Heavy/ABC Iam Tongi and Nutsa Buzaladze on "American Idol."
When it comes to a show like “American Idol” there is power in numbers, especially when it comes to social media followers. With fan voting being the lifeblood of the competition, the power of a platform like Instagram takes on even more weight.
As the season’s Top 26 now turns into the Top 20 and so on down the line to 12, more attention is placed on how contestants manage their social media platforms. With a large portion of voting taking place online, being able to connect with your fans on Instagram can be the difference between staying in the competition or going.
So which of the remaining contestants is on top in the social media game?
Nutsa Buzaladze Has a Huge Instagram Following
There is something to be said about having strength in numbers, and no one in this competition has a stranglehold on Instagram like Nutsa Buzaladze. As of the Top 26 performances concluding, she is sitting at 391,000 followers and climbing.
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Aside from being on “American Idol” and gaining attention on the hit ABC show, she also has the backing of her country, Georgia, as the first contestant from the South Caucasus. There’s also the viral moments she has been a part of on this season that have kept her in the spotlight, including the glitter comments directed at her by Katy Perry. And she’s simply one of the more entertaining and unique performers.
These ‘American Idol’ Hopefuls Are Gaining Popularity
While no one has the numbers quite like Buzaladze does at the moment, a few others have separated themselves from the pack, which can be a sign of things to come when it’s time to count votes.
William “Iam” Tongi saw a massive jump to 327,000 followers following his Top 26 performance. Similarly to Buzaladze, he has a strong following from his hometown, this time coming from the islands of Hawaii. His performances have all become viral sensations on YouTube, which has aided in his popularity.
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Wé Ani is closing in on 200,000 followers on Instagram, sitting at 192,000 after she performed Miley Cyrus’ “Edge of Midnight” at Disney’s Aulani Resort. Ani, Tongi and Buzaladze have the clear advantage when it comes to their social media fanbases.
The rest of the group ranges from 10,000 to 70,000, giving the three leaders in the clubhouse a clear head start as “American Idol” gets into fan voting.
Fan Voting Has Always Been an ‘American Idol’ Staple
The concept of voting for your favorite singers has been around since season 1. Back then, the fan voting began during the Top 30 round. Now it typically occurs at the Top 24 (or the Top 26 in this season’s case). There’s nothing like seeing Ryan Seacrest take the stages and insist the lights be dimmed for what sets up a tense reading off of names.
The number of ballots that get cast each episode has continued to climb with each season. Last season’s winner, Noah Thompson, picked up more than 16 million votes in the finale.
New episodes of “American Idol” air every Sunday and Monday until a new winner is crowned.