My Australian Idol update’s coming a little late this week, as I only arrived home from Brisbane late last night. More on that later, but for now here’s what went down when the final four tackled Hits from the USA, under the thoughtful and hilarious guidance of Chris Isaak.
Wes Carr kicked us off with a rocking number from The Killers. “When You Were Young” isn’t my favourite song in the world, but I think Wes’ passion brought it into a new, bigger space. He commits to every song 110%, and I think that’s why he’s soaring through this competition. Wes clearly relished the opportunity to sing two songs, choosing something completely different for his final performance. We’ve all heard “What a Wonderful World” a zillion times, but his stripped back acoustic take brought new life to this American classic. At this point I think it’s safe to say that Wes can do no wrong.
Someone who can do wrong is Teale Jakubenko. When he’s good he’s very very good, but when he’s not he’s mediocre. Unfortunately despite two song choices, Teale couldn’t do anything to really impress me tonight. His version of “No Such Thing” lacked the edge and passion he really needed to emote the lyric. And while Justin Timberlake might be the flavour of the month amongst young girls, I don’t think Teale did himself any favours by picking “What Goes Around.” It was competent, but competent doesn’t earn you a place in the top three.
Mark Spano made some brave choices this week, and I think they paid off. First up he tackled one of Chris’ own songs, the throbbing “Baby Did a Bad, Bad Thing.” This song is incredibly difficult to sing but Mark managed to nail the falsetto chorus and the sultry verses. Next up he showed us his sensitive side with REM’s monster ballad “Everybody Hurts.” I loved the grit in his voice, and the passion of his delivery. Mark is definitely peaking at the right end of the season.
It was a mixed night for lovable shearer Luke Dickens. His first song choice, “With Arms Wide Open” by Creed, was spot on. Luke channelled all the emotion he felt about the birth of his son into this moving ballad. I’ve never really liked this song either, but I loved it tonight. That’s the mark of a true performer. But it was a different story for his second song. “One of These Nights” by The Eagles is one of my favourite songs. But Luke just cruised right on through it, with none of the intensity and storytelling this classic slice of rock deserved. That could be the most lacklustre end to an Idol show ever.
After a night which saw some great performances, and some not so great ones, I think Teale’s number might be up. After so many weeks in the bottom three, he always needed to pull out something sensational to stay. He didn’t.
Image source: Paul Goyette @ Flickr