American Idol RECAP 4/23/14: Season 13 “Top Six Perform” #IdolTop6

American Idol RECAP 4/23/14: Season 13 “Top Six Perform” #IdolTop6

It’s another exciting night for AMERICAN IDOL on FOX. Season 13 is really heating up.  On tonight’s episode The Top 6 vocalists each perform two songs: one country; and one rock and roll.

On last week’s performance show the top 7 finalists took the stage in hopes of impressing the judges and winning America’s vote. The Top 7 — C.J. Harris, Jena Irene, Caleb Johnson, Jessica Meuse, Alex Preston, Dexter Roberts and Sam Woolf had to tackle with a “Competitors’ Pick” theme.  Each finalist selected a song for his or her fellow combatants – it left them all with lists of six songs from which they chose.  On the results show we said goodbye to Dexter Roberts. Did you watch last week’s episode?  We did and we recapped it right here for you.

On tonight’s episode the remaining six vocalists will each be performing two songs: one of the songs will be country while the other song that they’ll be performing will be rock and roll.

Tonight’s show is going to be an exciting one, which I’m not going to miss and neither should you. Tune in tonight at 8 PM EST! Celeb Dirty Laundry is your go to place for all the up-to-date American Idol News and we’ll be recapping the performances right here for you. Do you have a favorite so far? Hit up the comments and let us know who you really like!

Tonight’s episode begins now – Refresh Page for Updates

Jena Irene is singing “Barracuda” by Heart. [VIDEO HERE]

Judges Comments: Keith“Yeah! God that was a great way to start the show, man I love that song.  That was a perfect song for your voice.  You really set the bar higher for everyone else.  The only thing I want to see from you is I still think you can release a little more, you can cut loose baby!”  Jennifer“The stakes are getting higher and higher as we go along, three people before the finale that’s it.  You have a good chance of getting there.  Every little piece of extra added thing you can do to push yourself is what is going to help you win.”  Harry“I was so happy to hear you sing it, you have such a strong voice for that song.  You said you want to try to release a little more, maybe the night before you could think specifically what you could do.  Find something, like Jen said at this point it’s going to take every single edge.

Sam Woolf is singing “It’s Time” by Imagine Dragons. [VIDEO HERE]

Judges Comments: Jennifer“Sam! I got gooseys on that one.  I haven’t got a lot of gooseys this season, and I’ll tell you why, I believed you when you were singing that song.  That’s what we have been telling you.  We never want to change you guys, we just want to help you.  I really felt with that song you came into your own as an artist.  It gave me gooseys, congratulations.”  Harry – “That was a perfect song choice for you.  It’s so cool to watch from week to week.  Jen’s right, all those wonderful things that make you you.  All you are starting to do is add layers to that.  You’re blossoming man, I’m very proud of you.  That was really good.”  Keith – “I want to say something, there were two moments for me.  It was the high note you sang and the last two notes, there was a weight about it.”

CJ Harris singing “America Woman” by The Guess Who [VIDEO HERE]

Judges Comments: Harry“How did you feel about that, I’m curious.  I thought it was a good performance.  I like waiting to see what you are going to do week after week.  I think it was a good song choice.  Again I have to remind you about intonation, but listen I thought it was pretty good.  I heard you do better and I liked the song.  Pretty good.”  Keith – “It’s interesting when we have a theme week and you pick a song that’s not in your realm.  The thing about that song is it’s about a bad ass guy, and you are a sweet guy.  If you’re not that guy, then pull the emotion from someone else.  Sing about anyone that you are angry about.  Then you can sing that son.”  Jennifer – “ I have to say that I love the look, the jacket, the guitar, the whole thing is working for me.  Again rock’n’roll is not your thing, but I really did think you pulled it off.  In the beginning it was a little bit shaky but then I felt you pulling into the crowd and singing to them and I felt it coming together.”

Alex Preston is singing “Animal” by Neon Trees. [VIDEO HERE]

Judges Comments: Keith “I love that song.  Man I just wanted you to release a bit more, the song and the band were kind of on top of you.  I felt like you weren’t quite dominating that song.  I look forward to the next from you though.”  Jennifer – “Again with a song like that, that we all love so much, you expect so much.  It felt like for me there was a little something missing from you.  It was a little bit contained.  I felt you with your leg, you were in it.”  Harry – “In a competition like this it isn’t correct to say you get a pass, but I feel like in a way you do because you’re always on top.  This is what I dug about it though, it was the first time I have ever heard you sing an up-tempo song.  It wasn’t your best, but…”

Caleb Johnson is singing “Sting Me” by Black Crowes. [VIDEO HERE]

Judges Comments: Jennifer“That was some real rock’n’roll.  You know when you lost that microphone and it went rolling and you caught it and stayed on the beat.  It was just a mark of a true performer.  We’ve all been there, crazy htings happen when you’re on stage.  You really delivered the song, you love the song obviously.  You created a moment.  It was awesome.”  Harry– “You know when you take a perfect song choice and you couple it with an incredible performance it is virtually impossible to beat.  Congratulations.”  Keith – “I’m sure you guys have all had this, despite the huge crack in the performance, you spackled right over it.”

