Curtains for the Ukrainian Idol?

The 1990s were the first full decade that I lived through with the radio on, so when the ’90s theme was introduced tonight, I got excited at first. Until I remembered that the decade wasn’t all that memorable for traditional rock-n-roll or pop music. Sure, there was the whole Seattle-based grunge scene, as Constantine mentioned tonight. But that doesn’t mesh with most of the Idol wannabes. Neither does hip-hop, which was beginning to hit its stride during the decade. So what’s left to pick from?

The contenders managed to come up with some pretty good songs, though after tonight’s show, it’s sad to say that some of those songs may be ruined forever.

After a low-key performance last week, BO BICE was at his audacious on-stage antics again, taking on “Remedy” by the Black Crowes. The choice of headwear was a bit odd – a Holstein-colored cowboy hat that he dropped on Paula’s head after jumping onto the judges’ table – and along with his table-hopping, it actually detracted from his song a bit.

Which may not have been a bad thing – Bo’s show wasn’t nearly as electric as his rendition of “Spinning Wheel” two weeks ago, or “Whipping Post” in the semifinals. It probably would have helped him to have a band on-stage to play with. Still, Bo should have no problem sailing through to the next round. With enough solid performances in the bank, he is one of the few contestants that can deliver an OK act and survive another week.

JESSICA SIERRA tackled one of the more obscure Leann Rimes songs, “On the Side of Angels,” which was probably a mistake. Jessica wants to be a country girl – she was planning a move to Nashville before striking gold with Idol – but that role has already clearly been staked out by Carrie Underwood. And Jessica doesn’t have the range to impress with a Leann Rimes ballad. She does have a powerful voice, but it’s best put to use on songs like “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” which she nailed last week.

Simon surprised his cohorts, and undoubtedly millions of viewers, when he opined that Jessica doesn’t have the likability factor of some of the other contestants. I’m not so sure – she flirts with the camera (in almost a hard-to-get kind of way) with the best of them, and very little so far has been more fun to watch than her performance of “The Boys Are Back” in the semifinals.

Perhaps what Simon meant to say is that all that is likable about Jessica was missing from her performance tonight, as simply standing still at a microphone and singing doesn’t showcase a lot of her strengths. She may earn another ticket to the bottom three, though it would be surprising (and a shame) to see her booted so soon.

ANWAR ROBINSON mixed things up a bit by starting his song out in the crowd near the judges’ table before returning to the stage to finish R. Kelly’s “I Believe I Can Fly.” Blessed with one of the best voices in the competition, Anwar choked tonight. The first half of the song was hideous, and he was deservedly bashed by both Randy and Simon. He tried to save it at the end by belting out the big notes, which earned praise from all three judges, but it came off as a man trying to show off his pipes rather than sing a song.

Two weeks ago, I predicted Anwar would be in the final four. Now, I’m not so sure. Based on tonight’s performances, he may find himself in the bottom three, though he should have the opportunity to redeem himself next week.

NADIA TURNER needed a big performance to erase the memory of last week’s horrid take on Cyndi Lauper. Performing Melissa Etheridge’s “I’m the Only One” was an interesting choice, but she definitely made it work. It was not her best effort – her version of “Try a Little Tenderness” from the semifinals is still one of the highlights of the entire competition – but it was one of the best of the night. (But c’mon, Nadia – I know you’re the artsy-fartsy sort, but if you’re going to sing something edgy like that, try and dress the part.)

Nadia is another contestant that I predicted would make the final four, but her showing last week threw her chances off course. And while she recovered nicely tonight, I wouldn’t be entirely shocked if the standoffishness she showed during last week’s results show still has a residual effect on the voters.

Before tonight, I would have guessed that CONSTANTINE MAROULIS could be in danger of being the next to go, though the fact that he hasn’t landed in the bottom three yet may indicate that I may be out of touch with the rest of the country in regards to the New York rocker. Like Mikalah, Constantine has survived thus far more on raw charisma than talent.

But tonight, he did show some talent. He spoke glowingly about the Seattle grunge scene in his interview clip, and I fully expected him to rock out to something from Nirvana or Pearl Jam. Instead, he came out with a take on Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” (Idol addicts may recognize this as the song that Carrie sang during her St. Louis audition.) It wasn’t terribly good, but it was much better than some of the night’s other performances, so Constantine will easily make it through another week.

