Tuesday, March 31, 2009

The Top 9 Kinda Shine on Top Downloaded Songs Week on American Idol Season 8

01 Anoop Desai sang "Caught Up" made famous by Usher-- I think that out of all the judges I agreed with Paula. Anoop's vocals were good, they weren't great, and all he really needs to do is work on his stage presence. I thought Kara's comment about Anoop singing it cause his frat boys dared him to was totally off base. And as for Simon; Simon, I don't think Anoop is a wannabee; I think he would genuinely like to record R&B albums.
Score: 4

02 Megan Joy sang "Turn Your Lights Down Low" made famous by Bob Marley and later Lauryn Hill-- Unfortunately, I am actually starting to find her vocals annoying. The song was, as Simon said, boring, indulgent, and monotonous. This was a mess as far as I'm concerned.
Score: 2.9

03 Danny Gokey sang "What Hurts The Most" made famous by Rascal Flatts-- I love the fact that Danny chose this song, and not only did he show vocal range but he showed emotion. Paula said she would hit repeat in her car, and I have to say that I would too.
Score: 4.8

04 Allison Iraheta sang "Don't Speak" made famous by No Doubt-- I think Allison has poise and vocal maturity beyond her years and that was demonstrated in this performance. The vocals were innovative and the rock edge that she has just seems to emerge so naturally, so she didn't need the over the top outfit that she was wearing. Her delivery, especially at the end, was pretty awesome.
Score: 4.75

05 Scott Macintyre sang "Just The Way You Are" made famous by Billy Joel-- Simon: Scott, your best performance by a country mile. I do have to admit the song choice was perfect for him, and he sang this very simply, and I don't think that he will be going anywhere this week. I think he's safe.
Score: 4.5

06 Matt Giraud sang "You Found Me" made famous by The Fray-- Matt has this knack for making amazing song choices, (Kris Allen also has that quality). His vocals surprise me every week and this week was no exception. I think the judges were too critical of him, they were wrong, and I agree "Apologize" by One Republic (Randy's suggestion) would have been a better choice. Kara, thanks for adding that Matt shouldn't go home; he shouldn't.
Score: 4.75

07 Lil Rounds sang "I Surrender" made famous by Celine Dion-- Lil sang this song really well, but once again, it wasn't the right song for her. Simon said it was too old fashioned and sounded like something that you would hear at a wedding. I agree! Simon said she should have sang "One" by U2 (Mary J. Blige did an awesome cover of it as well), and I think that she should have sang "Heaven Sent" by Keyshia Cole.
Score: 4

08 Adam Lambert sang "Play That Funky Music" made famous by Wild Cherry-- The judges seemed to really love this, and I thought it was good, but I am definitely not as enthusiastic as the judges. I applaud the fact that Adam took a risk; he did a song that was not as current and he made it seem ageless and legendary.
Score: 4.7

09 Kris Allen sang "Ain't No Sunshine" made famous by Bill Withers-- Kris said that he wanted to have "a moment" on stage, and he did. Like Paula said, he took a 30 year old song and he made me feel like I was hearing it for the first time. The arrangement was amazing, and Paula is right; it could be track 1 on his debut album. He showed true artistry and I think that shows he is ready to be a musician today, best performance of the night!
Score: 5

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

The Top 10 Take Us Back and Give Love on Motown Night on American Idol Season 8

This week gave us the mentoring skills of Motown legends Smokey Robinson and Berry Gordy, overall this was a great night; there were some sore spots though, read on to find them...

01 Matt Giraud performed "Let's Get It On" made famous by Marvin Gaye (1973)-- Paula was right on with everything she said about Matt tonight, he was as comfortable away from the piano as he is behind it. He continually has this sexy cool vibe about him and whenever he sings any song he is respectful of the melody while still giving his own interpretation. Song choice, was, as Simon said, brilliant, suited his voice perfectly.
Score: 5

02 Kris Allen performed "How Sweet It Is" made famous by Marvin Gaye (1964)-- Paula and Kara both praised Kris for doing his own version of this song and therefore displaying artistry. I have to say that overall Kris is having a solid competition right now, his consistency is impressive. He doesn't need to have that conceited confidence that Simon mentioned because he has a quiet confidence instead.
Score: 5

