American Idol season 21’s fan-favorite Fire Wilmore was one of the contestants eliminated as the judges choose the season’s Top 24. Here’s what happened!
The first part of the two-part Showstoppers: Final Judgment of American Idol round aired on Sunday, April 9. Fire who has had one of the most inspiring journeys on the show sang her rendition of the 2008 single, Mercy.
The audience continued to cheer for her throughout her performance, and the judges also looked impressed but eventually, Fire’s singing in the round fell short.
What happened to Fire Wilmore on American Idol?
Fire had a one-on-one chat with the judges during the Showstopper round. In her confessional as well as her chat with the judges, she expressed how American Idol would change both her and her daughter’s life.
Before her Showstopper performance, she expressed that she wanted to leave all the bad things behind and express her love for singing and performing.
At the end of her performance, Fire also got a standing ovation from all three judges.
“You know there’s been so much growth with her,” Katy Perry said.
“I feel so good about the fact that she’s now kinda got a base, a new base opposed to that bottom she was in,” Lionel Richie said.
Fire expressed in her chat with the judges that her American Idol journey has been the “hardest.”
Luke Bryan said that the judges too got to learn from her. However, in the end, Katy tells an extremely nervous Fire “its the end of the American Idol journey.”
A deeply disappointed Fire hugged the judges and walked out.
Contestant faced many roadblocks on the show
The 23-year-old single mom revealed on the show that she had been in and out of foster care while growing up.
She failed to impress the judges at her New Orleans audition but Katy urged her to come back for the Nashville auditions. With a unanimous decision on the judges’ part, Fire flew to Hollywood joining the other contestants after her second audition.
During her duet performance, Fire’s partner Kaya Stewart quit the competition. The mom of one soldiered on in the face of difficulty and performed with a last-minute replacement.
Despite the Wide Awake singer’s support for Fire all season, she became the one to let her go after the Showstopper round.
While she remained mum in front of the judges after being eliminated, she broke down in tears later.
“I’m not OK with going home,” she said. “I just feel like I needed this more than a lot of people did, but that doesn’t matter.”
Fans react to Fire’s exit from American Idol
“Bro I love Fire and American Idol did her dirty and I won’t forgive that,” a second fan expressed.
“Fire for Wildcard! Make it happen,” one disappointed fan said.
“shock they cut her after giving fire so much tv time. Don’t think it’s over yet,” a third person said.
However, some fans said it was the right call to let her go.