“American Idol” disqualified Jermaine Jones on Wednesday, but the 11 remaining contestants battled it out – singing songs from the year of their birth — to stay on the show.
And – if the judges are right – one contender – Joshua Ledet – stands absolutely no chance of going home.
The soulful singer tackled “When A Man Loves A Woman,” the Michael Bolton song from 1992 — and brought the house to its feet.
“Joshua, man, that was so good, we were up halfway through it,” judge Steven Tyler said as the in-studio audience continued to scream.
“We got some amazing singers this year and we’ve been saying all night… we need a moment tonight. Somebody needs to come out here and blow it out the box. Somebody needs to come out here and regulate,” Randy Jackson began. “Joshua Ledet — that was phenomenal, incredible on every level.”
Jennifer Lopez went so far as to call his performance, “The best thing I’ve ever seen on ‘American Idol.’”
Mentored by Will.i.am, here’s how the rest of the pack – including Phillip Phillips who had surgery for kidney stones last Thursday, performed:
Phillip Phillips: “Hard to Handle” — Black Crowes version from 1990
Randy: “You’re kind of unique for us, this year. You’ve got a very different voice, a very different style… After surgery, sounding like that? I don’t even know what’s going on.”
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Jessica Sanchez: “Turn The Beat Around” – Gloria Estefan version from 1995
Steven: “You can’t stray too far from what I think you sing the best, which is ballads and things… And the rhythm that you sang with this song was just a little shady, but again, I love your voice.”
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Heejun Han: “Right Here Waiting” – Richard Marx, 1989
Randy: “Dude, for me, I didn’t really enjoy this at all. It was pitchy all over the place… The other problem I have with it, it felt like you were out of breath the whole time.”
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Elise Testone: “Let’s Stay Together” – covered by Tina Turner in 1983
Jennifer: “That was showing America who Elise is to me… It feels good when it’s right and that was right on every single level.”
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DeAndre Brackensick: “Endless Love” – covered by Mariah Carey and Luther Vandross in 1994
Randy: “It definitely was the wrong song for you. I mean, Mariah and Luther sang the I don’t know what out of that song, and what happened is, this paled in comparison. It was like, boring and very safe for you at the wrong time, I feel.”
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Shannon Magrane: “One Sweet Day” — Mariah and Boyz II Men in 1995
Randy: “By the end — that run you sang, we looked at each other, the three of us were like, ‘Yo! This girl’s got something going on up in here.’”
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Colton Dixon: “Broken Heart” – White Lion in 1991
Jennifer: “The best singers to me are singers who fall in love deeply, get their heart broken and are traumatized in it. They sing about it and everybody can relate to it. There’s something just about that and I feel that from you, and I felt like that’s why you picked that song and I felt you did it really, really well. And also, I think you look pretty when you sing.”
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Erika Van Pelt: “Heaven” – Bryan Adams in 1985
Randy: “I kind of liked it. For me it was a kind of nice 8 out of 10.”
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Skylar Laine: “Love Sneakin’ Up On You” – Bonnie Raitt in 1994
Jennifer: “If I gotta keep it real, I gotta say that you really killed that.”
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Hollie Cavanagh: “The Power of Love” – Celine Dion in 1993
Randy: “This song, you blew it out the box!”
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