It was 90’s night which I had hoped would mean they would be singing songs I had heard of. Turns out 7 of the 10 were actually songs I knew. That had to be a high for a show historically cheap on the songs they purchase rights to, an odd fact given the monstrous ratings. Before we get to the performances this week, how about the rumor that continues to have legs? Mario Vazquez is said to be gay and that is why he bowed out of the finals. Now we hear that another finalist was going to out him and that’s why he walked away. Hey, this is AI4 and the competition is stiff. That was one less person to deal with. Unfortunately, Nikko Smith is thriving in MV’s absence. On this night Jessica Sierra was one of three equally good performers, doing a perfectly adequate job with a Leann Rimes number. Constantine Maroulis just keeps pouring it on, this time singing an out of character song with “I Can’t Make You Love Me” by Bonnie Raitt but unlike many other singers actually drilling it. Carrie Underwood is seeming like a pro at this point after her pretty good rendition of Martina McBride’s “Independence Day” and there is no reason for her to take risks right now.

Nadia Turner certainly bounced back with “I’m the Only One” by Melissa Ethridge, but as strange as this might sound this girl needs to sing black songs instead of trying to reinvent white ones. Nikko Smith has wormed his way back into the finals and seems to be staying after another solid show. Bo Bice is getting overconfident and his “Remedy” from Black Crowes left a lot to be desired. Another outing like that could dip him into the bottom group. Scott Savol is just terrible and I don’t even know what song he performed but this guy needs to go.

The bottom three performers this week start with Anthony Fedorov who is fading fast after failing on an Elton John song. He doesn’t know which songs to choose which isn’t surprising given that he spent the first nine years of his life outside of the states. Vonzell Solomon has the look of a star, but trying Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing” was a disaster and the judges must have been tired when they made their comments. Anwar Robinson is another whose stock is dropping after struggling through R. Kelly’s “I Believe I Can Fly”.

WHO IS OUT? This is always a numbers game. You should know that by now. There are six guys and four girls so this is a week where a guy is going to be voted out. Anthony was third from the bottom last week and this is probably his week to go because he didn’t give a great performance and even though I have him #6 overall he hasn’t stood out and quite frankly the Clay Aiken comparison isn’t sticking anymore. Plus his numbers have dipped three weeks in a row. Joining him for a wakeup call might be Anwar who is now my lowest rated performer overall. Nice guy, but he is struggling right now. I echo that for Vonzell who is up and down as she now stands at #9 overall in my rankings. However, Scott has been bad four weeks in a row and it might have just been a matter of the guys being better to this point. Now with the numbers against the guys I think he is in trouble. Officially I will take Scott as the first safe, Anwar as the lucky to be alive and Anthony as the one to go home but this is a very tough week to call.

In the future I see an interesting thing developing once Anthony and that wigger Scott exit in the next two weeks. Then it will be time for the four “twins” to shoot it out in the demographic battles. Two blonde girls, two black girls, two rockers, and two black guys will battle it out. It’s anyone’s guess how it will go after that.