Image Credit: Nino Munoz/FoxIt wasn’t the most shocking elimination in American Idol history. But Paige Miles’ ouster from the show last night stung the 24-year-old nonetheless. Working on limited time and voice, a laryngitis-stricken Miles called EW.com today to talk about her elimination and the secret health troubles that have plagued her throughout the competition.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Hi, Paige. How are you doing?
PAIGE MILES: Pretty good. How are you?
Good. Sorry to hear you’re so sick. You don’t sound too good.
Oh, it’s just laryngitis, and after all these interviews it’s getting worse. I’ve been struggling with it for a couple of weeks now.
Did that have a big effect on your ”Against All Odds” performance on Tuesday?
I was struggling vocally with it. There were things I wanted to do with it that I couldn’t so I was trying to find a different way to sing it. When you’re used to singing one way and your vocal cords aren’t letting you do that, it’s tough. I really struggled with the song.
Sounds tough.
My vocal cords have been swollen for several weeks now. We’ve been trying to get it better. With ”Honky Tonk [Women],” we even had to bring it down last minute because it was getting worse. Some days it would be better with the more rest I would give it, but then right back in rehearsals it would start to go again. It was tough. I really battled it out with my throat during this competition. It stinks. It’s a bummer, but, you know, it happens. It just means I wasn’t meant to be doing this right now. So it stinks, but sometimes things happen — bad vocal chords — but oh, well.
Do you think the judges were too hard on you after that performance?
You know, I don’t like to use being ill as an excuse for them to go easier on me because there are several things I deal with daily. I have medical conditions and if I used all those as reasons to why I couldn’t do this or couldn’t do that, I wouldn’t do much of anything in my life. But do I think they were hard on me? Yes, I do. They were super hard on me. They kept saying ”Where did Paige go?” and I was like, ”Obviously, Paige didn’t go to Mars.” I had a lot going on. I have hypertension — high blood pressure — I deal with, and it wasn’t being good. It was being very disobedient these past few weeks. And asthma. Asthma with laryngitis together was just awful. So yeah, and asthma played a huge part too in ”Against All Odds” because I was finding it difficult to breathe in a lot of places in the song. But that’s also something I struggled with in rehearsals, and I felt in rehearsals that maybe I should change the song. But I stayed with it and tried my best.
Did any comment really sting you?
Probably Randy’s: ”That was just terrible.” And Simon saying I had given up on the competition, which I hadn’t. My health had, but in no way had I ever thought for a minute that I wanted to give up.
Tell me a little bit about your song choice ["Against All Odds"] on Tuesday. It’s been done several times on past Idol seasons.
I don’t know why [I chose that one]. I probably should have researched that before to see its success rate. [Laughs] But I didn’t. Simon had said he wanted to see me connect and the lyrics in that song are just beautiful. And I had been performing against several odds for several weeks. So it felt right but I really just couldn’t pull it together.
If you could go back would you choose a different song?
Definitely.
Which one?
I’d probably pick an up-tempo [song], something like Thelma Houston’s ”Don’t Leave Me This Way.”
What’s it like behind the scenes when you all pick songs? Do you ask each other for advice?
Sometimes. It really depends on how much time we have to think about it. The weeks fly by, and before you know it, you have to pick another song. So it’s difficult because you’re trying to please your fans, the audience, the judges, and yourself. And those are usually all very, very different avenues. It’s hard to drive down four streets at once. We just try our best to make it work and sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn’t.
You started off strong in this competition. What happened to that momentum?
Really, my health just got in the way. It really did. The first week I got sick, during the week of ”Smile,” I was at 206/103 – that was my blood pressure, which is stage three hypertension. It just really knocked me down, and I just really struggled getting it together after that.
What’s next for you?
To continue, to keep going for my dreams. Hopefully I have a career in music and entertainment where I can keep doing exactly what I love.
I know it must’ve been hard to lose that spot on tour. Are you still going to go check it out?
