After last week saw the departure of two girls, one of whom was more than out of place without her instrument of choice, this week we’ll divide the pageant girls and the musicians even more distinctly due to the instrument rule being in effect. Of course, like the guys, very few will likely end up using them. Will it separate the best from the rest, or just result in more muddled performances? Let’s watch and see.
Martha Joy – “To Where You Are” (Josh Groban)
Two nights, two Josh Groban songs. If Zack was talking about pageant stuff last night, this is yet another example of it. These young singers are talented, but they need to pick songs and perform them instead of just singing them as if that’s all they need to do. Josh Groban needs to be put on permanent hiatus for this series, without a doubt.
Instrument: Nope, she’s focusing on the singing.
What the Judges Think: Jake felt no emotion and thinks it might be a lack of experience, Farley felt she made a decent effort but felt some stylistic choices were off, Sass felt it was shaky in the beginning, and Zack thinks that she needs to live up to her last name and thinks she is at the highest level of any singer in the competition technically.
Growth from Last Week: I’d say it was better than last week, but it was still Josh Groban so it can only be so much growth.
Tara Oram – “Safe in the Arms of Love” (Michelle Wright)
Seriously, Tara? You’re singing your second straight Martina McBride song (Although she wrote neither, she has record both), this is getting just a little bit sad. These people don’t quite seem to get the idea of diversification, do they? She’s decent on the song, without the same nervousness of last week, but it still lacks in energy and physicality.
Instrument: Nope, just more Martina McBriding.
What the Judges Think: Farley thinks she would look better if she moved, Sass thinks the song suited her (It did, but it was the same bloody artist as last week), Zack thinks she looks a little bit 12 and felt it was Carrie Underwhelming, and Jake felt it didn’t have a lot of dynamics.
Growth from Last Week: It was the exact same as last week, and she needs to show off more range and vocal skills without a doubt.
Naomi-Joy Blackhall – “Here With Me” (Dido)
Apparently this is the theme of Roswell, which I wasn’t aware of. However, I actually do remember it as Dido’s song. It’s an interesting shift from last week, when she went all rocker on us. Here, she dials it down, and her lower register stuff isn’t nearly as bad as her higher register is. Not great, but it’s certainly decent.
Instrument: Nope, just her voice.
What the Judges Think: Sass thinks it was a definite improvement over last week, Zack thinks she has proven that she just doesn’t sing that well, Jake felt it was a bit of a disappointment, and Farley felt it wasn’t quite edgy enough this time around.
Growth from Last Week: She tried something completely different, and it was…better, but didn’t seem to capture the magic. The magic, where is the magic?
Carly Rae Jepsen – “Sweet Ones” (Sarah Slean)
I love this song, greatly. I knew about this song before Sarah Slean became a moderate success, even. And it’s a great fit for Carly Rae’s voice, and she has a lot of fun performing it (Vamping it up, even). The result is a performance that, more than anyone else, feels like someone performing, not just singing.
Instrument: Nope.
What the Judges Think: Zack thinks she’s distinctive and showing herself, Jake thinks she’s in great shape, Farley thinks she is sweet and the girl to beat, and Sass thinks it was lovely and animated.
Growth from Last Week: She broke out a bit more this time around, proving her ability to sing something a bit more upbeat and energetic instead of laid back and charming.
Scarlett Burke – “Proud Mary” (CCR)
This is perhaps the worst idea in the entirely episode: she is incapable of singing this song in a distinctive fashion. She is the female Clifton Murray: a pretty face who can sing a good note on occasion but never seems to be performing naturally or distinctively. She’s a better singer than he is, but she just isn’t doing anything original within her performance.
Instrument: Nope. Will no one be using one at this rate?
What the Judges Think: Jake doesn’t get why she would pick a song like that, Farley thinks that it was the wrong song for her abilities, Sass thinks she hit a killer not but was in the wrong key the rest of the time, and Zack shakes his head in shame without saying a word. Ouch.
Growth from Last Week: She has proven herself to be a black hole of charisma, which is rather unfortunate for poor Scarlett. Looks like she’ll be joining her boyfriend Justyn in the audience (He’s actually in the audience).
