'American Idol' bids farewell to Stefano Langone

4/21/2011
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Stefano Langone
Stefano Langone

LOS ANGELES — Stefano Langone isn’t closer to becoming an “American Idol.”

The smooth 21-year-old crooner from Kent, Wash., received the fewest viewer votes on the Fox talent contest despite impressing the judges with his voice — and moves — with Ne-Yo’s “Closer.”

Langone, a wild-card finalist rescued by the “Idol” judges, appeared as one of the show’s bottom-three vote getter four times.

Langone was joined in the bottom three Thursday by Jacob Lusk, the booming 23-year-old vocalist from Compton, Calif., and Haley Reinhart, the bluesy 20-year-old college student from Wheeling, Ill.

Lusk had powered through a technically challenged performance of Luther Vandross’ “Dance With My Father.” Reinhart growled Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep.”

The top six contestants will perform songs by Carole King next Wednesday.