Reinhart, 22, was finally voted off the singing contest after landing in the bottom three on four occasions, and receiving some of the harshest comments from the new, more-friendly judging panel. "I believe their intention was simply to push me along further and get me to the top of my game and get me a little fired up inside," Reinhart told reporters of the criticism.

"I got to top 3, so that's quite all right...I don't live in regret. I do nit pick - I'm a Virgo. But I don't regret anything because each step along this way has gotten me to where I am. And I got to show versatility and I am proud to do that," she said. Reinhart has been singing since the age of eight, starting out with her parent's rock covers band, and had auditioned unsuccessfully for a place on "American Idol" in 2009.

But she was sanguine about not making it to next week's two-part grand finale and a shot at winning a guaranteed record contract with Universal Music.