On Sunday (May 8), three contestants were eliminated on American Idol, leaving behind the Top 5 contestants of Season 21.
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Steered by judge Luke Bryan, the episode featured special guest mentor Alanis Morissette, along with Ed Sheeran, who both helped fill in the panel, replacing judges Lionel Richie and Katy Perry, who were in London performing at King Charles III’s coronation concert.
[RELATED: ‘American Idol’ Kicks Off with Royal Message and Alanis Morissette Performance]
The theme of the episode tasked the final eight contestants with taking on two songs each, including a song from Morissette’s catalog as well as pairing them up for a duet on a song by Sheeran.
Among the night of performances, Iam Tongi and Oliver Steele teamed up for a rendition of Sheeran’s “Photograph,” while Wé Ani gave a stirring performance of Morissette’s “Uninvited.” Georgia native Megan Danielle dedicated Morissette’s 1995 hit “Head Over Feet” to her boyfriend, before joining Colin Stough for a powerful duet of Sheeran’s “Dive.”
In the end, live voting eliminated contestants Oliver Steele, Haven Madison, and Warren Peay, leaving behind the final five, who will go on to perform on Disney Week, where they’ll be mentored by Oscar nominee Sofia Carson.
Here’s a look at the American Idol Top 5 and where they started.
1. Wé Ani
At first, 23-year-old Wé Ani shocked the judges with her very high speaking voice before surprising everyone once she started singing Demi Lovato’s “Anyone.” Her deep, lush vocals have kept the Harlem, New York native, who previously competed on Season 11 of The Voice, on Alicia Keys‘ team, in the Idol competition ever since.
Ani has gone on to perform the Etta James classic, “Something’s Got a Hold on Me,” Adele‘s James Bond theme song “Skyfall,” and Aretha Franklin’s “Ain’t No Way,” along with her own original song “Good For.”
2. Zachariah Smith
Right from his first appearance, Mississippi native Zachariah Smith couldn’t help smiling during his audition as he sang through the John Mellencamp hit “Hurts So Good.”
“You have a rasp, you have a growl,” said Lionel Richie following Smith’s performance, “and then on top of it you’re having so much fun.”
Throughout his time on Idol, the 19-year-old singer has also taken on Jeff Lynne’s “Don’t Bring Me Down” and a rousing version of Little Richard’s 1957 classic “Lucille,” among other songs.
3. Iam Tongi
Hawaiian native Iam Tongi has been getting the most thunderous roars from audiences on American Idol since his moving audition—the most viewed of the season with 15 million views. The 18-year-old first delighted viewers with his rendition of James Blunt’s 2019 song “Monsters,” which he dedicated to his father, who died several months before his audition. Tongi has continued to move viewers and the judges with each performance since then.
The 18-year-old singer has shared a number of special moments on the Idol stage since his first appearance, even sharing a Hawaiian-inspired version of Lionel Richie’s “Stuck on You,” Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World,” and one of his most soul-filled performances, taking on Sam Cooke‘s “Bring It On Home.”
[RELATED: Iam Tongi Wows the Crowd Again on ‘American Idol’ with Cover of “The Winner Takes It All”]
4. Colin Stough
If it wasn’t for Colin Stough’s mother, who signed him up for an audition on American Idol, he may have never tried out. Stepping out for his first Idol performance, the 18-year-old Mississippi native was in his element and shared a smoldering rendition of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s 1973 classic “Simple Man.”
Over the weeks, Stough has shared his own countrified renditions of Staind’s “It’s Been Awhile,” and doubled up on Chris Stapleton with “Midnight Train to Memphis,” and “Cold.”
5. Megan Danielle
Georgia native Megan Danielle leaves quite an impression each time she steps on the American Idol stage. With her raspy vocals and finite delivery, the 20-year-old Christian singer first captivated the judges with her rendition of Lauren Daigle’s 2019 single “You Say.” Daigle, also a former Idol contestant, even surprised the young singer by coming out during her audition.
Danielle recently took on the Bonnie Raitt version of “Angel From Montgomery,” originally written by John Prine and released in 1971.
[RELATED: Megan Danielle Earns Her “Wings” Singing “Angel From Montgomery” on ‘American Idol’]
First performing in bars, Danielle said it was her grandfather who pulled her aside and asked her how she could use her talent to serve God, so she decided to focus on Christian music.
Photos by ABC / Eric McCandless
