‘American Idol’ Top 26 Results: Paige Anne Returns — Hawaii Day 2 Recap
Remember when American Idol finalized its Top 26 for the season but only actually announced 25 of the singers? Well, the plot thickened even further on Monday.
“Recently, one of the Top 26 decided to bow out of the competition, so we turned to the judges’ first alternate and gave her the life-changing news,” Ryan Seacrest announced during the broadcast, reveling that 16-year-old Paige Anne — who was eliminated during Final Judgment — would be getting a second chance. (They weren’t specific about which contestant dropped out.)
“I said goodbye to Idol and everything, then I got invited back — everything happens for a reason,” Anne told this week’s guest mentor Noah Cyrus, who coached Anne through a strong take on her sister’s hit “Wrecking Ball.”
And just when the judges thought her performance was over, getting on their feet for a standing ovation, Anne surprised them with a key change. It wasn’t perfect — there were definitely nerves at play — but it was still a heck of a way to reenter the game.
“I just don’t like being wrong,” Katy admitted, saying they never should have voted Anne out in the first place. Whether America will agree is another story. (Voting is now open!)
Read on for a breakdown of the other 12 performances from Night 2 in Hawaii…
* Elijah McCormick kicked things off with Chris Janson’s “Good Vibes,” which is exactly what the audience was feeling as he bowled his way through the country hit.
* Luke Bryan had chills during MaryBeth Byrd’s take on Lainey Wilson’s “Heart Like a Truck,” which let her pure country soul shine through, even if some it “got lost at the end.”
* Wé Ani surprised the judges once again (not that they should have been surprised), crushing Miley Cyrus and Stevie Nicks’ “Edge of Midnight.”
* It was Perry’s turn for goosebumps this time around, watching Michael Williams strut around the stage, romancing the audience with his pleasing falsetto on Jake Scott’s “Tuesdays,” which he dedicated to his parents.
* Self-proclaimed “sad boy singer” Dawson Wayne shifted gears with Billie Eilish’s “Copycat,” revealing his inner angry boy singer to the world. The judges enjoyed what they saw for the most part, acknowledging the risk.
* “Glitter in the Air” was a perfect song choice for Hannah Nicolaisen, who dedicated Pink’s romantic ballad to her supportive fiancé. She did admit to being hoarse, which the judges picked up on, so we’ll see how that affects America’s votes.
* Cyrus was worried about Megan Danielle’s nerves getting the better of her, but we didn’t detect any of that during her strong take on Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain,” which was another major departure for her.
* Paramore’s “Ain’t It Fun” was given a fully original spin by Malik Heard, who made the song his own with soulful riffs and powerful belting.
* Mariah Carey’s “Emotions”? Yes. Please. Olivia Soli had nothing to worry about as she took the stage, with both the judges and the audience hanging on her every word.
* After connecting with Colin Stough over their love of horses (and how much he reminds her of her dad!), Cyrus gave him the confidence he needed to take on The Steeldrivers’ “Midnight Train to Memphis.”
* Any Bruno Mars song feels like it would be a good fit for Tyson Venegas, so no one was surprised that he picked “It Will Rain.” There were definitely a few notes missing, and he did a little too much crowd work, but it was still pretty solid.
* Nutsa ended the night on a high note — several, actually — crushing Grace Potter and the Nocturnals’ “Paris.” Ooh la la, indeed! I wouldn’t have changed a thing, especially that backbend she ended on.
Only 10 of these singers will be voted into Idol‘s Top 20, revealed next weekend, so it’s time to make some tough choices. Who deserves to go through? Vote in our poll below, then drop a comment with more of your thoughts.
