American Idol Performances Mini Rankdown

[Alex95]

20. Lisa Tucker "I Am Changing"

14.2/20

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koJRfBy37Ug

 

@taylorkat - 6/20

@*Lily - 7/20

@JC - 9/20

@Elliott - 10/20

@goofycilla90 - 10/20

@1234567890 - 11/20

@Alex95 - 13/20

@sublymonal - 14/20

@*Wallace - 14/20

@FrogLenzen - 14/20

@NGM - 15/20

@*Diana - 16/20

@~Tom~ - 16/20

@Steven_ - 16/20

@Solaris - 17/20

@Crisis - 17/20

@*Chris - 18/20

@*Amanda - 20/20

@Weedy_Speedy - 20/20

@#jeah - 20/20

 

Lily

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Thrilled this made it! So Lisa was actually my first favorite on AI5 and I was stanning back in the day, so my 2006 bias is coming in here. As she broke into the live shows I feel she did struggle a little more but this was definitely her strongest performance. Especially as young as she was. I'm giving it a slightly higher ranking knowing it won't get many of them.

 

JC

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I loved Lisa! I was so upset she was prematurely eliminated, I felt like she was a frontrunner in the semifinals. She should have made if farther. Glad Victoria got her here although I was hoping for extra Katelliott performances. Instead we got a whole bunch of Daughtry performances that all sound the same 

 

Elliott

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She was on Zoey 101.

 

Alex

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Lisa definitely got hurt by lack of passion. I wouldn't have this in my top 20, but when I listened to the performance again it was really good! Lisa really had so much potential, it's a shame it amounted to nothing. This was a great performance and easily her best, but not one of the best of the season I'd say.

 

Andrew

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This is a good performance. Idk if I’d have it in my personal Top 20 from the season but I’m not surprised that it made it.

 

Wally

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I am definitely shook but very pleased that Lisa Tucker got a performance in the Final 20. Lisa was my original favorite of the season after her audition and I felt she had a strong start on the earlier stages of the show, with “I Am Changing” being proof of that. This is often regarded as her best performance - sometimes this is my favorite from her but I also really love “Here’s Where I Stand” and sometimes consider that my favorite from her too.

 

Lisa delivered such a strong and powerful vocal performance well beyond her young age of 16 that it was seriously so impressive. I like how she starts off the song so softly but then she showcases so much of her vocal range as the performance continues. I especially love all of the belting she does towards the middle to end of the performance where she sings:

 

But I need you, I need you, I need a hand.

 

I am changing

 

I'll get my life together now.

I am changing, yes, I know how.

I'm gonna start again.

I'm gonna leave my past behind.

I'll change my life.

I'll make a vow.

And Nothings gonna stop me now.....

 

I love how she drags out those “I am changing” lyrics. I love all of that range & power in her voice here. Lisa does not sing…. she SANG this song!  I was sad to lose some performances I love even more in the final vote but I am glad that this did manage to make it in here.

 

Derek

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My bet is that this makes last place lol. After this performance I was 1000000% convinced based on the voice and the looks that she was the winner of Season 5. Then she dissolved into nothing.

 

Nico

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It’s okay, idk why it’s here at the end but it’s not bad by any means. That said, this being here over performances of Paris and Elliott is a choice.

 

Steven

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This was a good performance from Lisa. It showed her potential and how she could've been a contender. She didn't end up making it far in the competition, but this was still an impressive showing from her.

 

Crisis

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At the start of Round 6, this looked like it had no chance of moving on to the finals. However, I noticed it started gaining momentum and it eventually found its way here. This was a performance that wasn’t on my radar; however, it really grew on me while rewatching the Top 20 performances to see where I would rank them. Lisa came out strong with this number. She showed confidence, poise, and of course vocal prowess. If I had to pick my favorite part, it would be when she sang but I need you, I need a hand right before going into the key change. Finally, I loved how strongly she ended the song. Though I placed it near the bottom, it was a performance I enjoyed; I just like the performances above it more. With that said, this was Lisa’s best performance of the season, and it’s too bad she never got back to this level during the rest of her time on Idol. 

 

Chris

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Lisa Tucker started off her American Idol on a high with this performance, and it's truly a shame that she was never able to reach the same level with her other performances. While this is a great performance, especially for a semi-final, I am not sure if it's worthy for Top 20 - maybe a Top 24, yes - but props must go to Victoria for working everyone of us to ensure Lisa has representation in the Top 20.

 

Kevin

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I didn't expect this to make the top 20, so when I saw it on the list I was kind of like huh. It was her best performance but I didn't think Lisa was very good in general (she was alright) so this definitely wouldn't make my personal top 20 list.

