Singers must stay true yet stand out

Brooke White, 24, a Mormon from Mesa, Ariz., with Utah ties, was stellar last week with "Let It Be." This week, she tried to change it up by just standing at the mike while singing and, er, dancing.

"The performance was really awkward for me," judge Randy Jackson said.

Cowell agreed. "The horrible dancing ... it showed a lack of conviction."

While the audience booed Cowell, White tried to shush the audience with her constant reassurance to them (and herself, I think) that "It's OK!"

Last week she was a front-runner — this week she showed weakness.

"This is not what I do." White admitted. Her strength is playing an instrument and really selling a song. While some would get lost sitting down at an instrument, that's when White shines. She commands the stage.

"If I get to remain, I'm going to return to what I do best," she said.

Someone who stepped outside of her element and earned positive reviews was Syesha Mercado. She sang "Yesterday" with just a guitar player. "This was probably your best performance so far," Cowell said. "You chose the best song, and sold it very very well. That should keep you in the competition."

It did.

Amanda Overmyer, like Archuleta, stayed true to style with a pumped-up rock version of "Back in the USSR." But she missed the mark, according to the judges. While Jackson did think the song choice was perfect, he only gave her performance seven out of 10.

"It was predictable," Cowell agreed. "Hey, I have only a minute-and-a-half to show America what I'd be doing at my show each week. I want people to say, 'That chick looks like fun — I want to go see her show!"'

That may be sooner than Overmyer thought. She was given the boot Wednesday night. While the other top 10 will be selling out stadiums around the country, Overmyer may be "selling out bars in LaFayette."

And, she said, 'That's OK."'

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Utah recording artist and actress Carmen Rasmusen-Herbert came in sixth place during the second season of "American Idol." She wrote about her experiences in her book, "Staying in Tune." Her first full album is "Nothin' Like the Summer," featuring the single of the same name.

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