Well, here we are. The final American Idol recap. Ever. I will be back writing about the second part of the finale on April 7. I’m sad to be saying goodbye to weekly episodic reviews and these top three, whom I’ve really come to love. Right now La’Porsha is at the top of the pack. Will that change tonight?

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.

ROUND ONE – WINNING SINGLES:

Trent Harmon (“Falling” by Trent Harmon) - * * * *

It’s interesting, because the round in which the contestants sing their potential new singles might be the most telling of the whole competition. It’s the one where we get to see what kind of artists these singers want to be after Idol (or at least what kind of artists the producers want them to be) and hear, for the first time, them singing something other than a cover. Trent’s winning single, “Falling,” fit him well. It’s a bluesy, soulful 6/8 track that feels a bit like the male counterpart to “Dangerous Woman.” But while Trent sounded good and the song was fine … it never quite grabbed me in the way that it should. That is to say, “Falling” is not a song I remember any of, despite the fact I’m writing this during the commercial break.

Dalton Rapattoni (“Strike A Match” by Dalton Rapattoni) – * * *

For some reason, Dalton’s Idol journey has taken a nosedive in the last few weeks. I don’t know if nerves have gotten the better of him, or what, but his pitch and musicality have definitely slipped since the start of the live shows. His vocals on the winner’s single were about as strained and inconsistent as I can ever remember them sounding and it didn’t help that the song was a forgettable bit of pop rock. I’m pretty sure Dalton’s Idol journey will end tonight, but I’m still glad he got this far. His “Bird Set Free” was one of my favorites from this season.

La’Porsha Renae (“Battles” by La’Porsha Renae) - * * * * ½

La’Porsha is by far the front-runner this season and has been since the very beginning. The only issue I can see with her is that, out of the top three, what kind of album she’d make is still the foggiest. She has an old school diva vibe which is tremendous, but not the most marketable in an era when bared flesh and hip-hop dance often is at the heart of a lot of pop music. If this song is any indication, she’s not headed in a great direction in terms of commercial viability. “Battles” is a carbon-copy empowerment anthem that makes “Roar” feel like a pop standard. It’s not a bad song, just a terribly bland one. That’s too bad, ‘cause La’Porsha is anything but bland.

ROUND TWO – SIMON FULLERS’ CHOICE:

Trent Harmon (“If You Don’t Know Me By Now” by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes) - * * * * ½

It’s true that Trent has been the most improved this season by far. He’s been one of the quickest improving contestants I can remember on the show. On one hand, I can see why Simon picked this song. It fits into Trent’s bluesy wheelhouse and shows off a gospel tinge that we haven’t heard before, but the song was so slow and dated that it made Trent feel like he was singing the slow dance at a wedding. Now’s the time to show America what album you’d make and I doubt Trent’s freshman theme will be golden oldies.

La’Porsha Renae (“A House Is Not A Home” by Dionne Warwick) - * * * * ½

I feel like a broken record, but again we have a slow, dated song that created a mixed result. Yes, La’Porsha sounded great. Although her voice seemed a bit more hoarse than normal, it’s so full, rich and musical. She’s incapable of a bad performance. But I just can’t muster the same level of excitement for the song, which felt like it aged La’Porsha a good 30 years. I’m not saying she should turn into Rihanna and cover “Bitch Better Have My Money” but something that feels in line with La’Porsha’s age (22) would be great.

ROUND THREE – CONTESTANTS’ CHOICE:

Trent Harmon (“Chandelier” by Sia) - * * * * *

Trent absolutely picked the right song. He sounded amazing, artfully modulating into his falsetto and showing an extremely high amount of dexterity and control. But more than that, he conveys the sense of grief and loss that so many miss when covering “Chandelier.”

La’Porsha Renae (“Diamonds” by Rihanna) - * * * * *

If I could give her six, seven, eight stars, I would. What a gorgeous, heartfelt, pristine vocal. Just beyond reproach.

Best of the night: La’Porsha’s “Diamonds”

Worst of the night: Dalton’s “Strike A Match”

Who Went Home: Dalton

Who Should Win: La’Porsha, no contest