 

Andy

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Ooh I forgot she existed. This is vocally really strong but I don’t stan or anything, some notes were kind of off lol

 

 

 

 

19. Taylor Hicks "In The Ghetto"

13.6/20

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVsfHNJfX6o

 

@taylorkat - 2/20

@goofycilla90 - 6/20

@1234567890 - 8/20

@*Diana - 10/20

@#jeah - 10/20

@JC - 11/20

@~Tom~ - 11/20

@FrogLenzen - 11/20

@sublymonal - 13/20

@NGM - 13/20

@Solaris - 14/20

@Elliott - 14/20

@Weedy_Speedy - 16/20

@*Wallace - 17/20

@*Amanda - 18/20

@Alex95 - 18/20

@*Chris - 19/20

@Crisis - 20/20

@*Lily - 20/20

@Steven_ - 20/20

 

Andy

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Say what you want about Taylor, his voice is so soulful and this is a great performance to showcase that.

 

JC

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I discussed cutting this in one of the group rounds but I think Kaley told me not to. I was in my hating on Taylor mood and wanted to cut this because I did not like the word 'ghetto' as I felt it was racist so I was justifying cutting it, had nothing to do with Taylor's singing. He sang this nicely, I just find him a bit boring and one note, well not just a bit, I find him very one note.

 

Derek

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I feel bad that we don't have more Taylor in our finals but I don't like Taylor at all so not that bad. This is his best. I'll rank it here to be nice.

 

Andrew

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One of Taylor’s best for sure, but my Top 11 is all from 3 contestants so.

 

Nico

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I cringe every time I watch him perform. He sounded good on this.

 

Elliott

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Meh.

 

Kevin

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Yeah Taylor kinda got hosed for this game, I thought I'd come in here trying to fight for him but that really didn't end up happening lmao. This was good, it's not my favorite from him, but I'm glad he got some recognition from the game.

 

Wally

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While I am not a big Taylor Hicks fan (though I do like him), I am pleased for him having a performance in the finals as I would have felt bad had he been shut out.. Although at the same time, “In the Ghetto” beat out a number of performances I love more and am mad missed out in the Top 20, so that’s a bummer but oh well.

 

“In The Ghetto” was still a really great and strong performance from Taylor’s. I can’t remember if this is my favorite from him or if it’s “Living for the City,” probably the latter? But I do think this was (likely) his best vocal performance. I also love the emotional connection he pours into the song too, which is great! I like how he starts off the opening verse softly but he builds it up nicely on the chorus. The middle part of the performance is my favorite part. I really love the chorus especially where he sings:

 

Take a look at you and me,

Are we too blind to see?

Do we simply turn our heads and look the other way?

 

Well, the world turns

 

He makes some intriguing vocal choices that caught my attention. I especially love how he kinda growls “blind” and his falsetto note was very nice there. A very strong and enjoyable performance from Taylor. 

 

Alex

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Welp that's it from the winner of the season in this game . This was close to coming in last place and I wish it did for the lulz. The performance was fine enough I guess. Was it Taylor's best performance? Maybe. I don't remember any of his performances because I haven't revisited them since S5 aired.

 

Chris

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I am not the biggest fan of Taylor Hicks but credits must given when due - this was a great performance & I can see why it's one of his signature performance from Idol; I am glad that it was able to sneak into the Top 20 for diversity sake as we kept talking about during Season 4 when Carrie & Baby V were on their way to dominate final ranking in term of performances included. 

 

Crisis

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While nowhere near my favorite this season, I was happy to see Taylor have a performance here in the Top 20, especially since Kellie has one. With that said, although In The Ghetto is considered to be one of his best performances, it’s not one I was ever really a fan of, and it’s my least favorite of this Top 20. For starters, I thought the arrangement was too upbeat and lessened the impact of the song’s message. In addition, I felt Taylor did a poor job of selling the gravity of the song, and connecting to a song was something he was usually good at. I will say, however, I did somewhat enjoy the duet with Toni Braxton () during the finale although the song was more happy than usual (BTW, well played Idol for this pairing ).

I mainly enjoyed Toni trying to get sensual with Taylor and he was having none of that (WTF was wrong with him BTW ). Finally, I can’t talk about this song without posting this:

The falsetto kills me every time!

 

Now to deviate from the topic a bit...

 

Honorable Mentions

Taylor Hicks - Levon

 

I’ve mentioned in my In The Ghetto write-up I wasn’t the biggest Taylor fan and while I personally wouldn’t have had ITG in the Top 20, I did enjoy a couple of his performances. One of them is his first semi-finals performance Levon. I understood what the judges were saying when they said it probably wasn’t the best song choice for him; however, I thought he did a great job with the song and while his facial tics and dancing wasn’t for me, I could sense the feeling he put into it. I think this is one of his better and perhaps slightly underrated performances.

 

Taylor Hicks - Takin' It To The Streets

 

During the last round of the semis, Taylor took on this Doobie Brothers classic tune. It was thought he shared similarities to Michael McDonald and Joe Cocker; therefore, he took on the former. Although the Michael McDonald Doobie Brothers era is looked at with polarizing eyes, this is one of their most famous songs and a personal favorite of mine. I thought Taylor did a great job with the song. It’s difficult to sing Michael McDonald songs because his voice is so distinct, yet Taylor did him justice. I would probably say my favorite part was his voice soaring at the end of the second chorus. Finally, while I can’t say I was a fan of his spastic dancing, I enjoyed it here because it looked like he was lost in the moment. I especially lost it at his arm wind-ups; they reminded me of the cartoon characters who were either getting ready to throw an object or a haymaker.Takin’ It To The Streets is my favorite Taylor performance and while I’m happy to see he has a performance in the Top 20, I’d rather have this one over ITG.

 

Lily

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Wow how did listening to 17 performances back-to-back somehow make me completely forget about the actual winner of the season. So many shining moments from different contestants, and while this was great, I just am still not as enthused by this as I am the other performances. Hence the lower ranking.. sorry Taylor!

 

Steven

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I don't dislike Taylor Hicks, but I thought this performance was kind of boring. It was one of the last performances I re-watched out of this Top 20, and I don't think this one measures up to the rest.

 

 

 

 

18. Elliott Yamin "Somebody To Love"

13.3/20

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqt_C9DWH9Q

 

@JC - 5/20

@goofycilla90 - 7/20

@Elliott - 8/20

@Weedy_Speedy - 10/20

@1234567890 - 10/20

@*Wallace - 10/20

@FrogLenzen - 10/20

@sublymonal - 11/20

@NGM - 12/20

@#jeah - 12/20

@*Diana - 13/20

@Alex95 - 15/20

@Solaris - 16/20

@Crisis - 16/20

@*Lily - 16/20

@taylorkat - 17/20

@Steven_ - 18/20

@*Amanda - 19/20

@~Tom~ - 20/20

@*Chris - 20/20

 

JC

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He crushed this per usual, love it, he is fab

 

Elliott

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Unpopular opinion but I've never really cared for this song.  There's no denying Elliott did well with it though, and that B3 appearance afterward was a choice.

 

Kevin

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This was really good.

 

Wally

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I’m super glad that my Top 3 favorite Elliott Yamin performances made it into this Top 20. Of course with being a big Elliott fan, I do wish he could have had at least one more performance in here (“Moody’s Mood for Love” and/or “If I Can Dream”) but I will gladly take the three here. Sadly this is my least favorite performance of Elliott’s in this Top 20, although it’s not too sad as I do really love this performance a ton. Regardless I am super glad that JC & Kaley put this through as their choice into the Top 20 (as I used this as my Round 4 advancement pick). And it will get my #10 ranking.

 

I thought “Somebody to Love” was a great Queen song for Elliott to sing (although I don’t know if it was my favorite Queen song back then or if his version helped me decide that). I was so obsessed with this performance and I remember watching and listen to this performance so much during/after the season and I still do listen to this from time to time. Elliott sang this song really well and I love the soul & passion he pours into singing this song! He sounds great right from the start and throughout. I really love all of those big vocal runs he sings here. My favorite part is the bridge section he belts out where he sings:

 

Everyday

I try, and I try, and I try

 

But everybody wants to put me down

They say I'm goin' crazy

They say I got a lot of water in my brain

I got no common sense (he's got)

I got nobody left to believe in

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

 

That was such an epic part of the performance! Those vocals and that passion! I also remember trying to learn that section of that song but I don’t sound nearly as good as he does. Then I love how he closes out the performance where he sings:

 

Can anybody find me….

 

Somebody, somebody, somebody, somebody to love

 

This was another master vocal performance that Elliott just slayed and performed so naturally. I feel this “Somebody to Love” performance is kinda underrated. I don’t have too high expectations for its ranking but hoping for a surprise (and it can escape showing up on the first set).

 

Derek

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Elliott made this song work.

 

Andrew

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I mean, I don’t know how this made the Top 20. It’s fine, but I also like Elliott more than everyone but Chris so it kind of ranks here by default.

 

Nico

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I love him a lot and think this is a fine performance, but it’s hard for me to not compare to the original and think that 90% of the phrasing liberties he took didn’t land at all. Solid, but not my fave from him.

