The Tragic Elimination of Tamyra Gray

American Idols first great tragedy

[@michaelrawls6263]

Still the most shocking elimination. 20 years later

[@leighthomas8220]

Tamyra gray and Latoya London are the two American idols that I still go back and listen to. They were both so amazing.

[@andygranick]

And Vonzell Solomon.

[@leighthomas8220]

@@andygranick I don’t remember vonzell. I’ll look that name up.

[@TheOneThatGotAwayRMAPLS]

At least they both got record deals Vocally sung the crap out of there Albums powerhouses.

[@TheOneThatGotAwayRMAPLS]

@@andygranick She don't have an Album

[@TheRenard10]

And also Trenyce

[@remyfacade]

I felt sooo bad for Nicky. That had to be so embarrassing for her. No one showed her any love or support.

[@buttheadsexy]

Tamyra got flat out robbed. Everyone knew it including Nicki. I think Tamyra had a legitimate chance of beating Kelly had she not gotten eliminated

[@shelbybrown3597]

@sboudreaux27 damn right

[@abetolmie7188]

Interesting comment.... If she was never eliminated, she would have won

[@eliallen3860]

As Simon Cowell pointed out if he chose her songs, she wouldn’t have goofed on her last performance and ended up in the finale with Kelly Clarkson which “would’ve been one heck of finale.”

[@eliallen3860]

Just sad. Because she deserved to become as famous as Kelly Clarkson but didn’t. Simon called Tamyra “world class” and that she and Kelly were “in the same league as Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, and Whitney Houston.”

[@eliallen3860]

I honestly think to have avoided issues of the shocker nights, when America chose the bottom 3/2, the judges should’ve decided the bottom 2 and who went home. They should’ve also been allowed to save the bottom 3 twice (only if all 3 didn’t deserve to be there), as well as selected the top 2 finalists before America chose the winner.

[@eMCizzle1]

The crowd's response and the looks on the judges faces pretty much said it all...

[@SuperButterfly217]

I was so upset on this night. I voted for her so many times. I still listen to her. Beautiful voice.

[@TheHola614]

even nicki knew she shouldnt have won over tamyra

[@DELTASapp]

this is why i do not watch American Idol ANYMORE.

[@Smartkid2387]

This was the first season, so u didn't really watch AI at all.

[@shelbybrown3597]

Lol

[@mintefresh6608]

To this day, I believe this elimination was staged. Everyone who watched the show, including the judges and audience, knew Tamyra easily should have been in the top 3. She was robbed.

[@pri.unfiltered]

Mint E Fresh 🎯

[@johnnymars6773]

💯 her and Kelly shoulda been the final two. No doubt.

[@davidhill8565]

Nikki McKibbin is recently dead. Cause of death is intracranial aneurysm (known in layman’s English as brain aneurysm). She has been the fourth American Idol finalist to die. The previous ones were Michael Johns from season 7, Rickey Smith from season 2, and Leah LaBelle from season 3. Tamyra Gray is still alive.

[@bluedasher74]

No, Tamyra's performances on the previous night were bad, whereas Nikki had two really good performances on the previous night.

[@davidhill8565]

@@bluedasher74 I’m not talking about what they did on American Idol. I’m talking about their real life. Nikki McKibbin is recently dead, and Tamyra Gray is still alive.

[@milagrosvega4548]

That’s why Kelly won. Because this girl was eliminated. She has such a great voice. I believed she would have won and would have been so successful.

[@colinvanblaricom6573]

Ehh, I still think Kelly had the edge on Tamyra at that point. Although if Tamyra knocked it out of the park the last two weeks I guess I could see her winning

[@scottw6704]

@@colinvanblaricom6573 I read Simon's book about this show - when they were predicting the top 10 to go through from the 30, Kelly didn't even register to them (despite "Respect"! What in the world???) Simon predicted a Tamyra-Justin finale up until this particular performance, and he got really excited since there were three obvious contenders for the title.

