With 8 contestants left, this season’sAmerican Idolcrop of talent is making it hard for America to vote!Each elimination is getting harder and harder.Back for the third season, Judges' Song Contest is back!Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, andLionel Richieeach selected a prospective song for each contestant. It’s up to them to select which one of the songs they want to perform.What seems like a silly little game actually has quite high stakes! Whichever judge has the most selected songs by the contestants will win the night and have the opportunity to save one of the bottom two from elimination.So, for one hopeful, it will be the end of the line.
On a night without a guest mentor, the night was spent honoring the judges themselves.In addition to performing a solo number, the remaining eight teamed up to perform a song of each of the judges. For Lionel,Jack BlockerandEmmy Russelltook on his classic"Hello.“Luke Bryan was able to hear his song"What Makes You Country"as performed byWill MosleyandTriston Harper. And the newly minted Katy’s Ladies, comprised ofMcKenna Faith Breinholt, Julia Gagnon, Kaibrienne, andAbi Carter, took on"Wide Awake.“In an evening filled with performances, Idol alumniDanny Gokeyfrom Season 8,Colton Dixonfrom Season 11, andMelinda Doolittlefrom Season 6 celebrated the life ofAmerican IdolSeason 5 starMandisa, following her recent passing.With so much music, here are the best competitive performances of the night!
American Idol
Twelve American finalists (six men and six women) compete in a singing contest.
8Kaibrienne
After a performance like that, well, it made sense why she went home. Kaibrienne decided to tackle Katy’s song choice,Olivia Rodrigo’s"traitor”, when given the choice of her three songs. Believing she had a connection to the song due to a previous heart break,Kaibrienne gave a whiny performance that transported the audience to a high school talent show.Kaibrienne is very much an artist who wants to live in the Olivia Rodrigo world of pop music. But her voice lacks the strength to give a convincing enough performance. In her coaching session, she is advised not to scrunch her face too much and keep her eyes open. It was evident that Kaibrienne had a lot of focus on this, causing her vocals to suffer.
7Triston Harper
“Sand in My Boots”
It’s becoming evident that Triston Harper is suffering from fatigue in the competition. Once the live shows started to begin, his stamina seemed to drop week to week. For his three song options, Triston had country, country, and more country. But he knew exactly which track he wanted. Picking"Sand in My Boots"byMorgan Wallen, the 15-year-old related a story of bringing sand back from Hawaii as his reason to sing it. Even when the vocal coaches tried to steer him towardTim McGraw’s"Humble and Kind,“his emotional connection was not enough to convince him to select the right song. Back with his guitar,Triston leaned into the story within the lyrics, which caught him up at times.His emotions did get the best of him. Whether he knew of the Hawaii story or not, it was revealed that Lionel picked the song Triston ultimately sang.
6Emmy Russell
“Coal Miner’s Daughter”
It was inevitable that the girl who just so happened to beLoretta Lynn’s granddaughter would sing her legendary song.The moment Emmy Russell saw her song options, there was no doubt in her mind that she would be singing “Coal Miner’s Daughter.“Emmy knew the song inside and out, as she should. Rather than opting for"Here You Come Again"byDolly Partonor"Suddenly I See"byKT Tunstall, Emmy went to the safe zone, which resulted in a very comfortable performance. Rather than going with a classic country rendition, Emmy played her grandmother’s song at the piano. Vocally, she gave a beautifully controlled performance. It was just lacking the spark. While Katy revealed she picked the song to give Emmy her moment of being Emmy Russell and not Loretta Lynn’s granddaughter.Unfortunately, it slightly backfired.
5Julia Gagnon
“Over the Rainbow”
The judges wanted Julia Gagnon to have a big moment. Julia had the choice of one of the greatest songs ever in"Over the Rainbow"byJudy Garland, the original American Idol with"Because of You"byKelly Clarkson, or one of the greatest voices ever with"Because You Loved Me"byCeline Dion. Julia decided she didn’t want to have a big vocal moment and selected"Over the Rainbow.“The song has been performed multiple times on reality singing competition shows, so Julia felt it was time to reinvent the song. Uniting a plethora of styles and renditions of the song, includingEva Cassidy’s version and the Hawaiian-inspired version byIsrael Kamakawiwo’ole, Julia proved that she can be subtle and controlled.When fans of Julia eventually attend her concerts in the future, this will be a show-stopper.For American Idol, it was a tad too reserved when the competition was so tight. In the end, selecting Luke’s pick worked to her advantage!
