American Idol recap: Solo Pups

The guys’ section of the Hollywood Round continued tonight with the solos, and while it was nowhere near the letdown of Wednesday’s group performance trainwreck, the hour-long ep did disappoint by showing some of my faves — like rocker/baker Gabe Brown and sign language teacher Nate Tao — get eliminated after we hadn’t even heard them sing. WTF?

Still, plenty of guys delighted tonight, and Nicki Minaj put a few drama queens in their places — so let’s zip through the highlights. While 28 guys remain, eight of them will be eliminated next Thursday following the girls’ round, leaving 20 guys and 20 girls in the Top 40.

Paul Jolley could barely keep it together as he wobbled onstage and started babbling as if he were the only truly nervous person in the theater. Jolley, please. Mariah Carey attempted to help matters by waving her hands in front of her face and sitting up straight as if conjuring up a savory-smelling potion of perfect posture, but even that didn’t work. Thankfully Paul’s nerves eased up as he confidentially made his way through “Blown Away” — his voice was big enough that I decided it was okay that he was wearing such a snazzy white suit for this event.

Nicki really let Paul have it afterwards, though, calling his defeated demeanor “such a turnoff” and begging for “just one minute of professionalism and focus.” He had the nerve to protest — did she have any idea how nervous he was? the most nervous person in history? — but she had no time for that ish. “Jolley. It’s ONE. MINUTE. For you to come onstage and take it off of your face.”

Seriously, Nicki? Thank you. This is the first time I’ve yelled “YES” at my TV at a Nicki-centric moment all season. More of this, please! (And if she could take a few hundred layers of makeup off her face that would also rule.)

NEXT: Nicki smacks down the tiny guy in search of a pity party Lazaro Arbos, looking like a law firm temp in his demure corporate-casual outfit, really amped up the drama for Lady Gaga’s “Edge of Glory.” We didn’t see much, but he sounded good. No visible nerves. Meanwhile, Curtis Finch, Jr. redefined “dramatic interpretation” with his pearl-clutching rendition of Christina Perri’s “Jar of Hearts,” making sure to end with a few seconds of 100 Percent Pure SobFace.

The judges made cuts after every eight singers. Paul, Lazaro, and Curtis step forward and are through! If the back row is never shown….did it really exist?

I’m so glad we got a spotlight segment for 18-year-old Chicago kid Devin Velez, who gushed about his standing O from Randy back in the a cappella round and dazzled the judges with a natural ease and expertise on “What a Wonderful World” in tonight’s solo. He packed in scores of solid rhythmic and pitch choices into just a few verses and seems to have that special something that just makes you wanna root for him. I loved when he closed his eyes and murmured “Thank you so much” after Keith Urban told Devin “You are born to sing — it’s what you do.” Awww!

Meanwhile, a guitar-strumming Gupreet Singh Sarin (“The Turbinator”), Cortez Shaw, and Adam Sanders sailed through the solo round along with Devin.

Eliminated: Enough with the sob story, Nicki Minaj decided re: the “just plain short” Mateus Fernandez, who fell apart during his solo because he’d never played with a band before. “I wasn’t given a chance to say this yesterday,” Nicki began — [HUGE MARIAH EYE ROLL] — “You were always making reference to your height. Sometimes things can go from being inspiring to becoming you wanting a pity party.” Yes! “You don’t have to milk that ever again.” Well, I’m not sure that’s true. There are plenty more reality TV shows as well as boring old real jobs for Mateus to conquer. Maybe some of them will appreciate the joke “I’m 22 years old, not 10.” Doubt it.

Jimmy Smith got some significant screen time with his country-tinged cover of “Landslide” — it was competent, and I liked how he took his time, but I wasn’t totally wowed despite his dog tags’ effort to hypnotize me. Jimmy advanced along with Johnny Keyser and Vincent Powell, whose solos were not shown.

NEXT: Nick Boddington and Charlie Askew stand out Eliminated: Nicolas Mathis, the warehouse worker with two kids who just couldn’t connect with the band and subsequently stomped off the stage after being cut, and tall, flavorful strip of bark Papa Peachez, whose Fab Factor had apparently been stifled by the doldrums of a reality singing competition. Nicki really took his complacency and “You and I” song choice to heart and nearly cried out of disappointment, but for me P.P. couldn’t get off the stage fast enough. “I just don’t like singing other people’s songs,” he nonchalanted to the camera. Cool, thanks for wasting everyone’s time.

Nick Boddington delivered my favorite solo of the night with “Stars,” starring himself on keyboard and his gentle tenor as a new reason to get excited about season 12 of Idol. This was probably the most understated and mature performance we’ve seen so far from anyone, so I’m pumped. Keith marveled at Nick’s ability to hit all those half-intervals in the song — “You either get ’em or you don’t, and you nailed ’em,” he told Nick.

Then Charlie Askew strutted out in a shiny oversize brown suit and bright blue sneaks, determined to get the lead out in a rousing and surprising cover of “Somebody That I Use To Know.” He made a smart move in using his optional mic time to explain that he dated a girl for almost two years (but I thought his only friends were birds?!?) and, two months later, still has hopes she won’t become a stranger. I couldn’t believe how at-ease he seemed onstage even while darting around and jabbing at the air with different limbs and at times entire sections of his body.

“You have this quirky thing that is so odd that it’s right,” said Nicki. “I glorify weirdness,” replied Charlie. So these two are on the same page. Until she eats him!

JDA (who wore a black veil this time for high drama) and Mathenee Treco also moved on in Charlie and Nick’s group, though we didn’t witness their solos.

Meanwhile, “Jar of Hearts” was the clear favorite song choice of the guys’ solo round — Burnell Taylor and Marvin Calderon both advanced after their impassioned covers. Burnell in particular impressed me this time — he really can do so much with that voice of his even while standing perfectly still and looking, as usual, like he’s about to doze off. Marvin showcased a gorgeous falsetto at the end of his tryout.

Eliminated: Micah Johnson, Gabe Brown, Sanni M’mairura, and Nate Tao

“You won! You won!” Nicki congratulated the 28 non-winners before her.

Which guy was your favorite tonight? Are you as upset as I am about Gabe and Nate?

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