David Archuleta Tops American Idol Top 7

After saying goodbye to Michael Johns last week the remaining American Idol contestants have been narrowed down to just seven. With talent like Michael Johns being sent home American Idol viewers have a tough job on their hands, narrowing down the remaining contestants to just three. As we find ourselves nearing the half point of season seven it is a great time to begin the true "power rankings" for American Idol. Which contestant comes out on top and which should go home this week? Here are my personal picks.

American Idol Power Rankings

American Idol Contestant #7: Brooke White

Brooke White is one of the mellower contestants on American Idol this year. The "goody two shoes" singer has a sweet disposition and reminds me more of a folk singer/mellow rock artist than the next American Idol winner. Fans of pop, or pop rock, likely do not find her performances to be interesting or worthy of remembering. Two weeks ago when Brooke landed in the bottom three it was no surprise. Last week when she was declared safe after giving a rather dull performance many were shocked. As Brooke has escaped to safety twice from the bottom three already this season it wouldn't come as a surprise to see her go home this week.

American Idol Contestant #6: Kristy Lee Cook

If you have read my previous articles about American Idol Season Seven you would know how I feel about Kristy Lee Cook. She is very fortunate to have the support of millions of tween fans nationwide who have voted for her week after week, keeping her hopes of becoming the next winner on American Idol alive. The country/pop singer wannabe should have gone home weeks ago after several terrible performances. Last week her performance was mediocre at best but was still an improvement over her past performances on American Idol. Another problem I see with Kristy Lee Cook is that her style of clothing is boring and does not mimic that of a true pop star. After snoring through two more of her performances I believe Kristy Lee Cook will be greeted with a welcome home party by her family.

American Idol Contestant #5: Jason Castro

I have to admit that when I saw Jason Castro sitting on stage strumming a ukulele and singing "Over the Rainbow" I wasn't as Simon so often puts it "jumping up and down" over his performance. What would the American Idol judges say? Imagine my shock as they praised Jason for his performance. There have been several occasions where I have disagreed with the judges and this was one of them. While I can say that I enjoyed the ukulele version of the song by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole I don't think Jason Castro did the song any justice. While Jason's signature guitar strumming and "happy go lucky" attitude has won the hearts of many fans of American Idol his time will eventually come up before we hit the top three.

American Idol Contestant #4: Syesha Mercado

Syesha Mercado took a huge risk last week singing a song by past American Idol winner Fantasia. I thought that Syesha sang the song very well though her performance wasn't stellar. Still, when you compare Syesha's past performances to those of other American Idol contestants they are considerably better than most. The problem with Syesha, which is why she won't make it into the top three, is that her vocal abilities are somewhat limited. Because of this Syesha Mercado has failed to blow the American Idol audience away landing her in the bottom three on several occasions. Her lack of popularity mixed with her ability to sing better than any of the contestants listed above has landed Syesha Mercado on the middle of my American Idol Power Rankings.

American Idol Contestant #3: Carly Smithson

Carly Smithson started out the season with a bit of controversy. Her previous recording contract had many American Idol fans upset over the fact that it is supposed to be an amateur competition. After everything was straightened out and the official American Idol rules regarding eligible contestants were revealed Carly Smithson was in the clear. Unfortunately, after all of the ruckus, Carly proved to America that she is still very much an amateur. Carly's performances on American Idol have been inconsistent. Last week Carly Smithson gave a performance which landed her a spot on the bottom three. Funny thing is, I thought that Carly's performance was much better than the American Idol judges made it out to be. While I haven't been a huge fan of Carly the girl can perform and sing very well. No doubt about it, Carly will be among the top three on American Idol, though she will likely be the first of the three to be eliminated.

American Idol Contestant #2: David Cook

David Cook is a fan favorite. Just look through the comments on other articles as well as various blog posts and you will see that I am right. What makes David Cook so popular is his status as the resident rocker on American Idol. David has been fairly consistent with his performances gaining a huge fan base which will surely land him a spot on the top three. However I have a feeling that those of you who are rooting for David Cook will be disappointed. Just like Chris Daughtry was shown no love by American Idol viewers, though it appears that was a great thing for his career, David Cook will likely suffer the same fate. Although I feel that David will come in second place on American Idol, a slightly better outcome than the one that Chris Daughtry faced, he will not win.

And now on to American Idol Contestant #1 on my Power Rankings...

David Archuleta has experienced much popularity among the American Idol audience. His "Leave it to Beaver" charm and angelic singing voice has kept David Archuleta from landing into the bottom three week after week. His most memorable performance was when he sang John Lennon's "Imagine" during the first of the Beatles weeks on American Idol. Last week David gave another great performance, though this time situated behind a piano, which has only helped him remain a top contender on Idol. While not everyone has jumped on the David Archuleta bandwagon many will admit that he has the best chance on becoming your next American Idol.