Heavy/ABC "American Idol" top 3 results
After advancing to the top 5 on “American Idol,” finalists Will Moseley, Emmy Russell, Abi Carter, Jack Blocker, and Triston Harper spent several days visiting Disney World in Orlando with their moms and receiving advice from celebrity mentor Kane Brown. On May 12, 2024, they were back in Hollywood, ready to perform live in hopes of receiving enough votes to make it to the top 3 by the end of the night.
The show began with celebrity judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan having fun at Disney and singing the “Toy Story” classic tune “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.” Perry, who loves dressing in costume for Disney night, then walked out on stage in a short pink dress and blond wig. But when she spun around, it transformed into a full Cinderella gown.
Spoiler Alert:Heavy is providing recaps and results throughout the night as the top 5 perform two Disney songs each, the judges give their feedback and America casts its votes live. If you do not want to know what happens during the live show and the final results, do not continue reading past this point.
‘American Idol’ Top 3: First Hour
ABCWill Moseley, Jack Blocker, Triston Harper, Abi Carter and Emmy Russell grab a selfie after the Top 5 show of “American Idol”
The first contestant to perform was Abi Carter, beginning with video footage of her at Disney World and talking about what a huge Disney fan she’s always been. She then worked with Brown on “Part of Your World” from “The Little Mermaid,” which he said he thought was the perfect song for her. He encouraged Carter not to just stand at the microphone and move around the stage to interact with the audience.
- JUDGE FEEDBACK: Bryan told Carter that she “embodied the character” of Ariel and Richie said her voice is customized for Disney night. In the voice of Cinderella, Perry said Carter’s performance was a “dream come true.”
After a break, Triston Harper took the stage. In footage from his Disney World visit, Harper said he loved watching Disney movies growing up. Harper chose “Almost There” from “The Princess and the Frog.” In his mentorship session with Brown, the country star talked with him about growing up biracial and in poverty, relating to Harper’s harrowing childhood. He also worked with him on a key change and predicted he’ll be a big star.
- JUDGE FEEDBACK: Richie raved about Harper, calling him “Mr. Entertainment,” and marveling that he looks so comfortable on the stage. “You make the audience love you more when you are just having fun,” he said. Perry told him, “You’re more than ‘Almost There,’ you’re there!” And Bryan told Harper he’s “such a charmer” that it was like watching Frank Sinatra. “Do that forever, please don’t change,” Bryan told him.
Next, Emmy Russell was up and talking about how she loved all the Disney princess movies but hadn’t been to Disney World since she was four. Since she feels like her journey has been such a climb, Russell said she chose “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus from “Hannah Montana: The Movie.” She got nervous during her mentorship session with Brown, who told her to just close her eyes and feel that she was back in church, which helped her confidence and vocals. In fact, Brown called her “an animal” when she is in her zone. Russell played the song sitting at the piano and surprised herself by tearing up at the end.
- JUDGE FEEDBACK: Perry told her she thinks the song was “so true for you,” since she continues to work at not letting the negative voice in her head get to her. Bryan said he loves that there were notes in the song that Russell wouldn’t have previously attempted and that she’s done a great job of working through her nerves. “You’re just so real,” he told her. Richie said Russell’s voice is distinct and called her a “stylist” vs. a singer.
After a commercial break — and a surprise appearance by “Frozen” star Idina Menzel — it was Jack Blocker‘s turn. Blocker chose to perform “Nobody’s Fool” from “Cars 2,” originally sung by Brad Paisley. Brown toured with Paisley, he said, and Brown said he has “swagger about him” that he hasn’t fully realized. He encouraged him to look the part — which he did, wearing a red and white western shirt with sparkles — and go out there with confidence.
- JUDGE FEEDBACK: Bryan started by saying, “I hear ya, Fred Astaire!” He said he did, indeed, take the stage with swagger, which he loved. Richie said his new stage name for him is “Jack Swagger.” Remembering how she hadn’t seen his potential early on, Perry also said, “If you win this thing, this is gonna be a real Cinderella story for you!”
Next up, Will Moseley said he’d been having a “blast” at Disney World and thought it was wild that people were asking for his autograph. Moseley chose a Chris Stapleton song — “The Ballad of the Lonesome Cowboy” from “Toy Story 4” and Brown told him he thought he was holding back. “There’s soul in there, bruh,” he told him, and encouraged him to show a little more soul in his performance.
