Season 24 of American Idol is nearing the end. But first, we must find out who the finalists will be. Tonight’s episode will see the remaining contestants duke it out for the final three spots. And if that wasn’t enough to get you excited, familiar faces and original judges Randy Jackson and Paul Abdul will be returning to the show to help mentor the singers. All this and more, starting at 8 PM EST.
You can keep up with all the viral moments and results with American Songwriter’s Season 24 Live Blog below.
Reminder: For the most up-to-date results, refresh the page.
(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
At long last, Seacrest returned to the stage to reveal the three artists who’ve been voted through to the finale. Hannah Harper, Keyla Richardson, and Jordan McCullough all made it, meaning Braden Rumfelt and Chris Tungseth are going home.
Adbul cried when Yamin performed the song on Idol two decades ago, and she was once again in tears after watching the duo’s take on the tune. “This was a masterclass. This was a Grammys duet performance,” she said.
McCullough nabbed Elliott Yamin as his duet partner, and he couldn’t have been happier, albeit starstruck. The pair teamed up to sing Donny Hathaway’s “A Song for You,” bringing the audience on an emotional journey.
“I just feel so incredibly blessed to be able to share the stage with talent,” Pickler told Seacrest. “… It’s like this Idol family club, and I’m blessed to be a part of it.”
“The perfect voice, blend, and complement,” Richie gushed after Harper and Pickler’s time on stage. The other judges agreed, with Underwood calling their time on stage “magical.”
Harper got Kellie Pickler as her duet partner, and things couldn’t have worked out better for the singer. The pair delivered an unforgettable performance of Martina McBride’s “A Broken Wing.”
Seacrest announced that on Idol‘s season finale a bevy of stars will appear and perform. Alicia Keys will serve as a guest mentor and perform twice, and each judge will take the stage too.
Rumfelt and Bennett got a standing ovation from all four judges, with Richie complimenting, “You killed it. Unbelievable.”
Paris Bennett was just 17 when she auditioned for American Idol. Now she’s back to duet with Rumfelt. The duo decided to sing Queen’s “The Show Must Go On” for their performance, and they certainly brought their best to the stage.
After Tungseth and Covington’s time on stage, Underwood said that she didn’t want their performance to end, and other the other judges expressed similarly positive sentiments.
For his duet, Tungseth was paired with Bucky Covington to perform Garth Brooks’ “The Thunder Rolls.” Tungseth knew it would work based on his and Covington’s similar look and style, and he was proved right by their time on stage.
“I’ve never seen you have so much fun,” Abdul told Richardson after her and Hicks’ time onstage. Underwood echoed Abdul’s sentiment, and Bryan noted, “I loved every second of it.”
Former Idol winner Taylor Hicks teamed up with Richardson to perform Stevie Wonder’s “Living for the City.” The duo immediately vibed upon their first meeting, and it showed during their groovy performance.
Last year’s Idol winner, Jamal Roberts returned to the show’s stage to perform his latest single, “Perfect for Me.”
All four judges were on their feet after McCullough’s performance, and Abdul was even wiping away tears. “It was perfect,” Underwood said.
In his meeting with Jackson, Jordan McCullough revealed that he’s singing Leona Lewis’ “Footprints in the Sand” for his six brothers, a sentiment that the former Idol judge respected immensely.
Seacrest took a moment to acknowledge Blue Star Families, a charity that supports service members’ families. Several Blue Star Families were in the Idol crowd Monday night to watch the show.
Bryan couldn’t get his positive comments out over the cheers over the crowd, but, when he managed to, he lavished praise on the singer, as did all of the other judges.
After expressing shock that Hannah Harper chose to sing Peggy Lee’s “Fever” this week, Jackson advised her to sing the song to her husband during her time on stage.
Grey’s Anatomy‘s Alexis Floyd and Harry Shum Jr. are on hand to watch the semi-finals!
Before Rumfelt got feedback from the judges, Seacrest walked out on stage in a mostly unbuttoned silk shirt, delighting the crowd and confusing the panel. As for the judges, they seemed to agree that Rumfelt was on the right track.
When Braden Rumfelt revealed he was going to sing Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control,” Jackson expressed concern over the bigness of the song, and encouraged him to get out of his head during the performance.
After his performance, Abdul praised Tungseth’s “beautiful, tender ache” in his voice, and Underwood complimented his song choice.
When he arrived to meet Jackson, Chris Tungseth revealed that he was “starstruck” by Idol‘s original judge. When they began to work on Tungseth’s song of choice—Noah Kahan’s “Northern Attitude”—Jackson advised the singer to show how he relates to the song during his performance.
Throughout her performance, Richardson was backed by Dancing With the Stars pros Jan Ravnik, Gleb Savchenko, Witney Carson, and Rylee Arnold. The judges were impressed with Richardson’s time on stage, with Richie declaring, “That’s the way to start a show!”
First up, Keyla Richardson met with OG Idol judge Jackson. He gave the singer some advice for her take on “River Deep – Mountain High,” before declaring, “This girl’s ready, y’all.”
As a guest judge, Abdul made her long-awaited return at the top of the show. She walked out on stage alongside the current judging panel, which is made up of Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Carrie Underwood.
Host Ryan Seacrest revealed that voting is now open for the Semi-Finals. Tonight, America will vote to determine the Top 3 contestants, sending two hopefuls home.
American Idol is just minutes away from starting its latest episode, which will see the return of Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul.
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