Jessica Meuse is singing “Somebody To Love” by Jefferson Airplane. [VIDEO HERE]

Judges Comments: Harry “So you’re here because you have this fantastic voice.  What you just did there to me was how you represent that voice in the best possible way.  You need to stand and sing and deliver rhythmically, I wanted you to dance in your hotel room not on stage, I wanted your body to perform the rhymic ability and you did.  It was strong, nice job.”  Keith – “I believe with Harry it was vocally strong. That song really played to your vocal strengths, but I would still like to see more of a release.”  The way your eyes look when you perform sometime, it seems like there is a disconnect.  That’s just me.”  Jennifer – “I think what Keith is saying is there have to be a release to a performance, once you get up there you have to throw it all out the window and just feel, like when that beat hits you a certain way and you drop a little bit.  Again your voice is so powerful and so beautiful and you look beautiful and we just want the energy of your body to match everything that is coming out of your mouth.”

Sam Woolf is singing “You’re Still The One” by Shania Twain.  [VIDEO HERE]

Judges Comments: Keith “That’s one of my favorite songs I love that song and that wwas a good song for you lyrically.  The girls were going crazy.  When you watch this back, all you gotta do I relax.  I keep seeing little moments for you and you just gotta relax man.”  Jennifer – “You’re so cute it’s crazy.  How cute is he?  My favorite part is when you go over to the girls and I see you having feelings.  He’s right the more you tap into that, the better you are going to become.”  Harry – “So Sam I think you have found the people and now it’s just a matter of not singing it so perfectly.  The last couple notes you had a little more breathless in your tone, you’ve made the connection. Now I think if you can do it with the lyrics you’ll be making continuous progress.”

Caleb Johnson is singing “Undo It” by Carrie Underwood.  [VIDEO HERE]

Judges Comments: Jennifer“That was a really hard performance to top, sometimes magic happens.  It’s hard to compare because the first moment was so epic.”  Harry – “Yeah and those magic moments you know they are fleeting.  For some reason whatever it was the magic really happened in the first one.  For me it felt a little forced in the second one.  If that’s the only performance you did it is still a really great performance.”  Keith – “I thought it was great, I can’t wait to see what country song you do later.”

Alex Preston is singing “Always On My Mind” by Willie Nelson. [VIDEO HERE]

Judges Comments: Harry‘”I think this is a good night and what makes it a good night is the feeling I have after hearing you sing that.  It’s a beautiful song, you sang it beautifully, you’re an artist and I really admire that.  I think you did terrific.”  Keith – “You have a really strong style, I always know it is you.  That’s a magnificent and really heartbreaking song.  I would have like a little more heartbreak in that song.  I heard it, but I didn’t feel it.”  Jennifer – “You know it is hard to go up there and hit the bullseye every single time.  For me that was really beautiful.  Right here was the perfect balance of Alex and a great beautiful song that everyone loves.”

Jena Irene is singing “So Small” by Carrie Underwood. [VIDEO HERE]

Judges Comments: Keith“Jena baby you are such a good singer, my word.  For me watching Idol over the years you are everything that Idol has been about.  This is like the best journey to watch you, it really is.” Jennifer – “Sometimes when I’m watching the vocal it’s like the band goes away.  Sometimes the power of the vocal takes over, and that’s what happened to me.  I have the gooseys again, very very beautiful sweety.”  Harry – “For me this son has so many ornaments the way that Carrie sings it.  I disagree with Jen and Keith, I didn’t really know where you were going.  The ornaments you chose to sing didn’t really match what was going on with you.  The good news is I think a lot of people do love you because of your fantastic voice and consistent performances, so it really doesn’t matter.”

CJ Harris is singing “Whatever It Is” by Zak Brown Band. [VIDEO HERE]

Judges comments: Jennifer “This is more your style, I expected a tiny little bit more from you.  I thought you were going to really bring it home, but for me that didn’t really hit the mark.”  Harry – “It wasn’t your best performance, I think it’s fair to say.  If you are lucky to stick around until next week, find things that you know will kill. Look at what your competition is doing and what they’re choosing.  You can’t get by with songs like that anymore.” Keith – “It’s true ya know.  At this point you really gotta chose these songs carefully because that song when Zak does it is a great song because of Zak’s voice.  When you got that much adrenaline going on you are singing sharp.  If you find yourself being stuck down like that, scrap another son, choose a different song.  I think you got a lot more to offer than that.”

Jessica Meuse is singing “Jolene” by Dolly Parton. [VIDEO HERE]

Judges Comments: Harry“Jessica you did it again, you stood there and you sang the song.  You delivered it in a strong convincing way, nice work.”  Keith – “It was a strong performance, but sorry I gotta say I hated the arrangement.  But, I thought you sang it great.”  Harry – “I dig the fact that you did it, but I like the feel of the other one.”  Jennifer – “Your vocal was really strong, I felt like what I said to you earlier, I felt that, and good job.  We were really trying to get you to that place because your voice is magnificent.”

THE END!!!