American Idol ousted Emily Piriz during Thursday night's live results show on Fox, determining the thirteenth season's Top 11 finalists.
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Emily, an 18-year-old student from Orlando, FL, became the second finalist sent home from American Idol's thirteenth season after she received the fewest home viewer votes cast following Wednesday night's performance show, which featured the Top 12 finalists performing songs that best defined what the word "home" means to them -- whether it be their town, a family member or simply what it represents.
"This was amazing. I couldn't have asked for anything more... American Idol has always been a part of my household when I was growing up. I was like, 'I want to do this. I want to be on this show.' It just feels so unreal and I'm just so grateful. I'm doing what I love to do," Emily said in a video montage that played following her ouster.
Emily's elimination became official after Idol judge Harry Connick Jr. announced the show's judges were not going to prevent her departure by using "The Judges' Save," which Harry and fellow judges Jennifer Lopez and Keith Urban can use once during the finals to prevent the elimination of a finalist whom America had voted out of the competition during a weekly performance round.
The decision would have to be unanimous amongst the judges to utilize the special save, which expires at the Top 6.
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After discussing Emily's fate during her survival performance of "Stars" by Grace Potter Harry & The Nocturnals, Harry revealed the panel's decision to American Idol host Ryan Seacrest.
"It's not unanimous," Jennifer quickly announced in a defeated tone.
"We talked about it, and as always, we wade these decisions very carefully. And tonight, we have decided not to use 'the save,'" Harry said.
Emily had received mixed reviews from the judges following her performance of "Let's Get Loud" by Jennifer herself on Wednesday's performance show. Harry was displeased with what she brought to the song.
"Representing for all the Latinos out there watching! Yes! It's always so hard to watch somebody do your song, you know? But it makes me happy to hear that you're listening to this and it influenced you. It's such a pleasure for me. Thank you so much... I think you did a really good job, I have to say. I loved it. I'm biased though!" Jennifer explained.
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"I thought it took a lot of courage to sing that song in front of Jennifer. And I'll just cut right to it. Let's just be honest, that song is like a big locomotive train going down the tracks. The people were into that song even before you came out, so that's kind of a big crutch you have. You have to match the intensity of the locomotive train otherwise you're just going to be a passenger on the train," Harry told her.
"You need to drive the train. You can't go and huddle up next to the musician. You need to come out here and sing and perform that song. The song, the production, was too big for you tonight."
"I loved it, Emily!" Keith yelled.
"But I want her to be better. I just want her to improve," Harry noted.
"What I loved about it... You're going to be here next week and I guarantee it," Keith said. "Just be more confident. We've been saying this to everybody."
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Prior to Emily's elimination, Jena Irene, a 17-year-old from Farmington Hills, MI, and M.K. Nobilette, a 20-year-old from San Francisco, CA, were revealed to be the other two members of this week's bottom three vote-getters. That's the second time in a row M.K. landed in the bottom.
In addition to Jena and M.K., the remaining Top 11 Idol finalists are: Malaya Watson, Jessica Meuse, Majesty Rose, Ben Briley, C.J. Harris, Caleb Johnson, Alex Preston, Dexter Roberts, and Sam Woolf.
During Thursday night's broadcast, Ryan revealed over 70 million votes were cast for the finalists this week. Eleventh-season American Idol winner Phillip Phillips also took the stage and performed his new "Raging Fire" single.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski