American Idol 2014 Judges, Winners, Auditions, and Recap: Who Made the Top 13?
American Idol Season 13 finally announced its top 13 contestants who made the cut out of the 20 semifinalists on Thursday night, February 20.
Out of the top 10 Idol finalists, five males and five females were voted through by America and three wildcard spots were saved by the judging panelists, Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban, and Harry Connick Jr.
The top 10 selected by voters include: Ben Briley, Alex Preston, Caleb Johnson, Dexter Roberts, and Sam Woolf for guys, and Malaya Watson, Emily Piriz, Jessica Meuse, Majesty Rose, and M.K. Nobilette for girls.
Dexter Roberts was this season's only straight-head country singer. Although the judges criticized him on Wednesday for sounding too much like every other "bro country" singer and not differentiating himself enough with his predictable Craig Morgan cover, he luckily made it.
Emily Piriz performed the cover of Grace Potter & The Nocturnal's racy hit "Paris (Ooh La La)," which is all about being "down on the floor." Despite prudish Connick Jr.'s lecture on her quite unexpected song choice, America surely accepted the 18-year-old's talent. Voters were not as conservative, as they also chose M.K. Nobilette, the first openly gay woman to ever compete in the reality-singing competition series.
There were three wildcards to be filled, and five contestants were given another chance to perform for those slots, ultimately for the next round. Teen heartthrob Spencer Lloyd sang the same mediocre original song, "Ordinary Girls," which the judges did not like in the first place during Hollywood week. Lipstick diva Bria Anai tried way too hard shouting "Man's World," which Harry Connick Jr. said that she "overshot the mark."
Jena Irene, who impressed everyone by singing a powerful original piano ballad "Unbreakable Me," was chosen for one of the wildcard spots. Alabama soul-singer C.J. Harris was asked to perform again -- even though he choked a bit with a cover of "Bring It On Home to Me" by Sam Cooke, which Connick Jr. commented it was "average." Kristen O'Connor also was given a wildcard slot by belting out "Unconditionally" by Katy Perry, although she had some pitch issues.
So here are the best 13 singers out of the 75,000 who tried out this season -- do you think they represent true American Idol?
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