'American Idol': The 11 Most Shocking Flameouts
They started out strong in the competition, but wonky song choices, fashion missteps, and vocal deficiencies ended these front-runners' 'Idol' aspirations
By Michael Slezak Updated February 20, 2009 at 10:00 PM EST
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American Idol | Ninth place, Season 5 The uni-monikered diva's now legendary ''I'm Every Woman,'' combined with her megawatt smile and effervescent personality, made it easy to pardonÂ…
Credit: Fox
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Sanjaya Malakar, American Idol | Anything from the Stevie Wonder songbook Over the past nine seasons of Idol , close to 40 atrocities have been committed against the music ofÂ…
Credit: Frank Micelotta/Fox
Anything from the Stevie Wonder songbook
Over the past nine seasons of Idol, close to 40 atrocities have been committed against the music of Stevie Wonder — and we're not even counting the audition rounds. There was A.J. Gil bludgeoning ''My Cherie Amour'' with a vibrato baton in season 1. There was Camile Velasco smothering ''For Once in My Life'' with her nasal whine in season 3. And let us not even speak of the crime perpetrated against ''Knocks Me Off My Feet'' by season 6's Sanjaya Malakar (pictured). In light of the evidence, it's a wonder that Wonder hasn't sought a restraining order.
Click here if you're brave enough to watch the aforementioned Sanjaya performance.
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American Idol, Vanessa Olivarez
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Asia'H Epperson, American Idol
Credit: Frank Micelotta
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American Idol, Brandon Rogers
Credit: Frank Micelotta
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American Idol, Ryan Starr
Credit: Carin Baer/Fox
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American Idol, Ace Young
Credit: Ace Young: Fox
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Sundance Head, American Idol
Credit: Michael Becker/Fox
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