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When it was announced that the next American Idol mentor would be Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, I seriously feared for the Top 6. I've only recently started to like musicals and I have to admit that I'm not a big fan of Lord Andrew's works. Other than that, doing Broadway on AI sounds pretty dangerous, especially since not all songs from musicals would exactly translate to good pop versions. But still, it was one of the AI nights that I anxiously waited for. So now, I bring you a recap of the Top 6 performances--and if you're okay with spoilers, then read on.

Jason Castro's "Memory" from Cats
I'll have to agree with Randy's comment about how fun it was to see someone in dreads singing "Memory." But for the most part I thought it was too feminine, and at some points, too breathy. It was nice that Jason didn't create entirely something else out of the song and instead stuck to the melancholy of it, but it just wasn't cut out for him. Randy said it wasn't the right song for Jason, Paula said it further identified his personality, and Simon said it came out like a young guy being forced to sing an old song.

Syesha Mercado's "One Rock & Roll Too Many" from Starlight Express
With “One Rock & Roll Too Many," Syesha totally blew me away. Aside from reminding me of Jennifer Hudson's Effie White, she made me want to see Starlight Express! Really, I was amazed at Syesha's performance here, and all that onstage flirting was perfect. Now we know that Syesha could possibly rock Broadway! Randy said it was her best performance so far, Paula seemed delighted to see Syesha finally standing in her happy place, and Simon thought it was very sexy.

David Archuleta's "Think of Me" from The Phantom of the Opera
I was excited to see David A doing "Think of Me," but when the song started to sound uncomfortably pop and slightly reminiscent of the train wreck that was "We Can Work It Out" during Beatles week, I was quickly disappointed. Randy and Paula might have thought that it was great, but I like "Think of Me" and I was offended at how he made it sound too light and too pop-ish. Randy declared he was the boy to beat, Paula thought it was perfect, and it's only Simon I agree with when he said it was pleasant, but one of his weakest.

David Cook's "The Music of the Night" from The Phantom of the Opera
After rocking the stage with "Always Be My Baby" last Tuesday, it was David Cook's song choice for Webber week that I couldn’t stop obsessing about. I was thrilled to finally learn that he would be doing the Phantom’s solo, and even more thrilled when he didn't disappoint. Really, he can simply sing anything, and with the right emotions, too. I also love how David can hack it without going overboard, and it was nice to see him doing something different from his usual style. The theater experience from high school really paid off for him! Randy said he was amazing again, Paula said it proved that he was well-rounded as a performer, and while Simon said he had made the most out of the song, he preferred to see the more gritty side of David. And oh no, Ryan is totally pimping him now.

Brooke White's "You Must Love Me" from Evita
I never thought I would say this about Brooke after her awesome acts, but uh-oh, two words: train wreck. After forgetting the second line, it was so obvious that she was so tense. And while the judges thought that the emotions were very Brooke, I can't help but get annoyed with all that head-shaking. The emotions were right on the money, but the slip-up was too much for her nerves. And while she seemed very invincible for a long time, right now all it seems that "certainties disappear," indeed. We all admire her for carrying on, though, and for not being defensive about her mistake. The vulnerability worked for her, Randy said, while Paula sounded like she was doing a eulogy for her on live television. Simon loved the drama, but summed up the whole thing as very uncomfortable.

Carly Smithson's "Superstar" from Jesus Christ Superstar
Welcome back to being awesome, Carly! Big vocals are clearly her thing, and she made "Superstar" sound much, much, cooler. Never mind that it sounded a bit shout-y, but after Syesha's big number, Carly’s was the next head-bobbing performance of the night. Randy said it was definitely good (he loved her outfit, too), Paula loved how it was very unexpected, and Simon said it was one of his favorites.

My favorites: Definitely Syesha, David Cook, and Carly
Bottom three predictions: Jason, Brooke, and I'm taking a stab at David Archuleta getting into the bottom three for the very first time (unless his fan base remains solid).
Who'll say goodbye? I'm sorry, but I think it might be Brooke. After "Jolene" she's been consistently disappointing and I really can't get over the mistake tonight. But because I love her Joni Mitchell/Carly Simon-ish style, I'll definitely buy a CD when she releases a post-Idol one.


What did you think of this week's Idol episode and what are your predictions for elimination night tomorrow? Who are you rooting for? We'd love to know what you think!

Photos from AmericanIdol.com