Filipina-Mexican Jessica Sanchez drew the second to the last spot in American Idol's Top 13 Performance Night, and she showed off her explosive talent, belting out Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You, and nailing it.

 The 16-year-old is in it to win it, to borrow the judges' cliche.

The Top 13 tackled Whitney Houston and Stevie Wonder songs Wednesday night, with the girls taking on Whitney and the guys, Stevie.

Most of the performances were pretty dull, overall, and this could be attributed to nerves flying about on stage even as the contestants were mentored by Jimmy Iovine and Mary J. Blige. Reaching up to the level of such legends was not really expected from the Top 13, so the episode was really a battle of self-confidence and who had the most fun on stage.

The following is a recap of the performances:

Joshua Ledet (I Wish) - He was on his usual element; he was intense, all-out and engaging, which the judges all loved. Judge Jennifer Lopez "loved the whole hand thing."

Elise Testone (I'm Your Baby Tonight) - She did not really shine this time, and the judges gave her the overused "This-isn't-your-best" remark. 'Overconsciousness' got the better of Elise, as she was more focused on singing right than simply taking the audience on a journey through her song.

Jermaine Jones (Knock Me Off My Feet) - Steven Tyler told him, "That song fit you like an Armani suit," and there is not much reason to disagree. If only for this safe performance, Jermaine should be able to make it to the Top 12.

Erika Van Pelt (I Believe In You And Me) - She was convincing enough, but not endearing enough. JLo told her, "Your voice really makes songs come alive but I think you are still playing things a little safe." The diva judge must be pointing out Erika's inability to just grab the audience and make them vote for her. The difference between her good performance tonight and her great performance of Lady Gaga's 'The Edge of Glory' last week was in the show of heart. She just tends to lose her heart to her mind most of the time when she is singing.

Colton Dixon (Lately) - The expectation from him was not really high given that this is not his genre, but he still could have done better, given the singing chops he has already established since auditions. Still, he was not so bad. Judge Randy Jackson told him, "Technically it wasn't picture perfect."

Shannon Magrane (I Have Nothing) - Now this early favorite is in trouble. She seemed to be the most nervous so far in tonight's show, and she seemed aware of it. JLo told her, "I think the thinking got the best of you." Again, there is no reason to disagree with that.

DeAndre Brackensick (Master Blaster) - Finally, a big moment -- in a good way - for Deandre. Letting go of too much falsetto did him well. Now the judges' praises of his vocal prowess have started to make sense. Judge Steven Tyler, who had picked him for a wildcard spot in the Top 13, told him, "I have loved you since the start. You have a different flavor."

Skylar Laine (Where Do Broken Hearts Go) - Passionately singing one of the saddest songs ever by the legendary Whitney is last episode's show-stopper, Skylar Laine. Randy used another rotten line, "You can sing any song." Then again, that line does reconcile well with Skylar. If she had her nerves in the right places while singing a Whitney song, she could see herself journeying up to the grand finals this season.

Heejun Han (All In Love Is Fair) - This season's online darling, Heejun Han, failed again to make a strong impression for his vocal chops. While he does sing well, and his tone is "silky" according to JLo, the boys this season are just way better in singing a diverse range of music. Could he be in trouble tomorrow? JLo's bias surfaced once more when she told him, "I love you."

Hollie Cavanagh (All The Men I Need) - Hollie delivered a very strong, very impressive performance this time. She wasn't somewhere in the middle as in last week. Mr. Tyler told her, "You have been nailing it everytime. Good job." Skylar and Hollie just overshadowed everyone else so far.

Jeremy Rosado (Ribbon in the Sky) - He was not bad, but forgettable. The only reason why it seems Heejun Han would make it through another week is because he was in the voters' Top 10 and Jeremy was a biased wildcard choice by JLo. He has a beautiful voice, all right, but he is not exactly a joy to watch. There is no mystery, no suspense, and the heart that he shows when he's singing is becoming more boring. If he makes it to the Top 12, he should surprise the audience in a good way.

Jessica Sanchez (I Will Always Love You) - She was the best, so far, and her performance would not be soon forgotten. She is definitely the girl to beat this season, with Skylar somewhere close, but not a real threat - yet. Randy told her, "This is one of the hardest songs in the world to sing but I think you may be one of the best talents in the whole competition." She was the only one who got a standing ovation from the judges last week, and now they are on their feet again. What a statement!

Phillip Phillips (Superstition) - This early favorite just owned the stage with his guitar tonight. He set Superstition on fire and proved once more why he is one of the guys to beat this season. JLo told him, "I was worried this week but you just took it and you made it your own and you killed it."

Tomorrow night, the bottom vote drawers, one each from the boys and the girls will be named. The judges will decide who goes home.

Are early favorites Heejun Han and Shannon Magrane still safe?