American Idol Season 24 returned on Monday for Taylor Swift Night, as the Top 7 contestants took the stage to perform tracks by the iconic pop star. Swift superfan Nikki Glaser served as a guest judge during the show, as the Top 5 was revealed according to America’s votes.
American Idol Contestants Perform Taylor Swift Songs
Jordan McCullough was the first American Idol Top 7 contestant to take the stage on Monday night, performing Taylor Swift’s debut single “Tim McGraw.” Carrie Underwood said he has the “smoothest, most incredible voice,” telling him he can sing anything.
Next up, Chris Tungseth covered Swift’s song “Exile,” prompting Underwood to say his voice “lends itself to storytelling,” as guest judge Nikki Glaser praised his “softness” and “energy.” Later, Hannah Harper took on “Mean,” with judge Luke Bryan saying he “didn’t want it to end.”
Keyla Richardson also impressed with her cover of “Lover,” as Underwood told her, “We don’t ever have to worry about you.” Lionel Richie joked that she was “beating us up out here” with her talent, adding that it was “beautiful to watch.”
Braden Rumfelt’s performance of “Cardigan” was also a hit, as Glaser told him, “You ate that song.” Meanwhile, Underwood told Braden that his performance was “one of my favorite things that you’ve done.”
The second half of Monday night’s American Idol episode acted as a tribute to California, as the Top 7 performed songs by artists from the state. That includes Braden Rumfelt, who sang “This Love” by Maroon 5. Richie praised him for giving them “the ugly face.”
Meanwhile, Keyla Richardson’s performance of “I Would Rather Go Blind” by Etta James stunned the judges, with Glaser calling it an “iconic Idol moment” and Bryan saying she’s “so inspirational” as he teared up over the powerhouse rendition.
Jordan McCullough also wowed with his cover of “I Can’t Make You Love Me” by Bonnie Raitt, with Richie calling it “right on point.” Underwood said that when he sings, she hears “the holy spirit.” Chris Tungseth’s performance of “What Was I Made For?” by Billie Eilish prompted Glaser to say, “What were you made for? That.”
Hannah Harper’s performance of “That’s the Way Love Goes” also impressed, with Richie calling it “absolutely amazing.” Glaser said she “got to know you in that song.”
Who Was Eliminated This Week?
Voting was open during the show, and at the end of the night, host Ryan Seacrest revealed which singers made it into the Top 5. Those contestants were Keyla Richardson, Braden Rumfelt, Jordan McCullough, Hannah Harper, and Chris Tungseth.
That meant that unfortunately, Brooks and Daniel Stalloworth were eliminated. During the show, Brooks performed “Love Story” by Taylor Swift and “She Will Be Loved” by Maroon 5. His second performance received extra praise from the judges, with Underwood calling it “so magical.”
As for Daniel, he started the night with a performance of “Fearless” by Taylor Swift,” with Glaser saying she “had the best time watching you.” He later sang “Best Part” by H.E.R., prompting Underwood to compare his voice to “butter on hot toast.”
Do you agree with the results of this week’s new episode of American Idol? Let us know in the comments below, and tune in next Monday night on ABC and Disney+ to see the Top 5 perform.
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
