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This week, the Top 7 in American Idol Season 8 performed disco as they vie for the 5 slots and avoid the double elimination. After Matt Giraud’s save by the judges last week, 2 contenders will make the exit tonight.

After watching the show, it seemed transparent who the bottom 3 will be. The best 4 singers shone so brightly, it was pretty obvious that the bottom 3 will be Lil Rounds, Anoop Desai, and Matt Giraud. It seems the judges’ save was a waste last week as Matt failed to redeem himself. Of the 3, I think Anoop has the best chance to make it past this week while Lil’s defiance and attitude makes her the shoe in to go packing. Even if Anoop survives this week, it will take a miracle for him to get past next week. The top 4 are solid performers.

My favorite performances this week is Kris Allen’s acoustic version of “She Works Hard for the Money” and Adam Lambert’s unique rendition of “If I Can’t Have You.” Kris has been performing well the past weeks that he is starting to overshadow Danny Gokey’s initial popularity. Though Danny remains a strong contender because of his vocal talent, he hasn’t been delivering stunning or outstanding performances the past weeks. Meanwhile, Adam’s unique performances still keep him a cut above the rest. It may be a tough call guessing who America will vote for as the new idol. But if Danny continues to perform at this level, it will go down the wire between Adam and Kris.

American Idol fans were happily surprised when judges chose 4 contestants in the wild card round instead of only 3. For the first time in American Idol history, it is now down to a top 13 instead of a top 12. It was good news for most since the last one chosen was Anoop Desai, undoubtedly one of the better singers who did not get enough votes in the previous round. Though there are a few in the top 13 that will certainly be booted out early, it is a good collection this season.

For the wild card round, Jasmine Murray, Megan Joy Corkrey, Matt Giraud, and Anoop Desai successful survived the lifeline given by the judges. According to judges, the decision between Giraud and Desai were so tight they felt it was necessary to just bring both in. Though I believed Murray was the weakest of the 4, her African-American youthful beauty probably made judges decide she had time to improve her vocals — though it’s unlikely she will ever have enough time to be as good as Lil Rounds, the only other African-American to make it to the top.

So, who’s your pick? Personally, I think it will go down to Danny Gokey, Lil Rounds, and Adam Lambert. Of the 3, Lambert has the edge with his wide vocal range and matinee idol looks. Having performed constantly on theater also gives him an advantage over the rest. Knowing American Idol, picking the winner this early is not that simple. We eagerly await the surprises in the coming weeks as it winds down to the final stages.