 

Andy

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I can’t believe he was in the B3 after this, such an iconic and hard song to nail and I think he did it justice.

 

Alex

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Yeah of all the Elliott performances, I'm surprised this one made it here. As always, it's another amazing vocal from Elliott, I mean he doesn't know how to deliver a poor vocal. I'm a bit disappointed this is the only performance from Queen night here because Chris, Paris, and Katharine's performances that night are amongst my favorites of the season.

 

Crisis

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One thing I’ll say about Elliott: he often took on the most challenging songs to sing, and this Queen classic was no different. I would go as far as saying this was the hardest song of the night. There is so much going on in this song from the rangy parts, the multiple key changes, and the ever so present background singers, yet Elliott handled it well for the most part. My favorite part was when he sang:

 

But everybody wants to put me down

They say I'm goin' crazy

They say I got a lot of water in my brain

I got no common sense (he's got)

I got nobody left to believe in

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

 

With that said, while it wasn’t a bad performance, I don’t know if I would have this among my favorite Elliott performances and probably wouldn’t have it in my personal Top 20. Now for a couple of performances I would have had in the Top 20 over this one...

 

Honorable Mentions

Elliott Yamin - Moody's Mood For Love

 

First, to this day I'm astonished at Elliott's physical transformation from when we first saw him on Idol; I don't even recognize the guy in this video. Elliott is my favorite male Idol contestant and my fourth favorite contestant overall, and this was the performance that made me a fan. After a very solid performance of If You Really Love Me in the first week of the semis, he definitely topped himself with Moody’s Mood For Love the following week. This is a jazz standard that is very difficult to sing because it has some seriously tricky timing, yet Elliott handled himself like a pro throughout it. What I really loved was how into it the audience was and how confident he looked on stage. It was something Elliott wasn’t the most consistent at, but when he picked a song he knew, watching him nail it was a sight to see. Moody’s Mood For Love is a vocal masterclass from one of the best singers let alone male to take the Idol stage, my second favorite of the night, my second favorite performance of his overall, and one I’m very disappointed didn’t make the finals.

 

Elliott Yamin - It Had To Be You

 

Top 7 Night was one of S5’s best nights. Other than Kellie, everyone had solid performances (yes, even Ace. It was a good note for him to leave on), and Elliott’s It Had To Be You was no different. He brought the vocals as usual; however, he somehow made the standard more contemporary. It certainly sounded like something that could’ve been on an adult contemporary station back in 2006 (it’s been 15 years since S5 aired, JFC where did the time go ). My favorite parts were toward the end when he sang:

 

For nobody else gave me a thrill

With all your faults, I love you still

 

For I felt his voice really soared there. Finally, I don’t know what Simon was thinking when he told him his performance lacked a degree of personality. I saw plenty of personality from Elliott during this performance from him leaning on the mic stand in the beginning and the playful charm he displayed through it. I do think this is one of Elliott’s best performances and perhaps one of the most overlooked.

 

Elliott Yamin - If I Can Dream

 

On Top 4 Week, a week in which he appeared to be the most vulnerable to elimination, Elliott went out and had a night for the ages. For his first performance, he took on this gospel-inspired tune that Elvis often used to close shows. While I think Trouble was the better of the two performances that night and am happy it reached the finals, If I Can Dream was a very strong showing in its own right. What docks this performance some for me is that his first notes were really off. He lost control of his vibrato in the beginning and it was easy to tell he was nervous. However, when he got to the part where he sang:

 

We’re lost in a cloud with too much rain

We’re trapped in a world with so much pain

He became more comfortable and really brought the song home. I especially loved the way he ended the song by taking his voice to a higher place because I felt the song would’ve lost its impact had it ended on a plateau. Overall, this was one of Elliott’s best performances and I would’ve had it in the Top 20 over Somebody To Love.

 

Lily

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There were really a lot of great vocalists in this season huh! A difficult song to sing, even for Queen standards I feel, but Elliott did a strong job with it.

 

Steven

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The song is crowd-pleaser and Elliott had some good moments, but I don't think he really nailed the performance. I get why it's here in the Top 20, but it's not one of my favorites.

 

Tom

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Why is this here? This has never been my favorite Queen song in the first place and he didn't do it justice, even.

 

Chris

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I will give him props for trying his best on this huge Queen classic but I never enjoyed this performance of his - he didn't really have the essence of it & it was not that great vocally, in my opinion.

