pop it out

So it's Gwen Stefani night and we're off to an early start. And here we go.

1. LaKisha Jones...it's pop week, and she's opting for a Donna Summer classic. Wow. What a surprise.
Me: Here's the thing with LaKisha...we always know she's going to give a solid performance. I even missed part of her song and still jumped in in time to get the inevitable judges' comments. The song is nothing outside the genre we'd expect out of her, and she delivered in the manner we've grown to expect. I still worry about her ability to cross over into country week, for example. But luckily she doesn't have to worry about that yet.
Song: "Last Dance"
Randy: "You did that like a true fly diva there. That was hot."
Paula: "Excellent job."
Simon: "I love those boots."
Score: 7/10

2. Chris Sligh...he's lucky enough to get a viewer question: How much down time do you have and how do you spend it? Hahaha. Chris is such a trickster. He starts off by claiming he likes to knit...but then adds he's just joking. Actually he likes to sleep. And curl his hair. OK, now I'm joking.
Song: "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic"
Me: I had high expectations for this performance, but it's really slow and Chris seems a little ahead of the music. Or a lot ahead of the music. And he just looks uncomfortable on the stage. I'd like this a lot more if Chris actually worked with the band. Instead, he seems to be in his own world. A very slow, breathless, uncomfortable world. The highlight? We got another shot of his hot wife. Why didn't SHE try out?
Randy: "Rhythmically the band was at one tempo and you were always at another tempo."
Paula: "Vocally, it sat really nice...but man, you've got to hear that beat."
Simon: "I thought it was a mess, to be honest with you, Chris."
Score: 4/10

3. Gina Glocksen...she says she's "a mess" upon working with Gwen Stefani.
Song: "I'll Stand by You"
Me: This is good...definitely better than Gina's take on "Paint it Black" last week. Eww. Anyway, I like it. Make no mistake, though. It's nothing in the league of, say, Melinda Doolittle. But I like it. And I think Gina has a real chance in advancing in this competition. Like I always say, she's a guilty pleasure. And this performance, in all its emotionally charged vulnerability, should do nothing but help her momentum.
Randy: "I thought this was one of your best performances ever."
Paula: "You're coming into your own as an artist."
Simon: "It was your best performance."
Score: 7/10