American Idol 7: Ranking the Top 7

It's Mariah Carey week on American Idol and after the shock elimination of Aussie rocker/blues singer Michael Johns last week, it's time to get back to reality. Amazingly enough, Syesha Mercado is still in the competition and that trend should continue this week, as R & B standards are the actress/singer's forte.

That said, get ready for another shock elimination this week, as Brooke White has not been up to par as of late and neither has David Cook. Cook, however, is dealing with some issues, namely his high blood pressure, which actually forced him off-stage and into an ambulance a few weeks ago and his brother's brain cancer. With Cook's brother in the audience this week, it does seem like White's time on Idol 7 has come to an end.

The only other likely candidate for elimination is Kristy Lee Cook, but her fan support is growing and because of that, she may be safe for another week. If she sings "Hero" this week as some news outlets predict--and dedicates it to the troops she may be in it for the long haul.

And you'll finally see why there has been all this hubbub about Carly Smithson, the Irish lass who is very well known in Europe, having won several awards for her music in her native Ireland. She'll be singing "Without You," a Mariah Carey anthem, if you will, a difficult song for anyone to sing. If she pulls it off she may well the be the frontrunner for the week.

Here are the rankings for the top 7, in order:

1. Carly Smithson - She has won Meteor Awards for "Best Female Singer" in her native land of Ireland, so it's time for Smithson, formerly Hennessy, to step on the gas pedal and crank it up a few notches. There have been signs of Carly coming into her own but they have been few and far between in season 7. Look for her to set a new standard this week.