American Idol’s Ramiele Malubay says Goodbye
While Ramiele Malubay’s departure from American Idol tonight felt like nearly a forgone conclusion after her performance of “Do I Ever Cross Your Mind,” it was the Bottom 3 that shocked yet again this week. Though Kristy Lee Cook lives in the Bottom 3, the Girls’ front runner Brooke White found herself in the Bottom 3 this week, much to her surprise.
Brooke’s inclusion in the Bottom 3 shows that Carly Smithson’s powerful voice and superior vocals may have caught up to and perhaps even surpassed the excellent song selection and arrangements that made Brooke appear as if she was the only legitimate contender on the Girl’s side after we made it to the Top 12.
Though Carly may have “beaten” Brooke this week, I have a feeling that Brooke still holds an edge in the long run that makes her feel like the only legitimate female contender who can possibly make it to the Idol finale with either David Archuleta or David Cook.
What was more than obvious was Brooke’s shock at being in this week’s Bottom 3. Not since Alaina Whitaker’s shock at being voted off have we seen a contestant be as stunned as Brooke White was to be in the elimination stools tonight.
After Jason Castro surprisingly landed in the Bottom 3 earlier in the competition, it also feels like Michael Johns’ consistently decent performances may have him sitting above Castro in the guy’s power rankings at the moment.
Honestly, while everyone will point to Kristy Lee Cook as the person who they’re most shocked to see in this Top 8, I might be just as shocked to see Michael Johns in this group.
I think that he’s a good performer and seems like a nice guy, but here’s a contestant that doesn’t necessarily have a set genre where he belongs. I am still confused as to where he would end up in terms of his professional recording career. Johns has definitely had some good moments, notably his performance of Queen’s “We Are the Champions,” but while talented, it’s hard to picture who he will be, in terms of a musical career, after American Idol.
Though I am a converted Kady Malloy turned David Cook fan until the end, the top performance of the week belonged to David Archuleta and his take on Dolly Parton’s “Smoky Mountain Memories.” Though Cook’s unique performances always find a way to stand out, there is no contestant left that can match the purity in David Archuleta’s voice. There is a smoothness and confidence in his ability to hit every note and as Randy Jackson said, “David Archuleta is back.”
Right when it looked like David Cook had a chance to really take control of the competition, David Archuleta showed that he’s not yet ready to give up that top spot with one of his best performances of the competition. Cook, who has been under tremendous pressure all season as he deals with his brother’s battle with cancer, addressed the report on TMZ that said he was hospitalized and said that it was merely a regular high blood pressure medical condition and that it wasn’t nearly as serious as Internet outlets were making it out to be.
Next week, barring an Idol Gives Back “Get Out of Jail Free” card, Kristy Lee Cook’s time on Idol will run out, as she’s been an escape artist of the most mind-boggling kind for what feels like forever, leaving no female hotties left in Season 7.
Since I didn’t have the chance to vote this week, I’ll make the risky move of ranking the Top 8 in writing. Here’s how I think they stand:
1: David Archuleta
2: David Cook
3: Brooke White
4: Carly Smithson
5: Michael Johns
6: Syesha Mercado
7: Jason Castro
8: Kristy Lee Cook
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You’d really rank Jason Castro that low at this point? I’d still say he was above Syesha in terms of safety and possibly Johns as well.
I dunno, dude. I just can’t get enthused about Archie anymore. I’m over the overhype and the easy listening vibe he’s got going on. It’s just not my thing. and he’s SEVENTEEN! C’mon dude, how about looking like some of this is actually FUN?
C’mon DC, you know Jason has a bigger on-line standing than that - go check out the Idol boards. The girls love him. I’d say:
David A. (fading, enough of boy savant already)
closely followed by gaining David C. (he really has a nice voice)
Jason Castro
Michael Johns (running close to Castro after last week)
Carly
Brooke
Syesha
Kristie
Carly and Brooke are very close, but Kristie should be the next to go home unless she kills it tonight.
(I never completed my overall review of last week’s performances, lost my inspiration. Perhaps I’ll do a combo this next week…) ha.