American Idol Season 24 is heading into its live finale, with Hannah Harper, Jordan McCullough, and Keyla Richardson officially advancing as this year’s trio of finalists.
The three-hour live finale airs Monday at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and Disney+, with the finalists competing one last time for America’s vote. Alicia Keys will serve as the finale mentor and performer, while judges Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie are also set to take the stage during the star-studded event.
Ryan Seacrest returns as host as the long-running singing competition prepares to crown its Season 24 winner.
Read on for everything to know about Season 24 of American Idol.
When is the ‘American Idol’ Season 24 finale?
The three-hour live finale airs Monday, May 11 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and Disney+, with the finalists competing one last time for America’s vote.
Who are the ‘American Idol’ Season 24 finalists?
Hannah Harper
Age: 25
Hometown: Willow Springs, Mo.
Keyla Richardson
Age: 29
Hometown: Pensacola, Fla.
Jordan McCullough
Age: 27
Hometown: Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Who will perform at the ‘American Idol’ Season 24 finale?
The finale will feature performances from judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Carrie Underwood, including a group performance of Richie’s “Deep River Woman.” Bryan will also perform his new song “Fish Hunt Golf Drink” and team with finalist Julián Kalel for a performance of Dwight Yoakam’s “A Thousand Miles From Nowhere,” while Underwood is set to perform with Mötley Crüe.
Alicia Keys will serve as the finale mentor and deliver a special performance during the live show, which will also feature appearances by Brad Paisley, Blues Traveler and Gin Blossoms, Cameron Whitcomb, Clay Aiken, En Vogue, Jason Mraz, Lee Ann Womack, Nelly, Shinedown, and Tori Kelly.
When did ‘American Idol’ Season 24 premiere?
American Idol premiered Monday, Jan. 26 on ABC at 8 p.m. ET/PT. New episodes air Mondays and stream the next day on Hulu.
Who are the judges on ‘American Idol’ Season 24?
Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan return as the Season 24 judges. This marks Underwood’s second season at the judges’ table after replacing Katy Perry in 2025, while Richie and Bryan have both remained with the series since American Idol moved to ABC in 2018.
Who is the host?
American Idol wouldn’t be the same without host Ryan Seacrest, who has been with the series since its inaugural season in 2002. Over the years, he has crowned every winner — from Kelly Clarkson to Jamal Roberts.
Where did auditions take place?
The Idol Across America virtual auditions returned, with remote and open-call auditions taking place between Aug. 26 and Oct. 6, 2025. Producers then selected which hopefuls would move on to audition in front of the judges.
In-person auditions were filmed at Belmont University in Nashville.
Who were the guest mentors?
Several major artists joined American Idol throughout Season 24 as guest mentors and judges.
Hawaii Showcase: Brad Paisley and Keke Palmer mentored contestants during the Hawaii rounds filmed at Disney’s Aulani Resort & Spa in Ko Olina.
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night (Top 11): Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo served as guest mentors as contestants performed songs from Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees.
Disney Night (Top 9): Jennifer Hudson appeared as both guest mentor and guest judge for Disney Night after contestants visited Disneyland ahead of the performances.
Taylor Swift/California Songs Night (Top 7): Comedian Nikki Glaser joined the panel as a guest judge while contestants performed songs by Taylor Swift and artists from California.
Class of 2006 Reunion / Dancing With the Stars Night (Top 5): Paula Abdul returned as a guest judge while Randy Jackson served as a mentor. The episode celebrated the 20th anniversary of Season 5 with duet performances featuring contestants from the 2006 cast: Taylor Hicks, Bucky Covington, Paris Bennett, Kellie Pickler, and Elliott Yamin.
The episode also featured a crossover with Dancing with the Stars, including appearances from professional dancers Gleb Savchenko, Rylee Arnold, Witney Carson, and Jan Ravnik.
Grand Finale (Top 3): Alicia Keys will serve as the guest mentor for the live Season 24 finale and will also perform during the three-hour event.
How many episodes will there be?
There were 16 episodes in Season 24, beginning with the premiere on Jan. 26 and ending with the grand finale on May 11.
Who won last season?
Jamal Roberts won Season 23 of American Idol. The singer from Meridian, Miss., made history as just the second Black male winner in the show’s run after Ruben Studdard in 2003. Since his victory, Roberts has topped Billboard’s Hot Gospel Songs chart with his cover of Tom Odell’s “Heal” and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Gospel Performance/Song for the live version of “Still,” his collaboration with Jonathan McReynolds.
In 2025, he joined Brandy and Monica on The Boy Is Mine tour, and on Jan. 19, 2026, he performed the national anthem at the College Football National Championship game between the Miami Hurricanes and the Indiana Hoosiers.
Roberts’ latest single “Head Up” is now available on all major music platforms.
