Song choice is always the biggest challenge for American Idol contestants and this week the producers aren’t throwing them any bones. Tonight we have a theme that translates to: “Songs You’re Already Sick of Hearing on Idol.” Is this self-sabotage? Or the producers' way of trying to save a few Farewell Season bucks? I don't know, but let's hope this team can pull off some great dishes out of the tired, rubbery turkeys that will surely be thrown at them.

As I always do, I’ll rate each song on a scale of 0-5 along with a short blurb and then pick my favorite and least favorite performances of the night.

DUETS

La’Porsha Renae & Trent Harmon (“See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa & Charlie Puth) - * * * * ½

Technically, there’s not much to complain about or comment on here. As always, La’Porsha sounded amazing and she brought out what was probably Trent’s strongest and purest vocal of the season so far. But unlike Keith, I just thought the song choice laid a few too many hurdles for them to jump over. “See You Again” isn’t as much a song as a hook. It’s a good hook (and one that suited both of their voices) but there just wasn’t enough there to grab onto musically.

Sonika Vaid & Avalon Young (“Rise Up” by Andra Day) - * * * *

Again, Sonika and Avalon are great singers. No doubt about it. But there was a disconnect here, both between each other and the music’s theme. For a pulsing song all about empowerment, there was a laissez-faire attitude that made it feel like neither contestant knew what they were singing about. Avalon’s lackluster stage presence didn’t help either.

MacKenzie Bourg & Dalton Rapattoni (“I Want It That Way” by Backstreet Boys) - * * *

For two charismatic performers, MacKenzie and Dalton’s Backstreet Boys cover felt oddly bland and lackluster. From the dull arrangement to Dalton’s unusually shaky vocals, this is the kind of performance I’ll forget about by the end of the hour.

Tristan McIntosh & Lee Jean (“Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” by Aerosmith) - * * ½

Somewhere between a problematic karaoke duet and a poor high school talent show performance, Tristan and Lee’s duet was pitchy, uncomfortable and boring. Pass.

SOLOS

La’Porsha Renae (“Come Together” by The Beatles) - * * * * *

I let out a little sigh when I heard La’Porsha was singing “Come Together.” Sure, “Come Together” is a great song but I thought its gritty rock feel would be out of her Soul Queen grasp and that the song’s nonsensical lyrics wouldn’t give La’Porsha enough to sink her teeth into. But, man, was I wrong. There was nothing to quibble about with her choice at all, inspiring a performance that felt like one of those diva covers you see at the Grammys. Bravo.

MacKenzie Bourg (“You Are So Beautiful” by Joe Cocker) - * * * *

Yes, that was a good song choice. Yes, it was a smart move for MacKenzie to deliver a song in a straightforward way without a guitar and with bucketfuls of heart. Plus, what Keith said is true: it does feel like the type of material MacKenzie will eventually put out. But there was a pervasive sleepiness and a cloying lounge-iness that left me more than a bit cold.

Trent Harmon (“Stand By Me” by Percy Sledge) - * * * * ½

I wasn’t a fan of Trent at the start of this season. His performances were overwrought, overly affected and hit-or-miss vocally. While he still has some of those tics, Trent might be the most improved this season. His voice sounded great tonight and I dug the a capella introduction. Did the second half became a little forgettable and over baked? You betcha, but this performance did make me look anew at Trent and that’s more than a win.

Tristan McIntosh (“A Broken Wing” by Martina McBride) - * * * ½

You gotta give Tristan credit for going for it all the way. She clearly dug in her heels and left it all on the stage. But the execution was hit-or-miss. For every assured belt there was a handful of wonky notes (mostly in Tristan’s iffy runs) and a certain plasticy sheen that made you forget “A Broken Wing” is a harrowing ballad about an abused woman. Country music is all about telling stories and this particular story felt lost in the shuffle.

Dalton Rapattoni (“Eleanor Rigby” by The Beatles) – * * * ½

I’ve heard a bunch of “Eleanor Rigby” covers and this was a very original and effective arrangement that fit Dalton to a T. But while I enjoyed the band’s performance, it drowned out Dalton too much. Perhaps he was a bit hoarse, but I couldn’t hear about 1/3 of this Beatles cover and what I did hear was largely pitchy and thin.

BOTTOM THREE:

Avalon Young (“PYT It” by Michael Jackson) - * * * ½

Hey, Avalon and I share a birthday (and only four years apart)! There were a few great moments in this cover and a Tori Kelly-ish quality in her call and response section. But it was void of the urgency and slinkiness of last week’s Weeknd cover. It felt too loose and too low energy.

Lee Jean (“Let It Be” by The Beatles) - * *

I can imagine Lee succeeding in a cover of the gospel-tinged Beatles classic, but that wasn’t the case tonight. Lee is almost definitively going home, so why pick his swan song apart?

Sonika Vaid (“I Have Nothing” by Whitney Houston) - * * * *

Now that is how you sing for your life. Were there a few iffy moments pitch-wise? Does it even matter? I don’t think so. That was a committed and strong version of a very overdone and very difficult Whitney song. She took on a behemoth and succeeded with flying colors.

Best of the night: La’Porsha

Worst of the night: Lee

Who Went Home: Avalon & Lee