American Idol Getting Tensed

The American Idol season 11 competition is getting tense, as was evidenced during Wednesday night’s episode featuring “songs from this decade.”

Jimmy Iovine stirred the pot early on, telling Colton Dixon that he is “just behind Phillip Phillips.”  Dixon fired back in his video interview that he didn’t like being compared to anyone, especially Phillips.

Those were fighting words, but Phillips reserved his ire for his duets partner, Elise Testone, moaning on camera that she picked the song “Somebody That I Used to Know” by Gotye because she’d sing better on it.

For the record, she did, and though they played it off later as if they were besties and it was all a joke, Phillips continues to seem moodier every week.

In previous weeks, the American Idol finalists performed songs from the ‘80s or by artists they had never heard of (Billy Joel week, for instance).  The top seven get to tackle more contemporary artists.

American Idol musical director Ray Chew tweeted a teaser list of songs that included selections by Pink, Kellie Pickler, Kelly Clarkson and Lady Gaga.

It is interesting to note the absence of songs by David Cook or Daughtry, two artists often tackled by Colton Dixon.

Additionally, who will be brave enough to cover Gaga’s “You and I,” a song considered obscure until season ten’s Haley Reinhart unleashed it onto the world? We can only guess Elise Testone, who bears a resemblence to Gaga and was lovingly referred to as Stefanie Germanotta by THR Music Editor Shirley Halperin in earlier episodes of Idol Hangover.

Here wre Wednesday night’s song list:

“You and I,” Lady Gaga

“Stuttering,” Jazmine Sullivan

“Didn’t Know How Much I Loved You,” Kellie Pickler

“Perfect,” Pink

“Love the Way You Lie,” Skylar Grey

“Give a Little More,” Maroon 5

“Runaway Baby,” Bruno Mars

“Somebody I Used to Know,” Gotye

“Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You),” Kelly Clarkson

“Don’t You Wanna Stay,” Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson