During a three-hour "Final Judgment" show Sunday night, ABC's "American Idol" revealed its top 20 contestants, one of whom will be crowned the champion in May.
Viewers saw each contestant perform one last time for the judges, with a full band on a stage set up on the beach, in front of a live audience. The contestants then took the dreaded long walk to meet judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan, who decided their fate.
(MORE: 'American Idol' recap: Contestants stun, inspire, bring judges to tears in auditions)Several times, the judges' attempts to fake out the contestants led to confusion -- some didn't even realize they would be passed to the next round. When Wade Cota got the news, he said, "That's crazy! Why?"
Say 👋 to your TOP 20!!
— American Idol (@AmericanIdol) April 1, 2019
Mahalo @disneyaulani and Hawaii 🌺 😎⛱#AmericanIdol #DisneyAulani pic.twitter.com/0ojwYn3RJN
One contestant, Dimitrius Graham, faked out Ryan Seacrest and the other contestants by pretending he hadn't made it through, and then revealed at the last minute that he had.
As usual, the show paired a few contestants with similar vibes, and delivered the news to them together. In one instance, personality-plus contestants Margie Mays and Eddie Island got the news at the same time. Eddie got the nod, but Margie, who has a degree from Stanford University to fall back on, was sent home.
(MORE: 'American Idol': Surprise proposal makes Katy Perry ugly cry)WHO makes it through?! 🙆 or 🏝 #AmericanIdol
— American Idol (@AmericanIdol) April 1, 2019
🎼:
"All About That Bass" - @meghan_trainor
"Don't You Worry Child" - @swedishhousemfia
Watch @margiemaysmusic and #EddieIsland's performances: https://t.co/vhNH7xGmgP
The final pairing of the night was former contestant Laine Hardy, who was cut at the exact same point in the competition last year, and fellow Louisiana singer Tyler Mitchell. Laine blew the judges away with his beach performance by sporting a dapper suit and tie and rocking out on a version of the Beatles' "Come Together." "Am I allowed to have a crush on a contestant?" asked Katy Perry.
HEARTTHROBS 😍 #AmericanIdol
— American Idol (@AmericanIdol) April 1, 2019
🎼:
"Suitcase" - @stevemoakler
"Come Together" - @thebeatles
Watch Tyler Mitchell and @TheLaineHardy's performances: https://t.co/Xvlz92Fny4
Needless to say, Laine made it through, while Tyler was sent home. And Laine isn't the only contestant from last year to get the nod -- Alyssa Raghu is also in the top 20.
A few notable contestants who didn't make it through: Shayy, who is blind, Johanna Jones, whose boyfriend proposed to her during Hollywood Week, Drake McCain, the kid with the red high-top fade and 10 brothers and sisters, Kai the Singer, whose church paid for her to go to Hollywood, Nick Townsend, who lost two brothers to suicide, and Vietnamese vocal powerhouse Myra Tran, who won "X Factor" Vietnam in 2016.
"Country's Sweetheart" 🤠💕 #AmericanIdol
— American Idol (@AmericanIdol) April 1, 2019
🎼:
"Mama's Broken Heart" - @mirandalambert
Watch @RileyThompson's performance: https://t.co/ozYRAnbrEO
On Monday night's show, the Top 20 contestants will sing in front of a live audience at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles. Watch it at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
The remaining contestants are:
