first round of singing on Idol

here is what I wrote live in the discussion group in the Idol group discussions.

OK..this years format is really going to make you stand out the first time you perform..or it will be your only shot. If if it was this way last year David cook probably wouldn't have made it to top 12..as he was just middle of the pack average until he did "Hello" 4 or 5 weeks into the show.

Jackie Thon starts off doing Elvis "a litlte less conversation." I think she is trying too hard to be entertaining and kind of stiff with her moves. her voice doesn't excite me. Simon agrees with me more than the others..I give her a B-.

Now the first of the unknowns..Ricky Braddy. He does a great job with "A Song For You." I would give her a solid A. he's the type of guy who might deserve to be in top 12 but will be forgoten by the time the show is over. The later you are on is a big advantage. People come home later and don't see you they won't vote for you. My boy Danny is in the end spot so the producers are expecting big things from him.

OK..I have to go through 4 fast to catch up. Alexis Grace is the real deal..such a tiny young thing that you would never expect to be so bluesy. I give her an A.
Brent Keith does a country rocker but was kind of bland to me. I would love a male country artist to do well but I don't know if he did enough to get through. I'll give him a B.
Stevie Wright was just horrible trying to do a Taylor Swift song. I felt bad for her. The comedian Steven Wright may have done better. Grade..D
Anoop needed to do an upbeat song and his song dragged for me..give him a B-.
Casey Carlson is the prettiest girl in the competition but i have said all along she can't sing and she proved it once again with "Every Little Thing" Again I just felt bad for her when the judges told her the truth. Grade..F...when I come back the good singers are on deck..

man..things aren't getting any better. Super nice guy Michael Sarver turned a real crowd pleasing song.."I Don't Want To Be"..into a drag. Bo Bice and Elliot just just fantastic on that song so it paled. I give a B- for him too.
Anne Marie Boskovich doesn't have a hard act to follow after the last two woman but she was lousy too. Natural Woman didn't fit her at all. She only gets a C-. With only Tatiana left for the woman its begining to look like a lock for Alexis and Danny should be OK if he does well... more to come..

Now it's Stephen Fowler's turn..and doing a Michael Jackson song could be the kiss of death..and it is. "Rock With You" didn't rock at all. His wife stayed home? She blew her only chance to be on TV cause he's not advancing. Grade..C-.

Drama Queen Tatiana actually hits a few notes nicely doing Whitney's "Saving All My Love"..but overall it was all over the place. Give her a C+.

Now for my hero..Danny Gokey..and he does the song "Hero". I think it's better if a guy sings this so they aren't compared to Mariah. He has got such a distinctive voice, and he blows everyone away as expected. Getting through to the top 12 was the part I worried the most, hoping he wouldn't have one stinko performance..but he has got it made. The phone for him..18664365712 is constantly busy. Grade..A+

So if I had to predict by top 3 to go through it would be Alexis and Danny, and the one with the most remaining votes comes down to the 4 remaining guys. Rickey Braddy deserves to go but he is the unknown. Brent has the whole corner on the country fans so I can see him going. Anoop and Michael are likeable but didn't blow anyone away. I would vote for Rickey but I say Brent goes through.


so what are your thoughts?