David Cook's The Last Song I'll Write For You

This week, American Idol Season 7 winner (and great-great-grandfather to Season 11?) David Cook returned to the stage that started it all for him to perform his new single, "The Last Song I'll Write For You". Since the release of his sophomore album, This Loud Morning, Cook has parted ways with RCA Records, and is looking forward to seeing how music listeners will receive this self-released effort of his. If you are a fan of heartfelt songs with a rockin' edge, check out the full live performance above!

Download "The Last Song I'll Write For You" on iTunes and Amazon. Follow David Cook on Twitter for the latest news and updates: @thedavidcook

American Idol Season 11: Top 3

Tonight, fairy princess Hollie Cavanagh floated away from American Idol (her sparkling, crystal-clear voice, sugary sweet disposition, and fighting spirit will be missed) in fourth place, leaving Phillip Phillips, Jessica Sanchez, and Joshua Ledet to battle it out for their spot in the Season 11 finale. But before they sing for their lives next week, the Top 3 will return back to their roots as hometown heroes for their homecomings this weekend. Get ready, Chula Vista, California; Westlake, Louisiana; and Leesburg, Georgia!

American Idol Season 11: Joshua Ledet's World

Jessica Sanchez, Joshua Ledet, Hollie Cavanagh, and Phillip Phillips were at the top of their games tonight! Seriously! The singing was out of this world! “Steal Away”, “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going”, “It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World”, “Faithfully”, and “Volcano” are among some of my favourite performances of Season 11. It’s suffice to say that I was thoroughly entertained by this week’s show!

This week, I have to give the showstopper award to King Joshua Ledet. His dynamic, soulful performance of "It's A Man's Man's Man's World" was perfect in every way possible.

The talent and diversity of these kids is both insane and incredible. They bring so much heart and soul and emotion and passion and fire and fierceness to that stage - it’s awe-inspiring to see.

As for who I want in the Top 3, my picks are Jessica, Joshua, and Hollie. The Queen, The King, and The Fairy Princess. Idol royalty!

American Idol Season 11: Top 4

Now that rockin' Country gal Skylar Laine has soared out of the competition, it's now down to Hollie Cavanagh, Phillip Phillips, Jessica Sanchez, and Joshua Ledet. With a Top 4 this tight in talent, it's anyone's game!

American Idol Season 11: Hollie Cavanagh's Bleeding Love

Hollie Cavanagh's rendition of  "Bleeding Love" by Leona Lewis is so stunningly beautiful, it renders me speechless. Just listen and love.

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: Killer Queen Elise Testone

During this year's Rock 'n' Roll theme week, the American Idol Top 6 performed the songbook of Queen along with their own personal song choices. Resident psychedelic soul-rocker Elise Testone boldly went where few Idols have gone and covered both Queen's "I Want It All" and Jimi Hendrix's "Bold As Love" in one night. Is that crazy sexy cool or what? Elise Testone = Killer Queen!

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: The Save

Oh, American Idol. I don't understand you sometimes.

Jessica Sanchez received the lowest number of votes this week? The one with the best chance of winning AND finding success in the music industry? How?

Jessica fans, I hope you feel motivated to vote your fingers off for your girl in these upcoming weeks to ensure that she makes it to the finale. Idol, I hope your strategy to save and give a boost to the only woman contestant of colour works.

Honestly, I do, because this girl deserves to become the 11th American Idol champion.

American Idol Season 11: Hollie Cavanagh

So, about American Idol tonight...

The judges ruined what would have been an incredible show of current (as in the last three years current) songs with their heavy criticism of Hollie Cavanagh. Hollie, with her beautiful, crystal clear tone and powerful, pitch perfect vocals, finally picked a song that she could emotionally connect with - a stripped-down version of "Perfect" by P!nk. Despite delivering her best performance yet and showing her star potential, she was treated to purposeless comments like "that was not perfect" and "but you looked pretty tonight", instead of receiving the accolades she so deserved. Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, and Steven Tyler have been on her case for weeks, and honestly, seeing them continue to fail to acknowledge Hollie's great work is detracting from my enjoyment of this season.

I really hope that Hollie will take the underdog route (a la Haley Reinhart from Season 10) and stay afloat this week. Her incredible voice, sweet demeanour, and strong spirit deserves a place in this competition!

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: Whole Lotta Love for Elise Testone!

This week, the Top 9 of American Idol Season 11 paid tribute to their own idols. Since they were singing the songs that inspired them to pursue music, the contestants all gave what Steven Tyler termed as "a Magical Mystery Tour of talent and emotion."

