So, we're down to the five duets. Each pair has a day to work on the harmonies and choreography for each song before they perform for a live audience in Epcot.

Tierney and James sing "Torn": So, I may be a little partial to this because I really really really like this song, but I think Tierny has a really great voice, and I thought it was interesting that they performed a song that's not a duet. I find it hilarious that Tierney, much like one of my high school friends, kept burping during rehearsal.

Bailey and John sing "I Want it That Way": The overachiever and class clown did a dramatic but kind of interesting rendition of a song I'm ashamed to admit is on my iPod.

Anthony and Jessalyn sing "Bubbly": Anthony sounds off-key in rehearsal, which makes Jessalyn look aggravated and makes me worried. When they hit the stage, they do a really adorable performance except for the part where Jessalyn slurred all her words.

Briana and Tony sing "Leave the Pieces": It was decent, but I don't think good it was enough to get either of them to the final six. Also, Tony's a nice kid, but I'm reeeaaaally tired of the producers pushing how he's this kid from a small town in Mississippi. We get it. He’s a small-town kid with big dreams. Move on.

Ciara and Isaiah sing "Change the World": Again, a really nice performance, but I feel they don't duet as much as compete with each other. I'm iffy on these two as well.

The judges deliberate and the dreamy Nick Lachey delivers the news: Jessalyn, Tony, Ciara and John are out.

So the first final six are:

Anthony: A Massachusetts boy with a hard-luck story, Anthony has a great smile, has a lot of energy and is really positive. Also, his reaction to being a finalist may have tugged the ol' heartstrings just a little.

Bailey: I can't express how excited I am that she made it. Her intensity is gonna be a blast to watch.

James: If I remember correctly, James has only been singing for a year, but he already sounds pretty good

Tierney: I'm gonna say right now that this girl will be in the top two. She's sweet, and she's got the kind of voice that comes naturally. You can't teach someone to have that kind of quality.

Briana: Looking back at my notes, I actually don't have anything on Briana. She's gonna need to bring some more personality to the forefront.

Isaiah: To be honest, I’m a little surprised that he made it. I think he's a really good overall performer but just not as strong a singer as some kids who were eliminated. I guess we’ll see if the judges note something that passed me by on this one.

I can't say much else. They glossed over the dance segment really quickly, and there hasn't been any sort of acting trial, so we'll have to wait till the finalists hit Utah for HSM camp.

NEXT WEEK: We won't find out much more about the first six, as the other three faculty members take over the Western casting call next Sunday. It'll give me time to prep my Team Anthony and Team Bailey shirts. For now, here's what sounds like Tierney performing the National Anthem. (It's hard to see her, and I think you'll see why.)