‘I’m very nervous but I’m very excited at the same time,’ 16-year-old contestant tells MTV News before the season 11 finale. By Kara Warner, with reporting by Kelly Marino Jessica Sanchez on the “American Idol” finale red carpet Photo: Getty Images It’s all come down to this: the finale of the 11th season of “American Idol” , with 21-year-old guitar-strumming southern gentleman Phillip Phillips pitted against 16-year-old vocal powerhouse Jessica Sanchez. There are endless sports-related clich
The first two elimination rounds of American Idol featured the surprising save of Casey Abrams, followed by a double ouster of Naima Adedapo and Thia Megia. Was the third contestant voted off tonight someone we expected, or did the voters have another surprise up their sleeves after Wednesday’s performances? Most pundits felt the Bottom Three would be made of Jacob Lusk, Paul McDonald and Stefano Langone. Two out of the three did in fact land there. But … The third member of the trio in danger was someone no one saw coming, and not only did that person land in the bottom three, they’re the one going home! Follow the jump to see which finalist left American Idol tonight … Pia Toscano was shockingly sent packing by voters this week! American Idol viewers eliminated their fifth consecutive female singer tonight, leaving Jacob, Stefano, the judges and plenty of fans beyond shocked. Many considered Pia to not just be safe tonight, but to have given Wednesday’s best performance and to be almost a lock for the Season 10 finals. “What a shock, what a surprise,” Ryan Seacrest said amid boos. Jennifer Lopez could not even hold back the tears. “I have no idea what just happened here. I’m shocked. I’m angry. I don’t even know what to say.” “A mistake is one thing, but a lack of passion is unforgivable,” Steven Tyler added, upset and nearly at a loss for words himself. “They’re wrong.” “We’re all in shock,” said Randy Jackson. “I’m gutted.” Think they’re regretting that save of Casey Abrams?! After her swan song (The Pretenders’ “I’ll Stand By You”), Pia Toscano broke down and was given a standing ovation from all, with many in tears. What do you think? Did America really blow it this week, or was Pia actually deserving of the heave-ho? Sound off in the comments …
The first two elimination rounds of American Idol featured the surprising save of Casey Abrams, followed by a double ouster of Naima Adedapo and Thia Megia. Was the third contestant voted off tonight someone we expected, or did the voters have another surprise up their sleeves after Wednesday’s performances? Most pundits felt the Bottom Three would be made of Jacob Lusk, Paul McDonald and Stefano Langone. Two out of the three did in fact land there. But … The third member of the trio in danger was someone no one saw coming, and not only did that person land in the bottom three, they’re the one going home! Follow the jump to see which finalist left American Idol tonight … Pia Toscano was shockingly sent packing by voters this week! American Idol viewers eliminated their fifth consecutive female singer tonight, leaving Jacob, Stefano, the judges and plenty of fans beyond shocked. Many considered Pia to not just be safe tonight, but to have given Wednesday’s best performance and to be almost a lock for the Season 10 finals. “What a shock, what a surprise,” Ryan Seacrest said amid boos. Jennifer Lopez could not even hold back the tears. “I have no idea what just happened here. I’m shocked. I’m angry. I don’t even know what to say.” “A mistake is one thing, but a lack of passion is unforgivable,” Steven Tyler added, upset and nearly at a loss for words himself. “They’re wrong.” “We’re all in shock,” said Randy Jackson. “I’m gutted.” Think they’re regretting that save of Casey Abrams?! After her swan song (The Pretenders’ “I’ll Stand By You”), Pia Toscano broke down and was given a standing ovation from all, with many in tears. What do you think? Did America really blow it this week, or was Pia actually deserving of the heave-ho? Sound off in the comments …
It was the end of an impressive, talented run for Thia Megia and Naima Adedapo on American Idol last night . The singers were both eliminated, as the show cuts its number of finalists down to nine. How did they react to the news? Backstage, shortly after hearing her name called by Ryan Seacrest, Thia told Entertainment Weekly she was proud of her song choice (” Daniel ,” dedicated to her brother, which she said made him “cry) and that she has a lot to offer the music world. I can do “so much more than just slower songs and ballads,” Megia said . “In the future, I see me as being my own artist and definitely not a ballad singer!” Adedapo, meanwhile, says she wasn’t surprised to be eliminated because she knew turning “I’m Still Standing” into a reggae song was a huge risk. But… “rRggae is a part of me,” she said. “It’s a part of who I am and a part of my culture. For me, it would’ve been tragic to do an Elton John song just like Elton John and then get cut, versus showing who I am creatively as an artist and getting cut happy about the choice that I made.” We wish both these aspiring artists the very best of luck.
