, but not for the right reasons. True, there was a palpable chemistry between the three of them and there were a few instances that Jennifer Lopez actually gave good constructive criticisms. So what seemed to be the problem? The word few! Jennifer summed it up, "There's nothing to judge there!" Really? What's the point of you three sitting there then? It seemed like the trio suddenly gave up judging and decided one day to be just mere cheerleaders. Unless, of course, if you're Haley Reinhart. Haha.

03. Moanin'

If this was a competition performance - instead of a mere results show number - I would've ranked this as the best performance of the season. Seriously. Haley Reinhart and Casey Abrams delivered possibly one of the most phenomenal performances this season. Absolutely OUTSTANDING. At one point, I wonder if we can just make the season a battle between two country singers and two jazz singers? You know, Country vs. Jazz. Haha. Oh, and this sealed the deal for me on Haley Reinhart! The notes she hit were fantastic! Just saying.

02. Casey Abrams' Save

Absolutely great television!! Casey eliminated. Everyone's shocked. Casey started singing. Randy stopped the singing. Judges explained. Casey SAVED! Casey dropped his mic. Casey seemed like he's going to die. Casey on the floor shaking. Audience cheered for him. Idols rejoiced. Everyone's happy. I got teary eyed. Yes, I'm pathetic like that. Haha. This was THE highlight of the season, until..

01. Pia Toscano's Elimination

Say what you want, but Pia Toscano's elimination would probably go down in history as one of the most shocking boot EVER! Yes, she's not the most dynamic performer this season and some people thought she's "boring", but NO WAY on merit should Pia have gone before Stefano, Jacob and Paul. I don't know. Once upon a time, I survived Jennifer Hudson's eight-place finish, Alex Lambert's premature boot, and yes even Daughtry's untimely elimination. But this? Personally, this abysmal voting result somehow stung so badly.