Elise Testone didn't see it coming.
The 28-year old crooner told reporters, soon after her elimination from American Idol last night, that she felt "completely successful... in every aspect" with her rendition of Jimi Hendrix's "Bold as Love" and was surprised when she heard her name called by Ryan Seacrest.
Still: "I accepted what happened to me as soon as it happened,” she said. “I just thought, ‘What’s next? What am I going to do now?’”
But while Testone looks to the future, she does have something to say about the past; namely, the judges' critiques.
"Some things [the judges] say don't line up with what I feel I've learned on my own," Testone said. "I don't always feel like [their feedback] was helpful. I'm not saying I'm the best. I don't think for the most part it always made sense."
Fair enough. And what does she have planned next?
"I'm going to reach out to everyone. [Queen's] Brian May and I are pretty much best friends now, so we're going to hang out. Ellen [DeGeneres], we're pretty much homegirls. I haven't met her yet, but she tweeted me and said she loves me."
What do you think, Idol viewers? Do you agree with Elise's ousting?