Haley Reinhart's path to the Final Three on American Idol is unlike anyone else's in the history of the show. Stuck in the bottom three the first two weeks -- four times overall -- it appeared her road would end early. Instead, she's battled through, and won the hearts of millions of fans.

I've loved her ever since Hollywood Week. In my season preview, I picked her as one of my favorites, and truthfully, I thought her early performances were terrific, even when the judges were saying otherwise and the votes were not there for her.

Here's a look at her path to the final three, performance by performance:

Top 13 - Personal Idol
Song: Blue
In a week of strong performances (James Durbin's "Maybe I'm Amazed" and Pia Toscano's "All By Myself" stood out), Haley held her own with a subdued, yodel-filled take on Lee-Ann Rimes' classic. She looked gorgeous in that black dress with the blue background, she gave the song a unique flavor, and it was entirely on key, not a given in any AI show. My other half thought it was a little dull, although he's since changed his mind. I thought it was classy and terrific.
Randy: "I like that you can do anything."
Jennifer: "You, more than anyone else in the competition, do things with your voice that are so diverse."
Stephen: Not a dig, since I like him, but you can just assume he said he liked it on all her performances. He's a pretty positive guy.
Whatnottosing.com grade: 44
My grade: 89
Prognosis: Bottom Three

Top 12 - Birthyear Songs
Song: I'm Your Baby Tonight
I kind of get why she got negative reviews for this one. It starts a little pitchy, and frankly it's not a very good song. That said, Haley gave this Whitney Houston number a jazzy vibe that was utterly unique and interesting, and I really enjoyed the performance. When the lyrics sped up and she sauntered out into the crowd, it was spot on and vocally impressive, and I was sure that she would stand out given the lackluster performances that came before it (Naima Adadapo's "What's Love Got to Do With It" and Paul McDonald's odd "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues."). I think the reason it didn't go over that well is that American hadn't seen what she could do quite yet. After she finished, her lipstick smeared, and she handled the embarrassment with good humor.
Randy: "I'm not sure you're sure who you are. You've got to find out."
Jennifer: "You're unsure in your movements. Do what you feel. Do what feels naturally."
Stephen: He wanted more blues, for some reason.
Whatnottosing.com grade: 33
My grade: 74
Prognosis: Bottom Three

Top 11 - Motown
Song: You Really Got a Hold on Me
This is really the first time she showed some of that incredible range and her signature growl. She torched this, sung the hell out of it, and I'm sure a lot of fans found her with this performance. Jacob Lusk's "You're All I Need to Get By" and Durbin's show-ending "Living for the City" were the only performances that rivaled this one, in my opinion.
Randy: "By the middle of the song the Haley we fell in love with came roaring back."
Jennifer: "You have that effortless control in your voice. Most soulful girl in the competition."
Stephen: "You don't look a day over fabulous."
Whatnottosing.com grade: 47 (wha?!?)
My grade: 91
Prognosis: Safe

Final 11, Part II - Elton John
Song: Bennie and the Jets
The judges used the save to keep Casey Abrams in the competition after Part I, and so it was a do-over, with the bottom two both going home. With the pressure on, Haley came up huge, delivering in my opinion the best performance of the year and the best AI performance since Adam Lambert's "Mad World", two years ago. It's sexy, unique, perfectly in tune, captivating. It was after this performance that I knew that my favorite was actually going to be around for a bit. How the folks at Whatnottosing.com decided that Lauren Alaina's fine take on "Candle In the Wind" was somehow a better performance confuses me so much. I get that they scour the internet for reviews, but eight weeks later, who remembers that performance over this one?
Randy: "For me, the best performance of the night."
Jennifer: "Yes, that was it, Haley! That's what we've been talking about. It all came together."
Stephen: "You sing sexy."
Whatnottosing.com grade: 71
My grade: 100
Prognosis: Safe

Final Nine - Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Song: Piece of My Heart
Look, I get how this happens. They hear a woman singer with a raspy voice who can shout out a song, and suddenly it's like, Janis Joplin! So I was utterly unsurprised that she was encouraged to do this song. And you know what? She did it well. Nothing wrong with this vocal at all. The problem for me is that it sounded like a copy. It wasn't at all original, which is one of my favorite things about Haley.
Randy: "We love the bluesy soul thing you have, and that's what you did."
Jennifer: "You're showing everybody you're a contender."
Stephen: "I couldn't find nothing wrong with that."
Whatnottosing.com grade: 57
My grade: 74
Prognosis: Safe. I thought she might be bottom three, but this was the week that Pia Toscano was sent packing. Way too early, though I liked Haley better than her from the start.

Final Eight - Songs from the movies
Song: Call Me
First off, this is a stupid category. What is a song from a movie, anyway? The song that plays during the opening credits? In most cases, it's not a dramatic song, so it's a faux category. As far as this performance goes, I was a big fan. I thought it was far more interesting than her Joplin take. She looked hot with those thigh-high boots, she gave this Blondie classic her own twist, and I could have listened to it over and over. I did, in fact. This version almost made me straight. Almost.
Randy: "The song didn't showcase your voice."
Jennifer: "I'm going to agree more with Randy. It wasn't the best."
Stephen: "Here's to looking up your old-a dress."
Whatnottosing.com grade: 47
My grade: 87
Prognosis: Bottom Three. She was probably saved by Paul McDonald's tragic take on "Old Time Rock 'N Roll."

