American Idol Recap: Ali Shields, Jane Carrey, Kyle Crews Stand Out At San Diego Auditions

Ali Shields, Jane Carrey

It was so considerate of Fox to assume football watchers = American Idol watchers and we’d happily stay up until 11pm on a Sunday night to watch another auditions round right after the NFC Championship game! Feel the sarcasm! We’re actually pretty dang P.O.ed. That move was just about as considerate as the folks who booked Steven Tyler to sing the national anthem at the AFC Championship game.

But, alas, we stayed up past our bedtimes and hunkered down to watch Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler, and Ryan Seacrest take the season 11 auditions to San Diego.

Personality, surprise, and back-story were the factors that made a few of the San Diego auditioners really special. Ali Shields, “ghetto dancer” and kisser of Usher and Mike Posner, made a mark with her over-the-top personality. Kyle Crews took the cake for surprises. His smooth, R&B vocals didn’t match at all with his frat boy-meets-geek exterior. And Jane Carrey, daughter of funnyman Jim Carrey, easily grabbed our attention with her story.

Let’s take a look at a few other standouts from San Diego:

Ashley Robles – 26: Ashley has our vote straight out of the gate for having the most adorable 5-year-old daughter, who told Seacrest she wants to be her mom’s background dancer. Cuteness overload! Ashley backed up her daughter’s cuteness by actually having talent to write home about. She belted Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You,” and while it wasn’t the best rendition we’ve ever heard (started out shaky and had too many growl-y notes), it was pretty damn good. Three yeses.

Jayrah Gibson – 26: We always welcome the sight of contestants who can be contemporary recording artists on this show, because, well, that’s what AI wants to make when it’s all said and done. And they haven’t had a good potential R&B recording artist for a number of years. Could Jayrah be it? We enjoyed his take on Musiq Soulchild’s “Just Friends” greatly. He has a voice that’s primed and ready to record Ne-Yo and The-Dream-penned tracks right now. But we don’t know if Idol viewers are as ready for him to win as he is. He’ll at least get to try. The judges loved him. Hollywood!

Aubree Dieckmeyer – 20: Aubree couldn’t quite remember what show she was auditioning for. She kept saying “America’s Next Top Model.” But at least she had everything the judges wanted in an American Idol: cute face, cuter voice. “I love all the sweet parts of your voice,” Jennifer said. Randy and Steven both agreed. Hollywood.

Ali Shields – 19: Being the avid Ellen DeGeneres show watchers that we are, we totally remembered Ali being invited on the show after freestyling a song about wanting to meet Ellen. We also remembered how hyperactive she was on the show and subsequent trip to the 2010 American Music Awards as Ellen’s correspondent, where, Ali revealed, she kissed Mike Poser AND Usher. Jealous? Not even a little — for real. Ali took that same energetic/erratic approach for her Idol audition. She started out rapping Chris Brown’s “Look At Me Now” (by way of Karmin, of course) then broke out some “ghetto dancing,” as Randy put it, then finally cut the games to showcase her blues-leaning singing voice on “Like A Star” by Corinne Bailey Rae. Ali’s goofy package received three enthusiastic yeses from the judges. We don’t know if we can handle her all season, but we’ll have to deal. Hollywood!

Kyle Crews – 19: Kyle is a frat boy who looks more like a computer geek. Still, he said he’s a total ladies’ man and woos the women with dorm room serenades. Again, he looks like a total geek so we were so sure we were being set up. Have we learned nothing from the sensation that is Susan Boyle!? Clearly not. Kyle opened his mouth to sing Monica’s “Angel of Mine” (dedicated to Jennifer, of course), and, suddenly, it all made sense. He was right. With a voice that hypnotic, the ladies are sure to swoon. Our swoonage level was at 100%. Loooove his tone and control. “Best male voice we’ve heard yet,” Steven said. We kinda agree. We can’t wait to hear more. Kyle gets to woo the ladies in Hollywood!

Jane Carrey – 24: Everyone wants to make a name for him/herself. But it makes it difficult when your dad’s name is so huge. Jane had to live in the eclipsing shadow of her dad, Jim Carrey — YES! that Jim Carry! — all her life, and now she wants to step out and make a name of her own. We’re not sure Idol is it for her. There is potential in her voice, definitely, but, as of now, it’s as average as they come. Some of the 15-16 year olds already through to Hollywood can and will swallow her whole. Still, based on potential (and the fear of pissing off one of the funniest men in America), the judges all said yes and let Jane make her way in Hollywood.

Jason Hamlin aka Wolf – 24: Gotta love the big, macho guy with the sweet voice. There’s almost one every season, and Jason aka Wolf is it for season 11. We’ve got a feeling that the judges were more impressed by Wolf’s spirit than his singing ability — and probably scared that he’d kick their asses if he didn’t get through — but we like Wolf. Can’t see him lasting long, but we like him.