Author: Shane

After eight episodes of auditions, some good, some… whatever… it’s time now for the Hollywood round.

Ryan Seacrest starts off the show by promising us a brand new Hollywood week. Simon has his own warning for the contestants. Only 50 are going through, and about 110 of them are going to have a really bad time.

Brooke White was on episode 1. She’s the sweet nanny who Simon hoped to bring over to the dark side. This year, they’re allowed to play instruments (a silly twist since they won’t be able to use them after this), and she decides to play the keyboard while singing Beautiful. Very good performer. All three judges are impressed, giving her a pass to the final day.

Lorena Pinot is not as lucky, nor is Amy Flynn (the abstinence supporter from episode 4). Leo Marlowe, who was promising in episode 5, can’t even remember the words.

After a montage of people bombing with instruments, Jake Mellema decides to play the drums anyway. Decent voice overpowered by bad drums. Simon finds the only redeeming thing to be that they stopped it early.

David Hernandez had a good audition in the earlier rounds, and he shows why he got through in Hollywood as well. He’s obviously an already established performer.

Rocker Amanda Overmyer from episode 7 was in a car accident a week before Hollywood round. She sings a song from The Doors. Good, but as before, can she do anything else?

Ghaleb from episode 6 is back again. Not sure why. Disaster.

Josiah Leming, who we met living in his car in episode 7, will play the keyboard. I like him better than the audition round. Simon says he’ll remember him the most out of all the auditions.

Danny Noriega, Ramiele Malubay, Carly Smithson, and Michael Johns get lumped together in a good performances montage, but at least they get a little camera time.

David Cook sings Everything I Do while playing the guitar, and he’s the first guy to actually make the song work for him. Simon’s worried what will happen without the guitar and says no, but the other two say yes.

Kyle Ensley, the guy from episode 2 who seriously needs a makeover but anyway just wants to be governor, gets a room with two most likely hot chicks. Simon calls him abysmal, which is accurate. Paula talks about amazing spirit blah blah blah.

48 of the 164 have gotten a free pass to the final day, but 116 others were rejected and have to try again on day two. They will sing a capella for a few seconds and will be cut right then and there if the judges don’t think they’re good enough.

Suzanne Toon and Perrie Cataldo are in the first group. Both are cut. David Swope and Paul Anthony Daniels, whover they are, get through.

Amy Catherine Flynn is in the next group. Her voice coach made it to Hollywood in season 4 and is there with her. She sings Love Will Bring You Back at the suggestion of her vocal coach even though she’s never heard it before. She’s eliminated. Given a few more years, she’s got potential.

Kristy Lee Cook sings the same song she sang for her audition (Amazing Grace). Jeffrey Lampkin’s as annoyingly over the top as he was at his audition and is in Kristy’s group (his sister Michelle was eliminated earlier). Single mom Angela Martin is also in this group and just recently lost her father. Of the three, Angela is the one who does not get through.

The final day is singing with a band and three backup singers, essentially the same setup as the top 24.

David Arculeta is one of the more obvious finalists ever, despite his young age. He sings Heaven by Bryan Adams and impresses as much as he has previously. Randy says he’s the best since they’ve been there. He’s got the looks, voice, and personality to win this thing. Unlike the previous 16-year-old guys we’ve seen, this kid’s no joke.

Kyle Ensley sings You Raise Me Up. And he’s actually good. Not only that, but Simon apologizes for walking out on him the day before.

Jeffrey Lampkin is cut, followed by Joey Catalano.

Despite almost losing her voice earlier in the week, Syesha Mercado gives a strong performance and gets through.

Australian Michael Johns sings Bohemian Rhapsody, an interesting choice. Simon tells him it’s the best audition of the day.

Carly Smithson, whose visa has now cleared, is allergic to her dog but hopes she’s better now thanks to the mask she’s been wearing. The judges are impressed by how much she’s improved over the audition.

Asia’h Epperson really impresses Simon and is through.

Miss South Florida Fair Brooke Helvie gets a yes from Simon but a no from the other two, apparently based on one sour note.

Josiah Leming has been up all night and is unable to get along with the band, and he eventually breaks down at 3:30 in the morning. He performs with less than two hours of sleep, unrehearsed. When he gets on stage, he asks for the band to leave. If I hadn’t seen him before, I’d say to get rid of him. Simon suggests he’s way overconfident, obviously missing the mark. Regardless, he gets through.

It’s here we get the first listen to the goodbye song for season 7, Hollywood is not America by Ferras.

Stay tuned to dingoRUE for another recap of American Idol 7 episode 9.