Pop star reveals that lucky fans can sit onstage at her upcoming tour. By Kara Warner Rihanna performs on “American Idol” Photo: FOX “American Idol” results nights have become quite the eclectic affairs. While the purpose of the broadcast is always to announce the next contestant to be sent home, host Ryan Seacrest and the rest of the “Idol” crew manage to drag out the inevitable with a combination of witty banter, group performances from the contestants and a few guest stars here and there. Thursday night’s (April 14) results episode featured visits from first-ever “Idol” winner Kelly Clarkson, who performed her hit single “Don’t You Wanna Stay” with Jason Aldean; the debut of the latest “Cowboys & Aliens” movie trailer; music legends Chaka Khan and Anita Baker chilling in the audience; and a killer performance from Rihanna. With her bright-red hair worn in loose waves and dressed in a floor-length, heavily textured rose-colored gown, the 23-year-old rocked the house with an ethereal performance of her ballad “California King Bed” (which she also recently performed as a duet with Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles at the Academy of Country Music Awards). Rihanna began her song in the midst of several long white curtains, surrounded by a group of female dancers in the background. She started the ballad softly, almost hiding in the curtains but eventually emerged to take center stage and rock out with the guitarist during the most powerful part of the song. After the performance, which brought the audience to its feet, Seacrest pressed Rihanna for details about her upcoming tour and the rumor that she was planning something special in order to fully incorporate her fans into the experience. “You always know the inside scoop!” Rihanna protested, before opening up a bit about the plan. “Right now, we just designed the stage. I’m really not supposed to say this, but I want to get you excited,” she told the crowd. “We’re building two sections on the stage [for the fans. They’ll be] closer than they’ve ever been. It’s real VIP.” Don’t miss “Idol Party Live” every Thursday at noon on MTV.com for analysis, celebrity guests and even some karaoke — get in the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag #idolparty! In the meantime, get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos Watch ‘Idol Party Live’ With MTV News’ Jim Cantiello Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Performances Related Artists Rihanna
Haley Reinhart and Stefano Langone join him in the bottom three. By Gil Kaufman Paul McDonald Photo: FOX Movie night was not kind to many of the final eight on “American Idol.” Despite raves from the judges, the general consensus outside the IdolDome was that there wasn’t a whole lot to cheer for and that Randy, Steven and Jennifer hadn’t learned the harsh lessons of ToscanoGate , i.e., they were still treating all the contestants like they were already superstars and giving each one a gold star for effort. One of their favorites among a group of favorites, picker-and-grinner Paul McDonald, went down on Thursday night’s (April 14) elimination show, marking the first time this season that a man has left the program and the exit of yet another apparent front-runner whose commercial prospects seem brighter than a number of the remaining contestants. McDonald, who seemed a bit off his game and looked as if he might be ready to leave while performing Bob Seger’s “Old Time Rock and Roll” on Wednesday night, took the news in stride, saying “it’s OK, it’s OK” when host Ryan Seacrest said he was bummed to see the Nashville native go. The show opened with Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina singing a duet on Grammy-winning country trio Lady Antebellum’s “American Honey,” once again making sweet, down-home music together. Also sounding nice together were Casey Abrams and Haley Reinhart, who gave one of their best efforts to date on the jazz standard “Moanin’,” with both of them working out their best scatting and growling action. After an impressive 53 million votes — clearly viewers got the message that they needed to show up for their favorites — all four came center stage to hear the results. Sudden front-runner McCreery was waved to safety, as were Alaina and Abrams, while Reinhart made another trip to the bottom three, continuing the march of female contestants to the danger zone. Reinhart was done in by a shouty cover of