‘American Idol’ Recap: Las Vegas Sudden Death, Round 3

On tonight’s (Feb. 27) edition of ‘American Idol,’ 10 female contestants graced the stage for another sudden death round – meaning that 5 were eliminated, while the remaining 5 moved on.

Judge Keith Urban remarked that the diversity of tonight’s batch of singers was incredible, offering a variety of different styles and personalities. Read on to find out how the ladies fared in this crucial night of the competition.

THE PERFORMANCES:

Melinda Ademi: This 19-year-old New Yorker previously appeared on Season 10 of ‘Idol,’ where her family’s story about Kosovo was featured. Tonight, she sang Jessie J’s ‘Nobody’s Perfect’. The judges agreed that her performance was subpar at best. “I don’t know if you had enough big moments in there,” said Randy Jackson.

Candice Glover: Also a returning ‘Idol’ contestant, Glover delivered a bold performance of Aretha Franklin’s ‘(You Make Me Feel Like) a Natural Woman’ that earned a standing O from Urban. Maybe she learned a thing or two from her past appearances on the show, because her confidence really made her stand out against her peers. “Your confidence is worth a billion words,” said Nicki Minaj. “You’re one of my favorites in the whole competition this year,” declared Jackson.

Juliana Chaheyed: This wispy, charming 15-year-old sang Demi Lovato’s ‘Skyscraper,’ equipped with an acoustic guitar that appeared to weigh more than she did. The judges praised her vocal skills, and Urban even likened her to Jewel and Taylor Swift. Mariah Carey called her “celestial.”

Jett Hermano: Incredibly driven and self-motivated, Hermano left behind a full ride to the University of Washington to pursue music. Tonight, she performed her own version of Rihanna’s ‘Only Girl (In the World)’ at the piano, slowing it down quite a bit from the well-known original. Urban praised her for “taking a song and making it your own,” but Minaj was disappointed. “I thought it was going to climax to something and I never felt that,” she said. Randy agreed that he was waiting for a big, explosive moment that never came. Mariah called her a “unique addition to this contest. There’s something different about you, and I’m not sure exactly where you’re gonna take it.”

Cristabel Clack: This worship leader and mother of three sang Alicia Keys’ ‘No One,’ showing off her signature raspy tone that Urban described as a “soul, croaky, cool thing.” Her performance earned her a standing ovation from Jackson, but he was the only judge who seemed to absolutely love it.

Aubrey Cleland: Read about her performance here.

Rachel Hale: Read about her performance here.

Breanna Steer: This poised Louisiana native belted out Jazmine Sullivan’s ‘Bust Your Windows’ and left quite an impression on the judges. “I love the song, despite its violent nature … You made me believe you could literally bust the windows out of my car,” said Urban. “You were just performing like you were an artist at your own show. You’re giving me sexy on a stick right now,” complimented Minaj. Carey also praised the song choice and the presentation. All of the panelists loved her marketability, much like they did with Aubrey Cleland. Minaj even suggested that the girls team up and collaborate.

Janelle Arthur: A country girl through and through, Arthur performed Lady Antebellum’s ‘Just a Kiss’ tonight. Urban criticized her song choice, stating that it works much better with a group of three vocalists instead of just one. Jackson said, “You are my favorite country singer in this competition” but also agreed that the Lady A tune wasn’t a perfect fit for her.

Zoanette Johnson: Read about her performance here.

THE VERDICT:

Moving On:
-Zoanette Johnson
-Aubrey Cleland
-Candice Glover
-Breanna Steer
-Janelle Arthur

Going Home:
-Melinda Ademi
-Juliana Chaheyed
-Cristabel Clack
-Jett Hermano
-Rachel Hale

Be sure to tune in to ‘American Idol’ tomorrow night (Feb. 28) for the next sudden death round!

Watch Candice Glover Perform ‘(You Make Me Feel Like) a Natural Woman’ on 'American Idol'

Watch Breanna Steer Perform 'Bust Your Windows' on 'American Idol'

Watch Janelle Arthur Perform 'Just a Kiss' on 'American Idol'