American Idol 2014 – Top 8 Results Redux – Live Blog and Recap
Welcome to the live blog and recap of American Idol XIII, "Top 8 Results Redux"! The Top 8 will definitely become the Top 7 tonight, now that no Save is in effect! Will Sam Woolf's save last week result in a surprise boot tonight? Or will it be business as usual?
Rickey.org readers predict, for an unprecedented third week in a row, that CJ Harris will be eliminated. The singer received 46.07% of the vote, with the next nearest competitor being Malaya Watson, who received 19.48% of the vote. Jena Irene completes the readers' predicted bottom 3, with 8.56% of the vote. However, it's not too late to add your prediction, so head on over and vote! Also, check out last night's post-show power rankings and see where your favorites landed!
Credit: FOX
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RECAP
-The opening teaser reiterates that there is no more save, and "no more second chances." The video does this while also flashing back briefly to each contestant's introduction at his or her audition. I think this season has seen the least amount of makeovers in history. The contestants all look more or less the same from auditions to now. I don't mind this, though. Just an observation.
-As usual, the crowd goes from a frothing indifference to just plain frothing when the judges come out. These people are HYPED. And apparently, it's all for J-Lo, as a big "J-LO!" chant breaks out, with her fellow judges joining in. Maybe it's because she's wearing a tank top. Everyone can relate to a tank top.
-Ryan puts Keith's 80s picture back up on the big screen. I wonder if there was any decade in which that man wasn't handsome.
BACKSTAGE AFTER THE SHOW
-The contestants chat about how hyper Harry was being, and the realness of Keith's mullet. Caleb commends Dexter for giving a "kick-butt performance," while Sam reveals he actually went and looked up Ricky Nelson on Harry's advice. Alex is a bit discouraged by the feedback he got from J-Lo, but he plans to continue taking risks. And on that note, he dives into the nearby pool with Caleb. Could we have a bromance for the final two? Hell, they're my prediction for the finals.
FORD FOCUS VIDEO
-This video consists of the contestants playing a game of "Would You Rather?" and it's cute, if overly scripted. It eventually ends with the contestants meeting up at the Orpheum Theater to play "When the Saints Go Marching In." Back in the studio, Ryan asks if Harry would rather do a cartwheel or do some other physical challenge while also singing "I Luh Ya Papi." As a man in absolutely terrible shape, both sound terrible.
RESULTS, PT. 1
-We get some thoughts from our in-house mentor first: Randy thinks Dexter is going to be safe, but also believes he has a lot more growth to show in the competition. Meanwhile, he loves that CJ took his song up into the high octave at the end, so you could "hear the cry in his voice." As for Jessica, Randy felt she had all the vocals, but none of the attitude. However, he thinks she's done enough to remain "good with the voters." For Caleb, Randy thinks he did what needed to be done.
-And now we go to the screen to find out the results...
CALEB JOHNSON is safe!
JESSICA MEUSE is safe!
-This leaves Dexter and CJ. One is safe, and the other is in the bottom 2.
DEXTER ROBERTS is safe! CJ HARRIS is in the Bottom 2!
-So apparently, it's no bottom 3 tonight? Not that I'm complaining, but with 8 singers left, I think it's still a bit early to be cutting down the bottom group to just 2. I sense something fishy here.
-Back from break with NO MUSICAL GUEST, as we get right back to results!
RESULTS, PT. 2
-Randy says that it was clear Sam knew he needed to do something drastic to save himself, and thinks he largely succeeded, although he isn't sure about him, going forward. Randy thinks Malaya didn't hit all her notes, and could find herself in "a bit of trouble" tonight. Meanwhile, he thinks Alex went to far from the original in his version of "Every Breath You Take." As for Jena, Randy thinks she definitely did enough to avoid the Bottom 3.
ALEX PRESTON is safe!
JENA IRENE is safe!
SAM WOOLF is safe! MALAYA WATSON is in the Bottom 2!
-Yeah, I'm agreeing with commenter @ArchieSue's theory that we have a Bottom 2 tonight because Sam was in the Bottom 3. Having a saved contestant land right back in the Bottom 3 would make the Save look completely pointless.
-Aaaand we're back from break with the final result...
FINAL RESULTS
-Ryan reads the result...
CJ HARRIS is safe!
MALAYA WATSON has been eliminated from AMERICAN IDOL 2014!
-You could hear a pin drop in the audience. I'm not sure if it's shock or just groaning from being condemned to another week of tepid CJ Harris performances.
Final Results & Elimination (Top 8) - American... by IdolxMuzic
-Malaya's version of "Breakaway" from her farewell video is actually quite pretty. After the video, Malaya sings "I'm Changing" as an encore performance, taking me back to the better, more streamlined days of Idol. She sounds shaky, but even at her shakiest, it's fairly clear she doesn't deserve to go home. Not before CJ anyway.
-Awww, now she's crying. And J-Lo is crying too! Man, this was SO uncomfortable. My heart breaks for the poor girl, because while she was far from at her best, I really don't think she deserved to go this week. But then, Idol is a popularity contest, first and foremost. And being from Alabama certainly helps, if you're CJ Harris. Could he go all the way?
-What did you think of tonight's result? Why do you feel we had a Bottom 2 instead of a Bottom 3? Was it because Sam was in it? Or was it just for dramatic purposes? Sound off in the comments! Until next week, thanks for hanging out with me tonight!