Blondie’s “Call Me” that earned some of the only negative remarks on Wednesday night. The remaining four boys — Jacob Lusk, Stefano Langone, Paul McDonald and James Durbin — played a medley of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Sounds of Silence” and a chipper “Mrs. Robinson,” (in)secure in the knowledge that two of them would be in the bottom three. Even with his wild-and-crazy cover of “Heavy Metal,” Durbin was safe once again, while Langone was sent back to the bottom three after yet another sappy performance, this time of Boyz II Men’s “End of the Road.” After landing in the bottom three last week, Lusk was ushered to safety, while McDonald’s spirited “Old Time Rock and Roll” just didn’t connect with voters. Breaking the cycle of four female eliminations in a row, Reinhart was sent to safety, while McDonald got the short straw. The cool dude in a loose mood kept smiling and was more than happy to sing a request, as J.Lo asked for one more run through Rod Stewart’s “Maggie Mae.” In his inimitable style, McDonald worked the stage and gave America one more taste of his raspy voice and unique rag-doll dance moves, slapping hands with the remaining seven as the curtain came down on his “Idol” run. The show also featured a performance from original “Idol” Kelly Clarkson and country singer Jason Aldean, singing their platinum-selling duet, “Don’t You Want to Stay” as well as Rihanna, who sang a dramatic rendition of her ballad “California King Bed.” Don’t miss “Idol Party Live” every Thursday at noon on MTV.com for analysis, celebrity guests and even some karaoke — get in the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag #idolparty! In the meantime, get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos Watch ‘Idol Party Live’ With MTV News’ Jim Cantiello Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Performances
After last week’s shocking elimination of Pia Toscano on American Idol , we learned to be prepared for everything. No one is safe going into the results show. Would someone we expected to stick around all season be ousted again tonight? Would America cast its ballots more predictably this time? We had no clue. We did accurately predict that three among these four – Jacob Lusk, Paul McDonald, Stefano Langone and Haley Reinhart – would comprise the final three. Paul, Stefano and Haley earned the fewest votes after Wednesday night. Follow the jump to see which of the three left American Idol tonight … Paul McDonald is on his way back to Nashville. For the first time in six weeks, a guy was sent packing. Paul’s gravelly voice and Southern charm carried him far, but couldn’t get him over the hump tonight. “It’s OK, man, it’s OK. It’s been fun, a good time,” Paul told Ryan, before J. Lo offered a request for one more performance of Rod Stewart’s “Maggie May.” What do you think? Did America blow it again this week, or was Paul McDonald actually deserving of the heave-ho from Idol? Sound off below …
Jacob Lusk’s take on “Bridge Over Troubled” water on American Idol last night felt slightly off. Not full-on bad by any means, just … off. Do you agree? Steven Tyler does not. “How much of you you put into a song is phenomenal,” the judge said. “Those last three notes, and how well you fit in with the choir, is just incredible.” “You’re such a gifted vocalist!” Jennifer Lopez, People’s Most Beautiful woman of 2011 , added. “I didn’t want to let you give me the chills, but you did.” Does it give you the chills? Jacob Lusk – Bridge Over Troubled Water (American Idol) Thoughts? Was Jacob’s performance enough to pull him through another week? Vote on who you think delivered the best performance last night here:
Haley Reinhart sang Blondie’s “Call Me” Wednesday night, and she certainly nailed the song’s calling card – the “Call me!” exclamations in the chorus. But she botched some notes and despite having all kinds of fun up there on stage, sort of lost her way. So much so that the judges even criticized her! Watch her performance here and see if Reinhart deserved it: Haley Reinhart – Call Me (American Idol) “I didn’t love at the beginning of it,” opined Randy. “I don’t know if it was the song that didn’t do it for me. It just wasn’t a showcase for your voice.” Steven concurred, and Jennifer said that “If I’m going to be honest, I’m going to agree with Randy.” By J. Lo standards, that’s tearing a new one! Will she be in the American Idol bottom three? You tell us.