Montana Martin-Iles – “Thanks for the Memories” (Fall Out Boy)
Dear Montana: I know that you love modern punk rock, and don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate it. But you need to start considering going earlier than 2007 at this rate. I don’t think that current songs are your draw, I think it’s your unique performances. Which, on this song, was just kind of dull, and it didn’t showcase your voice in the same way as last week.
Instrument: Once again, just her voice. How strange.
What the Judges Think: Farley wants her to sing as best as she can next week, Sass felt it was all feisty performance, Zack thinks that she is breaking all the rules while rocking it and feels she should drop the Lukas Rossi look, and Jake thinks that she is the female equivalent of Jacob Hoggard in terms of surprises.
Growth from Last Week: None. Jake says she surprised him: HOW? She sang another current punk song with mediocre vocals and astounding energy. What was surprising about that?
Mila Miller – “Try a Little Tenderness” (Otis Redding)
This is a song all about building up to the finale, and she was very poised and mature in doing so. She didn’t let the song get away from her, and I felt she handled herself very well. It was very controlled and yet unhinged, and the star power I felt lacking last week was out in full force this week.
Instrument: Again, no.
What the Judges Think: Some sweet moves from Mila for Sass, Zack felt that the edges and some moments were crystal, pure, groovy, Jake felt she felt it, and Farley makes up yet another ludicrous rhyme about how good she is.
Growth from Last Week: I liked it much better personally, and she had personality in both her singing and her hair. She’s definitely moving through with this improvement.
Annika Odegard – “Super Duper Love” (Joss Stone)
This is one of those instances where she is just too uninteresting to make a huge impact on this competition. She has a lot more energy this week, and definitely made a smart decision to perform something upbeat. It both showcases her voice and whatever personality she has, but it was nothing special. Still, she’s a bit too cookie cutter for me to get too excited.
Instrument: Again, no.
What the Judges Think: Zack thinks that her being in the Top 22 was a mistake, Jake agrees with him 100% and felt she doesn’t have enough soul to pull that off, Farley felt she had only teaspoons when she should have had cups, and Sass felt that it was a nice energetic performance that was beautiful…and Zack agrees.
Growth from Last Week: And so do I! I felt she was leagues more watchable than last week personally, but it still wasn’t anything worth watching. But, the tongue lashing they gave her will have her supporters out in leagues: shades of Brandon Jones from last season. Darn teenagers.
Khalila Glanville – “I Can’t Help Myself” (The Four Tops)
Sugar pie honey bunch? Okay, that’s fine. However, let’s discuss that she now has a last name! I find this to be an exciting development, especially after I complained about it last week. Thank you, Khalila, for listening to my infinite wisdom. As for the performance, it’s a bizarrely old choice that doesn’t really do anything for me compared to last week’s more modern choice. But she sang it well enough.
Instrument: Again, no. Girls don’t want to play guitar, apparently.
What the Judges Think: Jake felt she was out of tune a lot and couldn’t perform and sing at the same time, Farley says she has great shoes and feels that song choice is something everyone needs to pay more attention to, Sass felt that she can do more than that, while Zack felt she looks like a star on camera and is begging everybody to sing songs that matter.
Growth from Last Week: Zack felt it was radically irrelevant, and I tend to agree with him. The result, it seems, is the fact that she has devolved slightly from last week, but she still shows the same potential.
In Review
Best of the Night: Carly Rae Jepsen
I may be biased, because I enjoy both Carly Rae and that song, but she was the only person who picked a song that allowed for some sort of artistic integrity as well as personality.
Runner-Up: Mila Miller
Worst of the Night: Scarlett Burke
They tore apart both her and Annika, but Scarlett made the least relevant choice of the night by far and paid the consequences.
Runner-Up: Annika Odegard
In Danger: Martha Joy, Scarlett Burke, Naomi-Joy Blackhall, Annika Odegard
Cultural Learnings 
Just a note: the 2 songs that Tara has sung on the show are not Martina McBride songs. Yes, Martina has covered them in the past, but “I Never Promised You A Rose Garden” was Originally done by Lynn Anderson, and “Safe In The Arms Of Love” is a Michelle Wright (a Canadian) tune.
My issue is less the original artist (But thanks for the correction) but rather that she’s clearly emulating McBride more than their original performers. Which is exactly what Carrie Underwood did in a more impressive fashion on American Idol. So she really needs to step outside of that just a bit, I think.