American Idol
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Katy Perry ended her seven-year American Idol run in style on Sunday night (May 19), singing, table jumping and pizza-tossing her way off the stage during the three-hour season 22 finale. While the episode was ostensibly meant to crown this year’s winner — which it did, spoiler alert, in singer Abi Carter — it was also a night to celebrate Perry, who announced earlier this year that she would be leaving the series after serving alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan since the show jumped to ABC in 2018.
In a testament to Perry’s up-for-anything attitude, Idol ran a clip package mid-way through Sunday’s show featuring highlights from her often wild-and-wacky run. From Bryan jump-scaring his partner early on to Perry visiting Luke’s farm for a lesson on corn science, crying with contestants, modeling a series of increasingly outrageous outfits and getting ice cream smooshed on her face by her cohorts, Perry looked happy, and emotional, as the last hour ticked down.
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Just before the final votes were read, Perry, 39, took to the stage one last time to perform “What Makes a Woman” from her 2020 album Smile with finalist Jack Blocker. Initially seated while wearing what looked like a metallic bustier, Perry began to rise up as Blocker sang the second verse, revealing an expansive dress plastered with the faces of Idol contestants who’ve appeared on the show during her run. Soaring high above the stage as paper butterflies rained down all around her, Perry’s dress was the perfect lasting image of the singer’s sweet embrace of her Idol era.
“143, I love you,” Perry said as she held up heart hands. Later in the show, as Katy munched on a slice of pizza, the women of the top 12 performed a medley of Perry’s songs, including “Teenage Dream,” “Dark Horse” and”California Gurls.” The performance ended with Perry jumping to her feet and climbing up on the judge’s desk to flex her arms as Bryan pelted her with beach balls.
With the sand running out following Carter’s coronation, Perry let the tears flow freely as this year’s winner sang Billie Eilish’s Oscar-winning “What Was I Made For?” to cap her golden season 22 run, with Richie sharing a last, long hug with Katy as confetti rained down around them.
Idol has been renewed for a 23rd season, but at press time Perry’s replacement had not yet been announced.
Check out images from Perry’s final night below.
Take a bow Abi Carter.
The 21-year-old Indio, CA native wins the 2024 edition of American Idol, joining a list of previous champs that includes Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard and Carrie Underwood.
Carter held her nerve during Sunday night’s (May 19) three-hour finale, winning ahead of Jack Blocker, a 25-year-old from Dallas, TX, and Will Moseley, a 23-year-old from Hazelhurst, GA.
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The budding musicians performed “Bed of Roses” by Jon Bon Jovi, “Somewhere” from “West Side Story”, “River” (with Bishop Briggs) and the original song “This Isn’t Over”.
It sure wasn’t over. When America voted, Carter came out on top.
Carter reigned over a season 22 finale that saw Rock And Roll Hall of Famer Jon Bon Jovi participate as guest mentor, plus special performances from Nick Fradiani, New Kids On The Block, Jason Mraz, Hootie And The Blowfish, Cece Winans, James Bay, Wynonna Judd, Seal, Bishop Briggs and Cody Johnson.
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Speaker to Billboard when the top 10 was announced, Carter said, “I want to be an artist. I’ve never felt so passionately about something. I went to school and got a psychology degree because I figured if I can’t express my emotions through something artistically, maybe I can just help other people express their emotions. I was going to be a family therapist.”
As one Idol is crowned, one queen of the reality TV show departs — Katy Perry. The U.S. pop superstar completes her stint on the panel, and has announced that her future plans include new music.
05/16/2024
Despite being voted off, several of these contestants went on to do just fine, thank you.
05/16/2024
Dreams came true for three American Idol contestants on Sunday night (May 12), as the remaining contestants travelled to Walt Disney World for the adventure of a lifetime.
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Disney Night was the theme for the penultimate episode of this 22nd season, as the top 5 visited the theme park with mentor Kane Brown.
