Michael Orland and Debbie Byrde on the American Idol 9 Top 12

USA Today talked to American Idol's associate music director Michael Orland - that guy Jermaine Sellers didn't know a couple of weeks ago - and Idol vocal coach Debra Byrd on what they thought of this year's Top 12.

Michael said that this year's Top 12 has less experience than some recent ones, which is one reason not to make a judgment too quickly about the group. While Debbbie said this year's singers "will all sound great on CDs because of the uniqueness of their sound."

Michael has some great comments about two of our favorites Katie Stevens and Aaron Kelly! Yay!

From USA Today:

"The last couple of years, with David Cook and David Archuleta, and then last year with Adam (Lambert), Kris (Allen) and Alison (Iraheta), those two years were filled with people coming in going, 'Hey, here's what I want to do. Here's the part of the song I want to do. Here's how I want to start.' Those people knew who they were already. These people are just exploring it."

Sixteen-year-old Aaron Kelly, for instance, "is one of the most ridiculous musicians I've met in my life, but he's still looking for his voice," he said. (He thinks Katie Stevens is very talented, too, and disagrees with the judges telling her she should go younger with her song choices.)

Source USA Today