American Idol season 21’s Top 8 became the Top 5 as three finalists were eliminated. The contestants each sang one Alanis Morissette song and one Ed Sheeran duet. Alanis mentored the contestants as they prepared to perform her songs. In addition, Alanis and Ed joined Luke Bryan on the judging panel. They filled in for Katy Perry and Lionel Richie, who performed at King Charles III’s coronation in the United Kingdom. They appeared live from Windsor Castle throughout the show.
American Idol season 21 said goodbye to three finalists, creating the Top 5 made up of Zachariah Smith, Megan Danielle, Iam Tongi, Wé Ani, and Colin Stough. They will perform next week on Disney Night, and Sofia Carson will serve as their mentor. Without a judges’ save, America had the final say in who went home, and Warren Peay, Haven Madison, and Oliver Steele were eliminated from the competition. As the Top 5 prepare for next week, here are the power rankings based on their performances, show history, and social media followings.
5 American Idol’s Zachariah Smith
Zachariah has the least amount of Instagram followers of the Top 5 with 25K, but he is a dark horse to win the competition. He has always had the showmanship that could propel him to superstardom, but his Top 8 performances showcased new aspects of his vocal talent that proved that he could win the competition. He took on Alanis’ iconic song, “Ironic,” which highlighted his incredible vocal range.
Zachariah’s duet was with Haven. They sang Ed’s “Thinking Out Loud.” Zachariah showed a more sensitive side during the song. He also proved that he is a true artist as he sang in perfect harmony with Haven. However, Zachariah hasn’t appeared on other singing competitions like his fellow Top 5 contestants, Megan and Wé, and his performances haven’t gone viral like Iam’s. Although he has what it takes to be the next American Idol, he is at a bit of a disadvantage when social media followings are taken into account. Next week, Zachariah’s fans must rally to keep him in the competition.
4 American Idol’s Megan Danielle
During the American Idol Top 8 performances, Megan had an incredible night. She turned Alanis’ “Head Over Feet” into a country love song, which she dedicated to her boyfriend. The tune allowed Megan to show her vulnerability, along with her vocal range. This, along with her 69.1K Instagram followers and her fan base from her appearance on The Voice season 18, will help her to continue to advance in the competition.
Megan’s stellar duet with Colin on Ed’s song, “Dive,” was very impressive. They began their song back-to-back on stage, but they were completely in sync throughout the entire performance. It was a true country collaboration, which brought their own style to Ed’s song. The duet was so strong that it was easy to forget that Megan and Colin were performing on American Idol. It felt like their own concert.
3 American Idol’s Wé Ani
Wé’s first Top 8 performance was her duet with Warren on Ed’s song, “Perfect.” They had beautiful harmonies. Wé once again showed off her extraordinary range, singing both low and high notes with ease. It truly was perfect. In addition to her stunning vocals, Wé placed third on The Voice season 11, and has 232K Instagram followers. This could propel her to the top of the American Idol competition.
For Wé’s solo performance, she sang Alanis’ haunting song, “Uninvited.” She made the song her own, creating a theatrical version that was dramatic in all the best ways. Ed commented that the song showcased every part of her voice, and he was right. From the quiet falsetto at the beginning to the powerful notes at the end, Wé took viewers on a journey that really captured the story of the song.
2 American Idol’s Colin Stough
Colin, who had no previous performance experience, has amassed 107K Instagram followers since his American Idol audition. He has shown the most growth throughout the competition. His vocals are very impressive, as he proved during his version of Alanis’ “Hand in My Pocket.” Colin made the song his own, with his country rock style.
Colin was especially fantastic during his duet with Megan when they sang Ed’s “Dive.” As he gains more confidence, Colin has been experimenting with his voice, sometimes even surprising himself with how great he really is. Luke pointed out that Colin showed a new side of himself by singing a riff during the song, and Colin laughed that he hadn’t done anything like it before. If Colin continues on this path, he easily will sail into the Top 3.
1 American Idol’s Iam Tongi
American Idol season 21 frontrunner Iam continued his extraordinary streak of unforgettable performances. His first song was his duet with his good friend Oliver. They sang “Photograph” in sweet harmony with each other. Oliver’s father, who suffered a stroke, was in the audience. Oliver spoke about how Iam would speak to his father on the phone, and what a great friend he is to them. This emphasized that Iam is not only a superb performer, but a wonderful person as well. His whopping 447K Instagram followers would agree.
For Iam’s solo performance, he brought Alanis to tears as he sang her song, “Guardian.” After dedicating many of his performances to his late father, this week Iam paid tribute to his mother with the song. Iam also wore a lei made of fresh flowers that his aunt had sent him. As the audience chants his name after his terrific performances, it is easy to imagine confetti raining down on him as he is crowned the next American Idol.
American Idol season 21 is one of the best in the show’s history. Any one of the Top 8 performers would’ve been worthy of a spot in the Top 5, but eliminations are necessary to narrow them down to one winner. As Katy and Lionel rejoin Luke next week at the judging table for Disney Night, the Top 5 will give their all in order to earn their spots in the Top 3 for the finale. Whatever happens, the American Idol season 21 finalists have bright futures ahead of them.
American Idol airs Sundays and Mondays at 8 p.m. EDT on ABC.
Sources: Zachariah Smith/Instagram, Megan Danielle/Instagram, Wé Ani/Instagram, Colin Stough/Instagram, Iam Tongi/Instagram
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
