American Idol Performances
Most videos come from AIS8rocks‘s youtube channel. Thank you!
Solo performances
Top 36 – Performance Night
Allison performed on the Top 36, group 2, along with eventual winner Kris Allen and runner up Adam Lambert. They ended up being the three performers voted into the Top 12 from that group. During performance night, a very nervous Allison was interviewed by Ryan Seacrest prior to her first ever live performance. The now infamous “akward” interview served as a prelude to what was deemed by Simon Cowell as “the best performance of the night by a clear mile”. Watch Allison’s mind blowing and career making performance of Heart’s Alone.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9TWvPNgQKE
Also watch Allison’s performance from the Top 36 Results Night, after being told she had made the Top 12.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CE2QyR_uaCM
Top 13 – Michael Jackson
For the Top 13 performance night, the contestants had to choose songs from the Michael Jackson catalogue. Allison and Anoop Desai both wanted to perform Beat it, but Allison let Anoop have the song and went on to search for another Michael Jackson tune. Eventually, she settled on Give in to me, after the song was suggested to her by Kris Allen who told her “this song is perfect for you”, she loved it. Thankfully, he was right. This video also features a fondly remembered Allison moment during her chat with the judges when she tells Simon Cowell, that “I’m not dark I’m not like cutting myself”. Watch Allison’s incredible performance of Give in to me:
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UO3OcbyHhwQ
Top 11 – Grand Ole Opry
For the Top 11, the contestants had to choose country songs featured in the Grand Ole Opry. For this week’s performance, Allison chose the Patty Loveless tune Blame it on your heart, a song she had been singing since she was a young child. She displayed a more fun and colorful side of her on stage and once again wowed the judges, the audience and that week’s mentor, Randy Travis. Watch Allison get her country on and owning the stage with Blame it on your heart.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcpFBn5w-60
Top 10 – Motown
For the Top 10, the finalists had to choose songs from the Motown era. For this night, Allison closed the show with her explosive and mind blowing take on The Temptations Papa was a rolling stone, receiving rave reviews from the judges and audience as well as a standing ovation from mentor, motown legend Smokey Robinson. Watch Allison’s incredible performance of Papa was a rolling stone:
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m2b12yvXQQ
Top 9 – Top iTunes Downloads
For the Top 9, the contestants chose songs that have been Top iTunes downloads, meaning they could choose any style they wanted. For this night, Allison chose the No Doubt tune Don’t speak, a band she grew up with, and a sound she identified herself with. She also decided to play the guitar on stage for the first time to show a different side of herself. The performance however is perhaps better remembered because of the playful outfit and hairstyle Allison chose for the night, which Allison herself calls “the Pebbles” outfit. Watch Allison’s take and killer vocals on Don’t Speak:
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNE_GX6U32o
Top 8 – Songs from the year they were born
For the top 8, the finalist had to choose songs from the year they were born. Allison was the only 90′s baby, being born in 1992. For this night, Allison chose to slow things down and show the audience and judges a softer and more vulnerable side of herself by performing the Bonnie Raitt song I can’t make you love me. Her performance earned her great reviews from all the judges, with Kara Dioguardi noting her ability to connect to songs on an emotional level. Watch Allison’s heartbreaking take on I can’t make you love me.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBw6LYLV6D8
Top 7 I – Songs from the movies
For Top 7, the contestants had to choose songs from the movies. Allison opened the night with the Aerosmith song I don’t wanna miss a thing, from the movie Armaggedon. She got the crowd pumped up, including Diane Warren, author of the song and movie director Quentin Tarantino, mentor for the week. After this performance, Simon Cowell recognized Allison as “the girl’s only hope” in the competition, and he was right. Watch Allison’s take on I don’t wanna miss a thing:
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuYQex64E9E
Top 7 II – Disco
During the songs from the movies results night, the judges used their save to keep contestant Matt Giraud in the competition, therefore, the top 7 contestants had to perform again the week after, this time to the sounds of Disco music. For this theme week, Allison chose to cover Donna Summer’s Hot Stuff. With a hard rock arrangement, conceptualized by Allison herself and a stage performance that left many speechless, Hot stuff was deemed by Simon Cowell as a “brilliant”. Watch the video of Allison’s rocking version of Hot Stuff:
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1kDgJw-Wqc
Top 5 – Rat Pack Night
For Top 5 night, the contestants had to choose jazz standards from The Rat Pack. This theme night was so outside of Allison’s comfort zone, most people thought she would have problems with it. However, Allison showed everyone that she was more than a “rocker chick” and that she had an amazing talent for adjusting herself and her vocals to any type of music. She chose to perform Someone to watch over me and earned rave reviews from the judges, the audience and critics with a performance that landed her in the top 2 for that week. Watch Allison’s amazing, tender and vulnerable performance of Someone to watch over me:
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF3I_8MvxLg
Top 4 – Classic Rock Night
During Top 4, the contestants had to choose classic rock songs. This was also the first time duets were introduced during performance night. Allison, the resident rocker girl with the gritty, smokey voice was completely in her element. She chose to cover Janis Joplin’s version of Cry baby, a performer she admired and grew up listening to. The week’s mentor, legendary guitarist Slash, noted that with her 17 years of age, Allison “kicked ass over most 30 year olds”. Allison was eliminated from the show this week, but her breathtaking version of Cry baby became her American Idol staple song. It was also the only song from the show that she chose to cover during the American Idol Summer Tour in 2009. Watch Allison’s performance of Cry baby:
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PD9rTvyY4tA
That week, the show introduced duets during performance night. Rockers Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta chose to join forces for the explosive closing number, Foghat’s Slow Ride, a performance that later on became an instant fan favorite during the American Idol Summer Tour in 2009. Watch Adam and Allison’s incredibly fun duet of Slow Ride.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiS26RXQo-A
Top 4 Results night
Allison was eliminated during Rock Night at Top 4. Watch her “in your face” and fiery sing out performance of Cry Baby on results night:
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BScP1chUb7w
American Idol Finale
For the American Idol finale, several finalists got the chance to perform with establish musical acts. Allison, in what she calls her best American Idol memory, got the chance to perform an incredible acoustic duet of Time After Time with Cindy Lauper. Watch this sweet and amazing performance below:
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Okv2oFySDVQ
Group Numbers
Throughout her run on American Idol, Allison was also part of several group numbers. Watch the Group numbers below.
Top 13 – Jackson 5 Medley
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GXjyOUKsqo
Top 11 – T-R-O-U-B-L-E
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRobthoXsT8
Top 10 – Motown Medley
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sH0jQEsWW1k
Top 9 – Don’t Stop Believing
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8WKtYE8cB8
Top 8 – Can’t get you out of my head
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hTJHIymxsI
Top 7 I – Maniac
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmqM_U_7eAw
Top 7 II – Shake your body down to the ground
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5TTvEWMaQI
Top 5 – It don’t mean a thing/I got rhythm
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFEc0LhgI10
Top 4 – School’s out
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98Yf5leQpgk
American Idol Finale
So What
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEN-Ooy_QKI
Black Magic Woman
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9N9UAER2h4
Allison and the rest of the Top 13 also taped commercials for Ford, here are some of them.
We will rock you
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNDgI8qQVPw
Here it goes again
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDkjLG8CDgQ
Pocketful of sunshine
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_-gLIwZ0cI
Circus
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7y3m7iAKSA
Mixed up
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFsGPqNhcSo
I’m good, I’m gone
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7np6mVwE0Q
Energy
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5ul74uaYbc
Move along
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3U8qJ7Kxdjw
