'American Idol' Recap: Ladies Steal The Show ... Again

One of these weeks on "American Idol," the guys might step up and steal the show from the ladies. But not this week.

The girls continued to show their dominance over this year's competition on Wednesday, as the top nine "Idol" contestants took on the Beatles' catalog. Sure, Burnell Taylor "Let it Be" and Devin Velez walked "The Long and Winding Road," but it was the ladies — specifically Angie Miller, Janelle Arthur and Candice Glover — who chalked up another win in their column.

The Beatles theme, which hadn't been visited since the ninth season, proved fertile ground, although the contestants' over-reliance on ballads would lead you to believe the Fab Four were a bunch of drags. Props, then, to Glover, who revved things up with her red hot version of "Come Together." "Whooo! Now we're cooking!" Keith Urban exclaimed after her performance, praising Glover's "rock chick" swagger and her "absolutely killer" range. Mariah Carey compared her taking on the song to a prize fighter getting ready for a fight.

Angie Miller's tender version of "Yesterday" was hailed for its simplicity by Carey, while Randy Jackson told her she reminded him of Paramore's Hayley Williams or Evanescence's Amy Lee. Nicki Minaj, meanwhile, called her "unbelievably amazing" and said, "you can do anything you want with your voice."

Janelle Arthur closed the show, and after coming off somewhat flat last week with her version of Montgomery Gentry's "Gone," her version of "I Will" caused Jackson to give one of his patented, "I think Janelle's back tonight, you guys!" declarations. Nicki, meanwhile, called Arthur a "beautiful swan goddess" and offered to renew her wedding vows with her, her way of giving a compliment.

Kree Harrison ("With a Little Help From My Friends") and Amber Holcomb ("She's Leaving Home") were in the middle of the pack, along with the aforementioned Taylor and Velez. Paul Jolley, who sang "Eleanor Rigby," was slammed as "very safe, very bland and forgettable" by Minaj, while Jackson said he felt Jolley was "disconnected" from the song.

Still it was Lazaro Arbos, who finished in fourth place last week, who struggled the most on Wednesday, and he was in tears after the judges came down on him for his wavering performance of "In My Life." "I still feel like you're not back to the Lazaro I remember," Nicki told him, adding, "your confidence is different now. I need you back." Jackson, who told him he was out of tune from beginning to end, called it Arbos' "worst performance ever."

Also on Wednesday, Aubrey Cleland was awarded a slot on this year's "Idol" summer tour, after viewers voted for her over Charlie Askew after the two battled it out for the position on last week's results show.

Thursday's "Idol" results show will feature performances by ex-"Idol" contestants Casey Abrams and Jessica Sanchez, the latter of whom will be joined onstage by Ne-Yo. And one contestant will be forced to sing for their life, or face walking the long and winding road to "Idol" elimination.

What did you think of Wednesday's "American Idol" episode? Let us know in the comments!

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