American Idol XV: We Rank The Top 10
This week the Top 10 will become the Top 8. Here is our Power Ranking of the week.
J: Gianna Isabella
Gianna is fighting a losing battle. Even her song choices have become irrelevant as the viewers have already decided that she has overstayed her welcome. I think if it was not for the constant reminder that her mama is Brenda Starr, Gianna might have had more of a chance in the competition.
R: Gianna Isabella
Youth and inexperience. This basically is the root of her troubles. Good voice but no emotional connection to the lyric. Out of the Top 10, she has the most work to do.
J: Tristan McIntosh
Tristan is way out of her league in the competition. She may have started out as an early frontrunner but has nose-dived ever since. Her backstory is the only thing keeping her in the competition at this stage and even that is wearing a bit thin.
R: Tristan McIntosh
The girl who wants to diversify Country music shouldn't be doing Country music at all. She's missing the mark completely.
J: Lee Jean
Lee has displayed his cockiness more than once in the competition but overall he seems to be a sweet kid. The problem with Lee is that he is just too young. He battles to connect to his songs and still requires a lot of training and guidance. It’s a pity that American Idol is ending because I think he could have been a serious contender in years to come.
R: Lee Jean With time and experience, he could be good. Now, though, Lee is pretty much one note. Ed Sheeran and indie. Positions #10 to #8 are interchangeable, none of them good enough to compete with the rest.
J: Trent Harmon
Oh mono boy, how I hate to rank you this low! Vocally Trent is one of the strongest in the competition but he has shown some inconsistency of late. If he could just channel more focus into his performances he could easily be a Top 3 contender.
R: Trent Harmon
He's taken a big drop on my list, sliding three spots. His voice easily places him inside the top 4 at least, but he fumbled during his Sam Smith rendition last week. First live show isn't the week to disappoint. I don't think he's connecting to a big audience, but I really want him to stay a few weeks. He has so much more to show.
J: Avalon Young
Avalon is unpretentious and fresh and pretty unique. She has great untapped potential but has to find the star quality within herself. Song choice is what will ultimately make or break her – she has to completely breakdown and show some vulnerability in order to remain in the run for the title.
R: Avalon Young Her cover of "Stitches" was far from perfect, but I love her song choices. She's one of the most contemporary contestants this show has had. Fresh and extremely marketable - she could be on pop radio right now. I'm afraid her appeal isn't exactly targeted at the general AI audience.
J: Olivia Rox
In a perfect world Olivia could easily win the whole thing. Her performances have been consistently good and her fan base has grown in leaps and bounds. She might seem a bit campy at times but she is definitely wise beyond her years when it comes to delivering captivating performances. Could Olivia be the dark horse the other frontrunners should watch out for?
R: Sonika Vaid She had a great week. Her rendition of "Bring me Back to Life" was a standout performance, and she slowly began to loosen up and show us what she can do. Big potential. Another standout week and she could be make her case for a Top 4 spot.
J: Sonika Vaid
Sonika delivered one of the Top 2 performances last week but I am not entirely convinced of her actual popularity amongst viewers. We all know that likeability is as important as talent in a competition such as Idols and I don’t think Sonika has managed to become relatable enough just yet. She could pose a serious threat to the other contestants if the viewers suddenly make an emotional connection with her.
R: Olivia Rox
Pop star potential to the max. Her performance of "Unconditionally" was very solid, but with more confidence, she could have done much more. She has all the tools to be a Demi Lovato, she just needs someone to push her.
J: MacKenzie Bourg
It is very hard to rank Mackenzie because there are a handful of contestants who are pretty much on par with each other at this stage. He has a huge fan base behind him who thoroughly embrace his ‘wholesome as apple pie’ persona. It seems unlikely for Mackenzie to not finish in the Top 3 but stranger things have happen on American Idol.
R: MacKenzie Bourg
Vocally, he's not in my Top 3. I'll probably place him at #5. But, this likable dude connects to the material he performs and he connects to a large audience. His sweet dorky demeanour and the fact that he knows himself musically might certainly push him to a Top 3 place.
J: Dalton Rapattoni
Dalton is probably the only contestant other than Mackenzie that can give La’Porsha a run for her money. He has a huge, pre-existing fan base and if he can peak at the right time he could very well be the one to dethrone Miss Renae.
R: Dalton Rapattoni
"Hey There, Delilah" wasn't a Top 3 performance, that's why he drops from my #1 spot this week. It did not manage to stand out as he would have liked, and he's got work to do if he wants to match what David Cook and Adam Lambert did to their renditions. He's not there yet, but he wants to be. His package still gives him the edge, though.
J: La’Porsha Renae
Should we just crown La’Porsha the winner and call it a day? She is yet to have a bad performance and many have already decided that she will be the final American Idol. Porsha has a lot going for her but big-voiced divas are a dime a dozen and fan loyalty can shift at any time. While Dalton and Mackenzie have pretty much monopolized the teenage and 20-something market La’Porsha has hit a sweet spot with the older crew. It will be interesting to see where the voting power lies this year!
R: La'Porsha Renae
I couldn't not put her at #1 after last week's magical "Diamond" vocal. It was special. Vocally, she's a beast. It's hard not to like her. Her warm personality pared with her perfect voice make for one fantastic contestant. She's finale - and possibly runner-up - bound.
Do you agree with our Power Ranking? Who is at the top of your list? Let us know!