03 Scott Macintyre performed "You Can't Hurry Love" made famous by Diana Ross and the Supremes (1966)-- This was a really painful performance and I was waiting for it to be over. I have to agree with Simon, it was all together the wrong song for him and much too ordinary; it sounded like the hotel performance that Randy was talking about.
Score: 2.9

04 Megan Joy performed For Once In My Life" made famous by Stevie Wonder (1967)--Oh my! This was not good, I think that this is her week to get kicked off; this was horrific.
Randy: it was a train wreck, bizarre
Kara: the song dominated you (she should have sang "my guy")
Paula: confusing
Simon: it was horrible, bad arrangement
Score: 2

05 Anoop Desai performed "Ooo Baby Baby" made famous by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (1965)-- Phrasing, delivery, and vocals were great; Anoop is showing the judges and everyone watching that he is a great singer who deserves to be here. All he needs to do now is keep up his vocals, add some showmanship and bring back the energy, and he will really be in the thick of this competition.
Score: 4.75

06 Michael Sarver performed "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" made famous by The Temptations (1966)-- The song was a little bit too big for him, but I think that Michael is someone who is really sincere and stays true to who he is, and it's obvious that he is having a great time on stage. His vocals weren't bad, but they weren't great either; I do think that overall, the judges were too hard on him.
Score: 4.25

07 Lil Rounds performed "Heat Wave" made famous by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas (1963)-- I agree with Paula and Simon (Kara and Randy were dead wrong!) Lil's vocals were authentic and she sounded fabulous paying tribute to Martha Reeves. I do believe that had she sang a different song as Simon said, she could have capitalized and had a "moment". He suggested, "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" and I do agree, and would also like to add two more options, "Upside Down" and "You Keep Me Hangin' On".
Score: 4.5

08 Adam Lambert performed "Tracks of My Tears" made famous by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (1965)-- I don't think it was the best of the night by any means, but it was one of the best. I think Adam showed a different side of himself tonight, and I liked this side of him. His falsetto tonight was so much more controlled than it usually is and I really liked that. What an improvement one week makes.
Score: 5

09 Danny Gokey performed "Get Ready" made famous by The Temptations (1966)-- I think I have to kind of agree with Simon; Danny has a great voice but the performance wasn't great. It was okay, he had energy but for some reason it just seemed a little but too clumsy for me; I feel like this was thrown together at the last minute.
Score: 4

10 Allison Iraheta performed "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" made famous by The Temptations (1972)-- Allison's performance was funk filled; I loved it. I think it is by far her best performance since she made it into the Top 12. I am still trying to get over the fact that she was in the bottom two last week because her talent is not something that you can teach in any school.
Score: 5

Friday, March 20, 2009

Organic Bedding and Towels

Going green, the trend that is sweeping the nation has made its way, slowly but surely, to the Luxury Linens Department at Bloomingdale’s. Organic cotton is cotton that is grown without the addition of chemicals, pesticides, or synthetic fertilizers in the growing process and the plants are not genetically modified. The colors in textiles are generated from vegetable dyes, and for something to be called organic cotton it must be certified by the USDA, SKAL, or the Organic Exchange.

Ralph Lauren organic relaunches this spring with two new bedding collections and a solid sheet series. Seaside Retreat is a collection inspired by the sea and devoted to peaceful relaxation. The two sets of sheets, one in a pale hued small print floral paisley and the other in a honey and blue stripe both convey comfort. Subtle sea washed flowers that are outlined in cream adorn a duvet cover and shams that are sun- bleached. A raffia decorative pillow made of natural palm adds texture as does the blue tattersall decorative pillow on a cream background. Twill shams made of organic cotton and linen and an organic basketweave blanket in dusty aqua complete the collection.

Island Retreat is a collection that combines Asian inspired stripes and prints; it is inspired by the bliss filled bohemian ease of a South Seas private getaway. The first set of sheets is a muted blue and sand stripe with an extra wide and vivid red and blue paisley border. The coordinating set is a faded indigo dot sheet that resembles a Japanese fisherman’s robe. The indigo duvet cover is accented with cream pick-stitching and closes with cotton ties. The raffia neck role woven from natural palm has bamboo buttons, the second decorative pillow has red floral and cream dobby stripes, while the third is an indigo batik print. A bright white organic basketweave blanket finishes off the collection.

