American Idol eliminated Sonika Vaid during Thursday night's broadcast on Fox, determining the Top 4 singers on the reality competition's farewell season.

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After receiving the lowest amount of home viewer votes the prior week, America sent Sonika home. Sonika had landed in the bottom two with Dalton Rapattoni, a 19-year-old vocal coach from Dallas TX. It marked Sonika's third time in the bottom but Dalton's first experience being in jeopardy of elimination.

The contestants who received the most votes were Mackenzie Bourg, a 23-year-old musician from Lafayette, LA; Trent Harmon, a 25-year-old waiter from Amory, MS; and La'Porsha Renae, a 22-year-old call representative from McComb, MS. These artists therefore automatically advanced into the Top 4.

During a Friday conference call with reporters, Sonika, a 20-year-old student from Martha's Vineyard, MA, talked about her American Idol experience. Below is a portion of what she had to say. Check back with Reality TV World soon for more.

You worked with some amazing mentors. Who was your favorite? And what did you learn this week from Steve Van Zandt and Sia?

Sonika Vaid: Sia is really nice. She's a sweet person. She gave me the advice of having fun. She said, "You have a beautiful voice" and that I'm -- I think she said I was very marketable, which is kind of insane because it's coming from Sia.

She's one of the greats in my opinion. She said just to have fun and enjoy yourself because she said, "Now that you have the singing down, you just really need to enjoy yourself."

There was a moment where I'm not sure if they would have shown you it, but it was when she mentored me. I sang a note in her song "Love Me Back To Life" that she wrote for Celine Dion. I sang a note and I hit it but it didn't sound and it didn't feel passionate. 

I think it was just because I was nervous about it. She gave me that hint of advice of, "Just let it go, almost just like let it pour out of you." I did it two seconds later, and it just felt different. She gave some really great advice.

You finished in the Top 5. As you may or may not know, last year, they sent the Top 5 out on tour. Have you heard anything at all about their plans for this summer in regards to that?

Sonika Vaid: I have no idea. No one's told me anything yet. There's always surprises though. I'm not sure. I would love to do that.

I think it was last week, Harry Connick Jr. said that his favorite part was watching you talking to Ryan Seacrest about yourself because you're such a nice, sweet person. What did you think about that?

Sonika Vaid: I admire the fact that he took the time to say that because that means a lot coming from someone like him, that he sees who I am just from the two seconds that he hears me talk.

I honestly never really spoke to Ryan Seacrest, I think, onstage at least. I've spoken to him behind the scenes but not onstage just because I think I rush off after my performance.

I think I'm just going to stay true to myself. That's the advice I heard from that. My family is really important to me, and my parents, they raised me with really great morals. I couldn't have had better parents. I think that I will present myself like that throughout my career.

I just wanted to know, being one of the last performers on American Idol, what is your advice to performers following their dream without an avenue like Idol?

Sonika Vaid: I would definitely say, "Don't be afraid to put your music online and YouTube and Instagram and Vine and all of these -- there's so many ways now that you can be heard. I think it's very important to just put yourself out there, and stay true to who you are, is also a really big one. I think that that's very key."

Being someone who didn't really post that much on Instagram, I'm seeing how much people affect others with their Instagram videos. There's some really successful people that started from YouTube. I mean, Justin Bieber started from YouTube, I think. I think that’s a really big thing.

What do you think was the best takeaway from the judge panel throughout your journey on the show?

Sonika Vaid: The best takeaway, as far as criticism or compliments... The best piece of advice that just rang true throughout the entire season for me, I would say, is just the aspect of letting go. I feel like I've started to let go a lot more, I think. 

As I watch myself back, I feel and I see how much I've changed, and I'm not even trying to sound full of myself. I say that because I really feel like a changed person. This whole experience has really shaped me and pushed me to limits where I thought were never possible.

What is your favorite love song or ballad to perform?

Sonika Vaid: From the show, I would say "I Surrender" is a really good one. In terms of love songs, I would definitely say "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion is probably a really iconic love song. In my eyes, it's beautiful.

What were your favorite performances from the show, from this season?

Sonika Vaid: "Bring Me To Life," I'd say was probably my favorite performance, only because that was the performance that really made me feel like I can do this, that I do have the confidence somewhere in me to really perform and push myself to the limits that I thought were never possible and get out of my bubble.

To read more from Sonika Vaid's post-American Idol interview, click here and here. Check back with Reality TV World soon for more.


About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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