Customers at Cafe Aroma in Idyllwild, California, can enjoy the ‘Casey Abrams Gnocchi Alfredo.’ By Gil Kaufman Casey Abrams Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images Casey Abrams is already tasting the sweet nectar of fame. He was the talk of the Internet last week after his dramatic save on “American Idol.” He’s been linked romantically to one of his fellow contestants. And now, one of his favorite hangouts in his tiny hometown of Idyllwild, California, has named a comfort-food entr
Most commenters thought the ‘Idol’ judges made the right decision to keep the quirky, bearded contestant on the show. By Gil Kaufman Casey Abrams Photo: FOX Casey Abrams looked like he was going to be sick when the “American Idol” judges announced on Thursday night that they had no doubt that he deserved this season’s one-and-only save. The bearded bass plucker tried to look happy, but the shock of the moment nearly dropped him to his knees, even as Randy, Jennifer and Steven explained to him that they were equally surprised he was this week’s lowest vote getter and that they couldn’t let such a prodigious talent slip away so soon. Based on the comments you made after Thursday night’s suspense-packed elimination show, most of you are on Team Casey, as well. “The people in America should recognize when they have tremendous artists like Casey and don’t vote them out just like that,” wrote Sharon. “The judges [were] completely right, CASEY deserves to be there, he is a unique [and] talented artist. CASEY YOU ROCK!!!!!” Peggy Sue couldn’t have agreed more, writing, “I’m glad the judges used their save on Casey. The save is meant to keep a flub-up happening such as someone going home too early, and the only other person I would want to save is James [Durbin] (maybe Jacob [Lusk]). It’s a good reminder for America to vote for their favorites, whether you think they are safe or not. Casey is a little bit unsteady — he is clearly very musical and fun and creative. He needs to use all of that to show us how he could entertain us in the big world, not in his backyard show.” Seeing Casey on the brink of elimination was a total shock for Sweetum29, who said Abrams deserved another chance thanks to his unique voice and winning personality. If anything, Sweetum wondered just what in the heck was wrong with America’s voters, opining, “This man always sings great and gives the audience a show instead of just standing in one spot blowing out a tune.” Among the dissenters was Scooter_88, who wrote that while Abrams and Paul McDonald are among the most talented musicians on season 10, “[they] do not have pop voices, so they will probably never win this show.” Sheila seconded that emotion, while adding, emphatically, that there was “nothing so special with his voice!!! he always yell[s] or scream[s] … very irritating.” Others referred to the bearded, J.Lo-anointed sex symbol as a “cheap imitation of [forgotten season-five winner] Taylor Hicks, but at least Taylor could sing. I think the judges wasted their save.” Perhaps Candy summed up the hirsute singer’s polarizing effect on some voters best with the pointed response, “Casey as the lowest is no surprise to me. His performances have been weird, he looks weird, he sounds weird, he acts weird, and he IS weird.” Reader Rimersh pointed out one of the long-running ironies of “Idol” voting, that “when someone is a clear favorite many will not vote,” which could explain how the heavily hyped Abrams ended up near the abyss. What do you think about Casey’s save? Let us know in comment below! 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 Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Performances
Most commenters thought the ‘Idol’ judges made the right decision to keep the quirky, bearded contestant on the show. By Gil Kaufman Casey Abrams Photo: FOX Casey Abrams looked like he was going to be sick when the “American Idol” judges announced on Thursday night that they had no doubt that he deserved this season’s one-and-only save. The bearded bass plucker tried to look happy, but the shock of the moment nearly dropped him to his knees, even as Randy, Jennifer and Steven explained to him that they were equally surprised he was this week’s lowest vote getter and that they couldn’t let such a prodigious talent slip away so soon. Based on the comments you made after Thursday night’s suspense-packed elimination show, most of you are on Team Casey, as well. “The people in America should recognize when they have tremendous artists like Casey and don’t vote them out just like that,” wrote Sharon. “The judges [were] completely