For this week’s 60’s challenge during the first round of singing on “American Idol,” Jessica Sanchez paid tribute to the dynamite Tina Turner.
The Filipino/Mexican singer took on “Proud Mary,” one of Turner’s most iconic songs, despite Interscope Records executive and Idol mentor Jimmy Iovine warning her not to.
“That’s a very tall order,” said Iovine. “The note [and] the range. Jessica, you got to come to the party,” he added.
Two of the judges, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler, as well as this week’s guest mentor Little Steven, a.k.a. Steven Van Zandt, loved the soul-filled performance by Sanchez, but music producer Randy Jackson agreed with Iovine.
“You’re so grown up there!” Lopez said. It’s crazy! I forget you’re 16 years old.”
Lopez then added how she liked that Sanchez made it her own.
“You were a little bit of Tina, a little bit of Beyoncé,” said Lopez. “I love seeing you move. Obviously the soul and R&B is more your lane. [But] I like seeing you throw your hair around.”
Rock star Steven Tyler agreed.
“You did it again! That’s It!” Tyler said. “I’m hearing the blues…the stretch, it sounded great.”
Jackson, who last week feuded openly with Lopez over the performance of Elise Testone, got into it again with JLO over Sanchez’s rendition of Turner’s hit tune.
“I was in a different place,” said Jackson. “This performance was OK for me. You got a big ol' voice. [But] I didn’t get anything.”
It was then when Lopez went into Mama Bear mode.
“This is their journey,” she hissed back at Jackson. “You can’t compare a 16-year-old to Tina Turner! She did a great job.”
And when Jackson tried to dispute that, Lopez’s only response was “Whatever,” after giving the Louisiana native producer a glaring look.
“I’m going to fight for my spot in the top four this week,” said Sanchez, after realizing her fate on Idol hangs by a thread with only five contestants left.
As if to shut up Iovine and Jackson, Sanchez then sang Joe Cocker’s “You are so beautiful” and left the room speechless.
“You once again showed America how great your voice is and how beautiful you are,” Tyler said. “You’re going to be number one.”
JLO brought up Sanchez’s dramatic save a few weeks back.
“How could we have let this girl go home? C’mon!” she said. “You did some beautiful things in the end. Great job, Mama.”
Jackson took his comments back from the first performance and congratulated Sanchez on her delivery of the second song.
“So, round two this girl is in the top of the leader board right now,” Jackson said.
“The wisdom that you have and talent that you have... when you can hold a straight note like that.. it’s so pro,” he said. “There’s people that have been singing for 50 years that can’t do that. So good! So good! So good!”
You can reach Alexandra Gratereaux at: Alexandra.Gratereaux@foxnewslatino.com or via Twitter: @GalexLatino
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