American Idol 12 – Semifinalist Round, Part 3 – Live Blog and Recap – 2/27/2013

Welcome to the live blog for the "Semifinalist Round, Part 3" of American Idol Season 12.

Ten more semifinalists perform in Vegas for a shot at advancing to the live voting rounds! Will your favorites make the cut? Will any surprise contenders emerge? Will I ever stop asking questions?

Credit: FOX

8:00 PM

We're back, once again, at the Mirage in Las Vegas. Ten ladies will perform, but only five will survive. (I genuinely hope Ryan isn't implying a Hunger Games scenario where the losers are killed. Although I imagine it would be a ratings bonanza)

8:02 PM

We are introduced to the girls who will be competing tonight. They are:

Aubrey Cleland
Breanna Steer
Candice Glover
Cristabel Clack
Janelle Arthur
Jett Hermano
Juliana Chahayed
Melinda Ademi
Rachel Hale
Zoanette Johnson

MELINDA ADEMI is up first!

-Melinda talks about her family history, having emigrated from Kosovo. She mentions how she wasn't really ready when she auditioned in season 10, yet now that she's 19, she feels she can really go all the way. I hope so. I really like her.

-She sings "Nobody's Perfect" by Jessie J, which Angela Miller sang last week. It starts off pretty shaky, but she really brings it home. She also feels like one of the more current artists among the girls this season.

-Keith said he could sense her nerves in the beginning of the performance, but felt that she was able to turn it around as the song went on.

-Nicki liked it, but felt it was a mistake for her to sing the same song that Angela sang last week, as she could only think of Angela's more "connected" performance. She also notes that this is the second Jessie J song Melinda has performed, and tells her she should start experimenting with other artists.

-Randy didn't feel the performance had enough big moments to really make a case for her to advance, particularly in a group of ten that is this strong. He tells her she may be in trouble tonight.

-Mariah agreed that this is a great group of girls, but doesn't feel that the performance was the small-scale disaster Randy was making it out to be.

Melinda Ademi, Semi-finals ~ American Idol 2013 by HumanSlinky

-Ryan interviews Melinda after the performance, and she talks about overcoming her nerves and picking up her energy as the performance went on. It's a shame she wasn't in last week's group, or she'd be a shoo-in, if only because I still have no idea how Tenna Torres advanced.

8:13 PM

Back from break with our next contestant...

CANDICE GLOVER is up next!

-Candice talks about the heartbreak of getting cut in Vegas last year, and how she's going to do her best to make sure that doesn't happen again.

-She sings "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" by Aretha Franklin, and it's as excellent as we've come to expect from Candice. She makes some really interesting vocal choices, particularly in the end, as she rolls out some of the notes in her deeper register.

-Keith gives her a standing O, and says that if song choice is everything, then she picked the right song. He then sings "Because you are a natural singer" to the tune of the song. Keith Urban is my favorite.

-Nicki thinks it's mind-boggling that she didn't get past Vegas last year.

-Randy attempts to defend some of the lousy decisions the judges made last year (since he's the only judge still here), saying that last year "was a different time." (Um, sure?) He gives it up for Candice's performance though.

-Mariah asks her about some of the choices she made in her performance, and Candice reveals that they were all her idea. Mariah compliments her on her considerable talent.

Candice Glover - Sudden Death - American Idol 12 by IdolxMuzic

-Ryan doesn't bother interviewing Candice since he'll clearly get a chance to do so later, as she's obviously going through. We keep things moving...

JULIANA CHAHAYED is up next!

-She talks about her family and what having them here means to her. Cute video package.

-Juliana sings "Skyscraper" by Demi Lovato, and while this isn't exactly my favorite song in the world, her rendition is absolutely GORGEOUS. And hey, she's playing a guitar! If she wins, we won't even have to change the acronym! This is the best thing I've seen in the semifinals so far.

-Keith felt that she was struggling with pitch, but loves the purity of the tone of her voice, comparing her to a mix of Jewel and Taylor Swift.

-Nicki loved that Juliana is one of the few people in this competition with a signature sound to her voice, although she seems awfully timid, which works for what she does, but she just isn't sure how it's going to pan out within the context of all these other big voices.

-Randy applauds her for the honesty of her delivery, and for showcasing who she is, rather than trying to give the judges what she might think they expect.

-Mariah says that there's an angelic quality to her voice, and that her vulnerability in performing was beautiful to watch. Randy obnoxiously cuts in to announce that Ryan Seacrest couldn't have done that at fifteen. Wait, what? Dude, you need to shut it, lock it, and put it in your pocket.

Juliana Chahayed - Sudden Death - American Idol 12 by IdolxMuzic

-Ryan asks Juliana how she came up with that version of the song, and she mentions how her vocal teacher told her to pick a song she didn't like and find a way to make her like it. Really loving the performances so far tonight.

8:30 PM

-Back from break with our next contestant...

JETT HERMANO is up next!

-Jett talks about working in an office, but knowing she belonged on a stage. She sacrificed a full-ride scholarship to be here.