Paul McDonald joins them in a surprise bottom-three appearance. By Gil Kaufman Thia Megia and Naima Adedapo Photo: FOX At this point, it’s anyone’s guess what will happen from week to week on “American Idol.” While the early elimination rounds are usually pretty easy to predict, “Idol” threw another curveball Thursday night (March 31) when one of the most praised and polished season 10 contenders, Paul McDonald, wound up in the bottom three. He was brought to the brink of elimination after 55 million people texted or voted online, a new record at this point in the competition. But, in the end, it was teenager Thia Megia and reggae mama Naima Adedapo who were sent packing in an episode that radically altered the usual Thursday nail-biter — in a good way. The traditional group sing-along was done away with, and instead, the show kicked off with a ready-for-radio country duet between Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina on Randy Travis and Carrie Underwood’s “I Told You So” that sounded like the work of seasoned veterans. After nearly showing up Underwood and Travis’ version of the song on last year’s “Idol,” both were waved over to the safe couch for another go at it next week. The same could not be said for Jacob Lusk and Adedapo, who fell flat on Ashford & Simpson’s “Solid,” failing to show any chemistry and listlessly singing the tune over a Muzak-y arrangement. Naima’s reggae-tinged “I’m Still Standing” punched her card to the bottom three, while Lusk will get another chance to find his “Jacob spot” next week. In keeping with the welcome format change, Haley Reinhart, Pia Toscano and Megia served up some trio action on Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream,” with Toscano cementing her status as one to watch, Reinhart doing her growly thing and Megia pitching in on backing vocals. Toscano skated to safety, along with suddenly resurgent Reinhart , while Megia joined Adedapo after her “Daniel” didn’t win voters over. McDonald, Casey Abrams, James Durbin and Stefano Langone apparently formed a garage band offstage a few weeks ago, and they made their broadcast debut Thursday with Wings’ “Band on the Run.” With all four playing instruments on a soft-rock version of the already light-as-air tune, McDonald gave it his feathery best, Abrams and Langone were in imperfect harmony, Casey did some more of his shouting and Stefano struggled on half a chorus, showing why he was doomed. At least that’s what the general consensus was. While Abrams was safe again, and Durbin was also good, in another shocker, Langone dodged a bullet and it was McDonald who rounded out the bottom three. In the end, though, McDonald was ushered to safety as Adedapo and the show’s youngest-ever contestant, Megia, bid their teary farewells until they join the rest of the top 11 for this summer’s tour. Wearing a glittering crimson jumpsuit with her hair swept up in a 1940s ‘do, season-three winner Fantasia stopped by to sing her new throwback doo-wop single “Collard Greens and Cornbread.” Also performing their Carnival-esque collaboration “Hot Wings,” from the new animated feature “Rio,” were Jamie Foxx and the Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am. Do you think America made the right choices? Let us know in comments below! Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Performances
Elton John does wonders for Haley and Pia, but James and Stefano may have ruined their GPAs. By Eric Ditzian Haley Reinhart performs on Wednesday’s “American Idol” Photo: Michael Becker/ Fox What a schizophrenic ” American Idol ” school year it has been, and our report cards have been correspondingly all over the place. One week Casey Abrams is up, a few later, he’s collapsing into Ryan Seacrest’s tender embrace after narrowly avoiding a trip home. Jacob Lusk and Stefano Langone have each taken their place at the head of the class, only to tumble to the low end of the grading curve. What to make of all this GPA upheaval? Well, “Idol” is a damn hard class. Consistency from performance to performance is just as important as excellence on any given evening. And excellence we most certainly had on Wednesday, as the contestants took on Elton John’s oeuvre. So too, of course, did we have singers who either didn’t study hard enough or who just couldn’t quite grasp the night’s curriculum. Too bad. Our “Idol” report card suffers no fools. Let’s get to it! Excellent Pia Toscano : As we explained in our preview, there was no way Pia was going to go with anything uptempo, despite everyone’s pleas over the weeks. Hey, if Scotty McCreery doesn’t have to ditch his country twang, should she be compelled to give up residency in Balladsville? That’s a matter for debate, but during her take on “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me,” it was hard to complain about anything. What a voice. Seriously, what a voice! Haley Reinhart : Let’s put aside her rather amusing pre-performance reference to “hard-core bangage” and concentrate on what she accomplished during her time onstage. She killed it! As surprised as we were, she freaking killed it! She finally, fully embraced those wonderful