Alix Earle<\/strong> revealed that a comment made by Carrie Ann Inaba<\/strong> meant the most to her this season on Dancing with the Stars.<\/p>\n In a YouTube vlog<\/a> posted days after Earle and her pro partner Val Chmerkovskiy<\/strong> made it to the DWTS Season 34 finals, fellow pro Jenna Johnson<\/strong> said she loved that Inaba told Earle she had grown the most out of all of the contestants. \u201cI love what Carrie Ann said,\u201d Johnson told Earle. \u201cLike you really are by far the most improved.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat, like, meant the most to me,\u201d Earle replied. \u201cOut of any comment ever.\u201d<\/p>\n Following Earle and Chmerkovskiy\u2019s Argentine tango to \u201cLittle Red Corvette\u201d on Prince Night, Inaba said, \u201cOut of all the competitors who are here tonight, you have grown the most, steadily, in all aspects of your performance. You’re really blossoming.”<\/p>\n Inaba also had positive feedback for Earle and Chmerkovskiy\u2019s Viennese waltz to \u201cPurple Rain,\u201d saying, \u201cA performance like this is going to go down in history.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou have blossomed,\u201d the DWTS judge said. \u201cBecause you are exactly what we always want. We want somebody to grow. You grow and then you deliver this passionate, beautiful performance. I am so proud of you, Alix.”<\/p>\n “Dancing with the Stars” judges critique Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy. (Disney\/Eric McCandless)Disney/Eric McCandless<\/p>\n After her DWTS semifinals performances, Earle told Entertainment Tonight<\/a> she became emotional over Inaba\u2019s positive words.<\/p>\n \u201cLike when she said that, I just immediately started crying because I have been really, really pushing myself, and I have the best partner in the entire world who has pushed me to be a better dancer, a better person, and to just believe in myself,\u201d the TikTok star said. \u201cAnd it’s just so special getting to be here and hear that from the judges and even their critiques and comments tonight. I want to improve even more going into the finale. So, I’m ready.\u201d<\/p>\n Inaba has been widely criticized for giving harsher critiques and lower scores to the female contestants on Dancing With the Stars. Earlier in the season, she gave Earle a backhanded compliment<\/a>, saying her Wicked Night jazz \u201cwasn\u2019t your most difficult dance, but it was your best dance.\u201d<\/p>\n In an interview with Variety,<\/a> the veteran judge explained why the criticism about her critiques was \u201cpartly true.\u201d<\/p>\n “I am the woman on the panel, and I understand what it is to be a woman, so I can get into more detail about what I\u2019m seeing,\u201d she explained. \u201cI always feel it\u2019s my responsibility if I sense somebody hasn\u2019t given it their all because I don\u2019t want them to walk away with regret. \u2026 I\u2019m willing to risk that, and speak to them so that they have the opportunity to grow.\u201d<\/p>\n \ud83e\udea9 <\/strong>SIGN UP for our Dancing with the Stars newsletter to get access to exclusive news, interviews, songs, recaps & more<\/strong><\/a> \ud83e\udea9<\/strong><\/p>\n This story was originally reported by Parade<\/a> on Nov 22, 2025, where it first appeared in the Entertainment<\/a> section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/span><\/div>\n