American Idol's top four results show may have been its the the competition's most emotional episode yet.

After contestants Amber Holcomb and Kree Harrison landed in the bottom two on Thursday, the show's judges - Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey - cried during their standing ovation. Seacrest announced who earned the least amount of votes between the two singers after he said there were "no more saves, no more second chances, we've got results to get to."

"I don't know how I'm gonna lose anybody here," Carey said visibly upset.

"All four of these girls have audiences now, so they're gonna have careers," said her fellow judge Keith Urban.

"Over 81 million votes have decided that the third person who is safe tonight is....Kree Harrison," Seacrest announced.

The 19-year-old contestant then broke down in tears before she sang her farewell song, I Believe, and Seacrest brought her father on stage. The top three contestants are now Harrison, Angie Miller and Candice Glover.

Thursday's show also offered performances from Will.i.am, former American Idol winner David Cook, and the night's mentor, Harry Connick Jr. Before the elimination the top four ladies performed a song from Beyonce's Crazy in Love. Will.i.am performed Bang Bang , from The Great Gatsby soundtrack and upcoming album. Cook sang his new song Laying Me Low and Connick, Jr. sang his single What Every Man Should Know.

Minaj and Carey quarreled over contestant Angie Miller's performance of Someone to Watch Over Me in Wednesday's episode and the next day, Minaj slammed her fellow judge on Twitter

The two women had a moment of incomprehensible yelling on Wednesday until the show's executives put music on to drown them out. Seacrest ended the bickering by telling them: "somebody's gotta go in the corner, we gotta get this show going, ok, girls?" During the quarrel, Minaj pulled out a cotton swab and told Carey to "clean (your) ears."

Watch the Top 4 elimination of Amber Holcomb here.

Tags
American Idol 2013, American Idol Season 12