American Idol's Ada Vox Eliminated After Slaying 'Circle of Life'

Ada Vox has been eliminated from American Idol.

The gay contestant -- the first drag performer to advance to the reality competition's Top 10 -- was axed by voters Sunday after singing a showstopping rendition of "The Circle of Life" from The Lion King.

Last Sunday, Vox was not voted into the Top 10 -- but she was saved by the judges. That was not an option this week, in which viewers were solely responsible for advancement.

Vox, 24, foreshadowed her departure from the ABC show last week in an interview with The Advocate. "I'm not sure that the majority of America is ready for someone like me to be on that platform of saying that I am the next American Idol," she said. "But what I do know is that there is a big part of America that is ready to accept me into their hearts. It's the people that love what I do that are the reason that I do what I love."

And winning for Vox does not mean winning American Idol. "Winning is the fact that I have changed anybody's life," said Vox, who is heartened by the messages she receives from those she inspires. Come what may, "I can look back and say, 'Hey, I made somebody's life better.' And my whole goal in not just my career but my life is to inspire people, to change people for the better. So if I can just do that for one person? Wow."

Regardless, many on social media were outraged that Vox was eliminated. Many blamed bias of voters for her departure. All three departing contestants, including Dennis Lorenzo and Michelle Sussett, were people of color.

Jurnee, an out lesbian contestant, did advance to the Top 7. In an interview published Monday with The Advocate, she said she is more hopeful in her chances of winning -- although she too fears how homophobia could hurt her chances. "I do. I think I could win it. I think I'm at the point where I still believe in myself, that I still think that I could win it. But if I didn't, I would know why," she said.