Politics
American Idol viewers ‘boycott’ show as fan-favorite Murphy eliminated after revealing he’s losing vision due to illness
AMERICAN Idol viewers vowed to boycott the singing competition after fan-favorite Murphy was eliminated by judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan.
Just moments before he was sent home, the 27-year-old musician revealed he suffers from a degenerative eye disease that will cause him to completely lose vision by his mid-thirties.
Murphy was eliminated on American Idol following Showstopper Rounds[/caption]
Katy Perry was slammed by fans online after delivering the tough news[/caption]
The Baltimore, Maryland native has been beloved by fans since his initial audition for both his impressive songwriting skills and vocal talents.
After advancing from Hollywood Week, Murphy – whose full name is Philip Murphy – sang an original tune about self-love called Am I Still Mine? for the Show Stopper round.
He belted out the lyrics on stage while strumming his guitar to an audience of Luke and Katy as judge Lionel was home sick.
When it came time for judgement the next day, Murphy approached the superstar panelists with a large grin as he gushed he is “so happy and grateful” to be there, especially on his birthday.
“My voice has never been stronger,” Murphy said with a big smile, confident in his last performance.
During his final Idol performance, Murphy sang an original self-love song[/caption]
The 27-year-old was critiqued by the judges for singing with his eyes closed too often[/caption]
Murphy became a fan-favorite for his vocal talents and songwriting skills[/caption]
He added: “Getting to be on that stage – I feel like I was at home.
“Getting to sing a song that made me feel like I could share something beautiful with someone.”
However, Katy, 36, had the tough job of telling Murphy that despite his talent, his journey on American Idol had ended.
One critique the judges repeated was his inability to “connect with the audience” due to shutting his eyes while singing frequently.
Though he appeared visibly disappointed, Murphy was a good sport and said while he wanted to hear a “yes,” he appreciates the “no if it was honest.”
Katy Perry and Luke Bryan sent Murphy home on American Idol[/caption]
The musician was visibly disappointed by the results[/caption]
Fans were furious that Murphy was eliminated after the Showstopper Round and did not advance into the Top 24.
One person wrote: “American Idol I think blew it by not putting Murphy in the top 24. He’s the next Bob Dylan or James Taylor for a new generation.
“Unabashedly original! Great song writing. Great voice. I was looking forward to hearing more from him.”
“That decision was terrible. They put through people with less talent than Murphy. I would buy his songs now. Shocked,” another surprise viewer tweeted.
A third fired off: “How can you do that to Murphy on your birthday? He has an incredibly interesting, distinctive voice. Big mistake cutting him.”
“I’m officially boycotting @AmericanIdol for eliminating Murphy!!!! Such a bad decision!! He’s going to be a superstar. What is wrong with these judges?!?!?!” A fourth promised.
While one more questioned: “WTF??? How did they say no to Murphy??? Are they insane???”
The curly-haired singer showed appreciation for his supporters along the way, with an Instagram post of a sunset he shared after his elimination.
Murphy – who goes by BlindBoyMusic online – captioned the snap: Thank you for everyone that showed faith in me.
“Though my journey is over on #AmericanIdol, I’ll still be singing. Tomorrow is a new day and the horizon looks very inviting.”
Just before he found out his time on Idol was over, Murphy opened up about how his battle with a degenerative eye disease impacts his job as a performer.
Fans threatened to ‘boycott’ American Idol after Murphy was eliminated by judges[/caption]
Murphy posted an inspiring message after his elimination thanking his supporters[/caption]
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He explained: “My vision is substantially worse than the average person.
“My right eye is gone and my left eye is going, due to a form of degeneration.
“I’m expected to lose sight at maybe mid-thirties. And this experience, while wonderful, is trying on that part of my life.
“The stage lights, they’re so bright, so it’s a lot to take in… In that moment, I know that I’m damaging my eye, hurting it, and I can feel the pain.”
