Last week in our season 8 rewatch, "just when we thought all was lost, Idol history was made," and Matt Giraud was saved. But now the stakes just went up, because it's disco week and two contestants go home. Only people who don't know Kris would see this as a problem. Yup, he does another fantastic performance in this week's re-watch! This time "shopping in the women's department" and covering She Works Hard for the Money by Donna Summer.
So shake your tailfeather and check it out after the jump!
Performance Show
Ryan introduces the contestants and we get right into it! Starting with Lil Rounds covering Chaka Khan's awesome song I'm Every Woman. It's enthusiastic and should've been a perfect fit, but she's a touch pitchy. Randy and Kara take a lot more words to say what I just did. Paula mentions that Lil was on complete vocal rest the past day. Simon is very critical (he's been done with her for a few weeks). The writing is on the wall.
To break that up, Ryan says, "Don't go anywhere, disco fever continues with Kris!"
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| Results show spoiler gif! |
Well, the audience loved it! As did I! Kara tells him the risky arrangement paid off bigtime! Paula compares it to Santana and then rambles about Kris shopping in the women's department. Simon doesn't get it. Paula rambles more. Simon compliments Kris' arrangement and originality and doesn't care if Kris wears women's underwear. Randy is looking for the best undiscovered talent, and says Kris is ready for the bigtime. The audience cheers wildly.
Next up, Danny Gokey covers one of my absolute favorite songs ever, September, by Earth, Wind and Fire. I don't hate his performance but I sure don't love it. He's kind of yelling and his back-up singers are way too loud. I would love it if Kris would cover this song actually one day! Oh hey, Vince Neil from Mötley Crüe applauds. Paula tells Danny, "as a woman, you have one of the sexiest voices ever." Except for Simon, the judges love it and Paula tells him, "I'll still see you in the finals." Oh Paula. You motivated me that night to borrow Mr. KAL's cell phone and cast double the votes for Kris.
Allison Iraheta is next, covering Donna Summer's Hot Stuff. I didn't care for this arrangement at all but she does take a risk making it a little more sultry, slow and rock and roll and does sing well. Randy and Kara agree with me. Paula likes it. Simon thought it was a brilliant performance.
Adam Lambert follows with an interview too and talks about how he already did a disco song (Play that Funky Music) so wanted to make this one emotional. He slows If I Can't Have You by Yvonne Elliman way down. The vocal is very nice and touching, but I found the arrangement kind of sleepy. On the judge's panel, Randy loves it and tells him he's ready and is a "hot one tonight AMERICA." Kara calls him brilliant and tells him it was his most memorable performance. Paula felt his pain and vulnerability and is near tears and "you will be in the finals." At which point I borrowed my kid's cell phone too, so I would have three ready to go for voting. Simon thinks the other judges all went over the top with the praise too, but that said, says it was a memorable performance with impeccable vocals.
Matt Giraud is doing Staying Alive (Bee Gees), a metaphor for his competition, says Ryan. It's all kind of herky jerky and again, too much from the back-up ladies. Randy didn't love the song but thinks that Matt can sing. Kara's glad he sang a disco song disco-style. Paula says that Matt saved his own life, he's staying. (Paula really was over the top this episode with telling us who would win or lose or stay.) Simon didn't like it and thinks Matt needs to get out of Idol-land.
Anoop Desai closes this show with a pretty, slowed down ballad version of Dim All the Lights by Donna Summer. But wait, he takes it up a notch halfway through to disco it up. His vocals are good until the end, but it's not enough. Randy (and I) liked the vocals, if not the arrangement. Kara liked it and thinks Anoop has brought it this and the past week. Paula likes his vocals and his pink sweater but wants him to smile more. Simon disagrees with all of us and calls it "mediocre at best."
Watch the entire performance episode here.
Results Show:
We begin as we always do, with dramatic background music and dramatic musings by the contestants about not wanting to go home. Ryan says it's Earth Day and also Disco Week. The guests are famous disco singers doing a medley and David Archuleta (from Season 7). There were 35 million votes. Pretty sure I was a part of that, lol!Paula is choreographing the group number! Such a fun sequence. Kradam getting loose (I know there's a gif out there somewhere), Matt buying his own song for a ringtone, and then summoned back to work by drill sergeant Paula. Will it work? Yes!
