Despite the COVID-19 Omicron variant continuing to rampage around the world, American Idol will be taping the Top 24 round in Hawaii. On Camera Audiences is seating tapings for Monday February 14 and Tuesday February 15 at the Aulani Disney Resort & Spa in Kapolei, Hawaii. If you live in Hawaii or are willing to travel, sign up for tickets HERE.
American Idol filmed the show’s Showcase round at the resort on an outside stage, for seasons 17 and 18. Shortly after filming the Hawaii Showcase in December 2019 for season 18, the COVID-19 pandemic stopped all TV and movie production. Producers filmed the remaining season remotely from contestant and cast members’ homes.
However, once Hollywood figured out how to both keep working and keep people safe, filming resumed in front of limited studio audiences for season 19. But, the show conducted all tapings in California, in order to readily comply with COVID restrictions.
Stay safe, everyone!
Now, with vaccines available for everyone over the age of five, ABC and American Idol feel safe to fly a bunch of folks out to Hawaii to tape the Top 24 performances. Fingers crossed no contestants get the rona and have to drop out!
Last year, American Idol taped the Top 24, but very close to when the round was scheduled to air. During the ABC era, semi-finalists both sang solos and celebrity duets in front of the judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan (Except for season 18, when the shows went remote due to Covid). The judges then went on to choose a Top 16, at which point, viewer voting began.
For the landmark 20th season, the Showcase round filmed in front of a studio audience in Los Angeles immediately after Hollywood Week taped in December. Fifty-nine contestants sang in front of the judges. Check out the spoilers HERE. The judges/producers then chose the Top 24 semi-finalists.
One missing piece for season 20–Bobby Bones will not return to mentor American Idol contestants, as he’s moved on to work for another network.
With Top 24 tapings scheduled weeks before the show actually airs, accurate spoilers will likely leak ahead of time.
American Idol season 20 premieres on ABC Sunday February 27.
For those interested in attending a taping in Hawaii, check out the Covid rules:
All shows will be comprised of fully vaccinated fans ages 8 and up. All audience members under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. We are booking groups of 4 or less from the same household to be placed on beach in “pods”
If you are already fully vaccinated, sign up now and answer yes when asked while inputting your information.
All audience invitations are on a first come, first served basis. All invitations will only be sourced from our vaccinated pool of fans. According to the CDC, an audience member is considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19 two (2) weeks or more after they have received the second dose in a 2 -dose COVID-19 series (e.g., Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna), or two (2) weeks or more after they have received a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine (e.g., Johnson and Johnson[J&J]/Janssen).
This guidance can also be applied to COVID-19 vaccines that have been authorized for emergency use by the World Health Organization (e.g., AstraZeneca/Oxford).
Upon arrival to the show, you will be required to provide proof of vaccination along with a valid ID for entry. To be eligible to attend, you must have had your second shot of Moderna or Pfizer or 1 shot of J&J no later than 2 weeks before your scheduled ticket date.
