'American Idol': We Rank The Top 12 Girls, Worst to First

The women tried to bring much stronger performances (Pia Toscano, Kendra Chantelle) -- but at least one didn't learn a lesson from the men (sorry Ta-Tynisa Wilson); see how we size 'em up, and hear their performances
By Adam B. Vary
Updated March 02, 2011 at 11:00 PM EST

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12. Julie Zorrilla, ''Breakaway''

Credit: Michael Becker/Fox

Singing a Kelly Clarkson song is always risky for an Idol contestant, let alone not singing it well.

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11. Ta-Tynisa Wilson, ''Only Girl (In the World)''

Credit: Michael Becker/Fox/PictureGroup

You'd think Ta-Tynisa would have learned from Jordan Dorsey's tragic attempt at Usher's ''OMG'' that melody-lite dance hits and Idol simply do not mix. Ta-ta, Ta-Tynisa. (Yes, that just happened.)

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10. Ashthon Jones, ''Love All Over Me''

Credit: Frank Micelotta/Fox/PictureGroup

Um, no, Ashthon, we really don't want to know what you mean by having love all over you.

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9. Rachel Zevita, ''Criminal''

Credit: Michael Becker/Fox

She's easily the most interesting of the female contestants this season, but between the cape, the theatrics, and the offbeat arrangement, Rachel simply tried to pull off too much too soon.

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8. Haley Reinhart, ''Fallin'''

Credit: Frank Micelotta/Fox/PictureGroup

Haley, if you're gonna tackle one of the most over sung Idol songs ever, you need to bring more to the party than a throaty growl and a come-hither sneer.

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7. Thia Megia, ''Out Here on My Own''

Credit: Frank Micelotta/Fox/PictureGroup

You've got to give Idol's youngest-ever contestant some credit for her sense of drama, starting out a cappella like that. It still doesn't help shake the feeling that she's a girl trying too hard to play all grown up.

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6. Karen Rodriguez, ''Hero''

Credit: Michael Becker/Fox

You take on Mariah Carey at your own peril on Idol, but instead of trying to out-sing her, Karen took a bilingual risk that paid off big time and had the studio audience swooning. Maybe not so much over the pageant gowns, though.

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5. Lauren Turner, ''Seven Day Fool''

Credit: Michael Becker/Fox

Oof, this is when things get really tough. Idol's mini-Bette Midler sang circles around many of the season 10 guys, but her song was such a fun-if-forgettable throwback, we worry she may be overshadowed by some of the splashier female contestants.

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4. Naima Adedapo, ''Summertime''

Credit: Frank Micelotta/Fox/PictureGroup

Love the vibrant dress, love the vibrant voice, even love the vibrant rendition of what's usually one of the American songbook's most melancholy melodies.

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3. Kendra Chantelle, ''Impossible''

Credit: Frank Micelotta/Fox/PictureGroup

Her peerless voice and impeccable phrasing would be welcome on the radio tomorrow, and those perfectly fit leather pants would make any record-label marketing exec very happy indeed. Now let's work a bit on brightening the personality, too.

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2. Pia Toscano, ''I'll Stand by You''

Credit: Michael Becker/Fox

The song choice wasn't exactly groundbreaking, but it didn't need to be. Those final high notes announced to her other 23 competitors that the heretofore under-the-radar Pia is playing for keeps.

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1. Lauren Alaina, ''Turn on the Radio''

Credit: Frank Micelotta/Fox/PictureGroup

We know, we know, she's been aggressively foreordained for Idol glory ever since she sang Aerosmith with Steven Tyler. But last night Lauren delivered on all that breathless pimping, taking to the Idol stage like a natural and effortlessly performing her song without any of the vocal-cord gymnastics that dominated so much of the evening.

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By Adam B. Vary