YOUNG IDOL GROWING

Well.

At first I thought LaKisha was the sole candidate in this year's contest.

Then Melinda Doolittle rocked the stage with "I'm a Woman" and it became a two-woman show.

Then Jordin, seventeen years old, suddenly turned into a star.

I'm a musician. I'm a singer.

Jordin at seventeen has a profound talent, which becomes more developed and refined with each performance. I am very impressed with this young musician.

Jordin's not going to win. At seventeen, her talent, although great, is not developed enough to outstrip her two primary rivals.

But I can't remember when I've seen a young talent who had impressed me so much. Tonight, her presentation of Tom Jones' "I Who Have Nothing" brought highest praise from Simon:

"I feel like jumping off a bridge. It was so gloomy."

EXACTLY!! And she brought that out so strongly that Simon said he felt like jumping off a bridge.

Jordin won't win. She's a teenager. Melinda has a great talent and more experience.

But I am deeply impressed with Jordin's musical, artistic, and stage ability, and she gets my vote. Yup, I'm voting. What the hell.