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American Idol season 21 Top 5 finalist, Zachariah Smith has been busy since competing on the show in 2023. Zachariah has released the singles "American Grace," "Midnight in Mississippi," "Dream Again," and "Rainy Days." After American Idol, Zachariah performed in the Built 4 More Tour and made his Grand Ole Opry debut.

American Idol season 21 finalist Zachariah Smith has been busy since he competed in the reality singing competition series in 2023. Zachariah, a then 19-year-old from Amory, Mississippi, who worked as the grill cook at the famous restaurant, Bill's Hamburgers, auditioned for the show in Nashville, Tennessee. He impressed the judges--Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan--with his incredible vocals and showmanship at his audition, during which he sang "Hurts So Good" by John Mellencamp.

Throughout American Idol season 21, Zachariah continued to blow everyone away with his awesome performances. He brought his signature throwback style to songs such as "Lucille" by Little Richard,...

American Idol season 21 finalist Colin Stough has won Live with Kelly and Mark's American Idol Encore contest. During the finale, Colin placed third behind runner-up Megan Danielle and winner Iam Tongi. The American Idol Encore allows fans to vote for one of their favorite finalists (not including the winner and runner-up), to perform on Live With Kelly and Mark. Past winners include Cade Foehner (season 16), Madison Vandenburg (season 17), Julia Gargano (season 18), Grace Kinstler (season 19), and Fritz Hager (season 20).

On the May 24 episode of Live with Kelly and Mark, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos announced that the winner of the American Idol Encore contest is Colin (shared via YouTube). Kelly built suspense leading up to the reveal, exclaiming, "That's right, the results are in. After a nationwide poll, the fans have spoken."

Colin competed against five of his fellow American Idol season 21 Top 8 finalists for America's votes, including Oliver Steele, Warren Peay,...

Spoiler Alert: This article contains details of the winner of American Idol Season 21.

American Idol has crowned its new winner after finalists Iam Tongi, Megan Danielle and Colin Stough battled it out one last time for America’s vote.

After all the votes, America crowned Tongi as their new Idol following performances onstage that included “Making Memories of Us,” “Cool Down,” “I’ll Be Seeing You” and “Don’t Let Go.”

Danielle also took the stage to perform songs like “God Whispered Your Name,” “Faithfully” and “Dream Girl.”

Stough placed in third place after performing “Stupid Boy” and “Either Way.”

Throughout the night, the stage of American Idol was graced by many stars. Pitbull and Lil Jon were joined by the Top 12 contestants for “Give Me Everything” and “Jumpin.”

TLC and Lucy Love took us back to remember some of the trio’s hits like “No Scrubs,” “Creep” and “Waterfalls.”

Kevin Cronin...

Tonight on “American Idol,” the live coast-to-coast, three-hour season finale features special performances from music legends and today’s top artists, with the Top 3 contestants taking the stage for the final time as America decides who will become the next American Idol. Will Colin Stough, Iam Tongi or Megan Danielle be crowned the winner? Emmy Award winner Ryan Seacrest hosts the reality TV competition series for the show’s sixth season on ABC and 21st overall.

Follow along with our updating live blog on Sunday, May 21 (8:00 p.m. Et/5:00 p.m. Pt) as we react to the Top 3 performances and reveal who wins.

The all-star lineup of performers includes the return of former Idol judge Keith Urban (singing “Wild Heart”), who will also mentor each of the finalists. Also confirmed to hit the stage are Clay Aiken & Ruben Studdard, Ellie Goulding, James Blunt, Jazmine Sullivan, Jelly Roll, Kevin Cronin,...

The three-hour finale of “American Idol” will air live coast-to-coast on Sunday, May 21 (8:00 p.m. Et/5:00 p.m. Pt). Colin Stough, Iam Tongi and Megan Danielle will take the stage for the final time as America decides who will become the Season 21 champion.

