Third-place finisher also denies romance with Casey Abrams in call with reporters. By Gil Kaufman Haley Reinhart Photo: FOX Though she had to endure the slings and arrows of the judges’ criticism from week to week, ousted “American Idol” third-place finisher Haley Reinhart said she tried not to get online and read what “Idol” blogs were saying about her to save herself from too much negativity. Speaking to reporters on Friday (May 20), she did, however, say that she appreciated the online support she got from former “Idol” runner-up Adam Lambert, who she dubbed one of the most “spectacular” contestants in the show’s history. A number of questions focused on her sometimes difficult relationship with the judges, which Reinhart said she tried not to sweat too much. “It could go both ways,” she said of the flack she got versus the nearly universal plaudits for finalists Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina . “I believe their intention for it through this whole process was to push me along further. It was apparent that they liked to get me to where I could be at the top of my game and get me a little fired up inside so that I come out with something that they really, really did not expect.” As confused as she was about why the judges seemed to pick on her, Reinhart said even fellow finalists like Alaina would come up to her and express bewilderment over the sometimes cutting remarks. “The only thing I can try to get out of that is that they really just wanted to push my buttons, push me as far as I could possibly [go to] get whatever they wanted to get out of me,” she said. “And that was most of the time fire that they wanted so that I would get all ‘arghhhh,’ aggravated, and try to take it out on the stage.” Reinhart was proud of having taken risks early on in the season, at a time when many of her peers were playing it a bit safer. Yes, it might have hurt her initially — sending her to the bottom three four times — but eventually it seemed that America caught up and appreciated her sultry, bluesy vibe. And while hitting the bottom as many times as she did might have eroded another singer’s confidence, Reinhart said it somehow gave her a sense of invincibility. “I don’t like to sell myself short and I believe in taking that all in stride. ‘I’ve been in [the bottom three] so many times and I’m still around. … I have to step my game up even more week to week.’ And it [paid] off.” In addition to picking her Elton John cover of “Bennie and the Jets” as her favorite performance on the show, Reinhart reminisced about her first big gig, where she sang LeAnn Rimes’ “Blue” on her ninth birthday alongside her folks at a tattoo festival. Talking about how much fun it was to hang with the two teenage contestants headed to next week’s finale, Reinhart described herself as a “goofball,” which prompted a question about why so much of the negative sentiment online in the wake of her ouster seemed to peg her as an aloof, haughty princess. “Definitely,” she said when asked if America got the wrong impression of her on the show. “It’s easy to get depicted in different ways on the show. … The footage that was taken … usually I’m messing around with the camera guys, we’re all cracking up together. I like to have a good time. I’m usually always bubbly. It’s different to see what comes out.” As for whether she was angry when host Ryan Seacrest announced the results on Thursday, Reinhart denied being mad, despite what appeared to be an annoyed, incredulous look on her face. “Not at all, not angry. Of course everybody’s going to be surprised with the verdict,” she said. “But all in all I accepted it very quickly and I took it all with a grain of salt. … This is a good thing. This happened for a reason. And it only means that I’m going to start my career as a solo artist even sooner.” Like pal Casey Abrams, Reinhart denied a romance between the two and said the rumors probably stemmed from the fact that they were musical confidants and got very close on the show. She said they had a “different kind of connection” than the rest of the cast and when the whispers about their alleged liaison started they just kind of went with it and laughed at the tabloid attention. “We have a really, really strong relationship, not dating,” she said. “But the musicality between us has been wonderful.” Now that she can relax and think about her debut album, Reinhart said she’d love to do something that has a “sultry blues rock” feel, and then maybe circle back at some point to record her first love, jazz. Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.
Judges call it a draw as singers tackle songs picked by Jimmy Iovine and the panel. By Gil Kaufman Scotty McCreery preforms on “American Idol” Wednesday Photo: FOX This is it. Wednesday night’s (May 18) “American Idol” performance show was the last, and best, chance for this year’s top three to make their final impression on voters before next week’s finale. With two teenagers and a 20-year-old vying for the title, the pressure was on to deliver the best three performances of their lives. Along for the ride to give some support was Beyonc
But her rendition of unreleased Born This Way track mostly fails to impress ‘American Idol’ judges. By Adam Graham Haley Reinhart performs on “American Idol” Wednesday Photo: FOX Eyebrows were immediately raised on Wednesday’s (May 4) “American Idol” when host Ryan Seacrest announced Haley Reinhart would be taking on an “unreleased Lady Gaga song.” Did Reinhart get early access to Born This Way ? Was she sifting through Gaga’s hard drive and pillaging for rare demos and B-sides? Not quite: Turned out she’d be taking on “You and I,” which Gaga has been performing in concert on her Monster’s Ball Tour stops for the better part of the last year and which she debuted last June at Elton John’s White Tie and Tiara Ball fundraiser in England. Reinhart was given the song by “Idol” mentor Jimmy Iovine, who heads up Gaga’s record label and who thought Reinhart could put a nice spin on the song. Prior to the performance, Reinhart said she wanted to get Gaga’s approval before going ahead with it, so that she didn’t “step on anybody’s toes.” (Or maybe she just wanted to talk to Gaga.) Gaga gave her the green light, according to Reinhart. “She was excited about it as well,” Reinhart said. “And I was like, ‘You know what? I’m gonna go for it.’ ” While Reinhart rehearsed the song, guest mentor Sheryl Crow called her decision to take on a song that many might not know “super bold.” But Iovine — who said Reinhart “laces” the song — was confident in his encouragement of Reinhart. “She’s got it,” he said “And taking on this song is just another way of showing you that she’s got it.” Reinhart began her performance sprawled out on the stage’s steps, aided only by a piano. She sang the song’s opening line — “It’s been a long time since I came around/ It’s been a long time but I’m back in town” — with a bluesy, boozy swagger. By song’s end, she was trading runs with a chorus of three backup singers and seemed to have the moment that Crow predicted she’d have with the song. Then the judges piped in. The look of concern was evident on Jennifer Lopez’s face, and she began by softening the blow with a compliment: “I loved the way you sounded,” she said, “especially at the end.” But then she laid into Reinhart for taking on what she perceived as an unknown song, and even cut into Jimmy Iovine for recommending she do it. “I’m just not sure that was the best advice that Jimmy gave you,” she chided, saying she should have taken on something that “showcased you in a better way.” Reinhart — who has thrice landed in the bottom three this season — looked dejected following Lopez’s criticism, and then Randy Jackson weighed in, calling “You and I” “not that great a song.” “I don’t know if this whole thing did you any favors,” he said. However, Steven Tyler — who’s not exactly the hardest-hitting member of the judges’ panel — was positive in his review. “I loved it,” he said, paraphrasing the T-shirt he wore that spelled LOVE in capital letters. “I love what you do.” He went on to say Reinhart was “just one perfect song away from being an ‘American Idol,’ ” and advised her to find that song. Onstage, Seacrest asked Reinhart what she thought of her decision to take on “You and I.” Mock-stroking her chin as if in deep thought, Reinhart questioned whether it was worth taking the risk, but ultimately seemed at peace with her decision. “Hey, it was an opportunity, and I took it,” she said. Meanwhile, others were quick to defend the singer online. Reacting to the judges’ drubbing, “Idol” tweeter and expert MJ Santilli posted from @mjsbigblog, writing, “I can’t effing believe this garbage… VOTING FOR HALEY TIL MY FINGERS BLEED.” What did you think of Haley’s performance of “You and I”? Let us know in the comments! Don’t miss “Idol Party Live” every Thursday at noon on MTV.com for analysis, celebrity guests and even some karaoke — get in the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag #idolparty! In the meantime, 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
Haley Reinhart sang Blondie’s “Call Me” Wednesday night, and she certainly nailed the song’s calling card – the “Call me!” exclamations in the chorus. But she botched some notes and despite having all kinds of fun up there on stage, sort of lost her way. So much so that the judges even criticized her! Watch her performance here and see if Reinhart deserved it: Haley Reinhart – Call Me (American Idol) “I didn’t love at the beginning of it,” opined Randy. “I don’t know if it was the song that didn’t do it for me. It just wasn’t a showcase for your voice.” Steven concurred, and Jennifer said that “If I’m going to be honest, I’m going to agree with Randy.” By J. Lo standards, that’s tearing a new one! Will she be in the American Idol bottom three? You tell us.