right, CASEY deserves to be there, he is a unique [and] talented artist. CASEY YOU ROCK!!!!!” Peggy Sue couldn’t have agreed more, writing, “I’m glad the judges used their save on Casey. The save is meant to keep a flub-up happening such as someone going home too early, and the only other person I would want to save is James [Durbin] (maybe Jacob [Lusk]). It’s a good reminder for America to vote for their favorites, whether you think they are safe or not. Casey is a little bit unsteady — he is clearly very musical and fun and creative. He needs to use all of that to show us how he could entertain us in the big world, not in his backyard show.” Seeing Casey on the brink of elimination was a total shock for Sweetum29, who said Abrams deserved another chance thanks to his unique voice and winning personality. If anything, Sweetum wondered just what in the heck was wrong with America’s voters, opining, “This man always sings great and gives the audience a show instead of just standing in one spot blowing out a tune.” Among the dissenters was Scooter_88, who wrote that while Abrams and Paul McDonald are among the most talented musicians on season 10, “[they] do not have pop voices, so they will probably never win this show.” Sheila seconded that emotion, while adding, emphatically, that there was “nothing so special with his voice!!! he always yell[s] or scream[s] … very irritating.” Others referred to the bearded, J.Lo-anointed sex symbol as a “cheap imitation of [forgotten season-five winner] Taylor Hicks, but at least Taylor could sing. I think the judges wasted their save.” Perhaps Candy summed up the hirsute singer’s polarizing effect on some voters best with the pointed response, “Casey as the lowest is no surprise to me. His performances have been weird, he looks weird, he sounds weird, he acts weird, and he IS weird.” Reader Rimersh pointed out one of the long-running ironies of “Idol” voting, that “when someone is a clear favorite many will not vote,” which could explain how the heavily hyped Abrams ended up near the abyss. What do you think about Casey’s save? Let us know in comment below! 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 Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Performances
Pennsylvania dance duo are set to take the stage at SXSW and Miami’s Ultra Music Festival. By Adam Stewart Designer Drugs Photo: MTV It’s been a long road for Pennsylvania electronic duo Designer Drugs, but for Michael Vincent Patrick and Theodore Paul Nelson, that’s half the fun. Having been making music together for well over 10 years, the duo recently debuted their second album, Hardcore/Softcore, on Ultra Records and have been thrust into the ever-expanding American dance-music audience. Now, on the heels of the album’s second single, “Through the Prism,” featuring rapper and fellow Brooklynite Cerebral Vortex, Designer Drugs are poised to bring their unique brand of grind-house electronic to the masses Thursday night (March 17) at Austin, Texas’ South by Southwest, followed by a huge set on the Live Stage at Ultra Music Festival in Miami on March 25. “We started doing a lot of remixes and just trying to make a specific kind of music,” Patrick told MTV News. “But now, with the album, we are just doing whatever we want and making more of an electronic album.” “We had, like, a hundred songs and riffs,” Nelson added. “And we just basically picked ones we thought were the best for the album and put them all on. We didn’t really have a good idea of what we wanted to accomplish, but it ended up being what it was and we were pretty happy with it at the end.” Kicking things off with the first single “Drop Down,” a wobbly synth monster reminiscent of an edgy Prodigy-esque sound garnished with Gregorian chants, the vibe DD bring to the dance-music game is unique and captivating. Hardcore/Softcore brings the art of an album back to the table, melding full-length tracks with melodic interludes. “I think it kind of helped to tell a story for this album, but we didn’t plan it,” Patrick said. “Nothing for this album was really planned. It all kind of happened; we wrote all the music and then kind of linked it together.” “We just thought, ‘This sounded cool, but let’s not make it an entire song; let’s just kind of put it in there and see what happens,’ ” Nelson added. “But we do listen to a lot of old classic-rock stuff, too, like Pink Floyd and all that other stuff. So there was a little bit of influence from there.” Will you be catching Designer Drugs on the Live Stage of Ultra Music Festival in Miami? Let us know in the comments below!
