And the Season 11 Miss American Idol winner is....

The Season 11 Top 12 finalists opened the show with a very fun group performance of the Bruno Mars track Runaway Baby. It was great to see Colton, Deandre, Skylar and Hollie out there showing off what they can do.

Credence Clearwater Revival accumulated 17 top 40 hits on the Billboard HOT 100 in the four short years between 1968 and 1972. They did them all with the impressive lead vocals of John Fogerty. John took the stage with Phillip Phillips to sing Have You Ever Seen The Rain and Bad Moon Rising and what stood out most is that after all these years John still a a great vocal range that makes Phillip's pale in comparison. 

The Season 11 2nd Runner Up, Joshua Ledet then performed the Elton John classic Take Me To The Pilot with the Season 3 Miss American Idol winner Fantasia. With their voices and musical styles being so similar it was hard to distinguish where Joshua ended and where Fantasia began. But then all you had to do was realize that Fantasia was the one wearing the glittery body suit that was slit up and down both legs! And she thought everyone was going to be paying attention to her glamorous, silky long hair....

Erika, Elise, Shannon, Skylar, Jessica and Hollie performed a medley of Chaka Khan favorites including Ain't Nobody and Through The Fire. It culminated with the diva herself joining them on stage to sing I'm Every Woman. It seems like she took fashion advise from Fantasia as she chose to rock a glittery body suit as well.

Since 2006 pop princess Rhianna has been cranking out #1 hits on the Billboard HOT 100 with We Found Love, Only Girl in the World and S&M being the three most recent. With tonight's explosive performance of Where Have You Been it's quite likely that she could be adding another one to the collection.

Skylar Laine then had the opportunity to strut her country girl stuff for a duet with legendary superstar Reba. They performed her recent hit, Turn On The Radio and they were both in their element looking and sounding great.

Early in the season, Jessica Sanchez set herself apart as the clear front-runner with her exceptional rendition of the Whitney Houston smash #1 hit from 1992, I Will Always Love You. Tonight she recreated the moment with flawless vocal perfection.

Colton, Heejun, Jeremy, Deandre and Joshua took over the stage to sing the Neil Diamond anthems America, Cracklin' Rosie and I'm a Believer. The grand finale came when the man himself joined in for Sweet Caroline. It was quite the fun karaoke party on that stage!

Jennifer Lopez took advantage of the chance to perform in front of this huge audience. She served up some more of her signature dance, latin, pop music.

The Season 3 Miss American Idol 1st Runner Up Diana DeGarmo and Season 5 Miss American Idol finalist Ace Young have been maintaining their music careers on the Broadway stage where they had a chance to meet and get to know each other better. In a romantic surprise Ace took advantage of being back on the American Idol stage to ask Diana to marry him and she immediately accepted.

Hollie Cavanagh showed off her amazing voice on You'll Never Walk Alone and demonstrated what a fierce competition it would have been if she had been in the finals going head to head with Jessica Sanchez. Hollie welcomed the Season 6 Miss American Idol winner, Jordin Sparks on stage with her and this turned into a lovely duet with two beautiful young women. Colton, Heejun, Jeremy, Deandre and Joshua then got together one more time to perform a Bee Gees medley in tribute to Robin Gibb

Jessica Sanchez continued to be the front-runner throughout the season when she performed the dramatic ballad from DreamGirls, And I Am telling You I'm Not Going. Tonight she had the privilege of singing it with the original artist who set the standard that all other have tried to live up to, the amazing Jennifer Holliday. It was truly electrifying to see them together and actually keep pace with each other.

Since Jennifer had her turn to perform, it was only fair that Steven Tyler and Aerosmith also got a chance to perform a medley of their hits.

Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes spent three weeks at #1 in 1982 with Up Where We Belong. It was a classic combination of the soft paired with the scruffy as Jessica and Phillip did one last duet together. They then both went center stage to have the final results revealed. The Season 11 Miss American Idol winner is.... PHILLIP PHILLIPS!

He took his guitar, he sang his debut single Home, and the glitter fell around him as he held back tears.