Calvin Klein’s organic offering this season is Bowery, linear modernity inspired by the runway. The grid shaped jacquard weave in gray and white hues on the duvet cover and shams give the collection an urban feel. The soft blue-gray sateen sheets have subtle lines with tone on tone rows of vertical dashes that add to an already building linear effect. The pickstitch organic coverlet in a light shade of gray compliments light blue pleated sketch euro chams. An organic throw blanket, in the same shade as the sheets, and two unique decorative pillows, one in a white and gray linear design and the other a linen pleated wave design in steel gray complete the bed.

Inspired by her love for nature, Donna Karan brings us Pure Comfort an organic bedding collection based on some of earth’s elements. The bedding series comes in six solid colors: cloud, shell, dune, air, thunder, and grass; new this season is the addition of a multi stripe which combines the six colors. Donna Karan combines various textures throughout the collection and encourages the customer to mix and match and therefore “customize” their bed. The duvet covers and shams are vintage inspired and garment washed with cloth covered buttons and loops for closure. The sheets are striped and resemble a men’s shirt while the blankets and euro shams are used for layering and texture. The quilts and shams in a horizontal stripe reverse to a solid color and provide comfort while decorative pillows add depth.

On a quick closing note, towels are also going organic with Calvin Klein giving us a high quality contemporary organic towel in eight colors: white, bisque, canvas, icicle, faun, pistachio, hyacinth, and blush. The towels are light weight, very absorbent, wash well, and are colored with vegetable dyes. Stop by the Luxury Linens Department and speak with any one of our sales professionals and send your customers so that the Luxury Linens professionals can help them go green!

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

The Top 11 Take on Songs Sung On The Grand Ole Opry Stage on American Idol Season 8

01 Michael Sarver sang "Ain't Goin Down Til The Sun Comes Up" made famous by Garth Brooks-- Anyone who knows country music knows that this song is a staple in the genre. I give Michael a lot of credit for tackling such a tough song. The lyrics are just word after word after word, crazy; I mean there are just so many lyrics. The performance was a lot of fun though, and I believe country suits Michael.
Score: 4.1

02 Allison Iraheta sang "Blame It On Your Heart" made famous by Patty Loveless-- I, like Kara, am starting to believe that Allison can sing anything. It was not as good as last weeks performance but it was still solid and her rock style and voice are original and refreshing to this competition. I also think she made a smart choice of song, another country classic.
Score: 4.75

03 Kris Allen sang "To Make You Feel My Love" made famous by Garth Brooks-- I love Kris with a guitar and I wasn't sure of him without one tonight, but I was so pleasantly surprised. Kris' vocals were honest, pure, and I agree completely with Simon; he was in complete control of the song for the whole performance, and it was a fabulous song choice. It was an extreme risk to put his vocals out there like that and it paid off big time.
Score: 5

04 Lil Rounds sang "Independence Day" made famous by Martina McBride-- Everyone who watches this show and has heard Lil Rounds sing knows that she is a good singer and I would never call that into question. I have to agree with Simon though because she just seemed really uncomfortable singing this song. Simon compared it to her being a singer at a wedding and someone requesting a song that she totally wasn't her style. The song did not fit her well; she did have good parts in this performance but there were just so many other songs she could have chosen that this fell short for me.
Score: 3.9-4.0

05 Adam Lambert sang "Ring of Fire" made famous by Johnny Cash-- Credit to Adam for staying true to who he is and not saying that because it's country week I have to sing a song and sing it in a country style. I am not sure though what to make of the performance exactly. I am torn between Kara saying I loved the sound and I feel happy after hearing it, and Simon saying it was "self indulgent rubbish". Jury's out on this one.
Score: 3.9

06 Scott Macintyre sang "Wild Angels" made famous by Martina McBride-- Wow, Simon and I are on the same wavelength tonight. There is nothing wrong with Scott sitting behind the piano, but he somehow needs to make his performances sound different because last week and this week sounded the same. Right now, his vocals are okay but not on par with the other men in this competition; he needs to step it up if he wants to stay.
Score: 3.8

