Tonight is the remaining ladies’ last chance at the final twelve. If I could change anything about the early voting, I would have no voting until after the third show. That way, if someone just happened to have a bad night the first night, they would have two more chances to redeem themselves before the voting began. Unfortunately, I’m not in charge of that department and they aren’t taking my calls at this time. Call me Simon, we’ll work out the details.

Paris says what we don’t know about her is that she is a tomboy. Tonight she is singing the Gloria Estefan song, “ Conga“. It’s not exactly a “singer’s song” to begin with and her talent does not lie in Latin Rhythms. It was boring and actually sounded like yelling at some points. She rushed the words and flattened some notes. It was not a good song for her, but I want her to go into the final twelve. Her previous two performances were great. This was mediocre at best and bad at times. It’s a good thing Paris didn’t sing this song the first night; a perfect example of what I’m talking about. Let everyone sing three times before we judge him or her. It wouldn’t have made much difference for most of the women evictees so far, but it might have made a difference for Paul in round one.

Singing Tiffany Taylor’s “Where I Stand” is Lisa Tucker. She has straightened her hair for the evening. She sings like a pro. She builds the song just like she should. It was quiet and strong at first, building to a strong finish. She took the safer road with the song, but it was good. She has the look, the style, and the pipes to be in the final twelve. The judges didn’t like her song, but they do like her. She definitely should be in the top twelve.

Melissa McGhee is singing Heart’s “What About Love?” I’m sorry to say Melissa is my first candidate to go home tonight. I didn’t feel it. Her voice sounded hoarse to me, very strained, and not very exciting. Randy and Paula loved it. Simon said he thought she was going home and I do too. The overall tone of her voice was not pleasing to me, and that’s why I listen.

Kinnik likes chitlings. She better sing like she wants them bad tonight. She has been in the bottom three two weeks in a row, and Ladies and Gentlemen, I’m nominating her for the second female to go home tonight. She picked a song much bigger than her and sang it off key most of the way through. Alicia Keyes ”If I Ain’t Got You” started OK, and then took a drive all over the highway of pitch. That or the band started playing in several wrong keys mid-way through. Which do you think? Anyhow, good luck Kinnik. Someone could still forget their words or fall down mid-performance.

Next up is the not pregnant, not quitting, Katharine McPhee. She also went to the Boston Conservatory where she learned the same “look“ that fellow alumni Constantine had last year. Tonight you better think about how you like her singing “Think About It”. Doing Aretha is dangerous business. Kath takes a few to loosen up, but by the end she is rocking blue-eyed soul (I know, they‘re really brown). I thought it was going to be boring, but she got on top of it and rocked it all the way to the end. She’s not hard to look at either. She looked good, sounded good, and made everyone else feel it too. Katharine has got to be in the Top 12.

Ayla Brown thought her dad was Elvis until better informed. She is singing “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield. She might be writing Kinnik’s ticket to Top 12 with this performance. It’s not a memorable song, and it’s not done in any interesting fashion. I was bored and more irritated by her than by Kinnik. Kinnik’s chances are looking good. Ayla is only 17. Maybe a few years of practice will make her a star.

Mandisa is telling us that she sucked her thumb until she was 24 years old. I’m dumbfounded for a second and then she starts singing “I’m Every Woman” and using her womanpower like she did last week during the group number. I don’t know how far she’ll go, she could be the Idol, but she is in the Top 12 for sure. She has more power in her voice than the other 7 all singing together. They were mere girls, but she is every woman. No inhibitions, no holding back, and letting it all go, Mandisa makes them all look like beginners. Mandisa got it all going on. Boy Idol my ass. She’s the one I can’t wait to hear next week.

Kellie Pickler is missing her dog. Careful what you wish for Kellie. She gets the flames from hell for her background tonight. It must be a hot song. Melissa Ethridges’s “I’m the Only One”. I’m going to forgive Kellie all her country bumpkin stuff up to this point because she jumped right in the middle of that and rode it all the way to town. I think if people will let Kellie be Kellie and not make her something she isn’t, she’ll do great. She doesn’t understand anything Simon says, except for when he says he prefers her to last year’s winner (to whom she has been compared). I agree with Simon. She is a more dynamic singer and has lots more personality than Carrie. Good job Kellie. More singing like that and less hillbilly talk and we'll all be happy.

My choices to go home tonight are going to be Melissa who bores me, and Ayla who looks like she is pretending to be an adult singer. I’m giving Kinnik the break and hoping she’ll improve. I’ll be happy with this group. As they reveal a little more each week, we’ll see who grows and who stays the same. We’re nearly off and running and I’ve got to say, I’m more interested in this year’s contestants than last. They’ve shown more power and personality already than I saw all of last season.