Guest blogger Chloe Patterson finishes the week:
Ryan opens the show saying that this is a second chance miracle.
The three empty stools have center stage and are surrounded by the contestants who have already been voted through: Danny Gokey, Alexis Grace, Michael Sarver, Adam Lambert, Allison Iraheta, Kris Allen, Lil Rounds, Jorge Nuñez, and Scott MacIntyre. The judges have decided who will compete tonight and will later choose who will go through.
Jesse Langseth is singing first and performs “Tell Me Something Good”. It’s a decent performance, but not much more. The judges really like her but aren’t sold on the song.
Matt Giraud is up next and sings The Jackson 5’s “Who’s Loving You”. It’s a great performance. The riffs are a bit over the top, but at least we know he can do riffs. After his performance two weeks ago, this performance was going to make people either love or hate him. His performance tonight was definitely good enough to make most people support him. It’s a great song for him and he says he’s been singing it forever, which is obvious because he seems so confident.
Kara almost guarantees that Megan Joy Corkrey is advancing after her performance of “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” by saying that they need her. It’s a solid performance and she does the floppy-arm-Corkrey thing again while she’s performing. Her vocals aren’t amazing, but she can sing. All the judges really like her.
One of the contestants who was just eliminated last night, Von Smith, sings “Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word”. The performance is just alright, but there are some parts in which he’s almost believable. The judges think he’s becoming boring and dark. Those aren’t good comments to receive when the judges are deciding who goes through.
Jasmine Murray’s performance of “Reflection” is a bit shocking. She has a big voice, but didn’t use it when she performed before. She is soo much better than last time, but still not really good. The judges like her overall and Simon says she put herself back in the running.
When Ryan announces that Ricky Braddy is singing “Superstition”, a lot of people are probably thinking that he’s crazy. I wouldn’t forgive him if he murdered the song, but he doesn’t. It’s actually very strong vocally. While Kara and Paula think he did well, Simon and Randy are disappointed.
Ryan calls Tatiana “you-know-who”. That suits her. Tatiana Del Toro sings “Saving All My Love For You” by Whitney Houston. Thank goodness it isn’t amazing because now there isn’t any justification if the judges send her through. Tatiana compares herself to Jorge saying that she thinks in Spanish when she’s emotional, too. How does she talk then? Oh wait, she doesn’t, she just says two words and acts like a drama queen… Simon is annoyed that she’s sung this song twice already and thinks her claim that she couldn’t get another song approved in time is rubbish. At least her performances lead to some really funny and intense bantering between her and the judges.
Anoop Desai is the final contestant to sing tonight. He tells us that “‘Noop Dog is back and here to stay”. Yay! He sings “My Prerogative”, which is a repeat from Hollywood Week, but the judges don’t mind because he sings it so much better this time. Everyone in the studio loves him and Simon has to stop the clapping before he can compare Anoop to an enthusiastic dog. Simon does, however, say that the judges have to cast the finalists for personality - not just vocal ability. Randy calls Anoop ‘Noop Brown Dog saying that he is like Bobby Brown’s cousin. Anoop is definitely a Tar Heel. He tells Kara that if he, as a Carolina guy, could make her, a Duke girl, dance, then…(implied yay). After his performance, Anoop says he loves Chapel Hill and is thinking of Eve because it’s a tough day. Ryan has no clue, but that’s ok, because we do and we remember Eve.
The results part of tonight’s show begins with Ryan brining Jasmine Murray down to the stage. Randy says that after a lot of deliberation, she will be joining the other finalists. Ricky Braddy is next to learn his fate. Kara tells him that although he showed more personality, it wasn’t enough and that he won’t be a finalist.
Megan Joy Corkrey and Tatiana Del Toro are brought down to the stage together. Paula emphasizes that this is a platform for the contestants before announcing that Megan is a finalist and that Tatiana has been eliminated. Thank goodness. Paula tries to console Tatiana as she begins to have a meltdown and begs at the judges’ table. Paula says that she could be an actress. Yeah, ok.
Simon tells Jesse Langseth that she will not be a finalist. Von Smith then learns from Paula that he will not be a finalist, either.
Matt Giraud and Anoop Desai are the final contestants to be brought down to the stage. Simon tells Matt he’s through. While a million people’s jaws drop, Simon tells Anoop that they have very recently decided that there will be a Top 13 this year - and Anoop is one of those thirteen finalists! Anoop is totally shocked and Paula is crying.
Ryan says that it is the first Top 13 ever on the show. Kanye West and Kelly Clarkson will appear on the show soon. Next week, the real show begins with the Top 13 competing as Season 8’s finalists.
Assistant Features Editor Adrienne Johnson Martin would like to have her life turned into an animated cartoon. 
