‘American Idol’ Recap: Adam Lambert, Lil Rounds, Danny Gokey Live Up To Hype

Adam Lambert on "American Idol" on Tuesday

There may have been a seizure-inducing new set with more flashing blue lights than a K-Mart on the first-ever top-13 performance show Tuesday on “American Idol,” but one thing stayed exactly the same: Adam Lambert, Danny Gokey and Lil Rounds killed it.

The three top contenders for this year’s “Idol” crown didn’t disappoint, each delivering a unique, totally different take on the night’s theme: the catalog of King of Pop Michael Jackson. You could tell some things were going to be a bit different, though, from the opening moments. For the first time, the four hosts were announced onto the stage and walked out shoulder-to-shoulder, with Paula Abdul doing her best hip-swiveling model walk down to the judges’ pit.

Host Ryan Seacrest was next, bouncing down the long center staircase and teasing Simon Cowell, “You are loving that.” Also different? At the top of the show, Cowell announced that because of the added contestant this year, two singers would be sent home on Wednesday night (March 11).

Adam Lambert astonishes `American Idol’ judges

If the “American Idol” judges have their way, it won’t be curtains for Adam Lambert anytime soon. The 26-year-old theater actor from Los Angeles seamlessly impressed the panel — and eclipsed his 12 co-finalists — with an energized rendition of the tune “Black or White” during Tuesday’s Michael Jackson-themed performance show.

“You’ve got the whole package going on,” Paula Abdul exclaimed following Lambert’s performance.

Anoop Desai, from Chapel Hill, N.C., was the target of the judges’ harshest criticism. Randy Jackson said the 21-year-old college student’s decision to perform “Beat It” was the “wrong choice” while Simon Cowell declared it “horrible.” Jorge Nunez, the 20-year-old college student from Carolina, Puerto Rico, was also targeted for a lackluster song pick.