American Idol 2018 Top 24 Group 2 Duets Recap: Stars Emerge

The second half of the American Idol 2018 Top 24 took to the stage for their duet rounds, and we saw some new stars shine. By the end of the night only seven of them moved on to the Top 14, and the judges made mostly the right decisions this time around. I think. Maybe.

As always, I’ll be reviewing each performance and assigning the letter grade I think each one deserves.

Caleb Lee Hutchinson and Bebe Rexha, “Meant To Be.” I had a really hard time understanding what he was singing at the start, but it got better, you k now when Bebe joined in. She definitely stole the show here. Caleb is just another country singer with nothing new or unique. He’s good, but for American Idol I’d like to see someone a little more innovative. Grade: B

Ada Vox and Lea Michele, “Defying Gravity.” That was a weird pairing because they sounded the same. It was a good performance, but I could hardly tell who was who on that. Regardless, Ada is a great singer and her confidence and energy continues to surge. Grade: A

Maddie Poppe and Colbie Caillat, “Bubbly.” This wasn’t the most exciting song choice, but it was a happy little performance. I felt like Maddie was definitely a little concerned during it, but I think she’s a natural star and she could really do well in the business. Grade: A-

Ron Bultongez and Banners, “Someone To You.” I could see Ron really trying to have a presence with this performance. And it was better, but he was still just kind of harsh to watch. I liked the song and it definitely picked up as it went along. It was kind of like the first half was a C and the second half was an A. Grade: B

Amelia Harris and Bebe Rexha, “Me Myself & I.” Like Ron, I feel like Amelia is hard to connect with. I think she’s very talented and has the right look and feel, but I just find her hard to get into. And I don’t think this was the right song for her. Grade: B

Shannon O’Hara and Cam, “Burning House.” And the third person in a row that is just hard to connect to. Shannon, this whole time, has just seemed so closed off on stage. Her vocals are great and she has a passion for this, but something is just always missing. Grade: B+

Alyssa Raghu and Banners, “Yellow.” I feel like that was way more boring than it should have been. Also, I think Alyssa was trying to deliver something to keep her in the competition and it showed. It came off as unnatural and overdone. Grade: B

Marcio Donaldson and Allen Stone, “What’s Going On.” Well, first of all I am SUPER bummed he didn’t get to sing with Toni Braxton. That would have been amazing. But it’s Marcio so I knew he was going to be just fine. It was still amazing without Toni. Marcio is just a flawless performer. And this song was right up his alley. The way he played off Allen was incredible. He’s perfect. Grade: A+

Jurnee and Lea Michele, “Run To You.” I got bored during this, but like I said last night, Jurnee is such an effortless singer, she could sing pretty much anything. And the way she commands a stage mean she’s a natural. She’s a star in the making for sure. Grade: A

Garrett Jacobs and Colbie Caillat, “Lucky.” This was also a bit boring, but it was sweet. Garrett did a good job singing a song to someone not his girlfriend and having chemistry. That’s a sign of a good performer. So even though I was bored, I appreciate the quality of this duet. Grade: A-

Mara Justine and Rachel Platten, “Fight Song.” If anyone had an doubts about Mara, this should have erased them. The past two nights were the moments she needed to really get into this competition. Her vocals were spot on and the emotion she brought to it was pretty great. This was one of the best performances of the night. Grade: A+

Effie Passero and Cam, “Diane.” Another last-minute duet change. This one seems a bit unfair since she’s not a country singer. I think she got the shaft. But anyway, the vocals were solid and Effie seemed to make the best of the curveball. I like her a lot and wish she had the chance to show us more. Grade: A-