Sunday night’s episode of “American Idol” it was covered in fairy dust.
As part of Disney Night, the top 10 contestants tackled iconic songs from the Walt Disney canon, kicking off the episode with an energetic ensemble performance by “We are not talking about Bruno” from “Charm,” which featured appearances from cast members Adassa and Rheny Feliz.
Even the judges got into the spirit of Disney, with Judge Katy Perry dress up as Ariel from “The Little Mermaid” and Lionel Richie Y luke bryan leading her to the judges’ table. But Perry may want to reconsider life as a mermaid, since she fell in her chair shortly after sitting down.
“Are you okay? Are you okay?” host Ryan Seacrest asked Perry.
Perry playfully shook off the fumble, taking a sip of her drink as the audience chanted her name in support.
Here’s what happened, including “Dancing with the Stars” alum Derek Hough, who mentored the contestants for their performances at Disneyland.
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mrs k
Lady K was looking for redemption with her performance on Sunday night. After landing in the bottom two last week, the 25-year-old singer’s confidence was shaken.
“It was scary,” Lady K told Hough during rehearsal. “I immediately thought, ‘What did I do wrong?’ ”
Hough tearfully reassured Lady K about her place on the show. “You deserve to be here,” she said. “Your tears are beautiful.”
Lady K channeled her soulful voice for a soulful rendition of “How Far I’ll Go” from “Moana.” Richie praised Lady K for the progress she has made.
“You look like a star, you sound like a star,” Richie told Lady K. “More importantly, I want you to know that your growth from that beginning to now is incredible.”
Bryan said the performance “validated” the judges’ earlier decision to save Lady K from elimination: “We’re so glad we got a chance to save you.”
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Noah Thompson
Noah Thompson gave an emotional rendition of “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” from “Toy Story,” which he dedicated to his friend Arthur, who encouraged him to audition for “Idol.”
“One of Noah’s greatest strengths is his personality,” Hough said in a pre-recorded interview. “If he can capture that on stage, it will make America feel like we’re just one of his friends singing with him too.”
Perry loved the way the 19-year-old construction worker reimagined the Disney classic.
“You gave it a lot of character, color and country croon,” Perry told Thompson after her performance. “She was one of your best voices.”
Bryan chimed in: “If you can, on the fly, put your little sparkle on that song, the sky’s the limit on what you can do throughout your entire career.”
Flora Emyrson
High school student Emyrson Flora delivered a sweet rendition of “Carried Me with You” from “Onward.” Perry said she appreciated how Flora elevated her stage presence for the performance.
“You’ve come so far,” Perry told Flora. “I love when you connect with your body language and your eyes and come out of your shell.”
Richie also noted the 16-year-old’s growing command of the stage.
“Stage presence just comes with experience, so don’t worry about it so much,” Richie said. “Your voice and stage presence is really top-tier stuff.”
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huntress
HunterGirl gave a charming performance of “I See the Light” from “Tangled,” earning a standing ovation from the judges.
“If that’s how you sound when you go to Disneyland, I recommend you go at least once a week,” Perry told HunterGirl after her performance. “You have never sounded better, sustained the notes in such a spectacular way; you pushed that voice.”
Bryan said the performance signaled the 23-year-old singer’s potential.
“Obviously, you’re a country girl from Tennessee, but the elegance and beauty in that performance, like, I can see award shows in the future where you’re the center of attention,” Bryan said.
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Jay
Jay slowed things down with a serious rendition of “Remember Me” from “Coco.”
Perry praised the 23-year-old medical receptionist for his captivating showmanship.
“You’re the only one so far who has really used the stage to your advantage,” Perry told Jay. “We want the stage to sell out, we want that energy, and you guys did it.”
Richie praised the range Jay showed with his performance.
“You’re a star, automatically,” Richie said. “What I want you to understand now is how far you will go, not in this competition, but in the career of this music business. Those were the levels you showed us tonight.
leah marlene
Leah Marlene kept things intimate with a tender rendition of “When She Loved Me” from “Toy Story 2,” which Bryan called “incredible.”
“You’re just a great singer,” Bryan told Marlene after her performance. “You have yet to hit a bad note in this competition. You always tell the story perfectly, and you just did it with that song.”
Perry also praised Marlene’s narrative singing style.
“You really have that narrator voice, and I’m hooked on every word you sing,” Perry said.
nicoline
Nicolina opted for a dramatic style, delivering a cheesy “Poor Unlucky Souls” rendition of “The Little Mermaid.”
“That was a performance,” Richie told Nicolina after her performance. “You scared Katy to death,” she added jokingly, referring to Perry, who was crouched behind the judges’ table.
Perry was floored by Nicolina’s performance and said the 18-year-old college student stole the show.
“That’s how you do it — that’s how you do show business,” Perry said. “That was the best performance of the night so far.”
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mike parker
Mike Parker delivered a powerful rendition of “You’ll Be in My Heart” from “Tarzan,” which the 27-year-old carpenter dedicated to his mother, who is battling leukemia.
“If he can connect his personal story in those opening lines, we will be with him and it will be a powerful moment,” Hough said in a pre-recorded interview.
Perry and Bryan were touched by Parker’s heartfelt performance. “You sang that with your mother in your heart, and we could feel every moment of it,” Perry told Parker.
Bryan added: “What a difficult song to understand and navigate, and you navigated it amazingly.”
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christian guardino
Christian Guardino gave a great rendition of “Circle of Life” from “The Lion King”. Richie raved about Guardino’s unwavering stage presence.
“Tonight, you were totally standing in your light,” Richie told Guardino. “You were actually glowing brightly.”
Perry said that although he initially had his doubts, the portrayal of the 21-year-old kitchen worker was his best performance.
“Before you started the song, I was like, ‘Oh, this is a bit,’ and I hope it doesn’t go too far,” Perry said. “It was perfect.”
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Fritz Hager
Fritz Hager lit up the “Idol” stage with a passionate rendition of “Go the Distance” from “Hercules.”
Richie praised Hager as the dark horse of the competition.
“You’ve always been our surprise package on this show,” Richie told Hager. “Tonight, you stepped back into your light… I’m so proud of you.”
Bryan praised the 22-year-old for the consistency of his performances.
“You always make it,” Bryan said. “You understand the dynamic of taking the song and creating these moments within the songs. You don’t surprise me anymore.
Who went home?
After America’s votes were counted, Flora, Parker, and Lady K were sent home, leaving contestants Leah Marlene, Jay, Noah Thompson, Fritz Hager, HunterGirl, Nicolina, and Christian Guardino to advance to the top 7.
Reference-www.usatoday.com