Stefano Langone Slays ‘When a Man Loves a Woman’ on ‘American Idol’

No one doubts Stefano Langone's ability to hit the biggest notes and tonight on 'American Idol,' Langone took on Percy Sledge's lovelorn classic, 'When a Man Loves a Woman,' and he slayed it. While the judges have expressed concern about his tendency to sound a little too "Broadway," Langone slayed something else tonight: any misconceptions that he isn't a front-runner for the title of next 'American Idol.'

Performing with advice from will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas to lead the song, Langone begins the song in a falsetto style and shifts registers. But when he hit his stride, Langone emoted, making eye contact and displaying feeling like it was his job. When he sang the signature "Baby, please don't treat me bad" line, you'd have to be a corpse not to have felt it. He ended on a lower note; while not perfect, it worked.

Jennifer Lopez was stunned, proclaiming, "Baby, I knew you had it in you. That was beautiful. That had another layer of emotion like you were singing about somebody. It was magic." Randy Jackson was a bit mixed and wasn't "jumping up and down over it." However, he was the lone dissenter, as Steven Tyler praised Langone for his "old timey-ness."

Nice job, Stefano. Now take all the advice from the judges and your mentors and take it to the next level!

Watch Stefano Langone Perform Percy Sledge's 'When a Man Loves a Woman'