‘American Idol’ 2016 Contestants Lee Jean And Avalon Young Talk Elimination, Tease Future Plans

As “American Idol” gets closer and closer to crowning its final winner, tough cuts are going to be made. On Thursday’s March 10 show, that’s exactly what happened when judges Jennifer Lopez, Harry Connick Jr. and Keith Urban sent Avalon Young and Lee Jean home after they ended up in the dreaded bottom three.

Speaking to Billboard magazine in a conference call with media, the pair opened up about being eliminated and dished on what’s in store for their music careers. Both Jean and Young told the outlet that one of the toughest parts of being sent home is leaving the friends they made while on the Fox competition show.

“Going from seeing them every day and spending so much time with them … doing work with them and having so much fun, to not seeing them for God knows how long. I think that’s going to be the hardest part for me,” Jean said.

Young agreed, saying she thinks the connections she’s made with the other “American Idol” contestants will last a lifetime.

“We all have friends and family, but we don’t have anyone going through that experience with us,” she said. “It’s an experience you can’t put into words — to have people go through it with you. You don’t have to say the worlds, because you always understand each other. It’s really important to have.”

As for what’s ahead for the up-and-coming singers, Young said she’s getting ready to head back into the studio and Jean said he hopes to continue being an inspiration for young people trying to break into the industry.

“This whole experience for me has been just a platform,” the 16-year-old explained. “This is where I literally started my career. I didn’t have much of anything before this. Now I have a following.”

As recapped, Thursday’s show revealed the Top 6 finalists. After not receiving enough votes from the public, Jean and Young found themselves in the bottom with contestant Sonika Vaid. In the end, the judges decided to keep Sonika in the competition.

Shortly after the results, both Jean and Young tweeted messages to their fans thanking them for their support.

“Hey famiLee [sic]. I love you all so much. I couldn’t thank you all enough for everything, those of you who have been voting and supporting me through this journey; it was an amazing run. I’m so proud of myself, and I’m so proud of everyone I’ve met here. You all are amazing people and amazing artists,” Jean posted. “I’ll see you guys in the future … This is definitely not the last time you will see me.”