The Buzz with CCX - Season 21 Episode 9

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Showstopper time; we're cutting down to the Top 24 or however many we're voting on. Clips of the judges calling this "their best season yet", which I have my doubts about. Kaeyra is up first, and she sang "River" by Bishop Briggs and brought a bass on stage and rocked out hard. She's in the Top 24, and she's definitely one to watch out for. They continue showing her performance after showing the verdict. Up second is Warren Peay, out there without his guitar. He's doing The Allman Brothers Band's "Whipping Post". Luke asks him about his song choice, and he says that's one of his favorite songs of all time so he hopes he did it justice, based on the crowd's reaction he thinks he did. It's not bad. I don't think I'd be disappointed either way. But of course, he is through, because even with two nights, I suspect we'll see a lot more of the yeses than the noes. Wait, how many hours do we have here? Four, right? We're about a quarter hour in already, so yeah, we're only on pace for 32 performances. Also, we see in the previews that there will be a sing-off.

 

Nutsa, the Georgian (the country, not the state), is up next, and she's been thinking hard about Katy's criticism. She sang "Proud Mary". Her outfit is...interesting. She's in the Top 24--and Katy says she's excited for the next outfit. I have a feeling she's not long for this competition, though, because there are too many xenophobes (and also she's probably one of the weaker contestants anyway).

 

Adin Boyer is out there with an electronic keyboard, singing Coldplay's "Viva La Vida". I love it. It's not the most technically perfect, but as a neuroatypical myself, he's a role model. He's not in the Top 24, but Lionel tells him he can "start his songwriting tomorrow". Michael Williams is singing Miley Cyrus's "Angels Like You"...I honestly don't remember this guy at all. He says that the judges called him "Top 10 material" in his first audition, but they do that a lot. Maybe it's just the generic name, but this guy feels like a piece of fodder whose showstopper is only being shown because he's in the Top 24--which I don't feel is deserved. Katy fakes him out, but he is indeed in the Top 24.

 

Pjae and Malik Heard are coming in together. I like Pjae a lot; have at every stage; I missed what song he was singing. Malik's doing Tevin Campbell's "Can We Talk"...I like this performance too! And I'm assuming only one will stay. Oh, are they going to be a singoff? Yep, there they are, but there's a twist: they'll be doing the same song! Katy gave them two options, and they have to agree on which on to sing, and they get an hour of rehearsal. Both of them are sad that the other is the one they have to sing against because they've made friends. They'll be singing "everything i wanted" by Billie Eilish, and we go to commercial.

 

The judges are torn. Either one is fine by me. Malik has more control, but Pjae has more gravitas. And Pjae is going through. But so is Malik, and someone else that they were initially planning to keep is out! Also it's Pjae's birthday, he's 24 in the Top 24. Yep, we're exactly one hour in and have 6 of the Top 24. Wé Ani is up next, and acknowledges that it's hard to be taken seriously "sounding like a 12-year-old at 23". She sang Aretha Franklin's "Ain't No Way". She's through.

 

Zacharias Smith is the next to receive his judgment. He sang Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now". They initially made it sound as if he wasn't going through, but I can't imagine him not being in the Top 24. Katy again does a fakeout; he's through.

 

Kaylin Hedges was one of the Platinum Ticket winners at the age of 15. She sang Seal's "Kiss From A Rose". She's got the pipes, and I think she's got potential to win it all. But she's not even into the Top 24?! I'm surprised; last year all of the Platinum Ticket Winners were given entirely too many chances. Tyson Venegas was also a Platinum Ticket winner, and he got some serious nerves during his Showstopper performance...oh no, he completely forgot the lyrics and is just scatting! But he recovers and sings well, and the professionalism to just keep going full speed with no words could be a positive. I can read Katy so well, immediately predicted her follow-up to "we don't think you're destined for the Top 24"--namely, "we think it's more like the Top 10".

 

Haven Madison is up next. Katy breaks the fourth wall, saying "wait till they put music behind it" as the editing puts dramatic music in. She sings Sia's "Bird Set Free". She's in the Top 24, and the puns don't stop; Luke tells her not to be idle on Idol, and Katy says "you're safe, Haven." Fire is up next. A montage of all she went through, from her needing a second chance to Kaya Stewart quitting on her in Duets. She's doing Duffy's "Mercy". It's...a bit shaky. And it is indeed the end of the line for her.

 

Lucy Love is up next, singing "Flying Without Wings". Luke is reminded of last year's Lady K. And she's still in the competition.

 

Paige Ann is performing from her hotel room out of an abundance of caution, singing The Mamas and The Papas' "California Dreamin'". But she's not entering the room alone; Megan Danielle is also heading in with her. She sang "Always Remember Us This Way" by Lady Gaga. I don't think it's that good. But it's sing-off time. They're tasked with singing an Adele song. They don't have similar tastes in Adele songs, but eventually they agree on "Easy On Me". We hear Paige's performance, and it's wonderful, but the show's over!