bluesy tones and growled her way toward glory during “Bennie and the Jets.” Our only fear is that it’s too late for Haley to turn the tide and stick around for more than a few weeks. Good Scotty McCreery : We’re not going to say we get it, but perhaps we’re starting to enjoy it. To wit, we’ve ditched any notion Scotty has a desire to even shout in the direction of a country-free genre. Nor were we surprised to hear his song selection process involved nothing more than finding an Elton tune with “country” in the title. Thusly prepared, we were able to sit back and enjoy the country comfort he was selling. His fluency in the genre, at such a young age, is truly impressive. Whether or not he wins “Idol,” Scotty is going to sell millions of records. Paul McDonald : Paul learned his lesson well last week: Play the guitar, don’t dance. Hooray! Sure, his “Rocket Man” started off a little slurry, and the guy has a tendency to come off creepy when he’s trying to go smoldery, but we never tire of the tone of his voice. That being said, his voice simply didn’t have the oomph to hit those notes that bring out goose bumps. Lauren Alaina : We’ve been saying for a while Lauren is at her best when she’s not racing through fast-paced tunes, attempting to keep up while jigging and jagging across the stage. In this sense, “Candle in the Wind” was a smart choice, and the arrangement gave the tune some country flavoring that washed away any residual, Princess Di-induced cheesiness. The slowed-down performance gave Lauren a chance to build, getting better as she went and finally finishing on a strong note. Casey Abrams : Goodbye, bushy beard. Hello, reborn Casey. If there were one singer to nail the emotional aspects of Elton’s music, it was Casey. Restrained, tender, satisfying. Coming off the judges’ save, he followed Tom Hanks’ advice in “Saving Private Ryan”: “Earn this!” Earn it he did. Now keep it up, kid! Satisfactory Naima Adedapo : Her faux-Jamaican accent was the least of her problems. Jimmy Iovine gave the game away when he wondered if Naima could stay in tune: No, no she couldn’t. The accent was a bold choice — bolder even than slapping some reggae swag on “I’m Still Standing.” But while we felt the song sounded fine with its new arrangement, her accent smacked of gimmickry, a ploy to distract us. We don’t think it’ll work. Thia Megia : The 16-year-old avoids a lower grade, if only because the judges have been deeply unfair to her for a few weeks in a row. Other bottom-of-the-barrel singers come in for wild praise no matter how dreadfully they perform. The judges, meanwhile, have absolutely no use for Thia; their condescension is painful to hear and unfair to air. OK, so her take on “Daniel” was pitchy as hell, with phrasing messier than a daycare playroom after snack time, and she couldn’t swoop down to hit those low notes if her life depended on it. OK, so she’s probably going home on Thursday. But if the judges truly don’t like what she does, what the heck is she doing here in the first place? Jacob Lusk : There’s a difference between singing with emotion and singing whilst on the verge of tears — a difference Jacob doesn’t seem to grasp. He’s uncomfortable to watch, and not nearly pleasant enough to hear. We wanted to step slowly away from the television during his rendition of “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word.” All that progress from last week, tossed out the window. Unsatisfactory Stefano Langone : The first thing Stefano had to contend with was a brutal intro package in which Jimmy all but announced the kid was going to bomb. The second thing he had to contend with was “Tiny Dancer”; the diminutive singer just didn’t have the vocal power the tune demanded, or at least deserved. His phrasings were muddled, but at least his eyes were (mostly) open. Not that it matters much. Stefano’s in trouble. James Durbin : Not even a five-alarm fire can distract us from the fact that James’ performance was fun and energetic, but useless as an example of his musical talents. He gets a freaking flaming piano? Someone’s playing favorites with the contestants. Also, that reference to a Pepsi moment? Yikes! Thought shalt not speak ill of the deceased, especially not the King of Pop. Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Performances
Pia Toscano and Scotty McCreery also wow the judges. By Gil Kaufman “American Idol” top ten plus one Photo: FOX Theme nights are always tricky, and on Wednesday (March 30), the “American Idol” top 11 had to take on the imposing catalog of Elton John. Some soared and some crashed, and a couple of recent cellar dwellers — Casey Abrams and Haley Reinhart — appeared to pull themselves out of the fire with gutsy performances. As always on non-country theme weeks, the question was “What is Scotty McCreery going to do this time?” He made the obvious choice, the obscure “Country Comfort,” which he picked because it had the word “country” in it, but also because it’s one of Elton’s only country-leaning tunes. With lyrics about grandmas and factory closings, it was pretty much what you’d expect: a Vince Gill-esque, aw-shucks acoustic amble accented