♪ Let's make tonight the weekend ♪
♪ I don't wanna wait. I don't wanna... ♪
Thank you all very much. Appreciate that.
Welcome to Aulani,
A Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, Hawaii.
We have got an amazing show for you tonight.
But first, say hello to our judges.
It is the one and only Lionel Richie.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Here is Carrie Underwood.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Our superstar guest judge and mentor, Keke Palmer.
[ Cheers and applause ]
And you got to keep it going.
Make some noise for Luke Bryan.
[ Cheers and applause ]
♪ Got no reason not to celebrate ♪
♪ Baby, I just don't wanna wait ♪
Luke Bryan!
Luke. Luke. Woman: Where is he?
Luke? Ryan: My apologies.
Just give me one moment, everyone. I'm so sorry.
We just met and I already have to do this.
[ Line ringing ] It's a bit embarrassing.
♪ It's the circle ♪
♪ The circle of life ♪ ♪ The circle of life ♪
[ Cellphone rings ]
Ryan. What's up, buddy?
Dude, where are you?
I'm on the lazy river. It's amazing.
We just started the show, Luke.
The show started?
Oh, my God. I'm late?
Oh, shoot. I'm late.
Oh, come on. My God.
I'm sorry, everyone.
I'm on my way.
How did you miss the crew call, Luke?
Somebody gave me the wrong time.
Hold on. Are you standing
in front of the Dole Whip stand?
Do I see Dole Whips?
That sounds delicious.
You guys all in?
-Yeah. -Yeah.
Luke, looks like about 13 we need.
13 Dole Whips?
Hang on. Anybody else want some?
[ Cheers and applause ]
Sorry.
Get ready. I'm coming in cold!
[ Cheers and applause ]
Hey!
Yeah. Who wants one?
Well, the gang is all here,
so... We can do it.
...this is "American Idol."
♪ Let's make tonight the weekend ♪
♪ I don't wanna wait, I don't wanna wait ♪
Let me tell you, last week we revealed your top 20
during our first-ever 'ohana round.
And tonight we've got another music-filled extravaganza
lined up for you with knockout performances
from 10 of your finalists, plus...
[ Cheers and applause ]
..."Idol" alum Iam Tongi
and Thunderstorm Artis return home to Oahu.
They join forces on the stage.
We're doubling up on mentors with Grammy-winning
country mega superstar Brad Paisley...
[ Cheers and applause ]
...and Emmy-winning actress and singer Keke Palmer
guiding the hopefuls.
[ Cheers and applause ]
And bonus, Keke's also
joining the panel with your judges.
Tonight, America, your vote kicks off,
and we've got huge game-changing news
about how you'll be voting all season long.
We're saying goodbye to the "American Idol" app,
but we're saying hello to more ways to vote than ever before.
Along with text and online voting,
for the first time in "Idol" history,
you can vote on social media.
Just head to @AmericanIdol on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Find our pinned official voting post
and by commenting with the first name
of the hopeful you're rooting for,
you can write one name per comment,
which equals one vote.
Pretty easy, right?
Remember, you can vote up to 10 times per hopeful
per platform and voting method.
That's 50 total votes for your favorite.
So go big, go all in,
max them out and take a look at the talented voices
from across the nation who you're voting on tonight.
They are ready for you.
[ Cheers and applause ]
First up, it's the pride of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, Makiyah.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Hi. How are you?
Nice meeting you, too. Nice to meet you.
Keke Palmer? Like, out of all people, Keke Palmer.
That's who I'm mentoring with.
That is, like, insane. That is crazy. I love her.
She won Entertainer of the Year, you know,
2025 NAACP Image Awards.
How are you feeling being here?
I'm feeling great. I feel amazing.
First time in Hawaii? Yes, very first time.
Fabulous.
I remember growing up,
we were struggling at a point in time,
and I never thought that I would be
on this journey and to be where I am today.
Man, it feels so good being out here.
The sun, beach.
I feel like I'm living a life.
The experience -- I'm grateful for it all.
What are you gonna be singing today?
Today I'm gonna be singing "Bang Bang"
by Jessie J, Ariana Grande.
I can't wait to hear what you got. Okay, let's do it.
Yeah. Do your thing. Let's do it. Let's do it.
♪ She got a body like an hourglass ♪
♪ But I can give it to you all the time ♪
You didn't miss a note. She didn't miss a note.
That was incredible.
I'm floored. Thank you.
If I were to say anything, just another little element
you could sprinkle on is talking to the audience. Mm-hmm.
As that end vamp out comes in, just being like,
"Sing it with me" or whatever, you know. Yeah.
Give you a little moment.
♪ Wait a minute, sing out ♪
♪ Come on ♪
♪ B to the A to the N to the G ♪
Brad: Her ease on stage and this innate star quality...
Charisma? Yeah. Yeah.
She'll -- If she tries that, it'll work.
Thank you.
Don't change a thing, I think.
I'm not. Yes.
[ Cheers and applause ]
♪ She got a body like an hourglass ♪
♪ But I can give it to you all the time ♪
♪ She got a booty like a Cadillac ♪
♪ But I can send you into overdrive, oh ♪
♪ You've been waiting for that ♪
♪ Come on ♪
♪ Come up, swing your bat ♪
♪ See, anybody could be bad to you ♪
♪ You need a good girl to blow your mind ♪
♪ Bang-bang into the room ♪ ♪ I know you want it ♪
♪ Hey, bang-bang all over you ♪ ♪ I'll let you have it ♪
♪ Wait a minute, let me take you there ♪
♪ Wait a minute 'til you ♪
♪ Bang-bang, there goes your heart ♪ ♪ I know you want it ♪
♪ Back-back seat of my car ♪ ♪ I'll let you have it ♪
♪ Wait a minute, let me take you there ♪
♪ Wait a minute 'til you ♪
♪ She might've let you hold her hand in school ♪
♪ But I'ma show you how to graduate ♪
♪ Come on ♪
♪ No, I don't need to hear you talk the talk ♪
♪ Just come and show me what your mama gave, oh ♪
♪ You got a big, hold on ♪
♪ Mouth but don't say a thing ♪
♪ See, anybody could be bad to you ♪
♪ You need a good girl to blow your mind ♪
♪ Bang-bang into the room ♪
♪ I know you want it ♪
♪ Hey, hey ♪
♪ I'll let you have it ♪
♪ Wait a minute, let me take you there ♪
♪ Wait a minute 'til you ♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
♪ Oh, I know you want it ♪
♪ I'll let you have it ♪
♪ Wait a minute, let me take you there ♪
♪ Wait a minute 'til you ♪
Sing it with me!
♪ B to the A to the N to the G ♪
♪ Come on ♪
♪ See, anybody could be good to you ♪
♪ You need a bad girl to blow your mind ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
Ryan: There it is!
It's a big finish.
Yeah. To everyone.
Great to see you in Hawaii. Aloha.
Aloha.
Got the aloha spirit. Did she engage with you?
I think she did.
Yes.
Well, judges, did you feel it as well?
Let's start with you, Lionel. What did you think?
Did we feel it? Did we feel it?
Thank you, thank you.
That's how you start a show off.
Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on.
Talk about a crowd pleaser.
Boom!
From the moment that you stepped out,
you had the audience engaged.
Now, in the first verse, did something happen real quick?
Ooh. Maybe real, real quick.
Your recovery...
it was insane. Thank you.
Like a quick moment, but then you breezed right
through and kept the energy up high the whole time.
It was incredible. Thank you, thank you,
thank you, thank you, thank you. Insane.
I mean, you understood the assignment.
That's right. You're the first one up.
And, I mean, you came out and you delivered.
I went back and I rewatched your audition,
and, like, you just have
notes on notes on notes on notes.
And here you got to show us that you not only can sing,
but you are a performer.
That's right. Thank you. Thank you.
You ain't in Arkansas no more.
So, I mean, your outfit's great.
Your whole presentation and the energy
was just through the roof.
And, uh, just watching the crowd react is what it's all about.
Makiyah: Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Starting us off up tempo,
Makiyah needs your votes to move on in the competition.
You can vote for her online,
via text or for the first time ever,
by commenting Makiyah's name on
our official "American Idol" voting post
on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
Makiyah, everyone. Thank you very much.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Alright. Lots to do.
Coming up, Jake Thistle delivers
some Huey Lewis and the News right here
from Disney's Aulani resort.
More "Idol" right after this.
Back with you on "Idol," where we love
highlighting the great work being done by Make-A-Wish.
