Who has the right stuff on ‘Idol’?
Five contestants we think are worth watching.
Noah Davis will need to find another way to buy that alpaca farm.
The wig-snatching viral star was eliminated on last week’s American Idol, which narrowed the field from 50 to 24 contestants. The ABC revival (Sundays and Mondays, 8 ET/PT) begins its next round of solo performances and star duets before starting live shows and trimming the field on April 22. Who will wow viewers, as well as judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan? We’re putting our money on these five:
Jurnee
Initially, the most memorable thing about the Denver native was her sweet backstory: coming out to her parents in high school and marrying her now-Army wife. But her stunning, emotional performance of Never Enough from The Greatest Showman proved she has some of the best pipes in the competition.
Caleb Lee Hutchinson
The Dallas teen is one of the most polished of the pack, with near-flawless performances of songs by country hitmakers Chris Stapleton and Josh Turner, and a deep, smoky voice that sounds as if it belongs to someone twice his age. If he can show some versatility and a bit more personality, he could take it all.
Effie Passero
The mohawked, tattooed powerhouse has no trouble standing out. Her unique look combined with timeless, towering vocals make her a dark-horse favorite.
Maddie Poppe
The Sara Bareilles-style singer/songwriter faces no shortage of competition. But her heartfelt, gutwrenching performance of an original song about the pains of growing up — which brought Perry to tears on Hollywood Week — proved she has all the tools.
Jonny Brenns
Never underestimate the appeal of handsome white dudes on Idol. In the mold of past Idols Scotty McCreery and Phillip Phillips, Brenns has attracted a minor following on social media among young women, despite having one of the weakest voices in the competition. But his performance of Sam Smith’s Lay Me Down showed improvement, and he has charm to spare.