Continue to Hollywoodlife () SKIP AD
Hollywood Life Logo Image

Hollywood Life

Today's Top Stories

  • Tweets

    Donald Trump Mocked On Twitter Just Hours Before He Leaves Office

  • See Pics

    Rihanna Shares Moving Pics Of Her Visit To Memphis Motel Where MLK Was Killed

  • heating pad
    SHOP

    Relieve Sore Muscles & Cramps With This $30 Heating Pad That Has Over 3,500 Reviews

Hollywood Life
  • Home
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Celebrity Bios
  • Beauty
  • Fashion
  • Shopping
  • Celebrity News
  • World News
  • Exclusives
  • Politics
  • Celebrity Babies
  • Opinions
ALL NEWS
  • Jennifer Lopez

    Jennifer Lopez Takes Selfies With Military In D.C. Before Singing For ‘All Americans’ At Inauguration

  • Britney Spears, 39, Dances In Black Crop Top & Short Shorts As Her Christmas Tree Shines

  • Rihanna Shares Moving Pics Of Her Visit To Memphis Motel Where MLK Was Killed: ‘I Can’t Describe The Feeling’

  • Award Shows
  • At The Movies
  • TV
  • Music
  • Sports
  • Sex & Relationships
  • Holidays
  • Entertainment Features
  • Podcast
  • Oscar Contenders
ALL ENTERTAINMENT
  • Manish Dayal

    ‘The Resident’s Manish Dayal Hints At A Big Return: Someone From Devon’s ‘Past’ Comes Back

  • ‘Teen Mom 2’: Briana DeJesus Reveals Why She Was ‘Nervous’ To Meet Her Secret Teenage Brother

  • ‘High School Musical’ Series Updates: The Latest On Where The Show’s Second Season Stands

  • Taylor Swift
  • Rihanna
  • Selena Gomez
  • Kim Kardashian
  • Kylie Jenner
  • Kendall Jenner
  • Justin Bieber
  • Miley Cyrus
  • Gigi Hadid
  • Khloe Kardashian
  • Jennifer Lopez
  • Angelina Jolie
  • Harry Styles
  • Kourtney Kardashian
ALL CELEBRITY BIOS
  • Jennifer Lopez

    Jennifer Lopez Takes Selfies With Military In D.C. Before Singing For ‘All Americans’ At Inauguration

  • ‘The Resident’s Manish Dayal Hints At A Big Return: Someone From Devon’s ‘Past’ Comes Back

  • Britney Spears, 39, Dances In Black Crop Top & Short Shorts As Her Christmas Tree Shines

  • Fragrance
  • Hair Care
  • Health
  • Makeup
  • Nails
  • Beauty Features
  • Skincare
  • Makeover
  • Diet & Fitness
ALL BEAUTY
  • facial machine

    This Trendy High-Frequency Wand Is The New, Go-To Tool To Clear Acne & It’s Less Than $40 

  • If Your Skin Is Breaking Out, These Pimple Patches With Over 14,000 Reviews Are Under $20

  • Relieve Sore Muscles & Cramps With This $30 Heating Pad That Has Over 3,500 Reviews

  • Red Carpet
  • Weddings
  • Fashion Features
  • Shopping
ALL FASHION
  • Kim Kardashian, Larsa Pippen & 6 More Stars Lounging By The Pool In Their Bikinis

  • Salma Hayek, 54, Meditates In A Black Bikini While Hitting The Beach On Winter Vacation

  • 15 Stars In Leggings & Crop Tops That Are Perfect Looks For Your At-Home Quarantine Workouts

  • Share This Article
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • WhatsApp
  • Email
  • Print
  • Talk
Next Up

Katy Perry Stuns With Debut Performance Of ‘Daisies’ On ‘American Idol’ Finale

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • Newsletters
  • Search Close

Trending

  • Bonnie Says
  • Celeb Babies
  • TV
  • Celeb Galleries
  • Podcast
Search

NewsExpand Menu

  • Celebrity News
  • World News
  • Exclusives
  • Politics
  • Celebrity Babies
  • Opinions
  • Rock The Vote

EntertainmentExpand Menu

  • Entertainment Features
  • TV
  • Award Shows
  • At The Movies
  • Music
  • Sports
  • Sex & Relationships
  • Podcast
  • At Home With...

