American Idol Season 24 sends two fan-favorites home on Taylor Swift Night — Here’s who made the Top 5

On the April 27 Taylor Swift-themed episode of American Idol Season 24, Jordan McCullough secured his place in the Top 5 after opening the night with Tim McGraw. Taking on Taylor Swift’s debut single from 2006, he delivered a confident start that caught the judges’ attention right away. Lionel Richie praised him, saying, “That is the way to put barbecue sauce on Taylor Swift.” He continued, “I am telling you, that was so well done. You put the curls in, I just love that. I can’t even hit that note. I loved everything you did.” Carrie Underwood noted he sounds “beautiful on everything,” while Nikki Glaser added, “I am so grateful I just got to hear you sing live.” He later returned with I Can’t Make You Love Me, further sealing his spot.

Hannah Harper secured her place in the Top 5 during the latest Idol episode. For the Taylor Swift round, she performed Mean from Speak Now, even adding a banjo to give the performance extra personality. Luke Bryan complimented her, saying she is “being authentically you” and called the pick “great.” Lionel Richie agreed, noting, “This is how you do it. You’re true to yourself. You don’t come out as a gimmick. You come out true to who you are.” For her second song, Hannah chose That’s the Way Love Goes by Merle Haggard, earning praise from Carrie Underwood.

Chris Tungseth earned a spot in the Top 5 after delivering two standout performances. For the first round, he took on Exile, originally by Taylor Swift and Bon Iver. Luke Bryan praised him, saying, “I love that you were really locked in on that. You had me focused and locked in.” Lionel Richie added that it was one of his favorite performances from Chris this season, calling the delivery “spot on.” For his second song, Chris performed What Was I Made For? by Billie Eilish. Carrie Underwood described it as a “moment,” while Nikki Glaser said, “What were you made for? That. That.”

Keyla Richardson continued her strong run on American Idol Season 24, earning a place in the Top 5. For the Taylor Swift round, she chose the Lover track. After the performance, Carrie Underwood told her, “We do not ever have to worry about you. We just get to sit back and watch you perform. Your melodic choices … you impress me every single week.” For her second song, Keyla took on I’d Rather Go Blind by Etta James. The audience response was immediate and loud, making it hard for the judges to speak and you'll totally get why.

Braden Rumfelt moved one step closer to the finish line after earning a place in the Top 5. He first performed Cardigan from Folklore by Taylor Swift. Nikki Glaser praised him, saying he “ate that song.” Luke Bryan was equally impressed, calling it his “favorite thing” he has seen from Braden so far and adding, “You totally took me on the emotional journey of that song. I loved it, man.”

For his second performance, Braden chose This Love by Maroon 5. Carrie Underwood told him, “It was such a great moment for you. You look like a rockstar. You seem more comfortable than I feel like I’ve ever seen you be on stage and it was just working.”

Unfortunately, Brooks Rosser’s run in American Idol came to an end as he got eliminated during Taylor Swift Night. For the first round, he chose Love Story from the Fearless era by Taylor Swift. Carrie Underwood reminded him that everyone “loves him,” while also advising him to “just breathe” so he would not rush through his songs. For his second performance, Brooks sang She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5. Luke Bryan felt Brooks looked much more focused this time, saying he was “locked in” compared to the previous round. Meanwhile, Lionel Richie agreed, adding, “Ditto, ditto, ditto.”

Daniel Stallworth also got eliminated during the April 27 episode. He began the night with a performance of Fearless, adding his own gospel-inspired style to the song. Lionel Richie was clearly impressed, saying, “What I love about you is that you walk out on this stage… and you picked the right song, you are fearless, man, when you walk out. You not only sing, you perform” Later, Daniel returned to the stage with Best Part by H.E.R. and Daniel Caesar, incorporating piano into part of his act. Carrie Underwood described his voice as “like butter on hot toast,” praising the smooth quality of his delivery. Meanwhile, Glaser highlighted his “versatility” and shared that she could already picture him putting on an entire show.