Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Jade Flores during her first round performance on American Idol’s Hollywood Week. (ABC Photo)

And among the singers cut on Sunday’s show were young widow Lauren Engle, she-is-not-a-robot Peach Martine and Jade Flores.

Lauren, 27, from Redlands, Calif., lost her husband Garrett in a car accident and auditioned with an original called “Compass” that she wrote about him.

That song is now available as a single and on Lauren’s debut EP. But she failed to advance past the first round in Hollywood, done in by a cover of Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus Take the Wheel.”

“I know this isn’t the end,” she said on the show. “It just gives me more of a kick in the butt to go out and do more music.”

After the show aired, she took to Instagram, adding: “Idol was an amazing experience and a huge healing process for me and I am forever thankful for the opportunity to show my story, and continue to move forward. One door closes, another will open. More to come! I promise!”

Musically, I was every bit as disappointed with the elimination of Jade and Peach.

Jade, a 22-year-old country and blues singer-songwriter, provided one of Idol’s day one highlights in Hollywood with her take-you-to-church version of “Unchained Melody” (watch below), but couldn’t survive the group round drama.

Had I been sitting behind the judges’ table, I would have been far more prone to cut Myra Tran, who tends to be shouty, or Juan Pablo, who is way too dramatic for my taste.

I was sorry to see Peach go because she was just 16 when she auditioned and I’ve listened to the impressive pop / alternative rock originals she’s already released.

She sounded a bit defiant as she left the show, vowing the show could watch as she became the next Mick Jagger.

But expressed her thanks and appreciation for the experience on Instagram Sunday night. And promised to see all her new and old fans on tour soon.

Rock on, Peach.

Among the other memorable moments from Sunday’s Hollywood episode …

* Former Voice standout Moriah Formica was part of Jade’s Hollywood group. On social media, she’s been promoting good friend Maddy VanDenburg’s appearance on the show and saying little about her own. She’s been more eager to post about the new music she just recorded in L.A.

* Colby Swift auditioned in shoes with holes in the soles. So Luke Bryan gave him the boots off his very feet. Shame someone didn’t have a pair of pants to give Nick Townsend. Colby was cut in the group round; Nick’s survived.

* Dimitrius Graham’s mom was scheduled for surgery the day after Hollywood Week started, so she couldn’t attend. He had the judges Facetime his performance. Dimitrius is still on the show.

* He was also a member of a group called Unexpected Vibe that rallied around member Shayy Winn, who is legally blind. They evened donned vision blocking goggles for the last part of their performance in her honor. Shayy, too, is still on the show.