We have some advice for Katelyn Epperly, Didi Benami and the rest of the ladies. By Gil Kaufman “American Idol” top ten females Photo: FOX By many accounts, it was a rough first week for the top 24 on “American Idol” last week. And while the guys had it a bit tougher than the girls when it came to harsh comments from the judges, it’s not like the ladies got off scot-free. From multiple slags about wrong song choices to the usual litany of complaints about young singers acting too old and pitchy performances, Simon, Ellen, Kara and Randy gave the dozen female contenders plenty to think about. The remaining 10 women got a rare one-day reprieve on Tuesday when leading contender Crystal Bowersox fell ill and caused a one-time-only switcheroo , forcing the boys to perform a day earlier than scheduled. At press time, there was no update on Bowersox’s condition. So what do the girls have to do Wednesday night (March 3) to make sure they’re not in the bottom two come Thursday? Lilly Scott Last week’s breakout performer moved near the front of the line with a quirky acoustic-guitar-driven take on the Beatles’ “Fixing a Hole,” which drew praise from the judges. As long as the 20-year-old platinum blonde keeps mixing it up and surprising the panel — but not too much — she should keep skating along. Michelle Delamor The little-known singer took a chance tackling Alicia Keys’ “Fallin’,” throwing in some bluesy runs that made for a solid live debut. Ellen loved it, and Simon said it was solid, if predictable. Delamor needs to explain to America why they should care and stretch outside her comfort zone to keep the dream alive. Crystal Bowersox The early front-runner among the ladies stumbled a bit last week, landing accusations from Simon that her strummy, harmonica-assisted cover of Alanis Morissette’s “Hand in My Pocket” was a bit too similar to the work of countless subway buskers. Then she fell ill on Monday and forced the postponement of ladies night. Will she pull a Megan Joy and rebound from sickness stronger than ever? She can’t bust out an original, but Bowersox might want to consider showing off something other than her folky credentials to remind the judges why they chose her to begin with. Paige Miles Another virtual stranger to viewers did pretty well in her live debut, kicking off the show with a growling take on Free’s classic-rock staple “All Right Now.” Cowell praised her for having the best voice of all the girls but said her song choice was hacky and cheap. The preschool teacher does indeed have a strong voice, and she, too, needs to use the new “personality snapshot” section unveiled on Tuesday night to give us some clue as to why she should get our vote. Maybe she juggles flaming knives or helped raise a baby seal as a child or speaks Esperanto. Mostly, though, she should really focus on picking the right song to prove it this week. Siobhan Magnus Magnus, 19, went a bit dark with her brooding take on Chris Isaak’s hard-to-sing “Wicked Game,” and Cowell lamented that the glassblowing apprentice didn’t live up to her previous fire. Kara liked the oddball song choice, and Ellen said she was so blown away that she forgot she was watching a reality show for a moment. We didn’t, so for Magnus to keep her spot, she should keep driving the oddball lane even harder and focus on showing the judges some hidden commercial appeal. Katie Stevens The high-schooler nearly blew it with her old-fashioned-sounding Michael Bubl
