American Idol Season 24 returned on Monday night, as the second half of the Top 20 took the stage at Disney’s Aulani Resort in Hawaii for their chance to move on to the live shows. Voting is now open for viewers at home to choose their favorite singers.
American Idol Top 20 Perform in Hawaii
During Monday’s new episode of American Idol, the second half of the Top 20 performed in Hawaii after being mentored by Brad Paisley and Keke Palmer, the latter of whom also served as a guest judge. Voting is now open online, via text, and on social media.
This week’s show featured a standout performance from Jordan McCullough, who earned a Platinum Ticket during the Ohana round earlier this season. Jordan chose to sing a unique rendition of “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” by U2, getting emotional at the end of he performance. Judge Lionel Richie joked that he “used up all the notes possible in the music business” with the powerful performance.
Another standout performance from Monday’s show came from Keyla Richardson, who sang “With a Little Help from My Friends” by the Beatles. She actually made guest judge Keke Palmer cry during rehearsals. As for her official performance, she gave it everything she had, prompting Richie to call it “the greatest performance I have ever seen on this stage.” Palmer compared her to former American Idol winner Fantasia.
The judges were also impressed by Rae, who took the stage in Hawaii to perform “Respect” by Aretha Franklin. Judge Carrie Underwood told her that she “completely made it your own,” as Luke Bryan called her “one of our best singers, if not the best singer.”
Other impressive performances from Monday night’s show came from teen singers Lucas Leon and Abayomi, who sang “Just to See You Smile” by Tim McGraw and “Mamma Knows Best” by Jessie J, respectively. Richie called Lucas “natural,” while Underwood called Abayomi “a Disney star in the making.”
Monday’s episode also featured a performance by Philmon Lee, who sang “Don’t Stop Believin'” by Journey. Richie admitted he was nervous for Philmon at first, but then he “leaned into it.” Bryan encouraged him to “channel that inner tiger.”
Meanwhile, Madison Moon impressed with her cover of “Since U Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson, with Underwood saying she “tackled” the song and Bryan telling her to “keep that rocker energy.” Chris Tungseth’s cover of “Apologize” by OneRepublic was also a hit, as Palmer said he has a “great vibe.”
As for Ruby Rae, her performance of “Drag Me Down” by OneDirection had Underwood encouraging her to “find your sassy side” while Bryan told her she has “all the goods.” Julián Kalel also impressed with his performance of “Tourniquet” by Zach Bryan, with Underwood saying he’s “so believable” and Bryan calling him a “frontrunner of the competition.”
What did you think of the second half of the Top 20 performances during this week’s American Idol? Which singers will you be voting for? Will you be trying out the new social media voting method?
Remember that voting for this episode is only open until Tuesday, March 24, at 6 a.m. ET. Tune in next week to see the first live show of the season, themed to Songs of Faith, as voting will once again be open.
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
