MANILA, Philippines - After eliciting rave reviews from all three judges in ?American Idol,? Filipino-American Ramiel Malubay sailed through to the next round.

Randy Jackson called her ?classy, almost like a pro.? Paula Abdul said she was ?a force to be reckoned with.? Simon Cowell was just as generous: ?You out-sang every single person.?

Giddy, Malubay told host Ryan Seacrest that the best part of the competition was ?hair and makeup [sessions].?

Four other aspirants, now rejects, were not as lucky. To think, two of them boasted ?professional? backgrounds?like a handful of favorites who are currently being criticized in fan sites and wire stories.

Bloggers and reporters ask: How can amateurs, like sushi waitress Malubay, compete with pros brandishing record deals?