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'This show is trash': 'American Idol' faces backlash as McKenna Breinholt gets eliminated over Emmy Russell

McKenna got eliminated ahead of the top 5 race on American Idol Season 22

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: After McKenna Breinholt was eliminated from American Idol, fans took to social media to express their outrage and disappointment. Many believed McKenna's elimination was unjust, given her consistently strong performances throughout the competition.

They believed she deserved to advance to the top 5 and were baffled by the judges' decision to eliminate her while keeping other contestants, like Emmy Russell.

Fans took to X and other platforms to vent their frustrations, criticizing the show for what they perceived as unfair and biased judging. Some fans went as far as labeling the show "trash" and questioning the credibility of the judging panel.

One fan wrote, "Disappointed in #americanidol top 5; with; how did Julia, McKenna, plus Mia, Kabrienne, get voted off? Glad Abi and Jack in the top 5; good luck. By the time Idol is on at 8 pm on the West coast, voting is closed so there's that." 

Another fan said, "McKenna & Julia didn’t deserve to go like that. Ryan sort of dismissed them and they were ushered off stage quickly. Come on producers. Cut out a few useless minutes and give them a chance to get a proper goodbye and maybe even speak like they do on." "I guess we really DO have a voting problem in America. EMMY OVER JULIA OR MCKENNA?! WHAT!?!?," added another fan. 

"JULIA AND MCKENNA GOT VOTED OFF??? WTH IS HAPPENING," said one. "What the !?!? Emmmmyyy!!!!????? Are you serious!? Over julia and Mckenna!? Just because she is the granddaughter of loretta doesnt mean shes made for this! This is bullshit!!!," said another. "Emmy kept over Julia and McKenna! Lmfaooooo this show is trash," added one. 

McKenna receives a lukewarm response from the ABC show judges

McKenna received a lukewarm response from the judges after her performance. Luke commented that her voice might not be ideally suited for the particular style she chose, but he appreciated her effort in exploring new avenues.

He admired her willingness to "dig in" and experiment with different approaches. Lionel, on the other hand, expressed appreciation for McKenna's ability to personalize the song and make it her own. Despite their constructive feedback, Katy's response was relatively brief, offering a simple "Great job" without delving into further details. 

Luke Bryan compares McKenna to Miley Cyrus

Despite McKenna Breinholt's last few performances being described as 'horrible,' she received compliments from the ABC show judges during the last episode. Katy Perry reminisced, saying, "You just took me back to when I was 13 and had the same dream as you. That’s magic." Luke likened McKenna to Miley Cyrus and praised her vocal runs, stating, "It was so mature and well done. It was just amazing."

He further highlighted McKenna's unique vocal quality, dubbing her "the queen of smokey voice" and admiring her ability to navigate the hoarseness in her singing. Despite the initial critique, the judges ultimately appreciated McKenna's performance and commended her for her talent and stage presence.