'American Idol' recap: Most of top 20 set before coronavirus-forced delay of live shows
Coming off a cliffhanger, Sunday’s “American Idol” didn’t waste time revealing the fate of 26-year-old singer Dillon James and other contestants. But in a surprising twist, the final top 20 contestant would be left in the hands of America.
James, who gave a powerful version of Bob Dylan’s “The Times They are A-Changin’,” was all tears when the judges announced he would be moving to the finals.
“I’m excited. I’m happy, and I’m alive. I don’t know,” said James, who dealt with substance abuse issues and homelessness before turning his life around. “It doesn’t make a lot of sense to people when I say that, but that’s a real statement from me. I never thought I would be here. I wished to go away, and now as you go through all the steps to find yourself again, you start to see the value in yourself.”
But the real shocker came at the end of the episode, when two country singers and “Idol” roommates battled for the final spot in the top 20. Grace Leer, 28, who sang “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” by Aretha Franklin and Lauren Mascitti, 28, who sang “Two More Bottles of Wine” by Emmylou Harris, brought a bit of Nashville to Hawaii.
Last week: 'American Idol' recap: Judges say 'aloha' to some, 'aloha' to others as finalists are chosen
Wishing each other the best, each was ready to accept her fate when the judges threw them a curve ball. “Your performances, both of them were really great,” judge Luke Bryan said. “We have one position left, and we couldn’t make a decision.”
After the episode, the polls opened for America to decide which singer will take the final spot when the show goes live.
The rest of the top 20 was filled with singers like 21-year-old Julia Gargano, who gave a belting performance of Pink's “Glitter in the Air,” and 21-year-old Arthur Gunn, who channeled his inner Rastafarian in “Is This Love” by Bob Marley & The Wailers. Gunn was magnetic, drawing the crowd into his performance.
“You are pure light. Your job is to come and anoint the world with your gift,” judge Lionel Richie said. “We’ve had some very hard decisions to make. You, my friend, are probably the easiest decision we’ve ever made.”
Some of the youngest contestants on “Idol” found themselves in the top 20 by giving standout performances. Cyniah Elise, 18, who sang “Lady Marmalade” by Labelle, and Makayla Phillips, 17, who sang “Sorry Not Sorry” by Demi Lovato, were the divas of the show. Each brought star power and stage presence to her performance.
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Not to be outdone, Olivia Ximines, 17, was a double threat in her performance of “Proud Mary” by Tina Turner. Throwing off a duster to reveal a yellow fringe dress, Ximines proceeded to exhibit dance skills to match her singing ability and even got the judges on their feet. She moved forward to the finals with the stipulation that she tell her high school she's on “Idol.”
Also earning their place in the top 20 were Lauren Spencer-Smith, 16, who sang Aretha Franklin's “Respect,” and 27-year-old Franklin Boone, who sang “Daughters” by John Mayer. The song had special significance for Boone, who sang it at karaoke the night before finding out he was going to be a father. His daughter was in Hawaii to hear her dad sing.
Kimmy Gabriela, 17, made her way into the finals even though she didn’t give her best performance with Lovato's “You Don’t Do It for Me Anymore.” Gabriela has talent, but judge Katy Perry advised her to make more memorable song choices.
Aliana Jester’s father and stepmother surprised her in Hawaii and got to see her make the top 20. The 19-year-old singer gave a rousing cover of “This Is Me” from “The Greatest Showman.”
“We’ve been mumbling behind the scenes as to who might be there and who’s going to go here, and then we cross our fingers to see if that person is going to live up to who we think they are,” judge Lionel Richie said. “Sadly enough, they fail. That did not happen in your case.”
Also not failing the judges’ expectations was 20-year-old Sophia Wackerman, who brought an infectious energy to the stage with a cover of “Levels” by Nick Jonas. But, that didn’t stop the judges from having a little fun at her expense.
“To see you move your head and dial in your stage presence a little bit more, it was really cool to see that come out and for you to trust that. These gentlemen didn’t necessarily agree,” Perry said, leading the singer to believe she hadn't made the cut. “I fought for you.”
The judges then revealed that Wackerman actually made the top 20. But several “Idol” hopefuls saw their journeys end in Hawaii.
For 21-year-old Genavieve Linkowski, the second time was not the charm. Linkowski, who previously was on “Idol,” survived Hollywood Week, but her performance of “You Say” by Lauren Daigle didn’t connect with the judges.
Likewise, 20-year-old Shannon Gibbons, who gave a pleasant performance of “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)” by Adele, and 26-year-old Demi Rae, who came into her own with “Lonely” by Noah Cyrus, saw their "Idol" dreams come to an end.
Robert Taylor, 27, lost himself in his own performance of “Take Me to the Pilot” by Elton John, and didn’t take the news well. Devastated, Taylor received words of encouragement from coach Bobby Bones, who chased him down.
“I know that this hurts and sucks,” Bones said. “And I’m just going to talk from experience. I spent my whole life getting rejected, but you’re going to learn and grow so much from this.”
The announcement of the finalists is the last taped episode of "American Idol." Because of the coronavirus pandemic, live shows are delayed indefinitely while producers explore "multiple options within statewide guidelines," including an audience-free version. Clip shows are planned to fill the gap April 12 and 19.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'American Idol': Most finalists set; coronavirus delays live shows