Lauren Alaina, Casey Abrams and Scotty McCreery also get great notes from the judges singing songs from their birth years. By Gil Kaufman “American Idol” top 12 Photo: FOX It was an evening of surprises on “American Idol” Wednesday night (March 16). From the first song by grunge icons Nirvana to a show-closing gospel throw-down on a tune by Heart, leading contenders Pia Toscano, Jacob Lusk and Casey Abrams continued their winning ways, while teen Lauren Alaina appeared to get back in the groove after an off week. The theme this week was songs from the year you were born, and first up was Naima Adedapo, who worked up Tina Turner’s comeback hit “What’s Love Got to do With It.” Slinking down the steps in one of her signature colorful getups, Adedapo struggled a bit to find the melody over the rocked-up, percussive track produced by Rodney Jerkins. The performance had plenty of attitude but failed to really show off Naima’s range. In his first attempt at live feedback , Steven Tyler blasted off, whooping it up and telling the singer she had a “sorcerer’s grasp for melody.” Jennifer Lopez admitted that she gave Naima a pass last week on her pitchiness, but said she was starting to worry it was not a one-time thing and encouraged Adedapo to kick it up a notch. Randy Jackson agreed, saying it was just kind of a mess and all over the place. Another 1984 baby, bearded rocker Paul McDonald , went with Elton John’s subtle ballad “I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues.” Sounding even more hoarse than usual, McDonald tried to get the crowd behind him while he did his rag-doll dance and croaked his way through a bland version of the song, always seemingly half a beat behind the tempo. Lopez could sense Paul’s struggle with a cold, but said his star quality overwhelmed it, though Randy was not as charitable, saying Paul was pitchy but still found a way to put his unique spin on the song. “But get the notes right!” Randy added, as Steven opined that McD defines “a cool dude in a loose mood.” Thia Megia is one of the babies of the bunch, born in 1995, the same year the Disney movie “Pocahontas” was released, featuring “Colors of the Wind” by Vanessa Williams. Backed by a gently plucked acoustic guitar and a string quartet, Megia came off a bit pageanty with her long, golden dress as she sang the song’s corny lyrics, but once again her vocals were incredibly clear and precise for someone her age. For Randy, the singing was just OK, but his real problem was the predictable, safe nature of her song choices from week to week. Though he praised her vocals, Steven wondered, “Is that song who you think you are?” Resident rocker James Durbin , born in 1989, went with Bon Jovi’s “I’ll Be There for You,” not exactly the Jersey band’s most notable hit. Doing his best Axl Rose-meets-Jon Bon snarl, Durbin worked the stage like an arena-rock veteran, swinging his mic stand, leaning in for some shoulder-to-shoulder with the guitar player, doling out audience high-fives and ending it all with a rock jump and what host Ryan Seacrest referred to as “JV pyro.” You knew Tyler was gonna dig it. “I got leftover sandwiches under my bed older than that, how do you do that?” he marveled at Durbin’s young talent, while warning him to avoid getting too poppy. Jennifer said a great performer makes you want to sing along with them, and she said JD is definitely one of those singers. Haley Reinhart was born in 1990 into a musical family, and she paid homage by getting back in her R&B groove with a swing at “I’m Your Baby Tonight” by Whitney Houston. Producer Ron Fair’s funked-up, new-wave arrangement seemed to throw her at first, but then Haley laid into a Christina Aguilera-like groove, growling and emoting her way through the song, which fit her style way better than last week’s detour into country territory. In what is emerging as her signature sweet putdown, J.Lo told Haley she looked beautiful and has a beautiful voice but that she seems tense and unsure onstage. “Do what you feel, don’t force anything, do what comes naturally,” she counseled. Jackson said Haley’s hopscotching from style to style is making it hard to pin her musical personality down. Stefano Langone (1989) was right in the pocket with Simply Red’s soul-stirring “If You Don’t Know Me by Now.” He confidently sang the goopy ballad as if working the crowd at a wedding (or office karaoke party), showing off the range, emotion and vocal clarity that earned him a wild-card berth. “The best performance of the night so far!” Randy raved, handing out an Olympic-gymnastics-style 10-10-10 rating. Steven loved the phrasing, and Lopez said it was the perfect song choice that could win him the whole thing — as long as he locked eyes with her a bit more while he performed. After emerging as a potential winner a few weeks ago, Pia Toscano (1988) also knows what works, which is why she chose Houston’s “Where Do Broken Hearts Go.” Working her magic over the thumping disco-lite track, Toscano gave it her glitter-ball best, tossing up emotion and solid vocals but falling a bit short in the stagecraft department. “You are why this show is called ‘American Idol,’ ” Tyler said, clearly impressed with Pia despite what he referred to as a “retro” arrangement. Jennifer was psyched to hear PT try out an uptempo song for once, and Randy put the other 11 singers on notice that Toscano is in it to win it. Bullfrog-voiced country crooner Scotty McCreery (1993) stayed firmly in his lane with Travis Tritt’s “Can I Trust You With My Heart.” He was, once again, spot-on, coming off as a seasoned country veteran with all the right shading and phrasing to deliver the song’s emotion. But you have to wonder: How many weeks can he essentially do the same thing and still advance? It felt to Lopez like he pushed his vocal range out a bit more with this song, and the panel agreed that he’d shown enough growth to justify another week in the game. Born in 1989, Karen Rodriguez went diva with Taylor Dayne’s other hit, “Love Will Lead You Back.” Wearing a kind of “Austin Powers” silver space miniskirt, Rodriguez had passion and again threw in some Spanish lyrics, but in the words of ex-judge Simon Cowell, it all felt a bit louche hotel lounge. It started rough for Randy, who said it was better than last week but still not all that. Jennifer sensed some fear at first, but praised Rodriguez for sticking to her guns and attacking the song. “If you are nervous about certain notes, don’t go there,” she said. “As a professional, you never have to. Never expose your weaknesses; play to your strengths.” After a second trip this season to the hospital , unlikely hirsute sex symbol Casey Abrams (1991) notched a couple of milestones on Wednesday night when he played electric bass while performing the first-ever song by grunge gods Nirvana on the show. He transformed the nearly untouchable “Smells Like Teen Spirit” into a dark-funk rave-up, busting out his best crazy eyes and screeching and screaming a bit more than usual, while putting lots of energy into the bizarre, horn-laden cover of the modern-rock classic. “You’re so crazy and you’re so talented,” said Tyler, who knows of what he speaks. “That’s the goop that great stuff is made of, and you got it.” Randy said he appreciated Abrams’ willingness to take risks and put art before commerce and always switch things up. The other 16-year-old finalist, Lauren Alaina (1994), was also battling the flu and a poor performance last week. She dug into “I’m the Only One” by Melissa Etheridge, putting some of her deep-voiced country sass on the tune and putting up some powerful, nuanced vocals, despite her illness. After singing along during the performance, Lopez gave Alaina props for sticking to the frame of the song while putting her own imprint on it, and Randy said if that’s how she sounds with a cold, she should have one every week. The final slot of the night belonged to Jacob Lusk (1987), who went way off the path by choosing the ballad “Alone” by female rock duo Heart. After a tentative opening, he exploded into the chorus, throwing down his gospel power and vibrato into the tune, which got a bit frantic at times but definitely highlighted his intensity. Randy appreciated the attempt to step out of his comfort zone, even if the vocals went a bit wobbly in the middle and nodded to Jacob’s decision to go subtle instead of bombastic at the end. The show opened with Tyler, Lopez and Jackson announcing that proceeds from the sale of the second weekly “Idol” download album would go to the Red Cross’ efforts to help the people of Japan in the wake of last week’s devastating earthquake and tsunami . Thursday night’s results show will feature the return of last year’s winner, Lee DeWyze, who will be on hand to sing his new single, “Beautiful Like You,” along with the Black Eyed Peas, who will perform their latest, “Just Can’t Get Enough.” Who did you think killed it Wednesday night? Let us know in comments below! 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 Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Performances
Brand-new clip premieres Thursday on MTV, with exclusive band Q&A to follow on MTV.com. By James Montgomery The Foo Fighters in their “Rope” video Photo: RCA Last month, the Foo Fighters foisted the clip for “White Limo” upon the world, a decidedly awesome, shot-on-VHS ode to classic hair-metal vids of the ’80s and, of course, Mot
