American Idol Season 11 Tour

The schedule for the American Idols Live! Tour 2012 has been released! See Season 11 finalists Jessica Sanchez, Hollie Cavanagh, Joshua Ledet, Phillip Phillips, Skylar Laine, Elise Testone, Colton Dixon, Deandre Brackensick, Heejun Han, and Erika Van Pelt at a stadium near you this summer! (source)

Seattle, here I come!

American Idol Season 11: Top 5

Here is the American Idol Season 11 Top 5! Phillip Phillips, Hollie Cavanagh, Joshua Ledet, Skylar Laine, and Jessica Sanchez.

I am going to miss 6th-place finalist Elise Testone. She is my favourite vocalist from this year's group, and her live performances were among the most memorable in my books - "One and Only", "Vienna", "Whole Lotta Love", "I Want It All", "Bold As Love", etc. Keep on rockin' on, Queen Elise!

American Idol Season 11: Top 6

I dare say that American Idol Season 11's Top 6 is one of the most diverse, entertaining, and evenly-matched group of contestants that we've seen since the spectacular Season 7! We've got voices that span across a variety of genres (country, pop, R&B, soul, rock, and acoustic), and, for the first time in years, the female:male ratio is in the ladies' favour!

Although I've been strongly advocating for a female winner during these past few seasons, I recognize the immense talent of this crop of singers, and I strongly believe that any one of them is capable of rightfully taking the Idol title. The race to the finish line is on, and it's bound to be an exhilarating journey to watch!

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!

American Idol Season 11: Skylar Laine

She shoots, she scores!

As I always say, those who fly slightly under the radar are the ones you have to watch out for...

On an uninspired American Idol Top 8 performance night filled with lackluster tracks from the 1980s (song choice really is everything, people), it was Skylar Laine who soared to new heights in the competition with her stunning rendition of "Wind Beneath My Wings". The spirited Skylar showcased her strengths of versatility and storytelling, proving that she is more than just a spunky country singer.

Looks like we'll be seeing Ms. Laine's debut at the Grand Ole Opry in no time!

American Idol Season 11: Top 10

Now presenting your American Idol Season 11 Top 10! Phillip Phillips, Elise Testone, Deandre Brackensick, Hollie Cavanagh, Colton Dixon, Skylar Laine, Heejun Han, Jessica Sanchez, Joshua Ledet, and Erika Van Pelt may be performing at a North American city near you this upcoming summer, so stay tuned for tour dates!

Next week, the talented Top 10 will tackle the songbook of Billy Joel. Whoever chooses to cover "Vienna" could potentially win my loyalty (and heart).