BeautyExpand Menu

  • Fragrance
  • Hair Care
  • Health
  • Makeup
  • Nails
  • Skincare
  • Beauty Features
  • Diet & Fitness
  • Shopping

FashionExpand Menu

  • Red Carpet
  • Weddings
  • Fashion Features
  • Shopping

TrendingExpand Menu

  • Bonnie Says
  • TV
  • Celeb Galleries
  • PODCAST

About UsExpand Menu

  • About Us
  • Writer Bios
  • Scoops, Tips & Corrections
  • Subscribe To Newsletter
  • Contact Us

Celebrity ProfilesExpand Menu

  • Kim Kardashian
  • Kylie Jenner
  • Justin Bieber
  • Selena Gomez
  • Taylor Swift
  • Rihanna
  • Kendall Jenner
  • Miley Cyrus
  • Gigi Hadid
  • Jennifer Lopez
  • Angelina Jolie
Follow Us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • Newsletters
Alerts & Newsletters
  • Jobs
  • Scoops & Corrections
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • California Privacy Rights
  • AdChoices
  • Data Policy
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
© 2021 Penske Media Corporation
  • Entertainment
  • TV
Recap
May 17, 2020 9:55PM EDT

‘American Idol’ Recap: [SPOILER] Is Named The Winner Of Season 18 After Historic Finale

american idol judges
ABC
AMERICAN IDOL - Music industry legends and all-star judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie, along with Emmy®-winning producer and host Ryan Seacrest, and multimedia personality and in-house mentor Bobby Bones, were on hand when ABC's "American Idol" kicked off auditions for the upcoming season in search for the next singing sensation in Savannah, Georgia, Monday, Sept. 30, 2019. (ABC/Eliza Morse)
LIONEL RICHIE, RYAN SEACREST, KATY PERRY, BOBBY BONES, LUKE BRYAN
AMERICAN IDOL – "316 (On with the Show: Grand Finale)" - "American Idol" rounds out its all-new innovative and critically celebrated season on ABC, crowning its next singing sensation live during the epic grand finale event, SUNDAY, MAY 17 (8:00-10:00 p.m. EDT). (ABC)
JUST SAM
AMERICAN IDOL – ABC’s “American Idol” host Ryan Seacrest with judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan, and in-house mentor Bobby Bones. (ABC/Gavin Bond)
KATY PERRY
AMERICAN IDOL – ABC’s “American Idol” host Ryan Seacrest with judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan, and in-house mentor Bobby Bones. (ABC/Gavin Bond)
LIONEL RICHIE View Gallery View Gallery 19 Photos.
Alyssa Norwin
Deputy Editor of New York City
  • Share This Article
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • WhatsApp
  • Email
  • Print
  • Talk

It’s time to find a winner for season 18 of ‘American Idol’! During the May 17 finale, the top five is revealed and will sing for a chance to win the show. Follow along here as it all goes down!

The top 7 is dwindled down to just five artists on the May 17 finale of American Idol. To kick off the show, Ryan Seacrest reveals the five artists who are safe: Dillon James, Jonny West, Arthur Gunn, Francisco Martin and Justin Sam. Unfortunately, that means Louis Knight and Julia Gargano are eliminated, but the show must go on for everyone else! Each of the top five will perform twice, and up first is Dillon. He sings “Change The World” by Eric Clapton while playing guitar in his backyard, and the judges rave that its one of his best performances of the season.

Next up is Francisco, who performs Harry Styles’ “Adore You” with his guitar. As always, he shows off his sexy and effortless voice. The judges compliment him for gaining so much confidence to go with his performances week after week, and are so proud of how far he’s come. Sam is the next artist to perform. She belts out Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger,” and sounds amazing once again. Sam’s performance is praised by the judges, who also gush over how  much she has grown throughout the competition.

Arthur takes the spotlight next with a rendition of “I Don’t Wanna Be” by Gavin DeGraw. Katy Perry praises Arthur “leaving it all” on the floor with the performance, and the judges agree that it’s a solid showing. To close out round one, Jonny sings “You Can’t Keep A Good Man Down” while playing his keyboard. The judges are confident in Jonny’s future as a singer, and they rave over how effortless his performance is once again.

For the second round, the artists perform songs they already sang this season that struck a chord with viewers. Dillon brings back his rendition of Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’,” which he first sang during the final judgement week. This time around, it’s just as good — if not better. For Francisco’s rewind performance, he sings “Alaska” by Maggie Rogers, which was his audition song. Francisco was a ball of visible nerves during his audition, so this performance really shows how much he’s improved and how much confidence he’s gained through the weeks.

