Normally folks are not supposed to be "signed". If she's already signed with the 19E label (or one of Clive Davis' other labels), then she's a ringer to be sure. That happens with Idol - they force certain folks into the shoot to stack the deck a bit. Win or lose, they have her under contract. A bit unfair to others.

I agree with Doug - Kyle (the guy with the tie) should not have been cut. Instead we get someone we have not heard sing a note. That could mean that the guy picked is cannon-fodder. There are quite a few folks in the top 24 that I don't recall hearing a note from either.

I hate when Idol does this every season. They put in folks we know nothing about so far and want us to like them enough to vote for them just on first impressions alone. So, either they're really good or they are just average and are there to insure the chosen ones hit the top 12. Grrrrr. Stupid manipulations.

Kyle definitely should have been in the top 24 - even if he would have been out early on.

My favorites so far: the singing nurse (I love that kind of growl-voice - I think we'll see her make it to the top 12 but then fade out around 8th or 7th unless she pulls out some surprises), the 16 year old boy with the dark hair (very nice, very likable, great voice), Syesha (the one who lost her voice but still delivered in Hollywood), the very short Asian girl (with the powerful voice) and the Australian guy. Many of the other girls are interchangeable to me - meaning they all have that similar kind of look and voice to them. As for the guys, lots of them we haven't heard a note from - so I reserve judgment to add a few after the first songs next week.

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