American Idol's Jason Castro: Please Forget the Memories

Andrew Lloyd Webber night on American Idol was not kind to Jason Castro. Castro chose to perform Memory from the musical Cats. Mentor Andrew Lloyd Webber was surprised that Jason Castro chose that song for his American Idol performance. After all, it is a song typically sang by female vocal powerhouses. Jason Castro is the polar opposite of a female vocal powerhouse, with his soft vocals and folk style. Still, he chose the song out of the many Andrew Lloyd Webber gems to choose from.

Prior to the performance, Jason Castro had a deer in the headlights type of look. It was obvious that he was no longer sure that he had made the right decision. He even stated that while he knew the songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber, he had never seen any of the musicals. Therefore, he did not really know the meaning of the songs or the way in which they had been performed. Stage performance is very important with Andrew Lloyd Webber music. One cannot simply pick a song and sing it without understanding the emotions that were conveyed on stage during that particular number.

Jason Castro took the American Idol stage, perched up on his usual chair, and started off decently enough. It was not great, but it was okay. The audience relaxed, thinking that he might walk away virtually unscathed.

However, Castro was just getting warmed up. Shortly after he started Memory, he went into his lower register. It was a mess. As soon as the train wreck started, it would not stop. The song got worse and worse, until it was, mercifully, over.

Memory was, by far, Jason Castro's worst performance on American Idol. He struggled to get through it, he missed several notes, and it was painful to watch. The best part of the performance was when it ended. Then, finally, the audiences' ears could be spared of the musical vomit that had been forced upon them.

Jason Castro's time on American Idol is far from over. He has shown resilience with the voters. While he may have had a terrible performance, the voters of American Idol will allow him a free pass on time. Unless something drastic happens, Jason Castro will make it to at least fourth place during this season of American Idol.