The Buzz with CCX - Season 20 Episode 13

[ScarletDevilCCX]

Vodka and cranberry tonight, probably a drink and a half's worth. I actually ended up voting for 15 of the 20 contestants so no matter what, someone I voted for is going home; I decided to give Ava a pass despite her actually finishing 16th on my ballot because I'd be penalizing her for going too ambitious on the degree of difficulty. Speaking of Ava, she's up first, looking adorable as always, and she's through. She's singing Lizzo's "Cuz I Love You". And...maybe I was wrong to give her a pass? This feels like a 58. Christian Guardino is also in the Top 10...wait, what? Ah, this must be where the wild cards are--10 that we the public chose, four that the judges choose. He's singing Radiohead's "Creep", and while it doesn't measure up to Season 13's Jena Irene, that's a kind of high bar, and he's still good for a 75. Still, that's interesting; the votes are actually cutting it in half. And we're still not going to commercial--ah, because wild card round! And Cameron Whitcomb's up third, and he's not through, and will be singing for the judges' picks...after the break.

 

Cameron's singing "If It Hadn't Been For Love" by the Steeldrivers. Wait, aren't they kind of country? He sounds like a lounge lizard. Kind of looks like one too. 30 seems about right. Naturally, the judges are giving him a standing ovation. Katy feels that the disappointment of not getting voted through by America actually made him better. Well, it's not like he could've gotten much worse. Allegra Miles looks like she's ready for prom, and she's not in America's Top 10. She's singing her original song "Tainted", which she previously sang at her audition.  It's good. I'll give it a...78? Yeah, that seems right. Lady K is fifth to receive her results, and Ryan mentions that she got a standing ovation from the judges. And she's in America's Top 10. She's singing Jazmine Sullivan's "Bust Your Windows"; Ryan remarks that two shows ago she sang "Before He Cheats" and suggests that she's trying to send a message. 84. Ryan asks her if there's a story, and while she never vandalized any property, she did post some pictures after a cheating boyfriend tried to come back to her. Commercial break.

 

Huntergirl's up sixth, and she'd better go through...yeah, she did. She's singing "Vice" by Miranda Lambert. Wait, are we voting tonight? I don't think we are. And she's wonderful as always. 93. Seventh is Katyrah Love. She's not going through on America's vote, and she's singing "Through the Fire" by Chaka Khan. It's pretty...okay. 64. To commercial.

 

First "Coast-to-Coast vote" next week, with the Top 14 being mentored by Gabby Barrett, and the latest "Idol History" is a judges' song contest. Cadence Baker is up next, and she's not through to America's Top 10; she's singing "I'm Your Baby Tonight" by Whitney Houston while sparkling from head to toe. The judges give her a standing ovation and Katy gives her an "O-M-G" while complimenting her look and her singing. Somehow this is time for a reminder that Gabby Barrett didn't actually win the competition, but she "won live" and Cadence just might, too. In other words, "you're not going to win, but you're going to get signed." I give her a 65. Dan Marshall is in America's Top 10, singing "Stuck On You" by Lionel Richie, which Ryan calls a country song. Well, it sure sounds like one from Dan. It's good for an 86.

 

Leah Marlene is tenth to get her results, and she's excited. But will she be excited after Ryan gives her her results. Yes she will! She, too, is singing an original that she previously sang at her audition in Nashville, "Wisher to the Well". 98. She says she's at a loss for words, and when Ryan says she clearly isn't, she says she's got plenty of words, just not the right ones. Nicolina is up next, and she's also through to the Top 10. She's singing "She Used To Be Mine" by Sara Bareilles--also her audition song. I remember loving her audition, and I love this, too. 99. More results after the break.

 

Sage is up next. We're 12 people in and 9 of the 11 girls have gotten their results compared to just 3 of the 9 guys. She's not in, and she's singing Allen Stone's "Brown-Eyed Lover". Wow, she's got some growl. Was it good? I dunno. 76 sounds right. Jay is up 13th. Ryan banters with him for a while, then delivers the bad news: he's not in America's Top 10. As a Platinum Ticket Winner, he's a near shoo-in for the Top 14. This performance of Imagine Dragons' "Believer" doesn't deserve it. 36. Over the top, and he doesn't stop when the song's over. Luke says the performance is why they gave him the Platinum Ticket. It's Noah Thompson's 20th birthday today, and it's Season 20, and we'll find out if he's in the Top 10 after the break!

 

Noah's going through, singing Jason Isbell's "Cover Me Up". And he finally does something worth talking about! This is a solid 79. Jacob Moran is not in the Top 10, and he's singing "Rise" by Katy Perry. And it takes a little while, but he finds a moment! 95. Katy's got her hands to her ears. She says there were notes that she's never heard in that song before. I think that's a good thing? Elli Rowe is next to get her results, and she is not in America's Top 10. Nice, the two I really didn't want in, aren't in. She's singing Kodaline's "All I Want". It's not great, I'll give it a 40, and Lionel can only say that she's a victim of too many people in her lane, and says that America will tell her if she's done enough, to which Ryan corrects him. So yeah, Elli's gone; Lionel's as good as sealed her fate.

 

Emyrson Flora is 17th to receive her fate. And she's in the Top 10! I wasn't paying enough attention to catch her song choice, but I was paying enough attention to give her a 90. Mike's up next, and of course he's out, because we've got only one more spot left and three contestants remaining. He's singing "Bed On Fire", I didn't catch the artist. It's good; 85.

 

Tristen vs. Fritz for the final spot in America's Top Ten. And Fritz is the one going through. He's singing "Golden" by Harry Styles, and there's some sort of yell, I think it came from the crowd but it's already putting me in a sour mood. They show Katy up dancing throughout it, and someone else, too. That said, this actually was a good performance. 83. Tristen's song is "Are You Gonna Go My Way?" by Lenny Kravitz, and he's returned to form. I had to stealth edit Nicolina down, I was very torn between Nicolina and Leah anyway but put them two points apart originally. Tristen gets the 100, and Katy's comments make me think he is getting one of the four saves.

 

The first person to get the judges' save, as revealed by Katy, is Allegra Miles, who Katy said she was confused when America didn't put her through. Lionel was in just as much disbelief that it took so long for Jay to get to the core of what he wanted out of him. Luke's up third, and he saves Mike--nice! I don't necessarily agree with Jay, but two of the three I wanted back are there, and make it three for three as Tristen is the last one to be saved!