American Idol recap: Don't go breaking our hearts

Mar 30, 2011

American Idol recap: Don't go breaking our hearts

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American Idol's Top 11 competed Wednesday using songs from Sir Elton John's catalog. While none of the singers gave flat-out bad performances, James Durbin and Lauren Alaina had star-making moments, Alaina with a stirring rendition of Candle in the Wind and Durbin with a version of Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting that started in the audience and ended with a piano in flames. But Haley Reinhart stole the show at the end with a fun, sexy treatment of Bennie and the Jets.

Pia Toscano and Thia Megia fell back on ballads, as did several other singers. Casey Abrams justified last week's save with a tender rendition of Your Song. Jacob Lusk turned Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word into a pleading apology.

Scotty McCreery gave a shout-out to his grandma during Country Comfort, a song he initially picked because of its title. Paul McDonald gave a nuanced performance of Rocket Man, while Stefano Langone connected with his Tiny Dancer.

Thursday, two contestants will go home. Naima Adedapo's reggae treatment of I'm Still Standing came early in the show and needed more passion. One of them could be her.

Here's how I rank them:

1. Lauren Alaina, Candle in the Wind
2. Haley Reinhart, Bennie and the Jets
3. James Durbin, Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting
4. Pia Toscano, Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me
5. Casey Abrams, Your Song
6. Thia Megia, Daniel
7. Paul McDonald, Rocket Man
8. Scotty McCreery, Country Comfort
9. Jacob Lusk, Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word
10. Stefano Langone, Tiny Dancer
11. Naima Adedapo, I'm Still Standing

See photos of: American Idol, Elton John

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Vinessa Shaw Anna Friel Genelle Frenoy Leonor Varela Claudette Ortiz