VIDEO: First Four American Idol Contestants Voted Off
Feb. 26 2010, Published 4:49 a.m. ET
The tension was thick on Thursday night as the very first elimination round of American Idol Season 9 sent four contestants packing: Janelle Wheeler, Tyler Grady, Ashley Rodriguez and Joe Munoz.
The elimination wasn’t a complete shock—except for maybe Ashley Rodriguez, who was billed as a frontrunner. But for Rodriguez and Wheeler, the judges felt they picked songs that were too big for them, and it looks like America agreed.
VIDEO: Top 12 Women Are Hot And Cold With The Idol Judges
Happier parts of the night kicked off with the top 24 singing the first group performance American Boy. There were also some familiar faces dotting the telecast. Season 8 contestant Alison Iraheta returned to the Idol stage singing her new single Scars while Season 8 winner Kris Allen sang Let It Be (the song that helped launch his career!) complete with snapshots of his trip to Haiti playing in the background.
- Simon Cowell Strikes Out at Boybands: 'X Factor' Moguls Admits He Nearly Hit '90s Singing Hero in the Face — As He Opens Up About 'Disgusting' Music Business
- Simon Cowell's Search for 'New One Direction-Style Boyband' is 'Well and Truly Over' in Wake of Liam Payne Death: 'There's no Way He's Going There Again'
- Freaky Fillers, Bum Shots and Hollywood's Most Disastrous Nose Job: A-Listers' Worst Plastic Surgery Nightmares
DAILY. BREAKING. CELEBRITY NEWS. ALL FREE.
VIDEO: American Idol's Top 12 Men Make Shaky Debut
Other highlights included a funny video clip of Grady wearing a bathrobe to his rehearsal and host Ryan Seacrest’s chatter with the judges.