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We're now at the final three. That's right, the semifinals. This week each contestant sings three songs. The first is selected by legendary music industry producer Clive Davis, the second comes from a judge, and the third they get to pick for themselves.

Taylor Hicks
Dancing in the Dark by Bruce Springsteen
You Are So Beautiful by Joe Cocker
Try a Little Tenderness by Otis Redding

Katharine McPhee
I Believe I Can Fly by R. Kelly
Over the Rainbow by Judy Garland
I Ain't Got Nothin' but the Blues by Ella Fitzgerald

Elliott Yamin
Open Arms by Journey
What You Won't Do For Love by Bobby Caldwell
I Believe to My Soul by Ray Charles

This week was Taylor's. His first song was his weakest of the three. The other two were phenomenal. Taylor may not have made it this far if there weren't some weaker competition along the way, but it's a safe bet that it's a good thing that he did, because now it's looking like he's the one to beat.

Katharine, meanwhile, has yet to decide if she wants to win. Her performance of Over the Rainbow was good, and widely cheered, but I didn't think it was that good. I liked her funky Black Horse and the Cherry Tree from two weeks ago better, and her other two songs were just so-so. She needs to step it up next week.

That leaves Elliott. I like Elliott, which is more than I could have said earlier this season. I don't think he'll be with us next week, because I think the other two are better than he is, and I still think he needs a personality. But I think he sang songs that he can sing on a regular basis, and I think they were enjoyable.

I'm not sure that America is ready for a crooner to win this competition, which is why I think Elliott will go home (and he's just not that much fun to watch), but I think he's good enough to make some music singing the way he does.

Update: Sure, enough, it was Elliott's turn to go. With over 50 million votes cast, he lost by a margin of roughly 100,000. Sorry to see him go.