Aw the contestants got Paula flowers! After a break, the girls and Matt are still changing out of their disco clothes and the rest of the guys are on the couches. Good time for a Ford video! This week it's I'm Good, I'm Gone by Lykke Li.
The plot this week is jobs you take if you really want to be an open mike singer. Kris tells us his first job was in a yogurt store. The behind the scenes video shows how they record the songs for these videos.
Results time and they start with Lil. We know this is the end. And it is, so she reprises I'm Every Woman. It's better and the audience dances with her, including Kris (check out this wiggle, lol). Since there's no more save, they get judge's final thoughts now. The judges will miss her and think she will learn from this competition.
We need a disco palate cleanser! Get on your feet for Idol suddenly morphing into that PBS disco special they show during pledge week, featuring Freda Payne singing Band of Gold, Thelma Houston dressed like Tweety Bird singing Don't Leave Me This Way, and KC of KC and the Sunshine Band performing Get Down Tonight with four ladies! Kris grooving to all of this awesomeness is pretty visible since he's in a white tee shirt and on the end of the couch. I never want to hear him say he can't dance ever again because HE TOTALLY CAN.
That was fun! OK on to the results. We need the rest of the bottom three (Lil being the first). Asked to stand, Kris gets a lot of screams. Of course we have to go over Paula's shopping in the women's department critique again. Kris and Paula totally understand each other. Adam's next and he gets a lot of screams too. Of course we have to go over Paula's declaration that Adam will be in the finals. Adam thanks her. Up next is Danny and of course we have to go over that Paula thinks he has the sexiest voice ever. Ryan remarks that some Idol bloggers thought Simon's critique was too harsh. Ha, not any blogs I was reading! Danny actually gets what Simon was saying, and thinks he can fix it, so credit to him. He's safe.
Simon has this weird look on his face during all three guys' results, as if he's analyzing his future top three.
Uh-oh, they've got Allison, Anoop, and Matt in a row on the couch. Asked if he was happy with his performance, Anoop says yes. Ryan gets right to it and tells him he is in the bottom three. Matt and Allison both tried to do their best. America decided to save Matt again, so Allison goes to the stools and greets Anoop with "Here it comes, here it comes again" from one of the Ford videos.
David Archuleta is next! He had a big hit with Crush, and this was the follow-up single, Touch My Hand.
After the performance, Archie gives Allison and Anoop a hug. Ryan awkwardly reminds Archie in front of them that he never hit the bottom three. Archie to his credit says he was lucky. Asked to give Allison and Anoop advice, he praises their voices and tells them how many opportunities await them.
Now it's time to find out who leaves. It's Anoop. He reprises Dim All the Lights. Anoop is disappointed but happy to return to UNC. Lil joins him for the goodbye video and they are both gracious in defeat.
Fun video of the top seven thanking their fans! I knew about Glamberts but not about Lambskanks, lol.
Watch the entire results episode here.
Mp3s!
- She Works Hard for the Money (Idol Live performance)
- She Works Hard for the Money (Idol Studio version)
- She Works Hard for the Money (Full band, live in Fort Myers, FL)
Post-Idol:
Post-Idol, Kris performed She Works Hard for the Money live only once, to honor Donna Summer after her passing. It's a different arrangement for full band. Check it out...
As for Anoop Desai, he re-imagined himself as TOTEM and is putting out music.
Next week: Top 5 Rat Pack Week
Past Kris Allen on Idol recaps:
Audition in Louisville
Hollywood Week, rounds one and two
Making the top 36
Group 2, aka the Best Idol Group ever and the one where we get to see him sing Everything
Top 13 week (Michael Jackson songs)
Top 11 week (Opry songs)
Top 10 week (Motown songs)
Top 9 week (iTunes downloads)
Top 8 week (Year contestants were born)
Top 7 week 1 (Movie week)
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