by pedal steel and piano — with a shout-out to his real granny! — that, well, sounded like just about everything McC has done so far. “Nothin’ I could say to you that an old-fashioned pair of high-heeled cowboy boots wouldn’t fix,” Steven Tyler gushed cryptically, adding that he (still) loves everything about the teen crooner. Once again, Jennifer Lopez gave the most sage advice, encouraging Scotty not to get too in his head and doubt himself. Randy Jackson marveled at how fast Scotty has matured on the program and said he felt like he was at a headlining show by the “Idol” finalist. If Scotty always brings the country rumble, dreadlocked rude girl Naima Adedapo similarly finds a way to add a reggae swag to her songs. Wearing a white jumpsuit with red, yellow and green accents, she gave a Bob Marley-esque island vibe to “I’m Still Standing,” struggling at points to keep in tune but truly making it her own and creating one of the most unique “Idol” makeovers in the recent memory. Lopez and Jackson loved the reggae lilt but weren’t sure if it wasn’t a better idea than the payoff, and maybe a bit corny. Talk about someone totally in the pocket on Elton night. Paul McDonald went for it with the legendary “Rocket Man,” which mentor Jimmy Iovine suggested he play like it was an encore in front of 20,000 screaming fans. Wearing his signature flowered country suit and strumming an acoustic guitar, McDonald started out mellow and seductive, with just a piano for accompaniment. It seemed like he blew off Iovine’s advice, because while he retained that ragged Ray LaMontagne vibe, he barely got out of second gear, keeping things mostly low-key and feathery. Randy called it “quiet comfort” and said, despite being pitchy, Paul’s soft, gentle voice was once again infectious, and Jennifer suggested he was holding back and needed to let loose. “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” is an old “Idol” favorite, and despite being counseled to move out of the ballad-ballad-ballad routine, Pia Toscano went with the emotional staple. With a subtle arrangement, Toscano put the focus squarely on her powerful voice and, backed by a gospel choir, she seemed to hit the sweet spot once more. “Pia, you’ve done it again,” Tyler said, gently needling Randy’s suggestion that Pia switch it up. “That’s what you are and you sang it, you nailed it. And you know how I know a good song? It makes me cry inside … that’s just about as good as it gets.” Lopez said the notes Pia chooses take the audience to “an otherworldly place” and that Toscano seems poised to break through to another level. Stefano Langone made his first trip to the bottom three last week, so he was probably hoping that the epic “Tiny Dancer” would do the trick. But the cheesy arrangement and his smarmy Disney-style performance probably didn’t save the day. All three judges liked it and said Stefano seemed to be really taking their notes and trying to connect with the audience, keep his eyes open and his voice focused on his sweet, high range. Teen Lauren Alaina was just a toddler during the second revival of ultimate weeper “Candle in the Wind” in 1997, but her restrained, country lilt came off like the ultimate mash-up of past “Idol” divas Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood. Though the performance was a bit sedate, her vocals were controlled and crisp and she gave off her usual
Pia Toscano and Scotty McCreery also wow the judges. By Gil Kaufman “American Idol” top ten plus one Photo: FOX Theme nights are always tricky, and on Wednesday (March 30), the “American Idol” top 11 had to take on the imposing catalog of Elton John. Some soared and some crashed, and a couple of recent cellar dwellers — Casey Abrams and Haley Reinhart — appeared to pull themselves out of the fire with gutsy performances. As always on non-country theme weeks, the question was “What is Scotty McCreery going to do this time?” He made the obvious choice, the obscure “Country Comfort,” which he picked because it had the word “country” in it, but also because it’s one of Elton’s only country-leaning tunes. With lyrics about grandmas and factory closings, it was pretty much what you’d expect: a Vince Gill-esque, aw-shucks acoustic amble accented by pedal steel and piano — with a shout-out to his real granny! — that, well, sounded like just about everything McC has done so far. “Nothin’ I could say to you that an old-fashioned pair of high-heeled cowboy boots wouldn’t fix,” Steven Tyler gushed cryptically, adding that he (still) loves everything about the teen crooner. Once again, Jennifer Lopez gave the most sage advice, encouraging Scotty not to get too in his head and doubt himself. Randy Jackson marveled at how fast Scotty has matured on the program and said he felt like he was at a headlining show by the “Idol” finalist. If Scotty always brings the country rumble, dreadlocked rude girl Naima Adedapo similarly finds a way to add a reggae swag to her songs. Wearing a white jumpsuit with red, yellow and green accents, she gave a Bob Marley-esque island vibe to “I’m Still Standing,” struggling at points to keep in tune but truly making it her