American Idol Top 30 Results After Hollywood Week — Season 24 Recap

Want to know something kind of crazy? The winner of “American Idol” Season 24 is someone on the list you’re about to see. March 2 marked the end of Hollywood Week (“in Music City”), which required the judges to make the biggest cut in “Idol” history: 127 singers remained in the competition after auditions, but only 30 are now left standing — and one of them will win it all.

Now for the important question: Were the right 30 singers left standing? For the most part, we agree with the judges’ decisions throughout Hollywood Week. We’re especially grateful that they came to their senses and cut Trace Casanova before he was allowed to do any more damage. (Sorry, we know he did nothing to us. If he auditions again next season, we’ll try to be nicer.)

We could have done with a few less obvious fake-outs (“We’re sorry to say… that your journey… is continuing”), though we know that’s par for the “Idol” course at this point. And while we appreciated the dramatic effect of the “sing-off” twist — in which two pairs of contestants battled it out for the final two slots in the Top 30 — we think at least one of the eliminated singers still deserves to be in the competition.

Read on for an alphabetical breakdown of the 30 contestants remaining after in the competition, complete with videos of their Hollywood Week performances. When you’re finished, vote for your favorite singers in our poll and drop a comment with your thoughts on Season 24 thus far. Do you think the judges make any boneheaded calls in Nashville? We want to know about it!

Here’s what we said about Abayomi when she performed last week:

This 16-year-old phenom had everyone eating out of the palm of her hand from the jump, and they remained mesmerized until she finished Foy Vance’s “Make It Rain.” We thought she got a little lose in some of her more overzealous runs, but we might be judging too harshly, because Lionel Richie seemed to love it.

TVLine’s grade: “B+”

Luke Bryan was so impressed with Bella Emry’s take on Brandi Carlile’s “The Joke,” he couldn’t resist letting out a “wow” at the top of her performance. And he was right to do so. While everyone in the Top 30 can sing, Emry is one of the few that feels like a true artist, one with plenty of personality to back up her powerful pipes. She catches us as someone who brings a fresh perspective to the competition, and we appreciate that. 

TVLine grade: “A”

Here’s what we said about Braden Rumfelt when he performed last week:

The judges were excited for Rumfelt’s return, and they were not disappointed. He came out strong and confident, with the vocal chops to back it up on Sam Smith’s “I’m Not the Only One.” He also felt totally in his element on that stage, without a hint of nerves. It was a perfect way to end the night.

TVLine’s grade: “A”

We’d love to say something — anything — about Brenna Brigman’s time in Hollywood Week. Unfortunately, “American Idol” chose not to show her return to the stage, leaving us with only her impressive audition of Alicia Keys’ “Fallin” (and Maren Morris’ “My Church”) to judge her by. Hopefully we’ll get to see more of her in Hawaii!

Not showing a performance during Hollywood Week is one thing. We get it, there were 127 people left to sing, so some moments are bound to wind up on the cutting room floor. But Brianna Yancey was barely shown in the auditions. In fact, she had such little screen time in the first round, they didn’t even show the name of the song she auditioned with! We liked what he heard, but we’d also like to hear more. A lot more. Why is “American Idol” gatekeeping her?

If we’re talking purely about voices, Brooks has got to be one of the most fascinating contestants this season. If you weren’t looking at the screen, you would think that a seasoned female country artist was performing Sam Berber’s “Drowning.” But no, it was Brooks! And we mean that as a compliment, for the record. Brooks is very aware that he has a higher-than-average voice — we’re just grateful that he’s using his voice to bless America’s ears! We could have used a few more dynamic moments throughout his performance, but we’re not about to say a bad word about it.

Grade: “A-“

Here’s what we said about Bryant Thomas when he performed last week:

Considering this is only the second time Thomas has performed with his face revealed, it was anyone’s guess what he was going to bring to the table — and we never would have guessed Taylor Swift’s “Champagne Problems.” Soulful and sweet, it was not the performance we thought we’d be getting from the dude with the mullet in the cut-off Army vest. So imagine our surprise as Thomas breezed through the song, handling the emotions nicely. The choreography was unnecessary, and the whole thing got way too theatrical by the end, but we liked everything that came before. 

TVLine’s grade: “B+”

This one was a much tougher battle. First, Chloe Lauren absolutely blew us away with a breathtaking performance of Sienna Spiro’s “You Stole the Show,” truly living up to the name of the song. There’s a beautiful, ethereal quality to her voice that can’t be denied, as evidenced by the rest of the Top 28 watching in awe from the wings. There were moments during her song when we felt like we were reliving a young Adele. At that point, we were sold on Chloe… but then Mary Jo Young made it very difficult with a beautiful a cappella rendition of Bon Iver’s “Skinny Love.” It was a big risk to perform without the band, one that didn’t necessarily go in Mary Jo’s favor, but we still loved every minute of her performance. Chloe would still get our vote, but surely Mary Jo has to be better than someone else in the Top 28, no? Did she even deserve to find herself in this position? We don’t think so.