NIKKO SMITH ditched the expensive threads in favor of ripped jeans and a graffiti-covered jacket for his take on Tevin Campbell’s “Can We Talk.” The duds were similar to what he wore in his return performance two weeks ago, though he did a far better job this time around (not quite as good as his Sisqo impression of a week ago, however). He showed an excellent stage presence, though the song’s high notes sounded a bit forced.

Based on tonight’s performance, he should be safe for another week. However, since he already has been voted off once, it wouldn’t surprise me to see him in the bottom three, a place where he doesn’t deserve to be just yet.

ANTHONY FEDOROV was just dreadful. The boy must have been reading all the reviews and various blogs that wanted him to ditch his glasses, because the specs were gone. Bad idea. The lime green shirt was gruesome, as was just about every note in the song, Elton John’s “The Way You Look Tonight.” Several spots in the song made me cringe, just as Simon did before launching into his blistering critique in which he called it “absolutely excruciating.”

Unfortunately, that’s exactly what it was. Anthony has a great underdog story and is an easy kid to root for, and Simon even seemed to feel guilty about slamming the performance. But it had to be slammed. Perhaps because of Simon’s comments, or maybe even because he knew he was awful, Anthony looked to be near tears up on stage (so did Paula in trying to defend him).

This could be the end of the line for Anthony, who landed in last week’s bottom three after what was a far superior performance. He has consistently struggled to open his songs, though has generally found his groove and saved the performance. Not much could save him tonight, though.

No matter who your favorite is, it’s just about impossible not to like CARRIE UNDERWOOD. The country girl from Oklahoma has arguably the best voice in the competition. She was my favorite coming out of the auditions, and Simon has anointed her a couple of times as a likely winner.

She didn’t do anything tonight to change that. She repeated a song she sang during her final Hollywood audition, “Independence Day” by Martina McBride. A great song, to be sure, though I’m not excited about hearing it again from someone who’s already done it. Unless that someone is Carrie. Taking on Martina McBride, who has by far the most powerful voice in country music, is incredibly ambitious, and Carrie is the only one in the competition capable of pulling it off. And she did tonight.

It wasn’t perfect – the opening was a little shaky, and at one point it appeared that Carrie forgot where she was in the song (the same thing happened to her in her first Hollywood audition). And she still lags behind the remaining three female contestants and most of the men as well when it comes to stage presence. But that shouldn’t hurt her too much – when you look and sound like Carrie, stage presence is simply superfluous (as anyone who has seen Faith Hill perform can attest).

Oh, and as an aside, even seeing her dad cleaning out shotguns wouldn’t be enough to drive me off.

As easy on the eyes as Carrie is, SCOTT SAVOL is at the extreme other end of the spectrum. Despite Ryan Seacrest’s best attempts – by now, I’m so sick of the “Scotty the Body” references – Scott has failed to deliver to those of us who keep waiting for him to grow a personality. He has almost zero stage presence, given that his only move is the vastly overused one-arm reach.

It’s too bad, because he has a marvelous voice, and when you simply go off the audio feed, it is certainly enjoyable to listen to him sing. But not tonight. Scott’s one of the few performers that simply cannot afford to not be great, and he wasn’t even in the ballpark of OK with his crooning of Brian McKnight’s “One Last Cry.” The song requires a certain amount of soul to be injected to it, and Scott can’t bring that.

It also didn’t help that he picked an outfit that appeared to be a pair of pajamas. I would advise him to get a good night’s sleep tonight, because it very well could be his last as an Idol contender. It will be a stunning upset if Scott avoids the bottom three. Since he hasn’t been there yet, he may still survive, and if he does, he should be able to thank Anthony.

VONZELL SOLOMON’s performance was stunning before she sang the first note, owing to the natural beauty she brings to the stage every night and the form-fitting black dress she brought on this night. Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing” was a genuine risk, for no other reason than Whitney had one of the most remarkable voices of the early ’90s. Vonzell did fine through the first verse, but then sounded remarkable in her own right once she hit the chorus.

So far, Vonzell has built her fan base on the sense of fun she brings to the show, as Simon alluded to last week. She seems to genuinely enjoy every minute she gets on stage, and knows how to play to the cameras. But tonight, she put the spotlight on her vocals, and that was a smart move – she has emerged as a serious contender.

Barring another graphics glitch, we should find out soon who will be joining Lindsey Cardinale and Mikalah Gordon on the interview circuit. I can’t imagine it being anyone other than Anthony or Scott. Both should be locks for the bottom three. I would send Anwar there with them, though I fear it may be Jessica instead. Neither of those too, however, should be too worried. I’m willing to give Scott one last chance, and my gut tells me America will also. But it looks like Anthony has run out of chances.