[@blueckaym]

Biggest Idol's mistake ever! (the elimination of course)

[@davidhill8565]

Adam Lambert and Jessica Sanchez say hi.

[@dchenkin02]

Jennifer Hudson not even making it to the top 5 was probably the worst. Elton John was disgusted by her being disrespected the week devoted to his songs.

[@sonnychauhan1447]

chris daughtys elimination

[@VandyB81]

Tamyra getting eliminated at this point made me think the fix was in. I was rooting for her to win.

[@ryanwilsonmusic]

Justin & Kelly both had the "wtf" look on their faces.

[@40jdjb]

After all these years I remember this and I'm still shocked!!!! 😱

[@mamboiam]

I know her... I worked at her house, with her husband Sam Watters... great producer..., They are both amazing people...

[@samsong24]

That's so cool! She seems like an incredible person. She is *so* interactive and kind with fans on Instagram. I adore her.

[@DawnFan4ever]

I cried the whole night when this happened. I didn’t even watch the rest of the season I was so upset

[@JeffScalzo]

It’s really a shame that Tamyra didn’t have a long recording career.

[@Nacho-Mamma]

This was so wrong. Such a tremendous talent.

[@waynelee7579]

It's a very unforgettable and unforgivable shock elimination till now and forever!!!!!

[@cecielhelder5923]

I remember telling my wife, we’re done watching. They just send home on of the two surefire finalists. Justin couldn’t hold a tune and Nicki couldn’t hold a candle to Tamyra. Final should’ve been between Kelly and Tamyra. That would’ve been a show! Had she lost from Kelly I wouldn’t have had an issue because Kelly was great also. Complete package. Went to bed pissed off that night and promised myself never to watch a reality tv talent show again.

[@larkpraise]

Randy didn't keep his promise; Paula says an "amazing career".......what career? She hasn't gone anywhere. And Simon saying...."watch this face"? Fame is fleeting.

[@SuperButterfly217]

She does Broadway shows and movies.

[@sonnychauhan1447]

@@shawndojo1940 she was also in boston public

[@paulg6527]

she should've been the clear winner.

[@babsbeatty1314]

I believe she chose to serve God and not serve the music industry. She said that she was prepared :) They told her what it would take and she said NO!

[@samsong24]

lmao

[@FearFanatic86]

Obviously, this is one of the reasons why the "save card" was implemented later in the show... The thing is, had the save existed back then, they would have DEFINITELY saved Tamyra and there's actually a good chance she would have won, however, Kelly did deserve to win because of her power, versatility, and personality. Tamyra was a FIERCE competitor and clearly a star, but in the end, Kelly is more well-rounded overall as a SUPERSTAR in my opinion...

[@iris089]

The save card can only be used up to Top 5. This is Top 4 so they can't save her.

[@bluedasher74]

The right person won. Kelly sold millions of records and is still relevant 21 years later.

[@FearFanatic86]

@@bluedasher74 100% AGREED!! AI got VERY lucky with Kelly as the first winner.

[@eliallen3860]

As Simon Cowell pointed out Tamyra Gray should’ve been in the finales with Kelly Clarkson as that would’ve been incredible.

[@rjay229]

I think she should've won the American Idol first season winner. In my opinion, she's slightly better than Kelly Clarkson.

[@bruceleeroy8302]

This was probably the first shocking elimination for American Idol. Of course, they continued to happen throughout the seasons. It's an AI staple now.

[@jamesbryson8927]

At 0:38 Kelly Clarkson is sitting there like 'yes now i have a good chance of winning'

[@kikio-rq9kx]

That’s prob why they sent her home now lol

[@MrS98VAC]

Kelly was thrilled when Tamyra was knocked out of the competition, it certified her win!

[@norastack6110]

sboudreaux27 Tamyra was as good as Kelly, it should’ve been the two of them in the finale and Tamyra should be as successful.

[@syndromechyna]

The finale should be Kelly vs Tamyra

[@lookhowshegobbledthat]

@sboudreaux27 True, because Kelly has conservative deepstate connections and paid for her win.

