'IDOL' WATCH: The Top 24 Part 1

In an "American Idol" first, seven of the Top 24 contestants were revealed on tonight's episode. After featuring snippets of many contestants' performances, "Idol" split the hopefuls into three groups, sending one-third of the contestants home before the final judging. Then, each remaining contestant sat down with the judges to learn whether they would be singing in front of America or ending their journey in Hollywood. Some performances worked, others fell surprisingly flat, but the big news from tonight's "Idol" is who made it through Hollywood.

Without further ado, here are the seven contestants that made it through:

"Big" Michael Lynche - "Big Mike" has come off as charming and talented thus far on "Idol." Throughout Hollywood week, Lynch was continually receiving updates on his wife, who was in labor with their first child, and spent much of his time divided between rehearsing and getting news on his new daughter. This did not seem to affect his performance, as Lynche has shown he is a good singer, ending Hollywood week singing I'm Yours by Jason Mraz. Lynche's performance was fun to watch because you could tell he was having fun, a necessary quality for any would-be "Idol" winner. Lynche's confidence is evident and will do him well in audience voting.

Didi Benami - Benami's performance of Terrified by Kara DioGuardi won me over in her first round of Hollywood auditions. For her final performance, she sang Angel by Lace and, although we weren't given much of a look at it, it was clear she owned the song. Benami understands how to best utilize her talents and will always give the audience an entertaining performance.

Katelyn Epperly - This is the first time Epperly has really been seen since her initial audition in Chicago. It's not 100% clear what kind of a singer she is, simply that she is a good singer. Her lack of screen time means that she will have to wow audiences in her first couple of performances, but it seems as though Epperly has the chops to do so. In her final performance, she sang Bubbly by Colbie Caillat, and impressed the judges and her fellow contestants. She will be interesting to watch in the upcoming weeks.

Casey James - James seems to be a clear favorite in Kara's book, as she has practically swooned over him since his first audition. In Hollywood, James has improved steadily, finally getting the chance to show off his bluesy tone. James also sang Bubbly and gave a standout performance due to its uniqueness. He was able to sing the song in a way that fit his style, which was very different from Caillat's original recording, but worked for him. James is looking to be the favorite for the title of Heartthrob in this year's "Idol" pack.

Aaron Kelly - 16 year-old Kelly had a rough week in Hollywood, forgetting his lyrics in both the group round and in his final performance. In most cases, Simon would quickly dismiss anyone who forgot their lyrics once, much less twice. It seems clear that the judges, and especially Simon, are truly taken by Kelly's talent. Of what he was able to get through in Angel by Lace, Kelly did sound outstanding, with a large voice that has excellent range. Hopefully he will be able to solidify his performances come time for the first audiences votes.

Lee Dewyze - Lee hasn't stood out much during Hollywood week. He has always given solid performances, but nothing that shows he should be the next "American Idol." The judges seemed to agree, as Kara pointed out his "lack of confidence," before giving him a spot in the Top 24. He sang You Found Me by The Fray and did well, but hasn't shown that he deserves to win this year's competition. Without some really impressive performances, Dewyze's run in the Top 24 may end rather quickly.

Todrick D. Hall - Hall is a great performer. He knows how to take control of a stage and own a song. Tonight's episode heavily featured his connection with past "Idol" winner Fantasia Burrino, as they appeared together on Broadway in The Color Purple. Hall sang I'm Yours, as well, and gave the most diversified performance of any contestants who sang the sonG. Hall abandoned the traditionally pop version, slowed it down, and went into his falsetto for much of his performance. The contrast really made him stand out and earned him a well-deserved spot in the Top 24.

Several contestants, unfortunately, did not make it past tonight's episode, including Shelby Dressel, Charity Vance, Ryan Walker, Christian Spear, Lloyd Thomas, Hope Johnson, and Mary Powers. The most eventful goodbye of the evening came from Jessica Furney who made it past the group cuts and was let go one-on-one with the judges.

Furney pleaded with the judges to let her stay, saying that she "it" and that the judges had "no idea what [she] can do." Simon quickly gave her the facts when she asked, "Can you tell me what I did wrong?" responding, "You didn't sing as well as some of the others." Since the judges had already made their final decision, Furney's pleading did her no good and she was sent on her way.

Several contestants' fates are still up the air, including the always-impressive Andrew Garcia, Katie Stevens, John Park, Haeley Vaughn, and Janell Wheeler, each of whom seems likely to make the cut and move on to the Top 24.

Tomorrow night's "Idol" will reveal the remaining seventeen slots and send twenty hopefuls packing. Expect more responses like Furney's and get ready to meet the twelve men and twelve women who will perform in front of America, one of whom will be the next "American Idol."

The next episode of "American Idol" airs Wednesday, February 9th, at 8PM EST on Fox.

"American Idol" is a reality competition to find new solo musical talent, created by Simon Fuller. It debuted June 11, 2002 on the Fox network and has since become one of the most popular shows on American television. It is currently the #1 TV show in the Nielsen Ratings and is one of only three that have been #1 for five consecutive seasons. The cast of "Idol" includes judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, Kara DioGuardi, and Ellen Degeneres, and host Ryan Seacrest.

The program aims to discover the best singer in the country through a series of nation-wide auditions, and subsequent viewer voting. Through telephone voting, America has chosen past winners Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia Barrino, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Hicks, Jordin Sparks, David Cook, and Kris Allen.

Several "Idol" contestants have been seen on the Broadway stage, including Barrino (The Color Purple), Hicks (Grease), Clay Aiken (Spamalot), Diana DeGarmo(Hairspray), Josh Strickland (Tarzan), Tamyra Gray (Rent, Bombay Dreams), and Constantine Maroulis (The Wedding Singer, Rock of Ages).

"American Idol" airs on Tuesday and Wednesday nights on Fox at 8PM EST.

Photo Credit: DidiBenami.com, Current.com, DailyRadar.com

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