American Idol 2012 Recap: Season 11 ‘Top 13 Performance’ 3/7/12

American Idol 2012 Recap: Season 11 'Top 13 Performance' 3/7/12

American Idol is back tonight and we have our top 13.  Stand by as we live blog the show with all the up-to-the-minute details. On last week’s show 25 talented performers battled for your vote but only 13 were successful.  The public chose ten and the judges added their three wildcards to the mix.

The contestants who made it were Phillip, Hollie, Jessica, Shannon, Heejun, Colton, Elise, Skylar, Joshua, Jermaine, Erika, Jeremy and DeAndre!  If you missed the show you can read our official recap of the results show here!

American Idol celebrates it’s 400th episode tonight with the guys singing a Stevie Wonder song while the girls will pay tribute to Whitney Houston.

This week, the contestants were mentored by the legendary Mary J. Blige.  Don’t miss the results show, Thursday, March 8 at 8 as Mary J. Blige will perform live on the Idol stage before we have to bid a fond farewell to one of our talented finalists.  Season 10 runner-up Lauren Alaina also  returns to perform her smash hit “Georgia Peaches” off her debut album, Wildflower.

We will be live blogging ‘The Top 13 Performances’ with all the up-to-the-minute details at 8 PM EST so make sure to come back to this spot and watch the show with us. Refresh often to get the latest updates!!

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RECAP: Tonight is the 400th episode of American Idol, for the first time during the finals, it is the guys versus the girls. The guys will be singing Stevie Wonder songs and the girls, Whitney Houston songs. This week Mary J. Blige mentored the contestants and here they are in order of appearance.

1. Joshua Ledet, singing “I Wish”. He was simply amazing.

Randy said, “you just wore it out at the top of the show, what I really love is that you have this amazing gospel sound, you can do anything, flawless, loved it dude”. Jennifer said,”I love that I felt your performance, the little hand thing, I loved it. You felt it through your body, it was wonderful, thank you, good job”. Steven said, “you got the snap, you being it home, beautiful man.”

2. Elise Testone, singing “I’m Your Baby Tonight”. Not impressed and neither was Mary J. Blige during rehearsal, she changed the song.

Jennifer said, “it was about taking this song and being your own, you have an amazing voice, I just don’t think this was your best, there was timing issues, I’m not sure”. Steven said, “your voice has so much character and I missed it in this song”. Randy said, “it was like you were boxing during the song, you need just to sing it and enjoy it so people can feel it, that wasn’t good”.

3. Jermaine Jones, singing “Knock Me Off My Feet”. He was good, but needs to work on his chemistry with the crowd.

Steven said, “that song fit you like an Armani suit, I can’t wait for what you have in store for us”. Jennifer said, “I would like to see you connect with the song a little more like you are really singing to someone, that’s what you need to do a little more”. Randy said, “I’m happy we brought you back, I love your low voice but when you hit the chorus for me I didn’t like it, I liked the versus though”.

4. Erika Van Pelt, singing “I Believe In You And Me”. I didn’t like the way she tried to copy Whitney Houston’s voice, she should have made it more her own.

Randy said, “you have an amazing voice and tone, it was unbelievable, you sold me. You can sing anything, let yourself go”. Jennifer said, “the way you interpret the song and your voice really makes songs come alive, you are playing it safe and I can’t wait for you to let loose”. Steven said, “you have a beautiful voice, the place reacted exactly how you sound, you are perfect, you are great”.

5. Colton Dixon, singing “Lately”. He was very good for being out of his genre.

Steven said, “that was outstanding, beautiful, well done”. Jennifer said, “you were probably the most challenged tonight, it was amazing, it was great”. Randy said, “technically it wasn’t perfect, but here’s the key to that, when you hit your powe rpoint, you were flawless. You slayed it in the end, well done”.

6. Shannon Magrane, singing “I Have Nothing”. Wow, I like her, but I don’t think the judges will because she was a bit off.

Jennifer said, “you can sing that song but we didn’t hear that tonight, you need stop thinking about it and tell the story”. Steven said, “I think your nerves got the best of you, it’s a huge song, you crashed and burned”. Randy said, “you are hear because we know you can sing that song, but the nerves got the best of you”.

7. Deandre Brackensack, singing “Master Blaster”. Not my favorite, but he sang it well.

Steven said, “you take over the stage and I love it, it’s beautiful, I loved it tonight”. Jennifer said, “you have swag, I loved it, you brought it from the beginning”. Randy said, “you showed another side of yourself tonight, perfect rhythm and everyone was feeling it, that’s how good it was, job well done”.

8. Skylar Laine, singing “Where Do Broken Hearts Go”. I liked her, she did good.

Jennifer said, “the front part of it for me wasn’t perfect, but you kept it together and you gave us our biggest moment of the night”. Steven said, “the front was beautiful, the way you climbed the ladder, that was fantastic”. Randy said, “you are a country girl, but what you just proved is that you can sing anything, great job”.

9. Heejun Han, singing “All Is Fair In Love”. I love Heejun, but this was boring.

Jennifer said, “I love you from the first time you sang for me and I love you now”. Steven said, “I love your voice, keep it up man”. Randy said, “It wasn’t perfect, but it was really good”.

10. Hollie Cavanaugh, singing “All The Man That I Need”. She was very good, love her voice.

Randy said, “you nailed it, yes”. Jennifer said, “you are the one”. Steven said, “you nailed it, that was really nice”.

11. Jeremy Rosado, singing “Ribbon In The Sky”. I didn’t feel this one at all and personally I don’t think he has the “whole package” to be an American Idol.

Steven said, “great song tonight, good passion”. Jennifer said, “I love to hear where you are going to go, good job”. Randy said, “this wasn’t your best song for me, you should have put more swag in it”.

12. Jessica Sanchez, singing Whitney Houston’s biggest song “I Will Always Love You”. Outstanding, the best of the night and the most talented by far. The audience and the judges gave her an amazing standing ovation that was well deserved.

Randy said, “give it all to her, Jessica Sanchez is legit. This is one the hardest songs in the world to sing, you are the best singer on the show, you are so talented, Oh My God”. Jennifer said, “I don’t even know what to say, I’m speechless, it was beautiful, God bless you, you are so talented”. Steven said, “You may be the one, you made 40 million people cry”. Steven wanted to say more, but the show cut him off.

13. Phillip Phillips, singing “Superstition”. Love it, most exciting performance of the night.

Steven said, “you are very interesting.” Jennifer said, “you made it your own and you killed it”. Randy said, “you are the most different artist we have and I love it, you drive your own car in your own lane”.

It’s time to turn things over to America, the vote tonight is so important because it’s guys against girls. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for our wrap up and poll, as well as all the live coverage from tomorrow night’s show when we find out who is going home.