- JUDGE FEEDBACK: Richie said that when he was producing Kenny Rogers, he told him that a crack in his voice was believable and critical in country music, and to embrace that when it happens. Bryan loved the song choice and that Disney night brought out the soul in his voice.
Following a commercial break, singer and actress Jenifer Lewis gave a special performance of “Dig a Little Deeper” from “The Princess and the Frog,” with Terence Blanchard on the trumpet.
‘American Idol’ Top 3 Results: Hour 2
Emmy Russell started the second hour with her second performance. But first, “Idol” began sharing contestants’ gratitude for their moms — a tradition that’s become a popular feature on the show each year. Russell was shown with her mom, Patsy, sharing one-on-one time in “Animal Kingdom” and celebrating their bond. Russell then took the stage to sing the uptempo “Carried Me With Me” from “Onward.”
- JUDGE FEEDBACK: Perry said that song “opened you up” in the right way, and reminded her to never hide because she deserves to be “out front and center.” Bryan said he loved seeing her move around the stage and said “the sky’s gonna be the limit” for her career. Richie said that every time they walk on stage, they’re never sure how it will go, but they remind themselves to have confidence and it works — just as it has been for working for her.
After another break, Triston Harper was seen spending time at Disney World with his mom, Hattie Mae, and siblings. She called his journey “a dream come true,” and he shared his letter to her, which brought him to tears at Disney World and again in the audience as she watched the footage. Harper then took the stage to perform “Life is a Highway” from “Cars.”
- JUDGE FEEDBACK: Bryan predicted, “Life is a highway and you’re gonna be on a highway in a tour bus!” Richie then predicted that in addition to having background dancers, it was fun to see his mom dancing in the audience for him. Perry said it was one of his best vocal performances, adding that she loved how he added some grit to his voice.
After a break, Abi Carter was shown spending time on rides with her mom, Andrea. Over shakes, they got to watch old videos of 21-year-old Carter growing up, and tearfully talked about how hard the divorce was on their family. Carter took the stage to sing “The Chain” from “Guardians of the Galaxy 2.”
- JUDGE FEEDBACK: Richie told her it was “such a moving conversation you had with your mother,” and then said she did a “great job” with the song. Perry said, “I think you’re on your way” and Bryan agreed, saying, “Your confidence is so there,” pointing to how “unbelievable” it is to watch her “going into diva mode.” The crowd cheered her name over and over after their feedback.
After a break, Jack Blocker was surprised by his mom, and they enjoyed rides together. She told him how proud she is of the man he’s become, saying, “There are not words to express how proud I am to be your mom.” She told producers it’s been a gift to see him “step into a role he was created to do,” and they sweetly shared a slow dance in the Beast’s castle. Blocker then took the stage to sing David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” from “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.”
- JUDGE FEEDBACK: Perry said he has kept surprising them each week and that no one is going to the bathroom at home when he comes on stage. Bryan said it was a great song choice for him and he loved his approach, and seeing how mature he is. Richie said, “What I wish upon you is, ‘If you think your mother’s proud of you now, wait until that career blossoms!”
Before the last performance of the night, Will Moseley appeared with his mom at Disney World, surprised by his mom Sheila. While they fished together, the 23-year-old talked about his mom buying his first guitar for him and supporting his musical dreams, and she talked about how proud she is of him. For his second Disney tune, Moseley chose to sing “Born To Be Wild” from “D3: The Mighty Ducks.”
- JUDGE FEEDBACK: Bryan told him it was the perfect song for him and said he hopes people can tell how big his voice is. Richie said, “Way to play the stage” and called his performance was “incredible.” Perry agreed, saying it was “the best you’ve ever sounded to me,” and he and Richie called it “nasty.”
‘American Idol’ Top 3 Results
Voting closed during the last commercial break and Seacrest returned holding the results. Saying, as usual, that he would read them in no particular order, he revealed who is moving forward to the Top 3 and the three-hour season 22 finale on May 19.
The first contestant to go through, Seacrest revealed, is Will Moseley.
The second contestant in the top 3 is Abi Carter.
With three contestants left, the final name Seacrest read, rounding out the top 3, is Jack Blocker.
That means Emmy Russell and Triston Harper are heading home.