American Idol's Top 13 tenth-season finalists were determined during Thursday night's live results show broadcast that ended the competition's semifinal round by eliminating 11 of the season's 24 semifinalists.
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The 13 finalists are Casey Abrams, Naima Adedapo, Lauren Alaina, James Durbin, Ashthon Jones, Stefano Langone, Jacob Lusk, Scotty McCreery, Paul McDonald, Thia Megia, Haley Reinhart, Karen Rodriguez, and Pia Toscano.
Abrams, Durbin, Lusk, McCreery, and McDonald advanced to the finals after they received the most home viewer votes following Tuesday night's broadcast of the male semifinal performance show, while Alaina, Megia, Reinhart, Rodriguez, and Toscano advanced after they finished as the top five vote-getters after Wednesday night's broadcast of the female semifinal performance show.
Adedapo, Jones and Langone were then selected as "Wild Card" picks by American Idol judges Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler.
However, the Idol dream ended for remaining semifinalists Jovany Barreto, Kendra Chantelle, Jordan Dorsey, Clint Jun Gamboa, Tim Halperin, Brett Loewenstern, Robbie Rosen, Lauren Turner, Tatynisa Wilson, Rachel Zevita, and Julie Zorrilla.
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Prior to determining their "Wild Card" picks, the judges chose six out of the remaining 14 semifinalists to perform for them live on the Idol stage.
The three male semifinalists selected to perform for the judges were Barreto, Langone and Rosen while the three female semifinalists were Adedapo, Chantelle and Jones.
Jackson, Lopez and Tyler gave all six semifinalists positive feedback after their performances, which marked their last opportunity to impress the judges before they decided their "Wild Card" selections.
"I thought you brought it like you brought it before," Tyler told Jones, a 24-year-old from Valdosta, GA, who currently resides in Nashville, TN.
"I felt your passion, I felt how much you wanted to be here, and I know you deserve to be here," Lopez told her.
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"I still love the attitude. I love it. I love it," Jackson added.
Barreto, a 23-year-old from Harvey, LA, then took to the stage and showed what he was capable of doing.
"You did a good job baby. You did all you could do," Lopez told Barreto.
Adedapo, a 26-year-old from Milwaukee, WI, was the next to sing.
"Naima, you came from way deep down inside again. You brought it to me. Thank you," Tyler told Adedapo.
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Then it was Rosen's turn to perform.
"Robbie man, very nice. Very tender. The Robbie that we fell in love with is back. This is the toughest night ever," Jackson told Rosen, a 17-year-old from Merrick, NY.
Langone, a 21-year-old from Kent, WA, then made a big impression on the judges.
"Honestly, you have me shaking up here. I don't shake like this when I perform... There's no way to get it right with this group of kids and there's no way to not get it wrong. That's what's so hard about tonight, but you did really well in the moment. When you needed to come through, you came through baby," Lopez told Langone.
"You made me fall in love with your voice to that song right there," Tyler added.
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Chantelle, a 22-year-old from Loudon, TN, who currently resides in Nashville, TN, was the last "Wild Card" pick to get her chance to impress the judges.
"You started a little low. I didn't know where you were going, and dude, you rocked it! She's hittin' all kinds of notes up there! Very nice. Very nice," Jackson told Chantelle.
American Idol host Ryan Seacrest and the judges then announced which three singers -- not two, as "the Top 12 will be chosen" teaser Fox aired immediately before the two-hour broadcast began had suggested -- would get to join the ten semifinalists who were selected by home viewers in the season's finals.
"Ryan, we've chosen and we've chosen Ashton," Jackson said.
"We have two more," Lopez added.
"Who's the second person that's going through?" Seacrest asked.
"Stefano," Lopez said.
"There will be one more pick to go into the final group. Steven Tyler, who is the final person going to be?" Seacrest asked.
"Ryan, I wish we could do all of them, but Naima, you're in," Tyler replied.
American Idol's Top 13 tenth-season finalists will take the stage and sing during next Wednesday night's live two-hour performance episode broadcast at 8PM ET/PT. On Thursday night at 9PM ET/PT, one finalist will be eliminated from the competition based on home viewer votes, determining the season's Top 12 finalists.
(Photo credit Mark Davis/Fox)
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski