American Idol 2023 Recap: The Judges choose songs for the Top 10. A Top 7 will be revealed WITH A SAVE (Top 8)
American Idol 2023 Recap: Top 10 perform Top 7 Revealed! – Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan sit on the judges panel. Ryan Seacrest hosts.
American Idol is LIVE as the Season 21 Top 10 perform songs that the judges choose for them. Season 19 winner Chayce Beckham performs his new single, “Til the Day I Die.” The show airs live Coast to Coast at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT. Voting takes place DURING the show.
American Idol 2023: Full Season 21 Schedule
How to Vote on American Idol 2023: Everything You Need to Know
It’s the EPIC Judges Song Contest. Each contestant was given three songs, chosen by each of the judges. But it’s a mystery! The judge with the most picks WINS.
Zachariah Smith – Wanted Dead or Alive by Bon Jovi
Zachariah loves Jon Bon Jovi. The vocal coach working with him warns that the song pushes him to the edge, so be careful! He wears sunglasses as he approaches the mic, but then whips them off. It’s a move. His vocal sounds harsh on the upper end. But that’s him every week. His vocal purity isn’t the important thing. It’s his energy and performing skill that keeps him competitive.
Zacharia guesses that Luke chose his song. But NOPE. Lionel chose it! He says, “The attitude was perfect…crazy good…nasty…fantastic job.” Katy says, “I thought you kept that nasty. You are great.” Luke says, “It was amazing. I wanted you to pick my song!” (Not chosen: Crocodile Rock by Elton John, Ain’t Too Proud to Beg by the Temptations)
Haven Madison – The Only Exception by Paramore
She picked the song because it’s close to an experience she’s going through now. She’s in a relationship…maybe! But she won’t say. It’s a good song pick for her. The subject matter is in her wheelhouse. She’s best when highlighting her youth and her teenage angst. She still needs time to develop her voice, but when she allows herself to open up, she’s pretty great. She mentioned Katy in her package. And for the first time, I’m getting those vibes.
Haven guesses that Katy chose the song. And she is CORRECT. Katy picked the song which she calls “both delicate and beautiful,” adding “You’re amazing.” Luke jokes that he’s going to scare the hell out of the boy. “You’re such the girl next door,” he says. Lionel says, “You’ve graduated. You are now in control of your entire career. You’ve got that ‘it’ thing going for you.” (Not chosen: River by Bishop Briggs, Cuz I Love You by Lizzo)
Chayce Beckham – Til the Day I Die
Chayce won American Idol season 19 two years ago. Now he’s back with a new song “Til The Day I Die.” He’s a talented singer-songwriter, but hasn’t landed much success on country radio. Weirdly, his record label released his winners’ single “23” to radio earlier this year. The reasoning was the streaming–the numbers continue to rack up. But it only got a tiny bit of traction on the charts. This new song, which Chayce dedicates to a friend killed in a car accident, mines the same emotional lane as “23.”
Luke has a big surprise for him! He reveals that “23” is certified gold. That means the song moved 500K units. Good for him. He’s going out on the road with Luke, who has served as a mentor for Chayce since he won the show.
Wé Ani – I Have Nothing by Whitney Houston
Wé isn’t sure about tackling a Whitney song, but the vocal coach persuades her to do it. “It would be weird if you didn’t pick it.” Hm. I’m not sure about that. “I Try” by Macy Gray would have been a good choice. Wé has no problem whatsoever nailing the song. She killed that song, KILLED IT DEAD. But it’s a boring choice. Her phrasing doesn’t stray far from the original. So…ho hum.
The judges are on their feet. Wé thinks Lionel picked her song. NOPE. Luke chose it! Not surprised, to be honest. He says, “I am so proud of you in that performance. That was one of the most elegant things…breathtaking…chills…the song felt right for you.” Lionel says, “You owned that song….slayed it.” Katy says, “You picked the right song. You showed up that you don’t have a box. True stars exceed expectations.” What? That is an absolutely predictable song choice. (Not chosen: Don’t Watch Me Cry by Jorja Smith, I Try by Macy Gray)
Oliver Steele – High and Dry by Radiohead
Oliver wants to take a risk this week. Picking John Mayer would be safe, he thinks. Oliver is a talented singer-songwriter and musician, but his performances lack dynamics (like last night’s “Georgia on my Mind”). He kicks the song into overdrive on the second chorus. It’s a little out of his range, but the performance has verve, even if the vocal itself was uneven.
