The most magical night of the season has finally arrived on American Idol! We’re of course referring to Disney Night, which is always a fan-favorite among the season’s themed weeks. This season, we’re getting a double dose of Disney with a two-night Disney event, which kicked off tonight with the Top 7 heading out to the Disneyland Resort to get into the spirit as they take the Idol stage to perform Disney classics in hopes of winning over America.
In addition to performing songs from the Disney songbook with the help of guest mentor Lin-Manuel Miranda, the Top 7 will also be celebrating Mother’s Day with tributes to their moms and the women in their lives who helped shape them into the individuals they’ve become.
At stake? That would be a place in the Top 5! Tonight, two more artists find their American Idol journeys coming to a close with a double elimination. With the season finale coming next Sunday night, every performance matters, and there is no telling which contestants will be heading home when the night is over!
Before we get into the results from the night, let’s take a look at the Top 7’s song selections for the night and what the judges had to say about the performances!
Gabby Samone
Disney Night Song: “How Far I’ll Go” from Moana
Judge feedback: The judges loved Gabby’s rendition of the Moana anthem, particularly the amazing high notes she hit. Luke called it the clearest delivery from Gabby this season, from top to bottom, with a powerful ending that gave us the Gabby we know and love.
Mother’s Day Dedication Night Song: “Home” from The Wiz
Judge feedback: Lionel loved how Gabby performed the song as if she was closing the night with a showstopper, with Luke calling it his favorite performance from Gabby this season — one that left Carrie in awe of Gabby’s talents.
Jamal Roberts
Disney Night Song: “Go the Distance” from Hercules
Judge feedback: Luke praised him for taking the song to the next level, while Lionel praised him for not just walking the walk but talking the talk with a powerful performance of the Hercules power ballad, comparing him to the legendary Otis Redding.
Mother’s Day Dedication Night Song: “A Change is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke
Judge feedback: Luke called it humbling to watch how truly good Jamal is as an artist and praised him for his timing and delivery. Carrie called the performance a reminder of why he’s in the Top 7 and continues in the competition, as Lionel left the world with three key words: vote, vote, vote.
Breanna Nix
Disney Night Song: “Reflection” from Mulan
Judge feedback: Taking on one of the best songs from the Mulan soundtrack, Breanna was praised for picking the perfect song, with Lionel commending her for making the song even more emotional and passionate in a performance that had Carrie fighting back tears.
Mother’s Day Dedication Night Song: “Like My Mother Does” by Lauren Alaina
Judge feedback: Kicking off the Mother’s Day performances, Luke called it a perfect song selection. Lionel praised her for the emotion she brought to the song, while Carrie praised her beautiful performance.
John Foster
Disney Night Song: “Almost There” from The Princess and the Frog
Judge feedback: Taking on a favorite from The Princess and the Frog, Carrie loved how John still managed to make a song so outside his comfort zone feel like him. Meanwhile, Luke praised him for his charismatic performance.
Mother’s Day Dedication Night Song: “Believe” by Brooks & Dunn
Judge feedback: After getting our second standing ovation from the judges of the night, Carrie called the performance perfect. Luke praised John for surprising him every week and his likability, which he pointed out has surely helped the fans fall in love with him, as Lionel told him that the performance made him now believe in him as an artist.
Slater Nalley
Disney Night Song: “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from The Lion King
Judge feedback: After Slater flubbed the opening of the performance, he managed to recover in the end, which Luke commended him for. Still, it was clear the judges were rightfully not feeling the love for Slater’s performance of The Lion King ballad after he forgot the lyrics and missed his cue starting the song.
Mother’s Day Dedication Night Song: "Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” by Bob Dylan
Judge feedback: Lionel praised the simplicity of the performance. Carrie loved seeing him in his element, while Luke called him an artist through and through.
Mattie Pruitt
Disney Night Song: “Remember Me” from Coco
Judge feedback: Taking on the emotional song from Coco, Luke called Mattie’s performance one of his favorite performances from Mattie’s time on the show which he felt was so real and pure. Lionel was amazed by the growth she’s shown in the competition and how she’s come into her own with stage presence, while Carrie called it a reminder for why she’s here.
Mother’s Day Dedication Night Song: “Those Kind of Women” by Lauren Alaina
Judge feedback: Luke praised Mattie for the growth she’s had over the course of the season and how she’s getting more comfortable on stage and finding her sass, with Lionel agreeing about how she’s become a star before their eyes.
Thunderstorm Artis
Disney Night Song: “Colors of the Wind” from Pocahontas
Judge feedback: Closing the Disney portion of the night, Thunderstorm received the first standing ovation of the night from the judges. Lionel called him an amazing storyteller and praised him for the way he performs every song, while Carrie called it her favorite arrangement of the night.
Mother’s Day Dedication Night Song: “Out of The Blue” by Thunderstorm Artis
Judge feedback: After singing an original song, Lionel said he’s certain Thunderstorm has a bright career ahead with the sky being the limit. Carrie praised him for being a true artist as Luke shared his excitement at sitting back and enjoying the Thunderstorm show.
Who went home on American Idol tonight? Our season 23 Top 5 revealed!
Following a night of amazing performances, the time came to bid farewell to two contestants, with the Top 7 turning into the Top 5. There were arguments for why everyone should have made it into the Top 7, but this is a competition, which means tough cuts have to happen.
As the night closed out, host Ryan Seacrest read the results, which had been determined by the more than 20 million votes cast live during the show. As always, the results were revealed in no particular order, but here is how the Top 5 was assembled via the live results:
- Slater Nalley
- Breanna Nix
- John Foster
- Jamal Roberts
- Thunderstorm Artis
This meant that Mattie Pruitt and Gabby Samone were eliminated from the competition with their American Idol journey coming to an end just one episode before the Top 3 were revealed. Given Mattie was in the bottom two last week and was saved by the judges, her elimination isn't too surprising. What is surprising is that America eliminated Gabby, who delivered another pair of amazing performances, and chose to reward an artist who couldn't even remember the words to his song.
Monday night, the Disney magic continues with the Top 5 channeling their inner heroes and villains with another night of what are sure to be amazing performances. By the end of Monday night, only three contestants will remain with our Top 3 being crowned. These three lucky contestants will take to the stage in the finale, where one will be crowned as the next American Idol!