If I have time, I would love to go see them.
there’s a typo in there. it’s worse* not worst.
ugh…
why don’t you people who are always correcting someone’s spelling get a job proof reading or something? I mean, nobody is perfect, especially when typing
This isn’t just someone typing. This is an online publication and it should be correct, both the spelling and the grammar.
I agree. I understand about not correcting the grammar of people’s posts, but there are people at EW whose job is to correct grammar. If our news (entertainment or otherwise) publications can’t do a basic spell check, what does that say? Professional online publications need to be held to high standards.
The spelling and grammar SHOULD be right, but why be an ass and correct them on it? An error in facts is different, I think, but we all can overlook an extra “s” or whatever when it’s more fun to comment on the content of the article.
Sure, the articles should be perfect and all, but I’d rather discuss the actual information in the article, especially if it’s a typo that doesn’t change any meaning.
That’s one of the problems with America today. People don’t care to use proper English, correct spelling, proper behavior and even intelligent voting. As a society people think it is OK to be sloppy.
I hope she can bounce back from this. I’m sorry to hear about her health issues, but based on her peformance on Tuesday night it was honestly her time to go. Good luck to her though.
I’m sorry for her, too. All of these “whining” comments are a pretty mean, if you ask me. The girl is just trying to explain why she fell apart the last few weeks. That’s what the interviewer asked.
She does seem like a sweet girl and I’m not sure if she’s whining, but I’ve never heard of High Blood Pressure affecting someone’s pitch and, for her, the pitch was what was missing.
Even if she was whining, this is her big chance on TV and if she didn’t offer an explanation for her terrible voice, do you think she would ever get signed? So I can kind of see why she’d explain herself over and over.
Considering the fact that she didn’t “whine” during the show, I think it’s OK for her to explain it after the fact. She could have used her health issues to get attention and sympathy during the competition, but she didn’t.
Sheesh… she sounds quite unpleasant.
For the record, “Don’t leave me this way” has only been sung 3 times before, vs “Against all odds” 6 times.
She says she doesn’t want to use her health issues as an excuse, then throughout the whole interview, she goes on to use her health issues as an excuse. Sorry Paige but your “singing” this week was among the worst in Idol history. I’m sure she’s a perfectly nice girl, but it was her time to go.
Just mentioing that there is a difference in delineating the facts and making an excuse. I’m totally great with her elimination, but I’m not OK with people that don’t understand describing factual events and ‘making excuses’. None of this was used during her evaluations, and only was brought up under questioning. Totally different animal.
Well said Tarc. It’s one thing if she said it after the judges critiqued her on stage, but she was just stating that she had and is sick. Sort of hard to avoid that line of questionig, too, if even the interviewer notices her voice is strained.
Well said. I’m actually really impressed that Paige didn’t bring up her health issues at all after receiving the judge’s comments – she clearly had a lot of problems (other than laryngitis) that the audience never found out about.
I understand your point and I took it into consideration. But read the Q&A again. The whole interview is her talking about her health issues. I’d just like to read some blunt honesty on her part. How about “Yes, I was sick, but that’s no excuse. I sang horribly on Tuesday and I understand, based on that performance, why I was voted off.” Her sickness actually helped her the previous week, where she sounded the best she ever has. Don’t pick a challenging song like that if you can’t handle it that particular night.
@Tarc: Good point, but you have to understand that when somebody hates you they tend to be negative about everything you do.
@Ramo: I doubt if she had any control over her vocals. Just because she sounded good the week before doesn’t mean the laryngitis will have the same effect every time. If you hate the girl, just say you hate her you cold bastard.
@ Ramo – I agree with you. Yes, it was nice that she didn’t use it as an excuse on the show, but it sure sounds like she was relying on them in this interview.
