Kent’s Stefano Langone sings for top-six spot on ‘American Idol’

Published 10:35 am Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Can Kent’s Stefano Langone finally avoid the bottom three this week on “American Idol?”

Langone, 22, performed a rendition of “Closer” by Ne-Yo Wednesday night on Fox as the seven remaining contestants performed songs from the 21st Century, the broadest selection the show has required of the singers. Six contestants will advance to next week.

Langone was in the bottom three last week for the third time in the last four weeks and once again survived as viewers voted off Paul McDonald. The Kentwood High School graduate certainly would like to avoid another spot on the hot seat.

Viewers will eliminate one more contestant on the Thursday night show.

The other remaining contestants include Scotty McCreery, James Durbin, Haley Reinhart, Casey Abrams, Lauren Alaina and Jacob Lusk.

Langone delivered a rendition of “End of the Road” by Boyz II Men last week.

The critic at www.mtv.com wrote the following preview about Langone going into Wednesday’s show.

“There’s a Stefano almost every season on “Idol,” a singer who manages to sneak through week after week until we stop wondering how the heck he or she keeps avoiding elimination and simply marvel at an against-all-odds survival story. Is this the week Stefano finally succumbs to the inevitable? Who knows? The key for him will be to build on his free-spirited take on “End of the Road” from last week and show us he’s not on please-don’t-send-me-home-or-blame-me-for-Pia’s-ouster autopilot.”

The critic at www.americanidolnet.com expects Langone, Lusk and Reinhart to be the most likely bottom-three candidates.

The Kent singer has earned a spot on the “American Idol” summer tour. Tour dates have yet to be announced.