American Idol : Contestants Are Shocked After Judges Change Up the Game During Hollywood Week
Things are heating up on American Idol!
In an exclusive clip of Sunday’s episode, judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie make Idol history by changing up the game for Hollywood Week.
“You survived round one of Hollywood Week,” Richie tells the contestants. “What do you think is next?”
“Groups,” the ecstatic contestants scream.
“Surprise, surprise,” Perry and Richie say. “For the first time in the history of American Idol we’re going to ask you to join forces for some Hollywood duets,” adds Richie.
RELATED: Did Luke Bryan Hint at Katy Perry’s Pregnancy 3 Weeks Before She Shared the News?
ABC American Idol
Last week, PEOPLE confirmed that the highly anticipated Hollywood Week would be modified.
“Hollywood this year is different,” Perry said in a clip shared exclusively with PEOPLE last week. “This business throws you curve balls.”
“You can give up backstage, you can give up back home, you can give up in your mind, wherever you want to give up,” Richie tells a contestant while clips of several crying contestants play. “But you never give up on stage.”
The clip ends with a simple, ominous question: “Who will survive?”
RELATED: American Idol Is Changing Things Up! Here’s How Hollywood Week Is Being Modified
Instead of running “lines of 10” in its first round like before, contestants will get to showcase their favorite music styles in the Genre Challenge. This new modification will allow contestants to choose their preferred music style (such as pop, country or R&B) and perform a song in the genre of their choice — allowing Idol fans to get to know each contestant a bit more.
For Hollywood Week’s second round, Idol will say goodbye to groups and instead welcome duets.
Contestants will get to pair up with an opponent, select a song, create an arrangement and perform a track of their choice. This new challenge will allow contestants to test their artistry by selecting a single partner (as opposed to a group of friends). Also, contestants will have to decide with whom they want to partner.
American Idol airs Sundays and Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT on ABC.
