I agree Paul. I noted in an earlier post that I had found my favorite in "Sundance" Head, and I still love him and think he will make the finals, but I also fell in love with Melinda and think she will find plenty of confidence and could easily go all the way.

I picked Carrie Underwood, Clay Aiken, Chris Daughtry, Kellie Pickler and McPhee as favorites in the early auditions and they all did pretty well.

My favorite comment of the night was Simon's comment comparing Head to Taylor Hicks. I think that will actually work against Head to some extent though. There have not been two similar idols in a row, and while I hate to compare Head to Hicks, they are similar in that they are both men and sing the blues.

I went to grade school with Melinda and I can tell you she has no confidence problem. She's an awesome person and as I'm sure you'll see in future episodes, a very amazing and versatile voice. Heck, she sang a Whitney Houston song so well as a 4th or 5th grader that would make jaw drop. Can't wait to see her compete!

What was the deal with the girl that never blinked once. I think she must have had two glass eyes, because she kept her eyes open the whole time. Maybe she should talk to Pelosi/

I know Melinda I ment her in 05 on the Blessing tour.. She was awesome.. She is very talented I have no doubt that see will go very far on idol..
Way to go Melinda

Melinda is my very good friend and one I've recently sung with on the road. She is NO WALLFLOWER. In fact, she's one of the most outgoing, confident people I know. Wait til America gets to see the real side of her...watch out! She's unbelievable. :)

Her friends back in Tulsa would certainly agree, Debi! She was that way in school, as well. We're so excited to watch!

I loved her audition. Her singing is beautiful and her humility is refreshing. Yes, I think she'll do well. Hope she makes the finals...

I am so excited for Melinda. I went to church with her growing up. I remember listening to her sing for our youth group. She definately has the confidence to succeed in this competition. Her singing voice is incredible. American Idon is dekinately in for a treat!

I also know melinda we did a show together in august-september. she is so amazing. people will fall in love with her. she has what it takes. i will say that she is however shy as you saw. but she is such a sweetheart, she made me feel so good about me when i hated myself. ahhh all i can say is that i am telling all of my friends to vote for her. and you all should do the same!

I went to high school with Melinda and she is an incredible person and a fabulous singer. She will do great and I know she will be the winner as long as people remember to vote. I'm already gearing all my phones for speed dial! Her confidence need not be in question. In high school she would always get nervous before she would sing and she would be shy if you asked her to sing, but once she went on to perform she quickly got over it. She might be like Elliott was at first, but I think she will overcome her shyness alot faster than he did, plus she won't let it show like he did. You should hear her sing Amazing Grace and the National Anthem, it gives me chills just thinking about it! Simon better be nice to her or I'm gonna be one very upset Tulsan!

I was proud...I think M. did very well...I was pulling for her..I don't know her, but we both have the same last name...from Georgia

Hello from Finland!

I just saw Melinda singing For Once In My Life and she is the best singer I have seen in American Idol! Right on Melinda! Me and my wife are the instant fans!

Kalervo

I don't know Melinda... but WOW !!! What a voice !! What control !!

Good singers hit high notes just fine. Great singers start thier buildup towards the high notes form the lows.

Melinda's low notes blew my mind! Her lows, if you listen carefully, actually THROB -- Like a thousand bulls rearing at the gates, she reins them in in complete control, building up such anticipation for that eventual climactic high.

Comparably, last year's cast had more contestants with talent. But this year, I would dare say that they've found the best VOCALIST ever with Melinda.

JBG

She is really amazing. I just love that voice, the range, control, interpretation and presentation. The only thing I would ask of her is to lower her shoulders and hold her head up high. Right now her shoulders are up in her ears and that is a bad habit to break.

Unfortunately from the time she makes it to the top 12 it will become less about talent and more about popularity...who has the most friends and banks of phones. I do hope they set up an auditorium full of phones for those votes. It is time a true, polished professional won Idol.

I don't know Melissa, but I do know she has the talent to win! I have listened to her sing "For once in my life" at least 50 times and would buy a cd of hers in a minute. Melissa, you go girl I will be voting for you as many of my friends!! Good luck and God bless you!

The first time my wife and I heard Melinda in her audition, we were completely blown away! My wife, who has a keen ability to discern vocal talent quickly said "Wow, she will go a long way" and I said "Do you think she will be in the top 5?" She responded "I think she will definitely be in the top 2 at least."

Whats nice about her is she seems to be very sincere, humble and down to earth. I am not concerned about her "lack of confidence" as seems to be the type who would step it up once she is on stage.

I sincerely hope that she would get the support of the viewers this season. Her talent and voice are truly wonderful things to behold.

I have watched Melinda grow from a timid and non confident contestant to a would be idol. Baby, if you read this then believe in yourself and in what you do, walk that stage and make me pround because I've already made huge stakes in your potentials, proove me right that contrary to belief you are just more than a back-up singer. I'll be praying for you.

Please, Please vote for MELINDA DOOLITTLE, I eally really want her to win this time, she really deserves to win.

Melinda is definitely in my top 2. Knew she'd make it far from the first audition. Must also say that I called Carrie Underwood AND Taylor Hicks in previous years.

Melinda, you are the best person in American Idol! You will be the winner! PLEASE

Oh My Gosh! This girl is absolutely AWESOME! She is definitely the one to watch. I haven't heard anyone as good as her this early in the competition in ANY season. You go girl, you are unbelievable!

I considered Melinda a front-runner from the start, but I really thought Latesha was out ahead, but after hearing both of them sing this evening, Melinda is the new front-runner.

I hope she continues her brilliant performences. I am not a TV/Reality show type person. This is the first time I have watched American Idol. I am hooked after seeing Melinda. I'll be buying her CD's in the future. :)

- Michael

p.s. I think I like her personality as much as her singing. I also find her very cute.

