The finalists of American Idol S15 are duking it out April 7 at 6pm (repeats at 10pm) on Star World (Astro Ch 711). The grand finale results show airs at 8am (repeats at 6pm and 10pm) on April 8.
Can’t wait that long? Why don’t you check out 10 of the best performances we’ve seen on the show in the meantime.
Whipping Post by Bo Bice
I remember being totally smitten at the time with Harold Elwin Bice (yes that’s his real name) – his cool confidence, mike wielding skills, silky soft hair, his hippie/1970s fashion sense (remember the dashiki anyone?). Bo’s version of the Allman Brothers classic is to die for still. – Ann Marie Chandy
Born To Be Wild by Adam Lambert
In order to find the performance I liked best, I ended up going through all of Adam’s performances! I was blown away by Mad World then, but when I saw Black Or White again this week, I fell in love with it! I’m going to go out on a limb and list his rendition of Steppenwolf’s classic here as my favourite. In the words of Randy Jackson, “If you got it, you got it, and baby you got it”. – AMC
Imagine by David Archuleta
People always poke fun at me because I defended David Archuleta till the end. I don’t know what it is – it’s hard to explain – the tone of his voice, the way he would tweak songs to make them his own, his affableness and humility. I can listen to Archuleta’s Imagine over and over, and have tears in my eyes every time. – AMC
Always Be My Baby by David Cook
When David Cook chose a Mariah Carey song on the week the diva was to be the guest mentor in American Idol S7, I knew he had guts. Even Carey (who looks fabulous in this video) said she was surprised and had no idea what he would do with the song. But when Cook rocked up Carey’s Always Be My Baby, I knew he had talent to match those guts. It was definitely a memorable performance and my hair still stands on end when I watch it. – S. Indramalar
A Song For You by Elliot Yamin
His rendition of this song was dubbed “a vocal masterclass” by judge Simon Cowell. That’s high praise indeed but definitely well deserved. And, Paula Abdul cried: that’s not saying very much because her reactions were often hard to make sense of but, still. Yamin’s delivery of the song was perfect and so moving. He made it to the top three in S5 of the show and he lost out to Katharine McPhee and the eventual winner Taylor Hicks. Sigh. – SI
Halo by LaPorsha Renae
I stopped watching American Idol maybe five years or so ago but this being the final season, I’ve tuned in a few times. One of those times, I was bowled over by a performance by LaPorsha Renae who not only sang Beyonce’s Halo impeccably, she also kinda made me like the song a little – something that hundreds of hours of radio wasn’t able to do. – SI
All By Myself by LaToya London
It was during the semi-final round of the competition when I first took notice of S3 contestant LaToya London. London took the risky choice of singing the power ballad, All By Myself. She immediately sounded seasoned tackling the song’s verse, and when she hit the chorus, my oh my, her voice just took off like a rocket. – Kenneth Chaw
I Believe by Fantasia Barrino
American Idol coronation songs can be a cheesy affair, what with lyrics about climbing mountains and swimming through oceans to achieve one’s dreams (or something along those lines). Lyrics-wise, I Believe was no exception either. But the difference was Fantasia Barrino’s delivery. She sang with so much conviction, turning even cynics into believers of dreams. – KC
Crying by Carrie Underwood
While many remember Carrie Underwood’s time at American Idol by her explosive rendition of Heart’s Alone, I love her performance of Roy Orbison’s Crying even more. Underwood delivered the ballad, a song about not being able to move on from an ex-lover, by softly caressing the verse before building up beautifully to a desperate cry. – KC
I Will Always Love You by Jessica Sanchez
We all knew Jessica Sanchez was a powerhouse vocalist but I had my doubts at first as to whether she could deliver one of the most iconic power ballads of all time, I Will Always Love You. I remember thinking, OK, great control on the verse, and now it’s all up to whether she can nail the chorus, and she goes for it … goosebumps. She did it! – KC