@ Ramo – It sounds as if you speak from a position of never having battled any serious illness that interfered with your ability to do the things that you are naturally able to do. Hopefully you will never have to, but if you ever do, you will finally “get it”. As Tarc said, she is simply stating the facts in the interview, and the facts she stated amount to a legitimate “excuse” for why she wasn’t able to deliver well.
Ramo, that’s exactly what I was thinking.
@Sheba: that’s because you hate her too. The girl had an illness that had a direct effect on her vocal cords, but you people still have the nerve to trash her because of it. Shame on you. Sure, she made bad song choices and the judges praised her early on, but come on, is it really necessary to kick someone when their down? That’s just plain evil.
@Ramo: you’re right. Also anyone on this show needs to learn to accept harsh criticism. Usually Randy & Kara suger coat their critiques. I expect most of the singers were always told by family & friends that their voices were great and they sound so wonderful, when sometimes they were much less.
it wasnt just her voice, it was her song choices and lack of direction as an artist. she came on as wanting to do this fierce rock/pop thing and then choose Smile and Against all Odds? really?
Good point. You have to stick to who you are as an artist. It’s too late to be trying to find your musical identity at this stage in the game. Katie Stevens is a nother lost cause when it comes to this. Anytime you keep changing to please the judges, it’s not going to work.
the article may also have been edited, don’t forget. EW may have decided to emphasize certain things over others in her interview.
whiner much? and methinks she’ll have plenty of time to check it out…….
As long as Big Mike is still around I don’t care!
BIG MIKE SUCKS AND IS NOT ONLY ARROGANT BUT A NOT SO GREAT SINGER.
oh please he will not win
Jesse you dont know jack big mike is a good singer no a great singer
If he wins I hope he will put a big slice of cheese on your “burger”
Guys? She was answering the questions that were posed to her! If she hadn’t answered the questions, you’d probably say she was skirting the issue. It’s a no-win situation.
thank you some of the people on this thing are just angry people who have nothing better to do then pick apart peoples flaws
you are right. At least she didn’t get all cocky like Lilly did. At least she knew it was her time. Lilly was like:Who, ME? There are lots worse than me”. Maybe. But, at least Paige was graceful on her exit, as was Janell.
Lily was awesome and didn’t deserve to go…i see nothing wrong with her being surprised…katie on the other hand is so bad…who cares if she’s 16, if she can’t sing, she’s gotta go…sadly tweens dont seem to get that…
LOL, Paige really is clueless – “Don’t leave me this way” has also been sung to death on Idol.
I was hoping that Paige was going to say that one of the AI producers suggested that she sing “Against All Odds” and that she really didn’t like that song. Unbelievably, Paige said she picked that song herself, knowing that she had problems with her vocal chords. Why didn’t she choose another song that didn’t strain her voice so much? She really couldn’t handle those big glory notes, especially with her laryngitis/asthma.
The problem with her goes beyond laryngitis. She is tone deaf. She can’t keep a tune. It wasn’t so evident early in the audition because she chose very simply songs in a major key and in just ONE key. As the show progessed, she chose songs that started in one key and switched the another, and also included minor notes. She could not make the switch and keep the tune. It was as obvious as dirt. By being tone deaf, she couldn’t ‘hear’ the key of the music accompanying her well enough to sing along to it and get back in key if she fell off. Which she did, a lot. Simon caught it and it was the same every song she sang- all the training in the world is not going to give her ears she does not have. She needs to look for another career- if she even sings in a chorus, or choir, she will have trouble!
And they said she started strong? When was this? I never saw one good performance from her. Not one.
@Karen: you nailed it.
SO true…Katelyn was awesome…Simon was stupid to say paige has more potential than katelyn, cause as Jenn says, i never saw one good performance…
These young people are not professionals, some have not had a vocal lesson. So give them a break. The judges on Idol want them to sing like a professional and when they do, they tell them to make the song their own and when they do they are critized for it. So damn if you do and damn if you don’t. American Idol is a bunch of crap. No one is doing very well this season. I will never watch it again.
