Heavy/ABC Odell Bunton Jr. with "American Idol" judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and Katy Perry after learning his fate on the show
In their second massive cut in just 24 hours, “American Idol” judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie have whittled the talent pool down again by more than half. After performing in the Showstoppers Round, which aired on April 1, 2024, the 56 contestants who survived Hollywood Week’s new “Idol Arena” received their final judgments, which determined the Top 24.
Those 24 contestants move on to compete at Disney’s Aulani Resort & Spa in Hawaii, working with celebrity mentors Jelly Roll and Tori Kelly before their performances with the “American Idol” band in front of a packed crowd. Their performances, which were taped in early February, will air on April 7 and 8, and will mark the first time viewers get to vote on who should go through to the Top 20, per ABC.
On the following Sunday, April 14, host Ryan Seacrest will reveal who made it through the Top 20. But the contestants will also perform in hopes of making it into the Top 14, to be announced the very next night.
Spoiler Alert: The remainder of this article reveals spoilers on which contestants made it through and details about the Showstoppers Round.
Which of the 3 Platinum Ticket Winners Will Advance on Season 22 of ‘American Idol’?
ABC“American Idol” season 22 platinum ticket recipients Abi Carter, Odell Bunton Jr., and Julia Gagnon
The three singers who impressed the judges the most during the auditions received platinum tickets, allowing them to sail through to the Top 56 without being judged. But for the Showstopper rounds, all three — Abi Carter, Odell Bunton Jr., and Julia Gagnon — had to perform.
Making it through was not a given for the trio of talented singers. In 2023, platinum ticket recipients Kaylin Hedges and Cam Amen didn’t make it to the Top 24 despite their early success.
Bunton Jr., a 28-year-old airport security guard, performed an emotional rendition of Nina Simone’s “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” in honor of his late sister’s birthday. He told the judges he had 12 family members living in a two-bed hotel room, so his hopes were high to move forward in the competition. So he broke down in tears when he learned he’d made the Top 24.
Carter, who dropped out of high school to help her mom raise her siblings post-divorce, was hopeful that her “Idol” journey could shift the direction of her path. But, she revealed in her final judgement, she got bronchitis before her Showstoppers performance. While that wasn’t in her control, Perry told her that playing the guitar was — and that it didn’t serve her well. But knowing her vocal potential, they put her through to the Top 24.
Gagnon, a 21-year-old college student from Maine, said she was a “ball of nerves” as she performed “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” from Dreamgirls. But the judges were standing up for her within a few seconds of her singing, even though Richie later said she overdid it a bit. Gagnon cried over the news she’d made it through to the Top 24 along with her fellow platinum ticket holders.
Multiple Country Artists Landed Spots in the Top 24
ABC15-year-old country music singer Triston Harper on “American Idol”
With three of the last five “Idol” winners being country artists — season 17’s Laine Hardy, season 19’s Chayce Beckham and season 20’s Noah Thompson — it’s no surprise the latest Top 24 has several country artists. Here, we’re updating which ones will continue on in the competition.
Triston Harper, a 15-year-old from Alabama who has shared his story of being homeless with his mom when he was younger, played guitar while singing Cody Johnson’s “By Your Grace” as his mom cried in the audience. He received a three-judge standing ovation and during the final judgement, Perry told him he was “rock solid” but that they want him to have fun and be playful during his “Idol” journey.
Mia Matthews, 19, who performed Loretta Lynn’s “You Ain’t Woman Enough,” was stunned when the judges brought her in with McKenna Breinholt and told her fairly quickly that they weren’t there for a sing-off, but rather to learn they’d both made it into the Top 24.
Will Moseley, 23, brought his raspy vocals to the stage with Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine” and had Richie pumping his fists from the first note. Bryan told him that his “natural, authentic” voice had earned him a spot in the Top 24.
‘American Idol’ Season 22 Attracted Many Gifted Singer/Songwriters
ABCSinger/Songwriter Emmy Russell during Hollywood Week on season 22 of “American Idol”
One of the things that sets “American Idol” apart from talent shows that have come after it is that producers welcome singer/songwriters to perform their original tunes rather than cover songs. For that reason, many gifted songwriters who entered the competition this year also landed in the Top 24.
Blake Proehl, a former Minnesota Viking who discovered his love of singing and songwriting while recovering from an injury, performed “In My Blood” by Shawn Mendes. All three judges gave him a standing ovation, but Perry said it was clear he didn’t have confidence in his voice. His Nana, who was the one who encouraged him most, delivered the news via FaceTime that he’d made the Top 24.
Jack Blocker, a graphic designer who only made it through his original audition because the “Idol” crew convinced Richie to change his vote, played the acoustic guitar while singing Nathaniel Rateliff’s “You Should’ve Seen The Other Guy.” Both Richie and Perry apologized to Bryan — the only judge who originally saw his potential — and joked that they “didn’t know Jack.” All three happily voted him through to the Top 24 and the crew even came out to cheer for him.