Naima Adedapo and Haley Reinhart join her in the bottom three, while Black Eyed Peas and Lee DeWyze perform. By Adam Graham Karen Rodriguez Photo: FOX “Love Will Lead You Back” paved a path straight to elimination for Karen Rodriguez, who was shown the door on Thursday’s (March 17) elimination episode of “American Idol.” The 21-year-old bilingual-singing New Yorker, who was praised by Steven Tyler for her “ethnic what-it-is-ness” on Wednesday’s performance episode , pleaded her case before the judges when asking them to use the season’s one save to spare her another week. “I know I can do so much better, and I know you guys believe in me,” she said, fighting back tears, after a Hail Mary rendition of Mariah Carey’s “Hero.” But it wasn’t enough: While Randy Jackson said the decision was not unanimous, the judges decided not to let Rodriguez sing another day in the competition. It was Rodriguez’s second straight trip to the bottom three, real estate she shared this week with Naima Adedapo and Haley Reinhart. Adedapo was the first to be shown mercy by host Ryan Seacrest, leaving Reinhart and Rodriguez behind to face the music. Ultimately it was Rodriguez — who performed Taylor Dayne’s 1990 hit “Love Will Lead You Back” on Wednesday’s show, while wearing a sci-fi silver miniskirt and a Snooki-like pouf atop her head — that came up on the short end of America’s votes. During the teary goodbye, Rodriguez was consoled by the three judges, as well as her fellow contestants. When they were sent to the bottom three earlier in the show, neither Reinhart nor Adedapo seemed very surprised with their fates. Reinhart, who in a winding speech explained that she ultimately sees herself combining “rock and funk and blues” into one style (note: she sang Whitney Houston’s “I’m Your Baby Tonight” this week), gave a sighing “yippee!” when Seacrest told her she might be in the bottom three. Later, she mock dusted off her chair before sitting down in the same seat she held the week prior. Adedapo, who mouthed “wonder who?” when she was told it was either her or the week-winning Stefano Langone in the bottom three, practically marched to her seat before Seacrest even read the results. Call it the curse of the ladies: So far this season, a male has yet to land in the bottom of the bunch. Thia Megia thought she was going to see the wrath of the bottom three and explained to the judges that she’s got more in her than she’s shown thus far. “If you guys put me through, I’ll do so much better,” she said. “I can show so much more.” She survived another week, but she should be held to her promise to step things up a notch beyond the bland balladry she’s shown to date. Everyone else was safe to sit back and watch the show, which squeezed in performances by the Black Eyed Peas (who dedicated their new single “Just Can’t Get Enough” to “our friends in Japan”) and “American Idol” season-nine winner Lee DeWyze, who performed the sleepy, John Mayer-like ballad “Beautiful Like You” from his album Live It Up. The show opened with a medley of Steppenwolf’s “Born to be Wild” (sang by the guys) and Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” (the girls), a cheeky homage to the week’s songs-from-your-birth-year theme. Were you surprised to see Karen go? Let us know in the comments! Don’t miss “Idol Party Live” every Thursday on MTV.com, following the “American Idol” results show, for analysis, celebrity guests and even some karaoke — get in the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag #idolparty! In the meantime, get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.
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