Just in case you didn’t get the memo from Ryan Seacrest, last night’s elimination round of American Idol was to have two contestants voted off. And the episode didn’t disappoint—well, unless you were fans of either Naima Adedapo or Thia Megia. One surprise, however, came when the usual group performance was ditched in favor of … More » Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : Idolator Discovery Date : 01/04/2011 15:03 Number of articles : 2
Paul McDonald joins them in a surprise bottom-three appearance. By Gil Kaufman Thia Megia and Naima Adedapo Photo: FOX At this point, it’s anyone’s guess what will happen from week to week on “American Idol.” While the early elimination rounds are usually pretty easy to predict, “Idol” threw another curveball Thursday night (March 31) when one of the most praised and polished season 10 contenders, Paul McDonald, wound up in the bottom three. He was brought to the brink of elimination after 55 million people texted or voted online, a new record at this point in the competition. But, in the end, it was teenager Thia Megia and reggae mama Naima Adedapo who were sent packing in an episode that radically altered the usual Thursday nail-biter — in a good way. The traditional group sing-along was done away with, and instead, the show kicked off with a ready-for-radio country duet between Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina on Randy Travis and Carrie Underwood’s “I Told You So” that sounded like the work of seasoned veterans. After nearly showing up Underwood and Travis’ version of the song on last year’s “Idol,” both were waved over to the safe couch for another go at it next week. The same could not be said for Jacob Lusk and Adedapo, who fell flat on Ashford & Simpson’s “Solid,” failing to show any chemistry and listlessly singing the tune over a Muzak-y arrangement. Naima’s reggae-tinged “I’m Still Standing” punched her card to the bottom three, while Lusk will get another chance to find his “Jacob spot” next week. In keeping with the welcome format change, Haley Reinhart, Pia Toscano and Megia served up some trio action on Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream,” with Toscano cementing her status as one to watch, Reinhart doing her growly thing and Megia pitching in on backing vocals. Toscano skated to safety, along with suddenly resurgent Reinhart , while Megia joined Adedapo after her “Daniel” didn’t win voters over. McDonald, Casey Abrams, James Durbin and Stefano Langone apparently formed a garage band offstage a few weeks ago, and they made their broadcast debut Thursday with Wings’ “Band on the Run.” With all four playing instruments on a soft-rock version of the already light-as-air tune, McDonald gave it his feathery best, Abrams and Langone were in imperfect harmony, Casey did some more of his shouting and Stefano struggled on half a chorus, showing why he was doomed. At least that’s what the general consensus was. While Abrams was safe again, and Durbin was also good, in another shocker, Langone dodged a bullet and it was McDonald who rounded out the bottom three. In the end, though, McDonald was ushered to safety as Adedapo and the show’s youngest-ever contestant, Megia, bid their teary farewells until they join the rest of the top 11 for this summer’s tour. Wearing a glittering crimson jumpsuit with her hair swept up in a 1940s ‘do, season-three winner Fantasia stopped by to sing her new throwback doo-wop single “Collard Greens and Cornbread.” Also performing their Carnival-esque collaboration “Hot Wings,” from the new animated feature “Rio,” were Jamie Foxx and the Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am. Do you think America made the right choices? Let us know in comments below! Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Performances
Actor admits it’s easier to sing and dance in ‘How to Succeed …’ than it was to disrobe in ‘Equus.’ By Eric Ditzian, with reporting by Josh Horowitz Daniel Radcliffe Photo: Getty “I’m excited. Terrified, but excited,” Daniel Radcliffe told MTV News in the summer of 2007 as he prepared to take the stage — and doff his drawers — in a London-based production of “Equus.” Radcliffe eventually took the production to Broadway in 2008, but even a year later, the nude scene never got much easier. Even the prospect of singing and dancing on Broadway — talents the 21-year-old actor readily admits don’t come naturally to him — is a delight by comparison. That’s why, as Radcliffe walked the red carpet at the opening for his new musical, “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” he admitted that tapping his toes on Broadway is far less terrifying than ripping off his skivvies. “I’m still going to have to go with being naked onstage,” he laughed. “The dancing and singing thing, it is scary, particularly on Broadway, because it is the home of the musical. But once you’ve learned it, it can become really fun. I can’t say the same about being naked onstage. This is a much more fun show all around.” That’s not to say “How to Succeed” has been a cakewalk. Radcliffe and his fellow actors endured an exhaustive rehearsal schedule and nearly a month of previews before officially opening on Sunday. “We’ve had a long-ish preview period — I can’t say ‘long’ anymore because of ‘Spider-Man’ — but it feels great to be here and know the show is set now and we don’t have to rehearse during the day and we get to chill out,” he told us. “Honestly, coming in and doing a two-and-a-half-hour show every evening will seem like a holiday after the last couple months.” Related Videos MTV News Rough Cut: Daniel Radcliffe