‘Dangerous’ Durbin surprises judges with his rendition of the Wings staple ‘Maybe I’m Amazed.’ By Adam Graham James Durbin performs on “American Idol” Wednesday Photo: FOX James Durbin has one of those big, overpowering voices that can be difficult to rein in. But on Wednesday’s (March 9) episode of “American Idol,” he was able to keep it in check, and turned in one of the evening’s standout performances. After tearing through Judas Priest’s heavy metal classic “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’ ” on last week’s show, one may have expected Durbin to go back to the metal playbook this week, when contestants were asked to sing a song by one of their personal idols. Instead, Durbin threw a curveball and opted to sing Paul McCartney’s “Maybe I’m Amazed,” which was recorded by Wings in 1976 (and may be familiar to fans of “The O.C.” as the song played at Julie Cooper’s wedding in the season-one finale). Durbin said he admired McCartney for his versatility and for being one of the best musicians, writers and singers in rock history, and said he one day also hopes to be remembered in those terms. In the studio, Durbin teamed up with producer Jim Jonsin (Lil Wayne’s “Lollipop,” T.I.’s “Whatever You Like”) to work on the song’s arrangement, and Jonsin pumped up the song with a bit of a hip-hop backbeat. Interscope Records head honcho Jimmy Iovine praised Durbin’s mighty pipes, saying “Idol” is a perfect vehicle for a voice like Durbin ‘s to be discovered. “You don’t hear many voices like that,” he said. “I didn’t even know kids were out there singin’ like that!” On the “Idol” stage, Durbin — flaunting a fresh haircut, a clean-shaven face and without the scarf “tail” he wore last week — did justice to “Amazed,” and didn’t drive it over a cliff with his over-the-top vocal wails. Instead, he held back and showed a more reserved side of himself, and displayed a range, both vocally and emotionally, that proved he was more than the one-trick-pony/ Adam Lambert clone as his detractors had him pegged. The judges dug the way he changed things up and managed to “slay” it, in Randy Jackson’s words. “I was like, ‘Yo, this dude can do anything, man!” the Dawg told him. “James Durbin is dangerous, America. This guy can sing!” Steven Tyler followed suit, saying Durbin took everything he ever felt and “kicked it into the middle of next week” — apparently that’s a good thing — and Jennifer Lopez complimented his vocal skills. “The truth is you have what the greatest rock singers have, which is a melodic quality to your voice,” she said. And it appears as though we’re going to hear plenty more of that voice in the weeks to come. What did you think of James Durbin’s performance? 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 Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Performances
Casey Abrams shouts, James Durbin croons and Naima Adedapo puts some dancehall into Rihanna’s Umbrella on Wednesday night. By Gil Kaufman “American Idol” top 13 Photo: Michael Becker / FOX It may not have been live , but Wednesday night’s (March 9) pre-taped “American Idol” top-13 performance show was lively, with plenty of surprises as this year’s baker’s dozen sought to solidify their onstage personalities off the bat. That meant that bearded lad-killer Casey Abrams served up some more gritty soul, Naima Adedapo showed off her reggae flair and Scott McCreery, well, let’s just say he stuck with the “good ol’ boy” songbook. But first up on “Your Personal Idol” night was precocious teen Lauren Alaina, who sang a song by her musical inspiration, country/pop superstar Shania Twain. Sounding a bit out of breath, Alaina swiveled her hips to “Any Man of Mine” and used all her considerable 16-year-old hair-flipping charm and reedy country twang to win over the crowd. Showing his tough side, Steven Tyler said he loved the song, but just wished it had been “a little more kickass” and Jennifer Lopez said it was time to shift into a higher gear. Randy Jackson said it was good, but didn’t allow Alaina to unleash her big, versatile voice. Abrams was right in the pocket with Joe Cocker’s cover of the Beatles’ “With a Little Help From My Friends,” and mentor Jimmy Iovine encouraged him to feel the song with every inch of his body. Starting off sitting on the steps and singing in a soft, cuddly voice, Abrams did a slow walk down-stage as a group of gospel backup singers joined him, and his voice climbed into a high, raspy wail. Though it took a bit to warm up, by the end, Abrams was throwing in some bluesy improvisational howls that showed off his gritty side. Lopez said she was beside herself, telling a smiling Abrams, “[You] blew me away,” with Randy chiming in that he can always count on Casey to hit the notes and provide a show. “You are a rainbow of talent, man … and you are a plethora of passion,” Tyler tossed in. After scooting in as a wild card, Ashthon Jones went with Randy’s suggestion to sing Diana Ross’ “When You Tell Me That You Love Me.” She opened a bit shaky with some flat, breathy notes and never seemed to really find the right groove, singing a competent, but not stellar version of the tune. Randy deemed it safe, but complimented her for recognizing when she was going off key and pulling it back. Lopez said she also