These two performers, Blake Lewis and Jordin Sparks, didn’t reach the finale show of American Idol Season 6 by accident, well… nah, I won’t say it. Nearly every week the judges chastised someone for poor song selections and if you want to make it through this contest you have to be careful to make the best possible choices as stinker can sink you fast. The real challenges come when a singer gets pitted against a genre that strongly contrasts his or her niche. But being able to pull through those weeks can demonstrate the singer’s range and potential for great performances. Let’s take a stroll down the season’s memory lane and see what songs, starting at the Top 12, each of these Top 2 performers sang during the season and what the judges thought.

Top 12 Performance Show - March 13, 2007
Blake Lewis: “You Keep Me Hanging On”
Randy: “don’t worry about Blake-izing every song… let the classics be the classics”
Paula: “Difference between what you did and Chris Sligh… I think you could have a hit with that”
Simon: “I didn’t get it at all… If you heard that version in isolation you wouldn’t like it… It didn’t work changing the melody like that”

Jordin Sparks: “If We Hold On Together”
Randy: “Tonight you made it a three girl race”
Paula: “You are a natural gift”
Simon: “I thought it was very, very good vocal… You have put yourself in for having a shot at the finals”

Top 11 Performance Show - March 20, 2007
Blake Lewis: “Time of the Season”
Randy: “Massive Yo! Factor… Much props to you.” Randy, could you form a real sentence?
Paula: “You have really, really raised the bar… I felt like I was at a concert.”
Simon: “A million times better than last week… This week you chose the right song… Strongest performance so far.”

Jordin Sparks: “I Who Have Nothing”
Randy: “Check it out Jordin… Very controlled… One of the best performances we’re going to see tonight.”
Paula: “A good singer is a good singer and you’re also a wonderful performer.”
Simon: “You sang it beautifully, but I feel like jumping off a bridge… It was sooo gloomy… It was a bit depressing [the song] but you did sing it beautifully.”

Top 10 Performance Show - March 27, 2007
Blake Lewis: “Love Song”
Randy: “You made the most of it. I liked it. I wasn’t jumping up and down but I liked it.”
Paula: “You’re taking risks… I’d love to see you in the finale.”
Simon: “Definitely the strongest male performer… It’s a bit boring… You are the front running guy.”

Jordin Sparks: “Hey Baby”
Randy: “Check it out. That was a very, very risky thing to do… You could literally sing anything.”
Paula: “You’re adorable, hip, young. I loved seeing you in this kind of mode.”
Simon: “You are probably the most improved contestant in the last few weeks… It’s a bit copycat-ish.”

Top 9 Performance Show - April 3, 2007
Blake Lewis: “Mack the Knife”
Randy: “That was a very good way to start off the evening… This was a perfect song for you… Had a couple of pitch problems… I liked it.”
Paula: “You personified pizazz… You’re just cool.”
Simon: “Good choice of song… I’d give you a 7 out of 10 and the band an 8 out of 10.”

Jordin Sparks: “On A Clear Day”
Randy: “We got some heat up here… That was the bomb again… You’re like a pro and you’re like 17! Whoa!”
Paula: “You really are this magnet of joy… You exude it on stage… I’m so frickin’ proud of you… You’re sailing.”
Simon: “I thought you sang it very well… Didn’t make the song young and current… Very old fashioned.”

Top 8 Performance Show - April 10, 2007

Blake Lewis: “I Need To Know”
Randy: “Check it… Best song choice of the night.”
Paula: “Very smart performance. Captured who you are.”
Simon: “Best performance of the night so far.” Huh?

Jordin Sparks: “The Rhythm is Gonna Get You”
Randy: “Absolutely great… You got it… Yo factor on blast.”
Paula: “You’re so authentic… Just out there having a great time.”
Simon: “They’re okay performances. Nothing stunning… I haven’t seen a progression tonight.”

Top 7 Performance Show - April 17, 2007
Blake Lewis: “When the Stars Go Blue”
Randy: “I love your sense of style… your vest… You know who you are.”
Paula: “You’ve got the whole package… Different quirky things… Picked the right song.”
Simon: “Uhh… Wasn’t a jumping out of my chair performance… It was okay… It was okay.”

Jordin Sparks: “Broken Wing”
Randy: “One of the most difficult songs to sing… Guess what… I liked the way you started it… Dude, that was the bomb.”
Paula: “I love you too. I think you did a fantastic job… You did tell a story… Great job.”
Simon: “First time since we have met that I actually believe, based on that performance, you could win American Idol.”

Top 6 Performance Show - April 24, 2007
Blake Lewis: “Imagine”
Randy: “Great choice… On the performance side it was just alright for me.”
Paula: “First real sensitive, emotional song I’ve seen… Goes a long way for me. I enjoyed it.”
Simon: “This is a tricky one… There’s always going to be a comparison to it… Felt sincere… It didn’t go anywhere… Most important fact is that you sang it with sincerity.”

