Author: Shirley Halperin

Frank Micelotta / Fox

“Living the dream” is how American Idol season 12 contestant Paul Jolley describes the experience of performing for more than 15 million people on a weekly basis. But with the privilege comes the inevitable pressure – not to mention anxiety and homesickness. He along with his eight fellow eight finalists had plenty to say about all of the above, whilst answering Idol Worship’s Beatles week burning questions.

Did Nicki Minaj’s “pianist” comment feel as awkward to Devin Velez as it was for musical director Ray Chew?

“Oh god,” said 18-year-old Velez after the show. “I heard it and was, like, ‘Did she really just say what I think she said on TV?” Then I thought, “It’s Nicki Minaj — yes, she totally did.” Not that this Idol hopeful was offended. Added Velez: “Nicki has confidence and courage and the fact that she’s not a filter makes her who she is.”

In choosing one of the Beatles’ most emotionally-charged songs, “The Long and Winding Road,” what was Devin Velez channeling?

As it turned out, the Chicago native was dealing with “some personal family issues,” he told THR. “I got into an argument with someone earlier [in the day], and I just had to remember that, because I’m a Christian, that long and winding road is my walk with God. Although there’s a lot of stuff going on, it always leads me back to his door and to his plan. I think I showed that onstage and I’m really proud of that performance.”

PHOTOS: ‘American Idol’ Season 12: The Top 10 Finalists

Since every time Angie Miller’s name is mentioned someone inevitably launches into the Rolling Stones’ 1973 hit “Angie,” is she intimately familiar with the tune?

To the contrary, Miller told The Hollywood Reporter. “So many people sing it to me, but honestly, I haven’t listened to it yet,” she said. “I should.” Of course, if she did choose it for, say, 1970s week, it would yet another ballad, which brings up another question: why so many slow songs? “People think it’s easier to show off their range and their voice with a ballad and it is,” opines Miller. “But I definitely want to change it up next week and to do a fast song. I need to.”

What exactly is “attitude face?”

“I have no idea,” said Candice Glover, who received the comment from judge Nicki Minaj following her rendition of “Come Together.” Glover elaborated on her facial performance: “I felt like it was a fun song so I was trying to smile a little bit more, because smiling is hard for me when I’m always singing about a guy doing me wrong. I’m used to the mad face and hurt face, so I tried to look happy, but obviously Nicki wants me to something else.”

How is Paul Jolley handling the extra-harsh comments hurled his way?

Jolley would be lying if he said the negativity wasn’t getting to him. “It’s the thing that makes me feel so alone,” he told THR after performing The Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby.” “I feel like I’m working so hard for every comment that I’m getting. It’s hard to keep my confidence level up and not cry because I’m an emotional person. I wish I had time to write a song. I would’ve written a whole album right now.” This, of course, begs the question: what would it be called. “Alone,” he says with a sigh, adding: “I do feel a little homesick, but that’s OK because everybody does. I’m here living the dream.”

STORY: ‘American Idol’: Get to Know Season 12’s Top 10 Girls

Was Janelle Arthur’s pick of a lesser-known Beatles track an inspired decision or more like luck of the draw?

Wisely, the sassy Tennessean has studied her Idol so you could call it more of a calculated move. “I feel it’s sometimes more of a risk to do something that everyone else has done or that’s such a huge song,” she explained. “I thought about doing ‘Yesterday,’ too, but I don’t think that would be a smart choice for me. They easily could have said, ‘That’s such a tough song — it’s hard to do it justice. And I don’t ever want to get those kinds of comments. I just want to bring my own thing.” And she certainly did. Looks like all those years  of watching Idol — since season one – paid off. Arthur added: “I have seen enough critiques on Idol that I kind of know the typical ones they give. And I know never to touch a Whitney Houston song ever!”

When Kree Harrison sang “With a Little Help From My Friends,” was she thinking of anyone in particular?

“I have an amazing little group of friends and we call ourselves the hippie army,” she said. “There’s nine of us, all in Nashville, and most of them I’ve known since I was 14. We’ve written together, played together, gone through tragedies and crazy life experiences together. They’re amazing friends.” Among her pals is one Idol alum: season five’s Kellie Pickler. “We met through a mutual friend a couple years ago,” added Harrison. “We don’t talk everyday but since being here, we’ve hung out a little bit because Idol and Dancing with the Stars is out of the same studio. It’s always nice to see a familiar face. I love her. Vote for her on Dancing — she’s killing it!” Pickler’s advice to the Idol hopeful was spot-on. “Kellie said, ‘Don’t Google yourself and listen to your heart.”

STORY: ‘American Idol’: Get to Know Season 12’s Top 10 Guys

What’s with Amber Holcomb’s inner arm tattoo?

“It’s a cheetah print,” she told THR. “It’s actually not finished — I want to get some color in it.” The inspiration didn’t come from a particular love for the animal, she revealed. Rather, it was the look of it that attracted her. And the location, which isn’t immediately visible on purpose. “I didn’t want to get it anywhere out or on my legs,” she added.

How hard did Lazaro  Abaros try to stop the tears following his performance of “In My Life?”

“I don’t like to cry on stage,” said the 22-year-old Cuba native. “And I wasn’t crying because of what the judges said, I was more worried what my followers were going to say. I feel like I let some people down.” Arbos received less than stellar comments from the panel and was clearly bummed long after the camera stopped rolling. “I had chosen another song but sometimes on this show, you have to change songs,” he revealed. “It wasn’t my best bet.”

Did the fact that Burnell Taylor knows little about the Beatles hurt his performance of “Let It Be?”

Not according to the 19-year-old New Orleans native himself. “I feel like I handled it pretty well,” he said. As for the future, he and his fellow finalists  are looking to each other to expand their musical horizons. “We learn a lot from each other because we have country people and R&B people,” he said. “There are some artists that I might not know and we kind of teach each other.”

Twitter: @Idol_Worship

Charlie Askew sings Genesis’ “Mama”

Say goodbye to Vegas, boys, and hello Hollywood! For real this time — not that NORAD-like structure in the seemingly always overcast Northridge, Calif. No, this was it. The Top 20 and last stop until America decides the touring 10.

Still, some of us found ourselves asking, where’s the sizzle? This was Sin City, after all. Why such doom and gloom in the guys’ song choices? Did someone’s grandparent die? Were they all ceremoniously dumped by their significant others in the same week? Are they feeling lonely? Homesick? Not knowing if they want the world to see them because they don’t think that they’d understand?

No matter what the reason, the result was the male equivalent of VH1 Divas circa 1998. As for what the final five will look like on Thursday night? Your guess is as good as ours, but for now, a recap of Wednesday’s 10 performers.

Elijah Liu – “Stay” (Rihanna): Nicki Minaj’s hands down favorite boy, whose babies she wants to have, is looking more like a star with each passing week. His voice brings to mind Bruno Mars and, yes, a male Rihanna. And while the background singers help, he can hold his own. Whether Elijah’s face should adorn pillowcases and lunchboxes has yet to be determined, but the judges for the most part were right on the money: “Stay” suited his voice, he demonstrated control, “stayed committed,” as Minaj noted, but also “never left first gear,” as Randy Jackson remarked.

Cortez Shaw – “Locked Out of Heaven” (Bruno Mars): Another classic example of  just-because-you-love-the-song-doesn’t-mean-that-you-should-sing-it. Not only is the Bruno Mars hit challenging vocally (as in: Sting can handle it, others wouldn’t dare try), it also has a bit of a one-note vibe to it. Even the band struggled to emote excitement from the arrangement, while the tune’s EDM tidings sounded like they were being played out of a toy Casio keyboard. As for Cortez, the moves were better than the vocals. Commented Minaj: “I can’t find the words.” Which is to say, she had nothing to say. Here here.

PHOTOS: ‘American Idol’ Season 12: Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj Search for a Winner

Charlie Askew – “Mama” (Genesis): No doubt the most divisive performance of the night, cute little weirdo Charlie Askew went way dark with the 1983 Genesis hit “Mama.” The choice was inspired. The execution: not so much. First, there was the issue of him starting to lose his breath. With his face turning beet red at some points, it looked like he could faint, never mind actually get through the song. Keith Urban’s observation that the “expressions on peoples’ faces was varied” must have been spot-on, while those of us at home could barely look. “Something feels disingenuous,” Urban added. But in fact, it seems the opposite was true. Charlie was hurting. He “needed to vent.” Maybe even have a good cry backstage. “A lot of people think I’m happy and the only reason I smile so much is because I feel like I have to,” he said from the stage. Cue the side-stage therapist — or Ryan Seacrest will do. Minaj’s comment, “I feel like someone stole my kid … I want my cute cuddly Charlie back,” didn’t seem to help. Neither did Jackson’s jab: “I don’t get it.” But your truly, for one, is firmly in the second chance Charlie club. 

Nick Boddington – “Iris” (Goo Goo Dolls): He chose a longtime American Idol favorite and hoped to make a connection, Nick Boddington said in the pre-performance package, but sitting solo at the piano is an almost instant barrier if you don’t work it just right. Think of what Lady Gaga does to get a crowd’s attention when she’s banging away on the keys. Boddington’s attempt to give it his best Gavin Degraw (meets season eight’s Matt Giraud) only carried him so far. Randy Jackson said “the Ryan Tedder thing” resulted in “a good solid performance.” No argument there.