I want you to meet 8-year-old Harper right here,
our superstar, who is bravely
facing ongoing treatment for a brain tumor.
She wished to visit us here
at "American Idol" with her family
here at Disney's Aulani Resort.
You're a star. Are you having a good time?
Yeah! Yeah! Alright.
Well, we love your energy.
We love your spirit. Aloha to Harper, please.
Aloha.
All: Aloha!
Give it to me. Good job.
Disney's worked alongside our friends
at Make-A-Wish for nearly 45 years,
and is proud to grant a Disney wish
every hour of every day.
You can learn more at wish.org/Disney.
Now, here's how Brad Paisley and Keke Palmer
took the reins with singer/ songwriter Jake Thistle.
You ready? Yeah.
You've been performing since you were 9.
Yeah, from 9 to 15,
I could play bars because I was young enough
where nobody would ever think to serve me.
Brad: I was the same way.
I did bars from the time I was 10 till I left,
and it actually scared me off alcohol
for a long time. Yeah.
Jake: We come from different parts of the country
and we play different styles of music,
but we still have a lot of shared experiences.
And so I had a great time talking to Brad about that.
I'm singing "The Power of Love" by Huey Lewis.
Oh, my God, that's so --
That's one of my favorite songs of all time.
♪ The power of love is a curious thing ♪
♪ Make a one man weep ♪
♪ Make another man sing ♪
You're a tremendous player.
So kind of you.
That is so perfectly done.
♪ More than a feeling ♪
♪ That's the power of love ♪
Yes!
It's a high song. I mean,
Huey always sang higher than -- than you think.
There's something about that voice of his.
But in your case, too, go for those high ones -- ♪ Power ♪
♪ You feel the power ♪
Jake makes it effortless.
And, you know, sometimes you want to make it look hard.
I had a record exec once tell me, "Make it look hard tonight."
And so I played a solo that's not that hard.
And I was just like, "Uhh," like, in the middle,
and the cover of the newspaper the next day
was that shot.
Jake: There's sort of a power about getting out there
and really, you know, going for it
with facial expressions and body language.
And that was great advice for him to give me.
I can't wait to see how this goes.
This is all gonna come down
to the stage presence that you show,
I think, on a song like this.
Thank you guys so much.
You're great, man. Yes!
It really means the world.
[ Cheers and applause ]
[ "The Power of Love" playing ]
♪♪
♪ The power of love is a curious thing ♪
♪ Make a one man weep ♪
♪ Make another man sing ♪
♪ Change a hawk to a little white dove ♪
♪ More than a feeling ♪
♪ That's the power of love ♪
♪♪
♪ Don't need money ♪
♪ Don't take fame ♪
♪ Don't need no credit card to ride this train ♪
♪ It's strong and it's sudden ♪
♪ But it's cruel sometimes ♪
♪ But it might just save your life ♪
♪ They say that all in love is fair ♪
♪ Yeah, but you don't care ♪
♪ And with a little help from above ♪
♪ You feel the power of love ♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
♪ Feel the power of love ♪
♪ The first time you feel it ♪
♪ It might make you mad ♪
♪ The next time you feel it ♪
♪ It might make you sad ♪
♪ But you'll be glad, baby ♪
♪ When you found ♪
♪ That's the power makes the world go round ♪
Yeah!
♪ Don't need money, don't take fame ♪
♪ Don't need no credit card to ride this train ♪
♪ Tougher than diamonds and stronger than steel ♪
♪ You won't feel nothing 'til you feel ♪
♪ You want the power ♪
♪ Oh, you feel the power of love ♪
♪ You feel the power ♪
♪ Feel the power of love ♪
♪ Ooh, you feel the power of love ♪
♪ Yeah, you feel the power of love ♪
♪ You feel the power of love ♪
♪♪
Ryan: Yes!
"The Power of Love,"
the "Back to the Future" soundtrack.
Huey Lewis and the News.
You wanted to bring the energy.
I think it was mission accomplished.
Thank you so much.
Let's get to the judges on this one. Lionel.
Did I detect this sexy...
[ Laughter ]
...sexy Jake?
And then -- Did you notice, judges --
I've never seen you when you get the ugly face.
That means you're singing your heart out, man.
I mean, honestly, that's what we're looking for.
Bring it, bring it! Thank you so much.
Come on. Thank you.
Brad told me to make it look hard.
Bring it.
Every time we see you perform,
your number-one thing is you always look
like you're in control of the moment
and you're comfortable and it looks professional.
We've seen you do more laid-back stuff,
so it was really fun to see you branch out,
do kind of some rock 'n' roll.
And that was the best example that
I've seen you do that thus far. Great job.
Thank you so much.
I love how -- Just even at the beginning, like,
everybody is kind of
bringing different sides of themselves.
Like, we know you have a great voice,
you're such an old soul and all that,
but you just look like you were having fun.
Paisley gave you some really great notes on the guitar.
You had some Paisley moves going on in the best way.
I'll take it. Thank you so much. It means a lot.
Keke: I mean, it was fabulous.
You could tell that you were so at home on stage.
And that moment where you stopped playing
and you really leaned in,
It was great to see how you were connecting to the crowd.
I mean, it felt like a party out here.
You saw how all the girls were screaming.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Thank you guys so much.
I really appreciate it. Thank you. Good stuff!
You have the power to keep me in the running.
Vote for Jake online via text and on social media.
Just comment his first name under our official pinned
voting post on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
You can vote up to 10 times per finalist on each platform.
Jake Thistle, America.
Thank you, buddy. Thank you so much.
Appreciate it. Good job.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Alright. On the other side, Genevieve Heyward
on a huge Chappell Roan hit.
But first "Idol" winner IamTongi
is back here on Oahu with his newest single.
Plus, he joins forces with
former finalist Thunderstorm Artis on a showstopper
for all y'all and y'all.
We'll be right back.
Back with you on "Idol."
Right now, we're excited to welcome back
an unforgettable "Idol" talent
and his musical journey started right here on Oahu.
Performing the title track off his debut album,
"Good For My Soul," it's 2023 winner Iam Tongi!
[ Cheers and applause ]
[ "Good For My Soul" playing ]
♪ You're good for my soul ♪
♪ The sun is always shining in my sky ♪
♪ Your kisses leave me feeling butterflies ♪
♪ I know you got me feeling like I'm falling ♪
♪ You know the only reason that I'm calling ♪
♪ Is to tell you that I'm missing ♪
♪ Kissing your sweet lips tonight ♪
♪ And, girl, I gotta tell you right now ♪
♪ You're good for my soul ♪
♪ A place that I go ♪
♪ Where I call home ♪
♪ You're all that I need ♪
♪ The air that I breathe ♪
♪ I'm letting you know you're good for my soul ♪
♪ Your love is a wondrous thing ♪
♪ So your love makes me wanna sing ♪
♪ Makes me wanna say ♪
♪ You're good for my soul ♪
♪ A place that I go ♪
♪ Where I call home ♪
♪ You're all that I need ♪
♪ The air that I breathe ♪
♪ I'm letting you know ♪
♪ You're good for my soul ♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
Everybody, give it up for Thunderstorm Artis.
Come on!
[ Cheers and applause ]
How y'all doing?
[ Cheers and applause continue ]
[ Playing "Island Style" ]
♪ On the Island ♪
♪ We do it Island style ♪
♪ From the mountain to the ocean ♪
♪ From the windward to the leeward side ♪
♪ Mama's in the kitchen cooking dinner real nice ♪
♪ Beef stew on the stove, lomi salmon on the ice ♪
♪ We eat and drink and we sing all day ♪
♪ Kanikapila in the old Hawaiian way ♪
♪ On the Island ♪
♪ We do it Island style ♪
♪ From the mountain to the ocean ♪
♪ From the windward to the leeward side ♪
♪ Go to grandma's house on the weekend and clean yard ♪
♪ If we no go, grandma gotta work hard ♪
♪ You know my grandma, she like the poi real sour ♪
♪ I love my grandma every minute, every hour ♪
♪ On the Island ♪
♪ We do it Island style ♪
♪ From the mountain to the ocean ♪
♪ From the windward to the leeward side ♪
Come on.
♪ On the Island ♪
♪ We do it Island style ♪
♪ From the mountain to the ocean ♪
♪ To the windward to the leeward side ♪
♪ From the mountain to the ocean ♪
♪ From the windward to the leeward side ♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
Thunderstorm Artis, Iam Tongi.