When the fun was done, Abi Carter, Will Moseley and Jack Blocker were announced as the three finalists, while Triston Harper and Emmy Russell were eliminated.
For their spot in the final, Carter sang “Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid and “The Chain” from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2; Blocker performed “Nobody’s Fool” from Cars 2 and “Space Oddity” from Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny; and Moseley hit “Born To Be Wild” from D3: The Mighty Ducks and “The Ballad of the Lonesome Cowboy” from Toy Story 4.
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Jenifer Lewis and Terence Blanchard joined in on the action with a performance of “Dig A Little Deeper” from The Princess and the Frog, while Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie nailed a rendition of “You’ve Got A Friend In Me” from Toy Story.
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Also on the night, The Walt Disney Company used the platform of Idol to announce that new Walt Disney World Resort attraction, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, will open in Florida on June 28, and Idina Menzel was presented with an award for “Let It Go” from Frozen becoming certified Diamond by the RIAA.
Carter, Moseley and Blocker move into the three-hour grand final, which will feature Rock And Roll Hall of Famer Jon Bon Jovi as guest mentor, along with special performances from Nick Fradiani, New Kids On The Block, Jason Mraz, Hootie And The Blowfish, Cece Winans, James Bay, Wyonna Judd, Seal, Bishop Briggs and Cody Johnson.
American Idol airs live coast-to-coast next Sunday (May 19) at 8:00pm ET/5:00pm PT on ABC, and the next day on Hulu.
Another round of singers will get the chance to win big when American Idol returns for a 23rd season. As announced by ABC on Friday (May 10), the network has officially renewed the long-running singing competition series for yet another cycle, just over a week before the current season’s finale is set to air May […]
If given the chance, singer-songwriter Jelly Roll says he would be all in on becoming an American Idol judge.
Speaking with Audacy following his first set as part of the country music festival Stagecoach in Indio, Calif., Jelly Roll reacted to American Idol judge Katy Perry’s earlier comment recommending him as her replacement after she leaves her role as judge on the ABC music competition series after seven seasons.
“I gotta say, Jelly Roll was crazy when he came on the show,” the pop star had told E! News of the country artist, who served as an Idol mentor in April. “I was convinced at anything he said. He could run for president, he could be my pastor, I might go back to church for him. He could sell me anything.”
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While interviewing Jelly Roll backstage at Stagecoach, Audacy station KFRG’s Kelli & Guy asked about Perry’s comments and whether Jelly Roll would consider becoming an American Idol judge. “Of course!” he said. “Consider? I’ve accepted the job and they haven’t offered it.”
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“How cool is Katy, though,” he added. “When we were talking backstage the other day, she tells me this, just me and her, and my wife of course, everybody’s watching. She says, ‘I’m telling you, you need to replace me.’ I always love people that are the same way publicly as they are privately, ’cause some people will tell you how great you are privately, but then won’t post your album. But for her then immediately, first interview she gets asked, brings me up, I’m like, ‘I love you, Katy!’”
Jelly Roll recently appeared as a guest mentor on the April 8 episode of American Idol and performed his song “Halfway to Hell” from his 2023 album Whitsitt Chapel.
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Jelly Roll, who is married to Bunnie XO, also spoke of the possibility of doing a reality television show together. “What my dream is, is to get into scripted television. I think that’d be cool, if we told our story in like, a 10-part series,” he said, also noting that a duet with Bunnie XO would also be realistic.
The country star is vying for numerous trophies at the upcoming Academy of Country Music Awards on May 16, including the coveted entertainer of the year honor.
Watch Jelly Roll’s interview below:
Nutsa Buzaladze received raves from the American Idol judges when she competed last year on season 21 of the long-running television talent series. Eliminated from the top 12 on April 30, 2023, the singer from the nation of Georgia didn’t sit still. This week she will perform on another televised song contest when she represents her country in the Eurovision Song Contest, which normally reaches a worldwide audience in the hundreds of millions.
