Naima Adedapo, American Idol

Milwaukee's Naima Adedapo was voted off American Idol on Thursday.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Milwaukee singer Naima Adedapo left "American Idol" after failing to capture enough votes to remain on the show - the first of two casualties Thursday night.

Thia Megia, the 16-year-old from Hayward, Calif., also was voted off. Two contestants were marked for departure because the judges saved the scruffy-headed, scraggly-bearded Casey Abrams last week when his version of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" earned the fewest number of votes. Abrams trimmed his generous amount of hair - an event given its own vignette on the show Wednesday - and avoided elimination with a performance of "Your Song" Wednesday.

The public's response to Adedapo's showings on "Idol" has been mixed. Some displays, such as last week's performance of "Dancing In The Street," mesmerized viewers with her powerful presence and a dazzling African dance that hearken back to her days with the Ton Ko-Thi, the children's ensemble of the Ko-Thi Dance Company in Milwaukee.

But this week her rendition of Elton John's "I'm Still Standing" was slammed by "Idol" judge Randy Jackson as corny. And bloggers noted that her reggae-inflected island accent came off as inauthentic because she doesn't speak - or normally sing - with one at all.

"I am very proud of her," Adekola Adedapo, Naima Adedapo's mother, said Thursday evening. "The outpouring of support has been tremendous. She wants to return the love."

Although the Idol competition is over for Naima Adedapo, she did make the Top 11 - meaning she'll be on the American Idol Tour.

Being in the Top 11 is a tremendous accomplishment.

Naima, a 2003 graduate of St. Joan Antida High School in Milwaukee, has every reason to be proud. She's a very talented and very classy young woman.

Congratulations, Naima!