own and creating one of the most unique “Idol” makeovers in the recent memory. Lopez and Jackson loved the reggae lilt but weren’t sure if it wasn’t a better idea than the payoff, and maybe a bit corny. Talk about someone totally in the pocket on Elton night. Paul McDonald went for it with the legendary “Rocket Man,” which mentor Jimmy Iovine suggested he play like it was an encore in front of 20,000 screaming fans. Wearing his signature flowered country suit and strumming an acoustic guitar, McDonald started out mellow and seductive, with just a piano for accompaniment. It seemed like he blew off Iovine’s advice, because while he retained that ragged Ray LaMontagne vibe, he barely got out of second gear, keeping things mostly low-key and feathery. Randy called it “quiet comfort” and said, despite being pitchy, Paul’s soft, gentle voice was once again infectious, and Jennifer suggested he was holding back and needed to let loose. “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” is an old “Idol” favorite, and despite being counseled to move out of the ballad-ballad-ballad routine, Pia Toscano went with the emotional staple. With a subtle arrangement, Toscano put the focus squarely on her powerful voice and, backed by a gospel choir, she seemed to hit the sweet spot once more. “Pia, you’ve done it again,” Tyler said, gently needling Randy’s suggestion that Pia switch it up. “That’s what you are and you sang it, you nailed it. And you know how I know a good song? It makes me cry inside … that’s just about as good as it gets.” Lopez said the notes Pia chooses take the audience to “an otherworldly place” and that Toscano seems poised to break through to another level. Stefano Langone made his first trip to the bottom three last week, so he was probably hoping that the epic “Tiny Dancer” would do the trick. But the cheesy arrangement and his smarmy Disney-style performance probably didn’t save the day. All three judges liked it and said Stefano seemed to be really taking their notes and trying to connect with the audience, keep his eyes open and his voice focused on his sweet, high range. Teen Lauren Alaina was just a toddler during the second revival of ultimate weeper “Candle in the Wind” in 1997, but her restrained, country lilt came off like the ultimate mash-up of past “Idol” divas Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood. Though the performance was a bit sedate, her vocals were controlled and crisp and she gave off her usual
‘He looks like he’s going to punch a baby,’ the season-six runner-up says on MTV News’ ‘Idol Party Live.’ By Kara Warner, with reporting by Jim Cantiello Blake Lewis on “Idol Party Live” via Skype Photo: MTV News If you’re an “American Idol” fan and haven’t yet tuned in to MTV News’ “Idol Party Live” with our own Jim Cantiello, you are missing out. In addition to the interactive platform that provides can’t-miss post-game analysis, commentary, interviews and conspiracy theories, each installment features a VIP guest like “Jersey Shore” starlet Sammi Sweetheart and “My Life as Liz” leading lady Liz Lee . This week, Cantiello and hilarious guest commentator Michael Buckley were joined (via Skype) by season-six runner-up Blake Lewis, who shared his thoughts on his favorite contestants and his continued love for Jennifer Lopez. First up, Lewis’ rapid-fire thoughts on the season 10 contestants. In the thumbs-up category, Lewis likes Jacob Lusk, Stefano Langone and Casey Abrams, the latter of whom he offered a few words of advice in order to avoid being sent to the bottom three or eliminated too early. “I like Casey, [but] I think he’s been scaring America,” Lewis said. “He looks like he’s going to punch a baby. I want him to smile. … Each week he’s been screaming.” Lewis was equally forthcoming with his opinions on the female contestants, and he was particularly surprised to learn that Haley Reinhart avoided elimination but did admit she has the chops to sing. “I think she’s a great vocalist, but she’s unsure,” he said. Regarding early favorite Pia Toscano, Lewis joined the ranks of many “Idol” watchers with a plea for Toscano to sing something other than a ballad. “I want her to sing something uptempo,” he said. “The producers need to arrange something groovy for her voice.” Speaking of love for the ladies, Lewis didn’t miss an opportunity to praise the judging talents of Lopez, who was one of his celebrity mentors during the season six. “I’ve been praising J.Lo, because she’s just a queen and her comments are right on,” Lewis said, adding that he “fell in love with her” when she made an appearance on the show during Latin Week. “My love is so strong. She was the best mentor for our season,” he said. What do you think of Blake’s “Idol” thoughts? Let us know in the comments! Don’t miss “Idol Party Live” every Thursday on MTV.com, following the “American Idol” results show, for analysis, celebrity guests and even some karaoke — get in the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag #idolparty ! In the meantime, get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos ‘Idol Party Live’ With MTV News’ Jim Cantiello And Michael Buckley