So she has high blood pressure- what is she doing about it- doens’t she had meds- is she eating a proper diet- is the trying to imply the show is responsible for her BP increasing to a dangerous level-it didn’t just crop up either- she shouldn’t have entered the show if she knew her BP was inclined to increase under stress. She’s just giving excuses and she was always flat- laryngitis doens’t cause that!! Paige, give us all a royal break.
and the hypertension! don’t forget the hypertension!!
hehe, i mean to reply to francis
hehe, i meanT to reply to francEs
…..that’s what i get for making fun of her medical problems
um…hypertension IS high blood pressure.
I hate to be a pessimist or disbeliever, but if you’re sick and you have asthma, laryngitis and all these ailments, why are you on American Idol? Do they not know the rigorous schedule? It’s 24/7. Maybe she wasn’t the right one to go into the 14 pile….but I’m amazed at all these young singers that have health issures…Crystal, Casey, Paige….is there anybody else on the show that’s sick?
Ryan, but that’s mental.
to all of you,you don’t get it she is out there you watch someone will sign her up. You can look for her CD soon
Little chance of that based upon 9 seasons of Idol history.
I agree with Sally. Being a performer, especially on tour, is absolutely grueling. I hope Paige will get a chance to record her CD, but it sounds like the next two months on Idol, let alone the Idol Tour, would have been more than she could handle with all of her health problems.
Casey only had the flu, which most people will have if they live long enough…….
will someone please explain how and why she didn’t have to sing “against all odds” when she was eliminated. no other contestant from all seasons has been able to detour from singing their song choice from that week of competition. it is really bugging me, b/c they won’t acknowledge that this was a first in the show’s history and why??
I’ve always found it amusing how the booted contestant has to re-sing the song that got them booted. Hey guys, in case you forgot, here’s how bad I am!
true andre, true. not saying i wanted my ears to bleed again, but i’m just wondering why now and why her?
lol…simon’s brutal comment was actually enjoyable…when he said there was no way in hell she was going to be saved…
Lacey sang a different song last week as well. Must be a new policy
did she? i must have just deleted from DVR when they said it was her. i wasn’t that attached.
It’s because they are allowed to “sing for their life” for the judge’s save. I think that it’s a good idea to let them sing what they consider to be their best/favorite performance in the hopes of getting to stay in the competition.
Lacey sang a different week’s song too. I think this year they are letting them perform the song of their choice from previous performances. Makes sense since usually whatever they sang the week of elimination was horrible.
They can sing any song that they’ve performed live up to that point now. New rule. Slezak mentioned it either in one of his articles or on Idolatry.
i thought i heard ryan mention it too.
Last week Lacey sang The Story, which was the song she performed the week before. I guess it’s just a new rule.
NONE of the judges agreed that she would have ANY shot in winning her spot back. Simon said as much right off the bat. It just wasn’t gonna happen.
Maybe it’s a new feature this season. Last week Lacey didn’t sing “Good bye Ruby Tuesday” in her attempt to get the save. She sang that other song from a few weeks back. I don’t know the name of it.
others had same choice. Lacy….
So did you miss last week with Lacey?
Actually, last week Lacey sang a song other than the one she was eliminated with. Ryan specifically asked “Which song will you be singing?” So the answer is, it obviously started at the top 12 and its a GREAT change, let these people leave with some dignity, singing one of their best performances, not their worst!
Actually, Lacey did, too. It’s a change this year. Lacey said in her Idolatry interview that the contestants are now allowed to sing any song they have performed this year. Hope that helps!
They get to pick this year because of the judges save. They choose which song they feel they did the best on. I personally do not like the judges save. I think if they do use it it should have been a few weeks ago and not for the top 12.
Actually. They’ve “broken” this “rule” before as well. Examples are LaToya London singing “Don’t Rain On My Parade” and Jasmine Trias singing “Inseperable”.