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4McKenna Faith Breinholt
“Everywhere I Go”
As one of the most consistent artists of the season, she consistently shocks the audience with her ability to sing literally anything.To prove that, McKenna Faith Breinholt was given a trio of songs that could not have any similarities. She decided to negate"Hit Me With Your Best Shot"byPat Benatarand"Angles Like You"byMiley Cyrusand selected"Everywhere I Go"byLissie. Katy ultimately selected the song as she felt there was a closeness between the two artists. As the least familiar option, McKenna did have the opportunity to make it her own. McKenna’s voice is so beautiful and unique, singing in a manner that very few artists have excelled at.Her smokey tone has a way of easing the listener in before she soars in the chorus.The biggest shock of the night was seeing her at risk of being eliminated, but it was clear, without a doubt in her mind, Katy was going to save her over Kaibrienne. Katy knows how much America deserves to continue to hear her sing.
3Will Mosley
“Folsom Prison Blues”
Will Mosley is your typical, generic male country singer. Finding his footing post Idol is going to be his biggest test. For Will to succeed, he needs to make the right choices. And Will Mosley made all the right choices in the Judges Song Contest! With no choice but to sing country, it was a matter whether he would opt for something modern, with either"Stone"byWhiskey Myersor"White Horse"byChris Stapleton, or something classic withJohnny Cash’s"Folsom Prison Blues.“At first, he leaned toward"Stone"but something in him decided to sing theMan in Black.And boy was he right! By selecting another artist that is different from his own voice, Will took one of Johnny Cash’s best tracks and gave it the Will Mosley spin. For the most part, Will has sung in front of a microphone with his guitar slung high. Will figured out that he needed to command the stage by leaving the center mark and moving and grooving.Now known as the “Mosley Mosey,” Will utilized every inch of the stage, including the ramp behind the judges, and captivated the audience, getting them to party alongside him. This was easily Will’s best performance to date. Thank you, Lionel, for the song!
2Jack Blocker
“Always on My Mind”
In a long-form competition, it’s always important to show versatility.When it comes to musical genres, Jack Blocker has performed everything from folk, country, and pop, all with his own signature sound.Naturally, the judges had one of each for him to pick from. Jack had already performedThe Weekndthis season, so he steered away from"Earned It.“He lovesZach Bryan, but someone has already performed him this season. So then he was left withWillie Nelson, as selected by Katy Perry. Without his guitar in hand for the first time this season, Jack’s sweet and balanced rendition of"Always On My Mind"resulted in his best performance of the season. Jack still provides his signature facial moves, but it’s now controlled, allowing his vocals to be set free. There was a great build to the song, beginning mellow and growing into a booming toward the end.His interpretation and musical phrasing proves that his artistry as a musician is something special.
1Abi Carter
“Bring Me to Life”
Where Abi Carter will land in the music industry following her run on American Idol is a bit unknown. At one moment, she is the nextSara Barielles. The next, she’s Olivia Rodrigo. No matter where she goes, her voice will carry her to stardom. The vocal coaches wanted her to go with"His Eye is On the Sparrow,“a classic hymn, but Abi was not feeling it. She decided it would be best for her to perform"Bring Me to Life"byEvanescence. Prior to this performance, Abi had typically changed the style of the song to fit her. For this performance, she stuck to the original. Somehow,Abi gave an even more haunting rendition of an already dramatic song.The purity of her instrument allowed her to sustain a near pitch-perfect performance. Paired with an all-black fashion moment, Abi’s fully realized performance was the best of the night. Luke’s song selection was right in Abi’s wheelhouse.
American Idol airs Sundays at 8:00pm onABC. All episodes are available to stream the next day onHulu.
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