American Idol: Season Seven Top 7

It's Mariah Carey night on American Idol! Not since the showtune theme has Idol set a bigger trap for its singers, who are destined to come off as weak comparisons to the sometimes shrill diva. Nonetheless, on with the show!

David Archuleta is up first, and he chooses the uber-inspirational "When You Believe." OMFG (as the Gossip Girls would say): leatherpants. Ick. Thankfully, the rest of the performance is dead on. Dude isn't breaking the mold, but he's working within a nice one. Randy says he can sing anything. Paula thinks Mariah would be proud. Simon says the choice was predictable, but it was very good.

Next up is Carly, who I am now just assuming will be totally awesome and amazing technically only to get underwhleming judge response. She sings "Without You" and....I'm right. Well, at least this week I wasn't disappointed!

Syesha Mercado sings "Vanishing," a Mariah ditty I didn't know. This week has got to be toughest for diva-in-training Syesha, as she's already earned the "copycat" criticism in the past. The whole thing os overdone and theatrical and...Syesha. I just don't think she's winning me over at this point, sorry y'all. Randy calls it goos, Paula liked the obscuritym but Simon disagrees.

Brooke, who missed her sister's wedding this week, gets back behind the piano for "Hero." She starts out all right (not crazy about the song choice) and then starts to lose the notes. What has happened to our Brooke? I was never her biggest fan, but I liked her. And she seems so overthinky and full of self-doubt. It all started with that "woo!" and awkward spin on the ill-advised second Beatles week. She tries to explain the performance breakdown by calling this a tough week for her, but it's not working. Randy doesn't buy it, Paula calls it brave, and Simon compares her to a hamburger bun without the meat. Umm...ok.

Kristy Lee continues her sudden competency with her performance of "Forever." How smart to suck so hard for so long, that when you finally hit notes, you suddenly seem amazing! It doesn't hurt that she's hot too. Sigh. Another week of Kristy, it seems. Randy thinks she finished strong. Paula calls her smart, and Simon thinks she's passable.

Show savior David Cook takes the stage with a Mariah-approved rock take on "Always be my Baby," and of course, is awesome. It's not just the semi-originality. Dude can sing. And his brother, who has cancer, is in the audience with Teri Hatcher! Aww. Randy says he's ready to make an album. Paula loves him to pieces, obvs. Simon calls him a breath of fresh air in a night of karaoke hell. The whole thing puts David Cook in tears. Hey! He's not all attitude, he has emotions. Swoon.

Jason Castro sits and sings "I Don't Want to Cry," allowing other folks to handle the sweet guitar strumming. Man, Jason is all about the sensitive falsetto these days. Ick. Learn a new trick!!! Randy thinks it felt like a weird luau, but if so, Paula wants an invite. Simon surprisingly agrees with Paula and says the guys won the night.

So...bottom three? I say all girls: Carly, Brooke and Syesha, with (fingers crossed) Syesha going home.