‘American Idol’ contestant Lazaro Arbos says his severe stutter isn’t what got him votes

NEW YORK, N.Y. – “American Idol” contestant Lazaro Arbos won the hearts of viewers not just because of his singing, but because of his personal story.

The 22-year-old from Florida suffers from a severe stutter that disappears while he’s performing. Though the Cuban-born performer acknowledges that his speech impediment got him attention, he doesn’t think it won him votes.

“I think that I had really good songs. I had bad songs, but I had really good ones (too) and when I messed up, they stopped voting for me,” he said in an interview Monday.

He went on to say that if he didn’t stutter, he thinks he would have lasted longer on the show.

Abros placed sixth on “Idol,” which airs Wednesdays and Thursdays on Fox. He was voted off last week and was the last male competitor this season.

He said he bonded closely with the remaining girls on the show and he’s interested in tuning in this week to see who gets sent home.

“I’m excited to see what songs they pick and how they do and who goes home next, as bad as that sounds,” he said, smiling.

Abros will hit the road when the “Idol” contestants launch a tour this summer.

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Online:

http://www.americanidol.com/

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Alicia Rancilio covers entertainment for The Associated Press. Follow her online at http://www.twitter.com/aliciar