''Idol'' week 2: Power rankings

1) Kristy Lee Cook
Gorgeous Oregonian’s ”Amazing Grace” was the hands-down highlight of week 1, but will an Internet backlash about her one-time deal with Arista Nashville cost her come American Idol voting season? (Last week: No. 1)

2) Michael Johns
Another of this season’s ”semi-pros” — his former band once had a deal with Madonna’s label — this Aussie made a strong impression with a tight T-shirt, toned biceps, and, oh yeah, a decent Otis Redding cover. (New this week)

3) Colton Swon
Stole his hairstyle from Kajagoogoo and his name from a daytime soap, but his impressive take on Little Big Town’s ”Boondocks” makes him a possible male counterpart to Carrie Underwood. (Last week: No. 2)

4) David Archuleta
Former Star Search winner who struggled with a paralyzed vocal chord botched his lyrics and hit a couple rough notes in his audition, but the judges loved him anyway. Of course, they loved Sanjaya once, too. (New this week)

5) Junot Joyner
Blink and you missed his brief audition clip, but if your ears were open, chances are you haven’t forgotten his strong, unfussy take on ”I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues.” (Last week: No. 3)

6) Carly Smithson
Another hopeful with prior experience — she flopped in her major-label debut as Carly Hennessy a few years back — this tattooed Irishwoman displayed power pipes on ”I’m Every Woman.” (New this week)

7) Drew Poppelreiter
Simon voted no and Paula saw ”no wow factor” in his George Strait cover, and yet he’s on to Hollywood — with loads of fan buzz. See what a piece of hay between the teeth and a couple glamour-tractor shots can do? (Last week: No. 6)

8) Kady Malloy
Simon dubbed her the best audition he’d seen this season after she belted out ”Unchained Melody” in week 1, and while we were more wowed by her spot-on Britney imitation, she finished second in our Week 1 reader poll. (Last week: No. 10)

9) Jeffery Lampkin
Still not sure of his solo vocal prowess, as he dueted with sister Michelle at his Charleston audition, but no one can top this flamboyant funnyman when it comes to personality. As Jeffery himself noted, he’s got the ”Owww factor!” Preach it! (New this week)

10) Amy Flynn
Abstinence advocate. Dance-team captain. And middling interpreter of Christina Aguilera ballads. We wish the judges had given this teen two more years to develop her vocals, but Idol‘s never been a show to pass on polarizing contestants. (New this week)

NEXT PAGE: Nos. 11-20, and your choice to pick a new front-runner

11) Angela Martin
Anyone who ever had a heart was rooting for this 26-year-old mother of a young daughter with Rett Syndrome, but her ”Signed Sealed Delivered,” while tuneful, was plagued by gimmicky affectations. (Last week: No. 8)

12) Brooke White
Call her Nanny McPlease! Doe-eyed child-care provider called infant twins her ”best friends” and put us to sleep with a four-note Corrine Bailey Rae number. So can somebody tell us how she finished fifth in our initial reader poll? (Last week: No. 16)

13) Samantha Musa
Won over Simon with shameless flirting, and invoked memories of last season’s Antonella Barba by bringing a sassy sidekick (her sister) to her audition. But alas, her ”Until You Come Back to Me” was just aiiight for us. (New this week)

14) Perrie Cataldo
Single dad’s rendition of ”I’ll Make Love to You” was strong and in tune, but suffered from terminal melisma. If he learns to focus on the melody, and gives his adorable toddler son a haircut, however, we could see him developing a fan base. (New this week)

15) Jessica Brown
Producers chose to highlight her onetime battle with meth addiction, but the emotional depth she showed in her performance of ”I’ll Stand by You” was far more memorable. Alas, she only got 3 percent of votes in our reader poll. (Last week: No. 4)

16) Jose Candelaria
His version of ”Unbreak My Heart” was smooth, sexy, and completely in Spanish, so maybe it was the pleather-y bowling shirt that prompted EW.com readers to ignore him in our Week 1 poll. (Last week: No. 5)

17) Michelle Lampkin
Stylish songbird needs to pull a Dreamgirls and steal the spotlight from her attention-magnet little brother Jeffery (see No. 9). While stranger things have happened in Hollywood, that’s no small task. (New this week)

18) Chris Watson
Among the top contenders for the ”season 7 hunk” crown, he hit every note of Uncle Kracker’s ”Follow Me,” but his slightly nasal tone keeps him from being ranked higher. This season’s answer to Anwar Robinson? (Last week: No. 7)

19) Pia ”Zpia” Easley
Arrived at her audition looking the part of a pop star, with sassy fauxhawk and scads of tattoos, but her Gladys Knight cover showed a troubling lack of vocal control; Hollywood meltdown inevitable? (Last week: No. 11)

20) Kyle Ensley
His campaign-spoof interview package looked like a setup for a train-wreck, but this primary-colors-clad glee-club member impressed Paula and Simon with his take on Queen’s ”Somebody to Love.” (Last week: No. 13)

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