American Idol's DeAndre Brackensick: "I'm Glad I Got Eliminated the Way I Did!"

Seventeen-year-old crooner reveals he knew the judges weren't going to save him, saying, "I just think because I was a wild card I don't need to be saved again"

Is DeAndre Brackensick one of the nicest contestants ever to appear on American Idol?

Yes! We chatted with DeAndre, who was eliminated from the competition last night, and the kid is so sweet he basically gave us a toothache. For example: Did you know he was homecoming king and "ticket-taker" at his school's homecoming dance?! Too. Cute. 

The 17-year-old crooner dishes on this "happy" elimination from Idol and reveals the secret to his lustrous locks! Plus, why is he excited to go home? (Hint: he needs to rent a tux, buy a corsage and dust off his dancing shoes!)

While DeAndre won't make it to the big Idol finale in May, he does have an important event happening on April 21: his prom! 

DeAndre says he's even more excited for this dance because of his experience on the hit Fox show. "Idol really brought the confidence out of me. At the previous dances I worked as coat-taker and ticket-taker and stuff like that," he explains. "Now I feel comfortable enough to go to a prom and just enjoy it. I'm glad I get to enjoy life as a kid; just the little things as a kid and then go enjoy the high life of Idol. I guess I get the best of both worlds." How Hannah Montana of him?!

Yes, you read that right: DeAndre checked people's coats and took their tickets...and wore a crown while doing so! "I was coat-taker at junior prom," he elaborates. "I was homecoming king, but I was ticket-taker then bag-checker and stuff because I was just so uncomfortable with myself."

It's no secret that Jennifer Lopez wanted to use the judges' save on DeAndre, but was brutally rebuffed by Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson. Some people were surprised by Tyler's decision considering DeAndre was his wild-card pick earlier in the season. "I just think because I was a wild card I don't need to be saved again," DeAndre reasons. "This is my second chance from last year and then I got a second chance with wild card. You only get so many second chances in life." 

Of his decision to sing Stevie Wonder's "Master Blaster" as his last-ditch effort to earn the judges' save, DeAndre says, "I had a feeling I wasn't going to get saved. I was saved already from the wild card. Even though that song didn't really show off anything, I wanted to leave on a happy note, on something fun. I didn't want it to be something sad."

While he obviously didn't want to ho home, DeAndre says, "I'm glad I got eliminated the way I did. I went off on a good note. I went off happy. It wasn't a sad moment in the way where I had a regret or I did something wrong.I have no regrets and I did what I needed to do."

Before he performed last night, DeAndre reveals he comforted one of his family members in the audience: "I was talking to my sister because she was crying. I just told her, 'Don't cry because there's no reason to cry.' I've accomplished so much. Why be sad?"

Finally, DeAndre reveals the secret to his much-discussed hair: sorry people, but he was born that way! "A little leave-in conditioner, but it's natural," he spills of his sought-after curls. "Without stuff in it, It looks the same actually."