Here’s what we said about Chris Tungseth (aka Thor) when he performed last week:

It took him a minute to get into gear, but once Tungseth locked into his performance of Labrinth’s “Jealous,” it was smooth sailing. We saw a more sensitive side of him this week, and it was nice. Just a guy singing from his heart, no bells and/or whistles necessary. 

TVLine’s grade: “B+”

Ben E. King’s “Stand by Me” feels like a classic “American Idol” song choice, and Daniel Stallworth handled it masterfully, with the whole audience clapping and swaying along from his very first note. He really let loose in the second verse, taking multiple opportunities to show off his range while keeping things interesting, and ended with a powerful finish.

TVLine’s grade: “A”

Brandi Carlile did right by several “American Idol” hopefuls in Hollywood Week, but no one more than Genevieve Heyward. This season’s resident pickle queen returned to the stage with power ballad “The Story,” and like the lyrics suggest, Heyward was made for this competition. That song’s “swam all across the ocean blue” moment is one you look out for, and Heyward didn’t disappoint, letting out an explosion of sound that left us with goosebumps. She made a few melodic changes throughout, but they were all in service of what made sense for her voice, so we have no complaints.

TVLine’s grade: “A”

Here’s what we said about Hannah Harper when she performed last week:

Luke Bryan couldn’t resist singing along with Harper’s gorgeous, interesting performance of Lee Ann Womack’s “A Little Past Little Rock.” You can’t not love Harper, with her pure country sound, Alison Krauss vibes, and overall songbird aura. Country music is in her bones, and we’re big fans. 

TVLine’s grade: “A-“

Jacquie Lee was another contestant whose Hollywood Week performance went unseen. That said, we’re still riding high from her audition, which we called a Mimi from “Rent”-approved performance of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ “I Put a Spell on You.” This woman can belt, and we would have loved to have heard her do it again in Hollywood — sorry, Nashville.

Here’s what we said about Jake Thistle when he performed last week:

Are we crazy for saying we got young Bruce Springsteen vibes from Thistle’s performance of Sam Fender’s “Seventeen Going Under”? There’s something so authentic about his delivery, singing his heart out with his guitar in hand. The guy’s got good energy. You can hear it and you can feel it. We’re big fans. 

TVLine’s grade: “B+”

Jesse Findling was the first singer to perform on March 2, setting the bar high with a soulful performance of Adele’s “Love in the Dark.” Findling says he enjoys that his stutter vanishes when he sings, but it’s so much more than that. When he sings, it feels like he’s letting his truth out. And when he grabbed the microphone and stepped away from the stand, he really came to life on stage. Beyond his beautiful voice, there’s something deeply affecting about the way he performs. Luke Bryan revealed that Carrie Underwood started drawing hearts on her notepad the moment Findling started singing, adding that he’s “so deserving” of being discovered on this massive stage — and we don’t disagree.

TVLine grade: “A”

Here’s what we said about Jordan McCullough when he performed last week:

McCullough had everyone in the audience (and the judges’ panel, more importantly) grooving from his first note, and they remained in his pocket for the duration of Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground.” It was a smart song choice, one that gave McCullough plenty of opportunities to show off his impressive range, ending the whole shebang with a killer high note and a perfect little growl. 

TVLine’s grade: “A”

Julian Kalel went into his performance of Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me” hoping to get an important message across to the viewers: “Your story, your pain, can be your greatest power.” And while we enjoyed Kalel’s understated performance, “power” is actually something we felt was lacking in this instance. If you’d been watching on mute, his exaggerated facial expressions would have you believe that he was reaching soaring heights, but that’s not quite was he was giving here. It was simple and sweet, but we genuinely worried that it was too much of both to secure him a spot in the Top 30. He’ll need to pull out the big guns moving forward. 

TVLine’s grade: “B”

Here’s what we said about Keyla Richardson when she performed last week:

Richardson’s precocious son gave her a boost when she first auditioned, and he was back for Hollywood Week, this time seated at the judges’ panel for his mom’s follow-up performance of Jason Mraz’s “I Won’t Give Up.” Singing directly to her son, Richardson started off intentionally sleepy, but she was fully in her element by the time the chorus kicked in, fully embodying the song’s message of hope and perseverance. If the judges weren’t already sold by the end of her performance, those final high notes and runs definitely sealed the deal. 

TVLine’s grade: “A-“

Add Kiera Howell to the list of singers we didn’t get to spend time with during Hollywood Week. After her audition of We The Kingdom’s “Don’t Tread On Me,” we were curious what a second trip to the pulpit with Howell would sound like. Well, there’s always Hawaii!