Emmy Russell, 24, who is country legend Loretta Lynn’s granddaughter, has said she’s ready to make a name for herself. She did just that, according to the judges, with her cover of Ingrid Andress’ “More Hearts Than Mine.” Bryan said they’d enjoyed watching her confidence grow and welcomed her into the Top 24.
Kayko, a Nashville indie musician and songwriter who stumbled into his “Idol” journey while accompanying friend Abby Blake to her audition, wound up in the Top 24 — though producers didn’t share his Showstoppers performance.
Jennifer Jeffries, an unassuming 17-year-old who’s already shown her songwriting prowess on the show, played Noah Kahan’s “Northern Attitude” for the Showstopper round. She told the judges she “blacked out a lot of it,” but Perry called her “a star in the making” and Bryan said he had “chill bumps” down his thighs after her performance.
Pop and R&B Artists Round Out the Roster of Season 22 Hopefuls
ABCJayna Elise Brown auditioning for her second time on “American Idol”
Lots of performers in season 22 have a gift for singing soulful, popular music — from current pop hits to R&B classics. Here’s who came out on top during the 2024 Showstoppers round.
Jordan Anthony from Perth, Australia, was the first contestant to receive his “final judgement” from the judges after performing Adele’s “Love in the Dark.” Perry experienced goosebumps throughout his rendition and Bryan said his vocals were “melting” them with his “incredible tone.” Anthony sailed through to the next round.
Nyachomba “Nya” Muchai-Kinya, a 28-year-old Broadway performer, rocked the house with the Temptations’ “Get Ready” to the judges’ delight. After saying they wanted to fake her out as a joke, Perry said it was obvious she needed to sail right through to the Top 24.
Roman Collins, 24, spoke to the audience before he sang the Beatles’ “Come Together,” revealing that he was about to mark six years since his mother’s death. Though it was always a sad occasion, he said he thought it was amazing that he was spending that time doing something he loves so much. Collins fell to the floor in a dramatic ending to his gospel-infused performance, causing Perry to fall to her knees, too. She later told him it was the best performance of the night, making him a shoe-in for the Top 24.
K.B. Richins and Alyssa Raghu, appearing for her third time on “Idol” after a controversial audition this season, were brought to see the judges together. Raghu sang Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” while Richins leveraged her raspy voice to sing “Simple Man” by Lynyrd Skynyrd. The judges said they’d argued over them so they challenged them to a sing-off, with only an hour to prepare. They both performed Lady Gaga’s “Shallow,” with Richin winning out in the end.
McKenna Breinholt, who is likely memorable to viewers since she met her birth family for the first time during her initial audition, sang Demi Lovato’s “Anyone” — but Bryan said wasn’t her best moment thus far. Nevertheless, as she sat next to country singer Mia Matthews for their final judgement, they were both sent through to the Top 24.
Ajii, a 27-year-old nursing home security guard, revealed he’d nearly lost his voice screaming for his fellow contestants during Hollywood Week. The judges loved his tone on Alex Clare’s “Too Close,” but told him that as he continues in the Top 24, they want to see even stronger vocals from him.
Elligh Marie Francom’s Showstopper round wasn’t shown, but she made it into the Top 24, too. Producers chose instead to show a clip from her audition, when Bryan said he thought she was Top 10 material.
Kennedy Reid, a mortician from Indiana who’s said she’s received lots of hateful messages about her appearance since her initial audition, also sailed through to the Top 24 — though producers didn’t show her Showstopper performance either.
KBlocks, a 27-year-old cook from Alabama with a quirky delivery and fun personality, performed Bishop Briggs’ “River.” During her final judgement, she told the judges that being part of the show had put a “light in my soul.” The judges said she did the same with her fierceness, giving her all to make it into the Top 24.
Jayna Elise Brown, who made it through to Hollywood in season 21 but not to the Top 24, was back for redemption — and it worked. The 22-year-old from Washington, D.C. sang a soulful, charismatic rendition of Celine Dion’s “It’s All Coming Back To Me Now” that landed her easily in the Top 24 this time.
Though “Idol” didn’t share their Showstopper rounds or final judgements, Seacrest announced that Quintavious Johnson, who was a finalist on “America’s Got Talent” a decade ago, and 16-year-old Hailey Mia, who was a finalist on “The Voice” at age 13, both made it through to the Top 24.
Mackenzie Sol, a popular TikTok pranker who’s making the transition to being a serious singer, was brought in to see the judges with Ziggy Krassenberg, who sang “This Is Me” from “The Greatest Showman.” Perry told Sol she was worried when she saw he was singing The Beatles’ “With A Little Help From My Friends” but that he surprised her with his delivery. The two had to compete in a sing-off of Harry Styles’ “Jealous” by Labrinth. Both received standing ovations from the judges but they eventually decided to put Sol through.
Several Fan Favorites Didn’t Make the Top 24
ABCMichael Rice and Scarlett Lee learned they were not moving onto the Top 24.
With so many contestants getting cut from the competition, multiple fan favorites — and judge favorites — were bound to be sent home. They include Santa Barbara busker Micaela McCall, Arkansas R&B singer Justice Murphy, and British singers Michael Rice and Scarlett Lee.