Final Seven - 21st Century
Song: Rolling in the Deep
Great song choice for her. She was up to the challenge of covering Adele, and yet she brought her own thing to it. There were quite a few places where she was sharp, which Randy mentioned in his critique. But that was a minor quibble with a strong vocal performance. The studio version is outstanding.
Randy: "I think you have that amazing thing that Adele has."
Jennifer: "The moments where you brought Haley to it is where I thought you really shined."
Stephen: "I thought it was beautiful."
Whatnottosing.com grade: 75
My grade: 84
Prognosis: Bottom Three. Shoulda been Scotty in the bottom three with Jacob and Stefano. Scotty is great, but his take on Swingin' was so cheesy you could dip bread in it for a delicious meal. Stefano went home. It was time for him. Too many talented singers in this year's competition.

Top Six - Carole King
Song: Beautiful
This was a strange week, not surprisingly. I'm a fan of Carole King's Tapestry, and I like this song, but I wondered if it would make a compelling show to watch these young folks tackle her songs. As it turns out, not so much. James Durbin's "Will You Still Love Me?" was very strong, and this show closer from Haley was pitch perfect. Not sure this says much about what Haley (or anyone else) will sound like releasing music in 2011, but who cares, I guess?
Randy: "I didn't love the beginning but the end was great."
Jennifer: "Beautiful. You have one of the best voices in this competition."
Stephen: "You are as beautiful as that song is. I just saw God."
Whatnottosing.com grade: 78
My grade: 88
Prognosis: Safe. Sadly, Casey was sent home for his interesting jazz take on Hi-De-Ho. Jacob probably ought to have gone this week.

Final Five, Part I - Now and Then
Song: You and I
Haley's version of Lady Gaga's You and I was, in my opinion, better than Gaga's, when they played it the following week. Haley added her unique jazzy flavor to the song, and it just worked, despite some early pitchiness. It left me wanting to hear more, and the studio version is outstanding. Of course, this is one where the judges part company with me. I think their criticism of her song choice is hypocritical. I mean, how can they say it's wrong to choose a song people aren't familiar with, when James was allowed to do "Closer to the Edge?" Few people knew that one, either.
Randy: "I'm not sure it's that great a song, and you probably could have thought of other things. It's so risky to come out and do something no one is familiar with."
Jennifer: "I'm not sure that that was the best advice Jimmy (Iovine) gave you. You've got to showcase yourself with songs that people are going to love."
Stephen: "I think you put all of Haley in it. I loved it. You're just one perfect song away from being the American Idol."
Whatnottosing.com grade: 75
My grade: 94
Prognosis: ...

Final Five, Part II - Now and Then
Song: House of the Rising Sun
Then she came back with House of the Rising Sun, which earned rave reviews. And it should have. It was perfect, emotional, stirring. That will be the performance people remember when they think of Haley becoming a threat to actually win the entire competition. I'd take Bennie and the Jets, but this was awesome, too.
Randy: "The award tonight for the best performance goes to Haley."
Jennifer: "That song has never been sung like that before."
Stephen: "It was sweet and sour -- raspy. I could relate to that."
Whatnottosing.com grade: 91 (best grade of the year)
My grade: 98
Prognosis: Safe. Jacob went home, not surprisingly. He was excellent, but his performances began to go downhill toward the end.

Final Four, Part I - Inspirational Songs
Song: Earth Song
Ah, controversy. This is the one where Haley got hit with some criticism, and talked back. I'm of two minds about all of this. One the one hand, I don't think this was one of her strongest performances, actually. For the most part, I think it's a song with a great message, but not a great melody. And for this performance, I liked her passion but wasn't blown away by any means. It did seem a bit screechy, as Randy said. That said, I'm glad she stood up for herself. All year, just about everyone in the competition has gotten a free pass, regardless of whether they've been pitchy, whether they've chosen a song that didn't work, whatever. She has gotten so much criticism. So I can't blame her for speaking up for herself.
Randy: "It confused me with who you are as an artist because the song doesn't really suit you or fit you. At the end, it felt like you were screaming. My opinion was, I didn't like it."
Jennifer: "James comes out, he sets the bar. He does a great song. You got to choose a hit record that everyone is going to respond to. That song has a beautiful message, no doubt. But I want you to be thinking about that when you're choosing a song. That's part of competing."
Stephen: "They're both wrong. You nailed it. You sang it with feeling."
Whatnottosing.com grade: 40
My grade: 77
Prognosis: ...

Final Four, Part II - Lieber and Stoller
Song: I (Who Have Nothing)
Man oh man. You can tell this girl is talented by the way she responded to Lady Gaga's suggestion she "give it a little Edith Piaf." That sent chills up my spine. To say she nailed this is an understatement. For the second straight week, Haley brought the house down with her second song. I'm guessing after receiving criticism on the first song, she felt these lyrics big time.
Randy: "We were hard on you before, but what you did is you came back and baby, you just had a moment here that put you in it to win it. One of your best vocals ever."
Jennifer: "Haley! This is why we can't take it easy on you, baby. Look what you're capable of. You are that amazing."
Stephen: "You just Reinharted yourself into the middle of next week."
Whatnottosing.com grade: 83
My grade: 96
Prognosis: Safe

Prediction for Final Three: We already know that the song the judges chose for her to sing is Alanis Morrissette's "You Oughta Know." I'm not thrilled with this choice, for the same reason I wasn't thrilled with their Janis Joplin choice. I think Haley can growl with the best of them, and she can scream. But I like her better nuanced, and this song isn't ideal for that sort of layered performance. I'm guessing the judges will eat it up, though. I have a feeling that she'll stand out in a night that will be otherwise country dominated, and that should put her in a great position to move into the finale. If she doesn't, however, it won't be for lack of effort or skills. Either way, a big-time career awaits. Good luck, Haley!