Oliver thinks Katy picked the song. He’s correct! He also figured out who picked what. Oh. If Oliver makes it to next week, he says, his dad will come out to watch. Katy says, “You interpreted this Radiohead song as your own….angelic.” Luke calls him a “vibe and a mood.” But Luke wants him to play more guitar. Lionel says, “The vibe was everything. You owned that song. You made that yours.” (Not chosen: Heartbreak Warfare (Luke picked) and Bigger Than My Body (Lionel picked) both by John Mayer)
Alanis Morissette and Ed Sheeran to step in for Katy and Lionel next week
Ryan announces that Alanis Morissette and Ed Sheeran will sit in for Lionel and Katy next week (May 7) as they jet off to the UK to perform for the King Charles III coronation conert. They’ll be checking in live from Windsor castle. Alanis will also mentor the contestants. Duets next week too! Both Alanis and Ed will perform on stage.
Warren Peay – Colder Weather by Zac Brown
Warren chose the song to step out of his vocal comfort zone, although he liked all three song choices. He’s also smart to choose a contemporary song that gives fans an idea of the kind of artist he’ll be outside of the show. I mean, who picked “Freebird”? CRINGE. He’s playing guitar, but at one point he grabs the mic to play with crowd. I’m going to say it again DO NOT SLEEP ON WARREN. He’s doing what he needs to do to advance.
Warren thinks Luke picked the song. NOPE. It was Lionel! Jokes about Luke tying up Katy ensue. Yikes. Lionel says, “You grabbed the mic, you owned the moment, attitude came out, you became the storyteller. Amazing.” Katy loves when he plays with dynamics. “It was nasty. I hope for more of it.” Luke jokes about having to meet with HR…and Orlando. “I chose Blue side of the mountain. Lean on that grit.” So Katy chose Freebird. Sheesh. (Not Chosen: Blue Side of the Mountain by The Steeldrivers (Luke), Free Bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd (Katy))
Iam Tongi – What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong
Initially he leaned towards “More than Words” by Extreme, feeling he wouldn’t do the Louis Armstrong cover justice. But the vocal coach persuaded him to pick “It’s a Wonderful World.” The song is a overdown on singing shows, but like “Hallelujah” another oft covered song, it’s a major vote catcher. He performs a solid version of a classic. The crowd goes wild.
Iam guesses Lionel picked the song. NOPE. It was Luke! He says, “I prayed you would do that for us. That song just felt like the right time, the right moment.” Lionel says, “You dragged us in…you have us on the first note…a phenomenon…very very special.” Katy requests that he sing “More than Words” when he wins American Idol. (Not chosen: Consider Me by Allen Stone (Lionel), More Than Words by Extreme (Katy))
Luke invited the Top 12 to his Stagecoach concert
OK. So TONIGHT features footage from the Top 12 trip to Luke’s Stagecoach concert in Indio, California. Luke takes the group on a tour of his bus. They have a little chat. He shares stories about his early days. He instructs the group to “go have fun!”
Marybeth Byrd – Wasted on You by Morgan Wallen
She didn’t know ANY of the songs. Does she listen to country music? She chose the Morgan Wallen tune. She relates to the emotion in the song. Two seconds in–and this is way better than last night’s ABBA cover. Even if she didn’t know the song beforehand, she’s FEELING the words. It’s a good choice for her. It highlights her strength as a storyteller and vocalist. Her pain is right on the surface as she sings.
