[Warning: This post contains MAJOR spoilers from American Idol Season 23, Episode 7.]
Hollywood week continued with the showstopper round on the Sunday, April 6, episode of American Idol. Judges Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie watched the remaining 62 artists perform with the Idol band for the first time in front of a packed Orpheum Theatre.
While some thrived under the pressure, others crumbled. Although the contestants got brief feedback from the judges after taking the stage, they didn’t learn their fate until everyone had performed. By the end of the night, four artists were confirmed to automatically move on to the top 24, while another 16 were cut. The other 42 found out that they would have to compete in the new head-to-head round to try and earn one of the remaining 20 spots.
Scroll down for a full recap of the performances and to find out who moved on.
Victor Solomon
Victor Solomon kicked off the show with a rendition of Phil Collins‘ “In the Air Tonight.” It was his performance, as much as his vocals, that really stood out.
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“Somebody was practicing in his mirror last night!” Underwood noted, while Richie said, “That was fantastic.”
Mattie Pruitt
As the youngest artist in the competition, Mattie Pruitt was admittedly a bit intimidated by the other contestants. After years of struggling with self-doubt, she wanted to prove with this performance that she’s an artist, not just a singer.
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Her performance of “It’s a Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World” by James Brown did just that. The judges were astonished and couldn’t stop reiterating that Mattie is only 15 years old.
“She’s probably a massive star. Like, sneaky star,” Bryan said, with Richie agreeing, “I’m with you. We just got a show right there.”
Kolbi Jordan
Platinum ticket winner Kolbi Jordan got to skip the first round of Hollywood week, so this was her first post-audition performance. She was battling sinus issues and allergies ahead of the big night, which added to the pressure.
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After rehearsals didn’t go quite how she wanted them to, Kolbi was a bit worried. She wasn’t “super satisfied” with her final performance of “River Deep – Mountain High” by Ike and Tina Turner, either.
“I think she was a little worried about her cues too much,” Bryan admitted. Richie said, “There was a whole lot going on.”
Isaiah Misailegalu
Isaiah Misailegalu was at a bit of a disadvantage since he’d only been performing in front of people for a few months and had never sung with a big band before. He chose to perform “What Hurts the Most” by Rascal Flatts in order to show that he’s able to flip a song to his own style.
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After he began losing his vocals in rehearsals, the vocal coach suggested lowering the key. Although he was a bit reluctant, he wound up doing so, but something was still off.
“It almost sounds like his voice might’ve been a little tired, too,” Bryan theorized.
Breanna Nix
Breanna Nix opened up about why she has such a hard time believing in herself and credited her husband with giving her a confidence that she never had growing up. She absolutely crushed her performance of “The Trouble With Love” by Kelly Clarkson.
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The judges gave Breanna a standing ovation and were totally blown away. “She came out and never let up!” Richie gushed, while Bryan added, “Where did she come from? I have full body chills.”
Drew Ryn
Drew Ryn was admittedly feeling a little “off her game” after the “intense” Idol Arena. She sang Willie Nelson‘s “Always on My Mind,” but took a risk by beginning the performance completely a cappella.
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“That’s brave. That’s brave,” Underwood insisted. “That is not easy. A cappella, and for that long? And then the band comes in and you’re still on it.” Richie, meanwhile, called the performance “solid.”
Jamal Roberts
Jamal Roberts stepped out of his comfort zone by performing a country song for showstoppers. He sang “Tennessee Whiskey” by Chris Stapleton and earned a standing ovation from the judges.
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“We got a hell of a show,” Richie concluded, although Bryan noted, “He missed one or two, he didn’t get all the way there.” Richie noticed it, too, adding, “That little growl he has on top, he missed it twice. But I know what he can do.”
Kam’ron Smith
This was Kam’ron Smith’s first time ever singing with a band. Unfortunately, it got to him a bit, as he forgot the words while singing “Makin’ Me Look Good Again” by Drake White.
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“Oh, you know he’s mad at himself,” Bryan admitted. “He was about to have a heart attack up there,” Richie said.
Samantha Ray
Samantha Ray also didn’t have her best performance when she sang Lainey Wilson‘s “Wildflowers and Wild Horses.” Although she’d done karaoke in the past, this was her first time performing with a band in front of a crowd.
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“The band’s getting them a little bit!” Bryan commented.
Jazzy Mae
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The same went for Jazzy Mae, who sang “Gunpowder & Lead” by Miranda Lambert and missed one of her cues toward the end of the song. “You could really tell the room, the crowd, the band … it was a lot on her at once,” Bryan said.