saw some budding professionalism in Jones’ stagecraft, but encouraged her to find more popular songs that the audience can sing along to. Speaking of somewhat obscure songs, resident quirky guy Paul McDonald chose indie singer/songwriter Ryan Adams’ “Come Pick Me Up.” Wearing a military jacket, McDonald seduced the crowed with a whispery delivery, building up and bouncing all around the stage like Coldplay’s Chris Martin, mixing arena stagecraft with an intimate, understated delivery. It was a bit pitchy for Tyler, who said he still loves anything Paul sings, praising his unique character. Jennifer said McDonald’s infectious smile translated into some grins in the crowd, but she wondered whether the song was too obscure. Sudden frontrunner Pia Toscano tried to solidify her status with Celine Dion’s version of the big weeper “All By Myself.” Wearing a skintight golden mini-dress, Toscano looked the part and hit he kind of showy notes a diva has to have in her pocket. Saying she topped even last week’s Pretenders showstopper, Lopez called it simply beautiful and Randy said despite taking on one of the dreaded big-three female singers, Pia nailed it. The last person you could imagine rocker James Durbin working with is hip-hopper Jim Jonsin, but the Lil Wayne producer put a thick beat to Paul McCartney’s “Maybe I’m Amazed” and Durbin showed his sensitive side while showcasing his contemporary potential. “Yo, this dude can do anything man. … James Durbin is dangerous!” Randy gushed, saying he was impressed with JD’s versatility. Tyler heaped on some of his twisted praise as well, adding, “James, you have taken everything you’ve ever felt and kicked it into the middle of next week,” whatever that means. Haley Reinhart has been singing LeAnn Rimes’ “Blue” for most of her life, so she set aside the R&B sass for some hip-swaying yodeling and country-gal charm. Tyler was blown away and said Reinhart nailed it as Lopez gave her props for the versatility of her vocals. Randy? He said it was a bit sleepy, like being at a boring luau. It was R. Kelly’s uplifting “I Believe I Can Fly” for former spa concierge Jacob Lusk, who slowed it down into a vibrato-filled pop/gospel skyscraper, complete with a crazy falsetto run in the middle. “Pure passion, pure music, I can’t even judge ya, that’s how good you are,” Tyler said, kicking off a three-judge love-fest. After getting King of Pop comparisons last week, 16-year-old Thia Megia chose Michael Jackson’s (via Charlie Chaplin) “Smile,” bringing an old-school, jazz-diva class to the gentle ballad before a corny hip-hop-lite beat broke in and she kicked it up a notch. Randy loved the soft, Adele-like acoustic intro, but he and Steven thought it went a bit pitchy and wobbly in the second half. Talk about staying in your lane: Wild card Stefano Langone chose Stevie Wonder’s “Lately” and Karen Rodriguez kept tapping into her Latin background with Selena’s “I Could Fall in Love,” while resident country boy McCreery opted for Garth Brooks’ very trad “The River.” Langone over-emoted a bit and producer Polow Da Don’s thumping beat overwhelmed him at times, forcing Stefano to rush to keep up and keep the spotlight on his often-crystalline vocals. Selena superfan Rodriguez got a Beyonc
Casey Abrams shouts, James Durbin croons and Naima Adedapo puts some dancehall into Rihanna’s Umbrella on Wednesday night. By Gil Kaufman “American Idol” top 13 Photo: Michael Becker / FOX It may not have been live , but Wednesday night’s (March 9) pre-taped “American Idol” top-13 performance show was lively, with plenty of surprises as this year’s baker’s dozen sought to solidify their onstage personalities off the bat. That meant that bearded lad-killer Casey Abrams served up some more gritty soul, Naima Adedapo showed off her reggae flair and Scott McCreery, well, let’s just say he stuck with the “good ol’ boy” songbook. But first up on “Your Personal Idol” night was precocious teen Lauren Alaina, who sang a song by her musical inspiration, country/pop superstar Shania Twain. Sounding a bit out of breath, Alaina swiveled her hips to “Any Man of Mine” and used all her considerable 16-year-old hair-flipping charm and reedy country twang to win over the crowd. Showing his tough side, Steven Tyler said he loved the song, but just wished it had been “a little more kickass” and Jennifer Lopez said it was time to shift into a higher gear. Randy Jackson said it was good, but didn’t allow Alaina to unleash her big, versatile voice. Abrams was right in the pocket with Joe Cocker’s cover of the Beatles’ “With a Little Help From My Friends,” and mentor Jimmy Iovine encouraged him to feel the song with every inch of his body. Starting off sitting on the steps and singing in a soft, cuddly voice, Abrams did a slow walk down-stage as a group of gospel backup singers joined him, and his voice climbed into a high, raspy wail. Though it took a bit