Gavin DeGraw: Dancing With the Stars Was "Like Summer Camp"

USMagazine, Wednesday, April 18, 2012, 7:18am (PDT)

Gavin DeGraw faced off against Jaleel White in a "dance duel" on Tuesday's Dancing With the Stars, and the singer tells Us Weekly he thrived in the high-pressure environment.

"I'll miss the whole pressure element of this show," the singer -- eliminated by Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli in a unanimous vote -- explained after his ouster. "I don't necessarily enjoy the pressure all the time but pressure is good."

PHOTOS: See who's left to battle for this season's title

Admitting that he never expected to take home season 14's Mirrorball trophy, DeGraw, 35, still earned a pretty decent consolation prize from his pro partner Karina Smirnoff.

RECAP: What you missed on Tuesday's show

"I got Karina's phone number finally! It took a while," DeGraw, who continues his concert tour this summer, admitted to Us. "[Dancing With the Stars] was like summer camp: We made a lot of great friends and it was a great experience. You don't have to win a trophy to learn how to dance, so this is about stepping out, learning something new -- it's not about winning or losing all the time."

PHOTOS: DWTS' hottest hookups

Following DeGraw's elimination, eight contestants remain in the competition: White, William Levy, Gladys Knight, Maria Menounos, Donald Driver, Roshon Fegan, Melissa Gilbert and Katherine Jenkins.

Get more Us! Follow us on Twitter, Friend us on Facebook, Subscribe to Us Weekly