American Idol Season 11: Phillip Phillips

Phillip Phillips possesses many of the qualities that American Idol fans find irresistible: laid-back vibe, boy-next-door charm, all-American good looks, and intimate performance style. He may not be a vocal powerhouse like his fellow contenders Hollie Cavanagh and Skylar Laine (who dazzled this week with their respective performances of "Rolling in the Deep" and "Son of a Preacher Man", and "Born This Way" and "Heard It Through the Grapevine"), but as the last few Idol champions can attest to, that's not the sole requirement for being successful in this competition! His re-imagining of Usher's "U Got It Bad" from an R&B hit to an acoustic jazzy number was original, cool, and oh so clever. As I was watching this performance, I couldn't help but think of Kris Allen's stripped-down rendition of Kanye West's "Heartless" - a manoveur which cemented his win in Season 8. Could Phillip's smooth move also led to his own victory? Time will tell!