Marybeth guesses Luke. NOPE. Lionel picked it! Good job! Lionel says, “You needed to fight. You needed to get into a brawl. What you did in that performance…you gave it to us.” Katy didn’t think Marybeth evolved last night. But tonight, she did. Luke called it her “standout moment….it was your best performance thus far.” This is why I don’t make predictions before the performances. I thought Marybeth might be going home tonight. Now I’m not so sure. (Not chosen: Here You Come Again by Dolly Parton, Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue by Crystal Gayle)
Tyson Venegas – Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi
The judges all chose ballads. Tyson confesses that he’s never performed an emotional song. His choice, “Someone You Loved” reminds him that he misses his family. This song is also performed a lot on singing shows. But it’s so emotional–perfect for big moments. And Tyson is delivering them. At this point, contestants have to make a big mark. Good song choice for him.
The judges are on their feet. Tyson guesses that Katy chose the song. And she did! Katy says, “It’s exactly what I wanted to see from you…have evolved on this stage. You are more than a gimmick. You are the whole package to me now.” Luke says, “Your growth and your confidence, ability to challenge emotion…way to show up.” Lionel says, “Everyone has their own style…you stepped into your own style. Fantastic.” (Not chosen: When I Was Your Man by Bruno Mars, Someone Like You by Adele)
Megan Danielle – Go Rest High On that Mountain by Vince Gill
She sang the song at her grandfather’s funeral and wants to honor him. And indeed, she does. Luke looks like he’s going to cry. Christian themed songs are where Megan REALLY connects Her upper range is amazing. The judges are on their feet, as Megan tears up.
She guesses Lionel chose the song, because he reminds her of her paw paw. NOPE Luke chose it. She wanted to hug the person who picked it, so they hug. He says, “You’re never scared to tell everybody your faith. I just felt in my heart. You were perfect.” Lionel says, “You have the amazing ability to touch…powerful when you tell your story.” Katy says, “I think your grandpa chose that song. And I think he’s trying to tell you that you are right where you belong right now.” (Not chosen: Rescue Story by Zach Williams, Make You Feel My Love by Bob Dylan).
Colin Stough – It’s Been Awhile by Staind
He chose the Staind song because it reminds him of home. He and his blue collar buddies would listen to it at work. Something has happened to Colin in the last week or so. He finally seems comfortable on stage. He still holds back, but for a small town dude with no experience, he’s headed in the right direction.
Colin guesses Katy. YEP. Katy picked it. “I’m not happy because I won. I’m happy because you are a star.” With that, she wins the Judges Song Contest. Luke says, “You’re so everything perfect in the world. You’re still learning to move. But you’re knocking stuff out of the park.” Lionel says he finally let loose on the last note and “scared himself to death!” (Not chosen: ‘Til You Can’t by Cody Johnson, Starting Over by Chris Stapleton).
RESULTS – It’s a TOP 8! The Judges save a singer
The voting closed during the last commercial break. Ryan calls the Top 7 one by one. The remaining three contestants will be eliminated. 23 million votes!
UPDATE: The Judges SAVED a contestant to make a Top 8. Katy got to pick the save because she won the contest. But she consulted her fellow judges.
American Idol 2023 Top 7 (TOP 8!)
Megan Danielle
Haven Madison
Warren Peay
Wé Ani
Colin Stough
Iam Tongi
Zachariah Smith
Oliver Steele – SAVED BY THE JUDGES
ELIMINATED
Tyson Venegas
Marybeth Byrd
Judges Song Contest winner: Katy (last season, she and Luke tied)
OOOOO THERE’S A SAVE. THE JUDGES SAVE OLIVER STEELE!!!!! OMG. Marybeth probably deserved it. Both she and Oliver have been uneven through the competition. But she was superb tonight. They probably chose Oliver because he said his dad, who had a debilitating stroke last year and has been very sick, would attend the show next week if he made it through. Tyson made it pretty far, considering he’s from Vancouver, Canada and had no homegrown fanbase eligible to vote. It’s also worth noting he was the last Platinum Ticket winner left in the competition.
When Ryan announced that the contestants would perform duets next week, that should have been a clue to the twist. And apparently they saved a contestant last season during Judges Song Contest, which I don’t remember.
