American Idol XIII 2014 – Live Blog and Recap – Rush Week, 15 Girls Perform – Video

Welcome to the live blog and recap of American Idol XIII "Rush Week, 15 Girls Perform"! Of course, that episode title is a bit misleading, since not all 15 finalists will get to perform, as five will be eliminated by the judges before they ever get to show America what they've got. Which five singers will be cut? And which of the remaining ten will soar? And how will Randy Jackson, Adam Lambert, and Chris Daughtry do as mentors?

Credit: FOX

If you're curious about who's singing what, check out the song spoilers here.

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Let's get this show on the road!

Recap

-We're live with Ryan introducing the stage, which looks like a giant cross between the original stage of the first few seasons, and the semifinals stage from Seasons 3-9. In short, I love it. Although the new space-age, techno version of the American Idol theme song is tacky as hell.

-So Ryan explains Rush Week, comparing it to the Greek system in college (keg stands and regrettable sex then?), explaining that the contestants will be going through a boot camp of sorts. The judges are then introduced, entering through the backstage area, and it's almost kind of disheartening how small this studio is. I think The Voice has a bigger crowd, and that studio is smaller than Luxembourg. Hopefully this is just a smaller semifinals stage, and the bigger one will be revealed once the Top 13 perform for the first time.

-J-Lo's dress is INSANE, going boob for boob with Mariah Carey and Christina Aguilera. Ryan then refreshes our memories on the 15 girls who've made it through, and reminding us that five will be stupidly, pointlessly cut. Granted, he doesn't say it in that way. Ryan explains that all 15 girls have prepared a song, and the judges will call ten names. Harry says this is the most competitive field since season one (for truly, who are we to have ever doubted the fiery go-get-it spirit of EJay Day, AJ Gill, RJ Helton, and Something-J Something).

-Ryan introduces Randy, and I'm just drowning him out at this point. I'm sure he's a perfectly swell man in real life, but I'm just beyond over having him on this show.

-We kick things off looking at the boot camp/workshop: Randy introduced vocal coaches, stylists, movement coaches, music director Rickey Minor, and...non-denominational spiritual advisors? Well, hmm, yeah. Randy then brings out Adam Lambert and Chris Daughtry as special mentors, with Chris getting in a quick joke in which he says he specifically asked not to be paired with Adam because it would expose his height.

-Ryan asks Randy how this group of contestants stack up against the rest, and what the hell is he supposed to say, Ryan? "Eh, they're alright. I liked Season 8 better." We then get things rolling with J-Lo, who takes forever to introduce the first contestant competing for America's vote tonight...

MAJESTY ROSE YORK is up first!

Workshop: Majesty talks about singing in church, while we see see her being prepared by the stylists. She reveals she's singing Pharrell's Oscar-nominated song "Happy" from Despicable Me 2, before getting help from Adam Lambert on performance. God, I wish he'd been a judge this season.

Performance: It starts out well enough, but her excitement starts to get the better of her as the song goes on, as she goes for notes that wrest control of her vocals away from her. But hey, the performance is charming, particularly her freeze-frame on the final note.

Judges: J-Lo praises her for getting the crowd on its feet, while Harry feels fortunate that Majesty Rose has set this tone for the competition as the first contestant, because she did a fantastic job. Keith loves her easy, breezy ability, and says we're likely to see more of her vocal range as we go forward.

-Ryan interviews Majesty Rose and asks her what it feels like to be up here, and she says she feels like she's among friends (drawing a big "awwww" from the crowd), before detailing a hair-coloring party at the Idol lodgings.

-We're back from break with news that Randy and the Spiritual Advisors are trending, which Ryan thinks sounds like a great band name. Can't really argue with him there.

-Harry announces the next contestant, and it's...

KRISTEN O'CONNOR is up next!

Workshop: Kristen tells Randy she plans on singing "Turning Tables" by Adele, and he tells her that she needs to feel the song. Chris Daughtry tells Kristen to utilize the stage space, and then gives her an effective suggestion on vocal phrasing. She seems to have gotten a lot out of her session with Chris. Hopefully it helps her performance.

Performance: It's actually a very good vocal, but it just feels strangely passionless. I have literally no idea why she was given a spot, since so much about her screams cannon fodder. Then again, I said the same thing about Haley Scarnato, and she lasted a ghastly length of time in the competition in Season 6. So who knows?

Judges: Harry really liked the performance, even though he felt her nerves. Keith, meanwhile, praises her "killer range," and I can't really disagree. He also notes Kristen's nerves, but talks about how she won the crowd over the minute her nerves settled. J-Lo tells Kristen that she has one of the most special tones in the competition, and that she can hear Kristen recording records now. She notes that Kristen was out of time with the band, but she states that this is only the tip of the iceberg for her.