Good to see you, buddy.
Good to see you, man. Good to see you, buddy.
Welcome back. I can't believe it.
Here we are once again, feeling that island style.
Thunderstorm. It was just last year, wasn't it?
Man, it was just last year, but it feels like --
it feels like just a week ago.
Really? Yeah. Yeah.
Well, congratulations on everything.
Great to see you up here, making it look easy once again.
And look at this superstar. Iam Tongi.
Iam: What's up? What's up?
How's life changed for you since we did
all of this and announced you
the winner of "American Idol"?
Man, it's been crazy.
Uh, just touring around the world, and, uh, just...
It wouldn't -- It wouldn't have happened if it
wasn't for "American Idol," so come on.
We love you, buddy.
We love you, too. It's great to see you guys Great to see you.
come back and perform for us.
By the way, Iam's debut album is available now,
so check that out.
Thunderstorm's new single, "Storybook,"
is also out now,
and their version of "Island Style"
is available right this moment.
Check it out.
Thunderstorm, Iam, thank you very much.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Now...hoping to follow in their footsteps
and make it through tonight, it's Genevieve Heyward.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Genevieve: Aulani has been absolutely incredible.
Because we are here for a competition,
it does help when you're in those peak pressure moments
to be able to look around and be like,
"Okay, look at that palm tree.
That palm tree is chilling.
I'm gonna be chilling." You know?
I'm feeling pretty Zenned out.
That feels good.
This was a much-needed Zen moment.
[ Piano flourish ]
[ Laughing ] You funny.
♪ I know you wanted me ♪
For this round, I'll be singing "Pink Pony Club"
by Chappell Roan.
♪ Pink Pony Club ♪
♪ I'm gonna keep on dancing at the Pink ♪
Brad: I was floored by Genevieve.
Yes! She knows who she is already.
♪ Ohhh ♪
Sing it.
♪ Pink Pony Club ♪
Both: ♪ I'm gonna keep on dancing at the Pink ♪
It's a real sort of rock-'n'-roll energy.
♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪
Brad: All of this spontaneity. Yeah.
Just, like, the whimsy when you were starting
and you're laughing and -- Yes!
Just do it. Just do it.
I'm not sure if there's, like,
something they can do in the beginning
before you get into the song,
but I almost want it to meet you in the intro...
Yeah. ...before you get into the song.
Because I feel like that's you.
Like, kind of bring the personality,
like, right out the gate. Yes.
Keke almost immediately, like, saw me as a person.
She's like, "You're a showman."
So we worked on kind of incorporating
a little bit of that kind of attitude to it.
[ Piano flourish ]
"American Idol," it's Genevieve.
Are you all ready to go to the Pink Pony Club?
Yes, we are.
Genevieve: I just hope that what I want to show
comes out the right way on that stage.
♪ Pink Pony Club ♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
Alright. I'm gonna need some help on this one, y'all. Okay?
♪ I know you wanted me to stay ♪
♪ I can't ignore the crazy visions of me in LA ♪
♪ I heard that there's a special place ♪
♪ Boys and girls can all be queens every single day ♪
♪ I'm having wicked dreams of leaving Tennessee ♪
♪ Hear Santa Monica ♪
♪ I swear it's calling me ♪
♪ Won't make my mama proud ♪
♪ It's gonna cause a scene ♪
♪ She sees her baby girl ♪
♪ I know she's gonna scream ♪
♪ "God, what have you done? ♪
♪ You're a pink pony girl ♪
♪ And you dance at the club" ♪
♪ Oh, mama ♪
♪ Oh, I'm just having fun ♪
♪ On the stage in my heels ♪
♪ That's where I belong ♪
♪ Down at the Pink Pony Club ♪
♪ I'm gonna keep on dancing at the Pink Pony Club ♪
♪ Oh, oh, West Hollywood ♪
♪ I'm gonna keep on dancing at the Pink Pony Club ♪
♪ Pink Pony Club ♪
♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ Ohhhh ♪
Sing it!
♪ Pony club ♪
♪ I'm gonna keep on dancing at the Pink Pony Club ♪
♪ I'm gonna keep on dancing ♪
♪ West Hollywood ♪
♪ Ohhh ♪ ♪ I'm gonna keep on dancing ♪
♪ At the Pink Pony Club ♪
♪ Pink Pony Club ♪
♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ Pink Pony Club ♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
Ryan: Wow.
You are who you are wherever you are.
There you go.
Singing that anthem, right?
Singing that anthem. "Pink Pony Club."
Judges, did you feel that anthem? Lionel?
Did I feel it? Are you kidding me?
It almost blew my wig off.
What are you talking about?
There's nothing more exciting when someone
opens their mouths and it comes out clear...
Yes. ...strong, powerful.
It was amazing. I love what you did.
Thank you, Lionel. Thank you.
I remember, like, early on when you were
talking about what kind of artist you wanted to be.
You're like -- You wanted to occupy that pop-rock space.
And I love that you took this giant pop anthem and, like,
toughened it up a little bit.
I love the gloves. I love the outfit.
The second you walked out on stage,
it's like, "What's this girl about to do?"
And it's fun. You were having fun with it.
Thank you, Carrie.
Yeah. Keep bringing the energy like that.
I told Carrie -- I kind of whispered to her.
I'm like, "Every time you're on stage,
my eyes are just able to find you."
When you walk out, you're like...
Not the boot. It's you.
It's not the boots.
My eyes go to you.
And that's what stars have to have happen to be a star.
I just loved how you commanded it.
And you're having fun in the moment.
Thank you so much.
I love the way that you let the stage know right out,
like, "Y'all, hey, we're here to have fun.
I'm gonna need some help with y'all on this one."
You're so you on stage.
You have such a unique vibe.
You did excellent. I was in the Pink Pony Club.
That's cool. Thank you.
Fabulous.
And I gotta say, you guys did a really good job
helping me out on that.
Audience is a huge part of being up here
and finding that confidence.
So thanks to you guys.
Genevieve Heyward, everyone.
She wants to make it into the top 14.
So vote now if you want that, too.
Text voting is available
to subscribers of all wireless carriers.
You can also vote by going to
our pinned voting post on Facebook, Instagram,
or TikTok and commenting
the first name of the person you want to vote for.
Genevieve, well done. Thank you very much and good luck.
Thank you, Ryan. Alright. See you later.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Ryan: We're gonna take a quick breather,
but we're gearing up
for schoolteacher Daniel Stallworth
and his tribute to the one and only Lionel Richie.
"Idol" is back in just a few minutes.
What?! Whoa!
Ryan: Well, here we are. Welcome back to "American Idol,"
straight from the beautiful shore of Oahu.
You're in the driver's seat
and voting for all your favorites.
Remember, when you're voting on socials,
weigh in by commenting with one first name per comment
and keep those votes coming all night long.
Daniel Stallworth is hoping that you send some his way.
Here he is with Brad and Keke.
I've heard a little bit about what you do,
but tell us. So you are...
I'm a schoolteacher.
Elementary schoolteacher.
So how old are the students?
They are ages 4 to 11.
Before I left, I had a student tell me,
"Good luck, Mr. Stallworth." Oh, man.
"You are going to make it. Don't give up."
Oh, my goodness. And that's my motto.
Look at this little note.
Like, the letter that his student left him...
Oh, I... ...encouraging him on this.
I have a soft spot in my heart
for schoolteachers, my mother being one.
And it's like to see a teacher where
you know there's a school watching... Oh!
Daniel: I'm missing the kids at school, for sure,
but it's great to have some time to chase
my dreams and just simply relax.
I feel like a kid all over again.
♪ Well, my friends, the time has come ♪
For this round, I'll be performing
"All Night Long" by Lionel Richie.
That is bold. That's going for it.
That is swinging for the fence.
I chose that song because it's a party vibe.
We're in Hawaii.
I feel like that's the best song to fit the occasion.
♪ We're going to party, karamu ♪
♪ Fiesta, forever ♪
It's a classic song. I don't know who doesn't love this song.
I've never sung it live. Yeah.
"While I'm standing here in front of him, I'll just do it...
Yes! ...for the first time."
♪ All night long ♪
It could be a tricky move,
doing "All Night Long" and Lionel, like...
Yeah. That's the riskiest thing anybody's doing. Yeah.
♪ All night long, oh, whoa ♪
Yeah! Great voice.
So this is, like, the first I've heard it echo through here
when somebody sang. Are you gonna acknowledge
Lionel sitting there a little bit?
