American Idol’s contestants individually took the stage and performed one final song while accompanied by backup singers and a house band. They were also given the option to perform while playing their own musical instrument, a situation which was similar to the show’s seventh season.

 

After all 72 contestants finished their performances the four judges, Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, and Kara DioGuardi made their decisions and divided the contestants into four groups that were sent to four different rooms where they were announced the results.

 

The first room where the judges brought the good news was room 2. All the contestants in that room made it through, as well as those in room 1. Unfortunately, the contestants in room 3, who were second in learning their fate, were not as lucky. They were all eliminated from the competition. The contestants in room 4 were the last to find out whether their Idol dreams had ended or not. They were nervous about the results, especially because they had already heard about the others who failed, which made them worry that they will share the same fate. The judges did not have a calming effect on them, on the contrary, they led the contestants to believe that they had been eliminated from the competition as well, creating a state of general confusion. Eventually they were revealed the fact that they had survived Hollywood Week’s third round and that they all advanced.

 

But there were also some unexpected turns in the development of the competition. According to Fox, the controversial American Idol contestant Joanna Pacitti who is originally from Philadelphia, PA, has been disqualified and replaced by a 26-year-old wife and mother from Virginia Beach, VA, named Felicia Barton.

 

The reason for which Pacitti was eliminated has not been disclosed. The only explanation of the jury’s decision was that she was deemed to be ineligible.

 

According to Star magazine, apparently the unemployed 23-year-old star-wannabe previously to this competition had made headlines regarding her already extensive professional music industry experience. This young lady released a debut album in 2006 with Geffen Records and bragged about the fact that she has important “connections” in the business: two executives at American Idol's19 Entertainment production company.

 

But this still does not explain her disqualification, since the American Idol policy requires contestants not to have any current recording or talent management agreements during the period they audition, which is not the same with ever signing a professional agreement.