Once again, my favourite performer of the night was Elise Testone. (I swear, I'm not deliberately scheming to push my favourite contestant upon all of you, but I have to give mad props when mad props are due!) The bluesy singer unleashed her 70s rocker side by belting out Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love", which was first covered on Season 8 by glam rocker Adam Lambert. It was groovy, electrifying, and honestly the coolest thing I've seen on the Idol stage since Haley Reinhart's "What Is And What Should Never Be" (also by Led Zeppelin) during Top 3 week last year. I just love how Elise is continuing to show us just how eclectic her musical tastes by performing these gutsy, dynamic songs every week. When you can harmonize with Stevie Nicks, sound like Janis Joplin, AND deliver a performance that would make Robert Plant proud, you know you've got it.

Rock on, woman!

Lauren Alaina and Haley Reinhart on American Idol

Throughout Season 10 of American Idol, I strongly campaigned for a female winner. I was disappointed when the girls were picked off one by one in the earlier stages of the competition, but nothing enraged me more than when Pia Toscano was eliminated in NINTH PLACE.

Despite the horror of the beginning weeks, there were two female contestants who managed to captivate Idol fans and stick around until the final three - Lauren Alaina and Haley Reinhart. Recently, the ladies were invited back to the Idol stage to sing their original music during the Season 11 results shows. Their dynamic performances of the sassy "Georgia Peaches" and the sultry "Free" proves that FEMALE is the right choice!

American Idol Season 11: Elise Testone's Vienna

As I had alluded last week when it was announced that the American Idol Top 10 would be singing Billy Joel songs, the contestant who chose to cover "Vienna" would have the potential to win my adoration and devotion. Wow, was my prediction spot on or what?

You can imagine my delight when it was revealed that my favourite finalist, Elise Testone, was going to be tackling my favourite Billy Joel tune. With her expressive voice and soulful, jazzy-blues vibe, she was the singer most suited for the song, and Elise delivered with a sensational performance that was both sentimental and powerful. It was an Idol moment worthy of the overwhelming applause and standing ovations she received!

Idol viewers, when will you realize that Elise is one of the most dynamic and heartfelt performers of Season 11? Hopefully, her "Vienna" has helped many to reach that revelation tonight.

Download Elise Testone's studio recording of "Vienna" on iTunes.

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).

American Idol Season 11: Joshua Ledet

Disqualification controversy and dated song choices aside, "Songs From The Year You Were Born" week proved to be a pivotal night for American Idol's Top 11 finalists, as the performances they delivered would determine whether or not they would be part of Idol's big summer tour.

And boy! Did Joshua Ledet deliver or what? Accused of bringing audiences to church on a weekly basis, the 19-year old gospel/soul singer from Louisiana tore the roof off yet again with his passionate rendition of “When A Man Loves A Woman,” which was hands down the best of the night (if not the entire season thus far!)   It is such a wonder to see a singer truly get lost in the music, which is exactly what happened to Joshua as he gave his whole heart and soul to his performance of the Percy Sledge classic. Seriously, they need to keep feeding him buckets of crawfish, because there must be a magical ingredient in that favourite delicacy of his!

American Idol Season 11: Jessica Sanchez

It is hard to believe that it has been a month since we had to say goodbye to Whitney Houston. While she may no longer be with us, her memory continues to live on in the world. As a way of paying their respects to the woman who inspired them to use their voices, many singers in the entertainment industry have taken to covering Whitney's classics in their performances.

This week, during American Idol's Whitney Houston and Stevie Wonder tribute night, one aspiring young diva dared to tackle Whitney's signature song, "I Will Always Love You". While it is a risky maneuver to sing this great beast of a ballad, Jessica Sanchez managed to rise to the occasion with a beautifully effortless rendition that was as close to perfection as one can get. Jessica's performance prompted the judges to praise her for delivering the best vocals of the season and declare her as 'the one' to beat in the competition. If this is just the beginning for the sweet sixteen-year old singer (who is just as stunning on a studio recording as she is in her live performances), then I cannot wait to see what she has in store next!

All hail Princess Jessica.

American Idol Season 11: Top 13

Introducing the Top 13 of American Idol Season 11! Phillip Phillips, Heejun Han, Joshua Ledet, Colton Dixon, and Jermaine Jones gained the most votes on the guys' side, while Jessica Sanchez, Hollie Cavanagh, Shannon Magrane, Skylar Laine, and Elise Testone earned the most votes on the girls' side. After their electrifying 'sing for your life' performances, Erika Van Pelt, Jeremy Rosado, and Deandre Brackensick were rewarded a second chance from the judges through the wildcard round.

This eclectic group of contestants will kick off the finals next week by singing the songs of music legends Stevie Wonder and Whitney Houston.

Let the show begin!