to warm up, by the end, Abrams was throwing in some bluesy improvisational howls that showed off his gritty side. Lopez said she was beside herself, telling a smiling Abrams, “[You] blew me away,” with Randy chiming in that he can always count on Casey to hit the notes and provide a show. “You are a rainbow of talent, man … and you are a plethora of passion,” Tyler tossed in. After scooting in as a wild card, Ashthon Jones went with Randy’s suggestion to sing Diana Ross’ “When You Tell Me That You Love Me.” She opened a bit shaky with some flat, breathy notes and never seemed to really find the right groove, singing a competent, but not stellar version of the tune. Randy deemed it safe, but complimented her for recognizing when she was going off key and pulling it back. Lopez said she also saw some budding professionalism in Jones’ stagecraft, but encouraged her to find more popular songs that the audience can sing along to. Speaking of somewhat obscure songs, resident quirky guy Paul McDonald chose indie singer/songwriter Ryan Adams’ “Come Pick Me Up.” Wearing a military jacket, McDonald seduced the crowed with a whispery delivery, building up and bouncing all around the stage like Coldplay’s Chris Martin, mixing arena stagecraft with an intimate, understated delivery. It was a bit pitchy for Tyler, who said he still loves anything Paul sings, praising his unique character. Jennifer said McDonald’s infectious smile translated into some grins in the crowd, but she wondered whether the song was too obscure. Sudden frontrunner Pia Toscano tried to solidify her status with Celine Dion’s version of the big weeper “All By Myself.” Wearing a skintight golden mini-dress, Toscano looked the part and hit he kind of showy notes a diva has to have in her pocket. Saying she topped even last week’s Pretenders showstopper, Lopez called it simply beautiful and Randy said despite taking on one of the dreaded big-three female singers, Pia nailed it. The last person you could imagine rocker James Durbin working with is hip-hopper Jim Jonsin, but the Lil Wayne producer put a thick beat to Paul McCartney’s “Maybe I’m Amazed” and Durbin showed his sensitive side while showcasing his contemporary potential. “Yo, this dude can do anything man. … James Durbin is dangerous!” Randy gushed, saying he was impressed with JD’s versatility. Tyler heaped on some of his twisted praise as well, adding, “James, you have taken everything you’ve ever felt and kicked it into the middle of next week,” whatever that means. Haley Reinhart has been singing LeAnn Rimes’ “Blue” for most of her life, so she set aside the R&B sass for some hip-swaying yodeling and country-gal charm. Tyler was blown away and said Reinhart nailed it as Lopez gave her props for the versatility of her vocals. Randy? He said it was a bit sleepy, like being at a boring luau. It was R. Kelly’s uplifting “I Believe I Can Fly” for former spa concierge Jacob Lusk, who slowed it down into a vibrato-filled pop/gospel skyscraper, complete with a crazy falsetto run in the middle. “Pure passion, pure music, I can’t even judge ya, that’s how good you are,” Tyler said, kicking off a three-judge love-fest. After getting King of Pop comparisons last week, 16-year-old Thia Megia chose Michael Jackson’s (via Charlie Chaplin) “Smile,” bringing an old-school, jazz-diva class to the gentle ballad before a corny hip-hop-lite beat broke in and she kicked it up a notch. Randy loved the soft, Adele-like acoustic intro, but he and Steven thought it went a bit pitchy and wobbly in the second half. Talk about staying in your lane: Wild card Stefano Langone chose Stevie Wonder’s “Lately” and Karen Rodriguez kept tapping into her Latin background with Selena’s “I Could Fall in Love,” while resident country boy McCreery opted for Garth Brooks’ very trad “The River.” Langone over-emoted a bit and producer Polow Da Don’s thumping beat overwhelmed him at times, forcing Stefano to rush to keep up and keep the spotlight on his often-crystalline vocals. Selena superfan Rodriguez got a Beyonc
Casey Abrams shouts, James Durbin croons and Naima Adedapo puts some dancehall into Rihanna’s Umbrella on Wednesday night. By Gil Kaufman “American Idol” top 13 Photo: Michael Becker / FOX It may not have been live , but Wednesday night’s (March 9) pre-taped “American Idol” top-13 performance show was lively, with plenty of surprises as this year’s baker’s dozen sought to solidify their onstage personalities off the bat. That meant that bearded lad-killer Casey Abrams served up some more gritty soul, Naima Adedapo showed off her reggae flair and Scott McCreery, well, let’s just say he stuck with the “good ol’ boy” songbook. But first up on “Your Personal Idol” night was precocious teen Lauren Alaina, who sang a song by her musical inspiration, country/pop superstar Shania Twain. Sounding a bit out of breath, Alaina swiveled her hips to “Any Man