  

The Top 3 Perform

The top 3 finalists will each sing three songs tonight: 

Randy Jackson selected an a bluesy Etta James song, I Would Rather Go Blind, as the judge's choice for Joshua Ledet to sing. It was more of the retro-same usual for him. He delivered the same over the top gospel tinged classic R&B vocals that he always does.

Jennifer Lopez selected a song that became Mariah Carey's 13th #1 hit song on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1998, My All, for Jessica Sanchez to sing. This tender ballad allowed Jessica to show off even more of her outstanding and impressive vocal range. In addition to sounding wonderful, she showed off her incredible breath control as she tackled this very difficult musical composition.

Steven Tyler selected a song called Beggin for Phillip Phillips to sing. He is who he is and that's all that he is. Same clothes he always wears. Same guitar. Same painful, strained attempt at singing.

For his own personal song choice, Joshua Ledet decided to sing the classic and inspirational John Lennon anthem, Imagine, that hit #3 in 1971. It started out better than it finished. He showed some classy vocal restraint on the first verse that illustrated how less can be more sometimes. He completely lacks subtlety in every vocal interpretation that he provides as he ended up taking it over the top when it was unnecessary.

For her own personal song choice, Jessica Sanchez decided to sing the Aerosmith song that spent four weeks at #1 in 1998, I Don't Want To Miss A Thing. Without a doubt she sang it better than Steven Tyler ever could have no matter how hard he tried. In her hands it was an entirely new song elevated to a higher plane of enlightenment.

For his own personal song choice, Phillip decided to sing a watered down and bland version of Disease by Matchbox 20. Same clothes he always wears. Same guitar. Same painful, strained attempt at singing.

Mary J. Blige took No More Drama to #15 in 2002. This is the most current thing that Joshua Ledet has attempted in a long time and it's an example of what he might sound like on the radio someday. What he lacks in versatility he makes up for with his energy. So unlike the song title, he brings more drama with an extra serving of drama on the side.

Mariah Carey took I'll Be There to #1 in 1992 (her 6th #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100). This is a song selection that is supposed to combine the maturity of Jessica's amazing voice with her actual youthful age of only 16. Once again, she sounded incredible and totally ageless. She simply has a rare vocal gift that is exemplified by her ability to do such a great job on Mariah Carey classics.

We've Got Tonight hit #6 in 1983 by Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton and it is one of the most romantic and beautiful love songs ever written. Phillip Phillips was a complete mess trying to sing it. He looked like a deer in the headlights nervously forgetting the lyrics and failing to hit any of the notes accurately. It was a sad, flat and lifeless attempt.

There's no point in making predictions anymore. Phillip doesn't get any better and yet he is still around, so he's clearly on a path to winning the Season 11 Miss American Idol crown next week. The judges have gushed with praise for Joshua all season long. Jessica is the most talented vocalist the competition has seen in a few years so she is probably the one who is leaving the competition tomorrow to make room for a Joshua/Phillip face off in the finals. 

The Results - Judges Choice

Multi-platinum selling #1 hit maker and winner for the 2001 Grammy for Best New Artist, Alicia Keys graced the American Idol stage to raise some more awareness about the great work being done with the funds raised from Idol Gives Back. A very talented young man from Africa then performed his energetic pop song to show what can result when someone is given the opportunity to reach success.

Danny Gokey was the first to take center stage with Ryan and relive his home visit to Milwaukee. The best thing to come out of this was the slogan "SCREAM ON" that simply and directly illustrates what listening to him has been like all these weeks. It, of course, comes from the completely dreadful rendition of Aerosmith's Dream On that he completely butchered. The other special moment was the reunion with his boyfriend who was by his side for the entire visit.

Kris Allen was welcomed back to Arkansas by thousands of fans who were thrilled at the chance to hear him sing live for them. He was surrounded by his incredibly proud family who couldn't hold back the emotions they felt for this charming and talented finalist.

The Season Six Miss American Idol winner, Jordin Sparks, enjoyed a wonderfully successful 2008 landing three smash hit singles in the top 10 of the Billboard HOT 100. She came back to the American Idol stage to show she has every intention of continuing the hits into 2009. She completely took control of the stage in a glittering little black dress looking totally fabulous and sounding as great as ever on her latest single Battlefield.

