Cohoes teen in American Idol's Top 3

PHOTOGRAPHER: Erica Miller

American Idol contestant Madison VanDenburg speaks to students at Cohoes' Miracles in Action.

Share on Facebook

Save

Madison VanDenburg’s incredible journey is continuing all the way to the season finale on ABC’s “American Idol.”

The powerful 17-year-old singer from Cohoes and Shaker High School put her talents on display again Sunday night in front of a live audience and survived another excruciating elimination round. She advances to the Top 3 and next week’s Season 17 finale when a winner will be chosen based on nationwide voting.

At the conclusion of Sunday night’s show, voting placed VanDenburg in contention for the title along with Laine Hardy and Alejandro Arando. Both Wade Cota and Laci Kaye Booth were eliminated.

Each of the contestants were asked to sing three songs — one by Elton John, one dedicated to Mom and one selected by Bobby Bones, a coach on “Idol.”

VanDenburg sang “What About Us” by Pink (a Bones selection), “Make You Feel My Love” by Bob Dylan (dedicated to Mom) and Elton John’s “Your Song.”

Several bloggers across the country thought she was strongest on the Dylan and Elton songs.

Before performing “Make You Feel My Love,” VanDenburg and her mom, Denine, were featured in an interview, with the pair expressing their love for one another as they flipped through a scrapbook on Mother’s Day.

After the performance, judge Katy Perry said, “That must have been so difficult, the emotion is so real and you were so elegant and timeless and classic and beautiful.”

“Powerful,” summarized judge Luke Bryan.

Judge Lionel Richie simply urged America to vote for VanDenburg after the song.

“So beautiful to watch. Well done,” said host Ryan Seacrest.