Global Superstar To Appear On “American Idol” Season Finale As Mentor & Performer
on Apr 23, 2026
Season 24 Of American Idol Is Coming To A Close
An R&B superstar is set to join American Idol as a guest mentor and finale performer.
Season 24 of American Idol has flown by, and it’s hard to believe that there are only three episodes left before a champion is crowned.
If you’ve been tuning in each week, you already know which contestants have continued to advance in the competition thanks to fan votes and the judges. But if you’re a bit behind, here’s a quick recap of where things currently stand:
On Idol’s most recent episode (aired April 20), the Top 9 contestants took the stage for Disney Night, where each performer sang a popular song from a Disney movie.
After all of the hopefuls had their moment to prove themselves, the episode ended with a double elimination, officially naming who would move on to the Top 7.
The Top 7 include:
- Daniel Stallworth
- Keyla Richardson
- Jordan McCullough
- Chris Tungseth
- Hannah Harper
- Brooks Rosser
- Braden Rumsfelt
Meaning the two who were unfortunately eliminated were Lucas Leon and Kyndal Inskeep.
The Season 24 Finale Of American Idol Will Include A Very Special Guest
Over the course of the season, Idol has brought in several big-name celebrities to guest judge and mentor the contestants, which has helped them become the best performers they can be.
Some of those so far include Keke Palmer, Brad Paisley, and Jennifer Hudson. And as the finale approaches, it’s been revealed that the show has even bigger plans to close out the season.
Global superstar Alicia Keys will join as the final guest mentor, first reported by Deadline. On top of that, Keys will also be a performer during the finale episode.
Actually, she is performing twice during the night. One performance will celebrate her 2001 debut album Songs in A Minor, and the other will feature her joining the Top 3 for a group performance you won’t want to miss.
Right now, the group song hasn’t been revealed, so you’ll have to tune in to find out!
The winner of Season 24 of American Idol will be crowned during a three-hour finale on Monday night, May 11.
You can watch live on ABC or Disney+, or stream it the next day on Hulu.