ABC has announced the all-star lineup of performers includes the return of former Idol judge Keith Urban (singing “Wild Heart”), who will also mentor each of the finalists. Also confirmed to hit the stage are Clay Aiken & Ruben Studdard, Ellie Goulding, James Blunt, Jazmine Sullivan, Jelly Roll, Kevin Cronin, Kylie Minogue, Lainey Wilson, Lauren Daigle, Pitbull, TLC and possibly more!

See ‘American Idol’ Season 21: Finalists

In addition, judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie will each sing their own hits. The season’s Top 12 contestants including Wé Ani, Zachariah Smith, Haven Madison, Oliver Steele, Warren Peay, Marybeth Byrd, Tyson Venegas, Lucy Love and Nutsa will also perform.

Tonight on “American Idol,” celebrate the magic of Disney as the Top 5 perform Disney classics Live and America votes for the Top 3. Sofia Carson mentors the contestants at Disneyland Resort and Halle Bailey performs. America votes for the Top 5 Live coast to coast. Will your favorites make the cut? Emmy Award winner Ryan Seacrest hosts the reality TV competition series for the show’s sixth season on ABC and 21st overall.

Follow along with our updating live blog on Sunday, May 14 (8:00 p.m. Et/5:00 p.m. Pt) as we react to the Top 5 performances and reveal who will advance to the finale on Sunday, May 21.

See Everything to know about ‘American Idol’ Season 21: Finalists, judges and celebrity mentors

8:00 p.m. — Previously on “American Idol”! The Top 8 performed songs by Grammy winners Alanis Morissette and Ed Sheeran. Haven Madison, Oliver Steele and Warren Peay were eliminated at the end of the episode.

Hey, "American Idol" fans. Tonight, May 7, 2023, another new performances/results episode for American Idol's current season 21 did indeed hit the air, and three unlucky singers had to say, bye bye, revealing the top 5 contestants this year. Judges Lionel Richie, and Katy Perry are currently in the United Kingdom to perform at King Charles’ Coronation Concert. So, music stars Alanis Morissette and Ed Sheeran showed up to do some judging with judge Luke Bryan. The top 8 performed songs from Alanis’ catalog of songs while she mentored the contestants. The top 8 were also paired up for duets to sing Ed Sheeran songs. Warren Peay kicked off tonight's performances by singing, "All I Really Want" song by Alanis Morissette. Afterwards, Alanis said, "I appreciate that you took my notes. This is a version that I never imagined!” Ed said, “You really shined without the guitar. There was a lot of confidence.” Luke said,...

American Idol season 21's Top 8 became the Top 5 as three finalists were eliminated. The contestants each sang one Alanis Morissette song and one Ed Sheeran duet. Alanis mentored the contestants as they prepared to perform her songs. In addition, Alanis and Ed joined Luke Bryan on the judging panel. They filled in for Katy Perry and Lionel Richie, who performed at King Charles III's coronation in the United Kingdom. They appeared live from Windsor Castle throughout the show.

American Idol season 21 said goodbye to three finalists, creating the Top 5 made up of Zachariah Smith, Megan Danielle, Iam Tongi, Wé Ani, and Colin Stough. They will perform next week on Disney Night, and Sofia Carson will serve as their mentor. Without a judges' save, America had the final say in who went home, and Warren Peay, Haven Madison, and Oliver Steele were eliminated from the competition. As the Top 5 prepare for next week,...

The “American Idol” Top 10 hit the stage on Sunday night, performing for America’s vote and a spot in the Top 5. Guest judges Alanis Morissette and Ed Sheeran joined Luke Bryan as the contestants performed solo renditions of Morissette’s hits and duets of Sheeran’s. Haven Madison, Oliver Steel and Warren Peay were eliminated from the competition. But did America get it right? And who gave the best performance? Vote in our poll below.

Numerous “Idol” alums have returned to help the contestants navigate various stages of the competition this season. Hollywood Week mentors included Clay Aiken, David Archuleta, Justin Guarini, Phillip Phillips, Jordin Sparks and Catie Turner. Soul and R&b singer-songwriter Allen Stone and Grammy nominee Noah Cyrus mentored the Top 26 from Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Hawaii. Idol alum Adam Lambert returned to help the Top 12 through “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Night.” On Sunday,...

