American Idol has had some surprising eliminations already this season, but it seems the latest elimination was one that Carrie Underwood feels has taken the cake as this season’s most shocking elimination yet.
Last Monday night, the Top 9 contestants took to the stage to perform songs from some of the biggest Disney movies of all-time as Disney Night returned. The episode was filled with some amazing performances and ended with the elimination of two hopefuls, giving us the Top 7. After a close night of competition, it was Kyndal Inskeep and Lucas Leon, whose journeys came to an end.
Of the pair, Lucas’ elimination seemed to be the more shocking of the two, as Lucas has been considered a frontrunner in the competition by many; however, for Underwood, it was the elimination of Kyndal she found so shocking.
“She wasn’t even on my radar to be eliminated at all. But if you’ve ever watched Idol, this is about the time when we kind of have a shocker. It just happens for whatever reason. Every season kind of has that ‘what?’ moment right around now,” Underwood told TV Insider, reflecting on the eliminations.
Perhaps what made Kyndal’s elimination so shocking to Underwood and many fans was that her elimination came after a standout performance. Closing out the night, Kyndal’s rendition of “Butterfly Fly Away,” was a major redemption moment following a rough performance the prior week when Kyndal battled with the loss of her voice.
Underwood called the performance a beautiful moment of redemption, a sentiment that her fellow jodge Luke Bryan also shared, calling it a comeback performance for Kyndal.
Unfortunately, it was not enough to win over the viewers at home, leading to her elimination ahead of the Top 7. However, as Underwood points out, the show is just a jumping point, as many artists have enjoyed success despite not winning the show, including Disney Night guest judge and mentor Jennifer Hudson.
“American Idol is an incredible platform. It’s an incredible way to get yourself exposed to the world. This is a jumping off point. I won and I’m doing this now. Jennifer didn't, and she’s doing this now. Your destiny is your destiny,” Underwood reflected. “So many people look at winning as the end all and be all, but there are countless numbers of former hopefuls that get to make a living making music.”
It's a very true point, as many of the most successful contestants from over the years were ones who didn't walk away with the win, Hudson by far being the best example of this. Despite coming in seventh place on American Idol, Hudson went on to become the youngest female EGOT winner and has enjoyed an amazing career following her time on the show. She's one of many success stories from over the years that have proven you don't have to win it all to go on to enjoy a successful career in the industry.
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