-Kristen tells Ryan what it was like hearing her name called, and she says she wasn't really expecting to be called up next. That would make the two of us, honey.

-Back from break with Keith introducing the next contestant competing for America's vote, another third-time auditioner like last season's winner...

BRIANA OAKLEY is up next!

Workshop: Randy talks about how much they all loved her last year, and asks her what she thinks she needs to improve upon. Briana says that she needs to scale back her need for everything to be perfect. Randy agrees, and so do I. He says she needs to lighten up, because it comes across as too stiff and professional. It's echoed in her performance workshop, as one of the coaches tells her it's like she's building a wall between herself and the audience. She reveals she's singing "Warrior" by Demi Lovato, and it's exceedingly rare that we get to a live show and somebody sings a song I can't say I've heard.

Performance: Best vocal of the night so far. And she's clearly listening to the advice, as this feels like more of a personal, emotional, inviting performance, and it's a change that is reflected in how the crowd reacts to her, particularly when she starts killing the high notes. A great performance.

Judges: Keith talks about the difficulty of settling into a song, but compares here to Irene Cara. He liked the performance a lot, but adds that he wishes she wouldn't smile so much during such a serious song. (Good point) J-Lo notes that Briana seemed scared when she first started, but states that Briana gave a good performance. She adds that Briana has a "privileged voice," and that she just needs to work on her connection with songs. Harry liked the performance too, but warns against relying on high notes, comparing them to triple axles that get applause from the crowd, but are simply just one aspect of a larger framework.

-Briana talks with Ryan, and her enthusiasm is really adorable, honestly.

-Back from break with our next contestant...

JENA IRENE (formerly JENA ASCIUTTO) is up next!

Workshop: Randy asks Jena what she thinks she needs to work on, and she says "Working the microphone," since she spent all of Hollywood Week behind a piano for her solo performances. She says she'll be singing "Paint It, Black" by the Rolling Stones, which Chris notes is one of his favorite Stones songs. Among other things, Jena is equal parts nervous and excited for the performance, but takes the time to correct Randy on the pronunciation of her name. Ugh, this girl is PRECIOUS. Love her. Still don't get what the deal is with all the name changes this season though. "Asciutto" was a perfectly fine name.

Performance: Jena knocked this one out of the ballpark. If I had one complaint, it's that she seemed to be trying too hard in some places, as if compensating for a perceived lack of stage presence. But that's all. I really did enjoy it a lot.

Judges: J-Lo talks about how Jena was sultry and intense, and adds that she really pulled it out at the end. Harry asks Jena to describe, in one sentence, what she thinks the song is about. Jena says "Darkness," before going on to ramble, prompting Harry to humorously cut her off in a well-meaning, joking fashion. He liked her performance and could feel the intensity, he just wasn't sure if she knew what she was singing about, and I can't say I disagree with him there. Keith, however, is the most positive of the three judges, saying that he loved the performance, right down to how Jena holds the mic stand.

-For some reason, I'm only just now discovering that Jena is 17. Suddenly, her personality makes a lot more sense, while the depth of her original song from Hollywood becomes a lot more impressive. My favorite girl of the competition alongside Jillian Jensen and Majesty Rose. Although I'm pretty sure there's at least one girl I'm forgetting among my favorites.

-Back from break with Ryan confirming that the five guys and five girls will move on to the next round, along with three wildcard picks, to form a Top 13. We then have Harry introduce the next contestant, a girl he describes as having a big voice for how young she is.

BRIA ANAI is up next!

Workshop: Bria talks a bit about her fashion and style, saying she wants to be known as The Girl With the Lips (referencing the shiny lipstick she wears). She tells Randy that her mother describes her as an appropriately-dressed Rihanna, then details how hard she's been working at everything she does. We don't really get much more from her workshop than that, other than the fist bump she shares with Randy.

Performance: Bria sings "Wrong Side of A Love Song" by Melanie Fiona, and she kind of has the same problem Majesty Rose had, in that her excitement compels her to go for notes she can't really get. Or, in a wordier way, notes that rob her of her ability to retain control of her voice. It's an underwhelming vocal, owing to how over-the-top it was.

Judges: Harry calls her out on how shouty the vocal was, saying that the vocal got away from her. Keith adds that she "overshot the runway," but he ends on a positive note by adding, "You still have the lips". J-Lo excuses her iffy performance by chalking it up to nerves, and to the adrenaline from the crowd cheering her. She also notes that it was a bad idea for Bria to run down the runway before singing, but states that Bria has "star" written all over her.

