American Idol: Alyssa Raghu’s Third Chance Falls Short as KB Richins Wins Top 24 Sing-off
American Idol Season 22 Hollywood Week continued on Monday night with the Showstoppers round, in which judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan whittled the Top 56 down to a Top 24. Most of the contestants that the show featured made it through, but it wouldn’t be Hollywood Week without drama and tension. That came through during two intense sing-offs, including one between Season 17 finalist Alyssa Raghu and Hollywood Week Arena standout KB Richins. (Read our Recap)
For her showstopper, Alyssa sang “I Will Survive” and sounded slightly off key, but it still showed off her impressive tone. It was not her best effort, knowing what she is capable of. The judges seemed impressed, with Katy saying the “sauce may be seasoned correctly.”
KB chose “Simple Man” by Lynyrd Skynyrd, an out of the box song choice seemingly not performed by many female artists. Her tone suited it, and even though her vocal and rasp didn’t sound quite as controlled as her performance the day before during the Idol Arena round, she still showed off her ability to connect to the music and highlight her unique sound. KB was nervous going into the judgment after fearing that the judges were not impressed. She noticed that both the singers before and after her got standing ovations, and for her performance they just sat there.
“I do have to be selfish in this moment. If one of us goes through, I want to go through”
The judges called Alyssa and KB down to final judgment together. The trio thought that both singers did great, but that only one of the could advance to the Top 24. The judges paired them up after arguing over who deserved the spot, Katy said. The two got an hour to rehearse But first, they had to agree between two song choices. They opted to sing “Shallow” by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. They rejected the other option, “Fingers Crossed” by former Idol contestant Lauren Spencer-Smith.
KB confided in the vocal coach during rehearsal that Alyssa, an “incredible” singer, made her nervous. Alyssa remarked outside the rehearsal room, “I do have to be selfish in this moment. If one of us goes through, I want to go through.” She seemed confident on the surface, yet still unsure of herself, as the producers continued to give the singer the “villain edit.”
Alyssa let KB pick who went first, and KB chose Alyssa. Her approach to the song was smooth, and she gave a solid vocal performance. As KB began her performance, it was clear the song was a natural fit for her raspy tone. She built the song up dynamically, hitting a beautiful growly note while showing off a cry in her voice. Technically, Alyssa may have the slight edge on KB, but KB simply made the listener feel so much more.
Both singers did an incredible job though. These sing-offs really bring out the best in the contestants. For instance, Paige Anne and Megan Danielle both nailed their sing-off last season. Alyssa and KB both did a remarkable job on their sing-off song as well.
“We think you’re going to be able to go and spread your wings without Idol”
The two singers applauded each other and hugged. The judges deliberated. Katy said, “that’s the best she’s ever sounded” about KB. When the contestants rejoined the judges, Luke said to Alyssa,“We think you have been an amazing part of Idol, and we think you’re going to be able to go and spread your wings without Idol. This is the end of the road.”
They congratulated KB as she advanced to the Top 24. Alyssa told KB that she was proud of her, adding, “It was a fair game, and they thought she had a lot of potential for this, and I totally agree.” She said it’s a hard decision, as she got a proper send-off featuring a clip from her first audition during Season 16.
Next week, we will see if KB continues to impress in Hawaii. The judges revealed at the end of the show that the top 24 will once again be performing at Disney Aulani Resort.
