Casey Abrams Takes a Risk With ‘Nature Boy’ on ‘American Idol’

Casey Abrams made a bold choice on 'American Idol' last night. He originally elected to perform Nat King Cole's 'Nature Boy,' which appeared in the musical 'Moulin Rouge.' Then on the advice of mentor Jimmy Iovine, he changed his mind and was planning to attempt Phil Collins' 'In the Air Tonight.' Abrams ultimately flipped again and went with the slow-burning, intimate and controlled Nat King Cole song, accompanied by his stand up bass and a piano. While Iovine disagreed with Abrams' move, the singer's instincts turned out to be right.

With a newly trimmed beard and hair, Abrams got a standing ovation from the crowd and judges for his quietly powerful performance. While the song choice was undoubtedly risky, since it seemed to be something that would be unpopular or indigestible for a young, pop-leaning crowd, Jennifer Lopez praised Abrams for sticking to his guns since he is an unconventional, jazz-type artist. That in and of itself makes Abrams a delightful anomaly this season. Lopez likened him to Norah Jones in scope, pushing boundaries and crossing lines that eventually yield huge rewards.

Abrams himself referenced this year's Best New Artist Grammy winner Esperanza Spalding, who beat out the oh-so-popular Justin Bieber for the Grammy gold, as an inspiration. He couldn't have been more right on. Popular music doesn't need to be so ... pop.

Watch Casey Abrams Perform 'Nature Boy'