'American Idol' Results Show: Fantasia Returned Along with Will.I.Am And Jamie Foxx Duet from 'Rio' Thia and Naima Say Goodbye

For once things were done quite differently with the double elimination on "American Idol" Thursday night (March 31). Usually someone is eliminated within the first half hour and the other at the end of the show. There wasn't the opening group number with a medley of Elton John songs either.

This time they had two duets, a trio and a band perform. From those groups evolved the bottom 3 and the eventual double eliminations. Season 3 winner, Fantasia Barrino, stopped by with her latest release. We were treated toward the end of the show with an advertainment from the upcoming animated film "Rio." will.i.am and Jamie Foxx sang one of the featured songs complete with samba dancers.

Duet with Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina

Ryan Seacrest called up Scotty and Lauren, the two teenage country crooners, for a duet of Carrie Underwood's and Randy Travis' "I Told You So." Out of all the performances from the Top 11 this was the best. Afterwards, Ryan informed the two they were safe for another week.

Jacob Lusk and Naima Adedapo Duet

This was another good duet from one of my favorite songs from the '80s "Solid" by Ashford & Simpson. Unfortunately Naima was the first to be sent to the Bottom 3 stools on the other side of the stage. Jacob was safe as usual.

Fantasia's New Single "Collard Greens and Cornbread"

The remaining finalists got a break while the Season 3 winner entertained us with her smashing new look. Fantasia's song "Collard Greens and Cornbread" was a throwback to the old Soul and R&B roots. It was one of her best songs and performances.

Trio with Thia Megia, Haley Reinhart and Pia Toscano

Getting back to the results the three remaining ladies sang Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream." Prominently showcased were Pia and Haley, whose experiencing a resurgence for some unknown reason. Thia was relegated to providing backup. As it turned out Thia was the second finalist to hit the dreaded stool chair.

James Durbin Band - Casey Abrams, Paul McDonald, Stefano Langone and James Durbin

If you remember from a previous results show four of the male finalists have formed a band. They made their debut on the Idol stage performing "Band on the Run" by Paul McCartney and Wings. Finally we got to see them perform. I wonder if they'll be back for the finale? Casey was given the news immediately he was safe after his harrowing save from the judges last week. Unfortunately Paul McDonald was the third and final member of the bottom 3 club.

"Hot Wings" from the Animated Film "Rio" by will.i.am and Jamie Foxx

Before we found out who the two finalists would be going home we saw will.i.am and Jamie Foxx perform a lively carnivalesque number from the film "Rio" about birds in Brazil. The Brazilian samba dancers were fun to watch, but the song was heavily dosed with auto-tuning. It's ironic the musical guests use autotune, but the finalists are judged on their real vocals.

In the end the two going home together were the youngest contestant, Thia Megia, and a mother of two daughters, Naima Adedapo. I'm going to miss Naima as I thought she was one of the most creative and artistic finalists ever on the show. Obviously some viewers never "got it" regarding Naima. It's not surprising Thia left at this stage of the competition. She was too timid and her voice too soft to compete with the others. Now it is onward with the Top 9.

SOURCES:

American Idol - Official Site for Videos, Photos and Community, American Idol.com

Gil Kaufman, "Thia Megia and Naima Adedapo Eliminated from 'American Idol'", MTV.com