Season 22 recap – vote for the best 8

Amna: Abi Carter

After wrapping up the show last night, Abby took the stage at the opening ceremony on Monday, where he delivered a surprisingly lackluster rendition of Taylor Swift's “All Too Well.” Not only was it generally more zany than some of Abby's recent performances, but those bigger moments were tougher. We support Katy Perry's idea that Abby should stick to the angelic tones that made us fall in love with her voice in the first place.

TVLINE Score: “B-“

Safe: Will Mosley

Speaking of tips we can get behind, Meghan Trainor suggested that, thankfully, we'll try to have a little more fun on stage this week. There was a lighter, more confident energy (if that's possible) in his performance of Chris Stapleton's “Starting Over,” which he growled to perfection. If country music is your favorite music, we can't imagine you came away with any complaints.

TVLINE Score: “a”

Eliminated: Jaina Elise

First of all, Jayna was part of Kidz Bop?! Did we know this?! Sorry, this takes a lot of processing.

Then again, Jayna's entire performance required a lot of processing – on very good way. We still remember La'Porsha Renae's famous take on Rihanna's “Diamonds” in Season 15, and we weren't sure how Jayna would compare. Friends, we are happy to inform you that it has been compared big-time. This girl is truly an undeniable star, and she is absolutely crushing it. It was also nice to dedicate this performance to the late, great Willie Spence, for whom “Diamonds” was the signature song of his tenure. Idol Being.

TVLINE Score: “a”

Amna: Mia Matthews

This queen of country got another jewel in her crown with a stunning performance of “Over You” by Miranda Lambert. The weatherman may have called for snow, but Mia's voice was clear and sunny as she moved effortlessly between the song's lighter and more dramatic moments.

TVLINE Score: “a-“

Eliminated: Roman Collins

In one of the most daring moves of the night, Roman sat down at the piano for a simple rendition of Katy Perry's “Roar,” and the congregation did not say “amen.” His decision to switch the melody did not pay off as he had hoped, and the first half of the song suffered as a result. We appreciated his last ditch effort to save himself, as he grabbed the mic and transitioned into gospel mode, but it was too little, too late.

TVLINE Score: “B-”

Safe: Jack Blocker

Fun choices are fun! Jack gave us a little different flavor on Monday with his unique rendition of The Weeknd's “Blinding Lights.” (Side note: Meghan Trainor's comment about how she spent money on Jack's cover made us nostalgic for the days when that was a reality. Bring it back, Idol!) Using every facial expression in his arsenal, Jack tapped into the emotion of the song, delivering a version we never expected to hear.

TVLINE Score: “a-“

Safe: Amy Russell

We may be in the minority, but this was actually one of our favorite moments of this season from Emmys. “Lose You to Love Me” wasn't the most comprehensive selection, as some of Selena Gomez's songs are, but it was nice to hear Amy play a simpler tune and deliver a more grounded, powerful performance. We can see her confidence growing, which is exciting.

TVLINE Score: “B+”

Safe: Triston Harper

No more hip shaking for this little Elvis! Triston slowed down to his usual pace for a heartfelt performance of Luke Combs' “Beautiful Crazy,” which he dedicated to his girlfriend. It certainly won't be remembered as one of Triston's best moments of the season, but it was still pretty good.

TVLINE Score: “B+”

Safe: Julia Gagnon

After wowing us on Sunday night, Julia returns to the stage with another heart-breaking song, Zack Bryan's “Something in the Orange.” Even without knowing her personal connection to the song, you could feel every ounce of pain as she delivered those words, compounded by every emotional gallop and growl.

TVLINE Score: “a”

Safe: Kyberin

Second only to Emmy, none of the Season 22 finalists fell victim to their nerves quite like Caibrian, whose performance of Miley Cyrus' “Wrecking Ball” was certainly hampered by the pressure of the evening. However, the mega fan of Meghan Trainor took many of her mentor's top tips to heart and definitely pushed herself beyond her comfort zone this week — and we can appreciate that kind of risk.

TVLINE Score: “B”

Safe: McKenna Faith Breinholt

Still out in the bad weather (and unable to meet Meghan Trainor in person), McKenna performed Taylor Swift's “Cardigan,” a song she feels an unfortunate connection to. Once again, illness somehow made this raspy queen's voice sound better. This song was right in McKenna's pocket, and her brilliance was undeniable from start to finish. If this was what she could do with half her power, just think of the true power of that voice. We are obsessed. Perhaps more than we realized.

TVLINE Score: “a-“

Amna: Kaiko

Kaiku ended the night in a big way, turning the stage into his own dance floor with a high-energy rendition of Gotti's song “Somebody I Used to Know.” And he did it all… wearing a really big jacket! Since we were already introduced to the real Kayko through his catalog of originals, this seemed a bit performative, as if he were playing a character – and it didn't always work. But he had a lot of fun out there, and that's more than some of his fellow contestants can say tonight.

TVLINE Score: “B+”

Now that we know which singers are in the top 10, vote for who you want in the Top 8, which will be revealed on Sunday (ABC, 8/7c):

http://static.polldaddy.com/p/13665376.js
Take our survey