Round of 7: Country Night - April 17

At a time like this, especially with all the goings-on in Blacksburg, we need something like this to remind us that life goes on. It's a step towards normal, at least...

... that said, welcome to country night, which is about out-of-the-box as you can get for some people. Someone's gonna be sorely disappointed, and it's not because they lost their wife/truck/dog. But who?

That's for America to decide... and helping to ease us into that decision is multi-award winning country songstress Martina McBride, known for her 22 hits, like "When God-Fearing Women Get the Blues" and "Independence Day". Her album sales have topped 16 million. Today, she faces her greatest challenge... taking seven aspiring pop stars and making them play somethin' country.

First on the set list tonight is "Where the Black Top Ends" by Keith Urban. Martina thought that Phil Stacey started out a bit stiff. Is that corrected in the final?

What they say: Randy thought he could have a career in country music. Paula agrees that this is his comfort zone. Simon: "Well it only took 10 weeks, Phil." Song choice is a plus and we saw personality. But is it enough to save him?

What we say: Holy crap, it's the walking dead! Or the living dead... or something. Apparently it's good if EP Nigel is clapping like an idiot. Heh. Seriously, though. This is Phil's wheelhouse, and suffice it to say he excels in it. But is it enough to save him?

Jordin Sparks is next, as she takes on a very scared Martina with "Broken Wing." She called it awesome, but what will the judges say?

What they say: This was a difficult song to sing, but Randy liked the way she took her time and took the song where she wanted it to go. Paula thought it was fantastic, telling the story. Simon gives the ultimate compliment: she could win American Idol.

What we say: the girl that can sing anything... sings anything again. Nice way to flip an arrangement to suit your own voice.

Next up, faux (insert descriptive boy-toy term here) Sanjaya Malakar. He pulled off a good performance last week. Can he go two in a row? First of all, Ask-an-Idol. Sally in Cincy wants to know if Sanjaya could make a judge sing a song, who would you pick and what song? "I'd have Simon sing 'Shiny Happy People', so he could show his true personality." He channels his ability to choose an ironic song with Bonnie Raitt's "Something to Talk About".

What they say: Randy... karaoke. The word that spelled death for Haley last year. "It was very bland and boring. Come on. What are we doing here?" Paula says he loves adversity. Simon... "Utterly horrendous. It was as bad as anything we've seen at the beginning of American Idol." After a clash-of-the-egos with Ryan, "This was funny for a while, but based on the fact that we're supposed to be finding an American Idol, it was hideous!"

What we say: Uh oh, he's back to sucking again. Which means... everyone's calling in!

Next is LaKisha Jones, who takes on an Idol with "Jesus Take the Wheel" by Carrie Underwood. Martina says that she can relate to this song.

What they say: It wasn't Randy's favorite, singing it straight. Paula reluctantly agrees. "You may have heard differently, and a lot of your vocals were powered." Simon calls it like eating a hamburger for breakfast, it doesn't go together. It ended up shouting with no natural quality. That was the wrong choice of song.

What we say: what's that old saying about what happens when the proud take on the throne? Sure it was full of passion, but it lacked LaKisha's trademark soul and was pitchy in most spots.

"Mayberry" by Rascal Flatts gets the Chris Richardson treatment. Martina thinks it's fantastic, citing his versatility.

What they say: Randy says he sang it okay, but he has no connection with the song. He felt lost. Paula and Simon didn't understand what he was getting at, but eventually, they come around, thinking that as a performer, and a nasal one at that, he was disconnected with the performance.

What we say: He definitely has a country voice. But he didn't have the power to take this song where he wanted it to go, and it showed.

Next Ask-an-Idol with Melinda Doolittle. Has she ever run into crazy fans. Apparently she has... and ran in the other direction. She sings Julie Reeves' "Trouble is a Woman". Martina... has never heard it until now. And she was an instant fan of the way Melinda sold it.

What they say: Randy, Paula, and Simon basically repeat themselves in their praise.

What we say: Hmm... lucrative move singing a song no one has heard of. It can either help you or hurt you depending on how you sell it. And she sold it well, so this can only help her.

Okay, we're down to one last singer. Blake Lewis sees a Tim McGraw number as a bit of a departure. Martina thinks he's nervous. She hopes he hones in on the lyrics. Tonight's closer is "When the Stars Go Blue".

What they say: Randy likes a sense of style and thought that the arrangement suited him. Paula thought that the whole package was on point. Simon wasn't jumping out of his chair.

What we say: For the first time, Blake is very vulnerable. So far as just singing the song, he doesn't really lock in on the notes he's supposed to, and he doesn't tell the story like he should. A good country performance should tell a story. It was just so-so.

Now this is an interesting week. First, the performances...

Gone Country: Phil, Jordin, Melinda
Goin' South: LaKisha, Blake
South of Nowhere: Sanjaya, Chris

Now, let's get something straight. Phil wins this week on the guys' side. Jordin and Melinda... They're golden. Which leaves any of four people to be voted off. Who'll get the royal cowboy boot? Come back in 24 to see.

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