American Idol season 21 is heading into its final weeks of the competition, and the Top 8 has been determined. On Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Night, American Idol season 8 runner-up and current Queen frontman Adam Lambert mentored the contestants. Unfortunately, Nutsa and Lucy Love were sent home after they were saved by the judges, Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan, the week before. The American Idol season 21 Top 10 then performed during the Judges’ Song Contest on the following night.
During the American Idol season 21 Judges’ Song Contest, the judges chose a song for every contestant, who then picked one of them. After the performance was over, they had to guess who picked it. Since more contestants picked Katy’s songs, she won the contest. She was able to save one contestant, Oliver Steele, to round out the Top 8. Sadly, Marybeth Byrd and Tyson Venegas went home. As the American Idol Top 8 finalistshead into next week to perform the songs of Alanis Morissette and Ed Sheeran, who are filling in for Katy and Lionel while they appear at King Charles’ coronation, here are their power rankings.
8 Oliver Steele – American Idol
Although Oliver has proven himself to be a true artist during American Idol season 21, he found himself in the bottom three. Oliver sang Katy’s song choice, “High and Dry,” by Radiohead. After consulting with Lionel and Luke, Katy saved Oliver from elimination. Based on Nutsa and Lucy going home the week after they were saved, Oliver’s at a disadvantage moving forward. However, his fan base helped his original song “Too Soon” to reach #1 on the iTunes US R&B and Soul Tracks chart last week. Perhaps they will rally to keep this wonderful singer and musician in the competition. Oliver currently has 37.4K Instagram followers.
7 Haven Madison – American Idol
Haven had a breakout moment on American Idol when she sang “The Only Exception” by Paramore, which was Katy’s choice for her. However, her performance of “Livin’ on a Prayer” the previous night was underwhelming. She’s currently the youngest season 21 contestant, which both helps and hurts her. Haven has the potential to be an idol, but her lack of performing experience is sometimes evident. However, if Haven continues to sing the way she did during the Judges’ Song Contest, she might go far. In addition, her 50K Instagram followers might translate into a lot of votes.
6 Warren Peay – American Idol
Warren sang Lionel’s song choice for him, which was “Colder Weather” by Zac Brown Band. Although the performance showcased his authentic and gritty country voice, it was a bit predictable for him. Warren is probably the best country singer in the competition, but he needs a breakout moment to propel him to the top of the leaderboard. Warren has the least amount of Instagram followers at 16.3K.
5 Zachariah Smith – American Idol
Zachariah has always had star power since he first auditioned for American Idol. Lionel chose “Wanted Dead or Alive” by Bon Jovi, and, as always, Zachariah did a fantastic job. He always brings something different to the stage. Although he has one of the lowest amounts of Instagram followers at 21.6K, Zachariah is one of the most buzzed-about American Idol season 21 contestants.
4 Megan Danielle – American Idol
Megan had a moving moment during the American Idol Judges’ Song Contest when she found a song with special meaning on the list. Luke had selected “Go Rest High on That Mountain” by Vince Gill for Megan. This happened to be the song Megan had sung at her beloved grandfather’s funeral, which Luke didn’t know. Megan saw this as a sign and chose the song. She gave an emotional performance that showed her ability to connect with the audience. With her immense talent, fan base from her appearance on The Voice, and 59.5K Instagram followers, Megan has the potential to make it to the end of the competition.
3 Colin Stough – American Idol
After his breakout performance of “Dancing On My Own” by Robyn the previous week, Colin gained many new fans, bringing his Instagram followers to 98.4K. To change things up a bit for himself, he chose “It’s Been Awhile” by Staind during the Judges’ Song Contest. This was Katy’s selection for him. Colin again gave a solid performance. Colin has the potential to go very far in the competition. He embodies everything that American Idol is: the best-undiscovered talent in America. It has been a joy to watch him grow into a true star throughout the competition.
2 Wé Ani – American Idol
Wé brought her powerhouse vocals to another level during the Judges’ Song Contest, singing Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing.” The song was chosen for her by Luke. She proved herself to be a true superstar, taking on a legend and doing the song justice. Wé placed third on The Voice season 11, so she has experience performing that’s evident every time she takes the stage. She currently has 221K Instagram followers, which is the second highest in the competition. If Wé continues on this path, she might go all the way.
1 Iam Tongi – American Idol
Iam has been the favorite to win American Idol season 21 since his emotional audition. Week after week, he has proven himself to be a gifted singer, a talented musician, and a sweet person. Iam’s performances have gone viral, and he has amassed a whopping 420K Instagram followers since season 21 began. During the Judges’ Song Contest, Iam sang a touching version of “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong, which was Luke’s choice for him. It is easy to imagine Iam covered in confetti as Ryan Seacrest announces him as the winner of American Idol season 21.
American Idol season 21 is one of the most competitive of any season. When the contestants are compared based on their vocal talents alone, it’s very difficult to determine a winner. However, other factors such as fan bases, social media followers, and performing experience will also play a role. Whoever wins, American Idol season 21 will go down in history as one of the best.
American Idol airs Sundays and Mondays at 8 p.m. EDT on ABC.
