Catharine Mphee: katie stevens

46. Katie Stevens

Season 9, 8th Place

Here comes the Pageant-bot! Haha.

To be honest, I was so sorry to see Katie go during the double elimination of Season 9 just because she was so darn earnest and I felt bad that she cried. I mean, Katie is the most improved contestant of that season and she was just starting to grow and come into her own.

Aaron Kelly, to me, was more out of his depth than Katie actually was. I really pegged her as very rough around the edges in the beginning but good enough to remain competitive by picking great songs - as seen in the week when Michael Lynche was eliminated - and someone who could gain extreme momentum.

When Katie auditioned, I really thought that she was one I should keep an eye on because her rendition of At Last was very controlled and really good - though her back story was a bit annoying. Haha. Then, she managed to deliver good performances during the Hollywood week although I already noticed that she seemed a bit robotic with her performances.

True enough, she showcased her pageant-like vibe during her first live performance on Idol. Actually, Feeling Good was a poor song choice for her. Then, her two next semifinals performances were all mediocre at best in terms of everything. Sure, Katie has a fantastic voice and great power but I had no idea who she was as an artist. So, when she survived the final cut for the Top 12 and Katelyn Epperly didn't, I was somewhat furious - although I mostly blame Paige Miles and Lacey Brown on her elimination.

However, something happened when she entered the Top 12. Somehow, I felt like Katie just needed to get to the big stage because something about the small stage in the last round was warping her into a desperate performer. Katie during the Final 12 onwards picked good songs to showcase her vocals and I was slowly becoming a fan of Katie. Everything she did was a step towards the right direction.

It was really good to see her find her stride in the competition. Sadly, she was eliminated just when she was just actually gaining extreme momentum. It should've been Aaron Kelly or even Michael Lynche instead of her. I mean, did you hear her sing Christina Aguilera's Beautiful and Fighter during the Finale? She was AMAZING! Oh, and I think she's probably one of the prettiest girls EVER on Idol. Don't you think?

Favorite Performance(s): Without a doubt, her rendition of Let It Be was my favorite. It was absolutely brilliant. I sat there and said to myself “Who is this human, vulnerable, emotional girl?” Haha. Where has she been? I think that was her one giant leap in the right direction and clearly her best vocal in the competition. Her take on Big Girls Don't Cry and the horny Baby, What You Want Me To Do were also really good.

Let It Be