Idol Live with Nicole! Top 5!!

Good news...we are down to the five remaining contestants. Bad news, the show is still 90 minutes long because tonight the contestants are singing two songs. Don't get me wrong, I love the show, but I'm ready for it to only be an hour. I don't need to hear two songs from each one. Tonight's theme is "Then and Now" "Now and Then". Contestants will be singing a song from today (don't know what "today" actually means though) and a song from the 60's.

Ryan starts off the show by letting us know that Top 5 week is one of the most important weeks. Randy tells us this is true because the judges, as well as America, is wondering who is in it to win it. I was wondering that from the beginning, but I guess Randy is just wondering now. Sheryl Crow is the mentor this week with Jimmy. She thinks tonight will be the most interesting show. It has to be better than last week's that's for sure.

James Durbin- "Closer to the Edge" by 30 Seconds to Mars- OMG this song is currently a hit on the radio TODAY. Amazing! Jimmy said what he heard on this song during his rehearsal is really promising to his future. Okay James is probably my fave contestant left, but this isn't his strongest performance. Starts off kinda quiet actually, which is strange for him. He is walking through and high-fiving half the audience though. Chorus is better than the first half. His trademark scream is added in the middle. Second half is much better than the first. Really surprised by the lack of props for this song...although there was pyro at the end. Not bad, but not my fave of his. Steven said he kicked the song's ass. Jennifer said the past few weeks he has been showing America he wants it. Randy fills us in on who 30 Seconds to Mars is (Jared Leto's band). I'm thinking more people recognize that song than last week's selections. (I know I do at least). Says "James is in it to win it" and then adds a bunch of hyper nonsense. Wonder how many times he will say that tonight.

Jacob Lusk- "No Air" by Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown. Jacob says he thinks he can win this, but still feels like an underdog. I don't think he can. I am betting he will be bottom 2 this week, before he even sings. Okay his rehearsal is not good. Why isn't he singing the lower register Chris Brown part?? Oh apparently he is going to sing both parts. OMG the beginning is horrible!!! Way too high pitched!! Pitchy too! Horrible dancing too. Wow this isn't getting better at all. I sincerely hope this is the worst performance we hear tonight because it was absolutely awful! He's all smiles afterwards though. Jennifer says there is no doubt that his voice is one of the best that has ever been on the stage. Okay WTF??? Is she hearing something different than me. I can think of at least five people who are better than him without thinking more than 10 seconds! She says he needs to pick songs that represent him better. Randy says he is one of the greatest singers here but that isn't the direction for him. Said it was corny and most of it was sharp. He doesn't see him as Chris Brown or Jordin Sparks. Says he needs to be the new Luther. Okay I like Luther, but I don't think Jacob is him at all! Steven is waiting to find Jacob's niche. Says he did a great job. Okay that was the worst feedback ever. Jacob says he thinks he is an artist that appeals to everybody. Um NO!! Back talks a little to Randy, which hopefully will get him voted off. People tend to not like when the contestants get too cocky.

Lauren Alaina- "Flat on the Floor" by Carrie Underwood. Okay somehow I have never heard this song. Well this is her niche, so of course she is doing pretty good. Lots of energy and she looks good. Cute outfit. Ending was a tad rough, but pretty good overall. Very confident with her performance this week. Randy says that is the direction for her. DUH Randy!!! He thought it was amazing. Says "Lauren is in it". Is that different than "in it to win it"??? Steven said he thinks she's it, the sky is the limit. Jennifer says she has to rise to the top like that every time.

Scotty McCreery- "Gone" by Montgomery Gentry. Sheryl told him he has a big career in front of him. Starts off walking through the audience. He's got his deep babylockthemdoors voice going in the beginning. Goes a little higher after the first verse though. He also has a lot of energy tonight. Well this is also his niche, so he is doing pretty great. Best of the night so far. Very fun performance. He is in it to win it!! Steven says up until now he has been a Puritan, but he saw him dance with the devil tonight. That's a good thing apparently. Jennifer said he owned the stage. She liked the growling. Says that's American Idol stuff there! Randy felt like he was sitting at a Scotty concert. Yells "This guy's in it to win it too"!!!! Okay so everyone is in it so far except Jacob. Agreed!