Haley Reinhart, Naima Adedapo have smallest Twitter followings, a metric that seems to mirror ‘Idol’ voting trends and popularity. By Gil Kaufman Scott McCreery Photo: FOX There are so many ways to quantify which “American Idol” finalists are popping with voters. From the screams and elaborate signs in the IdolDome on Wednesday nights to the number of weird promotional items being offered on eBay and bootleg fan sites that pop up to encourage power-voting , “Idol” popularity is a tricky thing to measure. One of the best new ways, though, is to track the contestants’ Twitter account and see who has the most followers. After stumbling out of the gate with their social-networking efforts last year, amid worries that loose lips might ruin the show’s finale, the “Idol” top 11 are back in effect on Twitter and chatting it up with their online fans, The Hollywood Reporter noted. The move makes sense, since for the first time in the show’s history, followers can vote online this year and the contestants can use their tweet smarts to curry more favor. On the one hand, the list of top personal Twitter pages reflects the pecking order of the singers this season, with bullfrog-voiced country crooner Scotty McCreery topping the tally with 49,173 followers. But when you see that Casey Abrams is #2 on the roster (47,824), even after nearly being eliminated last week, it makes you wonder if Twitter is a good indicator of popularity. Coming in at #3 is bearded smoothie Paul McDonald (40,295 followers), with leading contender Pia Toscano close on his heels (34,271) and (at press time) just ahead of teen Lauren Alaina (34,250). Bottom-three visitor and fellow teen Thia Megia (32,922) is at #6, sneaking ahead of resident rocker James Durbin (32,772), followed by another bottom-three veteran, Stefano Langone (30,340), gospel crooner Jacob Lusk (19,864) and two-time bottom-three dweller Haley Reinhart (19,043). Not surprisingly, the list is rounded out by eliminated contestants Karen Rodriguez (17,572) and Ashthon Jones (7,978). In a troubling sign, wild-card singer Naima Adedapo , who has hit the bottom three once, is sandwiched in between the two eliminated singers at #12 on the list with 15,538 followers. McCreery might lead the list, but his tweets are mostly bland platitudes, many of them devoted to announcing when he’s hitting the hay, extolling the virtues of Cap’n Crunch, excitement about meeting boxing great Muhammad Ali and playing catch with the show’s security guards. “Not much going on right now. Just got outta rehearsal and now I’m just layin’ on the bed looking at the ceiling,” he wrote as the first week of live performance shows was getting under way. “Thinking about life.” Abrams, who has teased McCreery about the cowboy’s trouble in figuring out Twitter, talked about his trips to the hospital , fielded offers to jam from former finalist Andrew Garcia and entertained album title suggestions for his many Twitter alter egos, including “Lumberjack” and “Paul Bunyan.” McDonald has kept things pretty business-like and focused on show-related details, while high-schooler Alaina is typically active on the service, mostly expressing her love for her fans, a tactic also employed by Toscano. Durbin keeps things focused on professional wrestling and entreaties to bring back real rock , while Megia thanks her “Thianatic” followers and frequent tweeter Langone gets lots of love from past “Idol” contestants (Lee DeWyze, David Archuleta, Michael Sarver) and their followers amid spirited defenses of his mother. Although the “Idol” kids live in a media bubble, Lusk has lamented the passing of rap luminary Nate Dogg . Reinhart has made her feed a fount of excitable comments to fans and fellow contestants. Adedapo might be the most active tweeter, responding to fan and friend comments throughout the day on an almost minute-by-minute basis, sharing details about her children and keeping in touch with her fan-generated TeamNaima feed. The Reporter noted that the seven most-followed contestants have all been considered fan favorites at some point this season, with Abrams and Megia the only ones to hit the bottom three. Four of the six least-followed were wild-card picks, with five of them dropping into the bottom three at least once since the semi-finals. Which “Idol” finalist are you following on Twitter? Let us know in the comments below! Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos ‘Idol Party Live’ With MTV News’ Jim Cantiello And Michael Buckley ‘American Idol’ In 60 Seconds Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Performances
… Karen Rodriguez. The New York singer survived placement in the bottom three a week ago, but could not do so again tonight, as she became the second finalist eliminated on season 10 of American Idol . “It’s like I’ve been on this journey for such a long time now, and this is my last opportunity,” Rodriguez said prior to singing Mariah Carey’s “Hero” in an attempt to remain on the show.. “I’m trying not to cry.” Haley Reinhart and Naima Adedapo rounded out the bottom trio. Think viewers eliminated the right contestant?
… Karen Rodriguez. The New York singer survived placement in the bottom three a week ago, but could not do so again tonight, as she became the second finalist eliminated on season 10 of American Idol . “It’s like I’ve been on this journey for such a long time now, and this is my last opportunity,” Rodriguez said prior to singing Mariah Carey’s “Hero” in an attempt to remain on the show.. “I’m trying not to cry.” Haley Reinhart and Naima Adedapo rounded out the bottom trio. Think viewers eliminated the right contestant?
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