The extended run on “American Idol” came to an end for Kent’s Stefano Langone.
Langone, 22, was eliminated from the Fox show Thursday night. He was in the bottom three for the fourth time in five weeks but failed to survive this time after more than 52 million votes by viewers.
“It started my career,” Langone said after host Ryan Seacrest asked him how the show had changed his life. “You can’t put a price on that. That’s everything.”
The Kentwood High graduate performed a rendition of “Closer” by Ne-Yo Wednesday night. But his performance didn’t get him enough votes to advance to the top six next week.
During an interview after the show with Entertainment Weekly, Langone came away pleased to finish in seventh place.
”The weight has been lifted off the shoulders,” Langone said. “I’m happy that I got this far, and I’m happy that I got to do everything I got to do on this show.”
Viewers failed to vote Langone last month into the top 10. Judges Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson gave him one of three wild card berth to give him a shot at the title.
The remaining contestants include Scotty McCreery, James Durbin, Haley Reinhart, Casey Abrams, Lauren Alaina and Jacob Lusk. Reinhart and Lusk joined Langone in the bottom three this week.
By making the top 10, Langone earned a spot on the “Idol” summer tour. Tour dates have yet to be announced.
The former Bellevue College student is the son of Ernie and Carrie Langone, who have lived 21 years in Kent. Stefano Langone was born in Bellevue. Langone grew up singing at Emerald Park Elementary School, the then-Meridian Junior High, Kentwood High and Bellevue College.
Shortly after Langone graduated from junior high, he told his parents he wanted to become a professional singer.
While on “Idol,” Langone shared his story about surviving a head-on car crash just two years ago. He was driving home to Kent when a drunk driver crossed into his lane in Renton. Langone suffered injuries to his femur, pelvis, arm and wrist and spent time in a wheelchair.
After a stellar audition in San Francisco, Langone moved on through numerous cuts on “Idol” to make it to the final seven.
Langone sang Stevie Wonder’s “Lately” as his farewell song Thursday.
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