So it has come to this: 20 becomes 10. Given the way the schedule looks, there is a little wiggle room here for either a save down the road. No wildcard this time.

Theme for next week: songs by  past "Idol" winners. Nice self-advertising there, Nigel! I was surprised it wasn't broader, so folks could sing songs by Daughtry or Kellier Pickler or Jennfier Hudson.  I dare someone to sing something by Lee DeWyze!  And I presume we're limited to original songs, not covers. But I could be wrong.

I ended up guessing all five women correctly: Kree Harrison, Candice Glover, Angie Miller, Amber Holcomb and Janelle Arthur. I got four out of five of the guys: Burnell Taylor, Lazaro Arbos, Devin Velez and Curtis Finch Jr. The surprise: the voters picked Paul Jolley over Nick Boddington, my favorite last night. 

Having them to do that walk back stage and meet the audience is a different way to introduce the finalists.

An interesting way to stretch out the show to 90 minutes: have the top 10 sing a "victory song" and just one judge comment.

Paul Jolley ("Alone") Heart - I don't get it at all. He's boring and his vocal stylings are okay but nothing that says "star." Grade: B-minus

Burnell Taylor ("Ready for Love' India.arie) - He brings sincerity and just enough R&B flair to make things interesting. Grade: B-plus

Curtis Finch Jr. ("So Alone" John Legend) - His facial expressions make Joshua Ledet seem subtle in comparison. But I enjoyed this more than last night's performance. Grade: B-plus

Devin Velez ("The Power of One" Israel Houghton) - He opted for a gospel song. It's a of a slow start but takes off once he hits the chorus. He's very comfortable and smooth. He's like a more soulful Clay Aiken. Grade: A-minus

Lazaro Arbos ("Bridge Over Troubled Waters" Simon & Garfunkel) - His lower register isn't all that impressive but he sings the entire first verse there. One good thing about him unlike, say, Paul Jolley: he emotes charisma. He doesn't have a true powerhouse voice but he brings genuine emotion to his delivery. Grade: A-minus/B-plus

Now onto the women:

Janelle Arthur ("Home" Dierks Bentley) - She probably came in fifth and I like her more than any of the guys. She has such a pretty voice, though she does miss a note here and there. Grade: A-minus/B-plus.

Candice Glover ("I'm Goin' Down" Mary J. Blige) - She has panache and confidence, a great combination. Oh, and a solid voice. She could make it into the top 5. Grade: B-plus/A-minus

Angie Miller ("I Was Here" Beyonce) - A little breathy in the beginning. I find her voice is more suited to rock than R&B but she does a servicable job. And she looks like blend of Allison Iraheta and Lauren Alaina, which is neither here nor there. Grade: B-plus

Amber Holcolmb ("I'm Every Woman" Chaka Khan) - The band swallows her voice up a bit. Bad mix. This also felt a bit karaoke. I didn't feel it. Grade: B

And last but hardly least: Kree Harrison ("Evidence" Susan Tedeschi) - My DVR cut this off partway through but she sounded fine, as always. Can't grade her but come on, she's a favorite to win, so who cares? The hair/clothing folks backstage did jazz her up some, too.

AT&T will sponsor a special spot on the tour for the two singers who almost made it among the guys and girls. America will vote.We don't know who they are yet though I bet it's Nick Boddington and Breanna Steer.

So for the first time, there will be 11 people on the tour.