07 Alexis Grace sang "Jolene" made famous by Dolly Parton-- I thought that the song choice was good, but it was not sung as well as it could have been. There were some real pitch problems throughout the performance that were quite obvious. It's too bad because I actually really like Alexis. Hopefully she will be in this competition for a while.
Score: 3.9

08 Danny Gokey sang "Jesus Take The Wheel" made famous by Carrie Underwood-- The audience loves Danny and so do I; he's just such a nice guy and the ultimate pro. The song was a great choice because it has that powerful gospel feel that Danny is so good at singing. While I do agree that part of singing a song is telling a story and building that story/ song so that it goes somewhere, Danny does need to work on his verses and support them like Randy said, but otherwise a very good performance.
Score: 4.5

09 Anoop Desai sang "You're Always On My Mind" made famous by Willie Nelson-- I am so proud of Anoop and I am just so happy that he stepped up his game and his vocals and showed how great a singer he is. Simon is right again, great song choice and delivered on the vocals, and Kara was also right, he took on an untouchable song and put his personal touch on it. Big surprise!
Score: 4.9


10 Megan Joy sang "Walking After Midnight" made famous by Patsy Cline-- Ok props to Megan for having the flu and getting through this performance as well as she did. The song fit Megan's bluesy style perfectly; although, there were some pitchy parts on the high notes towards the end of the song. I thought the performance on the whole was ok, but it certainly didn't blow me away and it didn't impress me as much as it impressed the judges.
Score: 3.9

11 Matt Giraud sang "So Small" made famous by Carrie Underwood-- I love how Matt took this Carrie Underwood song and he broke it down to an even simpler form and made a song full of emotion to an even higher level of emotion. I agree with Simon, he has definitely been underestimated for his vocal abilities. Everyone has been watching Danny and Adam, but they should really give Matt a listen cause he has it all. This is arguably the best performance of the night.
Score: 5

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

The Top 13 "Keep the Faith" on Michael Jackson Night on American Idol Season 8

The Finalists performed for the first time tonight on American Idol Season 8 and they all performed songs from the Michael Jackson Songbook. Some of them should definitely "Beat It" as far as I'm concerned, but to some I "Never Can Say Goodbye"........ okay, I know it's a little corny, but maybe you see it as quirky and now you want to read the rest of this.



01 Lil Rounds performed "The Way You Make Me Feel" from the album Bad-- Lil put her own very different spin on a classic Michael Jackson song, and she sounded great. It was in her old school, soulful, R&B style. I like the way she went into her falsetto, it was so effortless.

Score: 4.2



02 Scott Macintyre performed "Keep The Faith" from the album Dangerous-- I was impressed with Scott's raw talent; he played the piano very well. The song's message stayed true to who Scott is, and I don't care that Simon didn't like the song. In my mind, who cares if people know the song or they don't, the point is that Scott performed the song well. Way to go Scott!

Score: 4.2



03 Danny Gokey performed "PYT" from the album Thriller-- Paula predicted that Danny is on his way to the finals and she is pretty justified in saying that. Simon called the vocals, brilliant, and I could not agree more; he is a white guy with some major soul. Danny was so entertaining and he just exudes happiness when he performs. Danny singing= joy.

Score: 5



04 Michael Sarver performed "You Are Not Alone" from the album HIStory-- I felt Michael's heart throughout this whole performance. He did not try to copy Michael Jackson's performance, but rather he interpreted it in his own way. Kara said he brings his A game whenever he steps onto the stage; I totally agree, he definitely wants this. He sounded great and tonight just proved that he really can sing.

Score: 4.75



05 Jasmine Murray performed "I'll Be There" from the album The Third Album-- I was, for the most part, impressed with Jasmine tonight; I didn't expect her to do this well with this song. However, I also agree with Simon, it was at times a bit robotic, and she came across as older than her age. I think she will do better if she makes it a bit more fun and therefore, in a way, younger.

Score: 3.9



06 Kris Allen performed "Remember The Time" from the album Dangerous-- I loved so many things about this performance; I loved that he had his guitar, I loved his charisma, and I loved him singing this song. Paula called him adorable and sexy and I agree. She also said he knows Michael Jackson's Songbook better than anyone else in the Top 13. I disagree with Simon saying that his vocals were okay; they were far better than okay, they were more like soulful and solid.