-Ryan notes that Harry, in his critique of Bria, has earned himself the first boo of the season, prompting Harry to make a Three Bears analogy that doesn't entirely land. But hey, he's Harry Connick, Jr. I imagine his lame jokes go over better than my good ones, just by virtue of being so damn charming. Seriously, I'm about to open up a club: Straight Guys Into HCJ Anonymous (Except Not Anonymous).

-Back from break with Keith introducing the next contestant, whom he says walked into the city auditions and "Looked like a star"...

MARRIALLE SELLARS is up next! (UGH)

Workshop: We get an amusing comparison between Marrialle's hair and Randy's hair during his time with Journey. She reveals she's singing "Roar" (shoot me now) and her workshop with Adam has him recommending that she do her best to stay true to herself. He basically tells her to do what she knows, and given how many different styles she's inhabited over the course of the competition, I'm not entirely sure who she is as an artist. I wonder if she even does.

Performance: The arrangement is pitched too low, but even if it weren't, I think I'd still dock points from her score simply for not doing something with the arrangement. Seriously, she's just singing a straight version of "Roar", when she could have done something potentially interesting with her guitar. I do have to give her credit for a killer closing note though, and for how charmingly she deals with stumbling and losing a shoe during the performance. But I didn't really like this.

Judges: Keith loved her recovery from losing the shoe, but adds that her skills are much better than she showed tonight, as it was the wrong song and a karaoke version, at that. J-Lo agrees with Keith and adds that she wishes Marrialle would have done something with her guitar. Harry says he didn't see any of the superstar he thinks she is, since the performance was really overproduced, which takes her away from the stripped-back aesthetic they liked about her in the first place.

-Ryan recaps briefly and adds that there are only four spots left, and now I'm starting to get nervous for Jillian Jensen and MK Nobilette.

-Back from break with Ryan with the remaining girls, and Malaya is dressed like...I don't even know. All the girls want to be called, and most of them seem to understand that a Top 13 spot was never guaranteed, but they just want to perform. We get our next name...

JESSICA MEUSE is up next!

Workshop: Jessica tells Randy she's going to sing "Drink A Beer" by Luke Bryan, and tells Chris that she feels she can do anything. Chris says he wishes he could have played his guitar while he was on the show, but adds that (no offense) her singing is better than her guitar playing. He seems to genuinely like Jessica, even if it might not really come across in everything he says about her. I like her too, although I wonder if she's the kind of contestant who'd thrive on a show like this.

Performance: She really does sound like Stevie Nicks. With that said, while I generally liked the performance, I think Chris was right. She should have left the guitar at home, simply because she seems distracted, focused on getting all the right chords. It leaves the performance feeling devoid of passion.

Judges: J-Lo stalls for time while she searches for a diplomatic way of saying she didn't like it, as she tells Jessica that she likes her country tone and hopes they'll get to hear more of it. Harry loves her voice too, but worries she didn't feel what the song was really about, and adds that she needs to work on her intonation. Keith says he lived in Nashville for 22 years, and so he's always going to root for someone from the area. He loves that she picked a Luke Bryan song, but states she needs to avoid smiling while singing such a serious, emotional tune. However, Keith does like her quite a bit.

-Jessica is choked with emotion when describing what it means to be here, competing on the Idol stage. It's really endearing to see such a tough girl get so emotional. Shame it wasn't a better performance though. Not that I think it'll necessarily keep her from sailing through to the Top 13, since she's one of the singers who's gotten the most screentime, which translates to votes. Then again, there's the Kris Allen/Bo Bice principle, which dictates that lack of screentime doesn't mean squat if you can knock it out of the ballpark.

-Back from break, as only three spots remain...

EMILY PIRIZ is up next!

Workshop: Emily tells Randy she's singing "Paris (Ooh La La)" by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, and can we take a break from Grace Potter and the Nocturnals for a while, guys? I mean, holy hell, this is getting excessive. Anywho, Adam gives her some great advice about starting the song more aggressively, encouraging her to really own the stage and the song itself. Emily talks about singing in front of the mirror for hours to bring out her rock chick, and if that's something that needs to be brought out, then odds are it isn't really there, honey.

Performance: Well, that shut me up. I was irritated when her name got called, because I never really saw her as anything more than a cannon fodder contestant before now, but this was a far better aggressive, rock-tinged vocal than Jena's. The only weak spot is when she tries to get the crowd clapping along and ends up losing her spot in front of the mic. But other than that, it's a solid performance, in my opinion.

