‘American Idol’ Recap: Auditions End With Several Diamonds in the Rough

We’ve hit the Final Judgement on American Idol, wherein the 40 contestants who survived Hollywood week are jetted off to Hawaii for one last performance before judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan chop them down to the Top 20. Host Ryan Seacrest gives us a pre-show announcement to let viewers know these episodes were previously recorded in January, before the current health crisis tightened its grip on the world and halted production on the series.

From the subways of New York to the big stage in Hawaii.

Francisco Martin wowed the judges — especially Luke Bryan, who jumped up and down on his seat — on Sunday night’s “American Idol”.

American Idol moved to sunny Hawaii for Sunday night’s pre-recorded episode of Top 40 performances. And it was Francisco Martin who enjoyed one of the brightest moments.

The unthinkable happened on the Monday (March 23) episode of American Idol, when contestant Makayla Brownlee suffered a medical emergency during her performance.

Arthur Gunn shot his shot with a risky reimagining of a Creedence Clearwater Revival classic.

American Idol judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie rushed to the aid of contestant Makayla Brownlee after she abruptly walked off stage and fell to the ground backstage during her Hollywood Week audition.

As Hollywood Week came to a close on, and the show narrowed down its field of hopefuls to their Top 40, tensions ran high and the stress led to an unusually scary moment for one contestant.

“American Idol” contestant Makayla Phillips took a big risk during solos at “Hollywood Week”, but did it pay off?

Hollywood Week on American Idol is typically wheat-chaff territory, and never has that been more clear than on Sunday (March 22) night’s episode.

Gabby Barrett is a country superstar, but once upon a time, she was just a nervous American Idol contestant. As the “I Hope” singer, 20, continued to compete on the first season of the Idol reboot, which she won, she said that judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan, imparted an important piece of wisdom that’s helped her beyond the show.

With Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom getting ready to welcome their first child together and tie the knot in the future, many are wondering what role, if any, her fellow judges will play in their wedding.

Franklin Boone did not disappoint during his “American Idol” audition Sunday.

Katy Perry is keeping her sense of humor amid the coronavirus scare.

Grace Leer has made her return to the “American Idol” family.

They're on a boat! They're on a boat! Everybody look at them 'cause they're sailing on a boat! American Idol is hitting the water this week as judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan decide they're done with stuffy, indoor audition rooms and decide to take the auditions to a nearby boat.

The penultimate American Idol auditions episode of the season opens with a strategically planned announcement of Katy Perry’s pregnancy -- or, as Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie tease, the soon-to-be arrival of a “fourth judge.” How sweet.With that out of the way, the contestants come fast, furious and full of backstories. That said, there are so many wannabe-Idols this time around that many get relegated to montages.

Country singer Zack Dobbins had a little help from Luke Bryan during his “American Idol” audition Sunday.

It’s only week two of American Idol Season 3 -- or Season 18, if you’re not one to retcon the first 15 rounds that aired on Fox -- and they’re already pulling out the quirky Broadway wannabes, the fire trucks and the wince-inducing comedy skits featuring judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan during auditions.