'American Idol' Season 18: Shannon Gibbons eliminated, fans say judges made a huge mistake by sending her home
The latest episode of 'American Idol' just aired on Sunday night, April 5, and already plenty of people were starting to feel the heat during the Hawaii round of the competition. Some contestants were starting to doubt themselves, while others were feeling the pressure of having to perform in front of a packed crowd, despite their undeniable talent. There were still others who were quietly confident in their singing capabilities but had no idea if the judges believed in them enough to put them through to the public voting rounds.
It looks like the gifted Shannon Gibbons fell into the latter category because the young star's dreams were abruptly cut short when the judges decided to eliminate her, along with a bunch of stand-out performers like Genavieve Linkowski and Robert Taylor.
Shannon is blessed with a rich, soulful, bluesy voice; it's both a moving and soul-illuminating experience whenever she performs and she was considered by many to easily make it through to the Top 10 based on the quality of her vocals. As a shy girl who struggled with depressive episodes as a youngster, it probably wasn't in Shannon's wheelhouse to jump around maniacally on stage and put on a spectacle. But then again, she didn't really need a commanding stage presence - her voice was compelling and soothing enough. So when the 20-year-old from Bellport, New York sang Adele's 'Send My Love (To Your New Lover)' in Aulani, Hawaii, most people expected her to go through to the Top 21, considering she sang it pretty well. But like the judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan told the singer Kimmy Gabriela previously, just being a good singer wasn't enough - you've got to have the whole package.
The judges told Shannon that although she had a great voice (she had set a golden "Shannon Standard" at her audition), she hadn't been memorable enough to stand out consistently as the singing competition progressed. Faced with mixed emotions, the judges told Shannon that she couldn't just skate through by relying solely on the texture of her gritty voice and made the incredibly tough decision to eliminate her.
Shannon took the decision graciously like a champ, but social media wasn't as forgiving - "Shannon was robbed!! Ridiculous!!" said one viewer, and plenty more agreed with her. "They made a huge mistake, BIG! You are a superstar! If I’d closed my eyes, I’d of thought it was Adele. A record label must pick you up, Shannon!" said another admirer. A middle-aged supporter put it perfectly when he exclaimed: "I was folding my clothes and Shannon Gibbons started singing on American Idol. I stopped what I was doing to watch and listen. Such a great talent and the judges sent her home! #Final Judgment # American Idol. What were they thinking?" That seems to be the common consensus on Twitter, as more admirers agreed : "Shannon was destined to be the winner and they just sent her home? What gives?"
It's a tough break for both Shannon and the fans, but at least we know that she'll have strong support whenever she decides to be a solo artist.
Make sure you catch the next episode of 'American Idol' next Sunday night at 8 pm ET on the ABC network.