Judges: Harry notes that while Emily just turned 18, he asks her to speak the first two lines of the song, which involve getting thrown down on the floor. He asks her if that's really what she wants to be singing about, and she responds by saying that it's about empowerment, and a woman getting what she wants. Nice response. Keith talks about how singing in front of the mirror to "bring out" her rock chick does a disservice, since artistry isn't something you put on. It has to be authentic. With that said, he does like her; as does J-Lo, of course. Because of course.

-And now we're down to two spots.

-Back from break with one of the final two spots being claimed. Kenzie's mascara looks a little smudged. Lord, I hope she hasn't been crying. Keith introduces the next contestant, whose voice had the judges in unanimous agreement...

MK NOBILETTE is up next! (YES!)

Workshop: MK's workshop involves the vocal couch encouraging her to really connect with the song, since it won't mean anything to the crowd if it doesn't mean anything to her. She'll be singing "All of Me" by John Legend, an unexpected choice, but one that could work for her in a big way. Randy tells her she has to give it her all, which is right up there with "Go big or go home" in the Empty Platitudes Hall of Fame.

Performance: I liked this a lot. Didn't love it, but it's early in the competition, and so there's no reason MK shouldn't get the chance to grow, especially given how underwhelming some of the other contestants have been tonight. The crowd goes absolutely nuts for MK when the performance is over.

Judges: Keith talks about her transparency, vulnerability, and humanness, all of which shine through in her performances. J-Lo says MK made them all feel something without needing for the performance to be over-the-top. She loved it. Harry, meanwhile, thinks MK is "an elegant, articulate singer". Harry initially worried that MK had a defeatist attitude, but assures her that she belongs here.

-We see MK's family in the audience, holding up a small sign for her while tears run down her face. A lovely little moment. We then throw to break on the cliffhanger of which girl will get the last spot, in addition to learning whether Ben Briley or Neco Starr will get the 15th spot for the guys, although given this twist, that person might not even get to sing tomorrow. Seriously, there isn't a single thing about this "cut 5" twist I don't loath with every fiber of my being.

-Back from break with the outcome of last Thursday's vote between Ben and Neco.

RESULTS

-Ben and Neco come out to learn who made it through. Ryan reads the results...

BEN BRILEY advances to the Top 15!

NECO STARR is eliminated from American Idol XIII!

-So now Ben has earned the shot to maybe not perform for your votes tomorrow night! Harry lightens the mood by hugging it out with Keith, and jokes that we'll find out next week which of them leaves.

-And now, the last singer...

MALAYA WATSON is up next!

Workshop: Chris talks about Malaya's voice being "stupid" -- in a good way. Malaya, meanwhile, talks about how her performance isn't necessarily going to overshadow her personality. I really wish I could pay attention to any of this, but I'm too busy being furious that Jillian Jensen, Kenzie Hall, Austin Wolfe, Brandy Neelly, and Andrina Brogden are going home.

Performance: Thankfully, Malaya's performance justifies her placement even if her fashion doesn't. Seriously, who decided dressing this girl in dark lipstick and a black leather jacket was a good idea? Anyway, her performance of the Ray Charles tune "Hard Times (No One Knows Better Than I)" is an absolute killer. Had NO IDEA she had that in her. She's also pretty charming after the performance when she jokes around with J-Lo about how this works for her.

Judges: J-Lo praises Malaya for staying strong throughout the pressure, as she never saw any contestants have to contend with a Rush Week during either of her two seasons. Harry also praises Malaya for her poise, and adds that she delivered a solid performance. Keith states that no one makes glasses and braces look as cool as Malaya, adding that he hopes America votes her through because he wants to see what she'll do next.

-We then bring out the five eliminated girls, and then recap the performances. But instead of a proper end-of-show recap, in which we hear their performances again and see their numbers, we just get a name, an image, and a number, without hearing a single note of any performance again. This entire episode has been an exercise in DAUNTING stupidity and overcomplicating a system that didn't need changing. I could slap Per Blankens right now. Seriously, WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU PUT THROUGH 15 GIRLS IF ONLY TEN WERE EVER GOING TO SING? I seriously can't overstate how livid I am at the manipulation, since you're not just screwing with the contestants now, but the audience that has built a connection with them. Don't offer us a carrot and then snatch it away if you don't want us to call you out on being a dick, Idol.

-So if I had to guess, I'd think Malaya, Jena, Majesty, MK and Briana advance, but who even knows with this competition these days? Here's hoping the guys deliver tomorrow night. What do you think? Sound off in the comments!

-Also, keep it locked, as I'll be adding more videos as the night rolls on! Thanks for hanging out, it's been fun as always!

Goodnight!