This guy is pure country, from his camouflage jacket to his boots, which made Hardy’s “Boots” a perfect song choice for Hollywood Week. Besides having an incredible name, Kutter Bradley also boasts a powerful, authentic rock sound that elevates him from the show’s crowded crop of country crooners. There’s almost something Train-like about the quality of his voice. That’s a good thing, right? 

TVLine’s grade: “B+”

Neither Kyndal Inskeep’s first nor last name are spelled the way you’d expect them to be, but it all works out, because this is one performer who revels in delivering the unexpected. Take, for example, her all-cursive performance of The Killers’ “Human” this week. To say she made this one completely her own would be an understatement; with the folksy-country vibe Inskeep put on it, we barely even recognized the song until she reached the first chorus, and we mean that in a good way. She was definitely nervous at the start, but we could feel her gaining confidence as the song progressed. And that rasp? Fantastic. 

TVLine grade: “A-“

Here’s what we said about Lucas Leon when he performed last week:

Charming as ever in his little Canadian tuxedo, this young contestant surprised the judges with a decidedlyfhowe mature song choice: Ray Charles’ “Georgia on My Mind.” There were moments of cheese, but Leon is endearing enough to pull it off. Also, it’s kind of a thrill just to watch Leon perform. He’s so locked in, you can tell he’s a genuine musician. We’re also fans of that little growl — the baby growl, if you will. 

TVLine’s grade: “B+”

Here’s what we said about Makiyah when she performed last week:

The first truly genuinely sexy performance of the night, Makiyah owned every inch of the stage with her rendition of Deborah Cox’s “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here.” You could feel the power emanating from her throughout — and that was through the TV. We’re frankly surprised Lionel Richie wasn’t blown clean off his chair. 

TVLine’s grade: “A-“

Here’s what we said about Madison Moon when she performed last week:

Hoping to follow in Carrie Underwood’s successful footsteps, Moon chose to sing Heart’s “Alone,” a song famously covered by Underwood when she won her season of “American Idol.” In the end, she didn’t just follow Underwood’s lead — she blazed her own trail, boldly raising the key on the iconic ’80s ballad, blowing the roof off the building in the process. Luke Bryan’s eyes were popping out of his head when she hit that chorus, and rightfully so. Those high notes were so strong, clear, and precise. Moon just became the one to watch. 

TVLine’s grade: “A+”

Considering Carrie Underwood originally argued that Michael Garner would be eaten alive in Hollywood Week, it’s been thrilling to see her proven wrong. In their sing-off, Jayson Garner cranked the energy up to 11 for his take on Elvis Presley’s “That’s All Right Mama,” impressing the judges with a polished performance — complete with his signature move of playing his guitar backwards behind his head. Michael, on the other hand, didn’t need any tricks to prove himself; he secured his spot in the Top 30 with a simple, mature rendition of Cobie Gray’s “Drift Away.” It may not have been as “exciting” as Jayson’s turn at the mic, but Michael’s performance reinforced the potential they see in him. Will the judges’ regret their gamble? Time will tell.

Here’s what we said about Philmon Lee when he performed last week:

Two things are true in this case: First, we never want to hear Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control” on any singing competition show ever again. It’s overplayed, and it usually just sounds like the contestant is trying to do a Swims impression as opposed to putting their own spin on it. The other true thing is that Lee did exactly what needed to be done with it. It sounded exactly like the artist’s track, which is impressive but also boring for the reasons mentioned above. At least he gave us a strong finish to remember. 

TVLine’s grade: “B+”

The low notes on Demi Lovato’s “Stone Cold” can be chilling when performed effectively, so we were a little disappointed to hear Rae side step them during Hollywood Week. That said, her soaring high notes were absolute perfection, thus cancelling out any minor tweaks we would have made to the arrangement.

TVLine’s grade: “A-“

There’s no denying that Ruby Rae (great name, by the way) sang her ever-loving face off to Olivia Dean’s “Time,” but the 16-year-old powerhouse could use a bit of fine tuning to elevate her performances from killing it at karaoke to crushing it on the “American Idol” stage. Again, if we were voting based solely on names, we’d put her straight through to our Top 10.

TVLine’s grade: “B”

Sheldon Riley went into his Hollywood Week performance as a basket of nerves, both because he cracked during rehearsal and because he still lacks confidence when he isn’t drowning in costumery. Ultimately, he had nothing to worry about. His slowed-down take on Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe” was gorgeous, even stirring at times. We did miss hearing the song’s famous falsetto, but it’s also impossible to deny the power of Riley’s booming belt.

TVLine’s grade: “A-“

Sorry to end on a low note, but Tianna Roberts is among those who weren’t shown during Hollywood Week, despite her incredible audition. (The phrase “so-and-so took us to church” is wildly overused in music, but then again, not many “American Idol” contestants audition with a literal hymn.)

Now that we know the official Top 30, vote for your favorites in our poll below, then drop a comment with your thoughts on “Hollywood” Week. Did they eliminate any wrong contestants?