“That moment when an adult stoops down to the 3rd grade level…LOL grow up Hun, I’ve got songs to write. š #movingforward.”
It was the tweet that earned Devin Velez some post AI critique from the colorful Nicki Minaj after the eliminated posted the above message on his twitter account (which he deleted soon after)
Nicki fired back with the following half lecture half pep talk tweets:
āBe mad @ America when u get sent home,ā āThe JUDGES are the ones who FOUGHT for America to get the opp to VOTE 4 U!!! #memba?ā
Send the judges some flowers and a card. If Curtis [Finch Jr.] didn’t get SAVED, NONE of u get saved! Best male voice of the SEASON!!!!!!!!!!! #TruthTea.”
“Trust me BEW BEW. If EYE didn’t want u in that TOP, YOU wldnt have been in that TOP. Fought for ALL of you. So just simply b gracious.”
“Jennifer Hudson didn’t win!!!! Oscar winner!!! #memba??? ok. Take that exposure and let your light shine.”
Is Devin really frustrated about his elimination? And what are his post AI plans? Here is a transcript of Devin’s exit interview:
AI: I was just wondering, do you think the group song did you in, was it that you were unfairly judged?
D. Velez Not really unfairly. I think that I am a little at fault, though, I didnāt forget my lyrics. I think that when youāre in a group, because one person is representing everyone else, I think it should have been my job as a brother to the other two and we could have maybe discussed learning the lyrics a lot better, just because if we knew that we were going to be so unsure of our lyrics getting on stage, we probably should not have done the song. But what happened happened, and I tried to save the song to the best of my ability, but it wasnāt my job to do so. And I know that, though my solo performance went well, because our group performance was following the solo performance, I know that thatās what America remembered freshly in their minds, as opposed to my solo performance.
AI: There are only two guys left now. Are you ready to concede that a girlās going to win this year?
D. Velez You know, you can never be sure. I know that the odds are scary right now, but if the guys step it up they do have a chance. I think that all the people that are left, itās really scary the way this competition is going to go, just because the talent thatās left is amazing. These people, theyāre some of the best singers Iāve ever heard.
AI: When are you coming back to Chicago, and when you do are you going to go right back into classes at Rickover, and are you going to continue to work at Starbucks?
D. Velez Iām stopping in New York for a couple of days and then Iām going back home. But when I do get back Iām hoping to go back to school. Iām not sure how that transitionās going to work, just because we did have to sign me out temporarily because I had to miss time for Idol. As for Starbucks, I want to for money reasons, it was my job, that was another passion of mine, but I donāt know how thatās going to work out because it might be a little hard. Now that people know who I am, Iām not just going to be writing caramel macchiato on cups, but I might be signing them and passing them off, and thatās going to get crazy. So Iām debating whether Iām going back to be a barista or not.
AI: Now that youāre off Idol I understand that you want to win Prom King at your military school. How do you go about winning Prom King, and what are your chances and when do they decide?
D. Velez I donāt know, man, itās difficult. Prom is June 1st, and so Iām kind of hoping that with all this publicity and stuff that I donāt get too busy just because I am still a kid and I still do have my last teenage years ahead of me and I want to live them up. And my dream has always been to just win Prom King, and I won Homecoming King this year while I was still there, before I came to Idol, and I think itās just, I donāt know, itās always been my dream. And so if this dream was achievable I donāt think that oneās too far out of reach now that Iām going back home.
AI: And what about your plans for college this fall, do you still want to go to the music college this fall, or is that out of the realm of possibility right now?
D. Velez You know, depending on how the American Idol tour goes, if I have time when I get back. I mean, I can always enroll into college, but I would still love to get my degree in music education there at VanderCook, I think itās been my dream for the last year and a half, and I keep in contact with those people and Iāve fallen in love with the team there, and the students and the faculty, theyāre just really good, and I think Iād learn a lot from that school, so yes, Iām definitely thinking about it.
AI: Weāre pretty far into the competition now, which week did you find the most challenging and why?
D. Velez The most challenging, Iād have to say, was when I sang āTemporary Home.ā That theme was past Idol songs and, I donāt know, it was interesting just because there were so many song choices and yet I didnāt feel that I could have done any of them justice, as the meanings werenāt that great, and when I heard āTemporary Homeā I had an emotional connection with the song meaning. But I donāt think that I had any moments to shine in the song and so that week it was really not that great for me because it was the first week that I was in the bottom two. So I think that was the most challenging.
AI: What critique do you think youāll remember the most and take away the most from any of the judges or even Jimmy?