Next, Sam brings back “Rise Up” by Andra Day, which she sang during her audition. Due to her difficult past, Sam connects to this song on a deep level, and she proves that once again while performing it during the finale. Up next, Arthur returns with a performance of “Have You Ever Seen The Rain.” This was also Arthur’s audition song, and once again, he proved that he can truly make any song his own by performing it in a completely different way during the finale. Finally, Jonny is back with a performance of his original song, “Makin’ Love,” which was also his audition song. The performance reminds viewers that Jonny is not only a great singer, but a talented songwriter, as well!

Before a winner is named, it’s time for some fun performances from the judges and other special guests. First up is judge Luke Bryan, who brings some fun to the finale with his newest song, “One Margarita.” Next, the guys from Rascal Flatts are joined by one of the most memorable contestants of the season — garbageman, Doug Kiker. They perform “Bess The Broken Road,” and it’s an insanely powerful moment.

Lauren Daigle is front-and-center next. She sings her hit song “You Say,” and is joined by Just Sam, as well as other artists from the top 11, for the inspiring and uplifting performance. Next, Katy transforms from judge to artist with the debut performance of her new single, “Daisies,” and it’s quite a visual sight thanks to green screens and special effects! Up next, Cynthia Erivo joins artists from this season to perform a stunning tribute to Aretha Franklin.

Finally, Ryan announces which two artists will be in the running to be named the next Idol: Arthur Gunn and Just Sam! However, only one can win, and this season, the winner is — JUST SAM!! After the emotional moment, the show ends with a stunning performance of “We Are The World,” featuring the Idol judges, finalists, and several show alum.

Click to Subscribe to Our HollywoodLife Daily Newsletter to get more celeb news.
  • Share This Article
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • WhatsApp
  • Email
  • Print
  • Talk
American Idol

More 'American Idol' News:

  • Just Sam: 5 Things To Know About The Inspiring & Talented Singer On 'American Idol'
  • 'American Idol' Winners Then & Now: Carrie Underwood & More Transformations
  • 'American Idol's Arthur Gunn Admits The Show Has Been A 'Learning Process' From Start To Finish

Most Read

Billie Eilish Shares Cheeky New Pic Of Her Brother’s Girlfriend Kissing Her Backside — See Photo

Billie Eilish

Miley Cyrus Reveals Why She’s More Into Women Than Men In Raunchy New Interview

Miley Cyrus

Iggy Azalea Is ‘Feelin’ Herself’ In Blue Bikini & Sheer T-Shirt Amidst Reports She’s Ready To Date Again — See Pic

iggy

Anna Shay: 5 Things To Know About The Heiress Who Is The Breakout Star Of ‘Bling Empire’

Anna Shay

Katy Perry Goes Shopping In Rare Appearance 5 Mos. After Baby Daisy’s Birth: See New Pics

Have news, pics or video on a breaking news story?

Send us your Tip

Have news, pics or video on a breaking news story?

Send us your Tip

More From Our Brands

  • Meena Harris’ New Kids Book Is Out Today & It’s the Perfect Way to Celebrate Inauguration Day
    SheKnows

    Meena Harris’ New Kids Book Is Out Today & It’s the Perfect Way to Celebrate Inauguration Day

  • Under-the-Radar Online Outlets Every Style-Savvy Bargain Hunter Should Know About
    StyleCaster

    Under-the-Radar Online Outlets Every Style-Savvy Bargain Hunter Should Know About

  • Zoey's Playlist: Skylar Astin Talks Max and Zoey's Relationship Woes, the Simon Factor and Dueting With Mo
    TVLine

    Zoey's Playlist: Skylar Astin Talks Max and Zoey's Relationship Woes, the Simon Factor and Dueting With Mo

  • Secret Service Confirms John Mulaney Investigation Over ‘SNL’ Jokes
    Rolling Stone

    Secret Service Confirms John Mulaney Investigation Over ‘SNL’ Jokes

  • Lady Gaga Wears White Cape Coat to the U.S. Capitol Ahead of Her Performance on Inauguration Day
    FootwearNews

    Lady Gaga Wears White Cape Coat to the U.S. Capitol Ahead of Her Performance on Inauguration Day

    HollywoodLife

    • About Us
    • Accessibility Statement
    • Advertise With Us
    • Careers
    • Scoops & Corrections
    • Contact Us

    Legal

    • Privacy Policy
    • California Privacy Rights
    • AdChoices
    • EU Privacy Preferences
    • Terms of Use
    • Data Policy
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information

    News

    • Celebrity News
    • World News
    • Exclusives
    • Celebrity Babies

    Connect

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
SheKnows Media - Entertainment
© Copyright 2021 HollywoodLife, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media, LLC.
Powered by WordPress.com VIP
ad