American Idol season 22


The twenty-second season of American Idol premiered on February 18, 2024, on the ABC television network. Ryan Seacrest returned as host; Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie returned as judges. This season was Perry's final one on the show; she announced her departure on February 13, 2024, five days before the premiere.
Abi Carter won the season on May 19, 2024, while Will Moseley was the runner-up, and Jack Blocker finished in third place.

Auditions

The Idol Across America virtual auditions program returned. Remote auditions took place from August 2 to September 8, 2023, as well as a number of open-call auditions, and from these, the producers selected the contestants who were then invited to audition in front of the judges. There were three new locations, the hometowns of the judges: Leesburg, Tuskegee, and Santa Barbara.
The "platinum ticket" also returned from the previous two seasons. During the audition round, a total of three platinum tickets were awarded. The platinum ticket recipients were Odell Bunton Jr., Abi Carter, and Julia Gagnon. Carter was the first "platinum ticket" recipient to win the series.
CityFilming dateFilming venue
Leesburg, GeorgiaSeptember 19–20, 2023Lee County High School
Tuskegee, AlabamaOctober 2–3, 2023Tuskegee University
Santa Barbara, CaliforniaOctober 17–18, 2023Music Academy of the West
Los AngelesOctober 24–25, 2023Calamigos Ranch
NashvilleNovember 11–12, 2023Graduate Nashville

Hollywood week

Hollywood week was filmed on December 10, 2023, at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica. Dubbed the "Idol Arena", each contestant was chosen at random to perform a solo, and fifty-six of them advanced to the next round. The platinum ticket recipients sang "California Dreamin'" by The Mamas & the Papas as a trio. The advantage they received was the ability to skip this round, they were asked to do a bonus performance. The season did not feature a duet round. The "Showstoppers" round determined the Top 24 semifinalists.

Showstopper round

The Showstopper round featured the top 56 contestants performing for the judges and a live audience at the Barker Hangar. The round was filmed on December 11, 2023, and aired on April 1, 2024. The judges narrowed the number of contestants to 24. Here is a list of the contestants who reached the top 24 and the song they performed. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
ContestantSong
Jordan Anthony"Love in the Dark"
Odell Bunton Jr."Don't [Let Me Be Misunderstood]"
Nya"Get Ready"
Blake Proehl"In My Blood"
Triston Harper"By Your Grace"
Roman Collins"Come Together"
Kaibrienne"Simple Man"
Jack Blocker"You Should've Seen the Other Guy"
McKenna Faith Breinholt"Anyone"
Mia Matthews"You Ain't Woman Enough (To Take My Man)"
Emmy Russell"More Hearts Than Mine"
Will Moseley"Ain't No Sunshine"
Ajii"Too Close"
Kayko"Gives You Hell"
Elleigh Marie"Golden Slumbers"
Kennedy Reid"Total Eclipse of the Heart"
KBlocks"River"
Abi Carter"If I Could Turn Back Time"
Jayna Elise"It's All [Coming Back to Me Now#Celine Dion version|It's All Coming Back to Me Now]"
Quintavious"You Say"
Hailey Mia"Alive"
Jennifer Jeffries"Northern Attitude"
Julia Gagnon"And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going"
Mackenzie Sol"With a Little Help from My Friends"

Top 24 (April 7 & 8)

The top 24 contestants were split into two groups of twelve and performed one solo each at the Aulani resort in Kapolei, Hawaii. The first group taped on February 7 and aired on April 7, while the second group taped on February 8 and aired on April 8. Tori Kelly served as a guest mentor and judge for the first group, and Jelly Roll for the second group. Two contestants from each group will be eliminated based on the public vote, and the rest will advance to the top 20. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
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PerformerSong
Tori Kelly"High Water"
Iam Tongi"Why Kiki?"

PerformerSong
Jelly Roll"Halfway to Hell"

Top 20 (April 14 & 15)

The top 20 performances were taped on Wednesday, April 10 and aired on Sunday, April 14, followed by the live results show on Monday, April 15.
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Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
ContestantSongResult
Jack Blocker"You Don't Mess Around with Jim"Safe
Mia Matthews"Wildflowers and Wild Horses"Safe
Mackenzie Sol"I'll Never Love Again"Wild Card
Roman Collins"Never Would Have Made It"Wild Card
Kennedy Reid"Love Can Build a Bridge"Wild Card
Ajii"Like a Stone"Wild Card
Jennifer Jeffries"Grave Digger"Wild Card
Emmy Russell"Want You"Safe
Triston Harper"H-O-P-E"Safe
Odell Bunton Jr."The Door"Wild Card
Kayko"Over You"Safe
Jordan Anthony"When the Party's Over"Wild Card
Quintavious"Hollow"Wild Card
Kaibrienne"Girl I Am Now"Safe
Nya"Georgia on My Mind"Wild Card
Jayna Elise"My All"Wild Card
Abi Carter"Welcome to the Black Parade"Safe
Will Moseley"Makin' Me Look Good Again"Safe
McKenna Faith Breinholt"Both Sides, Now"Safe
Julia Gagnon"Believe (Fantasia song)|I Believe]"Safe

