American Idol’s Top 20 Revealed! Were the Right Four Singers Eliminated?
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
The viewers finally had their say on Sunday as American Idol revealed which singers have made it through to the Top 20 — and which four have reached the end of their journeys.
More from TVLine
The Conners: How Does Dan Still Have a Mortgage on the House?
The Conners Plots Makeshift Series Finale in Case of Cancellation (Report)
It was a three-hour beast of a results show, which welcomed each contestant through to the next round before immediately performing a song to earn a spot in the Top 14, which will be revealed live on Monday (ABC, 8/7c). It was a brutal process, especially for the unlucky four singers who didn’t secure enough of America’s votes. All told, two singers from Tori Kelly’s Aulani group and two from Jelly Roll’s ended up getting the boot. And yes, there were tears.
Voting for the Top 14 opened at 11 pm EST on Sunday and will remain open until 9 am EST on Monday. As always, votes can be cast three different ways — on the show’s official website (americanidol.com), on the American Idol app (available in the App Store), or you can text the number of your preferred contestant to “21523.” Each singer’s number is listed next to their name below.
Read on for a breakdown of the 20 singers continuing in the competition, then vote for the 14 you’d keep and drop a comment with your thoughts on the four eliminations.
JACK BLOCKER (20)
This native Texan embraced his southern roots on Sunday with a boot-stomping country jam, Jim Croce’s “You Don’t Mess Around With Jim,” and it served it him well. Confident, charismatic and lots of fun to watch, Jack delivered another polished, professional performance. He also made sure to squeeze in one last big note — and big face — for good measure.
TVLINE’S GRADE: “A-“
MIA MATTHEWS (23)
Mia brought lots of attitude to Lainey Wilson’s “Wildflowers and Wild Horses,” a deceptively difficult song befitting her strong vocals. “Not to be corny, but I think you found your roar,” Katy Perry told her. It was corny, sure, but also accurate.
TVLINE’S GRADE: “B+”
MACKENZIE SOL (15)
First of all, that flashback to Mackenzie on Britain’s Got Talent was adorable, even with Sharon Osbourne in it. He really has been fighting for the spotlight his entire life, and we felt every bit of that emotion in his touching performance of Lady Gaga’s “I’ll Never Love Again.” (Is it cheesy to say that a star was born this week? Probably. We’ll keep that one to ourselves.)
TVLINE’S GRADE: “B+”
ROMAN COLLINS (21)
We always expect a spirited performance from Roman, yet we’re never fully prepared for what he brings us. In this case, it was a celebration of his personal survival, set to Marvin Sapp’s “Never Would Have Made It.” No one in this competition comes to life on stage like Roman. Watching him, it feels like he’s performing for a higher audience; the fact that we’re also witnessing him is almost inconsequential. His faith is strong, his mission is clear and his voice is sick.
TVLINE’S GRADE: “A+”
KENNEDY REID (19)
First of all, anyone putting negative comments about Kennedy on social media can go straight to hell. Do not pass go, do not collect 200 dollars. Of course, she doesn’t need us (or her mom) to fight her battles. She hit back at the trolls this week with a particularly poignant pick, the Judds’ “Love Can Build a Bridge,” a more intimate performance than we’re used to seeing from her, and easily her most vulnerable yet. It wasn’t perfect, but when it was good, it was very good. Plus, Kennedy gets bonus points for dropping the best line of the season so far: “I’m not going to give up on my dream because somebody doesn’t like my wig. Period.”
TVLINE’S GRADE: “B”
AJII (18)
Ajii always makes unexpected song choices, and Audioslave’s “Like a Stone” was no exception. Perfectly suited for his powerful voice and intense presence, it felt like the kind of song he would release himself.
TVLINE’S GRADE: “A-”
JENNIFER JEFFRIES (16)
Miz Jeffries brought the storm with this raspy, stompin-around number. Matt Maeson’s “Grave Digger” wasn’t the most vocally challenging song she’s served up thus far, but it showed off her unique artistry and growing command of the stage.
TVLINE’S GRADE: “B”
EMMY RUSSELL (17)
This sweet songbird returned to the stage with “Want You,” an original song about unrequited love. Delicate yet powerful, you could tell from the heartbreak infused in her voice that this was an experience Emmy endured herself. As a song, it was also just extremely well-written.
TVLINE’S GRADE: “B+”
TRISTON HARPER (24)
We’ve had to remind ourselves numerous times throughout this competition that Triston is only 15, and that includes tonight. This little country king blew our minds with “H-O-P-E,” an original song about the pain and sorrow he’s witnessed in his young life. The lyrics were brutal, the vocals were chilling and the attitude was strong. Always impressive, he really stepped it up this week. (And his mom was L-I-V-I-N-G in the audience, singing along to every word. We love her, too.)
TVLINE’S GRADE: “A”
ODELL BUNTON JR. (13)
See the picture of Odell above? That’s exactly how we feel after his performance of Teddy Swims’ “The Door.” It was a bold choice, considering Teddy himself was there to watch it, but when you’re stepping up to the mic with this kind of vocal power, there’s really nothing to worry about. Odell immediately brought the heat, crushing the song with runs and riffs for days, earning Teddy’s enthusiastic seal of approval from the sidelines. He went full church at the end, and everyone was feeling the spirit.
TVLINE’S GRADE: “A”
KAYKO (5)
We’re pretty sure Kayko earned his spot in the finale with this one. Endlessly charming, the radio-ready singer-songwriter served up a polished, confident performance of “Over You,” another original banger. He even showed off his guitar skills, lest anyone doubt his mastery of music-bending. More than anything else, we couldn’t believe how ready he felt for this. It’s performances like these that make us question how much of an “accident” his audition really was.
TVLINE’S GRADE: “A-“
JORDAN ANTHONY (2)
Over all, we enjoyed this belt-heavy rendition of Billie Eilish’s haunting ballad “When the Party’s Over.” Jordan’s microphone attempted to sabotage him midway through his performance, but the resilient Aussie rebounded with minimal effort, squeezing in one more impressive high note before his own party was over.
TVLINE’S GRADE: “B”
QUINTAVIOUS (9)
This Top 20 is loaded with gospel talent, and Quintavious is in good company. A worship leader since 17, he worked the Idol audience like a congregation with his honest performance of Tori Kelly’s “Hollow.” It was slightly funkier than the evening’s previous churchy numbers, but we’re not complaining.
TVLINE’S GRADE: “A-”
KAIBRIENNE (10)
Are we crazy, or was it only yesterday that we were all calling this girl “KB”? The kids rebrand themselves so quickly these days. Anyway, Kaibrienne delivered a beautiful performance with “Girl I Am Now,” a love letter to her younger self. She stumbled a few times throughout the song, but both moments somehow made the overall performance… better? Despite seeming like she was going to have to completely start over, Kaibrienne instead came back stronger than before. It almost felt like the mistakes were part of the performance.
TVLINE’S GRADE: “B+”
NYA (6)
Nya infused tons of personality into this gorgeous take on Ray Charles’ “Georgia on My Mind,” which she dedicated to her late father. From her breathtaking low notes to her soaring belt, Nya’s vocal control never fails to impress, nor does her innate ability to own the stage.
TVLINE’S GRADE: “A”
JAYNA ELISE (3)
Things Jayna did tonight: that. We had goosebumps from the moment she broke through the silence with those first few notes. Not only was this one of the best performances of the night, but it was also one of the most unexpected. We’re pretty that Chick (if you know, you know!) would approve of Jayna’s rock-heavy take on Mariah Carey’s “My All.” The judges should be quite pleased with themselves for giving her another chance this season.
TVLINE’S GRADE: “A-“
ABI CARTER (8)
My Chemical Romance’s “Welcome to the Black Parade” was an inspired song choice for Abi, who felt led to honor her late grandparents with this week’s performance. Her stripped-down take on the emo-rock anthem was hauntingly beautiful, with so many runs and riffs and tricks and treats woven throughout. Nerves suppressed a few of her more intense moments, but it was strong overall. The look (and tears) on Katy’s face said it all.
TVLINE’S GRADE: “A”
WILL MOSELEY (11)
What do you even tell someone who recently topped Luke Combs and fell just short of Beyoncé on the country charts? Nothing, that’s what. This guy is country music personified, and his performances are always solid, a tradition he carried on with Drake White “Makin’ Me Look Good Again.” Not that he needs anyone to make him look good, he’s taking care of that all by himself.
TVLINE’S GRADE: “A-”
MCKENNA FAITH BREINHOLT (12)
From the minute those first raspy notes left her lips, McKenna had us. Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” was a perfect fit for her indie songwriter vibe, resulting in a heartbreaking performance peppered with big and small moments. There’s something alluring about McKenna’s confidence, like you never know where she’s going to take you but you trust that she’ll get you there safely.
TVLINE’S GRADE: “A”
JULIA GAGNON (4)
Our hearts broke for Julia this week. The poor girl had to perform Fantasia’s “I Believe” mere moments after sobbing her way into the final spot in the Top 20. Couldn’t they have at least given her a commercial break to collect herself before having to sing for America’s votes? Her voice was understandably affected by her surge of emotions, but she managed to pull out a strong performance, even if a few of the bigger notes didn’t quite hold up.
TVLINE’S GRADE: “B”
Who Didn’t Make the Top 20?
Now that we’ve celebrated the 20 singers continuing this season, it’s time to say farewell to the four leaving us tonight. In typical, unceremonious Idol fashion, we witnessed four eliminations on Sunday — Elleigh Marie, KBlocks, Blake Proehl and Hailey Mia.
Once you’ve processed Sunday’s results, cast your vote in our poll below. Which singers deserve to make it to the Top 14?
Best of TVLine
Get more from TVLine.com: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter