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One year after interviewing Nutsa in Hollywood during her time on Idol, Billboard sat down with her again, this time in Malmö, Sweden, to talk about her life since then and what will be the biggest moment of her career so far.
When we talked last year in California, I suggested you sing for Georgia in Eurovision, and here you are. What have the last 12 months been like for you?
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First of all, American Idol was the biggest thing I’ve done in my life. They gave me an open door to new opportunities. Like Lionel [Richie] said to me, “It doesn’t matter what number, you’re a star.” American Idol was a starter for my international career. Being on Idol makes your life much easier because people look at you and say you’re the real deal. I have an agent in America and he had me perform the National Anthem at a Lakers game and a Dodgers game. I had an amazing summer living in Miami and was in the Hamptons for a weekend when a producer [with Georgia’s national broadcaster] called and said, “Nutsa, we are thinking of having you represent your country at Eurovision. When are you coming to Georgia?”
So you said yes to Eurovision?
I told them I only had one condition: I’m going to be involved with every little detail. And they said, “Yes, for sure. We want you to be at your best. We want you to sing the song that you love to sing.” So I had the freedom to be myself and not someone that they want me to be and that is the greatest thing they’ve done for me. And it’s coming from the director of the broadcast.
You’re singing “Firefighter” as the Georgian entry. Who found the song?
We had an open call. We received amazing songs, and we listened to all 300 of them. We had three favorites, and we chose one that I feel very confident in. “Firefighter” was from Darko Dimitrov, a Macedonian producer who has a lot of experience in Eurovision. The writer of the lyrics was Ada Skitka from Estonia. I really loved the song, but only the chorus. I flew from Miami to Macedonia, and we spent three days in the studio finishing the song. It was a very creative process.
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What does representing Georgia in Eurovision mean to you?
I have loved my country ever since I was a very little girl. Because of my country’s history and our people, I want to make them proud. I want to show the world how great Georgia is and how many talented people we have. We are a very small nation and that makes me more motivated to put Georgia on the map everywhere I can. Because especially in America, they think that Georgia is a state.
You competed on Idol and now you’re competing again in Eurovision. What are your thoughts about the competition?
I don’t really think of it as a competition, to be honest. I do it for my career and I do it to become better and to have more experience, because all my life I wanted to have a career where you can go everywhere and sing everywhere. Not only in my country, but everywhere. I think big competitions give you the possibilities to be heard by millions and millions of people and that’s the main reason I’m doing it. I don’t like to compete with anybody. The only person I’m competing with always is myself, because I always want to do something bigger and better.
What was the main lesson you learned during your run on American Idol?
On American Idol, I realized that I had done hard work before, but Idol is the hardest work. I pushed myself to the limits. When I was in my hotel room, I cried because I was so exhausted from the emotions. By the time we were doing the live shows, it was better. I became friends with the contestants and then I became friends with the crew.
What are your plans for your career after Eurovision?
My new single is coming out on May 12. I shot a music video before flying to Malmö. The song is called “Mother’s Day” and I’m releasing it on Mother’s Day. It’s about my mom and she is in the music video with me. I’m sure a lot of people are going to cry because I love my mother very much and I wanted to have a song about her.
What else lies ahead?
There is other news I haven’t told anybody, so I’ve saved it for Billboard. I’ve been invited to audition for Broadway on May 11 [the same day as Eurovision]. So I need to go to New York as soon as possible for that.
Can you tell me for what show?
I don’t think they want me to. It’s a modern musical. The character that they want me to play is very near to who I am in real life and the voice of that character in the songs is my style.
Nutsa Buzaladze will sing “Firefighter” in the first semi-final of the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest on Tuesday (May 7) in Malmö, Sweden. The live broadcast can be seen in the U.S. on Peacock at 3 p.m. ET. If “Firefighter” is one of 10 songs from the 15 semi-final entries that qualifies for the grand final, she will perform the song again on Saturday (May 11). That four-hour show will be seen on Peacock, also at 3 p.m. ET.