D. Velez Itās from all of them, which is stay true to yourself. I think that Iāve been pretty consistent in doing that on the show. Iām the same before the show, I was the same on the show, and Iām going to be the same after the show. Idol hasnāt changed me. I have grown as a person, but I havenāt changed who I am. I think that America fell in love with me for a reason, and I donāt want to change, not just to let them down, but also not to let myself down. I think that you should be proud of who you are and the decisions that youāve made as a person, and so I can say that I have no regrets on the show and if I could go back and change anything I wouldnāt.
AI: Who are you going to keep in touch with from the show?
D. Velez Oh man, Iād have to say Burnell, Curtis, Angie, Kree, Janelle, Amber, and Candice. Oh wait, thatās all of them. Yes, thereās no way I can narrow it down. These people are my family. Weāve been together for three months. Iāve fallen in love with these people. Almost all of the top five guys, Iāve had them as roommates, and the girls, weāve gotten closer and closer throughout the weeks. I think thatās the saddest part about leaving the competition isnāt leaving the stage, but itās leaving your brothers and sisters.
AI: You have such great fans, the Devineers, what would you like to say to them?
D. Velez Iād like to say thanks for the love and support no matter what. I know that everyone was really, really upset when I left home last night, but I just want them to know that as long as I have my Devineers, my God, and the support from my parents, I think that anything is achievable. And I know that Iām going to go far in life, not just because of Idol but because of the great support that I do have.
AI: When you were told to go backstage after the group number, how did you guys deal with that?
D. Velez You know, it was a little difficult, just because right when you get off stage as an artist youāre your worst critic. Youāre always thinking about all the negative things that you had during the performance and if you could change things, youāre trying to play it back and changing it in your head. I really was okay. I did feel a little embarrassed just because this far into the competition we shouldnāt be having little mistakes like forgetting the lyrics.
I totally agree with Nicki Minaj when she said that it felt like it was Hollywood Week, but mistakes do happen and the pressure does get to us. Weāre still human. But it was a little disappointing just to see that once youāre so far into the competition that that was the mistake that we made. We should just know our lines and know our parts. But what happened, happened and I know that stuff like that shouldnāt happen again. I think that that was a wakeup call for all of us, whether we went home or whether we stayed.
AI: Did you have a feeling that youād be saved, or did you know the writing was on the wall?
D. Velez I kind of knew the writing was on the wall, man. Nothing of course was definite until the moment of, but even the night prior I was getting this feeling and I was like, all right, now I think Iām going home. And I wasnāt sad about it, Iām still not sad about it now, and itās weird because people are expecting me to be all mopey and crying, but my thing is making top ten was winning for me, everything after that was falling action. Itās a great accomplishment. Some of the contestants on the show that are still left, theyāve auditioned two or three times and this is my first time auditioning and Iāve made it this far. Itās a great accomplishment and Iām so blessed to have made it this far.
AI: Youāve touched on the trio performance a little bit already, but after you guys performed Burnell said he didnāt want to throw anyone under the bus and you said something like you tried to save a couple of people during the song, it seems like you were both pointing fingers a little at Lazaro, but obviously wanted to be polite and not call him out, so would you mind talking about that a little bit. And also, do you think Nicki actually overreacted a little bit? Do you really think it was as bad as she had suggested?
D. Velez Looking back at the video, I know where Nicki was coming from. I agree with the first half of her critique when she said that it felt like it was Hollywood Week, that it was a joke, that stuff like that should not happen, that she was going to pretend that she didnāt hear it. I agree with that.
AI: But hearing that, yes, it is a little cutting while youāre on stage and it sucks to be up there seeing your team, because we were a team up there, seeing your team get knocked on that hard. But what happened, happened and weāre growing, and I think that it was a great wakeup call. I donāt think thatās going to happen again on the show.
After you sang for the judges save Mariah Carey was egging on the audience yelling out, āSave him, save him,ā and Keith Urban was laughing a little bit, and Randy Jackson hesitated for a while before even making the announcement that they werenāt going to save you, what was going through your mind in that exact moment?
D. Velez It wasnāt that tough. Like I said, I think it was already set in stone. I kind of felt like today it was just going to happen. I thought I was going home, and sooner or later we all have to go home, so it was my place to go home yesterday. I think that theyāre going to save the save for someone really, really special. Not that I donāt think that Iām special, but with all the talent thatās left if someone is in the bottom two that doesnāt belong there, just because they have one bad song day I think that they should use that save on that person.
Is there any week that you would have chosen to do a different song for any reason, looking back now?
D. Velez No. Even the week that I first was in the bottom two when I sang āTemporary Home,ā though I didnāt have any moments to shine vocal wise Iāve always had a personal connection with that song, and so Iām a firm believer in staying true to who you are and I think that I make decisions as an artist and I think them through before I make them, so the fact that Iāve gotten to where Iāve gotten, it was my doing and no one elseās and I wouldnāt go back and change anything.