Got to. You gotta call Lionel out.
Got to get him up. Call him out.
Gotta get him up.
I like that Daniel's not being afraid to acknowledge Lionel.
If you need me to help you get Lionel up
dancing, I'm gonna be like...
Singing this song is definitely a risk,
but I would love to honor Lionel Richie.
I definitely want to do this song justice.
[ Cheers and applause ]
♪ La la ♪
♪ Well, my friends, the time has come ♪
♪ To raise the roof and have some fun ♪
Way to go.
♪ Throw away the work to be done ♪
♪ Let the music play on ♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
♪ We're going to party ♪
♪ Karamu, fiesta, forever ♪
Come on, y'all.
♪ Come on and sing along ♪
♪ We're going to party, karamu, fiesta, forever ♪
♪ Come on and sing along ♪
♪ All night long ♪
♪ All night ♪
♪ All night long ♪
Come on, man.
♪ All night ♪
♪ All night long ♪
♪ All night ♪
♪ All night long ♪
♪ All night ♪
Come on!
♪ Once you get started ♪
♪ You can't sit down ♪
♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ Come join the party, see how we play ♪
Come on, y'all, come on.
♪ See how we play, yeah, yeah ♪
Lionel, this is for you.
♪ Tam bo li de say de moi ya, come on ♪
♪ Yeah, jambo jambo ♪
♪ Way to parti o we goin' ♪
Let me hear you. ♪ Oh, jambali ♪
♪ Tam bo li de say de moi ya ♪
♪ Yeah, jambo jambo ♪
♪ Ohh ♪
♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ Everyone you meet ♪
♪ They're jamming in the street, all night long ♪
♪ All night ♪
♪ I said everyone you meet ♪
♪ They're jamming in the street, all night long ♪
♪ All night ♪ ♪ All night ♪
♪ All night long ♪
♪ All night long, whoa ♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
Keke: Oh, my goodness.
Yes! He showed a different deal there.
He showed a different deal.
I'm gonna give a compliment
that I've never said before.
A lot of people will try to do that song.
You took the song and made it yours.
It was amazing.
Now, I am telling you,
if you put that out tomorrow. I'll split it with you.
You got it?
[ Laughter ]
Lionel, to that point, you see people
try and mimic you too much? Is that what you see?
Lionel: Yeah. I mean, the problem is they try
to sing it like I sing it.
Carrie: Yeah, yeah. He took it
and just flipped it on its side
and made it a totally new song.
And I'm telling you, it was so refreshing.
Thank you.
Props.
Daniel, it was so good.
I was sad it didn't last all night long.
I loved it, and when we heard you do it yesterday,
the vocals were great and it was the vibe.
But seeing you with the band
and the way that you were engaging with the audience,
I mean, you saw us dancing, man.
You brought it to life.
It was excellent.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Carrie: Daniel, your voice is insane.
It is amazing how you did really put yourself into it.
And you weren't trying to copy.
You were trying to be you. Exactly.
And I could see you starting to loosen up a little bit.
I want to encourage you to just loosen up even more.
Don't think about so much what you're doing.
Just have some fun with it.
Keep getting looser.
Thank you, thank you.
You even had Luke's sore joints moving over there.
He can barely move.
But look at that. He got going.
Engage the core, engage the core.
But, uh, Mr. Serious,
that's what I'm gonna start calling you.
You are really, really serious about this.
But what that performance just showed me is
you might be the best singer in this competition.
Luke! That's right.
And so take that seriously,
but not too seriously. Yes, sir.
A couple months ago, you were
teaching kids in a classroom,
and now you're out here learning this whole new world.
But you showed me a big old voice tonight.
Big sign tonight.
Thank you. Thank you. Big sign. Big sign.
If you want to see Daniel in the top 14,
you can vote for him right now online via text
or at the official "American Idol" social account
on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok voting.
Voting will remain open until 6:00 a.m. eastern tomorrow.
Once again, Mr. Stallworth, thank you, sir.
Great job. Appreciate you.
Looking good.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Ryan: Check it out. When we come back,
industry platinum ticket winner Kyndal takes on
Noah Kahan right here on the "Idol" stage
at Disney's Aulani Resort.
Don't miss it. Be right back.
Isn't that a beautiful sight?
Welcome back to "Idol."
You're calling the shots all show long
for who you want to see in your top 14.
Keep those votes coming for all your favorites online,
via text and on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
Keke is with us tonight. Yeah!
So much fun having your moves, your energy, your style.
How are you enjoying being on the panel, Keke?
I mean, this is fabulous.
I'm up here with incredible company.
I mean, Lionel, you know you're my best friend now.
My brand-new old friend.
I'm just having the time of my life.
And, of course, with all of you guys.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Ryan: Now, Carrie, I was just thinking about this.
You're not the only one up there who got
their start in the "Idol" family.
Keke auditioned for "American Idol Juniors."
What?
I remember because I was hosting it.
She was 9 years old.
What?
And, you know, Keke, I happened to find the receipts.
No! No!
Ryan: Watch what we have unearthed.
Keke: Carrie! Take a look.
Lionel: No. What?
Man: Keke, you're gonna be a huge, huge star.
No! I want to know
what you're gonna do with all your money.
No, they did not.
I'm gonna get a house.
I'm gonna give some money to my parents.
'Cause what they did to me for my life.
-Aw. -Aw.
And then I'm gonna help them with their taxes.
Ahh!
What would you say to your fans?
I would say I love you, everybody.
I'll never forget you.
Not one bit, no matter what.
And I won't change because you rock.
That's amazing.
Who are you?
[ "Let's Groove" playing ]
Ryan: Watch this, watch this.
[ Laughter ]
♪ Let's groove tonight ♪
Keke: What the...? ♪ Share the spice of life ♪
What? Carrie: Oh!
♪ Baby, slice it right ♪
Whoo!
♪ We're gonna groove tonight ♪
Yo!
Oh, my God, that's so good.
♪ It's alright, alright, alright ♪
Oh, my God.
Oh, my gosh. You guys.
Oh, my gosh.
You guys.
That...
You guys. Where did you dig that up?
Well, it was difficult, but...
we found it about an hour ago.
You were destined to be a star.
Absolutely. Absolutely. That was absolutely magical
when we saw you there at 9 years old.
Oh, my goodness. Ryan, why didn't you pick me back then?
I wasn't in charge, and I'm still not.
[ Laughter ] Thank you.
Ryan: Hey, Chris, I do think you know that song
that she was dancing to there in the audition, right?
Could you just maybe show these...
Maybe show these three what it's like to have some rhythm?
[ "Let's Groove" playing ] Come on now.
Luke: Hey!
♪ Let's groove tonight ♪
Carrie: Whoo!
Let's go, Lionel. Let's go.
♪ Share the spice of life ♪
Keke: Let's get it, girl. Hey, hey!
♪ Baby, slice it right ♪
Oh, oh, oh, oh.
I think I saw one of these in there.
♪ We're groove tonight ♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
Keke Palmer, everybody.
Lionel: Yeah! So good, honey.
So insane. Oh, my God.
Alright. Up next and starting
her own "Idol" journey is
Nashville, Tennessee's, Kyndal.
Here we go.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Hoo! We're top 20.
I still don't have words for it.
I'm so grateful to be here.
That was so cool.
And I got the platinum ticket.
The industry platinum ticket goes to...
Kyndal.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Having the industry people choose me,
I'm just honored.
Shows me that I'm supposed to be here.
This round, I am singing
a Noah Kahan song called "Call Your Mom."
♪ Oh, you're spiralin' again ♪
I'm kind of struggling with whether I'm gonna
use the guitar or not use the guitar.
So you play guitar?
I do play the guitar. Right.
But I really want to be able to get
into, like, a performance side.
Kyndal: For this performance,
I very much want to be open and vulnerable.
♪ Let it out and let it in ♪
I really resonate with this song in the sense that...
♪ Don't let this darkness ♪
...I myself have struggled
with depression and anxiety my whole entire life.
I can relate. I think we're all struggling,
you know, at different times with the little enemy.
♪ I'll drive, I'll drive all night ♪
I liked you without the guitar.
What you did standing there was so vulnerable.
How you feeling? You're somewhere still in between.
I'm gonna take your guys' advice.
I'm gonna get on the stage.
I'm gonna not play the guitar.
Okay. I think that'll be -- I think that'll be really magic.
I'm just hoping that by the end of it...