Tonight on “American Idol,” Alanis Morissette and Ed Sheeran join Luke Bryan as guest judges. Katy Perry and Lionel Richie check in from Windsor Palace as they celebrate the coronation of King Charles III. Morissette pulls double duty as mentor while the Top 8 perform solo renditions of her hits, and also team up for duets from Sheeran’s music catalog. America votes for the Top 5 Live coast to coast. Will your favorites make the cut? Emmy Award winner Ryan Seacrest hosts the reality TV competition series for the show’s sixth season on ABC and 21st overall.

Follow along with our updating live blog on Sunday, May 7 (8:00 p.m. Et/5:00 p.m. Pt) as we react to the Top 8 performances and reveal who will perform in the Top 5 on Sunday, May 14.

See Everything to know about ‘American Idol’ Season 21: Finalists, judges and celebrity mentors

8:00 p.m.

The “American Idol” Top 8 contestants perform Live coast to coast on Sunday, May 7 in hopes of advancing to the Top 5. Grammy winners Alanis Morissette and Ed Sheeran will join Luke Bryan as guest judges while series regulars Katy Perry and Lionel Richie jet off to the UK to take part in the historic coronation of King Charles III. But which contestants are predicted to go home?

“American Idol” superfans have been forecasting the outcome in our Gold Derby Predictions Center. According to the latest odds, Oliver Steele is most likely to be heading home after landing in the bottom three last week. Katy saved him after winning the Judge’s Song Contest. The other two singers most at risk of elimination are Haven Madison and Warren Peay.

See Everything to know about ‘American Idol’ Season 21: Finalists, judges and celebrity mentors

Iam Tongi continues to be the frontrunner this season.

The American Idol season 21 Top 8 finalists will sing the hits of music legend Alanis Morissette, and there are certain songs that each should perform in order to advance to the Top 5. Alanis, along with music superstar Ed Sheeran, will join judge Luke Bryan and fill in for Katy Perry and Lionel Richie, as they perform at King Charles III's coronation in the United Kingdom. Although Katy and Lionel will appear from Windsor Castle throughout the episode, Alanis and Ed will serve as mentors and judges for the contestants. Each finalist will sing one of Alanis' songs, and then team up for duets on one of Ed's tunes.

The American Idol season 21 Top 8 consists of Colin Stough, Haven Madison, Iam Tongi, Megan Danielle, Oliver Steele, Warren Peay, Wé Ani, and Zachariah Smith. Each of them is unique and brings their own style to the show. They are some of the...

American Idol judges Katy Perry and Lionel Richie will perform at King Charles III's coronation in the United Kingdom, missing the May 7 episode, and Katy is now reacting to her temporary replacements. Earlier in the week, host Ryan Seacrest announced that music superstars Alanis Morissette and Ed Sheeran will fill in for Katy and Lionel on the judging panel. They will also serve as mentors for American Idol season 21's Top 8 contestants and perform during the episode. The contestants will sing one Alanis song and then team up for a duet on one of Ed's tunes. However, Katy and Lionel will check in from Windsor Castle.

In an interview with People, American Idol judge Katy Perry expressed that she "loved the reaction from the contestants" when Alanis and Ed were announced as her and Lionel's replacements. She gushed, "I idolize Alanis," adding that Alanis' iconic album Jagged Little Pill...

American Idol judges Katy Perry and Lionel Richie will be temporarily replaced on the May 7 episode, and their substitutes are two of music's biggest superstars. Katy, Lionel, and Luke Bryan have served on the American Idol judging panel since ABC revived the show for season 16 in 2018. They have since discovered some of the best new talent in America, including winners Maddie Poppe, Laine Hardy, Just Sam, Chayce Beckham, and Noah Thompson.

American Idol season 21 has some of the most extraordinarily talented singers that the show has ever seen. On May 7, the contestants will be narrowed down from the Top 8 to the Top 5, but they will not be judged by Katy and Lionel. Here's the special reason why these two judges won't appear, and who is taking their place.

