Welcome back. It is Top 4 week again. No contestant was eliminated last week so here we are again. Last week's Bottom 2 Candice and Amber have to really step it up because all of last week's votes will combine with this week's votes. So they have some ground to make up. This week is Now & Then Week, so the contestants will sing a song from back in the day, a standard and then sing a very current song from 2013. So let's get it started, the weekly rankings are below, so enjoy!:
Weekly Rankings
1. Kree Harrison-Up 1 From Last Week
2. Candice Glover-Down 1 From Last Week (Officially Bottom 2)
3. Angie Miller- Up 1 From Last Week
4. Amber Holcomb-Down 1 From Last Week (Officially Bottom 2)
2013 Performances(Now)
This week the Idol's have a pretty good mentor in Harry Connick Jr. He was rumored at one point to be a judge, but instead was just a really good mentor in Season 9. 
Angie Miller
(Diamonds-Rihanna)
Harry tells Angie that his whole household loves her but he doesn't. Funny. Angie decides to change it up and do the song in a different way. She really makes it acoustic and is back at the piano.Harry mentioned that she almost sings this song like a lullaby and she really does. She hits some really beautiful notes and keeps it pretty mellow. Maybe a little too mellow. I like her creativity here and give her credit for trying to step it up, but this was a little sleepy for me. She still sang beautifully. B-Keith=Loves the weight of the song. Loves that she chose to be creative, but didn't think it was the right song to do it with. It didn't allow her to go to places that lets her soar.
Nicki=Seemed different from all her other piano performances. Seemed a little disconnected because she tried to boost her performance too much and it came out lackluster.
Randy=The song didn't support the arrangement change. It never went anymore. He loves her leather shorts. Eh...
Mariah=Thinks she went to far from the original. There was a bit of a sense that she was playing with the camera too much and didn't lose herself in the moment.
Do The Judges & I Agree? Kinda. The song didn't go to places she wanted it to and it showed.
Amber Holcomb
(Just Give Me A Reason-Pink)
I love this song a lot. It's a great duet, so we'll see how it goes. Amber has trouble with the words when she was with Harry. He just wants her to groove with it, her tone really comes out when she is in the pocket of her voice. Amber pretty much stays with the melody and arrangement of the original song, which is fine because the song is really good, but I do wonder if she could have changed it a bit. I didn't think she sounded her best tonight. I thought she wasn't finishing notes and was a little too nonchalant with her performance. That last note was pretty cool but it still didn't hit me like she usually does. C+Nicki= Likes her jeans. She seemed free when she was rehearsing but tonight she was very different. The voice is there but the performance there was not a connection all the way through. It was a little too in and out.
Randy=Doesn't seem like she is having a fun. Needs to let it all go. Not the carefree Amber as always. Not stellar.
Mariah=It does need to be stellar every time. Understands the difficulty of it but understands everyone has to do this.
Keith=Pink does so much with the melody that it is unforgiving for Amber. Knows it's hard to be carefree when you're in front of millions of people.
Do The Judges & I Agree? Yup. She didn't have her best performance tonight. She seemed a little out of it.
Candice Glover
(When I Was Your Man-Bruno Mars)
She is singing a song for the opposite gender and is not changing pronouns, which Harry gives her credit for because it's a hard thing to do. This is currently one of the top songs on the radio, so it's pretty cool that she decided to do this song. She sounded current and hits every note like she wrote the song. I know the intent was there given they are singing songs from 2013, but this was definitely the most current and fresh Candice has sounded in awhile. A- Randy= This girl can sing anything. Loves the song choice, doesn't care about the gender or pronouns of the song. That performance was amazing.
Mariah= Candice can take any song and make it to suit her.
Keith=She can sing "When I Was You're Giraffe" and she'd sell it.
Nicki=Deserved a standing ovation. She gave her everything it terms of seeing her as a current R&B singer. Loves the way she looks. Doesn't know if she lost weight. Feels like it was her own song.
Do The Judges & I Agree? For sure. She did deserve a standing ovation. She did a great job. Not sure I understand Nicki asking if Candice lost weight because she looks good. I guess if anyone is to get away with it it's Nicki.
Kree Harrison
(See You Again-Carrie Underwood)
This song is very new. I actually think that Carrie sang this song on the show for the first time a few weeks ago...I think. Harry thinks that she is so good that she doesn't have to change anything.Harry says that if Kree did an album he would help her in a heartbeat and that he loves this version better than the original. Kree's goal is to make the audience and judge's connect to her and let her emotion come pouring out. Kree's voice is right on point tonight. I can see this song on Kree's album for sure, it seems right in her wheelhouse. She kept it pretty low key but when she had to hit the big notes she did. Angie's performance was also mellow but this song allowed Kree to get to places in the song that she had to. B+Mariah=Felt very connected to the song. Didn't go wild at the end but enjoyed how authentic she was.
Keith=There was a conflict between what he is hearing and what he is seeing. It was intimate in one way and big in another. Voice is faultless.
Nicki=Loved the performance. Sang with her eyes. Felt really connected to every lyric.
Randy=Her voice is just amazing and it was a great vocal. Loves the sound of her voice.
