American Idol brought Dollywood to Hollywood this week with the help of diva Dolly Parton, but the attempt at country music proved too much for Idol hopeful Ramiele Malubay.
The petite songstress failed to impress the judges with Parton‘s “Do I Ever Cross Your Mind” even admitting to Ryan Seacrest that she struggled a “little bit” with the song. While Paula Abdul weakly praised “I thought that Ramiele had a good night for Ramiele,” Simon Cowell made his opinion clear.
“Look, we’re not going to remember this in 10 years time, are we?,” he told her Tuesday night. “It was cute. You sang it quite well. Overall, I thought it was forgettable and I think it was very reminiscent of something you would see and hear on a cruise ship if you want my honest opinion.” [PAGEBREAK]
Joining Malubay, 20, in the bottom three were her two roommates–stool alum Kristy Lee Cook and first timer Brooke White. While the emotional trio awaited their fate, Cowell quipped: “I think this is absolutely right…honestly, I don’t’ think anyone from [the couch] should be standing with these girls now.”
Among those on the safe couch was AI favorite David Cook who was rushed to the hospital Tuesday after suffering heart palpitations. The rocker calmed fans’ fears when he told Seacrest, “The whole thing kind of got blown out of proportion. I have high blood pressure and it spiked so they took me there as a precaution, but I’m cool. I’m not going anywhere.” [PAGEBREAK]
Wednesday wasn’t all about eliminations this week. Adding to the country flair were The Clark Brothers (winners of The Next Great American Band), who performed a toe-tapping rendition of “This Little Light of Mine” as well as Parton who sang “Jesus & Gravity.”
Rounding out the night were Idol updates with Bucky Covington, Phil Stacey and Bo Bice ,who all reside in country capitol, Nashville, Tenn.
Perhaps Malubay and her fellow eliminees can take comfort in Covington’s wise words; “I think it is safe to say now that you don’t have to win the show to go on and do something with yourself.”