American Idol contestant Emmy Russell is a coal miner’s great-granddaughter, and she paid homage to her grandmother, the late Country Music Hall of Famer Loretta Lynn,on Monday’s (April 29) episode of the talent competition.
Seated at a piano, Russell performed Loretta Lynn’s signature song: the 1970 hit “Coal Miner’s Daughter.” The song focuses on Lynn’s Kentucky childhood, watching as her father worked hard in the coal mines to provide money for basic food and clothing for his family. As Russell performed the song, large screens showed Russell’s mother, Patsy Lynn, as she watched in the audience.
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On Monday night, Russell advanced to the top seven on the show. For her Idol audition, Russell performed her own original song called “Skinny.” Throughout her time on the show so far, she’s also performed covers of Blink-182’s “All the Small Things” and Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me.”
Russell previously told People of a special moment just prior to her Idol performance of “Coal Miner’s Daughter.” “I think just closing my eyes and telling her, ‘I’m proud of you.’ I did that in rehearsal. I was like, ‘I’m proud of you.’ I want people to feel proud of their story, where they’ve come from, and I hope that that song made them feel like, ‘Oh, I can be proud of where I come from.’ I’m just really grateful.”
Loretta Lynn died at age 90 on Oct. 4, 2022. Lynn earned 16 chart-toppers on what is now the Hot Country Songs chart and was the first woman to win entertainer of the year at the CMA Awards. She was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1988. Lynn’s 1976 autobiography Coal Miner’s Daughter was later adapted for the big screen, with Sissy Spacek in the lead role as Lynn in the 1980 movie. Spacek won an Academy Award for her role as Lynn. In 2021, Lynn issued her 46th solo studio album, Still Woman Enough.
Russell is following in the family tradition, as her mother Patsy has also been involved in music. Patsy teamed with her sister Peggy to form the duo The Lynns in the 1990s and earned CMA Awards nominations for vocal duo of the year in 1998 and 1999.
See Russell’s performance below:
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The 22nd season of American Idol is steaming toward its May 19th finale, but before this year’s winner is crowned the show has a few more tricks up its sleeve. During Monday night’s (April 29) Judge’s Song Contest episode that pared the pack of hopefuls down to the top 7, the lineup for Sunday’s (May […]
The latest episode of American Idol was an eventful one, as the top seven contestants were identified, America waved goodbye to one hopeful, and a musical tribute was paid to the late Idol alum, Mandisa.
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Monday night was the Judge’s Song round of Idol’s 22nd season, a game within a game that saw the Top 8 perform one of three songs secretly selected by Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie.
Will Moseley covered Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues,” Kaibrienne sang “Traitor” by Olivia Rodrigo, McKenna Faith Breinholt hit Lissie’s “Everywhere I Go,” Jack Blocker belted out “Always On My Mind,” Abi Carter tackled “Bring Me To Life,” Julia Gagnon went with “Over The Rainbow,” Triston Harper impressed with Morgan Wallen’s “Sand In My Boots” and Emmy Russell performed Loretta Lynn’s signature song, “Coal Miners Daughter.”
Just to add some spice, America voted live for the Top 6, and the judges made a save for the Top 7. When the votes were tallied, Kaibrienne was eliminated.As previously reported, the special two-hour episode also welcomed back three American Idol alumni to pay homage to late season five star Mandisa. Melinda Doolittle (season six), Danny Gokey (season eight) and Colton Dixon (season 11) came together to sing one of Mandisa’s favorite songs, “Shackles” by gospel duo Mary Mary.The 47-year-old Grammy-winning Christian contemporary singer was found dead of as-yet-undisclosed causes in her home earlier this month.
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“Mandisa was an adored icon on American Idol and in the music industry,” read a statement from the show. “She had become a platinum-selling artist and had won [a Grammy] for her music. Her passing has left everyone on the show heartbroken, and we extend our deepest condolences to her family.”
Watch the performance below.
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