After weeks of consistently strong performances, “American Idol” season ten finally received its “Summertime” moment courtesy polarizing contestant Casey Abrams, who selected “Nature Boy” for this week’s “Songs from the Movies” theme.
In a move that nevertheless could backfire, Casey Abrams rejected mentor Jimmy Iovine’s advice to sing the more recognizable “In the Air Tonight” and fired off an epic rendition of “Nature Boy.” Abrams scored a rare judge standing ovation with what was easily the most haunting, artistic performance of the season, proving that “Idol” contestants are definitely able to achieve brilliance when sticking to their guns.
How America will react, however, remains to be seen. There was nothing overtly commercial or mainstream about the performance, and Abrams also received something of a public burial from Iovine for selecting the song. Yet the judges loved it, and any true musical fans are likely to share that opinion.
James Durbin had an even more confrontational meeting with mentors Iovine and will.i.am, refusing to even consider backing down from his show-closing selection of “Heavy Metal.” With Zakk Wylde on guitar, Durbin totally tore the house down, but, he, too, needs to stay on edge as he awaits learning how America will react to a very “un-Idol” song.
That is not to say ignoring the mentors was the only path to success. Jacob Lusk abandoned his song selection to go with Iovine’s recommendation “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and also had a great night.
Headline Planet will return with its full recap, review and analysis Thursday morning, but a note worth thinking about as “Idol” fans say goodbye to Wednesday is the fact that Haley Reinhart and Lauren Alaina, the two remaining females, did not deliver the kinds of performances that will make a male elimination a certainty this week. Reinhart, in particular, struggled–her “Call Me” was the night’s only performance to receive even remotely negative feedback from the judges.