ContestantSongResult
Quintavious"Make It Happen"Eliminated
McKenna Faith Breinholt"Tumbleweed"Safe
Jordan Anthony"Attention"Saved by the judges
Jack Blocker"Feeling Whitney"Safe
Kennedy Reid"Somethin' Bad"Eliminated
Jennifer Jeffries"All I Want"Eliminated
Ajii"Call Out My Name"Eliminated
Mia Matthews"Burning House"Safe
Kayko"What If?"Safe
Nya"Water"Saved by the judges
Will Moseley"Gone For Good"Safe
Abi Carter"My Mind"Safe
Odell Bunton Jr."Wait on You"Eliminated
Kaibrienne"Zombie"Safe
Mackenzie Sol"False Alarms"Eliminated
Emmy Russell"Skinny"Safe
Julia Gagnon"Need a Favor"Safe
Jayna Elise"All I Wanted"Saved by the judges
Triston Harper"'Til You Can't"Safe
Roman Collins"It's a Man's Man's Man's World"Saved by the judges

PerformerSong
Teddy Swims"Lose Control"
Paul Russell"Lil Boo Thang"
Lauren Spencer-Smith"Fingers Crossed"

Finals

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Top 14 – Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (April 21)

served as a guest mentor for the week. Each contestant performed one song from inductees of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
ContestantSongResult
Triston Harper"Heartbreak Hotel"Safe
Julia Gagnon"Run to You"Safe
Roman Collins"You're All I Need to Get By"Safe
Kaibrienne"I Hate Myself for Loving You"Safe
Jayna Elise"I Have Nothing"Safe
Mia Matthews"Those Memories of You"Safe
Kayko"High and Dry"Safe
Emmy Russell"I Can't [Make You Love Me]"Safe
Jordan Anthony"I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)"Eliminated
McKenna Faith Breinholt"Hard to Say I'm Sorry"Safe
Jack Blocker"Don't Think Twice, It's All Right"Safe
Nya"I Say a Little Prayer"Eliminated
Will Moseley"Night Moves"Safe
Abi Carter"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"Safe

PerformerSong
Luke Bryan"Small Town"

Top 12 – Billboard #1 Hits (April 22)

served as a guest mentor this week. Each contestant performed a Billboard #1 song. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
ContestantSongResult
Abi Carter"All Too Well"Safe
Will Moseley"Starting Over"Safe
Jayna Elise"Diamonds"Eliminated
Mia Matthews"Over You"Safe
Roman Collins"Roar"Eliminated
Jack Blocker"Blinding Lights"Safe
Emmy Russell"Lose You to Love Me"Safe
Triston Harper"Beautiful Crazy"Safe
Julia Gagnon"Something in the Orange"Safe
Kaibrienne"Wrecking Ball"Safe
McKenna Faith Breinholt"Cardigan"Safe
Kayko"Somebody That I Used to Know"Safe

PerformerSong
David Archuleta"Hell Together"

Top 10 – Contestants' birth year (April 28)

served as a guest mentor this week. Each contestant performed a song from the year of their birth. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
ContestantSongResult
Mia Matthews"No One Needs to Know"Eliminated
Jack Blocker"Believe"Safe
McKenna Faith Breinholt"Iris"Safe
Kayko"Teenage Dirtbag"Eliminated
Emmy Russell"All the Small Things"Safe
Triston Harper"She's Country"Safe
Abi Carter"Clocks"Safe
Julia Gagnon"Here I Am"Safe
Will Moseley"Modern Day Bonnie and Clyde"Safe
Kaibrienne"Here Without You"Safe

PerformerSong
Just Sam"One Moment in Time"
Scotty McCreery"Cab in a Solo"

Top 8 – Judges' Song Contest (April 29)

The judges chose songs for each of the contestants to perform. Katy Perry had the most song choices selected by the contestants, and was able to save one contestant from elimination. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
ContestantSongSelected byResult
Will Moseley"Folsom Prison Blues"Lionel RichieSafe
Kaibrienne"Traitor"Katy PerryEliminated
McKenna Faith Breinholt"Everywhere I Go"Katy PerrySaved by Katy Perry
Jack Blocker"Always on My Mind"Katy PerrySafe
Abi Carter"Bring Me to Life"Luke BryanSafe
Julia Gagnon"Over the Rainbow"Luke BryanSafe
Triston Harper"Sand in My Boots"Lionel RichieSafe
Emmy Russell"Coal Miner's Daughter"Katy PerrySafe

PerformersSong
Jack Blocker & Emmy Russell"Hello"
Triston Harper & Will Moseley"What Makes You Country"
Melinda Doolittle, Colton Dixon
and Danny Gokey
"Shackles (Praise You)"
Abi Carter, McKenna Faith Breinholt,
Julia Gagnon, and Kaibrienne
"Wide Awake"

