08:48 AM EST on Thursday, February 24, 2005

By MARK WASHBURN / The Charlotte Observer

Interactive Partner

Sarah Mather was eliminated in the first round on "American Idol" Wednesday, one night after getting withering reviews from the judges.

Mather, who graduated from Charlotte's Providence High School in 2000, received the second lowest number of votes from viewers for the female performers.

Mather, 22, wept Tuesday after a stinging critique from judge Simon Cowell.

"I think it was a clumsy, forgettable performance," Cowell said after Mather sang Motown classic "Get Ready."

"I got upset," Mather explained on Wednesday's show. "I felt like I did my best and it was hard when Simon said what he said to me.

"That was his opinion and I respect that. You come out here and you give it your all, and sometimes you don't get the response you want."

The judges agreed that "Get Ready" was a poor song choice because it didn't provide a strong role for a solo vocalist.

"You picked a poor song, a band song," said Paula Abdul. "In previous years, Sarah, I think you would have done well in this competition," said Cowell. "You've just got to pick yourself up because you're going to feel bad right now. And learn from your mistakes because you're young enough to do it again.

"It's absolutely not the end of your world. It was the song." And with that, host Ryan Seacrest asked her to bow out - by singing the very number she'd been criticized for.

"We're going to ask you to sing again," he said, hesitating. "It happens to be that same song, because that's what the band is ready to play." Mather sang "Get Ready," on key but without the zest she poured into it the night before, and was embraced by the ensemble afterward.

Mather was born in Montreal and moved with her family to Charlotte when she was 10. Mather moved to Wilmington to pursue a cosmetology degree at Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington.

She works in a Wilmington day spa and sings on the club circuit. Mather started her "American Idol" run at a Washington audition last year, singing Fontella Bass's 1965 hit "Rescue Me." She survived subsequent eliminations and made the cut to the final 24.

Also eliminated Wednesday night was Melinda Lira, 19 of Hanford, Calif.; Judd Harris, 27, of New York; and Jared Yates, 18, of Danville, Ill.

"You do try to prepare yourself, but I think once it's live and it's going and you form these relationships with people, it's a lot harder than you realize," Mather said before her elimination was announced.

"Everyone out there, have respect for everyone in this competition."