Motown Rules At 'American Idol' Wednesday

LOS ANGELES -- "American Idol" finalist Naima Adedapo was on the move.

The funky 26-year-old dance instructor from Milwaukee injected African dance choreography into her lively rendition of Martha and the Vandellas' "Dancing in the Street" during the Fox talent competition's Motown-themed performance edition Wednesday. "Idol" judge Jennifer Lopez told Adedapo that her routine gave her the "first little goose bumps of the night."

"You definitely have that little extra something on the stage," praised Lopez.

Other singers who impressed the panel included unemployed 22-year-old rocker James Durbin of Santa Cruz, Calif., and 23-year-old spa concierge Jacob Lusk of Compton, Calif. Durbin wailed Stevie Wonder's "Living for the City," while Lusk belted out Marvin Gaye's "You're All I Need to Get By," which prompted Steven Tyler to rise from the panel for a hug.

"You know what was wrong with that performance?" asked Randy Jackson. "Absolutely nothing."

Some singers continued to misstep. Lopez again criticized the intensity of Stefano Langone, the unemployed 21-year-old singer from Kent, Wash., who crooned Lionel Ritchie's "Hello," and Jackson told Pia Toscano, the 22-year-old make-up artist from Howard Beach, N.Y., that he didn't want another ballad from her following Stevie Wonder's "All in Love is Fair."

"I know you can do it," said Jackson. "The next time bring something a little bit different to the thing."

Thia Megia, the soothing 16-year-old high school student from Mountain House, Calif., and Haley Reinhart, the growling 20-year-old college student from Wheeling, Ill., successfully recovered from their stumbles last week with their respective renditions of Martha and the Vandellas' "Heatwave" and The Miracles' "You've Really Got a Hold on Me."

"This is exactly the kind of singer we thought you were," Jackson told Reinhart.

Several of the "Idol" finalists made Motown hits their own, including 17-year-old high school student Scotty McCreery of Garner, N.C., with his Western take on Stevie Wonder's version of "For Once in My Life" and 26-year-old singer-songwriter Paul McDonald of Nashville, Tenn., with a Rod Stewart-like rendition of The Miracles' "The Tracks of My Tears."

"You're kind of the complete package," Lopez told McDonald.

Confidence was key for Lauren Alaina, the 16-year-old high school student of Rossville, Ga., and Casey Abrams, the 20-year-old film camp counselor of Idyllwild, Calif. She brought her strut and swagger to The Supremes' "You Keep Me Hangin' On." Abrams stomped through the audience while delivering Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine."

"I think you're the perfect entertainer," Tyler told him.

One of the top 11 singers will face elimination Thursday.

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Comments

[dmsdzinr]

07:44 AM on 03/25/2011

They cannot keep everyone until the end. Time to let most of them go home: Scotty, Paul, Naima, Thia would be my choices for a good start.

[Seafarer61]

01:16 AM on 03/26/2011

The departure order (my .02) I'd like to see follow: Naima, Paul, Haley, Stefano, Scotty, Casey, Lauren, Thia, Jacob, James and finally the winner, Pia.

Thia, of course, won't get that far but her voice is certainly a better instrument than Casey's constant growling and Paul's ridiculous falsetto. If there would be any shocker left I think it might come from an earlier than expected departure for Jacob. We'll see.

[dmsdzinr]

04:49 PM on 03/27/2011

I am all over Pia! Actually I would LOVE 2B all over Pia.
She is GORGEOUS with a BODY 2 Die 4, and the VOICE of an ANGEL!

[phoebequeen]

07:27 AM on 03/25/2011

Love Motown and really enjoyed the performances Wed. night. I was surprised twice when Casey made bottom three and then the judges used their save for him. Yea! I thought Thia, Stephano or Naima should have been going. I love the talent this year, so different and unique. I would go to chruch if Jacob was singing there.

[WSS61]

02:56 AM on 03/25/2011

I haven't watched AI in 3 years. Because I love the standards from "Motown," a friend thought it would be fun to watch, so the program got "TiVo'd." Now, AI was never the best talent show out there, but there have been a few (and I underscore few) singers over the years that can actually sing. However, not only was this the all time WORST "Motown" night I have ever watched, these group of AI contestants are just horrible! There are 3, that have some potential, but not for AI, as follows:

Jacob Lusk - this young man should be a famous gospel singer right now; he was born to sing gospel!