 

 

 

 

17. Katharine McPhee "Think"

12.9/20

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWq9D7cl1PM

 

@*Diana - 5/20

@JC - 6/20

@taylorkat - 7/20

@Steven_ - 7/20

@FrogLenzen - 9/20

@Solaris - 11/20

@goofycilla90 - 12/20

@*Amanda - 12/20

@Weedy_Speedy - 13/20

@1234567890 - 13/20

@Crisis - 14/20

@*Chris - 14/20

@*Wallace - 15/20

@sublymonal - 16/20

@Elliott - 16/20

@Alex95 - 17/20

@NGM - 17/20

@*Lily - 17/20

@~Tom~ - 18/20

@#jeah - 19/20

 

JC

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Such a fun semifinal performance, girl was gorge and really sang well.

 

Steven

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This was one of my favorite Katharine McPhee performances. She delivered a fun and upbeat performance while making it look effortless. I'm glad to see this one make it to the Top 20.

 

Derek

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This was the song that put her on the map for me. That's why I think it got through over some of her others

 

Kevin

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I actually really like quite a few of Kat's uptempo performances, and think this is kind of low on my rankings, but oh well this is where it ends up I guess lol. But yeah, it was good.

 

Crisis

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After an underwhelming performance of All In Love Is Fair (a song I absolutely love) the previous week, Katharine bounced back (in more ways than one) with this Aretha Franklin classic. I’ll admit Kat didn’t have the voice to really do the song justice; however, she still sounded really good and it was nice to see her let loose and have fun on stage. My favorite part was when she sang:

 

You need me and I need you

Without each other there ain’t nothing neither can do

(admittedly there are other reasons I enjoyed that part )

 

Think was the performance that put Kat on my radar that season. Now, with all of this said, I’ll admit I was a bit shocked to see this performance get as much support as it did. It’s probably my seventh favorite of hers overall and don’t get me wrong it was a very solid performance. However, I felt both Since I Fell For You and Until You Come Back To Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do) were better options for the Top 20. It reminded me of the S3 Round when LaToya's Ain't Goin' Down ('Til The Sun Comes Up) garned more support than Too Close For Comfort, which I felt was the superior performance. Also, I would’ve picked another song of hers to be on the compilation album although I enjoyed her performance during the Top 3 Results Show, but it is what it is. Speaking of SIFFY and UYCBTM (TWIGD)...

 

Honorable Mentions

Katharine McPhee - Since I Fell For You

 

This may seem strange now especially after the write-up of my next honorable mention Katharine performance, but I wasn’t much of a fan of hers at the beginning of the season. It’s not that I disliked her; I was just more interested in other contestants at the time. This includes her performance of Since I Fell For You. I thought it was good, but I wasn’t enamored with it. Over the years, however, this performance really grew on me and I realized I seriously underrated it. I love the beginning when it’s just her and the piano before the rest of the band came in and she kicked it into high gear. Some of the things she did with her voice were awesome, especially the runs she did towards the end, and I enjoyed her kind of twitchy movements during it. Overall, this is now my sixth favorite Kat performance.

 

Katharine McPhee - Until You Come Back To Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)

 

Until You Come Back To Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do) is a performance I really hoped would be in the Top 20. This is my fifth favorite Katharine performance; however, it’s the one that has the most sentimental value for me. Katharine is my all-time favorite American Idol contestant, and while Think was the performance that made me take notice of her, UYCBTM is the one that made me a McPhan and there was no turning back for me. I thought her voice sounded really lovely throughout the song. If I had to pick my favorite parts, it would be the bridge when she sang:

 

Hear my plea

I gotta make you see

That our love is dying

 

And in the last verse when she sang:

 

Somehow I must, somehow I must

Somehow I must explain

 

I know Simon compared her to Kelly Clarkson, and as much as I absolutely adore Kat, even I know Kelly is in a league of her own (they are my two favorite Idol contestants). Regardless, this was a great performance from her and is one of my overall S5 favorites.

 

Chris

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Thinking on it now, I do wish that I could have campaigned for both Think & Since I Fell For You to be in the Top 20  - both were excellent & really positioned Kat as one of the top contender of the competition. That being said, I think I would have preferred Mandisa's I'm Every Woman over this performance if only one performance from Top 16 (Girls) could have advanced.

 

Wally

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Gah I am sad and heartbroken that “Since I Fell For You” missed out on making the Top 20. Now I do really love “Think,” but I do think SIFFY was more deserving for the Top 20 and should have had “Think”’s spot instead (which would have rounded up my 5 favorite Katharine performances too)… but sadly the votes did not go that way. Oh well.

 

Back to “Think,” I do love this performance and thought this was a great comeback for Kat after her previous underwhelming performance. It was great seeing this fun, lively, sassy side of her having the time of her life here! And I think this was that first time we really got to see her have fun especially on the live show competition. I thought she performed the song in such a cute and fun way with some of her little walking movements she does. There are a lot of parts I love from this such as that part where she sings that high key part in the first verse.

