It was back to the start as the Top 8 American Idol contestants took on their original audition songs live in front of America.
The original performances earned them Golden Tickets to Hollywood, but did they wow Keith Urban, Jennifer Lopez, and Harry Connick, Jr. the second time around?
To fill up the two-hour show, the audience was also treated to duets as the Top 8 paired off for an additional performance.
Here’s how the Idol hopefuls stacked up:
Singer: JESSICA MEUSE
Song: “Blue-Eyed Lie”
The reaction: “It reminded me of when you watch Cher or Nancy Sinatra from the ’70s. Just with you standing on that cylinder was a really cool presentation,” Harry Connick, Jr. said. “That was a great start to the show,” Keith Urban added, while Jennifer Lopez said it was “really perfect.”
Singer: CJ HARRIS
Song: “Soul Shine”
The reaction: “You know it was better than the first time you did it and we felt it,” Jennifer said. Keith agreed. “You are special enough to be here and your voice is special enough to be here,” Harry added.
Singer: SAM WOOLF
Song: “Lego House”
The reaction: “It doesn’t have to be perfect, it has to be soulful, and there’s no soul in perfection, so just let it be soulful. I’m really happy with where you’re headed,” Keith said. JLo said we got “just a glimpse of the magic of Sam Woolf,” while Harry encouraged him to play to the audience more.
Singer: MALAYA WATSON
Song: “Ain’t No Way”
The reaction: “You’re going to be such a huge star. You’re going to run away with this competition,” Jennifer gushed. “You’re doing everything right,” Harry added.
Singer: DEXTER ROBERTS
Song: “One Mississippi”
The reaction: “You sat on that stool and sang the crap out of that song. It was great to hear you sing,” Harry said. “I guess you showed us,” JLo said. Keith advised Dexter to focus more on his lyrics next time.
Singer: JENA IRENE
Song: “Rolling In The Deep”
The reaction: “Some people might hate that, I personally thought it was incredibly bold and I loved every second of it,” Keith said. Harry thought she did a great job, too, while Jennifer told her to focus on winning.
Singer: CALEB JOHNSON
Song: “Chain of Fools”
The reaction: “You deliver every week. You are a blues warrior, you are a soul conquerer, you Caleb, are a rock ‘n’ roll viking,” Keith said. JLo loved it. Harry said it was a great performance, but he wants to see him do something softer next time.
Singer: ALEX PRESTON
Song: “Fairy Tales”
The reaction: “I liked the fact that you did an original and I loved the arrangement,” Harry said. Jennifer and Keith were pleased as well.
One contestant will be eliminated tonight. Based on the performances and the previous fan support, CJ, Sam, and Dexter could be on the chopping block tonight. I think it’s Sam’s week to go home.