So how do we feel about the “American Idol” Top 20?
The judges exercised their last real power until the wild card picks on Thursday, picking half of the final group of guys and constituting the Top 20 that viewers will finally get to choose among next week.
By now I’ve paid much more attention to the women than the men and what I’ve seen so far is they have the edge, though in its recent waning years, those who are apt to win are cute, soft-spoken guys whom presumably young female voters favor. Even those who lost Thursday seemed to enjoy the opportunity — and the chance to kiss Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj good bye.
Of chose chosen Thursday, the Turbinator — Gurpreet Singh Sarin of Maryland — is out, and the stuttering guy Lazaro Arbos is in. Next week, they’ll be halved again after votes next week to make the Top 10, after the women perform next Tuesday and the men sing on Wednesday. But for now, here’s how the 20 shape up:
The guys who got through and will sing next Wednesday are:
- Lazaro Arbos, 21, Naples, Fla., the stuttering guy
- Charlie Askew, 18, Little Rock, Ark.
- Nick Boddington, 27, Memphis
- Curtis Finch Jr., 25, St. Louis
- Paul Jolley, 23, Palmersville Tenn.
- Elijah Liu, 18, Rowland Heights, Calif.
- Vincint Powell, 29, Austin
- Cortez Shaw, 22 Dallas
- Burnell Taylor 19, New Orleans
- Devin Velez, 18, Chicago
The women who got through and will be singing Tuesday:
- Janelle Arthur, 23, Oliver Springs, Tenn.
- Aubrey Cleland, 19, West Linn, Ore.
- Candice Glover, 23, St. Helena Island, S.C.
- Kree Harrison, 22, Nashville
- Amber Holcomb, 18, Houston
- Zoanette Johnson, 20, Tulsa
- Adriana Latonio, 17, Anchorage
- Angela Miller, 19, Beverly, Mass.
- Breanna Steer, 18, LaPlace, La.
- Tenna Torres, 29, Queens, N.Y.