The top six Idols opened with a group performance of The Script's "Before the Worst" before host Andrew G revealed the bottom three: Kate Cook, James Johnston, and Stan Walker. Stan's inclusion left 30-year-old schoolteacher Toby Moulton as the only finalist who has not been in the bottom three. But it was Kate who made an emotional exit from the competition, leaving the remaining five to sing two songs they hoped would define their style as future recording artists.
James Johnston - "Mercy" by Duffy
James' rendition of the song that catapulted the Welsh soul singer to worldwide fame was always likely to attract criticism from the judges. Ian "Dicko" Dickson said James moved well but implored him to "explore a less smiley delivery". Jay Dee Springbett said James had made more progress than any other contestant but picked a song that showed the frailties in his voice.
Toby Moulton - "Don't Look Back In Anger" by Oasis
Toby's overall performance was a bit dull and he seemed to be trying to copy Noel Gallagher's accent at times. Jay Dee said Toby was getting boring and wasn't a rock idol. Dicko said it was hard to see Oasis being performed by such a clean cut and inoffensive person. Toby admitted that due to his left field musical tastes, he had battled to find songs he enjoyed that would fit him, and he had made a mistake with this song choice.
Nathan Brake - "Makes Me Wonder" by Maroon 5
Nathan's vocals were somewhat disappointing, especially for someone with his talent. Jay Dee said he wanted Nathan's pitch to get better when he transferred to pop songs. Dicko agreed, saying he was "way too pitchy for this stage in the competition". Marcia Hines told him to remember that theatre, which Nathan excelled in, was harder to pitch than pop.
Hayley Warner - "Somebody Told Me" by The Killers
Hayley doesn't have the purest voice but her lively performance got a rousing reception from the audience. Dicko said she was the coolest contestant they'd had in seven years of Australian Idol, but asked the Bleached Academy lead singer if she wanted to front her band or be a solo artist. Hayley said she was still finding herself as an artist and was happy to do both, but did harbour dreams of carving out a solo career.
Stan Walker - "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen
As he had the week before, Stan began this song in a low register and the performance was hindered by it. Once again, he improved when he started singing the higher notes, infusing far more emotion into the song. Marcia said it was great to see a singer of Stan's calibre on Australian Idol and when he was on the stage something special happened. Jay Dee said the song started out as a "nursery rhyme" and Stan's intonation in his lower register needed more clarity. Dicko said the performance was "90 per cent awesome" but his low notes were "muddy and nondescript".
James Johnston - "Use Somebody" by Kings of Leon
James armed himself with an acoustic guitar, looking every bit the serious artist and not just another "tween idol". Dicko said it was James' best vocal performance of the series, and he would have liked him to perform the whole song acoustically. Jay Dee said Kings of Leon front man Caleb Followill was like "raw sex behind a microphone", whereas James was "a cup of tea behind a microphone". Marcia, on the other hand, praised James for interpreting the song his own way.
Toby Moulton - "Politik" by Coldplay
Toby's emotional performance was a vast improvement on his first song of the night, though Dicko questioned whether Toby was being "daft or defiant" by choosing an album track over a big Coldplay hit. Meanwhile, Marcia said Toby's "pitch and intonation was mighty fine".
Nathan Brake - "Mad World" by Tears for Fears, covered by Gary Jules
Nathan was next with a haunting rendition of the song that featured in Donnie Darko. Jay Dee said when Nathan sung like that, Jay Dee started believing he could win the competition. Dicko said it was apparent that songs with "inbuilt drama" suited Nathan.
Hayley Warner - "Stone Cold Sober" by Paloma Faith
Hayley backed up her first song with an equally enthusiastic performance. Marcia said Idol was turning into "the Hayley Warner show" every time she walked onto the stage. Jay Dee said Hayley had Paloma Faith's creative energy and star quality.
Stan Walker - "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, covered by Diana Ross
Stan returned to his RnB and soul roots with this classic. Marcia said he breathed life into an old standard. Jay Dee said if Stan could dance half as well as he sang, he would take him into the studio now. Dicko said Stan had a beautiful voice and it was a fitting way to end the night.
Good Charlotte's Benji and Joel Madden join the Australian Idol judging panel next week for "Noughties Night".
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