Score: 5

07 Allison Iraheta performed "Give In To Me" from the album Dangerous-- For 16 years old, her composure and control throughout this performance was so amazing that it was impressive. Kara said, as a rocker girl, when she hits the high notes, it's incredible. I feel like Allison is a born performer who is not leaving the competition anytime soon. She knows what type of artist she wants to be and she lives it in every performance.

Score: 5

08 Anoop Desai performed "Beat It" from the album Thriller-- I like Anoop because is the consummate professional on stage, and his strength is his ability to connect with the audience, especially through his energy. Although that connection was a bit lost this week, I do believe that the judges were far too harsh on him.

Score: 4.0

09 Jorge Nunez performed "Never Can Say Goodbye" from the album Maybe Tomorrow-- Paula said it best, it was the wrong song for Jorge to sing but he deserves more than anything to be here. Jorge has great vocal skills and there was nothing wrong with his vocal skills, but the arrangement was terrible, and that was not his fault.

Score: 4.25

10 Megan Joy Corkery performed "Rockin Robin" from the album Got To Be There-- I feel like this performance and song choice was a little too childish for American Idol on the big stage. I continue to love the original tone that Megan has in her voice, but I did not by any means think was the right song for her to sing.

Score: 3.8

11 Adam Lambert performed "Black And White" from the album Dangerous-- Adam was just great, and he is just such a great performer. He is so seasoned and he honestly looks like he has been doing this for his whole life. Adam is true to who he is, and it is genuine.

Score: 5

12 Matt Giraud performed "Human Nature" from the album Thriller-- Matt was totally jammin' on this performance; he completely drew me in, and took me to a different place. His falsetto is amazing, everything about him says passion and talent to me. As Simon said, that was such a "steak and potatoes" performance; it's basic and essential.

Score: 5

13 Alexis Grace performed "Dirty Diana" from the album Bad-- Alexis has a great voice, and she was bad in this song, and I mean bad in the sense that she had this whole attitude and swagger that went along with her performance. Alexis may be little but her voice packs a punch and she had tons of soul singing "Dirty Diana", in fact, there was a lot of "dirty" in that performance.

Score: 5

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Wild Card on Idol Season 8 Is Full of Surprises!

Ok, so I know that American Idol's wild card show for Season 8 happened almost three days ago now, but it was so good that I feel compelled to share my thoughts. First of all, the wild card was wild some people pleasantly surprised me and others should not have even been there. Ju'Not Joyner, Felicia Barton, and Kristen McNamara were robbed of a second chance; I found it questionable that Jesse Langseth and Tatiana Del Toro were included in the wild card.

Jesse Langseth opened the show with a lackluster performance of "Tell Me Something Good"; I agree with Simon, it was self indulgent. Matt Giraud outshined the competition with a soulful performance of "Who's Loving You" (originally performed by the Jackson 5); it was quite possibly the hottest performance of the semifinals (check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eu_BaeYSkK0 ). Megan Corkery's performance of "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" followed, I cannot say I was particularly impressed with the vocals, but Megan does have a great personality and she is very commercial because she is different.

The judges were a little too hard on youtube phenom Von Smith who struggled through a performance of Elton John's, "Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word". On the contrary, the judges were slightly over enthusiastic about Jasmine Murray's rendition of "Reflection"; I agree when Simon said that she took a risk, but I don't think she pulled it off 100%. Ricky Braddy, a personal favorite of mine took on Stevie's "Superstition", and he was confident, personable, and I loved his falsetto.

Tatiana Del Toro did not fail to entertain but she was laughable at parts; she performed the same song that she performed two weeks ago and then tried to justify it to the judges. I don't wanna say anything, I think everyone should just watch this video of her and it will tell you all you need to know... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SN2e-2340I4. Anoop also did not fail to entertain, but Anoop is the real deal because he is a showman; he doesn't necessarily have the best voice but there is this likeability that he possesses and it's just so genuine, and I always have so much fun watching him. If you notice, when Anoop starts singing, everyone gets out of there chairs, it's great... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_px-GXrPdhw .

The judges then deliberate and the first to go through is Jasmine and then Megan and Tatiana are both called up, but the judges choose Megan and eliminate Tatiana and oh goodness is she dramatic. Then more people are eliminated and it comes down to Matt and Anoop and Matt goes through, but Anoop gets through also making this year a Top 13 instead of a Top 12. This is by far one of the most surprising moments on American Idol http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tco52cOrIx4 .