AI: This was the first time you ever tried out for Idol, now, having gone through the whole experience, was there anything that really surprised you about Idol that you didnāt think would happen?
D. Velez Yes, see, I think that looking back at the show, after watching every episode of every season, when you see top ten you see the photo shoot, then you see the commercials and youāre just like, man, these people are just rolling in money and theyāre sleeping in and getting room service, and the biggest wakeup call was we get no sleep, call times are super early and we have to go through hair and makeup, and dress rehearsals, and run throughs, and press, and our schedules are really, really tight. And so one of the things Iām taking away from this is a lot more respect for people that work on television programs like this, just because, I mean, they work so hard to make us look good and it just looks so nice and sweet on the TVs but thereās a lot of effort that goes into it.
AI: What about the summer tour, have you ever seen an Idol summer tour before?
D. Velez I havenāt been one to one of the tours in all 12 seasons, but you know what, I am so excited to do it, man. I think itās every performerās dream to do that, to perform across the country and have fans shouting out your name and singing with the people you love. I think what Iām looking forward to most is that Iām going to be singing with the same people that I was a couple of weeks ago, except weāre not competing in a competition. So the fact that weāre going to just be able to sing and not have anybody go home, weāre going to still be together, I think thatās going to be the greatest experience ever.
AI: Everyoneās been declaring this season a girlās to win, and thereās just been so much talk about how fantastic they are. Do you think that has a direct correlation to why the remaining three guys all ended up in the bottom three last night, or just a coincidence?
D. Velez Oh, thereās an explanation for that. Of course I canāt speak so much on it just because Iām not America, I donāt know who votes for what, but I do know that though the judges arenāt voting, I know that their critiques do have a very big influence on Americaās votes. But as for the guys being in the bottom three last night, I think that our group performance is what put us there and I think it was well deserved. I think that we werenāt prepared and we went up there and it was unprofessional, and so because of that we were in the bottom three. And I wouldnāt change that for anything, just because I donāt want to be treated unfairly, and the fact that we werenāt prepared showed that thatās how serious it can be, where you can go home. But, yes, the girls they have power, man. Theyāve been consistent with their performances and the vocals just because, I mean, none of them have gone home yet. Thatās crazy. But theyāre fighting strong.
AI: Jimmy Iovine said he believed the judges were being too nice and easy on the contestants, and this week viewers have noted that Nicki seemed especially aggressive and critical in her commentary. Do you think Nickiās behavior Wednesday night was a result of Jimmyās complaint, that maybe she was trying to be a little harder on you guys?
D. Velez It could have been. You never know what youāre going to get with Nicki Minaj. But I know that I love her as a judge and I love that sheās always truthful.
AI: When you got eliminated and when you originally landed in the bottom three Mariah Carey was especially emotional and she cried during your āsave meā song and everything. What was your relationship like with her, I guess? Were you very close to her?
D. Velez Do you know, our time with the judges, itās not much. Itās a little bit during rehearsals and maybe backstage before we go on, but itās not like we get to sit down and talk. But after I got voted off last night, I actually had a conversation with her and hearing things like, she was saying things like that she was so proud to see the artist that I have been becoming and that if nothing works out that later on down the road that she would love to contact me. Hearing things like that from Mariah Carey, itās crazy because she is so huge, itās crazy how big this woman is in the industry, and so hearing that was a little reassuring and Iām a little more at peace just because if nothing happens I know that I always have that to fall back on.
AI: Did you get any advice or have any conversations similar to that with Nicki, Keith, and Randy?
D. Velez Nicki might have had to step away earlier because I didnāt get to say bye to her, she had prior engagements. But Keith gave me a big old bear hug, and he was just being Keith and I love him, and he said that he was sad that I had to go, and he said to keep going and that no matter what we were still one of his idols, that I was an idol in their eyes. And Randy said the same thing that Mariah did, where if nothing happens that they would love to contact me sometime down the road, just because I had true talent. So hearing that from such great people, it makes you feel good as an artist but also as a person, and so, yes, I enjoyed every moment of it last night.
AI: What is your message to your fans?
D. Velez Yes, I want to say thank you guys for having me. The fact that Iām leaving the show doesnāt mean that this is the end of Devin, and Iāve spoken about this before, Iām not changing who I am for America, Iām not changing who I am for family or friends, and Iām not changing who I am unless I want to change, and right now I donāt. I think that America fell in love with me for a reason and Iām going to continue to give them 100%. So whatever life brings, just as long as I have my Devineers out there and my God, I think everythingās going to be all right. So thank you guys for this awesome opportunity and keep voting for me in life. Just support me in life. Thatās all that I ask.
source: http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/nicki-minaj-scolds-eliminated-american-idol-contestant-devin-velez-on-twitter-be-gracious-201314