If this competition were purely about talent Melinda would win in a landslide -- she has among the best voices I've ever heard in any musical genre. Astounding, in fact. (None of the other contestants could ever even dream about pulling off "My Funny Valentine" so brilliantly). And her personality is infectious -- she's very easy to like. But alas, to win American Idol one must appeal to the sensibilities of millions of teenagers whose criteria and musical tastes are, well, a bit questionable (to put it kindly).

But win or lose her immense talent is now well known, and she'll likely get a recording contract.

Melinda Doolittle is the new Dionne Warwick!!! Your records will be playing 30 years from now.

Smile, Melinda!!!

I hope Melinda goes all the way. She is great!

Doolittle is the best... she is tops on my wow factor...

My sister Nancy and I think that Melinda is the one to beat out of all the singers. Her experience and expertise put her way above the rest. What sparkle and shine! You go girl. We wil vote for her.

Melinda Doolittle is by far a cut above all the rest of the contestants, boys and girls!!! She's got everything going for her. Needless to say her voice is awesome, and she is cute as a button. And as Simon says she's not one of those "precocious little monsters with big egos and little talent." Melinda is a "breath of fresh air." I luv, luv, luv her and if she doesn't win Idol me and the rest of the country watching will be very disappointed . You go girl!

I've been following Am Id since it's inception and i've never heard a voice like Melinda Doolittle..The girl can sing and she's cute too!

This Girl is by Far the best singer in the whole American Idol season - truely amazing

From her very first audition, I loved Melinda Doolittle! I thought that her humble attitude and powerful voice were simply infectious! Last night's performance absolutely solidified it for me - she's my favourite idol this season and I am rooting for her to win! She is simply a joy to watch...reminds me a little of an African American version of Bette Midler! She's amazing!

First there was Ella, then kd Lang, and now there's Melinda. She is truly in the league of those great singers that come around once every 25 years or so. Absolutely flawless and extraordinarily rich.

Melinda's singing of Funny Valentine almost brought me to tears. What a beautiful singer and person she is. I have really never watched Idol until this season....Melinda's singing has made me a fan. I will vote for her and hope that she goes all the way. I am a fan!

I was a major Idol critic in the early years - how could you have your pick of singers across the US and end up with such mediocrity? After hearing Melinda's My Funny Valentine - WOW - I'm a believer! That is one of my favorite songs, I probably have at least 10 recordings of it by different artists, but they are all blown away by Melinda's rendition. A great vocal arrangement takes unexpected turns yet once the turn is taken it should seem obviously right - not random and aimless. When she went down on the "weak" in "is your mouth a little weak", I thought "uh oh, where is she going, but once she did it - perfection! I have replayed it countless times and I would pay $30 for a CD with just a full version that song. Other singers in the competion have had great moments, but none can touch the consistent greatness in range, presence, phrasing, arrangement and indeed - charm. And it is SO great to see her dominate the competition w/o succumbing to the Christina/Beyonce/Celine/etc pop princess idiom.

As an aside, I think it is funny how so many people think that you can't do well with a ballad on Idol yet two of the best performances I've seen on the show (and even Simon agreed) were this one and Katharine McPhee's version of Over the Rainbow

GaryS already said what I wanted to say. Her melodic phrasing, in fact the entire structure of her vocal line, was astounding. I got shivers at least five times through out that performance.

I truly hope she hasn't peaked, as I would love her to win this contest.

I enjoyed reading everyone's comments, especially Gary S's. I missed last Tuesday's AI and was only able to catch the results show on Thurs. Can anyone tell me where I might be able to see a video of Melinda's performance of "Funny Valentine"? I saw a 3 second recap of it on Thurs and just based on that, I HAVE to see it in its entirety! I've witnessed some of the worst AND the best on this season's top 20. My personal top 3 are all women. (Melinda being one of them, of course!) But I have to agree that, so far, Melinda's consistency and artistry make her the one to beat.

Get Melinda's CD out already! I've listened to her My Funny Valentine over and over and it is just so rich and moving. Goosebumps galore. I'm curious, is she from Tennessee or Oklahoma originally?

To be fair, I don't think American Idol produces mediocrity. On the contrary, it exposes brilliant but masked talent. For me, glimpsing the contestants' backstory, hearing their interviews and seeing their audition judgements is extremely eye-opening of the human condition. Melinda's expression awaiting her Final 24 judgement is just such a powerful display. She sensed rejection and thru her I felt it coming myself (of course, AI only wanted to yank her chain for entertainment purposes). She oozes authenticity. That said, Melinda is such a tremendous channel of human emotion. My two cents.

It is a great shame that potential winners of these 'competitions' are usurped by teenage hysteria and hormones.

As a nation not able to vote and believe me the viewing figures here are significant, I implore all sensible Americans to vote a true American Idol. I cannot help thinking that when the last 12 have been picked and they get to work with the likes of Tony Bennett and Diana Ross, to name but two, that Melinda will raise the bar further still. Her diction in both her live performances has been amazing. If she is a little shy currently, god help the competition which based on the comment of teenage voting might just be Stephanie.

Interesting enough I was recently hired to sing in a refreshing new arrangement of the song "Mais Que Nada" when I realized that one of the girls singing back vocals was none or less Miss Melinda Doolittle. What can I tell you?? The girl was right on copying the portuguese pronunciation, and I was amazed there with her ability to do in "any" range and style whatever she wants with her voice.
Personally I want her to win. She is the full package.The cut above. I liked the show before, but now there is clearly another level of professionalism, talent and charisma.
By the way Melody, I've recorded Melinda's performances.
Good Luck Melinda. Enjoy this moment!!!!