Top 7 – Dance songs & Adele (May 5)

served as a guest mentor for this week. Each contestant performed two songs: one dance song and one song from Adele's discography. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
ContestantOrderSongResult
Jack Blocker1"Long Tall Sally"Safe
Jack Blocker9"One and Only"Safe
Julia Gagnon2"Roam"Eliminated
Julia Gagnon11"Set Fire to the Rain"Eliminated
Abi Carter3"My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up)"Safe
Abi Carter14"Hello"Safe
McKenna Faith Breinholt4"E.T."Eliminated
McKenna Faith Breinholt8"Make You Feel My Love"Eliminated
Will Moseley5"Gimme Three Steps"Safe
Will Moseley10"Rolling in the Deep"Safe
Emmy Russell6"Shut Up and Dance"Safe
Emmy Russell12"Water Under the Bridge"Safe
Triston Harper7"T-R-O-U-B-L-E"Safe
Triston Harper13"Easy on Me"Safe

PerformerSong
Meghan Trainor"To the Moon"
"Been Like This"

Top 5 – Disney (May 12)

served as a guest mentor this week. Each contestant performed two songs from Disney films. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
ContestantOrderSongDisney filmResult
Abi Carter1"Part of Your World"The Little MermaidSafe
Abi Carter8"The Chain"Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2Safe
Triston Harper2"Almost There (The [Princess and the Frog song)|Almost There]"The Princess and the FrogEliminated
Triston Harper7"Life Is a Highway"CarsEliminated
Emmy Russell3"The Climb"Hannah Montana: The MovieEliminated
Emmy Russell6"Carried Me with You"OnwardEliminated
Jack Blocker4"Nobody's Fool"Cars 2Safe
Jack Blocker9"Space Oddity"Indiana Jones and the Dial of DestinySafe
Will Moseley5"The Ballad of the Lonesome Cowboy"Toy Story 4Safe
Will Moseley10"Born to Be Wild"D3: The Mighty DucksSafe

PerformersSong
Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan,
Katy Perry, and Ryan Seacrest
"You've Got a Friend in Me"
Jenifer Lewis and Terence Blanchard"Dig a Little Deeper"

Top 3 and Top 2 – Finale (May 19)

served as a guest mentor this week. Each contestant performed two songs – one from the Jon Bon Jovi discography and one dedicated to their hometowns – before the contestant who had the fewest votes up to that point was eliminated, thereby finishing in third place.
After Jack Blocker was eliminated, the Top 2 were Abi Carter and Will Moseley. Near the end of the show after the guest performances, Moseley and Carter sang their potential coronation singles. After the voting lines were closed, Carter was declared the winner while Moseley was runner-up.
ContestantOrderSongResult
Will Moseley1"It's My Life"Runner-up
Will Moseley4"My Town"Runner-up
Will Moseley7"Good Book Bad"Runner-up
Jack Blocker2"I'll [Be There for You (Bon Jovi song)|I'll Be There for You]"Third place
Jack Blocker5"All My Ex's Live in Texas"Third place
Abi Carter3"Bed of Roses"Winner
Abi Carter6"Somewhere"Winner
Abi Carter8"This Isn't Over"Winner

PerformersSong
Top 3"Livin' on a Prayer"
Top 3
with Jon Bon Jovi
"Legendary"
Julia Gagnon
with Jason Mraz
"I Feel Like Dancing"
Jayna Elise
with Seal
"Crazy"
McKenna Faith Breinholt and Kaibrienne
with James Bay
"Let It Go"
Luke Bryan"Love You, Miss You, Mean It"
Mia Matthews
with Luke Bryan
"Run"
Top 12
with Lionel Richie
"Running with the Night"
Triston Harper
with Cody Johnson
"'Til You Can't"
Bishop Briggs"Triumph"
Abi Carter
with Bishop Briggs
"River"
Will Moseley, Jack Blocker,
Triston Harper, Kayko, and Roman Collins
with Nick Fradiani
"America"
"Sweet Caroline"
Will Moseley
with Hootie & the Blowfish
"Hold My Hand"
"Let Her Cry"
"Only Wanna Be with You"
Jack Blocker
with Katy Perry
"What Makes a Woman"
Kids on the Block">Still Kids">Kids on the Block"Kids"
Kayko
with New Kids on the Block
"You Got It (The Right Stuff)"
Emmy Russell
with Wynonna
"Coal Miner's Daughter"
"No One Else on Earth"
Roman Collins
with CeCe Winans
"Goodness of God"
Abi Carter, Emmy Russell,
Julia Gagnon, McKenna Faith Breinholt,
Kaibrienne, Mia Matthews,
and Jayna Elise
"Teenage Dream"
"Dark Horse"
"California Gurls"
Abi Carter"What Was I Made For?"

Elimination chart

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Ratings