 

I  love the part where she sings: There ain't nothing you could ask I could answer you but I won't (I won't)

 

One of my main (if not) favorite parts of this performance is where she sings: 

 

You need me (need me) and I need you (don't you know)

Without each other there ain't nothing we can do

 

And I love all of those “Freedom!” parts she sings and belts out here too, which are also some of my favorite parts of this performance! 

 

Andrew

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See my OTR write up. Ranked this lower than BHATCT because I think more people like it, or people like it more than that performance.

 

Elliott

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Still waiting on her to apologize to the gay community for using us to further her career while donating all that money to Tr*mp and other Republican politicians.

 

Alex

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A very fun performance, Katharine's stage presence here is undeniable. Far from a perfect vocal, but also far from her weakest vocal. Overall it was a forgettable performance in the grand scheme of things this season, but it was certainly fine!

 

Nico

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Meh

 

Lily

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I'm not sure if I need to hear anyone other than Aretha sing this, that being said, Katharine controlled this song great, super tough one to sing and she held her own.

 

Tom

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This should not be here!

 

Andy

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Idk man, her voice is okay here but I’m not super feeling this

 

 

 

 

16. Kellie Pickler "Fancy"

12.5/20

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjMGtCBhdQk

 

@Steven_ - 1/20

@*Diana - 2/20

@Weedy_Speedy - 4/20

@Solaris - 7/20

@1234567890 - 7/20

@JC - 10/20

@~Tom~ - 12/20

@FrogLenzen - 12/20

@taylorkat - 13/20

@goofycilla90 - 13/20

@NGM - 14/20

@Elliott - 15/20

@*Chris - 15/20

@Alex95 - 16/20

@*Amanda - 17/20

@#jeah - 17/20

@*Wallace - 18/20

@sublymonal - 19/20

@Crisis - 19/20

@*Lily - 19/20

 

Steven

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Thankfully a Kellie Pickler performance made it to the Top 20 here, and I'm glad it happens to be my favorite performance of the season too. "Fancy" suited Kellie perfectly. She was totally in her wheelhouse here; she nailed the performance. She showed off her strengths and delivered a standout performance. I know this performance won't win the round, but I'm just glad to see it included here in the Top 20. It's my favorite performance of the season, so here it is at #1 on my ranking.

 

Kevin

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Higher rated than even I thought I would put it lmao, but I did love this performance. Kellie was extremely hit or miss but this was such a hit for me. Absolutely up there as one of the best country performances on Idol.

 

JC

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I heart Kellie Pickler, she legit made me lol all the time, I was obsessed with her. And I really enjoyed her performances, she had a great country voice and amazing personality. WERK GURL!

 

Derek

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Kellie being on idol the season after Carrie won was sooooooooo so so weird. On one hand, why did she even bother lol she was never going to win... on the other hand it was very interesting seeing this blonde country girl be totally opposite of Carrie in so many other ways.

 

Nico

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Did she sound better than usual? Yes. Does that appeal to me? No

 

Elliott

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Meh. What a waste of a Top 20 spot.

 

Chris

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I expect this performance to be one of the first performance to be revealed but I am super glad to have been able to advanced it into the Top 20 so we can more diversity in the Top 20 especially considering her being one of the most successful from her season. On top of all that, this is easily her best performance - it's crazy that it took her until Top 9 to deliver a great performance, although Walking After Midnight wasn't terrible.  And not here for Simon not loving Fancy, the song  

 

Alex

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Obviously this is Kellie's best performance by a mile, but when stacked against the other performances it's just not as good. I always forget how truly awful Kellie's Idol run is, she's so lucky she was a pretty white blonde country girl so she made it as far as she did. If she had more performances like this, she really could've won.

 

Andy

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Yeah I mean this was her best performance on the show from what I remember and she kept the energy up. I just don’t think her voice is all that strong lmfao.

 

Wally

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Well done to Chris & Andy on advancing Kellie’s “Fancy” into the Final 20. I do like Kellie but this isn’t a performance I would have in my personal Top 20 per se and would prefer having many other performances in here… but eh, I’m always here for variety. With all of that said, I do really like “Fancy” and consider this one of my favorites from her. I go back and forth between this or “Walkin’ After Midnight” and I do think I prefer the latter performance. 

 

Kellie did rightfully own it on Country Night and this was one of my favorite performances that night for sure. This was also the first time i heard this song so I always think of it whenever i hear Reba McEntire’s or other versions. Kellie did deliver one of her best vocals but also delivered a great feisty sassy performance. I love the confidence she had while performing this. I also found myself enjoying this even more than I remember so I moved it up an extra spot to #18. My favorite part of the performance is towards the end where she sings:

 

I knew what I had to do and I made myself this solemn vow

That I's gonna be a lady someday

 

But I couldn't see spending the rest of my life

With my head hung down in shame

You know I might have been born just plain white trash

But Fancy was my name

 

Then I also love those parts where she sings:

 

Lord, forgive me for what I do

But if you want out well it's up to you

 

So much sass and attitude here. Great performance from Kellie. 

 

Andrew

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Not a fan of Kellie’s so even though this is her “best” performance, it’s still not good imo.

 

Crisis

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Personally, I wouldn’t have any of Kellie’s performances in my S5 Top 20. With that said, I think Fancy was her best performance, so this was the best choice if any of her performances were to be included in the Top 20. Kellie worked the stage well, had great energy, and sang the song well; I would say this was the best she sounded all season. Also, it certainly didn’t hurt that the theme was right in her wheelhouse. I would say the choruses were the best part. With that said, it’s still my second least favorite performance here, so one spot from the bottom it ranks.

 

Lily

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I think this was her strongest performance and good for her to have this in the top 20! That being said, I do feel her strongest isn't quite as strong as that of others in this endgame, but I still enjoyed this.

 

Edited May 20, 2021 by Alex95

[Alex95]

Crisis was really kicking my ass having to copy and paste his writeups a la Wally 

[Solaris]

Fancy is too low, everything else is appropriate.

[*Chris]

No major disappointments, so far. 

I am ready to make a prediction about JC's bottom - it will be all of Chris' performances #predictable   (And I predict other people to do the same with Kat), 

[~Tom~]

No complaints so far! I’m especially glad Elliott’s STL showed up as it’s my least favorite of this top 20 easily.

 

And lol @ the Daughtry mention. So glad he got the most performances in the top 20.  

 

But I do agree with Wally that SIFFY was robbed and should be here over Think.  

[FrogLenzen]

26 minutes ago, Alex95 said:

20. Lisa Tucker "I Am Changing"

@FrogLenzen - 14/20

Derek

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My bet is that this makes last place lol.

I was correct with my absolutely daring prediction here. I'm sure no one else could have seen it coming but me hahahaha

[Steven_]

Shame that Fancy is already out.

[Elliott]

 

Prematurely eliminated???????

 

[*Wallace]

Wow Lisa’s “I Am Changing” with a score of 14.1 at #20….. is insane. i feel like that’s the best score for a #20 ranking? This is going to be such a tight ranking. Omgg lol Lisa would also be Lily’s first favorite of AI5 just like me. I’m not too surprised it came in at #20 although I was hoping this would rank higher. But happy this made it here - although I also would have loved having another Elliott and Paris performance in here. lol Chris calling Victoria out on getting this here.

 

Hmm I’m okay with Taylor’s “In the Ghetto” coming in at #19. Interesting JC finds him one note…. I would moreso say two note as he does those fun/uptempo performances but also ballads like these. I do feel bad on my end not supporting him more/higher but I was more passionate about other contestants. lol Loved that Crisis posted the Toni duet which I totally forgot about….. and omgg he ale outdoes me in my own write-hips. But yeah I did love “Takin’ It to the Streets” too.

 

Aww darn I was hoping for Elliott’s “Somebody to Love” to sneak into the second set but I had a feeling it would show up on the first set. Ugh a bummer. Ughh I wish I could have ranked this higher. Do really love this. I would have liked Paris’ to get in there for more Queen night appreciation. But I am glad most of the rankers gave him props on what a challenging song this was and the vocal he delivered. I especially loved reading Crisis’ write-up and all the praise he gave Elliott in his write-up (and yesss at the Moody’s Mood for Love and if I Can Dream mentions)! Praying his other 2 can m ale the Top 10 though.

 

This is a good spot for Kathatrine’s “Think” and yeah pleased with this being her first performance to show up. omgg Crisis really has all of the same favorite parts as I do…. I love it. But ugh i am still utter this made it through over the gorgeous + underrated “Since I Fell for You” but oh well. And also agree with Chris that Mandisa’s IEW should have been the Top 16 Girls night representative here. I do agree this was a fun upbeat performance.

 

Kellie’s “Fancy” actually made it higher than I was expecting it to do. but 16th is a good spot for it and I’m not mad about it. I do agree with those that said this was amongst her strongest but not quite as up to par as others best ones.

 

Oh wow Chris Daughtry still has all 6 of his performances locked in. He’s totally winning this imo.  

