Kansas City Blog

Number 9: Ramiele Malubay
This saucy young thing in stiletto boots reminds me a little of Kelly Clarkson -- when she got hot, post-Idol. My mom bravely sings along with Ramielle to Taylor Dayne's heartwrenching ballad, "Love Will Lead You Back."

Number 8: Michael Johns
Mom's excited about this Australian guy with an apparent penchant for Queen. He storms out singing "We Will Rock You" and then does "We Are the Champions," hitting all the right notes. "He's good," Mom says. "He's married."

Number 7: Kristy Lee Cook
"She's really kinda western," Mom advises as the little firecracker in a sparkly top and hip-hugging white pants struts onto stage, singing about how she's "through squeezing the love outta you." A real sweet thing, Kristy Lee also gets patriotic with "God Bless the U.S.A."

Number 6: Carly Smithson
Yet another contestant with an accent that, oddly, isn't American -- Smithson is a tatted up Irish girl with kohl eyes and a powerful voice. She actually makes an Evanescence song sound kinda good, covers Heart's "Crazy On You" with aplomb and then gives us one more "for the ladies" -- Cyndi Lauper's "I Drove All Night." (By this point, I'm getting tired of the rockin' song, rockin' song, ballad formula.)

Number 5: Brooke White
A piano rises up out of the floor for this performance. White gently shakes her cascades of blond curls as she accompanies herself on "Let It Be." "She's so wholesome," Mom says. "She's got a clear voice. She was a nanny."

Number 4: Jason Castro
"Look at his hair!" Mom cries. She's tugging at my shoulder because she thinks this dready blond guy is cute, too. He starts out oohing and ahhing to a ukulele and ends up doing the best rendition of "Over the Rainbow" that I've heard in years. With a guitar, he also does "Daydreamin'" and Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy." Castro's a Jack Johnson-ish dude -- laid back, polite and stoned-seeming. He's one of the few performers all night who put his own twist on cover songs, rather than just mimicking the original artists.

Number 3: Syesha Mercado
This Beyonce-like chick has big, beautiful voice but is entirely forgettable for a reason I just noted above.

Number 2: David Archuleta
The first of the two Davids is like a little Jonas Brother. He perches behind the piano and sings a bunch of ballads. He admits to liking songs that have a message -- such as the neverending snoozer, "When You Say You Love Me." Mom thinks he's sweet. "He's so young," she coos. "He's like 15." (He's actually a little older than that, but he looks 15.)

Number 1: David Cook
Finally. The sight of the hometown hero sets the crowd instantly to its feet and roaring. "Royals!" Mom shouts at me, pointing to Cook's blue jersey. (She later informs me that Cook's first job was at Kauffman Stadium.) A couple deafening minutes pass before he can start his first song, a cover of Lionel Ritchie's "Hello" -- a song choice that Mom would fall for no matter who had the mic. The cell phones and lighters come out for Cook's own "Time of My Life," to which Mom knows every word. I admit it's really adorable how much she's enjoying herself. At some point, Cook takes off his jersey, which bears his own name above 08 on the back -- a white t-shirt is better for rocking songs like Aerosmith's "Don't Wanna Miss a Thing" and the Foo Fighters' "My Hero."

Along with Cook's swagger, the t-shirt-and-jeans look also reminds Mom why she thought I'd like this guy in the first place -- it makes him seem more like the typical rock and roll dude that I'm a sucker for. "He's so natural on stage, so sure of himself," she says. "Like (ex-boyfriend 2007)." And (ex-boyfriend 2002), (ex-boyfriend 2004) and (ex-boyfriend 2008). I guess Mom does know best, though I'm surprised she doesn't start discouraging me from the type.