Adam Lambert went home to San Diego and his visit was highlighted by the time he spent with the theater group he started with as a young boy. He took his own advice and never gave up on practicing to reach his current well-deserved status as the next big thing. Adam is an inspiration to to us all.

Including Katy Perry, who performed her latest single, Waking Up In Vegas. She was wearing a slick and satiny cape with the name "Adam Lambert" written across it. After spending four weeks at #1 in 2008 with her catchy hit I Kissed A Girl she has demonstrated that she knows how to combine her vibrant personality and stage presence with great songs. Adam will easily be able to join the world of chart topping hits, while Danny won't have a clue out there.

The first person to make it to the finals is Kris Allen! and standing next to Kris will be Adam Lambert. America has finally gotten it right and Danny Gokey is out of the competition. Just to remind us one more time that he never belonged here, Danny destroyed You Are So Beautiful for the last time.

The finals next week is sure to be a night of great music and entertainment with Kris and Adam going head to head!

The Top 3 sing the judges choice

For the first time in 8 seasons of American Idol, three boys have made it to the top. Here's what they did to prove they are worthy of wearing the Miss American Idol crown this season:

Danny Gokey went first singing a song selected by Paula Abdul. In 1988 Terence Trent D'arby hit #30 with his hit Dance Little Sister. It's a fun and energetic song that Terence brought his unique style to. Danny got up there and screamed like he usually does with absolutely no style or stage presence. There is nothing special about this finalist.

Kris Allen then performed his song that was selected by Kara and Randy. One of the biggest hits of 2007 spending many weeks in the top 5 on the Billboard HOT 100 was Apologize by One Republic. It's a haunting ballad with a hypnotic beat. Kris sat at the piano and mesmerized the crowd with his skillful and talented interpretation. And it goes without saying that he looked better than ever in the spotlight.

Adam Lambert was next singing his song personally chosen by Simon Cowell. U2 released One as a single in 1992 from their album Achtung Baby and it peaked at #10. Adam took this great song and made it even better. He brought even more emotion and more passion with his exceptional and unique vocals.

In case you were wondering when the Idol Gives Back show was going to be this year, we learned tonight that there isn't going to be one. The Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood went all the way to Africa to provide an update on how the millions of dollars raised have been spent. A lot of great stuff has been done with the support of American Idol fans.

For the second round tonight, the top three finalists were able to select any song of their choice. Danny Gokey decided that he would take a stab at the top 5 classic ballad from 1975, You Are So Beautiful by Joe Cocker. The original version was such a huge success because it paired a simple sentiment with Joe Cocker's notable stage antics that were often described as spastic. Danny just sat there while his rendition of this amazing song provided nothing of note. His vocals were boring and his stage presence is non-existent.

Earlier this season Kanye West performed his recent #2 hit, Heartless, on the American Idol stage. I went on the record stating that his live performance was a mess and that Kanye cannot sing. Tonight Kris Allen demonstrated how this catchy pop hit should have sounded all along. He turned the song into an acoustic guitar extravaganza with smooth buttery vocals that just pulled in the audience and left us all wanting more.

The last performance of the night was Adam Lambert's thrilling interpretation of the #12 hit from 1993, Aerosmith's Cryin'. As the cover boy on the current edition of Entertainment Weekly, Adam is already the proven stand out star of the season. He has earned this position from his outstanding vocal range that he showcased tonight like he has every week so far. He genuinely takes command of the stage every time he steps up to the mic. He oozes star quality with every note he sings and every step he takes.

The prediction for who should be in the finals is a complete no brainer. Kris Allen has gotten better every week showing that he is so much more than a pretty face. He's a multi-talented musician with incredibly smooth vocal skills. Adam Lambert is already destined to hit the top of the charts with fresh and energetic hot hits. His voice and face demand to be on the radio and in videos. And then there's the lump named Danny Gokey. The judges have inappropriately showered praise on him all season and he's fallen for it. He thinks he's a great singer, yet he's only been able to scream and shriek week after week. Danny should spare himself the embarrassment and hope he doesn't make it to the finals next week. Let the talented finalists, Kris and Adam take that special place and give the fans a very exciting show.

