This week saw the first elimination on American Idol and the voters stuck to their guns. Ashthon Jones has to get a wild card vote from the judges to make it into the top 13, then she still failed to impress the voters and was sent packing.  Yes, the judges could have saved her…but, that was never going to happen.  Her luck had run it’s course in the world of Idol.

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But don’t think that Ashthon will fade into the sunset.  Girl has big plans for her future and intends on being around for along time.

She chatted with Life & Style, saying,

“This is not the end.”

Is it true you were a runaway at 15 and turned your life around?
Yeah, I had a lot of things going on in my life when I was younger. My father passed away when I was 14, and I had some crazy things going on, so I left home. I was gone for about 2½ years and that was life changing. When I got back to my family, I turned my life around, became a Christian and started doing more positive things. That made me stronger as a person.

Will you go back to your store manager job in Nashville, Tenn.?
No, I left my job there. I have worked and worked, and now it’s time for me to be the artist I want to be. I look forward to the opportunities and am excited about what’s to come. I feel it in my spirit that it will be great.

What was the best piece of advice the judges gave you?
Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson told me some great things, but Jennifer Lopez always had something great to say. I knew it came from her spirit. She always told me I was amazing and that I’d go far. She told me, “Don’t stop.” And last night she said, “It’s all about the songs. When you put that first record out, know it’s going to be a hit, as that is what America is going to remember.” It was the best advice.

You seemed to be in pain after the elimination news — what was going on with you?
It wasn’t pain — it was leaving the stage and the friends I made. I had to let it out. I’m a very strong person, but sometimes you have to let it out. I cried because of all the things I went through on the show, the experiences, and I couldn’t believe I’d made it so far.

What are you going to tell your grandkids about this experience?
Last night I was saying how we can tell our kids and they can tell their kids, who will say, “Oh, look what our grandmother accomplished.” But honestly, this is not the end. I’m going to tell them I couldn’t end right there, that it was the beginning of something great. You have to be driven, and it just made me stronger. I have a glow I am most thankful for.

Did you go out on a high note by partying with Diddy after the show?
No, I didn’t! You know how Diddy is, he’ll say, ‘Hey.’ But I am so proud of him. At this time, he has his thing going on, and I just need to focus on getting to that Diddy position.

So he didn’t give her the time of day?  Eek!

Were you bummed when she got the permanent boot?  Or were you happy with the outcome like I was?

Photo: Fox