Season 23 of American Idol is quickly coming to an end, with the penultimate episode airing on Monday, May 12. With just five artists left, the remaining contestants took the stage twice during the live show, which was a continuation of Disney night.
Once again, the artists were mentored by Lin-Manuel Miranda, while Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie offered their feedback and criticism as judges. However, the decisions about which three of the Top 5 artists moved onto the finale was fully in America’s hands.
Voting is open throughout the episode for viewers to help get their favorites into the final episode on May 18. Two will be eliminated at the end of the night. Scroll down for a live recap as it all goes down!
Slater Nalley
Slater Nalley was up first with a performance of “You Got a Friend in Me.” After missing some lyrics last night, he made a major change by not playing guitar for the first time on Idol. And he crushed it!
ABC
“That was a fun way to kick things off tonight!” Underwood raved. “I did not realize this was the first time you’ve been without your guitar. You looked totally at ease, completely natural. It was very warm and friendly and sweet. Well done.”
Bryan added, “Slater’s playing the American Idol game right now! Tough song, classic microphone, classic look. That song’s always a classic for us on Disney night and that was certainly one of my favorite versions.”
John Foster
Next to take the stage was John Foster with a performance of “The Bare Necessities.” But first, he spent the day at Disneyland with his family as a way to give back to them for everything they’ve sacrificed for him.
ABC
“You got ’em right where you want ’em,” Bryan pointed out. “You got the fans and us as judges. There’s a reason you’re getting recognized at Disney parks.”
Richie praised John for his “likability” and told him that’s just as important as the singing abilities. Underwood added, “You took such a fun song that’s part of my childhood and made it your own and put your own spin on it. It was just such a good time.”
Thunderstorm Artis
Before preparing for his performance, Thunderstorm Artis got some time with his wife and kids at Disneyland. He then took the stage to sing “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes,” which he used to sing to his son.
ABC
Richie told Thunderstorm, “You’ve gone from crooner, Thunderstorm, tornado, and now you’re just this suave guy with this amazing voice. You knocked it out of the park. You did fantastic.”
Underwood said, “That song fit you perfectly. Throughout this whole journey that you’ve been on, you are all heart and you’re always so positive and you’re always smiling. When you sing about dreams and dreams coming true, it’s just so sweet and believable. Your ability to just deliver a song … you don’t do too much with it, you don’t do too little, you just do enough that we feel your heart behind it. That was a beautiful moment.”
American Idol, Season 23 finale, Sunday, May 18, 8/7c, ABC