Katy Perry & Lionel Richie Will Miss American Idol Due To The Coronation

On the May 1 episode of American Idol, which featured the Judges' Song Contest,...

The “American Idol” Top 10 performed for “The Judge’s Song Contest Night” on Monday, May 1. Immediately following the episode we polled fans and asked who gave the best performance. Wé Ani topped the list for the second night in a row with her passionate rendition of “I Have Nothing” by Whitney Houston. The song was chosen for her by Luke Bryan, but Katy Perry was the winner of the song contest, defeating Bryan and Lionel Richie. When Oliver Steele, Marybeth Byrd and Tyson Venegas landed in the bottom three, she used her winning powers to save Oliver.

Marybeth and Tyson were eliminated. But did American get it right? And who gave the best performances of the night? Watch Wé’s performance and see our full poll results below.

See ‘American Idol’ announces Ed Sheeran and Alanis Morissette as guest judges for May 7; who are they replacing?

‘American Idol’ Top 10: Who gave the best performance?...

American Idol season 21 is heading into its final weeks of the competition, and the Top 8 has been determined. On Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Night, American Idol season 8 runner-up and current Queen frontman Adam Lambert mentored the contestants. Unfortunately, Nutsa and Lucy Love were sent home after they were saved by the judges, Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan, the week before. The American Idol season 21 Top 10 then performed during the Judges' Song Contest on the following night.

During the American Idol season 21 Judges' Song Contest, the judges chose a song for every contestant, who then picked one of them. After the performance was over, they had to guess who picked it. Since more contestants picked Katy's songs, she won the contest. She was able to save one contestant, Oliver Steele, to round out the Top 8. Sadly, Marybeth Byrd and Tyson Venegas went home. As the American Idol...

Tonight on “American Idol,” the “Judge’s Song Contest” returns as Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie each suggest songs for the contestants to choose from. America votes for the Top 7 Live coast to coast. Will your favorites make the cut? Emmy Award winner Ryan Seacrest hosts the reality TV competition series for the show’s sixth season on ABC and 21st overall.

Follow along with our updating live blog on Monday, May 1 (8:00 p.m. Et/5:00 p.m. Pt) as we react to the Top 10 performances and reveal who will perform in the Top 7 on Sunday, May 7.

See Everything to know about ‘American Idol’ Season 21: Finalists, judges and celebrity mentors

8:00 p.m. — Previously on “American Idol”! The Top 12 performed for “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Night.” Lucy Love and Nutsa were eliminated at the end of the episode. Who will stand out tonight as...

The “American Idol” Top 12 performed for “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Night” on Sunday, April 30. Immediately following the episode we polled fans and asked who gave the best performance. Wé Ani emerged as a new fan favorite, topping the list for her rockin’ rendition of the Etta James classic “Something’s Got a Hold On Me.” View our full poll results below.

See ‘American Idol’ sets Disney Night 2023 for May 14, but what will Katy Perry wear?

‘American Idol’ Top 12: Who gave the best performance?

Wé Ani (“Something’s Got a Hold On Me”) – 27%

Iam Tongi (“Bring It On Home”) – 26%

Megan Danielle (“Angel From Montgomery”) – 16%

Tyson Venegas (“For Once In My Life”) – 7%

Zachariah Smith (“Don’t Bring Me Down”) – 7%

Colin Stough (“Midnight Rider”) – 6%

Haven Madison (“Livin’ On a Prayer”) – 5%

Warren Peay (“House of the Rising Sun”) – 2%

Nutsa (“The Show Must Go On”) – 2%

Marybeth Byrd (“Dancing Queen”) – 1%

Oliver Steele (“Georgia...