Do The Judges & I Agree? Pretty much. They weren't jumping up and down but her vocals are just incredible.
Standards Performance (Then)
Angie
(Someone To Watch Over Me)
Harry thinks it is perfect song and she doesn't have to do much with it. He tells her to just hold the notes rather than do tricks.The performance was a little sleepy again for me. There were some notes that were just outstanding, but there was a lot of it that was a little too small and the moment should be bigger. BKeith=Sang the song beautifully. The song choice almost didn't matter.Would have rather she missed the ending but it was all pretty good.
Nicki=She is like a Disney Princess. She has a very Broadway voice. It was definitely better than the 1st performance. So times when she hits the high notes she gets into it, but the lower notes she is more out of it.
Randy=Loves her, loves the beginning, but didn't love the arrangement. She got lost at points. She had an amazing vocal. Sailed through the difficult parts.
Mariah=Seemed comfortable in the musical performance type song. There needs to be a bit more of a build.
Do The Judges & I Agree? Sorta. I think they liked it a bit more than I did, but she still sang quite beautifully.
Amber
(My Funny Valentine)
Harry said that Amber didn't know what this song was about. Admires that she tries, but needs her to know what these lyrics are about to really get into it. Amber sang this song in the Las Vegas rounds, which is the first time we really noticed her. So obviously we know that she can sing this song, and sing it well. Her growth from then to now is pretty amazing. She really finesses some of the lyrics and just lets it all flow and move where she wants it to go. She just hits some really tough notes with such ease.Far better than her first performance. All 4 judges give her a standing ovation. A- Nicki=So beautiful. Her subtle spirit just overtook. She has a lifetime ahead of her to make beautiful music.
Randy= Made a believer out of people that were on the fence about her. The last half of the song was unbelievable. Slayed it this time over the last time which was so good.
Mariah= Her spirit is bigger and better than before.
Keith=From middle of the song on was just stellar. Her confidence just rose throughout.
Do The Judges & I Agree? Definitely. Amber really did a great job in this performance.
Candice
(You've Changed)
Harry tells Candice to just sing it, not to think about it and just sing and connect to the song. Candice can really take any song and do whatever she wants to it and deliver. She hits some notes in the middle of the song that are so high and beautiful and then she immediately drops to a low note and then gets back to that middle range and she does it so effortlessly. I have never heard this song in my life but I love it so much. She really was wonderful and put out every emotion. She receives a 4 judge standing ovation. A Randy= She brought everything she needed. She is in it to win it. She feels every note she sings.
Mariah=There is no critique. Needs to download this song ASAP. Loves her on any song but loves that she just goes and puts so much texture into every note.
Keith=Her power and control was beautiful. A wonderful performance.
Nicki= Not gonna add anything else.
Do The Judges & I Agree? For sure. Candice's first performance was good but this was even better.
Kree
(Stormy Weather)
Harry tells Kree that if she sings simply it's very powerful. She needs to connect to the melody. Wants her to sing the song and forget all the tricks. He thinks this is a super tough song to pick. I'm no Nicki Minaj but Kree looked great tonight, very elegant. I can see what Harry is talking about this song does a lot in a short amount of time, there are a lot of high notes and low notes and runs and everything in between. Kree handled herself incredibly well. I think she followed Harry's advice and kept it simple and just sang the song beautifully. I think I liked her first performance a little more but not by much. B Mariah=Was interested by the choice of song. This was a tough song because it makes it more loungey. Did a beautiful presentation. Her vocal was clear as a bell.
Keith=Would've chosen a different song. Her instincts are beautiful and shouldn't over think them.
Nicki= She just needs to know what's organic for her. Wish she chose a better song.
Randy=Thinks she did a good job but strayed too far from the bluesy version.
Do The Judges & I Agree? Not really. I love Harry Connick Jr, he told Randy that he doesn't make sense because he wants Kree to be herself but also choose the Etta James version of the song to guide her.Kree did all she can with this song, it just happens to be a difficult one.
Predictions
Bottom 2
Amber
Kree
Going Home
Amber. I just think her being in Bottom 2 last week and those votes being combined with this one won't do her any favors. I think Angie had a tough week this week but she was Top 2 last week. This week is easily one of the toughest weeks to predict because it's not just taking into account this week but last week as well.
Final Thoughts
*Other than Candice nobody had a solid night on both performances. Candice did great on both, but Amber did good on the second but not first, Kree was better on the first and not second and Angie was kind of just okay for both. Tomorrow's vote will be interesting given that Candice was Bottom 2 last week but did great this week, and Angie was Top 2 last week but wasn't that great this week. Anything can happen, I wouldn't be shocked at any elimination. Well maybe at Candice's.
*Can Harry Connick Jr please be a judge on this show. Him telling Randy that he doesn't make sense and that he just needs to stop is the best thing I have heard this season. Every time I see him on this show and other shows he reminds me how good he is and knows what he is talking about. He is funny but he also is tough and truthful and tells it how it is and gives great advice. I think he would be great on this show permanently.
That's it. No matter what one of these ladies will be eliminated just one week short of going to do the covteed hometown visits. Should be an interesting night tomorrow come on back her. So until next time, see ya!
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