Hi! I
I usually am pretty much on the same page with you. This time, however, it was a bit different for me. Sophia, Dillon and Grace made it higher in your list than in mine, specially Sophia. There is something in the sound of her voice I don't like and I have read several people commenting about this.
I hated Dillon's version of Yesterday. He's a good singer but I coincided with Katy that it sounded like he left the metronome on... All the song's meaning was lost for me. As for Grace, I felt she went too theatrical with this in a week when we were talking about things that remind us of home...(is she this grand there?). She has pipes, she sang better than last week, but to me it was a very inconsequential choice. In a shortened season like this, there is not time to beat around the bushes: show what you want to do in the future, so those who like you will follow you after AI. If you have a solid fan base, keep'em, don't confuse them, don't put them in the position of having to explain your choices.
I did not feel Sam's choice was that bad, and I enjoyed her performance much better than last week's, when I was reeeeeeaaaaally underwhelmed. She was not among my favorites, but, I felt she was better than the three mentioned above plus Louis (whom I agree is very meh...).
With Sophia's exception, I pretty much agree with the rest of your list. Some of them are not my favorite, but they did what they had to do (i.e., Makayla and Arthur). She made a case for herself showing she can do well something else, as all the big belters have been cut. But she needs to be very smart about what she does next because she has to carve a path for herself and hopefully steal some voters from others.
I did not care about Arthur's reggae version of that song. He's talented, and he has a big fan base, so yeah, he's safe and very well set to win or be second. But I still cannot connect with him and his voice drives me nuts with the sheep vibrato. I just can't...
Of the rest, most I like and did very well (Jony, Julia and Francisco). As for Jovin, I liked him a lot and wished he could be higher, but I understand why he's in danger. With him it happens totally the opposite to me than with Arthur: I totally connect with most of his performances, and totally get the barbecue sauce and booze references Luke, Katy and Lionel are constantly making. I see myself in bar in NOLA listening to the guy and enjoying the performance.