American Idol season 17

Top 10 contestants

• Laine Hardy was from Livingston, Louisiana. He had originally auditioned for the sixteenth season, but only made it to the top 50. He sang "The Weight" in his audition this season. In Hollywood, he performed "She Talks to Angels" and "Proud Mary" as solos and "Grenade" as part of a group performance. After giving a performance of "Come Together" during the Showcase round, he advanced to the top 20.
• Alejandro Aranda was from Pomona, California. He auditioned in Los Angeles. He sang two original songs, one called "Out Loud" on the guitar and another called "Cholo Love" on the piano. In Hollywood, he performed in a group with Laci Kaye Booth, where he sang "Sorry" by Justin Bieber. For his final solo, he sang an original song called "Ten Years" and advanced to the top 40.
• Madison VanDenburg was from Cohoes, New York. She auditioned in New York with Dan + Shay’s "Speechless." She sang "Who's Lovin' You" during the Showcase round and advanced to the top 20.
• Laci Kaye Booth was from Livingston, Texas. She sang "Mama Tried" by Merle Haggard during her audition in Denver. In Hollywood, she sang " A Natural Woman" by Aretha Franklin. She later performed in a group with Katie Belle, Laine Hardy, and Colby Swift, where they sang "Grenade" by Bruno Mars. For her final solo, she sang "Stars" by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. She sang "Georgia on My Mind" by Ray Charles during the Showcase round to earn her spot in the top 20.
• Wade Cota was from Phoenix, Arizona. He had auditioned for American Idol nine years ago, but failed to receive a "yes." He auditioned this season in Los Angeles, where he sang "Blame It on Me" by George Ezra. In Hollywood, he sang "Litost" by the X Ambassadors and an original song named "Stay" as a solo. He later performed in a group, where he sang "California Dreamin'" by The Mamas & the Papas and advanced despite forgetting the lyrics.
• Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon was from Catonsville, Maryland. He auditioned in New York with an original song called "Almost Heaven." He gave an emotional performance in Hollywood with "Beautiful" by Carole King and "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" by Roberta Flack as his solos, where he made it to the top 40. His performed Elton John's "We All Fall in Love Sometimes" during the top 14 show.
• Walker Burroughs was from Birmingham, Alabama, but grew up originally in Louisville, Kentucky. He auditioned in Louisville with "Love Like This" by Ben Rector and "Hello" by Lionel Richie. In Hollywood, he sang "Whereabouts" by Stevie Wonder as his first solo and "Your Song" by Elton John as his final solo. After performing "Youngblood" by 5 Seconds of Summer, he advanced to the top 20.
• Alyssa Raghu was from Orlando, Florida. She had auditioned for the sixteenth season, but cut at the top 24. She took several classes to improve her skills and then auditioned again this season in Los Angeles with "Shark in the Water" by V V Brown. She sang "What About Us" by Pink as her final solo in Hollywood, where she advanced to the top 40.
• Dimitrius Graham was from Baltimore, Maryland. He sang "Wind Beneath My Wings" by Bette Midler as his first solo in Hollywood for the judges and his mother, who was about to have an operation, via cellphone. He then performed in a group, where he sang "I Want It That Way" by the Backstreet Boys.
• Uché was from Sugar Land, Texas. He auditioned with "Ain't No Other Man," and he also sang Smokie Norful's "God Is Able" and talked about his musical influences. Uché sang "Scars to Your Beautiful" by Alessia Cara as his final solo in Hollywood.