Haley Reinhart- "You and I" by Lady Gaga. Let me just say that I have LOVED the Adele song Haley did a couple weeks ago ever since I heard it by her. Great choice!! This week she is doing an un-released Lady Gaga song. She got Lady Gaga's blessing to do this song. Well she doesn't have the same tone as Lady Gaga, but she is doing pretty good with this song. Just the right amount of growling. I'm liking it a lot. I liked the first half better than the second, but still pretty good throughout. Jennifer loved the end, but she isn't sure about doing that song. Seriously?! She liked Jacob, but she didn't like that?? Randy said it's not that great of a song. Wow burn to Lady Gaga. Says its risky to do songs that not a lot of people know. Seriously?! What about last week's theme? WTF was that?! Says that song didn't do her any favors. Steven said he loved it. Says she is one perfect song away from being the American Idol. Well the judges threw her under the bus (except Steven). Guess they want her gone. 

James Durbin- "Without You" by Mariah Carey Harry Nilsson. Okay James is a hard rocker, heavy metal guy one week and then crying to songs the next. Very vast range of emotions there. Says this song reminds him of when his fiance and son come to visit and then have to leave. If he cries during the performance that will just get him bonus points. Starts off pretty nicely. Okay well I am used to hearing this song by Mariah Carey so of course she goes for the big notes. James isn't doing that so it sounds different than I'm used to. Not bad, just different. Not my favorite by him this time either, but he had some tears at the end so that will get him even more votes than normal. And yes my lovely readers, I am aware that a couple weeks ago I said if Jacob cried during his performance it would annoy me. Clearly I am biased :). James cries a good couple minutes at the end. Randy said for him to give a vocal like that was emotionally perfect even though it wasn't vocally perfect. Says this competition is his to lose. I agree. I think James will be in the final two no doubt. Steven says that was as beautiful as it gets although it was pitchy. Jennifer says everyone knows he can sing, but he has the heart and soul to back it up. Says he is amazing.

Jacob Lusk- "Love Hurts" by Nazareth. Jacob didn't like the song until he heard Sheryl sing it. I am not looking forward to this performance at all. Okay this is way too high for me. Although it is better than the last performance by him so kudos to that. Now we drop down 8 octaves and then jump up 10 and now back down 8. WTF?! I'm not liking it anymore and he totally just cracked. He is now stomping his foot on the stage to add emotion...and screaming. The backup singers sounded good though. Oh good, one last shriek at the end. That was horrible!! Steven says he got lost in the song a little, but said was a beautiful thing. Says everyone got lost in him. Umm no Steven, not everyone! Jennifer says he brings out the tricks at the end. Says it was really good. Randy says he redeemed himself on that song. Says very nice job, congrats. Okay I am completely aware that I don't like Jacob, but was I hearing something totally different than the judges. I found that horrible!!

Lauren Alaina- "Unchained Melody" by Righteous Brothers. Starts off great, but anything has to beat the performance before hers. Love the prom dress she is wearing too! Middle isn't as good as the beginning, but the end is pretty nice. Lots of slow songs for the second half of the show. Beautiful vocals by Lauren. Jennifer says it was beautiful. Randy says she can sing like a bird. He likes this other side of her. Steven says her voice is so ripe. Says he can listen to her all night.

Scotty McCreery- "Always On My Mind" by Elvis Presley. I'm not gonna lie. I didn't know Elvis did this song, I remember hearing it from Willie Nelson. Well this starts out beautifully!! This could be my new favorite of the night. It's not perfect the entire time, but pretty close to it. I loved it!! Jennifer says he shows what a well rounded artist he is. Called it beautiful. Randy says he is their youngest veteran. Says if its not broke don't fix it (unless of course its "too safe"). He loved it. Steven says America loves his voice. Called it a beautiful rendition of that song. Says everyone has been s great tonight. NOOO not everyone!!

Haley Reinhart- "The House of the Rising Sun" by The Animals. Well she gets the pimp spot, but the judges also threw her under the bus earlier. Okay I totally know someone did this a season or two ago and did great with it, but can't remember who. Help me out readers!!! Starts off acapella and hopefully continues that way. Very nice. Thought she was gonna have a Bo Bice performance there, but of course the music kicks in. She is making this very seductive. Is it supposed to be seductive?? Loved the ending though!!! Nice job Haley!! Wow standing ovation from the judges!!! Randy says she gets the award for the best performance of the night. Called it amazing. Steven said she sold it to everybody tonight. Jennifer said that song has never been sang like that before.

Fave of the night: Scotty and Haley

Bottom 2: Jacob and Haley with Jacob being eliminated (hopefully). Haley doesn't deserve to be in the bottom especially after the last performance, but I can't see James, Scotty or Lauren being in it.

So tell me this (in the comment section pretty please!): Am I the only one who thought Jacob was completely horrible tonight??? Who was your fave of the night?? Who sang "House of the Rising Sun" in a previous season??

Leave me some love!!!