“American Idol” came up with its Top 13 finalists Thursday, which as a whole didn’t look like the most promising bunch, dominated by pale guys with guitars and belting women, it looked like females had the edge for the second year in a row.
The method from 30 to 13 this week went like this: After voters determined the 30th choice Tuesday, judges chose 10 of the five females to sing one night, and 10 of the males the next night. So that’s 10 trimmed without a whimper right there.
Viewers voted on who sang and half went on to the finals.
Of the Top 12, nine are from the South — four from Florida and three from Alabama. Two are from suburban Detroit; just one is from California. None are from New York, only one is from New England, with nobody else from the Eastern Seaboard.
They were, in order: Malaya Watson, 16, of Southfield, Mich.; Ben Briley, 24, of Gallatin, Tenn.; Emily Piriz, 18, of Orlando, Fla.; Alex Preston, 20, of Mont Vernon, N.H.; the singer with a red streak, Jessica Meuse, 23, of Slapout, Ala.; Dexter Roberts, 22, of Fayette, Ala.; Meat Loaf doppelganger Caleb Johnson, 22, of Asheville N.C.; Majesty Rose, 21, of Goldsboro, N.C.; MK Nobilette, 20, San Francisco; and Sam Woolf, 17, of Bradenton, Fla.
Five of the 10 not chosen get to perform for a chance to get three wild card slots. The winners are Jena Irene, 17, of Farmington Hills, Mich.; Kristen O’Connor, 24, of Sebastian, Fla., and CJ Harris, 23 of Jasper, Ala.
The two who sang but are going home are Spencer Lloyd and Bria Anai.
Viewers have already shown its lack of interest in the finalists: Ratings Thursday were one of the lowest in show history, with just 9.2 million viewers.
Next week, the Top 13 sing songs that show “this is me,” a network press release says. Thursday, one will be sent home an last year’s winner will sing, Candice Glover, as will Jake Bugg.