Tonight, the seventh season of “American Idol” heats up, as the top 12 contestants take the stage to perform songs from the John Lennon/Paul McCartney songbook.

Now that viewers have made it through the entertaining – and annoying – auditions and voted off the dead weight of the top 24, it’s finally that time again – time to watch the top 12 duke it out in a co-ed race to be crowned the next American Idol. As always, some of the top 12 contestants are stronger than others, which is where I come in. While it’s too early in the game to know exactly how it will turn out and every season has its surprises – I’m sure someone will get voted off earlier than they should – here’s my evaluation of the top 12.

Chikezie: While the men definitely dominate this year, Chikezie is clearly the weakest link. Even his best performance to date was boring. If he isn’t voted off tonight, he’ll hold on for a couple of weeks at most.

Kristy Lee Cook: Cook is by far the weakest singer in the top 12, but she may have established a fan base by being the only contestant to take the country route. Even with her established genre, though, Cook will only last a couple of weeks.

Syesha Mercado: While it is generally tradition for “American Idol” to have a strong black diva, Mercado doesn’t hold up to the label. Sure, she can sing, but her pipes are nowhere near as polished as previous winners Fantasia or Jordin Sparks. She might be able to make it onto the Idol tour though – a benefit of being in the top 10.

Amanda Overmyer: Overmyer has received a lot of praise from the judges, but I’m not certain why – she literally screeches through each of her performances. She definitely fills the boots of the rocker chic, but her smoky vocals have got to go. The only thing (possibly) saving her is her support from VoteForTheWorst.com.

Michael Johns: He’s gotten a lot of screen time, but John’s rugged image is quickly fading. There are too many rockers in this year’s competition, and he’s been the weakest of the few. It doesn’t help that he doesn’t play any instruments either.

Carly Smithson: Smithson has gotten a lot of attention this season, and I’m not really sure why. She had a record deal before this show – and if she were any good, one would think she’d be able to keep it. Her performances have, thus far, been forgettable, and unless Smithson has some tricks up her sleeves, she won’t be around long.

Ramiele Malubay: Right now, Malubay has been unpredictable. She has a very strong voice on ballads, but things fall to pieces when she tries to speed things up. While she could go home before the top six, her combination of decent vocals and good looks should make her top-six material.

Jason Castro: While Castro will likely be one to get a solid career after the season, I don’t think he’ll make it in to the top three. His acoustic performances are nice now, but they will definitely get old to the voting crowd.

David Hernandez: Though he’s been the subject of recent controversy – it was confirmed he previously performed as male stripper at a gay bar – I think Hernandez will definitely pull through. He has a strong, soulful voice – something that is really lacking this season. Although there is a possibility that his performances will become forgettable, my guess is that he’ll make the top four.

Brooke White: While she doesn’t have the biggest voice in the competition, White definitely has the winning combination: consistently strong performances and a likable personality. She knows how to pick songs that suit her voice and is the only female contestant to play an instrument. She’s a shoo-in for the top four.

David Cook: If it’s not apparent yet, it will be soon – Cook is the true rocker this season. And as the other self-described ‘rockers’ get voted off, he’ll inherit their voters. He has consistently been taking songs and interpreting them in his own style. It helps that he has a smooth voice and can actually play the guitar.

David Archuleta: It would be stupid not to choose Archuleta as the winner, as he is currently the noticeable front-runner. His performance of “Imagine” a few weeks back was amazing, but he’s going to have to work hard to beat it. Once he pulls out his secret weapon – his piano skills – I think he’ll really shine, but it’s never safe to pick a winner this early in the competition – remember Melinda Doolittle and Chris Daughtry.

– Patrick Crowley is a sophomore in art and design from Davenport.