Oh, Sanjaya, you were never meant for country music.
Sanjaya Malakar said he hoped to do Bonnie Raitt justice on Tuesday's American Idol. He did her an injustice with a performance of Something to Talk About that was tepid, tentative and terrible.
Sanjaya was the worst of the night -- let's hear nothing about his star power. No star power can make up for such deficient singing.
Simon Cowell described the rendition as utterly horrendous.
He wasn't wrong.
And Cowell said Sanjaya's performance was as bad as anything they'd seen during the auditions. Yikes.
Wednesday's show, featuring mentor Martina McBride, should be fascinating just to witness the reception for Sanjaya. Those vote-for-the-worst people couldn't have picked a better candidate.
I fear Phil Stacey will be ejected, but in another twist, he delivered his finest performance on Where the Blacktop Ends.
Randy Jackson predicted that Phil could have a career in country music.
Best of night: Melinda Doolittle, who delivered Trouble Is a Woman in deep, rich tones and with surprising, defiant sexiness. Cowell said he could see a bit of Tina Turner in the performance.
2. Jordin Sparks, who delivered McBride's A Broken Wing with style, polish and beauty. One of the most exciting things about Idol this year is watching this 17-year-old grow each week as a performer (the same can't be said for that other 17-year-old, Sanjaya).
Sparks is the whole package: She looks glamorous, and she knows how to wow the audience. Cowell said her performance made him believe, for the first time, that she could win. Yes, she was that good.
3. Phil Stacey. See why it will be a shame if he goes?
4. Blake Lewis. He seemed uneasy and pitchy on Tim McGraw's When the Stars Go Blue.
Paula Abdul and Jackson were complimentary. Cowell said it was just OK -- it was not a jumping-out-of-his-chair performance. I think Lewis was way out of his comfort zone.
5. LaKisha Jones. She looked glamorous, but she oversang Jesus Take the Wheel.
(LaKisha, you were just too LOUD.) Cowell said the performance was like eating a hamburger for breakfast, because she and the song didn't go together. Cowell also noted that LaKisha had seemed like the favorite at the series' beginning.
If she stays in the running, she has a lot of catching up to do. I hope she has the chance.
6.
Chris Richardson. He wasn't his best on Mayberry. McBride predicted he could have a country career, but the judges were less impressed.
Jackson felt no sense of connection, Abdul said Chris' joy didn't come through, and Cowell found the rendition nondescript and insignificant. I think Phil and Chris could be in the bottom three.
7.
Sanjaya. Have I said enough? I don't think I have.
Yes, go ahead and swoon over his eyes, his hair, his sweetness and his playing to the camera. It's still a singing contest.
Yes, he made it this far.
Good for him. This should be the end of the road. I fear it won't be.
Will American Idol this season turn into a sad country song?
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