“Songs of inspiration” is the theme tonight as the singers on American Idol help flog the top-rated show’s Idol Gives Back charity fundraiser (airing Wednesday night). What’s the over-under on how many minutes into the show before wee David Archuleta croons “Wind Beneath My Wings”?

Hey, it’s guest Remote Island blogger Randy Salas here.

I’m only half-kidding about little Davie’s song choice, but two things are for certain: (1) Someone will surely sing that inspirational warhorse tonight. (If not Archuleta, Syesha Mercado?) (2) Archuleta’s predictability could be threatening his status as the odds-on fave to win the competition.

Actually, I’m pumped for David Cook to win it all, lately. The rocker has slowly and steadily been proving that talent and performances can win out over flash and looks. The recent brouhaha over his doing other artists’ arrangements of songs is much ado about nothing. Big Dave has been forthcoming in citing whose work he has borrowed, even when the show’s producers might have glossed over it in editing. He has been following the formula that I’ve always suggested: Once you know the theme, find an artist in your style who has covered it and cover their version instead of the original. It seems to be working.

Michael Johns has the best other shot to win. The Aussie has loads of music experience, but he hasn’t been able to parlay that where it counts: on the show. He’s been coming on stronger in recent weeks, so here’s hoping it continues. It seems obvious at this point that the winner will be a guy. The ladies simply aren’t stronger than this trio.

As for the ladies, I adore chanteuse Brooke White, but she has been inconsistent and took a horrible turn when she landed in the Bottom 3 last week. Carly Smithson has had the inside track based on her professional music background, but she simply has not been able to click with mainstream viewers. I wonder if she would fare better if she dressed more appropriately, as Simon Cowell suggested. Translation: Cover up those tattoos!

The overly braided Jason Castro, I fear, has peaked. That’s not to say that he won’t be successful later, but it doesn’t look as if he has far to go on the show.  Neither do Syesha Mercado and Kristy Lee Cook, who has been among the Bottom 2 for, like, 53 times now. She is waaay overdue and should be going this week.

What do you think of how things are shaping up so far on Season 7 of American Idol? 

Note: If you’re curious in advance about what songs will be performed tonight, TMZ has been posting a spoiler list in the late afternoon each Tuesday in the form of a photo gallery, based on a spy’s report. (It has to be some freelancer in that overstocked band.)

Another note: Come back tonight for my recap as soon as the show ends.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 8th, 2008 at 2:18 pm and is filed under American Idol. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.