gustaf hansel: No Surprise On 'American Idol': Elise Testone Exits

Perpetual cellar-dweller joined in bottom three by Hollie Cavanagh and Skylar Laine.
By Adam Graham

Elise Testone on "American Idol"
Photo: Fox

Another one bit the dust, but this one wasn't hard to see coming.

After two weeks of shocking elimination episodes, "American Idol" took a break from the surprises Thursday (April 26), sending perpetual bottom-dweller Elise Testone home.

Testone, the 28-year-old from Charleston, South Carolina, had faced elimination so many times that "Idol" mentor Jimmy Iovine joked she had a "vacation home" in the bottom three.

Testone came up on the short end of the reported 58 million votes cast following Wednesday's performance episode, where she took on Queen's "I Want It All" and a very wordy rendition of Jimi Hendrix's "Bold as Love." Following the Hendrix song, Randy Jackson told her it "wasn't the right song for this time in the competition," and on Thursday's show, Iovine called Testone "a great singer who makes bad choices." He called "Bold as Love" a "double down on bad decisions."

Testone, the oldest of this season's finalists, sang Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" during her exit. It was one of her signature songs of the season.

Testone was joined in the bottom three Thursday by Hollie Cavanagh and Skylar Laine. Laine was sent back to safety immediately, leaving Testone and Cavanagh to await their fate.

According to host Ryan Seacrest, the 58 million votes cast were 10 million more than the number of votes cast at this point in the season last year.

Queen Extravaganza, an official Queen tribute band, opened the show with a performance of "Somebody to Love." The episode also saw performances from season 10 "Idol" contestant Stefano Langone — who now goes simply by Stefano — who did his debut single "I'm on a Roll," and Katy Perry, who in a taped performance did a military-themed "Part of Me."

What did you think of "Idol" on Thursday? Let us know in the comments!

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