‘American Idol’ Season 24 spoilers: Top 20 list leaks online days before ‘Ohana Round’
‘American Idol’ wrapped up ‘Hollywood Week’ in Nashville after cutting nearly 100 contestants as judges Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood, and Luke Bryan played the roles of cheerleaders and critics. ‘Hollywood Week’ shaved the field down to 30, and now the surviving singers are boarding a plane to Hawaii for the next chapter, a fresh round called the ‘Ohana Round.’ But here’s the twist: 10 of the contestants won’t survive the Hawaiian stopover.
The ‘Ohana Round,’ set to air on March 9, shifts the vibe entirely. Instead of just performing for judges under studio lights, the contestants will sing in front of what producers are calling a “focus group.” Among the invited tastemakers are social media duo Kaniyia Brown and Terry McCaskill, dancer and choreographer Sasha Farber, artist Anthony Gargiula, singer and actress Loren Gray, Rolling Stone co-editor-in-chief Shirley Halperin, vocal coach Cheryl Porter, and country personality Kelly Sutton. After those performances, the focus group will vote. And just like that, the Top 20 will be locked in. Now, before the episode even airs, spoiler chatter has already started swirling online.
According to MJ’s Big Blog, which cited trusted sources while admitting a sliver of uncertainty, the following contestants are expected to make the Top 20: Abayomi, Braden Rumfelt, Brooks Rosser, Chris Tungseth, Daniel Stallworth, Genevieve Heyward, Hannah Harper, Jake Thistle, Jesse Findling, Jordan McCullough, Julián Kalel, Keyla Richardson, Kutter Bradley, Kyndal Inskeep, Lucas Leon, Madison Moon, Makiyah, Philmon Lee, Rae, and Ruby Rae. And that means 10 singers who survived ‘Hollywood Week’ will see their run end before the live voting begins. The blog suggests Bella Emry, Brenna Brigman, Brianna Yancey, Bryant Thomas, Chloe Lauren, Jacquie Lee, Kiera Howell, Michael Garner, Sheldon Riley, and Tianna won’t advance beyond Hawaii.
What makes this stage extra nerve-wracking is what comes next. The Top 20 round marks the first time contestants will compete for America’s Vote. That phase was filmed at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, a postcard-perfect location in Ko Olina. Moreover, those episodes are set to air across two nights, March 16 and March 23. The contestants won’t be facing this moment alone. Keke Palmer and Brad Paisley are stepping in as mentors during the Top 20 round. Once the Top 20 is set, the show flips fully into live mode. Public votes will decide who rises and who exits stage left. And somewhere in that group, if the spoilers hold true, is the next ‘American Idol.’
