MIAMI (AP) - Florida's American Idol contestant has survived another week on the televised singing competition.

Syesha Mercado is from Sarasota. The Mariah Carey song she picked to perform this week was "Vanishing" -- one of the star's lesser known tunes. Judge Paula Abdul called the move "extraordinarily smart" and apparently viewers liked it, too. But it was a close call -- she was among the bottom three vote-getters.

Booted off during last night's show was Kristy Lee Cook from Oregon.


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