Last week on American Idol, the Top 12 took to the stage to perform songs selected by the judges with the hopes of winning over America. After a night of amazing performances, the bottom 2 were revealed, with judge Lionel Richie gaining the right to save one of the two artists after winning the annual Judges’ Choice Song Contest.
This week, the power was put fully back in the hands of the fans as they’ll determine which two contestants will be heading home next. Throughout the night, the Top 11 took to the stage to perform songs from Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees with the hope of making it into the Top 9. Which performers showed up and stole the show, and whose American Idol journey came to an end? Read on for the full recap of American Idol’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame night!
Chris Tungseth
Chris opened the night with a performance of "Cold as Ice" by Foreigner, a performance that won rave reviews from the judges. Carrie felt the song was a fantastic song choice for his voice and loved the energy he brought, calling it her favorite performance of his, perhaps this season so far. Luke loved how he brought energy and gave them a lot of himself throughout the performance. Meanwhile, Lionel suggested that he trust himself more in his performances and never hold back.
Rae
After nearly going home the previous week, Rae looked to give America a reason to push her through to the next round, performing "MacArthur Park" by Donna Summer. Carrie loved the drama of the performance, calling it dramatic in all the right places in a manner that told a real story. Luke commended Rae for the way she continues to pour everything into her performances. Lionel loved how she made the song her own and put her stamp on the song.
Braden Rumfelt
As the night continued, Braden took to the stage with "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder, a song recommended by his brother. Luke called it a great song choice and loved the energy Braden brought to the performance. Lionel praised him for putting some barbecue sauce on it and encouraged him to continue to push himself out of his comfort zone, while Carrie made it clear that he came to play this week.
Brooks Rosser
Brooks looked to rebound from last week's performance by being more vulnerable with his performance of "These Days" by Jackson Browne. Lionel noted that God has given him his blessing, which is his voice, calling it one of the greatest, unique sounds. Carrie didn't want the performance to end and called it sheer perfection. Meanwhile, Luke praised him for his ability to create a moment through his performances and encouraged him to continue to let his confidence flourish so he can create more moments like this on the stage.
Daniel Stallworth
Ahead of his performance, Daniel admitted that he had the hardest time selecting the song for this week's performance before landing on "Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi. Carrie admitted that after watching his rehearsal package, she did not think she was going to like his performance but was completely wrong, as it was awesome. Luke encouraged him to keep making the songs his own and working the room, as Lionel commended him for taking Bon Jovi to church.
Keyla Richardson
After thinking she was going home the previous week, Keyla wanted to bring it with her performance of “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” by Stevie Wonder. The performance left Luke speechless as he praised her for taking it to a level they've never seen her go to before. "Let the congregation say amen," Lionel commented as Carrie called the performance absolutely amazing.
Lucas Leon
Next up was Lucas who performed “Bennie And The Jets” by Elton John. Lionel loved how he put his magic on the song but encouraged him to take some chances. Carrie remarked that it was a good song selection and was surprised by how entertaining he was while playing at the piano, while Luke loved his charisma.
Kyndal Inskeep
After getting in her head last week and forgetting to be herself, Kyndal knew she needed to step up with her performance of "Piece of My Heart" by Janis Joplin. Unfortunately, her performance left the judges wanting more. Carrie felt she gave up on herself by the end of the performance, with it feeling deflated. Luke commended her for how she tried to battle through things as Lionel echoed the sentiment, praising her song selection as well.
Philmon Lee
Following Kyndal, Philmon hit a struggle of his own with his performance of "Hot Blooded" by Foreigner. Luke encouraged him to not be scared to be in character for everything. Lionel noted that there is singing and there is performing, and as he noted it, it felt like they were waiting to connect with him in the performance. Carrie praised him for a great song choice and nailing the vocals, but wanted to see more swagger.
Hannah Harper
After a pair of rough performances, Hannah turned things around with her rendition of "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac. Lionel called it a classic song with a classic performance. Carrie felt it was a perfect song for her and sounded like her. Luke loved how her performance made him forget he was judging and had him feeling like he was simply at a performance enjoying the show.
Jordan McCullough
Jordan closed out the night with a performance of “Somebody to Love” by Queen, a performance that Lionel called a drop-the-mic performance. His fellow judges shared the same sentiment with Carrie noting that it was so much fun and he proved anyone can rock. Luke, meanwhile, noted that his performance is everything that American Idol is about and why they sit behind the desk.
Who went home on American Idol? Meet the 2026 Top 9
After a night of amazing performances, it was time to get down to the results. One by one, Ryan revealed the names of the nine artists who would be moving through to the next round and competing as part of Disney Week. In no particular order, the following artists were revealed to have made it through to the Top 9:
- Brooks Rosser
- Daniel Stallworth
- Braden Rumfelt
- Lucas Leon
- Jordan McCullough
- Hannah Harper
- Keyla Richardson
- Chris Tungseth
This left one stop in the Top 9 to be filled by either Rae, Kyndal Inskeep, or Philmon Lee. That final spot in the Top 9 went to Kyndal, leading to the elimination of Rae and Philmon and giving us our Top 9 heading into Disney Week.
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