Final Eight Girls Bring It Tuesday Night

We're rapidly working our way down to the top twelve. This is the last week where four contestants go home at the same time, so whatever mess is left after this week might actually show some promise. Interestingly, at this point in the competition, if I don't know a contestant's last name, it's a bad sign. This is week where the Katelyn's and the Paige's are separated from the Magnus's and the Bowersox's. Let's get it on!

Katie Stevens
Breakaway
It simply was not Katie's best night. She lazily plodded through this song, a little off-pitch and with little confidence and ended up delivering an otherwise sloppy performance. It's painfully obvious that the judges are inside of her head and she's convinced that she has no "identity." She seems desperate to satisfy them. I still like her, but perhaps her youth and inexperience is finally catching up with her. This ill-advised performance could possibly get her booted.
ODDS ON STAYING: 27:1

Siobhan Magnus
House of the Rising Sun
While Katie moves away from the light, Siobhan continues to move toward it. She stepped up once again tonight, took a somewhat risky song and dead-on nailed it. She's got a rich sound and a versatile look. Cowell and Judge Whatshername were a little harsh, but as Randy alluded, "I don't think you pay any attention to what we're saying. Keep it up." Move her from a mere contender to a front-runner.
ODDS ON STAYING: 3:1

Lacey Brown
The Story
This could have been a lot worse. Disappointingly, she copped out and didn't deliver the soaring falsetto a'la Brandi Carlile on the closing chorus, but she was so much better than she has ever been, she has a good chance hanging on another week.
ODDS ON STAYING: 18:1

Katelyn Epperly
I Feel the Earth Move
Sometimes Katelyn's performances are so riddled with grimaces, snarls and cliche-ridden schtick, it's as if she's not really a singer, but an actress playing a singer. She can't stay around much longer with no more talent than this.
ODDS ON STAYING: 30:1

Didi Benami
Rhiannon
The whole point of coming out on stage on American Idol is to show off your vocal talent. Didi did nothing even close to that tonight. It was a forgettable performance of a questionable song choice. I'm not sure what Whatshername and Simon heard. She wasn't bad enough to go home this week, but Didi was a yawner tonight.
ODDS ON STAYING: 9:2

Paige Miles
Smile
Paige's performance might be the one that saves Katie. What a lethargic and pitiful performance. I'm not convinced that Paige is even interested in being in this competition any longer. The judges said all that had to be said. Clearly out of steam, I think there's no question that Paige will be going home Thursday.
ODDS ON STAYING: 100:1

Crystal Bowersox
Gimme One Reason
Normally, I write as a watch Idol, but Bowersox always makes my stop typing. She's as much fun to watch as she is to listen to. She may be the most skilled performer I've ever seen on Idol. She showed some range tonight with a song that brilliantly suited her style and her vocal. The white Les Paul was a nice touch. Crystal is a reason to watch Idol.
ODDS ON STAYING: Even

Lilly Scott
I Fall To Pieces
For someone who's still not on the Lilly bandwagon, this performance didn't do anything to make me feel the love. I'm confident that the weird factor will sustain her for a few more weeks, but sooner or later she's going to impress me with song that's a little less "side salad" and a little more "main course." I'm not convinced she's not capable of doing it, I'm just growing tired of waiting for it.
ODDS ON STAYING: 5:1

It will be nice to merge the boys and the girls next week so week can start pulling out the weeds without gender being a factor. I think there are at least three ladies that can go the distance and each week, the odds grow greater and greater that we'll see a performance that's memorable — see Crystal Bowersox this week, Siobhan Magnus last week. I think it's the end of the road for Paige and Katie this week. Their last names never to be remembered.