After “American Idol” contestants Philmon Lee and Rae Boyd were eliminated from the competition during this week’s Rock & Roll Night, judges Carrie Underwood and Lionel Richie are convinced the franchise is “cursed.”
The so-called “curse” specifically refers to 24-year-old Rae, who, just one week after Richie chose to save her from the Bottom Three during last week’s “‘90s Judges’ Song Contest,” was sent packing after receiving the least amount of votes from the American public.
Last season, contestant Mattie Pruitt suffered the same fate, with the 16-year-old hopeful being eliminated from the competition immediately after being saved by the judges the week before.
According to Underwood and Richie, the troubling trend is now bordering on becoming a full-blown “curse.”
‘Idol’ Curse: When the Judges Save You, You’re the Next to Go
Disney“I was talking to Luke [Bryan] and Lionel about it,” Carrie Underwood told a small group of reporters after the live show on Monday, April 13. “It seems like the person that gets saved really has to do something, ‘cause it seems like they’re the next one again. [Rae] got saved last week, so it’s kind of like America did it again.”
Meanwhile, Richie added that he’d only just discovered the “curse.”
“Whoever you save, they’re going the next time. It is one of the most interesting things I’ve observed, that the voting public has to fall in love with you,” he said. “And we keep thinking…it’s the voice. It’s not. They have to fall in love with your personality.”
DisneyThe 76-year-old judge added that each of the contestants who was chosen to continue on into the Top 9 has “their own connection” with the audience watching at home.
Underwood, however, reported that it’s hard to fully comprehend what fans are thinking while casting their votes each week.
“You don’t know what people are resonating with, the ones that are sitting at home and watching and voting,” she said. “It’s the same in the music business in general. I’ve seen so many singers, songwriters that were trying to be artists as well that I’m like, why are you not uberfamous? And for whatever reason, it’s just a disconnect, I guess, ‘cause [Rae’s] so talented.”
Boyd’s exit from the competition followed her performance of Donna Summer’s “MacArthur Park” on rock and roll night. She was eliminated alongside 25-year-old Philmon Lee, who performed Foreigner’s “Hot Blooded.”
Unfortunately for the duo, their performances failed to connect with the audience, resulting in their eliminations ahead of next week’s Disney Night.
Which Singers Made it to the Top 9 of ‘American Idol’ Season 24?
GettyThe Top 9 contestants remaining in the competition to become the next “American Idol” champion are as follows:
- Brooks Rosser (22)
- Daniel Stallworth (27)
- Braden Rumfelt (23)
- Lucas Leon (18)
- Jordan McCullough (27)
- Hannah Harper (25)
- Keyla Richardson (29)
- Chris Tungseth (27)
- Kyndal Inskeep (29)
Be sure to tune into a new episode of “American Idol” Season 24 on Monday, April 20 to see the remaining contestants perform in the fan-favorite Disney Night. New episodes air every Monday night on ABC at 8:00pm ET.
