Archuleta and Mercado's choices

Archuleta picked “With You” by Chris Brown. The girls in the audience scream throughout it.

“I applaud the fact you’re trying something new and young, but I’m not sure that was the right song,” Jackson said. Cowell gave the best line of the night (see video)

Syesha Mercado acts her way through Peggy Lee’s “Fever.” It’s sexy, but you expect the judges to call her out for the theatrics. Some of the arrangement is out of her range, too.

“You sang it amazingly well,” Jackson said.

“I think you will probably regret that decision tomorrow,” Cowell said. “You had the chance to prove you are a contemporary recording artist with your own choice of song. Instead, you did quite a lame cabaret performance.”