The 10 Best Performances from American Idol's Ninth Season
5. Didi Benami "Rhiannon"
For a minute-and-a-half performance, Didi's "Rhiannon" seemed fully formed, an immaculate retooling of the Fleetwood Mac original. In fact, Didi's take on the song is so different from Stevie Nicks' that you might believe she'd written it herself. The final calls of "Rhiannnnnon" here are dreamlike and stunning.
4. Crystal Bowersox "Me and Bobby McGee"
The one qualm I have about Crystal's Janis Joplin riff is it was an entirely expected song choice. But I can't argue with quality: Crystal's freewheeling runs, killer guitar, and on-tap passion are all on display here.
3. Casey James "Jealous Guy"
Casey was always fourth- or fifth-best each night thanks to lame song choices ("The Power of Love") or underwhelming chutzpah ("OK, It's Alright with Me"), But "Jealous Guy" was astonishing -- a lonesome ballad where he took his time to enunciate and make us listen. This established him as the season's dark horse, the surprising warm troubadour from Cool, Texas.
2. Siobhan Magnus "Paint It Black"
Finally, a little spectacle! Rolling Stones week went well for almost every performer (even that week's evictee Lacey Brown), but Siobhan Magnus took the well-trodden classic "Paint It Black" and injected carnivalesque delirium, war cries, and total madness. An undeniable high in a season of sleepy performances.
1. Crystal Bowersox "Give Me One Reason"
Yes! The ne plus ultra! Not only was "Give Me One Reason" a brilliant song choice, it was also the perfect platform for Crystal Bowersox to build upon the original's bluesy grit and add her own nerve, verve, and incredible self-possession. Within the first verse, it was clear that Crystal had a grasp on Tracy Chapman's '90s hit that even outshone the original. While other Bowersox performances featured more shouts and vigor, this is the one that's a beacon for Crystal's potential as an artist: the cool, collected, but impassioned rock star.
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Comments
So you're not counting Hollywood Week, eh? I would included the oft cited Andrew Garcia's "Straight Up", and Bowersox's "Natural Woman".
I have a rule with Idol contestants: If the song you want to sing was made famous by a "Stevie", any Stevie (Wonder, Nicks, Ray Vaughan) back the fuck up! You can't improve on this. (Seriously, if Steve Perry had changed his named just a hair, he wouldn't have a Filipino vocal twin touring around the globe erasing his memory). This rule was iron clad until one Melinda Doolittle had the stones to sing "For Once in My Life" as her opening salvo, and it tore it up! I mean stunned the judges into total silence (until they tried to play it off like she was the 8th devastatingly game changing songstress they've heard that afternoon). I had to admit, what I thought was the Great Wall of singing rules was run through like a flimsy red tape barrier at a Bridal Sale at Filene's. I was chastened, but then I shrugged it off and rebuilt the rule. She was an exception, I said. And for a couple of seasons, I was right. She was the only exception. So you can imagine the tut tutting and headshaking that Seacrest's introduction of Benami's "Rhiannon" provoked. But, oh. She did it. With this tasteful purity of voice and composition, this woman walked right up to my Stevie Wall and with the determination of a girl scout on cookie drive, got me to plunk down for the crooning, the falsettos and the damn thin mints. I was sold, y'all. Sold!
Finally! someone has noticed Didi Benami's Rhiannon as one of the BEST PERFORMANCE of the lackluster 9th season of AI. I totally agree that Didi made it sound like it was written for her, more stripped down and in a haunting yet mellow kinda way. I thought she wont pull it off but she did and it was beautiful. Her live performance of the Rolling Stone classic was so powerful you could actually believe her, I dont know I just think that both Didi and Siobhan has a thing for dark themed song, which I dont condone because it fits them so well and they're far the best performance they've shown on the season. Too bad Didi stumbled her way after Rolling Stone, she could have made Beatles Week more interesting with her take on Black Bird or Across the Universe..
You have it pretty good, but I would put Hallelujah at the #1.
crystal, you got robbed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I guarantee this to every one reading this comment, as a matter of fact I'm accepting all bets on this.
I will bet that Crystal and Siobhon will be bigger stars and make way more money than Lee, The fans have made this American Idol the worst voting idol ever. I don't know what the hell they were listening to but hey voters, why waste your money!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Siobion, I just seen your video when you sang the house of the rising sun, you are sexy, hot and you have talent beyond the universe, I love you and can't wait for your first album
If she had made it to Beatles Week, she would've gone on to the Top 5. "Blackbird" and "Across the Universe" both would've been stellar.
SIOBHAN's HOUSE OF RISING SUN is so cool.
And Paint it Black's position is correct.
DIDI's Rhiannon is WHAT? one of the best.
glad you placed it here.
These songs is worth the download and
if it's on an album, i would definitely
buy it!!!
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