Hey, "American Idol" fans. Tonight, April 30, 2023, another new episode of American Idol did hit the air. Tonight, it was a performance/results episode. All the judges: Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie were, of course, all on hand to deliver their critiques and praises. Tonight's performances kicked off with Tyson Venegas singing, "For Once In My Life" song by Stevie Wonder. Afterwards, Luke said, "You looked so comfortable. You weren’t even trying to make the magic happen.” Lionel said, "I liked your choreography. You were on fire.” Katy said, "I liked your stage presence and versatility. You just be you,” Warren Peay sang, "House of the Rising Sun" song by the Animals. Afterwards, Lionel said, "The song may have started too low, but you came out of it." Katy said, "I liked your gritty voice and how you stay true to himself." Luke said, "The front end of...

Since ABC gained the rights to “American Idol” in 2018, fans have agonized over two questions each and every season: 1) Who will win, and 2) What will Katy Perry wear on Disney Night? Well, we still have about a month to go until we find out who will join the “Idol” winners list, but the answer to our Disney question will be answered sooner rather than later.

ABC has confirmed to Gold Derby that Disney Night 2023 will air on May 14. That episode will feature the Top 5 artists still in the competition. As of this writing, the Top 12 singers are Wé Ani, Warren Peay, Haven Madison, Tyson Venegas, Colin Stough, Marybeth Byrd, Oliver Steele, Iam Tongi, Zachariah Smith, Lucy Love, Megan Danielle and Nutsa.

See ‘American Idol’ Winners List (All Seasons)

So far on ABC’s reality TV show, Perry has donned the costumes of Cinderella, Snow White, Ursula, Mrs. Jumbo, Tinker Bell and Ariel.

Tonight on “American Idol,” the competition heats up as the Top 12 contestants perform for superstar judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie on “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Night.” America’s vote for the Top 10 is revealed Live coast-to-coast. Will your favorites make the cut? Emmy Award winner Ryan Seacrest hosts the reality TV competition series for the show’s sixth season on ABC and 21st overall.

Follow along with our updating live blog on Sunday, April 30 (8:00 p.m. Et/5:00 p.m. Pt) as we react to the Top 12 performances and reveal who will perform in the Top 10 on Monday, May 1.

See Everything to know about ‘American Idol’ Season 21: Finalists, judges and celebrity mentors

8:00 p.m. — Previously on “American Idol”! The Top 10 were revealed before the judges saved Lucy Love and Nutsa to round out the Top 12. Who will stand out tonight as the...

Tonight on “American Idol,” the Top 20 contestants perform live, with overnight voting results revealing 10 Idol hopefuls who will continue. Judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie will choose two singers to round out the Top 12 competing to be the next American Idol. Emmy Award winner Ryan Seacrest hosts the reality TV competition series for the show’s sixth season on ABC and 21st overall.

See Everything to know about ‘American Idol’ Season 21: Finalists, judges and celebrity mentors

8:00 p.m. — Previously on “American Idol”! The Top 20 were revealed and performed for America’s vote. Viewers had until 9 a.m. Et/6 a.m. Pt Monday morning to vote for their favorite. Let’s find out who made the Top 12!

8:05 p.m. — Wé Ani is the first singer to advance to the Top 12. It’s fitting considering they made her wait all night on Sunday — she was the last...

The Season 21 “American Idol” Top 20 were revealed Sunday night, and immediately performed for a spot in the Top 12. Tonight, America’s vote will reveal the Top 10 before judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie save two more to round out the Top 12. In a recent poll we asked our readers to name their favorite performance from Sunday, April 23. Who came out on top? And who will be eliminated based on our results? View our full poll results below.

See Everything to know about ‘American Idol’ Season 21: Finalists, judges and celebrity mentors

Full disclosure: International fans are nuts for Nutsa! Especially from her home country of Georgia. Sadly, only Americans can vote for the next Idol, so to gauge a more accurate prediction, we have filtered out votes from outside America. But there is good news for Nutsa fans — she’s got plenty of cheerleaders stateside.

American Idol Top...

Tonight, the contestants return to Hollywood to learn the results of America’s first votes for the Top 20, performing again in hopes of securing a spot in the Top 12. “American Idol” 2022 winner Noah Thompson and runner-up HunterGirl will also take the stage. Follow our live blog below (updated in Pacific Standard Time).