Burnell Taylor “I’m Here” (The Color Purple): If one performance felt like a solo number during a high school musical it was Burnell Taylor’s. True, Keith Urban gave the soaring ballad a standing ovation and was correct in noting that Taylor’s voice is unique. And while the choice to repeat his audition song “was a risk,” as Minaj noted,  and did “grab your attention,” as Jackson added, the thrown-together outfit and backwards Baseball cap was the furthest thing from showmanship.

Paul Jolley – “Just A Fool” (Christina Aguilera feat. Blake Shelton): In a crossing of the singing competition streams, Tennessean Paul Jolley was looking to create a “good old shindig” vibe and get away from criticism that he was over-singing. To little avail — it seems like it’s still an effort for the wannabe male Taylor Swift to sing those power notes. And even if it isn’t, it looks that way. Keith Urban rightly asks: “what sort of artist do you want to be?” To which Jolley replied, pop-country. But why does he sound like he’s auditioning for Journey?

Lazaro Arbos – “Feeling Good” (various artists): Another favorite of Idol hopefuls makes its presence known in this semifinal round. But unlike when Adam Lambert sang “Feeling Good” on season eight — and actually, you know, felt it — Lazaro Arbos looked like he was going through the motions. And dare I say, his vocal tone can be  kind of grating. But you can tell by the judges’ reactions that there was little comment to offer either way. Nicki Minaj said it was a “strong vocal,” Randy Jackson relied on his old stand-by, “he’s in it to win it,” and Mariah Carey was back in Tom Cruise mode — which is to say, she talks a lot, but ultimately offers very little.

STORY: ‘American Idol’ Finalists: Where Are They Now?

Curtis Finch, Jr. – “I Believe I Can Fly” (R. Kelly): CJ cleansed Keith Urban of his sins and got another standing ovation from the country singer. Indeed, this Idol favorite got the pure soul treatment from Finch, who delivered at every turn. Nicki Minaj called it “raising the bar,” declaring that CJ was in fact bigger than American Idol and that he “has a calling.” He may also have a grander purpose in life that might not include a schmaltzy singing show – and there’s nothing wrong with that.  

Devin Velez – “Somos Novios (It’s Impossible)” (Perry Como): The bilingual 19-year-old has an ace in his pocket in his ability to croon in Spanish, but that’s a tactic he’ll want to use sparingly. You could say the same of red sweaters and bow-ties. But one thing is for sure: he has a fan in Mariah Carey, who said, “That performance was incredible.”

Vincent Powell – “End of the Road” (Boyz II Men): The 29-year-old’s choice in song may end up being prophetic, not because Vincent Powell had a bad performance, but due to the fact that he and Curtis Finch, Jr. are bound to cancel each other out. Still, Powell took it to church and up to heaven. He was singing Mariah Carey’s language, and while Keith astutely noted that “nerves got on top of talent,” it was the ultimate diva who would have the last word. Said Carey: “It was beyond.”

Who do you think is headed to season 12’s Top 10? Sound off on your favorites in the comments.

Twitter: @shirleyhalperin

Charlie Askew sings Genesis’ “Mama”

Say goodbye to Vegas, boys, and hello Hollywood! For real this time — not that NORAD-like structure in the seemingly always overcast Northridge, Calif. No, this was it. The Top 20 and last stop until America decides the touring 10.

Still, some of us found ourselves asking, where’s the sizzle? This was Sin City, after all. Why such doom and gloom in the guys’ song choices? Did someone’s grandparent die? Were they all ceremoniously dumped by their significant others in the same week? Are they feeling lonely? Homesick? Not knowing if they want the world to see them because they don’t think that they’d understand?

No matter what the reason, the result was the male equivalent of VH1 Divas circa 1998. As for what the final five will look like on Thursday night? Your guess is as good as ours, but for now, a recap of Wednesday’s 10 performers.

Elijah Liu – “Stay” (Rihanna): Nicki Minaj’s hands down favorite boy, whose babies she wants to have, is looking more like a star with each passing week. His voice brings to mind Bruno Mars and, yes, a male Rihanna. And while the background singers help, he can hold his own. Whether Elijah’s face should adorn pillowcases and lunchboxes has yet to be determined, but the judges for the most part were right on the money: “Stay” suited his voice, he demonstrated control, “stayed committed,” as Minaj noted, but also “never left first gear,” as Randy Jackson remarked.

Cortez Shaw – “Locked Out of Heaven” (Bruno Mars): Another classic example of  just-because-you-love-the-song-doesn’t-mean-that-you-should-sing-it. Not only is the Bruno Mars hit challenging vocally (as in: Sting can handle it, others wouldn’t dare try), it also has a bit of a one-note vibe to it. Even the band struggled to emote excitement from the arrangement, while the tune’s EDM tidings sounded like they were being played out of a toy Casio keyboard. As for Cortez, the moves were better than the vocals. Commented Minaj: “I can’t find the words.” Which is to say, she had nothing to say. Here here.

