American Idol Season 22 returned on Sunday and Monday nights, as the Top 24 singers performed at Disney’s Aulani Resort in Hawaii. It’s now up to viewers at home to decide which contestants should move on to the Top 20.
Platinum Ticket Winners Impress in American Idol Top 24
This season, three singers received a Platinum Ticket to skip the first round of Hollywood Week. Those singers still had to perform in the Showstopper round, but all three of them made it through to perform at Aulani as part of the Top 24.
On Sunday night, Abi Carter wowed with a performance of “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)” by Hillsong United. She started at the piano before stepping away to belt out the lyrics. Luke Bryan called Abi “one of the frontrunners.” Katy Perry said she’s her favorite singer in the competition.
Sunday’s show also featured a performance from Julia Gagnon, who delivered a powerhouse performance of “Rumour Has It” by Adele. (Julia also shared during this week’s round that she got engaged.) Perry said she liked hearing Julia’s lower register during the performance, but Lionel Richie wanted to see her work the crowd more.
On Monday night, Odell Bunton Jr. took the stage to sing “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars. Odell showed off a great stage presence as he engaged the crowd. The judges praised the performance, with Bryan saying he put his own stamp on a popular song.
The Platinum Ticket winners weren’t the only standout performers during the Hawaii round. On Sunday night, Will Moseley impressed the panel with his rendition of “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding.
After the performance, Bryan told his fellow judges, “That was my favorite of the night.” Perry and Richie agreed with him. Mentor Tori Kelly said Will’s voice makes her “feel safe and warm.” Perry said the performance was very “American.”
It’s now up to America to decide which singers should make it into the Top 20. Voting was open until Tuesday morning — on the website, on the app, and through texting. The results will be revealed next Sunday night in a three-hour episode on ABC.
Sunday’s episode will also feature performances from special guests Lauren Spencer-Smith, Teddy Swims, and Paul Russell. Who do you think deserves a spot in the Top 20? Let us know in the comments below.
Words by:
Jill O'Rourke Jill O’Rourke is a contributor at Talent Recap, writing news stories and recaps for shows like ‘AGT,’ ‘The Voice,’ and ‘American Idol.’ She graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in English and Film Studies, and has been writing about pop culture since 2012, with previous bylines at Crushable and A Plus. Jill spends her free time binge-watching sitcoms and daydreaming about life as a hobbit
