Skylar Laine, Jessica Sanchez and Colton Dixon top good, not great, 'American Idol' night
Then there were seven. Here is your top 7, America: from left, Hollie Cavanagh, Colton Dixon, Jessica Sanchez, Skylar Laine, Phillip Phillips, Joshua Ledet and Elise Testone. (April 5, 2012) Credit: Fox
Skylar Laine, Jessica Sanchez and Colton Dixon once again topped another strong night vocally for "American Idol," as the contestants picked from songs made in 2010, 2011 or 2012.
Jennifer Lopez's comments to Sanchez -- telling her even though she was good, she's got just a few weeks left to pick a great song and really take "America on a ride" -- is good advice for everyone.
There were no performances Wednesday night that made the judges stand up; everyone did well, but nobody was fantastic. Maybe partly because they were limited to songs from the past three years.
Below are my rankngs; add your thoughts in the comments, or on Twitter using #ndidol.
1. Skylar Laine's version of Kellie Pickler's "Didn't You Know How Much I Loved You" was, as Randy Jackson said, "so in your wheelhouse." It was enjoyable to listen to, and Jackson called it "crazy hot."
2. Jessica Sanchez's "Stuttering" was another good performance from the 17-year-old prodigy -- guest mentor Akon gushed in rehearsal that "she's going to be a legend one day."
3. Colton Dixon's "Love the Way You Lie" was, as always, interesting; but like Lopez I wish it "would have been more of a song" and showcased him more.
4. Joshua Ledet's energetic "Runaway Baby" wasn't a great song choice, but he's such a fantastic performer that it was still enjoyable to watch.
5. Elise Testone's "You and I" showed off her unique, gritty tone, prompting Lopez to exult, "There's nobody who can sing like you."
6. Hollie Cavanagh's "Perfect" was a good choice to show off her easy, soaring voice; she told Ryan Seacrest afterward she was thinking beforehand, "Don't mess up. She just needs to trust herself and let go.
7. Phillip Phillips's "Give a Little More" did nothing for me; as Lopez says, we've "seen this performance a few times now."
Agree? Disagree? Tell us in the comments below, or on Twitter using #ndidol.