Yeah. ...those who may be questioning
whether they should keep going or not do.
[ Cheers and applause ]
♪♪
♪ Oh, you're spiralin' again ♪
♪ The moment right before it ends ♪
♪ You're most afraid of ♪
♪ Stayed on the line with you the entire night ♪
♪ Till you let it out and let it in ♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
♪ Don't let this darkness fool you ♪
♪ All lights turned off can be turned on ♪
♪ I'll drive, I'll drive all night ♪
♪ I'll call your mom ♪
♪ Medicate, meditate ♪
♪ Swear your soul to Jesus ♪
♪ Throw a punch, fall in love ♪
♪ Give yourself a reason ♪
♪ Don't want to drive another mile ♪
♪ Wondering if you're breathing ♪
♪ Won't you stay, won't you stay ♪
♪ Won't you stay with me? ♪
♪ Medicate, meditate ♪
Love that voice! ♪ Swear your soul to Jesus ♪
♪ Throw a punch, fall in love ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ Don't let this darkness fool you ♪
♪ All lights turned off can be turned on ♪
♪ I'll drive, I'll drive all night ♪
♪ I'll call your mom ♪
♪ I'll drive ♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
♪ I'll call your mom ♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
Ryan: There she is.
The winner of our industry platinum ticket. Kyndal.
Thank you.
Way to go. And the industry is still here.
Hi, guys. They just extended their stay.
Oh, my gosh. You stayed.
Hi. So nice to see you.
Let's go to the panel. Keke, what'd you see?
You look beautiful. You sound beautiful.
The bob is bobbing. Okay?
And I'm so glad that you decided not to do the guitar,
because to see those hands free and just
watching you kind of embody the whole vibe of the song,
we went right there with you.
Wow. You transported us
into your world and I loved it there.
Thank you. Thank you. Lionel: Very good.
The second you start singing,
it is impossible to turn away.
Wow.
Like, it's impossible to take your eyes off of you.
The way you just were free in all of it,
putting your hands in the air.
I'm not sure I breathed while you were singing.
It was beautiful. Thank you so much.
Wow.
No matter what you sing,
whether you write the song or it's someone else's,
you present it like an artist presents it.
That cry in your voice is just
so intoxicating to listen to.
And I'm with Carrie on that.
I was just, like, hanging on every word.
And you are an artist, a big-time artist.
Thank you, Luke. Thank you so much.
Lionel: The delivery was perfect.
You just delivered the sermon, really.
I'm telling you, it was one of those... Thank you so much.
...very powerful performances. I loved it.
Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you guys.
Ryan: If you love Kyndal,
you can vote for her right now
on our official "American Idol" account
on Facebook and Instagram and TikTok.
You can also vote online or via text.
Message and data rates may apply.
Kyndal, everyone. Great job.
Thank you so much for that signature sound.
Thank you. We'll see you later.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Ryan: Now, we've got more music on the way.
And it's coming from Alabama's Kutter Bradley
right here at Disney's Aulani Resort.
The Kutter fans are out. We'll be right back.
Oh, my gosh!
Oh, my God. Kyndal, you nailed it.
You nailed it.
I am so proud of you.
You are a flipping star.
You are a star. Yes, you are.
Looking good. You're back on "American Idol."
It's our annual visit here to Aulani,
A Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, Hawaii,
and the top 20 have been soaking up all there is to do
and making memories along the way.
Take a look at this. Alright?
♪ Aloha e, aloha e, aloha e, aloha e ♪
Jesse: To be here after a 12-hour flight from New York,
where it's currently snowing, it feels incredible.
♪ There's no place I'd rather be ♪
Hannah: This is the first time I've ever been to Hawaii.
The weather, obviously, is much nicer than it is in Missouri.
There's about a foot of snow there.
Man: I feel like this is the most beautiful place on the planet.
Man #2: The vibes here have been relaxing.
Jesse: We're on the beach.
We're in great weather. We're having fun.
But also we're here with 20 of my friends.
Brooks: Made a lot of memories with friends.
I'm having a blast.
Paradise is an understatement.
♪ Hawaiian roller coaster ride ♪
I still gotta get in that lazy river.
Gotta get in on that.
By the way, you want it? Are you down?
I'm ready to go. Okay.
I'm ready. Matching bathing suits, Lionel.
You and me. Oh, no. No, no. What? What?
Now let's see how Brad Paisley and Keke Palmer
helped Kutter Bradley on his epic Daughtry song pick.
Here it is.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Kutter: This is the first long flight and, good grief,
total hours was probably, like, 12.
I've never been anywhere like this,
especially not Hawaii, and it is
way prettier than the pictures.
The atmosphere is awesome.
The people are great.
We got Mickey, Minnie, Pluto and all them.
They're having a good time.
It is Mickey! What's up, dude?
I'm in the top 20 on "American Idol."
Can you believe that?
I'll remember this for the rest of my life.
♪ I was blown away ♪
♪ What could I say? ♪
I'm singing "It's Not Over" by Daughtry.
When I was real little, my dad got me
a MP3 player and he loaded that thing on
with the music he listened to.
You know, everything from Daughtry
to old '70s rock and stuff.
I really fell in love with Chris Daughtry
and just how he performs and carries himself.
Wow. Because, yeah, I guess when
Daughtry was on "American Idol,"
what, you was, like, 2 years old?
Yeah, I was -- I was 3 actually.
Definitely one of my biggest inspirations.
And I would love to take the path he took.
♪ It's not over ♪
So I'll be performing without a guitar.
So I'm gonna try to not be nervous this round.
So you usually play guitar?
I usually play guitar.
Can we have the mic? Are you gonna hold it?
Yeah. Maybe you were just in it, so you're not thinking.
Your hand was kind of here and you were doing this. Oh, interesting.
And -- And it was just this, you know?
So now you got a mic. Yeah.
And this hand is free to... Do whatever.
Enunciate whatever it is. Yeah.
♪ Let's start over ♪ Yeah.
♪ And try to do it right this time around ♪
Brad: I just kept looking at that hand thinking,
"This is a guy who's not used to doing this."
And sure enough, that was true.
Guys like me that play the guitar,
first time that you're like,
"You're going to just sing this
this evening with a microphone,"
it's like, "What do I do with my hands?"
I look ridiculous
if I don't really figure out what I'm gonna do.
Keke: As long as he can do that, I think
he's gonna be fine because the voice is there.
You're gonna be great, man. Kutter: Thank y'all.
[ Cheers and applause ]
♪♪
♪ I was blown away ♪
♪ What could I say? ♪
♪ It all seemed to make sense ♪
♪ You've taken away everything ♪
♪ And I can't deal with that ♪
♪ I try to see the good in life ♪
♪ The good things in life are hard to find ♪
♪ We'll blow it away, we'll blow it away ♪
♪ Can we make this something good? ♪
♪ Well, I'll try to do it right this time around ♪
♪ It's not over ♪
♪ I'll try to do it right this time around ♪
♪ It's not over ♪
♪ A part of me is dead and in the ground ♪
♪ This love is killing me ♪
♪ But you're the only one ♪
♪ It's not over ♪
♪ Let it out, let it out ♪
♪ Don't get caught up in yourself ♪
♪ Let it out, let it out ♪
♪ Don't get caught up in yourself ♪
♪ Let it out, let it out ♪
♪ Don't get caught up in yourself ♪
♪ Let it out ♪
♪ Let's start over ♪
♪ I'll try to do it right this time around ♪
♪ It's not over ♪
♪ 'Cause a part of me is dead and in the ground ♪
♪ This love is killing me ♪
♪ But you're the only one ♪
♪ It's not over ♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
Ryan: Whoa!
There he is.
Well done.
Flashback, Daughtry.
Man. Spending time with him,
seeing you do that so many years later.
Your dad head-banging down there in the audience.
He was singing along as well.
Yeah, he was. I seen that.
It was, like, listening in stereo there.
Judges, what did you think? Lionel Richie?
Well, I'll tell you what I was listening to.
Carrie didn't miss not one note, not one lyric.
Okay? And between that and your dad head-banging,
what the heck is going on around here?
You were familiar with that.
I got right away that that was in your wheelhouse.
You were very, very in pocket.
And it showed, it showed.
Really great. Thank you.
I agree with Lionel.
It was just so good to see you lose yourself on stage.
Like, seeing you perform it yesterday, it was great.
We had the vibe, but with the band and the element going,
I could see you just embodying it.
And this is definitely your lane, for sure. Boom!
