Heavy/ABC Recently cut Season 21 "American Idol" contestants The Mariah Faith, Hannah Nicolaisen, and Michael Williams
There will only be one winner when Season 21 of “American Idol” wraps up on May 21, 2023. So a group of already-eliminated contestants are embracing their “loser” status by reuniting after the finale for a joint concert called “The Losers Circle: Where Everyone is a Winner.”
Slated to take place on May 29 in Nashville, “Idol” fans can attend live or buy a virtual ticket to stream the concert. A dozen Season 21 contestants are scheduled to perform, including Matt Wilson, Michael Williams, and Olivia Soli.
Meanwhile, many of the most recently cut contestants — those who made it to the Top 12 — are finding their footing after leaving the show over the past two weeks and have begun sharing their future plans.
‘Idol’ Concert Participants Say ‘We’re Not Finished Just Yet’
The Losers Circle concert is being organized by the Analog at Nashville’s Hutton Hotel, which says it’s designed to showcase “the industry’s most inspired musicians … in a comfortable living-room style setting.” Promotional materials state the concert is designed to bring together “some of national television’s newest aspiring voices on one of Nashville’s most iconic stages.”
Wilson was among those who shared the concert poster on social media, writing, “Our time on national television may have come to a close, but we’re not finished just yet 😮💨 Join my friends and I for an incredible night of music that you WON’T wanna miss!”
Twelve recently-eliminated “Idol” contestants, all of whom made it to the Top 26 or Top 20, are slated to perform and have been sharing details of the concert on social media. Here’s a list of the featured artists and where they landed in the competition.
- Mariah Faith — Top 20
- Emma Busse — Top 26
- Matt Wilson — Top 20
- Dawson Wayne — Top 26
- Elise Kristine — Top 26
- PJAE — Top 26
- Nailyah Serenity — Top 20
- Kaeyra — Top 20
- Malik Heard — Top 26
- Michael Williams — Top 20
- Hannah Nicolaisen — Top 20
- Olivia Soli – Top 20
Tickets to the live show cost $20 to $55, including a meet-and-greet package. Those who can’t get to Nashville can stream the concert at 8 p.m. Central time with a $14.99 virtual ticket.
Other Recent ‘Idol’ Contestants Are Already Working on New Music & Shows
Many of the most recently-eliminated contestants — those who made it to the Top 12 but were cut before the Top 5 was announced this week — are quickly working to leverage their newfound fame, promoting new music and teasing other projects.
High school student Haven Madison, who made it to the Top 8, posted a “thank you” message on Instagram to her fans on May 10, and in her Instagram Stories on the same day, she answered fans’ questions about her future plans, which include recording new songs over the next couple of weeks.
When one fan asked what her next steps are, Madison wrote, “I’m talking to a few talent agencies, labels, and management companies to try and figure out where I’m headed.”
And, in response to someone who asked whether she’d scored a record deal yet, she replied, “Plenty of conversations are occurring. There is much on the horizon…”
Madison’s friend and fellow 17-year-old contestant Tyson Venegas released his first independent album on March 31, while he was still competing on “Idol,” and said in his Instagram Stories on May 10 that he’s hoping to announce a concert soon.
Top 12 contestant Nutsa Buzaladze has also posted frequently, promoting her new independently-released single “Alive” while sharing photos and videos from a trip to the Dominican Republic. While waiting for her flight at the airport, she excitedly shared in her Instagram Stories on May 6 that she was getting recognized by fellow travelers.
She wrote, “First time in my life I felt what it feels like to be a celebrity in America ❤️ it’s the best thing ever, how would i ever expect in my life that people would be coming to me at the airport, recognize me and telling me how much they love and support me??!!! ❤️honestly this is the best experience and the best thing that american idol ❤️ is giving artists … just sitting now at the airport and thinking how blessed and thankful I am 🥹🥹🥹”
Meanwhile, Lucy Love, whose original song “Boulders” can be heard on YouTube, has posted Instagram videos of herself working on writing and singing drafts of new songs, including one with lyrics directed at her critics.
“Tried to kill my soul,” she sings, “wanted all my gold, you thought that I would lose but all I did was bruise. Why you hate my light, is it ’cause it’s way too bright?”
Top 10 contestant Marybeth Byrd, who debuted her emotional original song “People Pleaser” on “Idol,” posted an Instagram video of her rehearsing before the show and wrote, “This is the kind of music I wanna continue to make, the kind that speaks to the soul!”
After she was eliminated from “Idol,” the Arkansas radio host shared an upbeat post, writing, “Soon, I’ll be off to Nashville to see Dream Team and start on some REALLY cool stuff. Maybe an album? Y’all ready? Life is good!”
Top 8 contestant Oliver Steele, who became close friends with frontrunner Iam Tongi, hasn’t shared his immediate plans yet but did post a question in his Instagram Stories on May 10, asking fans if they’d be interested in him doing a joint album or tour with Tongi.
Warren Peay, meanwhile, has a wedding to plan after getting engaged to his longtime girlfriend this spring. After he was eliminated from the Top 8, he wrote on Instagram that he “can’t wait to hit the road for some shows, as well as get some music out just as soon as I can!”
If “American Idol” follows the same strategy as previous years, many of the most recently-eliminated contestants will return to sing on the season finale, which airs on May 21 on ABC.