TOP 4 DUKE IT OUT!

Phone 1-866-436-57_ _ or Text the word "Vote" to 57_ _


01 & 05 MELINDA DOOLITTLE "LOVE YOU INSIDE AND OUT"

• RANDY: This is gonna be an interesting night. Another solid performance.
• PAULA: It's hard to critique you because you are spot on.
• SIMON: I expect incredible tonight and that was more like the backing vocalist. You are better than that and thank goodness you have another song.
• GOLDIE: I LOVE HER!! Still my favorite! I could listen to her sing the phone book and be so happy!
• CAROLYN: Melinda's always amazing to me. But tonight is not the night for a subtle performance - I hope she knocks us dead with the 2nd song.

02 & 06 BLAKE LEWIS: "YOU SHOULD BE DANCING"

• RANDY: Tonight the beat boxing didn't work for me.
• PAULA: I think it started a little shaky and your beat boxing showed your uniqueness.
• SIMON: I thought it was terrible!
• GOLDIE: He's a great showman, but I don't like his falsetto and his beat boxing (as skilled as he is...) didn't work in this song!
• CAROLYN: Wow. The beatboxing bits were truly awesome. Odds on, this will be the number one download of the week from itunes. The singing parts, however, were rather sketchy, especially in the beginning.

03 & 07 LAKISHA JONES: "STAYING ALIVE"

• RANDY: It's a good thing you guys have 2 songs. Changing the melody and all the stops and starts...it just wasn't working. You tried to do too much with it.
• PAULA: You took the tempo down and it brought the mood down.
• SIMON: No kiss tonight, baby! We're back to the shouting again...it was verging on scary in parts. Not great tonight so far!
• GOLDIE: I'm not a Lakisha fan anymore...she screams the songs more than she sings the songs and it just doesn't work for me.
• CAROLYN: First off: Love the Hair and the Clothes. Uh Oh.. She just tempted fate.. "It's alright. It's ok. I know I'll make it anyway. (or I'll live to see another day)" The lyric of doom. Talk about an exit song. I say Nigel boots her just to have this as the farewell number.

04 & 08 JORDIN SPARKS: "TO LOVE SOMEBODY"

• RANDY: It's been kind of a rough night so far, that was the best vocal of the night.
• PAULA: It is the best vocal so far tonight.
• SIMON: Best song choice, best performance so far...we're back in the competition!
• GOLDIE: She just seems to be getting better. I love the poise and confidence she brings to her performances and her vocals are great when they are on and so far tonight...they are on!
• CAROLYN: Quite a compliment from Barry Gibb, and extremely well deserved. We have our winner for round one - hands down - TKO. She is the embodiment of everything good American Idol stands for.

01 & 05 MELINDA DOOLITTLE: "HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART"

• RANDY: Much better, great song, great vocal...our resident pro.
• PAULA: Beautiful vocal. I would love for you to throw all of your technique away and just wow us!
• SIMON: I believe the second half of that song put you into the semi-finals.
• GOLDIE: This is one of my favorite Barry Gibbs songs and again....a good solid performance from my American Idol.
• CAROLYN: She's baaaaa-aaack! :) Love you, Melinda!

02 & 06 BLAKE LEWIS: "THIS IS WHERE I CAME IN"

• RANDY: This was better than the last song. You don't have to beat box on every song.
• PAULA: You are the contemporary rebel in this competition.
• SIMON: I don't know what that song was, it was completely tuneless and it was not a good night for you.
• GOLDIE: Not a good night for Blake...at least it was better than the first song!
• CAROLYN:Another BeeGees tune I don't know, and I thought I knew them all. The vocals were totally on target this time, but.. well.. i'm at a loss for words with this one. Clearly, Blake's young enough that potentially NONE of the BeeGees songs are familiar to him. I just wasn't thrilled with this one.

03 & 07 LAKISHA JONES: "RUN TO ME"

• RANDY: Much better than the first.
• PAULA: You're still a champ!
• SIMON: It was better than the first song, but not great....I think you and Blake are vulnerable tonight.
• GOLDIE: She did much better with this song until she goes for the power notes...
• CAROLYN: I'm just not feeling Lakisha tonight. The vocals are there, to be sure, but the star quality just isn't.
  

04 & 08 JORDIN SPARKS: "WOMAN IN LOVE"

• RANDY : I don't think it was your best...it was pitchy!
• PAULA: It was not your best, but I love you anyway.
• SIMON: I love the song, but I thought it was old fashioned and very pageanty...you're 17.
• GOLDIE: I am loving her more with every performance! Not the strongest vocal from her by far, but still very good! I could love a finale with her and Melinda!
• CAROLYN: I couldn't agree with you more, Goldie. Voting for a Jordin/Melinda final!