Paris Bennett
Song: The Way We Were   (Barbra Streisand  )

Paris says she's selected "The Way We Were" because it's about memories, which she has, as opposed to love thoughts, which she doesn't really have! That's hard to believe, Paris is a 17-year-old girl, isn't "thinking about love" what 17-year-old girls do all day? Now if she were 70 I'd probably believe her, but then she wouldn't be on Idol... ¯ would she? could she? ¯ Well, not unless they drastically up the age qualification!

We digress... Paris definitely impresses David Foster and Andrea Bocelli in rehearsals.

"She has volume like me" observes an astonished Andrea.

David has just one piece of advice, which is to "sing the first 8 bars softer".

It turns out to be good advice, because we actually enjoy the first part of her performance the most tonight.

When she ramps up the volume at the end it feels a little too "full-on". More modulation of intensity in the closing bars would probably have suited better.

It's still a good vocal though, and Paris proves once again how well she can handle big songs like these.

Panel-Bites:

Ryan Seacrest: It is time for Paris now. Watch this...

Intro clip...

Paris: (To camera) I'll be singin' "The Way We Were" by Barbra Streisand.

Paris: (Singing in rehearsals for Andrea and David) ¯ Memories... ¯

Paris: (To camera) Because I'm seventeen I had to choose a love song wisely, and this song is a great thing for me because I have memories. I don't really have love thoughts.

Paris: (Closing out her number in rehearsals) ¯ ...(the way we) were  ¯

Andrea and David: (Applaud)

David: (Clapping) Very nice.

Paris: Thank you.

David: Very nice.

Andrea: It's great. She has volume like me.

David: Wow!

Andrea: (Laughing) In this room. It's incredible.

David: Yeah. (To Paris) I would only just say one thing, and that is, I would sing the first 8 bars softer.

Paris: (Nods) Okay.

David: Because there's no need... because you get so big for the whole song, right? (Paris nods) You can get everybody's attention by singing so soft that they have to pay such close attention to it.

Paris: (Nods) 'Kay.

David: Okay.

Paris: ¯ Memories, light the corners of my mind... ¯

Andrea: Paris can sing softly and strong very easily. She has an extraordinary voice. She has an instrument, absolutely incredible. Spectacular.

Paris sings...

¯ Memories ¯ Light the corners of my mind ¯ Misty watercolor memories ¯ Of the way we were ¯ Can it be that it was so, so simple then ¯ Or has time rewritten every line ¯ And if we had the chance to do it all again ¯ Tell me would we ¯ Could we ¯ Memories ¯ May be beautiful and yet ¯ (So beautiful) ¯ What's too painful to remember ¯ We simply to choose to forget ¯ So it's the laughter ¯ We will remember ¯ Whenever you remember ¯ The... the way we were ¯

(Cheers and applause)

Randy Jackson:  A'right, yo. So you know what, I thought it was pretty good. I mean I'm not sayin' I was blown away but I liked it. I wasn't over the top about it but I liked it. I thought it was good. I mean you can sing anything.

Paris: (Smiling) Thank you.

Paula Abdul:  Paris, you were born to sing. I felt that you oversang the song a little bit, but overall the best female vocal tonight.

Paris: Thank you.

Simon Cowell:  Very good vocal. A bit old fashioned for my taste, and sounded a bit like you were tryin' to impersonate an older artist. Now I've finished, off you go Ryan.

Paris: (Smiling) Thank you Simon.

Ryan Seacrest:  (Joins Paris onstage) Just tryin' to give everybody a chance to sing. (Gives out the voting numbers) Paris!