'American Idol': Casey Bishop picks her Top 7 songs, from grunge rock to Katy Perry

Anyone watching “American Idol” already knows this: Casey Bishop likes to rock.

The Estero teen has stunned the show’s judges and voters this season with her blistering covers of songs by Mötley Crüe, Soundgarden and The Animals. And “Idol” judge Luke Bryan thinks she has what it takes to be a professional rock singer — and win “American Idol,” too.

“Your voice is so world-class,” Bryan told her April 5 on the show. “You’re a 16-year-old girl trying to bring rock back. So bring it back!

“You have the voice to do it. You have the look to do it. Now get the attitude and bring rock back.”

So when we asked Bishop for her favorite songs, we expected there’d be some rock ‘n’ roll in there. And we weren't disappointed (hello, grunge rock).

But she threw in a few surprises, too,  including retro-soul from Amy Winehouse and pop tunes from Billie Eilish and Katy Perry.

Bishop — a sophomore at Fort Myers’ Center for the Arts at Cypress Lake High School — made it into the show’s Top 9 singers Sunday. She’ll return May 2 to compete again.

Meanwhile, here are her Top 7 songs and why she loves them:

1. “Valerie,” Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse

The retro-soul tune was originally written and performed by English indie-rock band The Zutons. Then deejay/producer Mark Ronson covered it with Amy Winehouse, and they turned it into a No. 2 hit on the Billboard charts in 2007.

“’Valerie’ always puts me in a good mood,” Bishop says. “I have some really good memories attached to that song, and I love Amy Winehouse!”

Those memories include “riding around with my friends," she says, and “going to the beach with the convertible top down blasting that song.”

2. “About A Girl,” Nirvana

Back in the '90s, Nirvana was the biggest band in the world — kicking down the doors for grunge rock along with fellow Seattle bands Soundgarden, Alice in Chains and Pearl Jam.

Years after grunge's heyday, Bishop discovered the band and fell in love with them, too.

“‘About A Girl’ was the first Nirvana song I fell in love with,” she says. “I started listening to Nirvana non-stop after hearing that song. …  I became obsessed with Nirvana.

“Kurt Cobain made me want to pick up my guitar and start writing instantly. That’s why he’s one of my biggest inspirations. I think he’s a musical genius.”

3. “idon’twannabeyouanymore,” Billie Eilish

“I love all of Billie’s songs,” Bishop says. “But this one, when I heard it, I couldn’t stop listening. I’m a huge Billie Eilish fan.”

She particularly loves the song’s lyrics and its overall sound. “Billie Eilish also makes me want to write every time I listen to her music,” she says. “So it’s very special to me.”

4. “You Outta Know,” Alanis Morissette

Bishop adores this furious 1995 song about a woman scorned, directed straight at an ex-boyfriend.

“‘You Outta Know’ is one of those songs I scream when I’m angry about something,” she says.

5. “California Gurls,” Katy Perry

Bishop is a longtime Katy Perry fan. So meeting the “American Idol” judge on the show meant a lot to her.

“I was and still am a huge Katy Perry fan!” she says. “The first song I heard was ‘I Kissed A Girl’ when I was really, really little.

“I remember songs from when I was, like, 3. And 'I Kissed A Girl' and 'Hot N Cold' were some of the songs that really stuck with me and I would sing all the time when I was little!”

Still, her all-time favorite Perry song is this one. “‘California Gurls’ is a song I’ll never get sick of,” she says. “It always puts me in a good mood.”

6. “What I Got,” Sublime

Sublime's laid-back 1996 hit is all about being thankful for the good things in your life, even when bad things come your way.

“‘What I Got’ always puts me in a good mood and makes me feel grateful,” Bishop says.

7. “Even Flow,” Pearl Jam

Bishop's love affair with grunge rock continues with this anthem from Pearl Jam. It was part of the band's 1991 debut album, "Ten."

“It was the first Pearl Jam song I ever heard,” Bishop says. “(I) just instantly became drawn to Eddie Vedder's voice and his writing.”

“American Idol” airs at 8 p.m. Sundays and Mondays on ABC. Learn more about the show at abc.com/shows/american-idol.

Read more about Casey Bishop:

'American Idol' announces Top 10. Here's how Estero's Casey Bishop did

From karaoke to 'American Idol': Estero teen Casey Bishop started singing at 5 and never stopped

Southwest Florida gets real: Our biggest reality TV stars, from 'Survivor' to 'The Voice'

Behind the scenes: Casey Bishop talks the Top 24, homework, her disastrous duet and more

More about Casey:5 things to know about the Estero teen

'American Idol': Estero teen Casey Bishop is ready to rock out on her TV audition

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