[*Wallace]

2 hours ago, Alex95 said:

Crisis was really kicking my ass having to copy and paste his writeups a la Wally 

I am being outdone and I'M NOT HAPPY about it.  

 

 

 

 

Lol kidding. I'm loving reading his write-ups.  

[*Wallace]

2 hours ago, *Chris said:

No major disappointments, so far. 

I am ready to make a prediction about JC's bottom - it will be all of Chris' performances #predictable   (And I predict other people to do the same with Kat), 

Lol yeah I alluded to this in some of my write-ups.... that some Kat stans may put Chris' performances at the bottom and some Chris stans will put Kat's performances in the bottom.  

 

Although exclude me from that narrative as I always rank how I feel.   

1 hour ago, ~Tom~ said:

But I do agree with Wally that SIFFY was robbed and should be here over Think.  

Something we agree on.    

 

30 minutes ago, Elliott said:

 

Prematurely eliminated???????

 

Shhhhh.... we don't talk about that performance. Or that horrendous night for that matter.  

[*Wallace]

Oooh @*Chris ranking Kellie's "Fancy" at 15th is a real big surprise to me as I thought he was the driving  force for advancing that performance through.  I get the reasoning in his comments for more diversity though.

[FrogLenzen]

 

Paris and Mandisa flying straight to the top while Kat and Chris fans battle it out

[*Chris]

10 minutes ago, *Wallace said:

Oooh @*Chris ranking Kellie's "Fancy" at 15th is a real big surprise to me as I thought he was the driving  force for advancing that performance through.  I get the reasoning in his comments for more diversity though.

Kat & Chris were my Top 2 of that season - I will give a spoiler alert here: it was hard for other contestants to crack my Top 10. 

[*Wallace]

14 minutes ago, FrogLenzen said:

 

Paris and Mandisa flying straight to the top while Kat and Chris fans battle it out

Hopefully Elliott too. Considering the performance, I wouldn't be mad about this.  

 

It all looks like the Nadia and Carrie vs Vonzell fans but I do think one of the big fan favorites will win out.

4 minutes ago, *Chris said:

Kat & Chris were my Top 2 of that season - I will give a spoiler alert here: it was hard for other contestants to crack my Top 10. 

Ahh okay, that's fair and I totally understand. I think I was expecting to see Fancy in your Top 10 or something haha.  

[Elliott]

Can we just get the rest of Elliott Yamin's performances out of the way because I'm tired of having to read everyone's posts carefully to make sure they're not talking to/about me.

[*Wallace]

6 minutes ago, Elliott said:

Can we just get the rest of Elliott Yamin's performances out of the way because I'm tired of having to read everyone's posts carefully to make sure they're not talking to/about me.

 

We can get through them once we get to the final set of performances.   

[Elliott]

1 minute ago, *Wallace said:

We can get through them once we get to the final set of performances.

But Alex reveals it five performances at a time and there's six Chris Daughtry performances, so...

[Elliott]

24 minutes ago, *Chris said:

Kat & Chris were my Top 2 of that season

Same.

 

Were being the operative word

[FrogLenzen]

14 minutes ago, Elliott said:

I'm tired of having to read everyone's posts carefully to make sure they're not talking to/about me.

Me in the DWTS Rankdown

[Elliott]

2 minutes ago, FrogLenzen said:

Me in the DWTS Rankdown

But all of the posts in the DWTS rankdown were insulting Derek so you know it wasn't you

 

Until you decided to slander Lindsey Stirling, at which point @*Diana and I were no longer considering you the superior Derek.

[*Lily]

57 minutes ago, *Wallace said:

Omgg lol Lisa would also be Lily’s first favorite of AI5 just like me.

I almost mentioned it in my writeup that I expected us to have the same first favorite.  

[*Wallace]

2 minutes ago, Elliott said:

But Alex reveals it five performances at a time and there's six Chris Daughtry performances, so...

Chris is gonna do well and deservingly so but he doesn't need 5 performances in the Top 5.   And before you @ me I would say the same thing about Kelly/Tamyra/Vonzell/Katharine/etc all of my all-time faves. 

[FrogLenzen]

2 minutes ago, Elliott said:

But all of the posts in the DWTS rankdown were insulting Derek so you know it wasn't you

 

Until you decided to slander Lindsey Stirling, at which point @*Diana and I were no longer considering you the superior Derek.

We need to be able to choose multiple reacts for posts!!!!! 

[Elliott]

1 minute ago, *Wallace said:

Chris is gonna do well and deservingly so but he doesn't need 5 performances in the Top 5.   And before you @ me I would say the same thing about Kelly/Tamyra/Vonzell/Katharine/etc all of my all-time faves. 

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