Video: James Durbin Finds His Muse

American Idol top 7 performed Wednesday night and one of the clear standouts was James Durbin who sang Muse’ Uprising.

Even though Durbin was the second performer of the night and five more Idols had yet to take the stage at that point, Jennifer Lopez said she’s gonna go out on a limb and declared that Durbin’s performance was “going to be theatrically the best performance of the night.” She continued, “Wow, that was amazing. I think that was the highest we have heard you sing on the show. Or anyone else.”

Randy Jackson agreed. “Dude, you were unbelievable out there.” Like J.Lo, Randy also went out on a limb and declared, “I think this is going to be the best performance of the night.”

Steven Tyler told Durbin to stay out of his closet. “Mad Max meets Storm Troopers on Melrose. You’d be surprised how expensive it costs to look this cheap. That was crazy good…I love that you are out of your mind, beautifully so.”

Video: James Durbin Fights The Good Fight For Rock N Roll

April 13 – There were a couple of standout performances on American Idol Wednesday night, one of which was James Durbin’s rendition of Heavy Metal by Sammy Hagar to close out the show.

Durbin made Idol history earlier this season when he sang the first-ever Judas Priest song on the show (You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’). On Wednesday’s performance night, he fought the good fight for rock and roll once again and went against the recommendations of mentors Jimmy Iovine and wil.i.am to perform Sammy Hagar’s hard metal tune. Durbin pleaded, “Give metal a chance!” in the preview package which aired before his performance.

As an extra treat for us heavy metal fans, legendary Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde joined Durbin on stage and strung his heart out. 

Jennifer Lopez stole Randy Jackson’s line, saying, “Yo! Yo! Give it up give it up! That felt really really real.” She continued, “I really loved that. I don’t know what these are sounding like at home but here they are killing it dead in here.” She asked, “Who would have ever thought that on Idol we would have heavy metal?”

Randy had to come up with a new sound bit real quick: “My God, you guys were just at a James Durbin concert. And at a Zakk Wylde concert. I’m happy you stuck to your guns….I can see you on stage with Ozzy at the next Ozzfest! Durbin rocks!

Steven Tyler of course loved it. “Outstanding Durbin. I’m glad you went with your feelings. … Nice lip to Jimmy, man.”

Watch the electrifying performance for yourself:

Video: Casey Abrams: Was He Amazing Or Did He Fall Flat On His Face?

I’ve said it once, and I will say it again. American Idol contestants sound much different when you hear them sing live on the Fox studio set than they do when we watch them on TV at home. They usually sound much better in person.

Case in point or shall I say Casey in point: I am a HUGE Casey Abrams fan. HUGE! However, his rendition of Nat King Cole’s Nature Boy just fell flat with me during Idol‘s Wednesday performance night.

Then again, I was watching it at home this week like most of America. Were you surprised to see the studio audience go absolutely wild for Casey’s rendition? If you were, it’s the live vs. TV factor differential.

The judges went nuts over Casey as well with all three joining the standing crowd to give Casey a unanimous standing ovation. Jennifer Lopez, the just-named world’s most beautiful woman, said Abrams brought “a special thing to music.” Randy Jackson said Casey gave a “Grammy-type performance…I thought it was brilliant. I thought it was absolutely genius.” Steven Tyler said Casey is an “artist in the truest sense of the word.” He compared him to Sting and told Casey “You took a song that my momma sang to me when I was a little boy and you took it and you did what’s in your heart regardless of what Jimmy told you.”

Casey picked the Nat King Cole classic despite Jimmy Iovine’s advice in rehearsals to choose something that could make him win like Phil Collins’ In the Air Tonight. Did he make the right choice or will this song selection cost him a shot at the Idol crown? Did you enjoy it at home and call in a vote in for him or were you shocked by the adulation you witnessed on TV?

What did you think of Casey’s performance?  Watch it for yourself and let me know! In this video, you can also hear Casey speak about his favorite Gnocchi and meatballs dish at Cafe Aroma!

VIDEO: Casey Abrams Wants To Make The Judges Proud

Casey Abrams has proven for two weeks in a row that he deserved to be saved by the American Idol judges.

He said on Wednesday night’s episode that he feels he must “give 150 percent” every time he takes the Idol stage to make the judges, and America, proud of him. Casey, we already are! You are amazing. [By the way call me! Seriously, call me – I have some life-changing info for you!]

Casey was accompanied by his upright bass for the first time on live competition and performed Have You Ever Seen the Rain? by Creedence Clearwater Revival’s John Fogerty. He had the right raspiness, jazziness, confidence, cool factor, grunt and growl. Way to go Casey. Yes, we are proud!

Randy Jackson said: “You definitely did justice to that song.” About Casey’s bass, Randy said, “You’ve put it in popular music, dude. This is revolutionary!”

Steven Tyler loved the performance so much that he said Casey should put wheels on the base and take it everywhere! He gushed: “You’re such a true musician; every time you sing, you bring something different.”

“That’s exactly where you belong – right there, with your bass,” Jennifer Lopez said.

Watch Casey for yourself:


Video: Stevie Wonder Sings Happy Birthday To Steven Tyler

American Idol is so good right now that it’s hard to remember that so many of us deemed the show dead after Simon Cowell‘s departure from the judges’ panel.

Thursday night’s Idol results show was pretty amazing TV. There were too many moving and memorable moments: From a results shocker way earlier in the season than ever, to Randy Jackson stopping Casey Abrams mid song, to the judges using their one save without any deliberation needed, to Casey dropping to his knees in utter joy after being saved unanimously by the judges, to Hulk Hogan making a surprise appearance and then punching Ryan Seacrest into the audience and ripping his own shirt apart, to the judges acting all star struck during Stevie Wonder‘s surprise performance, to Stevie singing happy birthday to Steven Tyler.
I am not sure which of those was my favorite moment of the night, but I tell you, the picture above which Steven Tyler sent via Twitter after Idol ended tonight kinda stole my heart. The caption simply read, “WITH STEVIE AFTER THE SHOW….MAGIC…LUV, ST.”
Watch Stevie Wonder’s performance on Idol below:

SHOCKING Night On American Idol – Who Got Voted Off?!

Seriously America? You We didn’t wait long before you we delivered the first shocker in this season’s American Idol.

SPOILER ALERT: Following Wednesday night’s Motown performances, it was Thia Megia, Casey Abrams and Stefano Langone who found themselves in the bottom three.

Before it was all over, Thia and Stefano were told they were safe and America’s collective jaw fell to the floor as Casey found himself alone on the chopping block and in jeopardy of going home. 

Casey then sang I Don’t Need No Doctor to save his life. But he didn’t have to sing long because the judges know more about talent than we the fans. Randy Jackson waived his hand and motioned Casey to stop mid song. 
“We know who you are, we don’t need to hear you sing anymore, do we, Steven?” Randy asked.
Steven Tyler agreed of course, “No, this is crazy wrong. We’ve made the decision here to keep you on.”
The 20-year old Casey was shaken to his core, and you could read his lips say: “Oh my f*cking god!” He asked the judges, “It’s top 11, why would you do that?!”
Jennifer Lopez told Casey: “We just want you to get back to being the musician that you are. No more antics.  No more anything. Let the people feel your soul. And you’re gonna stay. You deserve to be here.”
Casey said later,”I thought that they wouldn’t use the save, because there’s 11 people. It’s unreal. I started singing, and the fact that you cut it scared the stuff out of me.”
Because the judges used their one save of the season, two of our finalists will be voted off next Thursday. And because there are no more saves left, America, WE have to get it right from now on!

Watch the video of how it went down:

Video: Casey Abrams May Look Like Zach Galifianakis, But His Voice Is “Unique”

Dude looks like a lady Zach Galifianakis.


Casey Abrams tried to clean up after the scare he gave little girls across America last week when he howled through his performance by sleeking to a smooth finish his crazy locks on Wednesday night’s American Idol. Yet somehow he unintentionally ended up looking like the famous comedian.

Abrams growled through yet somehow charmed us again in his rendition of Marvin Gaye’s I Heard It Through the Grapevine
After last week’s fearless but a bit screechy-sounding Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana, Casey sounded more crisp this week and was much more in control of his voice.

“I think you’re the perfect entertainer,” Steven Tyler cheered on. “Perfect pitch and perfect mix of crazy-ass out-of-control ego and that’s what makes an artist today.” Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson were in agreement with their fellow judge, calling Abrams very unique.

Watch his performance for yourself:

American Idol’s Randy Jackson Misses Simon Cowell?! Exclusive Photos

American Idol judge Randy Jackson was at The Grove today and told Mario Lopez of Extra that Simon Cowell is “irreplaceable”.

Along the same lines, Jackson had recently told Entertainment Weekly, “It’s not about replacing him or any of the others – Paula [Abdul], Ellen [DeGeneres], Kara [DioGuardi], anybody else… it’s definitely been interesting. He’s our friend for life…

“So, listen, we definitely miss him, but it’s a different kind of vibe. It’s a different kind of energy now. And I think in season 10 the show actually really needed it.”

The new season of American Idol with new judges Jennifer Lopez and Aerosmith front man Steven Tyler will premiere in the 19 January. Simon Cowell’s new show – a US version of the X Factor – will be broadcast later this year.