Syesha Mercado: Consistency the Key to Longevity

Syesha Mercado's bubbly personality, positive attitude and powerhouse audition endeared her to me early on in the competition.

However, after a series of lackluster performances, I lamented whether or not she would be able to deliver on the promise of her audition. Tuesday night Mercado stepped onto the stage and claimed Gladys Knight's "If I Were Your Woman" as her own.

She sang with an ease and confidence that I'd not seen from her before. Watching her come into her own reaffirmed my faith that she has what it takes to be a contender.

However, the fact that Mercado found herself in the bottom three proves that the voting public may need to see a little more consistency before they are willing to solidify her status as a front-runner. If Mercado is going to stay in this competition, she's going to need to use that big old voice of hers and take some chances. We're down to the wire so just having a great voice isn't enough; she has to prove she's unique.