Erika Van Pelt has been struggling to comprehend why it was her who was booted out of the latest round of American Idol suggesting that maybe it was her age that led to the public voting her out after another closely fought round of singing. Randy Jackson called the 26 year-old "one of the best singers in this whole thing," and yet when it came to the crunch none of the judges opted to save her.
Talking to USA Today, Van Pelt said "Absolutely. I would be a fool to say I didn't think that didn't have a part of it," in relation to whether her age was a factor in the public vote. "Elise [Testone, 28 years-old] and I have talked about this at length. We were roommates, and being the two oldest, I think it played a role," she continued.
"When it comes down to it, American voters really need to feel like they can relate. Elise and I are a little out of the box, a little less mainstream, so for a show like American Idol, it's not the easiest thing to break out and show we can be relevant, we can be current, we can be mainstream, they just have to open their eyes to see it." She optimistically commented "I have big plans for myself, I have big plans for the tour this summer. I'm even hoping of getting into musical theater and Broadway, writing for my freshman album. I am looking forward to getting to see all the fans and not being judged."