Nina Daig
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The judges also weren’t blown away by Nina Daig’s performance, with Underwood noting, “She’s better than that.” Nina herself was also a bit disappointed. “I’m not happy with the vocals, and I know that’s purely just the nerves,” she shared
Amanda Barise
Amanda Barise had a newfound confidence after the positive feedback she got in the Idol Arena. She showed it off once again when she performed “Ain’t Nobody” by Chaka Khan in the showstopper round.
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All three judges gave Amanda a standing ovation. “She put the stank on that!” Underwood gushed. “She’s coming out of her shell. Wearing the leopard!? Rahr!”
Desmond Roberts
Desmond Roberts also received a standing ovation for his performance of “Barracuda” by Heart. He added some uniqueness to the show by beatboxing in the middle of the song.
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As Underwood noted to the judges, “He had me, then he lost me with the beatboxing. I was like, ‘I don’t know where we’re going, but I don’t like it.’ And then totally redeemed himself!”
John Foster
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John Foster performed “In Color” by Jamey Johnson and got Underwood all excited as she raved, “Oh, I love him! I love him!”
Zaylie Windsor
Zaylie Windsor only received two yeses during her audition and knew she had to deliver with her showstopper performance. This was the biggest audience she’d ever played in front of and she was worried about holding back.
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However, she had nothing to fear. Her performance of “Happier Than Ever” by Billie Eilish blew everyone away, and the judges stood up before the song even ended.
“Welcome to the Zaylie show!” Underwood exclaimed, while Richie added, “What was in her cereal this morning?!” Bryan also declared that Zaylie would be in the top 10 after that performance.
Filo
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Platinum ticket winner Filo took the Orpheum stage for the first time with a performance of “Anything Worth Holding Onto” by Cynthia Erivo and Scott Alan. Bryan pointed out, “We’re starting to see the cream rising to the top,” and Richie agreed, “Yeah, I can see the cream now.”
Slater Nalley
Although Slater Nalley impressed the judges with his first two performances, he was worried he wouldn’t stand out enough as a singer/songwriter compared to the other talented artists. This was his first time performing a cover on the show, as he sang original songs the first two times.
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Slater set out to show a different side of himself by even throwing in some hip shaking dance moves during his performance of “Ophelia” by The Band. Bryan was right up on his feet dancing along.
“He’s got sauce,” the country star confirmed, which Underwood agreed with by adding, “He does! He’s been watching Luke Bryan videos!”
MKY
MKY wanted to give back to his family with his performance, and he sang Luis Miguel’s “Sabor a Mi” in full Spanish. Underwood called it a “bold song choice” and they all agreed that it was “very nice.”
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“I just don’t want him to always feel like he’s got to be a perfect Ken doll,” Bryan explained. “He got me, but I want to see him relax, too.”
Gabby Samone
Gabby Samone connected deeply with her showstopper song “Four Women” by Nina Simone. Despite struggling with self-doubt in the past, she proved that she has what it takes to win the show, and all four judges gave her a standing ovation.
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“She just came roaring to the front of the competition,” Bryan promised.
Thunderstorm Artis
Thunderstorm Artis wanted to do something a bit different than everyone else, so he chose to give a minimalist and more understated performance. He sang “Imagine” by John Lennon and had Bryan and Richie up on their feet applauding him.
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“He did a lot more in previous performances, like, vocally,” Underwood pointed out. Richie agreed, but Bryan had some positive feedback: “He knows how to make the room go right to him.”
Olivier Bergeron
Canadian contestant Olivier Bergeron sang “Like a Stone” by Audioslave. Bryan noted that “Carrie’s been looking for a rockstar” in the competition and declared that Olivier was fitting that mold.
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“Where did he come from!?” the “Before He Cheats” singer wondered.
Canaan James Hill
The third and final platinum ticket holder, Canaan James Hill, closed the show with a powerful performance of “Never Would Have Made It” by Marvin Sapp.
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Mid-performance, the judges were already on their feet giving him a standing ovation. “He’s one of the best singers I’ve ever seen,” Bryan declared, while Richie added, “That was the greatest performance I have ever seen.”
Who is in the top 24?
The four artists who automatically moved on to the top 24 are: Mattie Pruitt, Canaan James Hill, Gabby Simone, and Zaylie Windsor.
Who was eliminated?
Among the 16 eliminated artists were: JMarie, Will Carter, Santina Madden, Isaiah Moore, Samantha Ray, and Jazzy Mae. Everyone else left had to choose a duet partner to sing with for the head-to-head round, which took place one day later and will air during the Monday, April 7, episode.
American Idol, Sundays and Mondays, 8/7c, ABC