Jordin Sparks: “You’ll Never Walk Alone”
Fantastic performance again by Jordin. Lots of power and emotion in her delivery of this song. She’s definitely a strong, strong contender in this race.
Randy: “You know something… That’s one of the best vocals on this show, ever… That was the hotest tonight.”
Paula: “You sure picked an amazing song to close the night… You did a lovely job. You’re glorious.”
Simon: “I thought you were fantastic… I think you’d have a hit record with that.”

Top 6, Again, Performance Show - May 1, 2007
Blake Lewis: “You Give Love a Bad Name”
Randy: “Most original version of a song on American Idol… That was hot.”
Paula: “This was amazing.”
Simon: “Half the audience will hate it, half will love it. I think it was the right thing to do. Massive risk. This is what’s going to keep you in the competition next week.”

Jordin Sparks: “Living on a Prayer”
Randy: “An interesting one for me… Definitely not the rock girl… Those verses were a little rough… Wasn’t your best.”
Paula: “You went for it knowing it was a little bit out of your range.”
Simon: “Let’s cue the boos in advance… The look, it was like something out of the Addams Family… The singing, it was just out of control… Verging on shrieking… Absolutely, completely lost control.”

Top 4 Performance Show - May 8, 2007
Round 1:
Blake Lewis: “You Should be Dancing”
Randy: “Sometimes when you do the beat boxing it works, tonight for me dawg it really didn’t work for me… It made it very corny.”
Paula: “Started a little shaky… Your pitch was off… You didn’t have the best night.”
Simon: “I’ll give you unique… I thought it was absolutely terrible that performance.”

Jordin Sparks: “To Love Somebody”
Randy: “Best vocals so far… Mariah kinda… You’re winning so far tonight.”
Paula: “It is the best vocal so far tonight.”
Simon: “Best song choice, best performance. We’re back in the competition.”

Round 2:
Blake Lewis: “This Is Where I Came In”
Randy: “Better than the last one… You don’t gotta beatbox on every joint dude. We know you can do it… I, uh, don’t know… Ain’t gotta do it everytime. It gets old.”
Paula: “You’re the contemporary rebel… I enjoyed you singing it… Spot on key.”
Simon: “I’m going to be honest… I found it completely tuneless… I don’t think you’ve had a good tonight… These have not been good performances… Really weird, bizzare choice of song.”

Jordin Sparks: “Woman In Love”
Randy: “I don’t think it was your best performance… Pitchy.”
Paula: “Was not… You know… I love you anyway.”
Simon: “Old fashioned… Very pageanty… ”

Top 3 Performance Show - May 15, 2007

Round 1: Judge’s Choice
Blake Lewis: “Roxanne”
Randy: “Yo yo yo… Check it out… I liked the whole thing with one hand on the mic stand.” What?? “All in all I gotta give you an A on that, it was hot.
Paula: “You did me proud… I thought you did fantastic… I loved it.”
Simon: “I’m not going to call it earth shattering… Not as good as the original… It was good, but it wasn’t great.”

Jordin Sparks: “Wishing On A Star”
Randy: “That was a very good vocal… little Beyonce.”
Paula: “Simon picked a good song for you… You did a great job.”
Simon: “You sang it brilliantly… I wish we hadn’t done the wicked jazz arrangement with it… Wasn’t actually one of your better performances.”

Round 2: Producers’ Choice
Blake Lewis: “This Love”
Randy: “Very nicely done.”
Paula: “Totally in your element.”
Simon: “I preferred that one to the first one… Sounded very comfortable… That was good.”

Jordin Sparks: “She Works Hard For The Money”
Randy: “Very nicely done… Doesn’t matter what song you do.”
Paula: “You worked hard for the money tonight.”
Simon: “It was a very good performance… Very good.”

Round 3: Performer’s Choice
Blake Lewis: “When I Get You Alone”
Randy: “It was cool… I liked the Maroon 5 more… It was alright, it was alright.”
Paula: “Exemplifies who you are as an artist… Three great songs.”
Simon: “I actually really liked that… You don’t play it safe, you take a risk… You look like you’re having fun.”

Jordin Sparks: “I, Who Have Nothing”
Randy: “Another great performance… I think it was your best performance of the night.”
Paula: “It sat well in your voice… Sounded great.”
Simon: “You sang that very well… I hated the fact that a 17yr old was singing a 60yr old song… I wish you had chosen another song.”

Have you decided which contestant you’ll vote for? Any chance you think your vote will get swayed based on this week’s finale performances? I’m certainly surprised by Blake Lewis getting this far, but maybe he can still go one step further. Jordin Sparks is not going to let this go easily though and think she’s ready to put up a heck of a fight come Tuesday night.

Check out our Top 10 Events of American Idol Season 6.

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