"American Idol" THE TOP 12 - Six To Watch!!

Finally - here we are!! The Final 12! We made it through that horrible audition phase and now - the game is ON!!

And there ARE competitors this year!! There are some here who are really in it to win - and they got the pipes to do it!!

Except for a small few - this years group is a talented one. Those that lack in voice - they make up with stage presence and performance skills.

So now that we are down to the Final 12 and the field is now mixed - there are a few that stand out - in my book. Keep your eye out for these guys - unless I am totally jinxing them by writing this - these guys could go far!!

Chris Richardson

Ok, Ok - he's hot. But that is not the only reason he's on the list - I do know that this is a "singing competition", but I am sucker for eye candy! No seriously - he doesn't have the strongest voice on the show this year - but he definitely has that "IT" factor and he seems like a nice guy. He's got the JT vibe going with the close-cropped hair and the suits - and that contemporary look and sound will help him last this year.

Melinda Doolittle

Love her. Her performance this week of "I'm a Woman" was flawless and really won me over! She's polished - she poised and just seems so comfortable onstage. And the girl can SING!! Incredible solid voice - that's for sure. This former backup singer has found her spotlight!

Chris Sligh

Chris Sligh probably has the best vocal talent among the guys this year. Strong and distinct - his voice really stands out. He needs to stretch a little with his songs now that he's made it the final 12 - but I like him. He pushes through some initial awkwardness at the beginning of each performance - but he does get comfortable and gives a consistently good vocal performance each time. I am interested in seeing how he fares with the "theme" nights that are coming ahead.

Lakisha Jones

I loved Lakisha since I noticed her during Hollywood week. I always love the girl who can do that BIG number. Starting the competition with her performance of "I'm Telling You (I'm Not Going)", Lakisha made sure she would be noticed. Not only did she do it well - it was pretty ballsy to do it on the heels of Jennifer Hudson. Lakisha is just as good as Melinda - though you can tell that Melinda has spent more time on the stage and is a little more polished than Lakisha. But don't get me wrong - she is awesome and definitely a contender for the crown.

Brandon Rogers

Brandon is the showman of the group this year. Also a former back-up singer like Melinda, he knows the stage and has some pretty good moves. His voice is very unique sounding and he handles it well. He's gotten alot of flack from the judges for his last few performances. Their main critique is that he needs to make it more "his own". On his side for success: he's got a good enough voice to handle a range of musical styles and he's hot. Those are BIG pluses for this show! I hope he sticks around for a while.

Stephanie Edwards

If Lakisha Jones is the "Jennifer Hudson" of the season - then Stephanie Edwars is the "Beyonce". She works the stage when she sings - really looking like that is exactly where she belongs. I am afraid that people might not think she sticks out enough to really go far - but I hope they are wrong. She's gorgeous. She can sing. And to me - she already carries herself like a star on stage. She seems to be that kind of contestant that will be able to get a record contract - even if she doesn't win.

So that is it. Personally - these are my six favorites. I look forward to each of their performances - and they are the ones who could make Season Six good. I think (believe it or not) Paula, Randy and Simon did a pretty good job with the 24 guys and girls they started us off with. The 12 we are left with now - with some exceptions (ahem) - are really talented and unique.

This feels like it's going be a season to enjoy!

(source)