It’s time for the ‘American Idol’ finale. Here’s how to vote for your favorite singer

Lottie Elizabeth Johnson
·5 min read
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The top three singers on “American Idol,” Colin Stough, Megan Danielle and Iam Tongi, are pictured with “Idol” host Ryan Seacrest and judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie.
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“American Idol” is getting ready to crown its Season 21 winner — and it’s all up to viewers.

Here’s a breakdown of the top three singers remaining in the competition — and how to cast your vote for your favorite.

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Who are the ‘American Idol’ 2023 top 3 singers?

Iam Tongi

Iam Tongi’s “American Idol” audition is the most viewed of the season — by a landslide. Posted three months ago, it already has 16 million views on YouTube. For his audition, 18-year-old Tongi, who is a high school senior from Hawaii, performed “Monsters” by James Blunt and dedicated the performance to his father, who died a couple of months before the audition.

With emotion, Tongi told the “Idol” judges that his father was the reason he got into music. He carried his emotion into his performance, and had judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan crying with his rendition of the song.

I’m not your son, you’re not my father

We’re just two grown men saying goodbye

No need to forgive, no need to forget

I know your mistakes and you know mine

And while you’re sleeping, I’ll try to make you proud

So, daddy, won’t you just close your eyes?

Don’t be afraid, it’s my turn to chase the monsters away

Tongi choked up as he reached his last note — but he had already convinced the judges that he would be a strong contender in the “Idol” competition.

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“You hit a nerve, and that’s what great storytellers do,” Katy Perry said. “That’s what great artists do, and your voice is just so magnificent.”

“I cannot handle your heart breaking about your dad,” Bryan added. “Just seeing you missing your dad just sucks. Gosh, man, you just got a great voice. ... You just did everything perfect, and I love you.”

“You take this into the world and you’re going to fracture some souls,” Richie said.

After the audition, Tongi spoke with producers about how he and his dad bonded over music, and how his dad had long wanted him to audition for “American Idol.”

“People thought I cry because I miss him, but it’s ’cause I hear him singing — I can hear his harmony,” Tongi said. “I know he’s with me. Through my music he’ll always be with me.”

Throughout his time on “Idol,” Tongi has performed a wide range of songs — including Cat Steven’s “Father and Son,” Sam Cooke’s “Bring it On Home to Me,” and Simon and Garfunkel’s “Sound of Silence.”

Most recently, Tongi released his newest single, “I’ll Be Seeing You.”

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Megan Danielle

Megan Danielle, a 20-year-old singer from Georgia, got the surprise of a lifetime when she auditioned for “Idol” with Lauren Daigle’s hit song “You Say”: Daigle, who previously competed on “Idol,” ended up joining her audition and singing along.

During her audition, Danielle, who works at a Southern restaurant with her mom, told the “Idol” judges that she had a band when she was 18 and would frequently perform in bars. But one day, she said, her grandfather pulled her aside and asked her how she could use her talent to serve God, and the singer decided to make a switch to performing Christian music.

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With Daigle at her side, Danielle received feedback from the judges, who praised her authenticity. Bryan, specifically, said Danielle had “a real honest rawness.”

Danielle previously competed on “The Voice,” getting eliminated during the semifinals on Season 18.

Colin Stough

From a small town in Mississippi, 18-year-old Colin Stough made it to the “Idol” judges for one main reason: His mom signed him up to audition for the show.

Stough — who hopes to put the small town of Gattman, Mississippi, on the map — wowed all of the judges with his rendition of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Simple Man.” His mom, who was standing outside of the room during the performance, then came in and told the judges a little more about her son. She said Stough asked for his first guitar when he was in the fifth grade — and now their house is overflowing with guitars.

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All of the judges thanked Stough’s mother for signing her son up.

“Colin is exactly what we hope and dream for at ‘American Idol,’” Bryan said. “Somebody that’s just raw, real, humble.”

How to vote for singers on ‘American Idol’ 2023

“American Idol” provides the following three ways to vote for your favorite singer:

  • Online through the “American Idol” website.

  • Through the “American Idol” app.

  • Via text message.

According to hiddenremote.com, each top three singer has been assigned a number that viewers can text to “21523.”

  • Iam Tongi — To vote for Tongi, text “12” to 21523.

  • Megan Danielle — To vote for Danielle, text “10” to 21523.

  • Colin Stough — To vote for Stough, text “6” to 21523.

Voting begins at the start of the finale, which airs 6 p.m. MDT on ABC.