The american idol season has reached its Top 20 stage, with tonight’s performances filmed in Hawaii and the show opening live voting for viewers for the first time this season.
American Idol Top 20 Perform In Hawaii
The Top 20 round was filmed in Hawaii and features mentorship from Brad Paisley and Keke Palmer. Ten of the Top 20 singers perform tonight at the island venue, with the remaining ten set to take the stage on March 23. The episode also includes performances from Iam Tongi and Thunderstorm Artis, both of whom are from Hawaii.
Judges will watch the Hawaiian performances from the island backdrop. Among the contestants competing are three platinum ticket winners: Jordan McCullough, Brooks Rosser, and Kyndal Inskeep. Paisley and Palmer will return the following week to finish mentoring the Top 20, and that episode will feature a performance from Skip Marley.
How american idol Voting Works Tonight
For the first time this season, viewers can cast votes to influence which contestants advance. Voting opens tonight and runs for a 10-hour window from 8: 00 pm ET to 6: 00 am ET. Each viewer may submit up to 10 votes per voting method for each contestant.
Voting options include submitting votes online at the show’s official voting page, sending text messages using a contestant’s first name only, or commenting on official posts on Instagram and Facebook. The new voting process replaces the prior app-based method for this season.
What Happens Next: Results And Next Steps
Votes cast during the Top 20 round will be used to determine the Top 14. A second Top 20 voting window opens at the start of the East Coast broadcast on March 23 and closes in the early hours the following morning. Results from this phase of the competition are scheduled to be revealed when the live shows begin on March 30.
Tonight’s Hawaiian performances and the live voting period mark a turning point in the contest, as viewers for the first time this season weigh in directly on who advances toward the live-show roster.