-She sings "Only Girl (In the World)" by Rihanna, playing the piano and slowing down the arrangement. It's beautiful starting out, but her voice gets pretty nasally in her higher register. But it's still better than a lot of what we saw last week. This is a really strong group.

-Keith loved the arrangement, and thought she showed a lot of artistry.

-Nicki also enjoyed the arrangement, as well as Jett's breathy falsetto, but she felt it never really climaxed.

-Randy didn't like when the tempo kicked in, though he compares her falsetto parts to Mariah.

-Mariah thinks her choices are intriguing, and didn't mind that she didn't "have a fit" on the piano at the end. Overall, Mariah enjoyed it.

Jett Hermano - Sudden Death - American Idol 12 by IdolxMuzic

-Ryan interviews her, and Jett talks about her Filipino heritage, and reveals that her family is watching now from a province in the Philippines. That ought to make Rickey happy.

8:38 PM

-Ryan is in the holding room with Cristabel Clack, discussing how she almost decided to drop out of the competition on the plane ride to Vegas. She then says that she suddenly felt this calm come over her while going over her song, and that the song means even more to her now. She feels God gave her the strength to go on.

CRISTABEL CLACK is up next!

-Cristabel is a mother and worship leader, and has been married for seven years. She talks about having spent two years on tour with Grammy Award-winning group Israel & New Breed.

-She sings "No One" by Alicia Keys, and while it's technically proficient, everything about her just feels like an Alicia Keys retread. This is without even getting into how played out this song is on competitions like this. She does go on an absolutely INSANE run at the end while the drummer gets his big moment in the spotlight in the end, and that's pretty cool. I mean, I felt like she overdid it, but Randy is on his feet the minute she's done, so...

-Keith loved it.

-Nicki loves the rasp but she didn't really feel the performance.

-Randy felt it sounded great, and that she's a "race horse" singer who really knows how to get the job done.

-Mariah loves her voice, but wishes she would sing more music from the genre she's most familiar with, before calling for a round of applause for the backup singers. She then tells Cristabel to please come back and sing more.

-Ryan says that decision will be up to the judges, and implores fans to give their opinions in real-time using the hashtag #IdolAgree if they agree with the judges' assessments or #IdolDisagree if they don't.

Cristabel Clack - Sudden Death - American Idol 12 by IdolxMuzic

8:50 PM

-Back from break with our next contestant...

AUBREY CLELAND is up next!

-She talks about wanting to be a veterinarian when she was little, before discovering her true passion. She says that she genuinely feels she'll be the last person standing when it's all said and done.

-Aubrey sings "Sweet Dreams" by Beyonce and while it's a perfectly lovely vocal, but it's really not anything we haven't seen before. She definitely comes across like a star though.

-Keith compliments her on the fire in her voice, and talks about the great array of different artists performing tonight.

-Nicki says she's obsessed with Aubrey, and says that she looks like a current star and sounds like a current star, then says that if she couldn't sing, she could easily be a model. She also says she loves her voice.

-Randy says she looks amazing, she's current, and she can really sing, though he didn't really feel like it was the right song for her.

-Mariah thinks Aubrey is limitless.

Aubrey Cleland, Semi-finals ~ American Idol 2013 by HumanSlinky

-Ryan asks Randy why he thought it was the wrong song, disagreeing with Randy and saying that he thought it was the right song, himself. We keep the music going...

RACHEL HALE is up next!

-Rachel talks about being from a small town of 3500 people that's only just gotten its second stop light. Bet there's only one horse, to boot.

-She sings "Nothing But the Water" by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, and it's really good for the genre she's in, even if it's not really my area, personally. And she has a very affable, infectious personality, so who knows? She might actually go places.

-Keith gives it up for the band, and says that he loves her spirit and the way that she sings, even if he didn't feel it was the best song choice.

-Nicki wants to know where this "crazy burst of confidence" is coming from, and Rachel responds that she's been praying a lot. Nicki says she loved seeing her "little ladybug" come to life.

-Randy was happy she was bringing out energy, saying that she was fearless, fun, and adds that they all need to start praying more. (Rachel agrees, and Randy continues extolling the virtues of prayer, saying "Prayer works!")

-Mariah really likes Rachel, and felt it was a good performance, although she feels Rachel picked better songs in the past. She hopes Rachel picks songs that give people an opportunity to see her energy.

Rachel Hale - Sudden Death - American Idol 12 by IdolxMuzic

-In her interview with Ryan, Rachel reveals that even though she told her friends she made it through, they were still glued to the TV screen during her Hollywood performances. Wait, I thought they had to sign confidentiality agreements? Someone get me an entertainment lawyer!

9:07 PM

-Back from break with Ryan hyping the upcoming dramatic eliminations. But first...

BREANNA STEER is up next!

-She talked about the flood that destroyed her town, and discusses rebuilding her home, and how it's made her a stronger person.

-Breanna sings "Bust Your Windows" by Jazmine Sullivan. She's got a great tone and real stage presence, but she badly needs to enunciate. I have no idea what the hell she's saying.

-Keith says he doesn't know that song, but he loved it. He talked about her vibe, and how she really made him believe she could bust the windows out of his car (he mentions having dated a girl like that many years ago. Get to speculating!).

-Nicki says she could be signed right now, and that she and Aubrey should get together, find a few other girls who are sexy like they are, and take over. Because, as Nicki says, there's nothing in the market like that right now. (Oh Fifth Harmony, how you've already been cast aside)

-Randy says this was another of the girls he felt was ready to be signed on the spot, and says that she's an artist who knows who she is.

-Mariah says she loves that the contestants were allowed to pick their own songs, since she loves Jazmine Sullivan and felt Breanna really nailed it.

Breanna Steer, Semi-finals ~ American Idol 2013 by HumanSlinky

-Ryan asks Breanna what the process is for busting out a guy's windows, and Breanna gets a little too into it for Ryan's tastes, in an amusing little moment.

9:22 PM

-Back from break with the country songstress who's taking her third crack at Idol...

JANELLE ARTHUR is up next!

-Janelle talks about portraying a young Dolly Parton in a theater production, and how being a country girl from the mountains like Dolly hopefully means she'll make it too.

-She sings "Just A Kiss" by Lady Antebellum. This is her weakest vocal so far, in my opinion. That said, she's saving it, somewhat, through her considerable stage presence.

-Keith loves the song choice, but says it has a very limiting melody. He appreciated her attempts to change it up, though he wishes she would have picked a different song.

-Nicki says she was most looking forward to seeing her and Zoanette, and that she usually has such an effortless confidence. However, none of that confidence was in evidence here. Nicki says she doesn't know what happened. She tells Janelle to never doubt herself again, and that if it were up to just her, she would advance to the next round.

-Randy says Janelle is his favorite country singer in the competition and, while it wasn't his favorite song choice, he's still a fan.

-Mariah feels something simpler might have been better to do, but adds that she's still rooting for Janelle.

Janelle Arthur, Semi-finals ~ American Idol 2013 by HumanSlinky

-Ryan asks Janelle if things felt different for her tonight, and she says she loves Lady Antebellum and tried to do the best she could.

9:27 PM

-Back from break with the last performance before results!

ZOANETTE JOHNSON closes out the show!

-Zoanette talks about having come from Liberia, and how her family had to flee their homeland. She says she feels it's time for Liberia to have a huge star.

-She sings "The Circle of Life" by Elton John. Zoanette is a few screws short of a hardware store, AND I LOVE IT. It also needs to be said: she has got a SERIOUS set of pipes on her. She's not always in tune, but she can definitely sing. This is easily her best performance, for me.

-All the judges stand...except Mariah who I assumed, from her soft critiques all night, would have been the first one on her feet.

-Keith loves that he has no idea what she's going to do next, and says forget about the King of the Jungle -- all hail the Queen.

-Nicki said Zoanette "just served it." She says it's so touching that her family and all her siblings fled Liberia and now they are going to get to see her on the show. Nicki tears up as Zoanette breaks down, shouting out her siblings in the audience. Nicki says she's proud of Zoanette, and proud of being a part of a show that gives people this kind of opportunity.

-Randy says that he knows a lot of people were probably wondering how they could put this crazy girl through. Randy says THIS is why, saying that she's infectious, and that they all feel something when she sings.

-Mariah feels that Zoanette is such a giving person, and that her spirit and emotions come out through her songs. She feels like Zoanette is a versatile artist, and she could be gracing someone's Broadway stage tomorrow, doing something different altogether.

Zoanette Johnson, Semi-finals ~ American Idol 2013 by HumanSlinky

-Ryan asks Zoanette about the tears, and she talks about her family getting to see her do something she's always wanted to do.

9:40 PM

-We're back with Ryan building up the drama to the results. He asks Randy if they needed Jimmy to serve as tiebreaker. Randy says that while the decisions weren't always unanimous, the majority always won out, so they don't need Jimmy to break any ties tonight.

Results

Zoanette Johnson: ADVANCES

Melinda Ademi: ELIMINATED

Juliana Chahayed: ELIMINATED (Oh COME ON!)

Aubrey Cleland: ADVANCES (Hello mother, hello fodder)

Cristabel Clack: ELIMINATED

Candice Glover: ADVANCES

Jett Hermano: ELIMINATED

Breanna Steer: ADVANCES

And it comes down to the two country girls, Rachel and Janelle. Both girls, in the holding room, tell Ryan they're thankful for the opportunity to sing in the American Idol top 40, and that they feel so blessed.

Rachel Hale: ELIMINATED

Janelle Arthur: ADVANCES

Girls Results - Sudden Death Group 1 - American... by IdolxMuzic

Girls Results - Sudden Death Group 2 - American... by IdolxMuzic

And that's a wrap!

The five girls advancing are: ZOANETTE JOHNSON, CANDICE GLOVER, BREANNA STEER, AUBREY CLELAND and JANELLE ARTHUR!

See you all tomorrow for the remaining ten guys, as we fill out the rest of American Idol's top 20!