Sonika Vaid advances to top 8 show on American Idol

Sonika Vaid. Ray Mickshaw / FOX

Indian-American contestant Sonika Vaid continues to impress on American Idol. The 20-year-old student has advanced to next week’s top 8 show after being voted in by the American public.

This week, Vaid performed Since U Been Gone, a 2004 pop hit by Kelly Clarkson, who won the first season of American Idol.

“You’re going to see a side of Sonika that’s kind of an angry girlfriend,” Vaid quipped prior to her performance. “I’ve never had a boyfriend — but I’m going to be an angry girlfriend.”

While the judging panel praised Vaid’s vocal prowess, they felt that her performance was lacking in emotion.

“We don’t need to keep reiterating your talent and the sound of your voice,” said Harry Connick Jr. “One thing I will say: I was waiting to see that contradiction between claustrophobia and liberation, power and vulnerability — and it sounded to me like you were digging your own voice more than you were trying to sing those words.”

Keith Urban echoed Connick’s sentiment: “You’re a really, really good singer. But I want more fire, I want more of the angry girlfriend.”

“You have to get lost in the character in your head,” said Jennifer Lopez. “There were moments when you smiled and that’s when the performance came alive. You have to let go — you can’t be thinking about the notes.”

A child of Indian immigrants, Vaid grew up in Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts. She was once again accompanied on the show by her mother Anna, who watched from the audience area.

For its 15th and last edition, American Idol has been eliminating two contestants every week during these final rounds, resulting to a shorter television season that will culminate in a big finale on April 7.

The two eliminated contestants were young belters Gianna Isabella and Olivia Rox. Young mum La’Porsha Renae, who sung Beyonce’s Halo, is the competition’s current frontrunner. Lopez has called her “the one to beat”.

This week’s guest performer was Demi Lovato, who performed her recent track, Confident, along with the contestants.