American Idol Results: Haley Hangs On, Paul Voted Off

Haley Reinhart is among American Idol’s seven remaining contestants,
after earning enough votes Wednesday night to continue to the next
round.

Her success came despite lukewarm reviews from the show’s judges following her performance of Blondie’s “Call Me.”

“Listen, honest, I didn’t love the beginning of it. At the end, you
started getting into the song," Randy Jackson told Reinhart. “It just
wasn’t a showcase of your voice for me.”

Steven Tyler agreed with Jackson, but added that the chorus “was beautiful.”

“I’m so afraid to say anything about the girls, because I don’t want
any of the girls to go home,” said Jennifer Lopez, in reference to the
fact that only two female singers were still in the running. “But it
wasn’t the best. After two killer performances like you just gave,
baby, you’ve got to just keep taking it higher and higher.”

In the end, the decision was in voters’ hands, as they cast votes via
text messages, Internet and phone calls Wednesday for the eight
remaining contestants. Though for the third time in the competition
Reinhart was among the bottom three vote recipients, it was Paul
McDonald who was eliminated.

In an interview taped prior to her performance, Reinhart, who lives in
Wheeling and attends Harper College, said, “I feel like I’m for sure
growing as an artist.”

After hearing the judges’ comments, she told host Ryan Seacrest, “Song
selection is everything, man. It’s everything.”

Reinhart and the six other remaining contestants will perform again at
7 p.m. Wednesday on Fox.