The Top 4 sing ROCK!

As the lead guitarist of Guns and Roses, tonights mentor, Slash, hit #1 for 2 weeks in 1988 with Sweet Child O' Mine. He then topped the charts again for 7 weeks in 1991 as the lead guitarist on Michael Jackson's Black or White. He clearly has the credibility to teach these finalists a thing or two...

The real Robert Plant may have moved on to winning Grammys for making country music with Allison Kraus, but the rocker who hit #4 in 1970 with Led Zeppelin on Whole Lotta Love was brought back in the form of Adam Lambert on the American Idol stage. This performance was live music at it's best. Adam has raised the bar so high above the other finalists that he should be unreachable. His voice resonated with passion, power and energy and he looked completely convincing in the role of glam rocker.

Janis Joplin ended up being a one hit wonder on the Billboard HOT 100 with her #1 smash Me and Bobby McGee hitting the top after her untimely death. Allison Iraheta has definitely brought the spirit of Janis to the American Idol stage every week, but tonight she literally channeled her with her rendition of Cry Baby. The vocals were raw and ached with an emotional punch. Allison never sounded better than she did tonight.

Danny Gokey and Kris Allen joined forces to sing the classic rock anthem Renegade that Styx took to #16 in 1979. The smooth vocals from Kris easily saved this from being a total mess. Danny was just screaming as usual and Kris added the exact right sound of harmonies to keep the melody listenable.

Kris Allen then had the chance to take the stage on his own with his version of Come Together (#1 for 1 week in 1969) by the Beatles. In just six years the Beatles accumulated 20 #1 hits on the Billboard HOT 100 and this song choice allowed Kris to show a different side of himself. He used an electric guitar and took it up more than a few notches than usual. While he was a little out of his element, he managed to save it with inherent talent and respect for the music.

With Danny Gokey's opportunity to sing solo on Aerosmith's #6 hit from 1976, Dream On, all of his shortcomings were pathetically exposed. The judges have built him up all season to make him think he can do anything, so you have to admire his effort. But he missed the mark on every aspect. He looked totally dopey in his little vest and suit pants. His voice completely lacks the range necessary for this kind of song so the high notes were just unpleasant shrieks and the rest of the song was just his usual screams. The last note was seriously embarrassing.

Foghat took Slow Ride to the top 20 in 1976. Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta showed us with their duet of this song that they know how to see how high the bar has been raised and reach for it. Their vocals were a masterful blend of enthusiasm and talent. Wonderful rock and roll entertainment.

Adam genuinely set the bar very high with his performances tonight and Allison showed that she is up for the challenge to get up there with him. This theme was a little rough for Kris so he should end up in the bottom two with Danny. If people are voting to keep the talented singers with stage presence and recording star quality on the show, Danny Gokey should be the odd man out and he should finally be going home.

The Top 7 sing Movie Music

Quentin Terentino, the director of movie hits Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill, is a HUGE American Idol fan and he worked with each of the finalists as they prepared to perform music from the movies.

Alison Iraheta chose to sing the song I Don't Want To Miss A Thing from Armageddon that Aerosmith took to #1 for four weeks on the Billboard HOT 100 in 1998. It started out kinda slow, but as it went on she proved she has one of the strongest voices in the competition. I would have liked to hear her sing a different more interesting song, but she really made the best of the material.

Anoop Desai chose to sing the song Everything I Do, I Do It For You from Robin Hood that Bryan Adams took to #1 for seven weeks on the Billboard HOT 100 in 1991. As we have heard in the past, Anoop has a pleasant vocal quality, but the fact is that he has no stage presence whatsoever. While it sounded nice, there was nothing special about it.

Adam Lambert chose to sing the song Born To Be Wild from Easy Rider that Steppenwolf took to #2 for three weeks on the Billboard HOT 100 in 1968. Week after week Adam has stepped apart from the crowd with his dynamic and energetic style. Whether it's a ballad or a rock anthem, like it was tonight, he has complete command of the stage and totally entertains.

Matt Giraud chose to sing the song Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman from Don Juan DeMarco that Bryan Adams took to #1 for five weeks on the Billboard HOT 100 in 1995. Matt sat at the piano and brought his strained and weak vocals to this song that isn't very catchy to start with. The combination of his boring song choice with his drippy vocals made for a very forgettable effort.

Danny Gokey chose to sing the song Endless Love from the movie of the same name that Lionel Richie and Diana Ross took to #1 for nine weeks on the Billboard HOT 100 in 1981. It's such a huge hit and popular favorite that Luther Vandross and Mariah Carey brought it back to the charts in 1994 taking it all the way up to #2. Danny is so far from being in the same league as these accomplished artists there was no where to go but down with his version. It was boring, flat and uninteresting. He brought nothing except bad vocals and dreary stage presence to this wonderful love song.

Kris Allen chose to sing the song Falling Slowly from Once that won the Oscar for best Original Song in 2008. He has the same things working for him every week. He looks great and he brings a warm sensitivity to everything he does. This song is very low key, so it didn't give him much to work with. His limited vocal range ended up becoming a more prominent factor as a result, but he can still out shine much of the competition.

Lil Rounds chose to sing the song The Rose from the movie of the same name that Bette Midler took to #3 on the Billboard HOT 100 in 1980. Just like I never want to hear Lil do another song by Celine Dion again, I never thought I'd hear her do Bette Midler. The fact is that Lil can do these songs very well, but you don't necessarily imagine them being on her first album. With this adult contemporary ballad, she added some more gospel and R&B style than Bette Midler ever could. It worked out pretty well, but her chances to really steal the competition are running out.

My favorites are continuing to impress me while the others are sinking deeper and falling flatter. While they should be stepping up and offering some surprises we are getting more bland efforts. The biggest culprits who seem to be the laziest are my prediction for the bottom three this week. They just seem to be coasting at this point: Matt Giraud, Anoop Desai and Danny Gokey. None of these three have done anything exceptional so far and all should be afraid that this week could be their last. I predict that Anoop will be the one sent packing

The Top 3 sing three each

It's all about threes tonight: The top three finalists sing three songs each. One personally selected by one of the three judges, one of their own choosing, and one selected by the American Idol producers.

Paula Abdul specially picked Billy Joel's And So It Goes for David Archuleta. This song barely cracked the top 40 in 1990, but David was able to work his magic and make it ooze with even more earnest sincerity than ever. For his own choice he decided to demonstrate that he is 17 and capable of singing a current smash hit on the charts this week. Chris Brown is the biggest hitmaker of the year so far and his jam With You recently peaked at #2. It was unexpected to see and hear David do something so contemporary, but with a little more practice he will show that he can do it convincingly. His final song, selected by the producers, brought him back to singing a heartfelt ballad. In 1980 Dan Fogelberg spent two weeks at #2 with Longer. This song is beautiful and sweet and all the things that David can bring to life very easily. It wasn't a big dramatic showstopper, but it was definitely enough to please his adoring fans.

Randy Jackson wanted to hear Syesha Mercado sing a song that hit #4 in 2004, Alicia Keys' If I Ain't Got You. This is a very straightforward choice that she was able to perform easily. Her vocals were perfect and she looked stunning in a glamorous gold full length gown. For her own choice, Syesha showed the all-around stage performer that she wants to be. Once again looking fabulous she added fun choreography to her rendition of the 1958 top 10 hit by Peggy Lee, Fever. It may be an old song, but Syesha made it vibrant and festive. The producers apparently wanted to pull out a much more contemporary festive vibe by having her perform the Happy Feet soundtrack toe tapper Hit Me Up. This third song allowed her to showcase a full range of styles in one evening of performances.

For six weeks in 1972, Roberta Flack stayed at #1 with The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face. It's a subtle sensitive ballad that made Simon Cowell curious as to what David Cook could do with it. He did not disappoint with his strongest vocals so far in the competition and another powerful arrangement elevating the song to a new and exciting level. For his own choice, David played it very safe by selecting the top 20 hit from 2005 by Switchfoot, Dare You To Move. The song didn't allow him to do anything unexpected or special. The same can be said for the producers choice of the #1 smash by Aerosmith from 1998, I Don't Want To Miss A Thing. David performed with an orchestra and it sounded good, but it do anything exceptional from the original. He's set a pretty high bar for himself, so when he does good it doesn't really feel good enough.

I am very pleased that all three finalists proved they are very worthy of making it this far in the competition. They are all very clearly passionate about music and are excited and happy about having this opportunity of a lifetime. It will be very sad that one of them must be cheated out of making it to the finals. It is very hard to predict, so I am just going to base it on what has happened so far all season. While Syesha Mercado has put in very good performances each week, she has still ended up in the bottom three consistently. It just seems to make sense that now that we are down to only three she will be sent home since neither of the Davids has ever been in the bottom three.

The Top 8 sing Inspiration

This is Idol Gives Back week and just like last year the finalists have been instructed to sing an inspirational song:

Aerosmith took Dream On to the top 10 in 1976. Michael Johns decided that as long as the word "dream" is in the title a song can be considered inspirational. It's doubtful that very many other music lovers have ever perceived the song for this context, but he gave it his best shot. He performed it like the classic rock anthem that it is giving it his usual smoldering swagger. He even showed off more of his vocal range by throwing in some passionate high notes.

In 2004 when Fantasia was crowned the Season Three Miss American Idol winner, she stood under the falling glitter and performed I Believe. The song ended up hitting #1 on the Billboard HOT 100. Just like last week, Syesha Mercado bravely chose to interpret a song that is bigger than she is. It was very hard to not think of Fantasia as Syesha gave a very capable reading of her song. It was not until she hit some exceptional high notes at the end that Syesha stepped out of the shadow.

Somewhere Over The Rainbow has been a timeless piece of music since it first appeared in 1939 in the film The Wizard of Oz. Numerous artists have successfully reinvented the song from the original arrangement made famous by Judy Garland. Jason Castro found a version to mimic that utilizes a ukulele so he wouldn't have to challenge his limited talents very much. It was a pleasant surprise to hear him actually demonstrate some vocal range this time around rather than simply letting his smile and eyes do all the work.

Kristy Lee Cook took the stage with her strongest vocal performance so far as she sang the Martina McBride ballad Anyway. Kristy genuinely looked and sounded like a star as the emotional power of the song came through very clearly with her sensitive and moving interpretation.

David Cook has been getting better and better each week, but he had to peak somewhere. It looks like he may have done that last week since his performance of Innocent by Our Lady Peace failed to keep him moving up to the next level. While he is still showing off a great personality, his vocals were less than impressive. He should be encouraged to show off some vocal range if he comes back next week.

Carly Smithson has never had a problem with showing off her exceptional vocal range. Tonight she used the Queen song The Show Must Go On to demonstrate that she's better than everyone else. While she sounded great, the song didn't seem the fit the theme very well and that may cause some difficulty in getting the audience to appreciate her superior talents.

Since every note that comes out of David Archuleta is inspirational this was a breeze for him. He propped himself up behind a grand piano and he expressed that radiant sincerity singing words like "love" and "angels". He was surrounded by a warm glow that simply pulls everyone toward him even closer.

In 1971 James Taylor spent one week at the top of the Billboard HOT 100 with You've Got A Friend. This song is a perfect match for Brooke White's talents and personality as it doesn't challenge her to break out of her comfort zone. Her vocal range is still just as limited as usual, but the audience can still see that she's a genuinely nice girl who would be great to have as a friend.

Some of the most talented finalists left in the competition may find out what it's like to be in the bottom three after their uninspired song choices and performances. I'd love to be wrong with my predictions this week as I fear that Michael Johns, Syesha Mercado and Carly Smithson will be side by side facing elimination. Worst of all, I am predicting that Michael Johns will be going home too soon after all the votes are counted.