“American Idol,” the iconic series that revolutionized the television landscape by pioneering the music competition genre, is back for another season on ABC. Helping determine who America will ultimately vote for to become the next singing sensation are music industry forces and superstar judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie. Emmy Award winner Ryan Seacrest hosts the reality TV competition series for the show’s sixth season on ABC and 21st overall.

See Everything to know about ‘American Idol’ Season 21: Finalists, judges and celebrity mentors

You can vote for your favorite contestants until 9 a.m. Et/ 6 a.

The Season 21 “American Idol” Top 26 hit the stage from Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa in Hawaii on Monday and Tuesday night. They were mentored by singer-songwriter Allen Stone and Grammy-nominated pop star Noah Cyrus before going live with a band in front of judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie. The Top 10 vote-getters from each night will advance to the Top 20 next week, so we asked our readers to weigh in. In two separate polls, we asked who gave the best performance from Sunday and Monday night. See the results below.

See Everything to know about ‘American Idol’ Season 21: Finalists, judges and celebrity mentors

Who gave the best performance from Hawaii Night 1?

Iam Tongi (“Don’t Let Go”) – 51%

Zachariah Smith (“Lucille”) – 13%

Warren Peay (“Set Fire to the Rain”) – 6%

Nailyah Serenity (“Lovin’ You”) – 5%

Matt Wilson (“Speechless”) – 5%

Kaeyra (“Don’t Let Go”) – 4%

Elise Kristine (“Holding Out For a Hero”) – 4%

Oliver Steele (“Better...

If you watched “American Idol’s” Hawaii-based episodes this week, you had the same question we did: who left the Top 26 so that Paige Anne could return? The answer wasn’t revealed on ABC’s reality TV show, so fans went scrambling to every corner of the internet to try to find answers. Well, we now know that Beckett Rex is the name of the person who voluntarily quit the competition. This 19-year-old singer, who was not actually shown on TV during any of the prior rounds, is the son of actor Malcolm McDowell.

“To all of you who are wondering, yes I was on ‘American Idol’ and I made the Top 26,” Beckett revealed on his Instagram Story. “I’m not going to say why I didn’t decide to continue in the competition but what I will say is that it was my choice.”

Beckett continued on, “I am...

“American Idol,” the iconic series that revolutionized the television landscape by pioneering the music competition genre, is back for another season on ABC. Helping determine who America will ultimately vote for to become the next singing sensation are music industry forces and superstar judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie. Emmy Award winner Ryan Seacrest hosts the reality TV competition series for the show’s sixth season on ABC and 21st overall.

Performing with a band for the first time, contestants sing their hearts out in their last chance to make it to America’s vote. In the “Final Judgment,” contestants face off with the judges sealing their fate for a spot in the Top 24. Follow along with our live blog for this episode airing Monday, April 10 (8:00-10:00 p.m. Edt) on ABC, below.

Contestants who advanced on Sunday night (in the order shown) were Kaeyra, Warren Peay,...

American Idol season 21 had some extraordinary Hollywood Week duets, but six of them stand out as the best. In recent years, American Idol has replaced the notorious group round with the duets round. The partners, most of whom don't know each other very well, get very little rehearsal time before teaming up to sing a song together. They must learn the tune, work with a vocal coach, and create the choreography. These sessions often last until the middle of the night. The judges then decide whether to keep one or both of the contestants in the competition, or eliminate them.

During the American Idol season 21 duets round, the contestants had the opportunity to choose their own partners. Each duo selected a name for their pairing. The platinum ticket winners, Cam Amen, Kaylin Hedges, Elijah McCormick, and Tyson Venegas, earned the privilege of choosing first. Because of time constraints, not every...

