‘American Idol’ Season 24 Top 5 Live Recap: Who Was Eliminated?

Tonight, the Top 5 took to the stage to see who would move on to next week’s three-hour finale.

Chris Tungseth, Braden Rumfelt, Hannah Harper, Keyla Richardson and Jordan McCullough | Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty Images

American Idol was back tonight, and we’ve only got one episode left before the finale on Monday, May 11! The popular singing competition switched things up in a big way this year, with the panel of judges—Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan and Carrie Underwood—throwing plenty of unexpected twists and turns at the contestants.

Tonight, the final five took the stage to narrow the field down to the Top 3 for next week’s three-hour finale. So who made it through and who was sent home? Let’s recap!

Who was eliminated last week on American Idol?

Before we dive into this week, let’s get you all caught up on last week.

The Top 7 were tasked with two challenges for two rounds of performances. First, they each took to the stage to sing the songs of the “tortured poet” herself, Taylor Swift. The judging panel was also joined by comedian and Swift superfan, Nikki Glaser. All of the contestants stood out, putting new and fun spins on Swift’s beloved tunes for an impressive first round.

After that, all seven singers returned to the spotlight to take on songs themed around California. Once again, all the contestants proved they deserved a spot in the semifinals, but the audience was still tasked with sending two of the hopefuls home. Ultimately, Brooks and Daniel Stallworth were eliminated from the competition. Going into tonight’s semifinal, that meant the Top 5 consisted of Jordan McCullough, Chris Tungseth, Hannah Harper, Keyla Richardson and Braden Rumfelt.

You can read our recap of last week’s episode here!

What’s the theme of American Idol this week?

Tonight promised to be a blast from the past, with original judges Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson making appearances. The former returned to the judging panel, while the latter acted as a special guest mentor for the Top 5. Also, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the show’s fifth season, which originally aired in 2006, the contestants each performed a duet with a Season 5 contestant.

And that wasn’t all! The episode proved to be a crossover in more ways than one, as the Top 5 also welcomed cast members from the hit ABC show Dancing With the Stars for “American Idol x Dancing With the Stars”—a round in which the contestants were joined onstage by DWTS pro dancers Jan Ravnik, Gleb Savchenko, Witney Carson and Rylee Arnold.

ROUND 1: American Idol x Dancing With the Stars

Keyla Richardson

Richardson kicked off the show with “River Deep, Mountain High” by Tina and Ike Turner, and was joined on the stage by a couple of DWTS pros to elevate her semifinals performance. Before she took to the stage, she got a few tips from Jackson, who applauded her incredible range.

Richie loved the “attitude” Richardson brought to the performance, while Abdul said it was “an honor and a pleasure” to meet her. Underwood noted that having the pros onstage was a great test for her future career, as Richardson would one day have backup dancers.

Chris Tungseth

Tungseth was next up, singing “Northern Attitude” by Noah Khan. In behind-the-scenes footage, the contestant was starstruck by Jackson, grateful for his mentorship. The former judge asked Tungseth what the song choice meant to him, and Tungseth opened up about how he related to the vulnerability in the lyrics.

Abdul loved Tungseth’s tone and the “ache” in his voice, and Underwood called the song selection a “good vocal choice.” Bryan was impressed by the “soaring” notes he hit, joking that he should throw in some dance moves. Richie called the performance “great,” but also felt like the pro dancers momentarily distracted the contestant.

Braden Rumfelt

Rumfelt selected “Lose Control” by Teddy Swims, with Jackson commenting that it was a “big” song. The former judge was pleasantly surprised by Rumfelt’s abilities, but said Rumfelt needed to “get out of his head” and stop overthinking, joking that he ironically needed to “lose control” himself.

Following the performance, Underwood seconded Jackson’s sentiments, while Bryan also felt Rumfelt needed a little more confidence. Richie gave Rumfelt advice to let go while onstage, noting that he “can’t mess up” because the crowd loves what he does. Abdul felt the same, saying that his voice could “fill arenas,” but wanted him to believe in himself more.

Hannah Harper

Harper joked to Jackson that she was scared of the judge, having grown up watching American Idol audition “fails” as a kid. She selected “Fever” by Peggy Lee for her tune, which “shocked” Jackson, as he didn’t care for the song, but ultimately applauded the risk.

Bryan called the performance “uniquely different” for the contestant, and Richie said it was “exactly” what Harper needed to do. Abdul loved that no one “sounded like her” in the competition, while Underwood simply said she was “so proud” of Harper and how far she’d come.

Jordan McCullough

McCullough was the final contestant for the first round and opted to sing “Footprints in the Sand” by Leona Lewis. He dedicated the tune to his younger brothers, whom he’s “learned so much from.” Jackson helped McCullough with a tricky key change, which the former judge also noted might be a confidence issue.

Richie joked that McCullough does “spinal cord” singing, while Abdul said his voice was “otherworldly.” Underwood agreed with those sentiments, and Bryan felt McCullough was one of the best singers they’d seen on the program.

ROUND 2: 2006 Reunion

Keyla Richardson

For the 2006 Reunion round, Richardson was partnered with former contestant Taylor Hicks. The two tackled “Living for the City” by Stevie Wonder for their performance.

Abdul said she’d “never” seen Richardson have so much fun, and Underwood agreed, joking she wouldn’t think to put them together, but loved it. Bryan loved the energy of the performance, saying Hicks elevated Richardson’s overall performance.

Chris Tungseth

Bucky Covington was Tungseth’s partner for the throwback round, and the two sang a duet of “Thunder Rolls” by Garth Brooks.

Underwood was enthusiastic about the performance, loving both men’s vocals (and hair). Bryan noted it was one of the best vocals Tungseth had delivered, while both Abdul and Richie were equally enthused by their rocker sound.

Braden Rumfelt

Season 5 contestant Paris Bennett joined Rumfelt for a duet of “The Show Must Go On” by Queen. They both belted the iconic tune, which the audience loved.

Bryan loved how all the former contestants were bringing the best out of the new hopefuls, which Richie agreed with, saying whatever “possessed” Rumfelt during the performance seriously elevated him. Abdul also applauded the way the two approached the song, changing it to fit their voices.

Hannah Harper

Harper was joined by former contestant Kellie Pickler, where the two took on Martina McBride’s “A Broken Wing.” Pickler was excited to be back at the show, with the two performing her original audition song.

Richie said the duet was “the perfect voice blend,” and Abdul called it “exquisite.” Underwood and Pickler then chatted about how special it was to have so many former contestants back, noting that few knew what they had experienced.

Jordan McCullough

McCullough closed the show, where he was joined centerstage by former contestant Elliot Yamin to sing “A Song for You” by Donny Hathaway. McCullough revealed that he was a fan of Yamin and was excited to perform the classic tune with him.

Abdul was moved to tears by the performance, calling the duet a “Grammys duet performance.” Underwood said she “didn’t have enough words” to give them the praise they deserved, and Bryan echoed her sentiments. Richie closed by joking that the two’s soulful rendition had turned the show into “the Church of American Idol.”

Who was eliminated from American Idol tonight?

Following the performances, the votes were counted and two contestants were sent home.

The top three performing next week in the finale were revealed to be Harper, Richardson and McCullough, which meant Rumfelt and Tungseth were eliminated.

When is the American Idol Season 24 finale?

The special three-hour-long finale episode of American Idol will air on ABC this Monday, May 11th, at 8 p.m. ET, and we’ll be right back here to recap everything for you!

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