[@bluedasher74]

I get the feeling that Kelly was ALWAYS the viewers' favorite from the moment she first sang Respect. She was the only contestant who never landed in the bottom 3. I don't think Tamyra had that level of appeal.

[@tomasjephersin844]

This Was A HUGE SHOCK!!!!!! Im Still A Bit Bitter Cuz I Kno I Voted

[@invision96]

It was rigged to have Kelly win.Tamyra never had a bad week on there.Brought a grown man to tears when I saw this....

[@activelivingchallenger4298]

Not really, producers of the show loved Tamyra and brought her back to sing even though she didn’t have any chart topping singles.

[@boogsarcenas]

Nope. Tamyra didn't deliver the night before she was eliminated.

[@invision96]

@@boogsarcenas You must not have heard her sing because she delivered every night. Kelly Clarkson sings natural woman and cracks on the high note and the audience went bananas. Don't believe me go back and watch. Watch Tamyra sing any song and see anything negative being said about her singing.NONE.

[@dchenkin02]

Tamyra had more success as a song writer than a solo artist.

[@invision96]

@@dchenkin02 Sad part about it all was Tamyra had such a beautiful voice. Whomever did the writing for any of her songs I'm sure had alot to do with her promotion as well.

[@Topherhoa]

So robbed, it would have been an amazing showdown with Kelly vs Tamyra.

[@GutsandHeartGuy]

The night Tamyra Gray got eliminated, it shocked everyone. Tamyra Gray was never in the bottom 2 or bottom 3 and Nikki Mckibbin was in the bottom 2 and bottom 3 almost every week. What happened is Tamyra Gray's fans assumed that she was safe and didn't feel she needed the votes. Tamyra Gray's first song, was not her best song choice but her second song choice she "hit it out of the park." If y'all looked at Nikki McKibbi's expression, she thought that she was going home instead of Tamyra Gray and when Tamyra Gray went home Nikki McKibbin cried because she thought that it should have been her instead of Tamyra eliminated. Nikki McKibbin had 2 solid performances the week that Tamyra got eliminated. I echo a lot of people when I felt that it should have been Tamyra Gray and Kelly Clarkson battling it out for the title in the finale. The judges all hated on Nikki Mckibbin and didn't realize Nikki McKibbin knew that she should have been eliminated before the Top 4. The hate was directed at Nikki McKibbin and none of the judges gave Nikki McKibbin credit as a rocker who had Janis Joplin style to her voice. Nikki McKibbin might not have been no where the best singer in the Top 10 but she knew who she was and what genre of music she wanted to sing. The judges didn't realize that country and rocker votes saved Nikki from elimination until her elimination in the Top 3. RIP Nikki.

[@scottw6704]

We had a similar thing happen with one of our local Idol-spinoff contests. There were three obvious contenders, and as the head judge I was absolutely sure of how it would end up. But there was this one guy who improved so much every week on his vocals and performance skills you couldn't help but reward him in the scoring the last couple of weeks, like Nikki. In the end, he had told me before the finals "I know you don't like my voice and I know I'm not going to win but this has been pretty fun and challenging." I told him there were several categories we tallied, and the winner wasn't always the one with the most powerful or professional-sounding voice. As a judge, there wasn't much more help I could give. He actually ended up winning, which I didn't expect til I tallied the scores - he "knocked it out of the park" his last song.

[@ToddEdmondson]

It’s hard for me to imagine her singing a moment like this.

[@ronaldacarlson211]

Tamyra has an amazinig voice...full of genuine emotion, beautiful tones and control.

[@cozettem8226]

That's so unfair and ridiculous that Nikki and Justin placed above her she should've won.

[@thorgrootsweetrabbit2244]

The judges look like they lost their best friend, no one thought she would be eliminated. The show wanted Kelly to win so chose Justin as her last, this blows.

[@TheHola614]

randy is an liar. he didnt even try to help her.

