The 22nd season of American Idol is steaming toward its May 19th finale, but before this year’s winner is crowned the show has a few more tricks up its sleeve. During Monday night’s (April 29) Judge’s Song Contest episode that pared the pack of hopefuls down to the top 7, the lineup for Sunday’s (May 5) action-packed episode was revealed.
Ciara will join judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan that night as a guest mentor while the remaining singers take on the “Songs That Make Me Wanna Dance” theme, as well as iconic hits by Adele. Meghan Trainor will also be on hand for a performance before American votes live for the top five.
Adele night will be followed on May 12 by another synergistic Disney Night ep, with the final five performing two beloved songs from the Disney songbook at Walt Disney World as America votes live from coast-to-coast to send the top three to the May 19 season finale.
In addition to a moving tribute to late Idol finalist Mandisa, Monday night’s show found singer Kaibrienne getting eliminated after her emotional take on Olivia Rodrigo’s “Traitor.” Elsewhere, bearded country singer Will Moseley punched his ticket to the next round with a run through Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues,” McKenna Faith Breinholt moved forward with Lissie’s “Everywhere I Go,” Jack Blocker crushed Willie Nelson’s “Always On My Mind” and Abi Carter caused chill bumps with her icy, rocking cover of Evanescence’s “Bring Me To Life.”
In addition, Julia Gagnon gave “Over the Rainbow” a country spin, Triston Harper got his twang on for Morgan Wallen’s “Sand In My Boots” and Emmy Russell brought down the house by covering her Memaw Loretta Lynn’s signature theme song, “Coal Miner’s Daughter.”
The episode also featured Blocker and Russell performing judge Richie’s “Hello,” Harper and Moseley drawling Bryan’s hit “What Makes You Country” and the four women (Carter, Kabrienne, Brinholt and Gagnon) covering Perry’s “Wide Awake.”