Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Turns out the Idol hopefuls learned of the rule change the same time viewers did.

At the opening of Wednesday night’s show.

Granting interviews to the media the day after her elimination, Jasmine Murray said she and the other contestants were wondering about the big rule change Ryan mentioned at the end of Tuesday’s performance show.

“We had no idea at all,” the 17-year-old from Starkville, Miss., said. “It was a mystery.”

Of course, it’s no longer a mystery. Once and only once this season, the judges will be able to save the lowest vote-getter on Idol from elimination.

It’s called the judges’ save.

And Jasmine Murray turned out to be the first contestant the judges had the chance to save.

So she stood center stage and sang The Jackson Five’s “I’ll Be There” while the judges deliberated.

When she stopped singing, they declined.

“I understand,” Jasmine said. “They know what they want for the competition. They wanted to probably save it (the opportunity to save someone). That’s OK with me.”

Even if she didn’t get saved, Jasmine said she thinks the rule change is a good idea, along with other changes the show has made this year — like expanding the semifinals to 36 contestants and introducing a wild card round.

After all, if it weren’t for the wild card round, Jasmine might not have wound up in the top 13.

As for her next step …

First it’s back to the Mississippi School of Arts where she’s still only a junior, with more than a year to go before she graduates from high school.

College is definitely in her plans.

But so is more singing. The judges provided that encouragement at the end of Wednesday’s show, she said.

“I really want to have a career in music,” she said. “That’s where my heart is.”