of Mine” and used all her considerable 16-year-old hair-flipping charm and reedy country twang to win over the crowd. Showing his tough side, Steven Tyler said he loved the song, but just wished it had been “a little more kickass” and Jennifer Lopez said it was time to shift into a higher gear. Randy Jackson said it was good, but didn’t allow Alaina to unleash her big, versatile voice. Abrams was right in the pocket with Joe Cocker’s cover of the Beatles’ “With a Little Help From My Friends,” and mentor Jimmy Iovine encouraged him to feel the song with every inch of his body. Starting off sitting on the steps and singing in a soft, cuddly voice, Abrams did a slow walk down-stage as a group of gospel backup singers joined him, and his voice climbed into a high, raspy wail. Though it took a bit to warm up, by the end, Abrams was throwing in some bluesy improvisational howls that showed off his gritty side. Lopez said she was beside herself, telling a smiling Abrams, “[You] blew me away,” with Randy chiming in that he can always count on Casey to hit the notes and provide a show. “You are a rainbow of talent, man … and you are a plethora of passion,” Tyler tossed in. After scooting in as a wild card, Ashthon Jones went with Randy’s suggestion to sing Diana Ross’ “When You Tell Me That You Love Me.” She opened a bit shaky with some flat, breathy notes and never seemed to really find the right groove, singing a competent, but not stellar version of the tune. Randy deemed it safe, but complimented her for recognizing when she was going off key and pulling it back. Lopez said she also saw some budding professionalism in Jones’ stagecraft, but encouraged her to find more popular songs that the audience can sing along to. Speaking of somewhat obscure songs, resident quirky guy Paul McDonald chose indie singer/songwriter Ryan Adams’ “Come Pick Me Up.” Wearing a military jacket, McDonald seduced the crowed with a whispery delivery, building up and bouncing all around the stage like Coldplay’s Chris Martin, mixing arena stagecraft with an intimate, understated delivery. It was a bit pitchy for Tyler, who said he still loves anything Paul sings, praising his unique character. Jennifer said McDonald’s infectious smile translated into some grins in the crowd, but she wondered whether the song was too obscure. Sudden frontrunner Pia Toscano tried to solidify her status with Celine Dion’s version of the big weeper “All By Myself.” Wearing a skintight golden mini-dress, Toscano looked the part and hit he kind of showy notes a diva has to have in her pocket. Saying she topped even last week’s Pretenders showstopper, Lopez called it simply beautiful and Randy said despite taking on one of the dreaded big-three female singers, Pia nailed it. The last person you could imagine rocker James Durbin working with is hip-hopper Jim Jonsin, but the Lil Wayne producer put a thick beat to Paul McCartney’s “Maybe I’m Amazed” and Durbin showed his sensitive side while showcasing his contemporary potential. “Yo, this dude can do anything man. … James Durbin is dangerous!” Randy gushed, saying he was impressed with JD’s versatility. Tyler heaped on some of his twisted praise as well, adding, “James, you have taken everything you’ve ever felt and kicked it into the middle of next week,” whatever that means. Haley Reinhart has been singing LeAnn Rimes’ “Blue” for most of her life, so she set aside the R&B sass for some hip-swaying yodeling and country-gal charm. Tyler was blown away and said Reinhart nailed it as Lopez gave her props for the versatility of her vocals. Randy? He said it was a bit sleepy, like being at a boring luau. It was R. Kelly’s uplifting “I Believe I Can Fly” for former spa concierge Jacob Lusk, who slowed it down into a vibrato-filled pop/gospel skyscraper, complete with a crazy falsetto run in the middle. “Pure passion, pure music, I can’t even judge ya, that’s how good you are,” Tyler said, kicking off a three-judge love-fest. After getting King of Pop comparisons last week, 16-year-old Thia Megia chose Michael Jackson’s (via Charlie Chaplin) “Smile,” bringing an old-school, jazz-diva class to the gentle ballad before a corny hip-hop-lite beat broke in and she kicked it up a notch. Randy loved the soft, Adele-like acoustic intro, but he and Steven thought it went a bit pitchy and wobbly in the second half. Talk about staying in your lane: Wild card Stefano Langone chose Stevie Wonder’s “Lately” and Karen Rodriguez kept tapping into her Latin background with Selena’s “I Could Fall in Love,” while resident country boy McCreery opted for Garth Brooks’ very trad “The River.” Langone over-emoted a bit and producer Polow Da Don’s thumping beat overwhelmed him at times, forcing Stefano to rush to keep up and keep the spotlight on his often-crystalline vocals. Selena superfan Rodriguez got a Beyonc
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