On American Idol last night, Lee Dewyze‘s “Hallelujah” performance definitely stole the show, but does that mean he really deserves to be in the final two despite a season of rough ups and downs? And what about Crystal Bowersox, the huge fan favorite who appeared to have the win nailed down weeks ago, but recently seems to have lost some of her shine?
We openly admit that Crystal Bowersox has been our favorite on American Idol this season since the beginning. She has given some amazing performances this season and we definitely see a long career stretching ahead of her. Yet, the last three weeks or so, we have not been as impressed with Bowersox as we were earlier in the season. Maybe it’s just stress – she did consider quitting after all – or maybe she’s just picking the wrong songs. Our conspiracy theory is that she actually doesn’t want to win and be tied down with that American Idol winner title. But that’s just the crazy in us talking… maybe.
Bowersox’s choice of the classic Melissa Etheridge song “Come to My Window” on American Idol last night seemed like a decent pick at first. Unfortunately, we didn’t like it much and neither did the judges. She sang it well, as usual, but it just lacked the passion and fire of the original. Her attempts here and there to make it her own just didn’t quite work and we just couldn’t love it as much as we wanted to.
Thankfully, Bowersox was saved by Ellen DeGeneres‘ choice of “Maybe I’m Amazed”. The song fit Bowersox wonderfully and she sang the hell out of it. On this song, for the first time in weeks, Bowersox finally seemed to blast out that spark that made us fall for her in the first place. For that performance, we are still calling her as our favorite to win.
Lee Dewyze is a guy we just haven’t connected with this season. He certainly has a great voice when he is ‘on’ and makes the right song choice. At other times, he just bores us into a stupor. On American Idol this year, he’s had nights when he blew it out and nights when he just blew it. We can’t argue, however, that in recent weeks he has really seemed to come into his own. Although we weren’t totally in love with his “Simple Man” performance, it was one of his better showings this season.
Lee Dewyze did well with both performances, but it was his rendition of “Hallelujah” was the most impressive. We really, really didn’t want to hear anyone do that song on Idol ever again. We cringed when he took to the stage to sing it. Yet, in the end, we had to agree with the judges that it was a great performance. Probably Dewyze’s best of the season, though we disagree with some fans out there that it was one of the best songs ever done on Idol. We can’t quite give him that much credit. Still, Simon Cowell apparently did know what he was doing when he have Dewyze a heavenly gift of “Hallelujah” for his song choice, much as it hurts us to admit it.
As for Casey James, what can we say really? We’ve felt he needed to go ages ago. Last night on Idol he was mediocre through both songs in our opinion. His song choice for himself, “Ok It’s Alright By Me” was dull, weak and certainly wasn’t worthy of a top two spot in the finale.
Unfortunately James wasn’t helped at all by the song the judges picked out for him either. His rendition of “Daughters” won’t be winning him any prizes – or moving him to the final two – if the voters have any taste at all.
At this point, we’re pretty solid in our belief that it will be Crystal Bowersox and Lee Dewyze going head to head in the finale. We are still hoping for a Bowersox win – if she wants it – but we have to grudgingly admit Dewyze might not make that bad of a second choice after all.
>> Previously:Â American Idol Final Three Song Choices: What We Think