Syesha Mercado voted off Idol

Syesha Mercado was eliminated from American Idol Wednesday night in a rather anticlimactic results show that leaves David Archuleta and David Cook dueling to be named the winner next week.

The Florida native seemed unsurprised by the results, particularly after the judges told her on Tuesday night that they did not think she sang well enough to make it the finals.

"I don't think you found that defining moment that I would have liked," judge Simon Cowell told her.

The 21-year-old had been in the bottom three several times, but managed to hang on to make it to the penultimate week of the show.

Early in the competition, Cowell called her one of the best female singers there, but Mercado could not garner enough of the 56 million total votes cast after Tuesday night's show.

Cowell told Larry King on CNN April 8 that he thought David Archuleta and David Cook would be the final two.

"She has a great voice," Cowell said of Mercado. "But you need to be incredible. That's the problem - I always feel there's a ceiling to this girl."

Wednesday's results show also included footage of the three finalists' return to their hometowns. During Mercado's emotional visit back to Sarasota, the singer was told that May 9 would henceforth be known as "Syesha Mercado Day."

"This is my dream," she said. "I'm living it."

David Archuleta returned to Murray, Utah where he was bombarded by screaming pre-teens and became overwhelmed with gratitude for the support, and David Cook visited Kansas City and Blue Springs, Missouri and threw out the opening pitch for a Kansas City Royals game.

Season 3 American Idol winner Fantasia also appeared and sang her song "Bore Me." While the judges were not given the opportunity to comment on the performance, Cowell's dumbfounded expression said it all.