Richardson, McCullough and Harper Reach American Idol Finale
Three vocalists are left in the american idol finale, and the season 24 crown will be decided live on May 11. Chris Tungseth and Braden Rumfelt were voted out after the semifinal, narrowing the field to Richardson, McCullough and Harper.
May 11 on ABC and Disney+
The three-hour final airs at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+, with Hulu carrying it on May 12. That gives viewers one live shot to weigh in through the website, app or social media before the winner is set.
Last year's final drew 26 million votes, a reminder that the voting window still drives the event as much as the performances. The show returned to screens in January for its 24th season, so this finale closes a shorter runway than the audience sees on the schedule alone.
Richie, Underwood and Bryan
Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan will sing Richie's 1986 hit “Deep River Woman” during the finale. Bryan will also perform solo to promote his new single, “Fish Hunt Golf Drink,” and duet with former contestant Julián Kalel on “A Thousand Miles From Nowhere.”
Underwood will team up with Mötley Crüe, while Clay Aiken, Brad Paisley, Jason Mraz, Nelly, Tori Kelly, En Vogue, Blues Traveler, Cameron Whitcomb, Lee Ann Womack, Shinedown and Gin Blossoms are also on the lineup. The finale is built like a full network event, not just a trophy handoff, and the guest list shows the show is leaning on familiar names to keep the final hour moving.
Richardson, McCullough and Harper
Richardson, a 29-year-old music teacher from Pensacola, Fla., already gave the season one of its sharpest moments when she brought Bryan to tears with her audition cover of Pink's “Glitter in the Air.” Richie later called her Top 20 take on “With a Little Help From My Friends” “the greatest performance I have ever seen on this stage,” a line that now sits at the center of her case for the title.
McCullough, a worship leader from Murfreesboro, Tenn., auditioned with “Goodness of God” by Bethel Music and Jenn Johnson after previously trying out for Season 17 of The Voice in 2019, when none of the coaches turned their chairs. Harper, a stay-at-home mother of three from Willow Springs, Mo., gives the finale a different profile: three finalists, three very different paths, and one live vote that will decide whether the season ends with a breakthrough, a repeat of a judge-backed momentum run, or a quieter upset.