Kanye West and Kelly Clarkson will perform next week, West will sing "Heartless" and Clarkson will sing "My Life Would Suck Without You" which is currently climbing the charts.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Last Group of 12 on Idol Season 8 Is Like Rollercoaster Ride

01 Von Smith performed "You're All I Need to Get By" made famous by Marvin Gaye-- There were parts of this performance that were a bit shouty. I loved the final 30 seconds because he improvised, did his own thing, and it sounded great. I think he knows how to work a stage, and is a seasoned pro. Kelly Clarkson sang this on Season 1 like a pro, check her out--- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aM5LEO1WcqE
Score: 4

02 Taylor Vaifanua performed "If I Ain't Got You" made famous by Alicia Keys-- I think it was an ok performance; it was a little too safe. I disagree with Kara's comment about us not knowing what it is like to go shopping with Taylor. I don't think that at this stage of the competition we expect to know the contestants that well; we will later. I do agree with Simon though, the performance was generic. I watched Syesha Mercado from last season sing this same song live on stage and she sounded angelic--- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8He0ScuRAiE , and as I remember, the judges agreed!
Score: 3

03 Alex Wagner Trugman performed "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues" made famous by Elton John-- I like Alex's personality; he seems super fun! He has a good voice overall but he messed up the performance with the throat growls that he did about half way through.
Score: 3

04 Arianna Afsar performed "The Winner Takes It All" made famous by Abba-- The song choice was terrible, the arrangement was terrible, and most of it sounded terrible vocally. She tried to act too old, and the whole performance was totally depressing, I tuned out about half way through.
Score: 2.5

05 Ju'Not Joyner performed "Hey There Delilah" made famous by Plain White T's-- I absolutely loved this performance; he took a rock alternative song and turned it into this smooth R&B song. There were so many small changes throughout the song; it was like he put his own personal stamp on it. I hope that Ju'Not gets through and continues to show us who he really is because not only do I love who he is but I can see that he wants this dream to come true.
Score: 5

06 Kristen McNamara performed "Give Me One Reason" made famous by Tracey Chapman-- This is one woman that belongs on Broadway for sure (she is like a young Kristen Chenoweth, small but packed with a personality and a voice). I have liked her since she first auditioned; I liked her version of this song because she changed it up just enough to show her voice range.
Jordin Sparks actually sang this in Season 6-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8g7Fn5Ywkho
Score: 4.75

07 Nathaniel Marshall performed "I Would Do Anything For Love" made famous by Meatloaf-- Nathaniel sounded a little bit like Clay Aiken to me in this performance. I don't really quite understand his song choice, but he is just such a fun person and that is clear to me. Nathaniel's vocals were solid but solid enough to put him in the Top 12; I'm not so sure.
Score: 3.9-4

08 Felicia Barton performed "No One" made famous by Alicia Keys-- I liked her performance but I didn't love it by any means. Felicia has a definite presence, and I do like her raspy, husky rock voice.
Score: 4.2

09 Scott Macintyre performed "Mandolin Rain" made famous by Bruce Hornsby-- Scott is passionate and has a gift, and it's a blessing that there are still pure performers out there like him. He has a definite shot at making the Top 12.
Score: 4.5

10 Kendall Beard performed "This One's For The Girls" made famous by Martina McBride-- I have to totally agree with Randy, in this performance Kendall told us exactly who she is. The only issue is, was it a great vocal performance, it was good but not great.
Score: 4.2

11 Jorge Nunez performed "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me" made famous by Elton John-- I agree with quite a few of the statements that the judges made about Jorge: Simon said that he should continue being who he is and Kara says that when he sings it comes from his heart. He was really really great, and I don't even know him but I was so proud of him. He was so happy with his performance, and he said when I get all emotional I think in Spanish. Way to go Jorge, you may be Top 12 bound.
Score: 4.8

12 Lil Rounds performed "Be Without You" made famous by Mary J. Blige-- I felt like the real competition started when she took to the stage and started singing tonight. Her performance was brilliant; she was confident and she never once lost sight of who she is. One of the judges said it best; she kept her swagger.
Score: 5