'American Idol' Recap: Top 10 Finalists Sing Billboard Hits

by uInterviewMarch 20, 2014, 12:00 amNews >

American Idol’s top 10 finalists, who will all be invited to join the annual tour, were asked to perform Billboard hits on Wednesday night’s show. All in all, judges Harry Connick Jr., Jennifer Lopez and Keith Urban seemed pleased with the singers' performances, with harsh criticism for just a few of the Idol hopefuls.

American Idol Recap

MK Nobilette was the first singer to hit the stage on Wednesday night, taking on “Perfect” by P!nk. Starting out facing a mirror, Nobilette powered through the beginning of the song. After slipping on the track more than halfway through, the California native struggled to get back into the song and overcome the brief lapse. Lopez said she needed to be more resilent, while Connick shared his doubts about her as a live performer.

Singing Florida Georgia Line’s “Cruise” was Dexter Roberts. As has been the case for the majority of Roberts’ performances, the rendition never seemed to take on its own personality. Connick bluntly called it “generic,” but country’s Urban gave him some props for rearranging the beginning.

Jenna Irene got the crowd waving some glowsticks during her performance of electronia song “Clarity” by Zedd. The high-energy turn on stage caused Urban to dub it the night’s best performance and Connick to share his appreciation for Irene’s coming into her own as a artist.

Back again on his guitar, Alex Preston chose crowd-favorite “Story of My Life” by One Direction. Once again, the talented musician put his own spin on a popular song, elevating it for the audience and the judges. After looking at him in awe throughout the performance, the judges took turns giving him unbridled praise.

Malaya Watson gave one of her best performances yet on Idol, singing Bruno Mars’ “When I Was Your Man.” It was a risky choice that had Lopez preparing for the worst, but the teen’s sincerity and pure vocals won her over, giving her goose bumps. From the more powerful parts of the song to the softer falsetto notes, Watson hit the number home.

Taking on Lady Gaga’s “Edge of Glory” was rocker Caleb Johnson. While Johnson kept up with giving the song some originality, not playing it safe, the judges were underwhelmed by the overall performance. They thought that he could have given the number a bit more passion.

CJ Harris, who’s been hot and cold throughout the live rounds of the competition, had an off night Wednesday singing Hunter Hayes’ hit “Invisible.” Once again, Harris’ pitch was an issue for Connick, though Lopez thinks he still could have what it takes.

Jessica Meuse boldly chose to go acoustic for Foster the People’s “Pumped Up Kicks.” Her Stevie Nicks-esque voice was nicely showcased in the number. The crowd loved the interpretation of the song, but the judges were split on what to make of it.

Majesty Rose sang Avicii and Aloe Blacc’s “Wake Me Up,” accompanying herself on an acoustic guitar. Appearing a bit nervous coming off her weak rendition of “Let It Go” last week, Rose’s confidence increased as the song wore on, finishing it with power. The judges enjoyed her folksy take on the hit, but encouraged her to shake off the nerves.

Sam Woolf seemed to have a comeback night with fun.’s “We Are Young.” The judges applauded the Florida teen’s consistent tone. However, they noted that he’s still struggling to come into his own and take the stage with confidence.