Thank you so much.
Carrie: Your lane is --
That's the perfect way to put it.
I felt like it was such a smart song choice for you.
You know, you're Kutter Bradley.
You're, like, our country, kind of rock guy.
And I feel like that song just, like, fit perfectly.
I encourage you to just keep
getting comfortable, keep entertaining.
You're exactly where you're supposed to be,
doing what you're supposed to be doing.
Remember to breathe, Kutter. Remember to breathe.
There was a couple of times, I was like,
"Ooh, the boy's running out of air."
But I'll tell you, what's really endearing
about you is you are that guy
that's gonna relate to all the dudes and --
and, you know, we're throwing a lot
of different stuff at you.
Keep trusting your gut with the songs
that you know and want to perform,
and you're getting better and better
with every performance.
A lot of energy on that one and be very proud of it.
I loved it. It was good.
Thank you so much. Thank you all.
Ryan: So cool, calm and collected.
So growing up, you and Dad would
listen to that in the car?
Oh, yeah. Me and Dad would be
bumping that all the way down the road.
Anywhere we're going, we're bumping it.
Was he driving and shaking his head?
Oh, yeah. Sometimes, you know,
we got a little, you know.
Well, you're all here safe and sound. Well done.
Kutter Bradley, everybody.
Get those votes in for Kutter online
via text and on socials.
Head to americanidol.com for all the voting details,
including how to cast your votes
on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
One more time, Kutter Bradley.
Thank you all so much. Thank you all.
Great work.
See you later. Thank you.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Ryan: Alright, now let's take a quick break.
And Long Island's Jesse Findling is coming up.
He's in the wings right now warming up.
He hits the stage here on "American Idol"
right after this.
That's right.
Back with you here on "American Idol."
We've got 10 of the nation's best singers
vying for your all-important votes tonight
and with a brand-new way
to vote for the ones you love the most.
Just go check out the pinned voting post
on the official "American Idol" account
on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok,
and comment with the first name
of the one you want to see compete in your top 13.
It's one name and one vote per comment.
We are gonna keep things rolling right now.
Here is the lesson Brad and Keke
had for college student Jesse Findling.
[ Man singing in Hawaiian ]
♪♪
Welcome to Aulani, everybody. right this way.
My family is my biggest support system.
Being able to, like, have that moment to be
with them and do something fun,
like the treasure-hunt experience,
was really special to me.
Looks like me in the morning.
My mom and dad went on their honeymoon here.
They've always said that they were gonna come back someday,
and for me to be the reason why they are,
you know, it makes my heart happy.
Nice to meet you.
Being in the top 20 is...surreal.
I've never really stood in front of a mic
and performed in front of, like,
a whole crowd, but I'm really pushing myself
this time to come out of my comfort zone.
Just knowing that America is gonna be voting,
that's another thing that I have to think about,
which is why I chose this round
to not just be by the mic stand and move around.
♪ Lost and insecure ♪
I'm singing "You Found Me" by The Fray.
It's about being lost and insecure,
a song that I connect to.
♪ You found me-e-e ♪
When I was little, having a stutter made me introverted.
There's been times where I felt lost.
I was more of a shy kid and kind of anxious.
My voice is -- I don't know if
it's just being in Hawaii... Sure.
...it was a lot more gritty than it has
been in the past.
I don't think you're made or broken
by anything being exactly right.
Be a little imperfect in a good way. Yeah.
"American Idol" has been one of the best journeys of my life.
With each round,
I've gotten so much more confident in myself.
And just like going to the -- the groove.
Come on, leg. Yes!
I think have fun out there and you're gonna nail this.
I think it's ironic that I'm singing a song
about being lost and insecure in a moment where I feel,
like, found and, like, the best I ever have.
Yeah. I'm proud of myself.
[ Cheers and applause ]
♪ I found God on the corner of First and Amistad ♪
♪ Where the west was all but won ♪
♪ Where were you when everything was falling apart? ♪
♪ All my days were spent by a telephone ♪
♪ That never rang ♪
♪ And all I needed was a call ♪
♪ That never came ♪
♪ To the corner of First and Amistad ♪
♪ Lost and insecure ♪
♪ You found me, you found me ♪
♪ Lying on the floor ♪
♪ Surrounded, surrounded ♪
♪ Why'd you have to wait? ♪
♪ You found me, you found me ♪
♪ Early morning ♪
♪ The city breaks ♪
♪ I've been calling ♪
♪ For years and years and years and years ♪
♪ You never left me no messages ♪
♪ You never sent me no letters ♪
♪ You got some kind of nerve ♪
♪ Taking all I wa-a-a-a-nt ♪
♪ Lost and insecure ♪
♪ You found me, you found me ♪
♪ Lying on the floor ♪
♪ Where were you? ♪
♪ Oh, you found me ♪
♪ Why'd you have to wait? ♪
♪ You found me-e-e-e ♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
[ Crowd chanting "Jesse" ]
Jesse: Thanks, guys.
I think we can just go to the voting right now
after something like that, the chanting.
Take a look at four judges on their feet.
Wow.
In the beginning, those first couple of notes,
I said, "Now, what's going on?"
You know, I wasn't sure where we were heading,
but obviously, we all feel a little nerves.
And you've been singing. You've been rehearsing.
But I saw you find it.
As soon as you grabbed that mic and you came
forward and you lost yourself in the song,
everything after that was perfection.
Thanks, Keke. And you came in very strong.
And that long note,
I'm just saying, while I got the mic in my hand.
While you got the mic in your hand.
Appreciate it. Thank you.
I for one kind of love that the beginning
was a little shaky because you've been
so polished and perfect this whole time.
It kind of reminded us all that you're human
and the way that you, like, shook it off
and sunk into the song -- I mean, that's --
that's the most, you know,
movement we've -- we've seen from you.
And it was working. It was wonderful.
And the end was just absolutely soaring.
Thank you so much.
I found myself, like, moving to the edge of my seat.
I was like, "Alright, Jesse,
where you at, baby? Where you at?
There you are. I can settle back down."
And I remember, uh, I used to get in moments
on stage and I look around and I'd be like,
"Oh, my God, how did I get here?"
Those emotions are fun to have to battle and battle back,
and that's what you did. Keke: Yes.
As the song kept building and the band,
you showed us stuff you haven't
showed us with your voice thus far. That's right.
Thank you, Luke.
I was praying the whole time,
"Grab the mic. Take it out of the stand.
Command the stage.
Take charge."
And you did it.
Thanks, Lionel.
I mean, that's how you get the crowd
to go right to you. That was fantastic.
Thanks, Lionel. Keke: Yeah.
Ryan: And you sang that for your mom.
That's one of her favorite songs?
My mom loves The Fray. She's right over there.
One of her favorite songs.
So I'm glad I got to sing that for her and for my family.
Jesse Findling, everyone. Vote for him.
So many ways to do it -- online, via text.
Thank you, thank you.
And of course, the official "American Idol"
social accounts on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
Remember, you can vote up to 10 times
per hopeful per social platform
and voting method.
Yes. Jesse, everyone.
Thank you, Jesse. Good job, buddy.
Thanks, guys.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Get ready for Hannah Harper.
She's hitting the "Idol" stage next
here at Disney's Aulani Resort.
Stay with us. We'll be right back.
[ All chanting "Jesse" ]
Welcome back to the ever-magical
Disney's Aulani Resort
for our very first voting show of the season.
We're so excited to have Brad Paisley
and Keke Palmer teaming up to mentor the top 20.
Here's what unfolded with Missouri's Hannah Harper.
Hannah: I think it'll be surreal to be
up on the stage and see my kids.
All of it feels like a dream to be able to share this with them.
Everyone's so happy to be here.
They got their hair a whole bunch of different colors
and it was all crazy and fun.
I love it. They got tatted up.
Oh, my gosh.
And had a meet and greet with Mickey.
It was a sweet experience.
I'm just soaking it all in.
Keke: Hey, girl.
Hi. What's up, girl?
'Ohana round was incredible.
It was really exciting, but also terrifying.
Luke: I would have loved to see you throw
your hands up there and just let it out.
I'm not used to not having my guitar in my hands.
Get in the habit of opening up.
This time I wanted to do the same thing
from the last round and put the guitar down.
I'm having a hard time, like, getting out of my body.
Yes. Especially bluegrass. You stand in one spot,
you do your thing, and then you walk off the stage.
Yeah. Of course. So you're kind of challenging yourself.
I love to hear that.
I'm scared, y'all. Don't be.
Don't be scared.
To be more comfortable in my body --
that's my goal for the next round.
♪ Oh, fear is a tyrant ♪
♪ With a smooth and velvet tongue ♪
Your voice is everything I love about this style of music.
Instead of maybe thinking to yourself about,
"I got to move around the stage,"
more so think about, "I got to get the folks engaged."
Midway through mentoring, my kids stepped in.
Getting to have that moment with my family just
to breathe for a second calms all your anxiety, you know?
♪ Captives free ♪
♪ There ain't no grave ♪
It was beautiful to just see how she came alive.
She grew up in a family band.
It makes sense why that opened her up a little bit more.
♪ Could hold His body down ♪
She's definitely seasoned, but I think she's feeling like,
"How do I do what I do on a show like this?"
Brad: Look for your family in the audience.
Capture the feeling that you have
when they're up there with you.
If I look at them, I'll cry.
But ain't nothing wrong with crying.
The entire journey through all of this,
I'm having to just constantly peel layers off.
I hope that I'm showing my boys
that no matter how old they are,
be open to learning and to just be resilient.
[ Cheers and applause ]
♪ Oh, fear is a tyrant ♪
♪ With a smooth and velvet tongue ♪
♪ Fear is a liar ♪
♪ He's always telling me to run ♪
♪ Oh, love is resurrection ♪
♪ Love is a trumpet sound ♪
♪ Love is my weapon ♪
♪ I'm gonna take that giant down ♪
♪ Mm-mm-mm ♪
♪ Oh, there was a battle ♪
♪ A war between death and life ♪
♪ There on the tree ♪
♪ The Lamb of God was crucified ♪
♪ Then He went on down to hell ♪
♪ He took back every key ♪
♪ He rose up as a lion ♪
♪ And He set all captives free ♪
♪ There ain't no grave ♪
♪ Could hold His body down ♪
♪ Oh, no, there ain't no grave ♪
♪ Could hold His body down ♪
♪ Oh, when He heard that trumpet sound ♪
♪ He rose up out of the ground ♪
♪ There ain't no grave ♪
♪ Could hold His body down ♪
♪ Can't hold him down ♪
♪ Oh, no ♪
♪ There ain't no grave ♪
♪ Could hold His body down ♪
♪ Mm-mm-mm-mm-mm ♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
Girl!
[ Cheers and applause continue ]
Ryan: It's over. You did it.
Felt good? Felt good.
She delivered. See, here's the whole point.
See, when you can actually be the storyteller
and then sometimes in the middle of that performance,
you went from singing to preaching. Yes, sir.
I mean, what I'm saying to you is at that point,
when you see everybody going...
Okay? That means we're listening.
And you got our attention. You did a great job.
Thank you so much. Appreciate it.
First of all, everybody performs different.
I think that's a big part of this competition, right,
is, like, not doing what you think you should do,
really embodying what you bring to the stage.
And that's what you did.
You don't have to do what nobody do because when you
start singing, girl, and you was pointing,
you was commanding to us, we were locked in.
It was excellent. Thank you so much.
It was very moving. Very moving.
I think you started a new genre -- resurrection rock.
[ Laughter ] Okay? I'm here for it.
I loved the whole performance.
I think your voice is so listenable.
It's so easy on the ears.
And then finally we see you
get a little more power behind that voice.
So you're showing me you're ready to branch out and grow.
Definitely my favorite performance I've seen you do.
So... Wow.
Thank you. I appreciate it.
Luke: Way to go. Thank you.
Carrie: Great song choice.
Your voice gave me chills the entire time.
We got a glimpse of, like, a fire that is in you.
-Yeah. -Yeah.
That I feel like the more you go through this whole process...
Lionel: Yep. ...I hope to see more of.
You remind me a lot of myself
when I was on the show.
Wow. Keke: Wow.
When I would be on stage, I'd be like -- I'd look out,
I'd be like, "What are you doing out there, hand?"
Like, "What's going on? Why are you --
Why are you pointing?" Like...
And all of a sudden, it's like
things would kind of start falling apart
because I would start thinking about what I was doing.
Try not to. Just tell the story
and don't worry about what any of this is doing. There we go.
'Cause I feel like we got some glimpses of that
and it's awesome. So keep at it. Very good.
Thank you so much. Appreciate it.
Very good.
You can vote for Hannah Harper
right now online by texting and on
the official "American Idol" account page
on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
Americanidol.com has all the voting details,
so check them out.
Hannah Harper, everyone, thank you very much.
Resurrection rocker.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Ryan: We have got some more amazing performances on the horizon
from all your "Idol" standouts, including Braden Rumfelt.
He's got love on the brain for you right after this.
Ryan: Welcome back to the show.
Tonight's ten finalists have been leaving it all on the stage
for you in the hopes of earning your votes at home.
Keep them rolling in for who you want to see
in your top 14.
Perhaps it's Murphy, North Carolina's
Braden Rumfelt, maybe?
[ Cheers and applause ]
Brad: Been singing a long time?
Since I was able to speak.
Yes! Professionally or just...?
In church. My dad's a pastor.
My dad's a deacon. Look at us.
We turned out alright, right?
Right! Little PK's. Yeah, right!
I'll be singing "Love on the Brain"
this round, by Rihanna.
My girlfriend suggested that I do this song.
♪ And you got me like, ohhh ♪
♪ What you want from me? ♪
[ Gasps ]
Braden, Braden, Braden.
Yeah, man. He blew me away!
I mean...
♪ Baby, you got me like, ohhhhh ♪
Brad: That's maybe my favorite thing about this show,
is the person that walks out
and you just go, "Wait a minute.
No way that's happening."
I don't really know what to do onstage.
Like, I'll move around and stuff,
but it's just kind of stuff that I've seen on the internet.
You don't have to worry about anything you're doing.
[ Laughing ] No, you don't!
Don't, like... Just stay right there and do that!
Like, just do that.
Braden: This is my first time in Hawaii,
and it's also my family's first time.
Awesome.
My 'ohana song,
me and my brother played together.
I mean, he's right there with me through everything.
You know, you're my ride-or-die, like,
safety net 'cause if I mess up, like, you're right there.
Seeing you do what you've always wanted to do,
sharing that experience with you, I don't...
There's not a better feeling. Yeah, yeah.
Now I think it's time for me to push myself
and chase this dream on my own.
That's smooth fire.
I want to make it as far in this competition as I can.
I'm going to try and win it.
[ Cheers and applause ]
[ Band plays ]
♪ And you got me like, ohhh ♪
[ Cheering ]
♪ What you want from me? ♪
♪ And I tried to buy your pretty heart ♪
♪ But the price was too high ♪
♪ Baby, you got me like, ohhhhh ♪
♪ You love when I fall apart ♪
♪ Fall apart ♪
♪ So you can put me together ♪
♪ And throw me against the wall ♪
♪ And, babe, I'm fist-fighting with fire ♪
♪ Just to get close to you ♪
♪ Can we burn something, baby? ♪
♪ And I'll run for miles just to get a taste ♪
♪ Must be love on the brain ♪
♪ That's got me feeling this way ♪
♪ Feeling this way ♪
♪ It beats me black and blue ♪
♪ But it loves me so good ♪
♪ And I can't get enough ♪
♪ Must be love on the brain ♪
Yes!
♪ And it keeps cursing my name ♪
♪ Cursing my name ♪
♪ No matter what I do ♪
♪ I'm no good without you ♪
♪ And I can't get enough ♪
♪ Got me like, ahhhhh ♪
Whoo!
♪ Ahhhhh ♪
♪ Don't you stop loving me ♪
♪ Don't quit loving me ♪
♪ Just start loving me ♪
♪ Loving me ♪
♪ Must be looooove ♪
♪ Must be looooo-o-ove ♪
♪ Don't stop loving me ♪
♪ Don't quit loving me ♪
♪ Oh, I can't get enough ♪
♪ Must be looove ♪
♪ On the braaaain ♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
Way to go. Well done. Well done.
From the first note,
it was like, just -- psh-zoom!
Just immediately.
What's that word again?
Just psh-zoom! Psh-zoom!
[ Laughter ] Don't know how to spell it!
You just have an incredible voice, and you have,
like, this "aw, shucks" thing about you that just
makes people just like you.
That's what it is. "Aw, shucks." You're so likable.
And you're so stinkin' good.
You guys...
We did a really good job picking the top 20.