[@hiazn69]

that fact that nicky was picked over Tamyra shows that this show is fixed!

[@takethechance7422]

Damn. The judges were so full of it when they were talking to Tamyra. Randy saying he'd do anything in his power to get her career going? Yeah right. Simon said something similar to Ryan Starr this same season when she got eliminated too, saying she could call him anytime for career advice. Lmao. The judges tried to pretend like they gave a shit about the eliminated contestants, but they don't. They even stopped pretending right after this season. They would hardly even comment during eliminations after season 1 lol.

[@rwmartinez1262]

@sboudreaux27 she was better then FAT ASS Kelly.

[@tbewin]

wrong dude, she was one of the best singers the show has had

[@gmars5087]

The same was said about my nephew Willie Spence. Yet he ended up dying in a car crash coming home from Tennessee from a gig at a college there.

[@takethechance7422]

@@tbewin ? I didn't say she wasn't a great singer... I was commenting on the judges pretending like they give a shit about the contestants.

[@itsanewyorkthang9553]

This is why American Idol Show failed so miserably in it's ratings. The best was always voted off. Seem like the show became racist. The last few show's winners seem to have been white rockers screaming songs instead of singing them. Even the new judges were boring. Sorry the X Factor ended , it was so much better. Fortunately we still have the Voice. Let's see what happens with that.

[@CCRider100]

Yep the show was a ratings juggernaut for years, but it was an expensive show to produce and the ratings peaked around season 6, and then started a steady decline. The crazy voting (allowing idiots to vote over and over for the same person), did result in every season, better singers getting voted off too early.

[@sammariofan]

It's still the same in the recent season . Judges passed the latina dreamer girl, the black lesbian, and the drag queen to the top ten and they got eliminated in the same order lmao. America is just really conservative

[@scottyclayton5604]

Failed miserably? This was one of the highest rated shows in TV history.

[@shelbybrown3597]

Failed miserably?, what drugs are you on?

[@lazarusdouvos]

i wonder if kelly would off won if tamyra wasn't eliminated

[@McFred1065]

+Lazarus Douvos This is actually a great - great question. But there is just a certain charisma in Kelly's persona... well, we will never know. At least, we know there is no bad blood.... Tamyra has been a guest during Kelly's tours.

[@tiffanygilmore104]

hell no!!!! tamyras voice was 10000% better

[@edgarcastellon6475]

+Tiffany Gilmore I think the medley of all her hits and #1 singles for the series finale was enough to prove Kelly was the ONLY Superstar to ever come out of that show. Had Tamyra had the appeal, she would have had a successful recording career...she did not. To quote Simon in another season, "Great voice, yes. American Idol? No."

[@ethanm1252]

apparently not because she did not make the top 4 so it does not take a genius to figure that out, she should have made the top 2 kelly deserved it but tamyra rocked

[@rwmartinez1262]

Of course... talent doesn't supersede race. The first American Idol wasn't going to be black. It was politics.

[@cece7767]

Nikki was in the bottom every week like howwwww did that girl get so far lmao.

[@squeallymaniac]

Omg, not her being in the bottom 3 for 5 weeks in a row

[@rockssocks201]

this is all due to soundlyawake

[@m.h.1593]

She got eliminated for that song? I was just rewatching all her performances, and that rendition stood out to me. I’m sad all over again.

[@amarritza]

As much as I agree that Tamyra should not have been eliminated, I sort of feel bad for the Nicki chic, too..how would you like it if EVERYBODY, including the judges, were basically rooting against you and were stunned and disappointed that you survived? That must've made her feel like crap...on a side note...didn't Simon sign Tamyra IMMEDIATELY to a record deal after this? And didn't she marry one of the dudes from Color Me Badd?

[@deljean]

Word?

[@dinkyluvsmusic]

this was the last time i ever watched this show...i realize that they didnt have anything to do with it..but i still stopped watching..did you see the look on paula's face??...and the other judges too.

[@The67jeffery23]

I really Feel like American idol needs an All-Star Season for contestants like Tamyra cause that elimination was bull shit !

[@Korouss911]

This was so stage the blind could see though it. This was the time to pull out a big drama for the show and most of all the best time to set up who they want to win... Dont get me wrong kelly is great and you cant help but love her, but Tam was clearly the best of all.

[@sonnychauhan1447]

her new attitude was pretty bad

[@Korouss911]

@@sonnychauhan1447 if that's what you call being confident 😉

[@sonnychauhan1447]

@@Korouss911 no i meant her performance of the song new attitude not her behavior

[@Korouss911]

@@sonnychauhan1447 Oh! My bad😉🤣 Still she was the best and most consistent by a mile. If she didn't have a single bad performance that would've made her perfect 😉 and we know no one is so she kinda needed that.

[@sonnychauhan1447]

@@Korouss911 well i think kelly clarkson was more consistent than her in the competition

[@elisefincher4478]

Yeah this was a bs elimination. Yes tamyra was not her best in this week but she was leagues better than nikki and this is coming from someone who liked nikki.

[@Scottwilkie18]

Nikki dodged a lot of bullets

[@ryderzachary112]

0:21 *RYAN SEACREST: You are eliminated this week. 😔* 0:23 *TAMYRA GRAY: ☺️* *SUPPORTERS: 😱😭*

[@victor543211000]

This simply detroyed her career as a singer.

[@invision96]

They did not keep their promise to her....

[@brookwest]

I'm so pissed Every time I watched this because when she came to a club on Rosewell Rd in Atlanta Georgia. I got to sit at the table with her and my Phone died. We all laughed and talked. She asked me hey would you like a picture and my died I was beyond pissed. I hate Metro PCS phone Ugh!!!!

[@deljean]

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[@shawnuel]

Nikki was great in week 4 FOR HER. Tamyra was sloppy that week FOR HER. She still mopped the floor with Miss McKibbin. Wasn't even close.

[@kyleroberts8823]

Okay, well compare Nikki throughout the whole competition to Tamyra throughout the whole competition.

[@roccog334]

Rip Nikki

[@davidhill8565]

Tamyra Gray was worthier opponent for Kelly Clarkson than Justin Guarini and Nikki McKibbin, who died recently.

[@joymosley8997]

That was so wrong. I remember it. My mother stopped watching after this. This was so hurtful and painful to watch. Not right!

[@bruceleeroy8302]

This became a staple on AI in its heyday. There was always a "shocker" elimination.

[@Shon9tilR]

Her and Paula kind of look alike

[@h.i.m5007]

Who's here Mar 10 2020? She got robbed.

[@reggiethecommenter9137]

This is what happens when people don't vote for the best candidate and assume they can stay at home or do a protest vote.

[@gracepeace3136]

Then and now the public don't vote on talent. it's become a popularity contest...what a shame. but I guess if you are really going to make it you will

[@ChiChisWorld]

This is a VOTE-based show. People got lazy, didn't vote b/c they thought everyone else was going to do it. To this day people complain but that was ALL on the people who didn't vote & should have. The finale should have been Kelly & Tamayra.

[@TreebeardWood]

Wow the first season was of American Idol was 19 years ago. Wow 😳

[@Kreatures100]

What a classy young woman. Now we know ow you don’t have time win to be a big star.

[@vstew324]

...But look where Tamyra is today....she is living the life...soaring!!!!!

[@lola18704]

Its 2020 and I'm still pissed

[@jonathantiernan6816]

Tamyra Gray Is A World Class Diva

[@Piggy_Piggerson]

Kelly at 0:38 realizing she won the competition LOL

[@remyfacade]

I saw this when it first came on and till this day I remember Justin and Kelly's expressions

[@tcbrown4221]

This was the main reason why I stopped watching American Idol

[@TheXfactorUsaFan1]

Tamyra Justin and Paula share the same face

[@iago07]

Lotta empty promises from the judges 🙄

[@Lawsonmusik]

Lame!!! She doesn't need them!!!

[@tbhump23]

I heavens trusted America since man Nikki was sorry af the fact she beat such an amazing singer is still the biggest joke in history

[@seancarson7929]

whoever that is in the audience that screams first always makes me cackle...

[@joelbelmontes7166]

She wouldn’t beat Kelly I’m sorry

[@sanchezmcfollins]

She had a phenomenal voice.... It should've ended with it being between her and Kelly Clarkson but I remember the week this was when she sang Patti labelled and it honestly wasn't that good but just that week.

[@helensantiago1356]

Tamyra all over the place? Ya ok

[@rodneywilliams9865]

She is so good

[@markcasenta113]

Never heard anything else from her

[@kalon1277]

One of the worst robberies in TV history

[@gmars5087]

Until my nephew Willie Spence was on the show 20 years later, I refused to watch this show. I could tell it was rigged because there was simply NO WAY those results could be for real. That belief was confirmed when Willie lost to Chayce Beckham in 2021. Willie was #1 the ENTIRE SHOW. How does he end up #2 at the end???

[@desmonjohnson7679]

Still today i think the show was rigged. they couldn't have Tamyra being the first person of color to win the show. Kelly was more marketable. Yes Kelly did have a great voice but i never looked at idol again. Although Tamyra went off to play in some tv series i felt as though it was never the same.

[@sonnychauhan1447]

To be fair based on the performance for this week Nikki was really good and tamyra didn’t do well this week

[@cazpk6840]

She had a chance at an album and it sunk without a trace. The public didnt like her. Its not just about the voice its about likability. The world loved kelly and wanted her albums.

[@rwmartinez1262]

Yawn

[@dominiqueporchi]

Even the judges knew lol

[@nodnarb3540]

I remember when this originally aired. I felt so bad for Nikki.....she shouldn't have had to feel guilty for being more popular.

[@rwmartinez1262]

Stop with your lies.

[@pointhimout]

It looks like tamyra already knew or had great instinct. A second before he said she's eliminated, she was already accepting the news. She's had an ok career. We can't explain why she and others like her aren't more successful than these blog bitches who'd do anything for attention because they lack talent. Hey Rhianna.

[@lorrainewilliams2549]

This is why I stopped watching years ago.

[@beemocha]

Damn I remember after she got cut,ppl tried to say it was a race thing (some ppl speculated that),not that that was the case at all. I do remember Tamyra being one of my favorites tho & it was hard to c her go

[@tiffanygilmore104]

what other reason could it have been she was better than all of them even Kelly ......

[@tiffanygilmore104]

what other reason could it have been she was better than all of them even Kelly ......

[@beemocha]

@Tiffany Gilmore Her & Kelly are equally good singers In my opinion

[@rwmartinez1262]

Race was a huge factor.

[@gmars5087]

They were not going to allow the first AI to be a Black girl. There are more White people in America than Black people.

[@sergiobernardo8083]

Eu amava Nikki e Tamyra sempre foi meio chata ! Ela canta bem, mas faltava algo ! Nikki Mckibbin RIP ❤😢

[@TheRenard10]

Viewers take the show for granted.

[@lisachlastawa7742]

she faded away

[@maxinemorris6927]

I loved seeing her go

[@arthurworkman4399]

what yall don't realize is that during Tamyra's performance her voice cracked so that is what really sealed her fate into losing the competition. There was no American Idol conspiracy as many would love to think. Her performance before the voting took place was what kicked poor Tamara Gray out of the competition. Go search for that particular performance I am sure it is there somewhere.

[@rwmartinez1262]

Horse shit. What ever helps you sleep at night.

[@naturalnursing2673]

I will never forget watching this. I stopped watching for a few seasons after this crap.

[@AgentAO7]

Top 4 Night has always been very crucial every year. This is where most votes get fucked up. Tamyra, Latoya, Chris Daughtry, Lakisha Jones..