If you thought breaking into the music business and climbing the ladder to success to earn two Grammy nominations was tough, try hanging high atop the big top in the circus. Just ask "Hit 'em Up Style" R&B singer Blue Cantrell how tough the circus can be and she'll tell you the seasoned professional performers know what they're doing under the big top, "They make it look easy and it’s not easy at all."

After the second episode of NBC's Celebrity Circus, Blu Cantrell found herself on the outside of the circus, looking in, when she was voted off the show for her challenging aerial ballet. It was especially tough for Blu since world famous contortionist, Aurelia Cats, offered up some harsh criticism, which obviously got under Cantrell's skin. A day after the airing, when we caught up to Blu Cantrell, Aurelia's feedback was still fresh.

THE DEADBOLT: So do you think Aurelia could sing one of your songs?

BLU CANTRELL: I don’t think she could sing one of my songs and I could probably learn her tricks in a period of time. She could never sing one of my songs.

THE DEADBOLT: What was it like to hear the feedback you received after working so hard?

BLU CANTRELL: I thought it was bogus. I mean, I really thought it was bogus. I think they had it out for me from the start. I think the scores are bogus and I did the hardest contraption in there. I swung from the thing with one hand, nobody did any [of that]. I did the hardest contraption, the hardest mechanism in that room, and I did it. I should’ve gotten a better score, a really good score. I did an awesome job and everybody knew it and they were really hard on me. So there’s nothing I can do about it except say what I want to say and speak my mind.

THE DEADBOLT: Well, did you get to sort things out afterwards? Did you talk with her again?

BLU CANTRELL: No, absolutely not. I’m not trying to be friends with her [laughs]. No, the scores weren’t fair. I felt like they weren’t fair, so there’s no reason for us to chat about it after.

THE DEADBOLT: Since it was the hardest contraption there, were you surprised that she didn’t give you much positive feedback to take away?

BLU CANTRELL: I really was surprised. I was disappointed because I spent eight weeks learning it. Not even eight weeks - for that contraption I learned it for, maybe, four weeks because it was given to me at the last minute. It wasn’t even my best contraption. The crazy part was that I had two other things I was supposed to be doing - The Cirque So and the Hammock, which I had done for eight weeks, which were amazing and I didn’t even get a chance to do them. That’s the part I’m really disappointed about.

THE DEADBOLT: Regarding the fire and the Spanish web, and all of the other acts you were practicing, how does that work with choosing the acts that you want to do?

BLU CANTRELL: Honestly, they pick whatever they pick for you. We don’t pick it for ourselves. But mine was switched around several times, so it was very confusing. Rachel [Hunter] did an amazing job and she got hers a couple of days before she had to do the show. So everybody is kind of pushed around and they still did a really good job.

THE DEADBOLT: At any one time, how many of these things are you practicing?

BLU CANTRELL: We learned, from the beginning, about three to four contraptions. Everybody’s learned at least four, I think. Some of them don’t know four, but I know four. You kind of push through them during the day. Then, when it gets time for the show, you do the one set for that show and after you get comfortable with it at the end of the day you move onto the one you’re going to do for the show after.

THE DEADBOLT: How do you look at the circus experience now as compared to when you first signed on?

BLU CANTRELL: I see it as an amazing experience regardless. I think I had a great time with great people, I got in great shape and I think overall it turned out to be very positive.

THE DEADBOLT: Was it a lot harder than you expected?

BLU CANTRELL: Oh, way more harder. It’s always harder than you think, because the whole thing about being in the circus is to make it look like it’s easy and it’s not. That’s how you master it and the trainers master it. They make it look easy and it’s not easy at all.

THE DEADBOLT: Which celebrity surprised you the most?

BLU CANTRELL: I would have to say Wee-Man, because he’s really good and determined and he’s very competitive and he’s just a winner all around. He’s just an amazing person.

THE DEADBOLT: It’s funny that you say that because I was surprised you got voted off and he messed up in his routine.

BLU CANTRELL: You know what? I’m so glad you pointed that out, because they gave us both the same score and I did an amazing job on the Spanish Web. I love him, but he messed up and they gave him the same vote, same score. So I was like, "That, right there, is complete and total bull crap." She just had it out for me and, whatever. I’ll see her at the end of the show and I’ll have more words for her, trust me.

THE DEADBOLT: What did you think of Christopher Knight’s fire performance?

BLU CANTRELL: I thought he was awesome. I thought it was very animated and it was fun and very dramatic. I thought it was cool. It wasn’t more death defying type stuff, but it was entertainment and I felt everybody was entertained.

THE DEADBOLT: If one of these shows came around again, would you be up for it?

BLU CANTRELL: I don’t think so. I’m not one to continuously keep doing reality shows. I wanted to do this, it was something I couldn’t pass up, and it was something I always wanted to do. I would have to say I don’t know, because it depends on the show. But if it were Celebrity Circus or something death defying like that again, I probably wouldn’t do that. Maybe dancing or something, possibly, I don’t know.