Hey, "American Idol" fans. Tonight, April 9, 2023, another new episode of American Idol's current season 21 did indeed air. It featured the results of which contestants advanced through during the Showstoppers part 1 episode. Celebrity judges: Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan were on hand again. The 55 remaining contestants performed with a Live band in front of a Live audience for the first time this season, and a lot of them got cut this round because only the top 24 went through to the next round. Tonight's episode kicked off with Kaeyre singing, "River" song by Bishop Briggs. Afterwards, Lionel said, "Kaeyre stepped out of the lounge and into being a lead singer." The judges decided to send Kaeyra through to the top 24. Warren Peay sang, "Whipping Post" song by Allman Brothers. Afterwards, Luke said, “You have cleared yet another hurdle.” Warren made it through to the top 24.

Season 21 of “American Idol” continued Sunday night with judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie narrowing the contestants down to the Top 24. It was the first of two “Final Judgement” episodes. Throughout the two hours contestants sang their hearts out in the Showstoppers round, several difficult choices were made, and three fan favorites were cut. Which one do you think was the most robbed of a spot in the Top 24? Vote in our poll below.

Adin Boyer was the first eliminated singer of the night. He performed “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay and received positive marks for his musicality and showmanship. Lionel told the 22-year old that his songwriting career could begin immediately, but he doesn’t have the vocal chops to compete on the main stage this season.

See Everything to know about ‘American Idol’ Season 21: Premiere date, judges and host

Kaylin Hedges was a Platinum Ticket...

“American Idol,” the iconic series that revolutionized the television landscape by pioneering the music competition genre, is back for another season on ABC. Helping determine who America will ultimately vote for to become the next singing sensation are music industry forces and superstar judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie. Emmy Award winner Ryan Seacrest hosts the reality TV competition series for the show’s sixth season on ABC and 21st overall.

Performing with a band for the first time, contestants sing their hearts out in their last chance to make it to America’s vote. In the “Final Judgment,” contestants face off with the judges sealing their fate for a spot in the Top 24. Follow along with our live blog for this episode airing Sunday, April 9 (8:00-10:00 p.m. Edt) on ABC, below.

See Everything to know about ‘American Idol’ Season 21: Premiere date, judges and host

8:00 p.

American Idol did not *ahem* go easy on viewers during the first half of this season’s Final Judgment on Sunday, ending on yet another cliffhanger.

With 11 contestants already sent through to the Top 24 ahead of them, Paige Anne and Megan Danielle were called before the judges to learn their fates. But even after their Showstopper performances — Anne managed to slay Sia’s “California Dreamin'” from the safety of her hotel room, while Danielle wowed with a countrified take on Lady Gaga’s “Always Remember Us This Way” — the judges still couldn’t decide between them.

More from TVLineThe Good Doctor...

Lionel Richie really did put it best at the end of Monday’s American Idol: “That f–ked me up. I can’t take this.”

The judge was referring to the final duet of Hollywood Week, which was supposed to be a performance of Adam Lambert’s “Whataya Want From Me” between Kaya Stewart and Fire. The catch? Duets require two voices, and only one came to the stage prepared to sing.

More from TVLineA Million Little Things' David Giuntoli and Stephanie Szostak Preview Delilah's Heated HomecomingGrey's Anatomy Cast Rallies Around Co-Star Caterina Scorsone in Wake of Devastating...

“American Idol,” the iconic series that revolutionized the television landscape by pioneering the music competition genre, is back for another season on ABC. Helping determine who America will ultimately vote for to become the next singing sensation are music industry forces and superstar judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie. Emmy Award winner Ryan Seacrest hosts the reality TV competition series for the show’s sixth season on ABC and 21st overall.

Tonight is “Hollywood Week Part #2), as fan-favorite “American Idol” alumni return as contestant mentors to build confidence, stage presence and songwriting as they prepare for amazing performances on the iconic Hollywood Week stage. Read our full recap of Season 21 Episode 8, airing April 3, below.

See ‘American Idol’: Luke Bryan ‘can’t hardly breathe’ after Cam Amen sings ‘Hallelujah’ in Platinum Ticket audition [Watch]

Returning to help this season’s crop of contestants navigate Hollywood Week are Clay Aiken...