Come on, right?! I mean, come on.
-That's right. Right? -Come on,
[ Cheers and applause ]
Luke: Yeah. That was the thing.
I mean, when you start singing,
you're like, "Whoa, what is that?"
And now I think we just got to get you to build on it
and build on it and get some swagger
and even more and more confidence.
The best way to know what you're doing
is look at the girls.
And Keke was about to fall out of her chair over there.
She had ants in her pants.
Come on!
That's kind of important in the music business.
Right, Lionel? Absolutely!
[ Laughter ]
Understand, man, you've got this instrument
and use it to your advantage
and work the room and just keep delivering
from the time the song starts till it ends. Yes, sir.
Just slay, slay, slay.
Carrie: Slay!
I have never,
in my 8 1/2 years of this show,
called for a check
on Ancestry.com.
[ Laughter ]
Whoever they say you are, you are not.
[ Laughter ]
That was so soulful,
it scared me to death.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I love watching you in your flow state.
Okay? You understand.
You strolling across that stage. You know!
It was golden, man. I mean,
I love your voice. It's beautiful.
You went high, you went low,
you was in the chest, you was in the head voice.
I could tell that you love it.
And that makes me happy.
It made all of us happy, man. It was amazing.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.
Braden Rumfelt! Get your votes in for Braden
and all your favorites
on our official American Idol account
on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Just find your pinned voting post and comment
by typing the first name of who you want to see
move on in the competition.
Braden, good job, man.
Thank you very much. I like your hair.
Thank you. I like yours too. Nice cut.
[ Cheers and applause ]
He's happy.
We've got one more tonight
from Disney's Aulani Resort,
and it's coming from
the 'ohana platinum ticket winner, Brooks.
See what he's chosen for the big moment
on "American Idol," right after this.
[ Cheers and applause ]
[ All cheering, laughing ]
♪♪
Alright. Thanks for spending
your Monday evening with us.
We hope you've been enjoying the show
as much as we've been enjoying our time here at Aulani.
We've got one more for you tonight.
A few weeks ago, he was working as
a dementia care technician back in Maryland.
Now he's in your top 20, getting expert advice
from Brad Paisley and Keke Palmer.
Here's Brooks.
♪ Somebody said you got a new friend ♪
I'm doing "Dancing On My Own."
♪ Does she love you better than I can? ♪
You are really... angelic, right?
Thank you. Unbelievable tone.
Thank you.
So unique. Oh, my gosh!
That voice!
Brooks: I've always had trouble fitting in.
I grew up keeping everything in,
and I never told anyone anything.
I was never vulnerable.
So this whole song is just gonna be me looking back at
my younger self and growing into the man I am now.
Your favorite experience on "American Idol" so far?
Water slide.
[ Shouts and cheers ]
Being here, I feel like I was invited into something.
I'm not alone anymore.
I've made so many good friends here,
and it's really just beautiful.
♪ Ohhhhh ♪
Brooks' song choice was difficult.
♪ I'm giving it my all ♪
I do want to look at the first line of each verse.
Keke: Yeah, there was a really high note in there.
Yeah, it's imperative that he doesn't
miss that tonight. Mm-hmm.
I do think that could derail him.
When you're doing it, what do you think it's missing?
Are you missing air? I think confidence.
I think it's just confidence, yeah. Okay.
Confidence is about doing what's true to us.
If you need to adjust, adjust.
It's your arrangement.
I think we're seeing, a lot of times,
especially in a competition, we get caught up in,
"Oh, I got to hit the big note.
I got to do the thing."
You just got to do what you do well.
And what you have is a winning voice.
Your character, your tone.
You know what I mean? And as long as you're
hitting each thing with confidence for you,
man, you got it in the bag.
[ Cheers and applause ]
♪ Somebody said you got a new friend ♪
[ Cheering ]
♪ Does she love you better than I can? ♪
♪♪
♪ There's a big black sky over my town ♪
♪♪
♪ I know where you're at, I bet she's around ♪
♪♪
♪ Yeah, I know it's stupid ♪
♪ But I just gotta see it for myself ♪
♪ I'm in the corner watching you kiss her ♪
♪ Ohhh ♪
♪♪
♪ And I'm right over here ♪
♪ Why can't you see me? ♪
♪ Ohhhh ♪
♪ I'm giving it my all ♪
♪ I'm not the guy you're taking home ♪
♪ Ooh ♪
♪ I keep dancing on my own ♪
♪ And oh, now ♪
♪ So far away, but still so near ♪
♪ The lights come on ♪
♪ The music dies ♪
♪ But you don't see me standing here ♪
♪ I just came to say goodbye ♪
♪ I'm in the corner watching you kiss her ♪
♪ Ohhhhh ♪
♪ And I'm giving it my all ♪
Wow! ♪ I'm not the guy you're taking home ♪
♪ Ooh ♪
♪ I keep dancing on my own ♪
♪ And oh, now ♪
♪ So far away, still so near ♪
♪ The lights come on ♪
♪ The music dies ♪
♪ But you don't see me staaaaanding here ♪
[ Cheers and applause ]
Wow!
[ Cheering ]
Brooks, you really do have one of
the most magical voices I've ever heard.
Thank you so much. I mean, it's cinematic. It's soundtrack.
I'm in the movie, everything ended,
I'm at the lake, and I don't know
what happened to my life type voice.
[ Laughter ] It's really insane.
And I know this is probably
all so much for you, you know?
I know when we were doing
the mentoring and everything, you were like,
you know, "When I do the big notes,
I get nervous," and everything like that.
But you must stay in this competition.
This is my call out to America.
Thank you. You must!
Because I've got to see you grow,
and I've got to be a part of watching you
become the kind of artist that I know you will be.
That's exactly right. Incredible.
[ Cheers and applause ]
I am so glad we know you.
Thank you.
Now, if I could just get you
to scare us all to death the next time you perform.
If you took it out of the mic stand
and just did that,
we'd all faint. Yep.
Because all the confidence is right here.
So if you just give us this one time...
Give him a little that. Give him a little of that.
Lionel: I mean, come on. Just...
Oh, no. No, no, no.
We have a whole week. We have a whole week.
Lionel: Got a whole week. You did a great job.
That was fantastic.
I need all of you to understand
that he's never done this before.
He's played guitar in front of people,
but he has not sang in front of people.
[ Cheers and applause ]
I am so excited for you.
We are at, like, day one of your journey,
and it's going to be incredible.
Lionel: Incredible. You are going to grow before us.
And I can't even fathom what you could accomplish.
I'm just glad I'm here for it.
Keke: Yes!
[ Cheers and applause ]
Voices like yours don't come along much, because
the uniqueness of it is so instantaneous.
And as you get going with this thing,
just stay humble,
but have the confidence to really stand up there
and trust that people are gonna react to your voice
in ways that you could have never imagined,
because it is so not what we're expecting
when we see you.
Every time you start singing,
I see, like, the movie of your life playing.
Like, I want to start predicting
all of these things in the future for you.
Lionel: Tell us, Luke! I see beautiful songs
and I see you taking your songs and really captivating people
because your voice is so unique.
Thank you so much.
Keke: It really is.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Don't go anywhere yet. Don't leave yet.
How's your comfort level being up here with all that praise?
[Quietly] It's great. [ Laughter ]
Lionel: What did he say?
He said, [whispering] "It's great."
It's great! It's great. There you go.
That was magic.
You know, if you saw it, what he's got.
If you want to vote for Brooks,
get those votes in at americanidol.com
or via text. If you have socials,
head to the official "American Idol" account
on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Let your voice be heard.
That is Brooks.
Thank you, buddy.
Nice job. Thank you.
[ Cheers and applause ]
First of many performances
I hope we get to see from that young man.
[ Cheers and applause continue ]
Here is another look
at the faces you're voting on
tonight.
There you go.
Keep voting all night long.
You've got until 6 a.m.
Eastern time tomorrow
to get the job done.
Before we wrap it up,
let's hear it for Kris Pooley
and the band back here.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Keeping the vibes just right all night.
A special shout-out to Iam Tongi
and Thunderstorm Artis
for that standout performance
earlier in the show.
And a big thanks to
Brad Paisley and Keke Palmer
for steering our finalists
through the night.
They'll be back in one week when
a brand-new group of 10
step into the spotlight
for your vote.
So, we'll see you next Monday,
8:00/7:00 Central, right here
at Disney's Aulani Resort.
Until then, goodnight, America.
[ Cheers and applause ]