Stefano Langone - needs to calm down and really concentrate on just singing....hold out those last notes, and stop with the distracting vocal acrobats. He has raw talent that needs some fine tuning.

James Durbin - while he hit all those high notes, his vocal register is much higher than Stevie Wonders, and it made listening to "Living in the City," difficult. He also need to concentrate on his voice, and stop being so "affected" with his performance. He has talent.

The remainder of the group are plain awful!

[Seafarer61]

01:13 AM on 03/25/2011

The Wolfman survives a scare. Oh well....this year's Taylor Hicks can't depend on any more bailouts from the Three Amigos. This is Pia's to lose folks.

[GiannaX]

12:02 AM on 03/26/2011

Pia does have a terrific voice and she's attractive. There's just something about her that I've seen countless times from lounge singers across the country. I just don't feel the 'it' factor with her for some reason. Technically speaking she definitely deserves to make the top 3 out of this bunch.

[mmm611]

12:53 AM on 03/25/2011

Stefano is my cousin. If he can bounce back with a great performance next week, I still think he's got a chance to take it all.

[GiannaX]

12:06 AM on 03/26/2011

All the best to your cousin, Stefano, mmm611! He's a talented guy!

[littlerabbit]

09:40 PM on 03/24/2011

Yay, good save on Casey. Should have been Thia or Stefano going home although I would prefer to see Pia aka "Vocal Cords" or Jacob go home.

[theatheo]

08:35 PM on 03/24/2011

Pia sang on par with any great singer and all the judges could say was " i think you should move more" pff gimme a break.

[aliengirl]

06:59 PM on 03/24/2011

I really like Jacob Lusk's performance he was the only one who really stood out from the others. James was good too. Pia is doing too many boring ballads I wish she would step it up a bit she has the potential to be great. Scotty has a nice country voice but it was working for him last night. Naima was okay better than last week. Can't really remember the rest...

[getreal23]

05:57 PM on 03/24/2011

I think they all did pretty well with the motown classics.

[cardiaccare]

05:54 PM on 03/24/2011

Steven Tyler looked bored last night.

[jtabs]

06:02 PM on 03/24/2011

I noticed that also.

[GiannaX]

12:35 AM on 03/26/2011

I think it's a muscian's head in the clouds thing.

[ThinkGlobal]

05:49 PM on 03/24/2011

Great show last night Jacob, James and Naima the best singing and most interesting to watch. Thia is too young to be so boring...Casey needs to get back what he had in the beginning...everyone else needs to step up their game...I also agree that the bad is way too loud...it is so annoying. I also agree the background singers need the volume down on their mikes. The point of the show is the soloist vocal. And btw I had no idea Jimmy Ivoine knew anything about music. Just thought he was the biggest hump rap impersario/pimp...

[littlerabbit]

05:11 PM on 03/24/2011

James continues to shine and I really liked Naima's performance as well as Lauren and Haley. Of course I rank Case and Scotty up there. Jacob had his best performance, but I'd never buy his music. And Pia with a voice that can clean plaque off teeth -- she has volume, is pretty but her music is bland. The judges compliment everyone, so ultimately it is left up to the voters -- whoever has the most people who vote the most times. But you don't have to win to get a record contract.

[GiannaX]

12:08 AM on 03/26/2011

...or win an Oscar.

[Puffin16]

04:52 PM on 03/24/2011

Scotty looks like a cross between Alred E. Newman and George W. Bush.

[jtabs]

06:03 PM on 03/24/2011

Dude, that's heartless.

[Lauren Kottwitz]

04:24 PM on 03/24/2011

I literally get chills and/or am weeping every time Casey and Jacob perform. Stephano has got such a great voice, but I fear his performance level is not up to par.

The girls. Yeesh. Not a single of those girls ever blows me away. Pia: I love your voice, it's beautiful. But if I hear one more effing ballad from you I'm going to kill myself.

[SweetestTaboo]

03:42 PM on 03/24/2011

I find the critiques of the candidates to be disingenuous. I am tired of the smoke blowing and long for the days of Simon, who insisted on keeping it real. I thought Randy was going to keep it real, but alas, he has decided to take the easy road. He didn't use the word "pitchy" all night when he should have used it for Naima. She veered on and off key throughout her song I think the best of the night was the guy who sang Tracks of My Tears.