The fire in Kree Harrison is burning brighter than ever before!

Personally, I felt that Top 4 Week (Free Choice/One Hit Wonder) was her best week on American Idol thus far. I absolutely loved how Kree tapped into her bluesy side with Susan Tedeschi‘s “It Hurt So Bad”. Like with her Top 10 Victory Performance of Tedeschi’s “Evidence“, she was right in her element and it was all so awesome to see (and hear) unleash with a fine mix of grittiness and naturalness. “It Hurt So Bad” was her best vocal to date, and more importantly, it was also the performance that is most quintessentially true to her artistic styling of rootsy-bluesy-soulful country.

I was also happy that Kree chose to sing Procol Harum‘s “A Whiter Shade of Pale” (from 1967) for her second performance. The easy breezy Summer of Love anthem one of my favourite classic recordings to sit back and listen to – it has a groovy, timeless, and unforgettable vibe to it that I just adore, and Kree did such a wonderful and effortless job singing it!

I respect how she always chooses songs that evoke special memories and feelings to her. It’s very apparent that she’s a massive appreciator of music of all genres (she even cites Percy Sledge‘s rendition as the inspiration behind her song choice). It’s always risky to pick songs that aren’t so familiar to the Idol audience, but she manages to make it work every time. There’s something so genuine and sincere about Kree that makes me gravitate towards her and her gorgeous voice. When she sings, she means every word, and consequently, I believe every word.