She chopped off her hair and changed its color, but not even that could save Erika Van Pelt, the Rhode Island mobile DJ who had no flaw in her voice, but never won over audiences on “American Idol.”
Van Pelt, who was first voted off by viewers on the way to the Top 13, was a wild card save for judges, who found no fault in her performance of Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind” Wednesday. Still, they refused to use their one “save” to keep her on the show (who are they saving it for? Someone who sings worse?).
Van Pelt had been in the bottom three since the Top 13 began live shows and was the only woman in the bottom three otherwise populated by Heejun Han and DeAndre Brackensick.
Elise Testone, who had also been in the bottom three as well, managed to claw her way out with a strong performance this week. And she didn’t have to get a complete makeover.
‘It’s the biggest adventure I’ve already had in my life,” Van Pelt said on the show. “Why wouldn’t I chop my hair off?”