PHOTOS: ‘American Idol’ Season 12: Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj Search for a Winner

Charlie Askew – “Mama” (Genesis): No doubt the most divisive performance of the night, cute little weirdo Charlie Askew went way dark with the 1983 Genesis hit “Mama.” The choice was inspired. The execution: not so much. First, there was the issue of him starting to lose his breath. With his face turning beet red at some points, it looked like he could faint, never mind actually get through the song. Keith Urban’s observation that the “expressions on peoples’ faces was varied” must have been spot-on, while those of us at home could barely look. “Something feels disingenuous,” Urban added. But in fact, it seems the opposite was true. Charlie was hurting. He “needed to vent.” Maybe even have a good cry backstage. “A lot of people think I’m happy and the only reason I smile so much is because I feel like I have to,” he said from the stage. Cue the side-stage therapist — or Ryan Seacrest will do. Minaj’s comment, “I feel like someone stole my kid … I want my cute cuddly Charlie back,” didn’t seem to help. Neither did Jackson’s jab: “I don’t get it.” But your truly, for one, is firmly in the second chance Charlie club. 

Nick Boddington – “Iris” (Goo Goo Dolls): He chose a longtime American Idol favorite and hoped to make a connection, Nick Boddington said in the pre-performance package, but sitting solo at the piano is an almost instant barrier if you don’t work it just right. Think of what Lady Gaga does to get a crowd’s attention when she’s banging away on the keys. Boddington’s attempt to give it his best Gavin Degraw (meets season eight’s Matt Giraud) only carried him so far. Randy Jackson said “the Ryan Tedder thing” resulted in “a good solid performance.” No argument there.

Burnell Taylor “I’m Here” (The Color Purple): If one performance felt like a solo number during a high school musical it was Burnell Taylor’s. True, Keith Urban gave the soaring ballad a standing ovation and was correct in noting that Taylor’s voice is unique. And while the choice to repeat his audition song “was a risk,” as Minaj noted,  and did “grab your attention,” as Jackson added, the thrown-together outfit and backwards Baseball cap was the furthest thing from showmanship.

Paul Jolley – “Just A Fool” (Christina Aguilera feat. Blake Shelton): In a crossing of the singing competition streams, Tennessean Paul Jolley was looking to create a “good old shindig” vibe and get away from criticism that he was over-singing. To little avail — it seems like it’s still an effort for the wannabe male Taylor Swift to sing those power notes. And even if it isn’t, it looks that way. Keith Urban rightly asks: “what sort of artist do you want to be?” To which Jolley replied, pop-country. But why does he sound like he’s auditioning for Journey?

Lazaro Arbos – “Feeling Good” (various artists): Another favorite of Idol hopefuls makes its presence known in this semifinal round. But unlike when Adam Lambert sang “Feeling Good” on season eight — and actually, you know, felt it — Lazaro Arbos looked like he was going through the motions. And dare I say, his vocal tone can be  kind of grating. But you can tell by the judges’ reactions that there was little comment to offer either way. Nicki Minaj said it was a “strong vocal,” Randy Jackson relied on his old stand-by, “he’s in it to win it,” and Mariah Carey was back in Tom Cruise mode — which is to say, she talks a lot, but ultimately offers very little.

STORY: ‘American Idol’ Finalists: Where Are They Now?

Curtis Finch, Jr. – “I Believe I Can Fly” (R. Kelly): CJ cleansed Keith Urban of his sins and got another standing ovation from the country singer. Indeed, this Idol favorite got the pure soul treatment from Finch, who delivered at every turn. Nicki Minaj called it “raising the bar,” declaring that CJ was in fact bigger than American Idol and that he “has a calling.” He may also have a grander purpose in life that might not include a schmaltzy singing show – and there’s nothing wrong with that.  

Devin Velez – “Somos Novios (It’s Impossible)” (Perry Como): The bilingual 19-year-old has an ace in his pocket in his ability to croon in Spanish, but that’s a tactic he’ll want to use sparingly. You could say the same of red sweaters and bow-ties. But one thing is for sure: he has a fan in Mariah Carey, who said, “That performance was incredible.”

Vincent Powell – “End of the Road” (Boyz II Men): The 29-year-old’s choice in song may end up being prophetic, not because Vincent Powell had a bad performance, but due to the fact that he and Curtis Finch, Jr. are bound to cancel each other out. Still, Powell took it to church and up to heaven. He was singing Mariah Carey’s language, and while Keith astutely noted that “nerves got on top of talent,” it was the ultimate diva who would have the last word. Said Carey: “It was beyond.”

Who do you think is headed to season 12’s Top 10? Sound off on your favorites in the comments.

Twitter: @shirleyhalperin