The nineteenth season of American Idol premiered on February 14, 2021, on the ABC television network. Ryan Seacrest returned as host, while Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie returned as judges, and Bobby Bones came back as the in-house mentor.
Chayce Beckham won the season on May 23, 2021, while Willie Spence was the runner-up, and Grace Kinstler finished in third place.
Auditions Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, American Idol offered live virtual auditions to aspiring contestants through its Idol Across America program using custom-built Zoom technology to mirror the way the audition was done in previous season but in a home environment. The remote auditions took place from August 10 to October 28, 2020, in all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C., as well as a number of open-call auditions, and from these the producers selected the contestants who would then be invited to audition in front of the judges.
Due to the pandemic that limited travel for the judges, the judges' auditions were held in only three locations across California: Los Angeles, San Diego, and Ojai. The judges' auditions began on October 5, 2020, with a number of health and safety protocols in place, such as separate tables for the judges and regular COVID-19 testing for cast and crew.
+American Idol (season 19) – auditions City Filming date(s) Filming venue Los Angeles, California October 5–6, 2020 The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel San Diego, California October 16–17, 2020 InterContinental San Diego Ojai, California November 16–17, 2020 Ojai Valley Inn
Hollywood week Hollywood week was filmed December 7–10, 2020, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The format remained similar to last season. In the first round, each contestant chose and performed a song from a selection of musical genres (indie folk, pop, rock, R&B, soul, or country). Those who impressed the judges and the producers were advanced to the next round. Instead of group performances as had been done in earlier seasons, the contestants were paired up by the judges and performed duets. They were given twenty-four hours to rehearse, which included advice from one of the judges. Judges could advance either, neither, or both of the contestants to the Showstopper round.
Showstopper round The Showstopper round featured the top 64 contestants performing for the judges at the Dolby Theatre. The round was aired on March 28 and March 29, but only 37 contestants were aired. The next day, the judges narrowed the number of contestants to 24. Here is a list of the contestants who reached the top 24 and the song they performed. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
+Showstopper round (March 28 & March 29) Contestant Song Alyssa Wray "I'm Here" Jason Warrior "Believer" Andrea Valles "Blinding Lights" Chayce Beckham "You Should Probably Leave" Caleb Kennedy "When You Leave Tonight" Wyatt Pike "Blame It on Me" Cassandra Coleman "Running with the Wolves" Beane "What's Going On" Hannah Everhart "Wrecking Ball" Graham DeFranco "Beautiful War" Alanis Sophia "Uninvited" Casey Bishop "She Talks to Angels" Willie Spence "I Was Here" Mary Jo Young "Us" Hunter Metts "July" Grace Kinstler "Father" Deshawn Goncalves "Over the Rainbow" Colin Jamieson "Sugar, We're Goin Down" Ava August "Ghost of You" Liahona Olayan "Me Too" Madison Watkins "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" Alana Sherman "Bust Your Windows" Anilee List "Ain't Nobody" Cecil Ray "Beyond"
Top 24 (April 4 & 5) The top 24 contestants were split into two groups of twelve. The first group aired on April 4, and the second group on April 5. Each contestant performed one solo and then one duet with a celebrity singer. Four contestants from each group were eliminated based on the public vote, and the rest advanced to the top 16. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
The artists who performed duets with the top 24 were Jason Aldean, Jimmie Allen, Brandon Boyd, Jewel, Josh Groban, Tori Kelly, Brian McKnight, Katharine McPhee, PJ Morton, Ben Rector, Joss Stone, and Ryan Tedder.
Color key:
+ Group 1 (April 4)ContestantOrderSongResult Alanis Sophia 1 "Alive" Safe "Shallow"(with Jimmie Allen) Cassandra Coleman 2 "Find Me" Safe "Apologize"(with Ryan Tedder) Alyssa Wray 3 "Something in the Water" Safe "I'm Your Baby Tonight"(with Katharine McPhee) Wyatt Pike 4 "Rubberband" Safe "Brand New"(with Ben Rector) Alana Sherman 5 "Blow Your Mind (Mwah)" Eliminated "Back at One"(with Brian McKnight) Anilee List 6 "My Future" Eliminated "Tell Me Something Good"(with Joss Stone) Deshawn Goncalves 7 "Forever Young" Safe "I Lived"(with Ryan Tedder) Graham DeFranco 8 "Raye" Safe "Love Like This"(with Ben Rector) Andrea Valles 9 "Lo Vas a Olvidar" Eliminated "Careless Whisper"(with Brian McKnight) Cecil Ray 10 "Paint Me a Birmingham" Eliminated "Freedom Was a Highway"(with Jimmie Allen) Willie Spence 11 "Wind Beneath My Wings" Safe "The Prayer"(with Katharine McPhee) Grace Kinstler 12 "Queen" Safe "Midnight Train to Georgia"(with Joss Stone)+ Group 2 (April 5)ContestantOrderSongResult Jason Warrior 1 "Call Out My Name" Eliminated "How Deep Is Your Love"(with PJ Morton) Madison Watkins 2 "Holy" Safe "Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing"(with Tori Kelly) Beane 3 "Don't Start Now" Safe "Angels"(with Josh Groban) Hannah Everhart 4 "I Was Wrong" Eliminated "She's Country"(with Jason Aldean) Mary Jo Young 5 "Castle on the Hill" Eliminated "Foolish Games"(with Jewel) Chayce Beckham 6 "Afterglow" Safe "Drive"(with Brandon Boyd) Colin Jamieson 7 "Locked Out of Heaven" Safe "Hollow"(with Tori Kelly) Liahona Olayan 8 "Just Friends" Eliminated "Say So"(with PJ Morton) Ava August 9 "Drivers License" Safe "Both Sides, Now"(with Josh Groban) Caleb Kennedy 10 "Midnight Rider" Safe "Fly Over States"(with Jason Aldean) Hunter Metts 11 "Chandelier" Safe "Who Will Save Your Soul"(with Jewel) Casey Bishop 12 "Decode" Safe "Wish You Were Here"(with Brandon Boyd)
Top 16 (April 11 & 12) The Top 16 performances aired on Sunday, April 11 and were followed by the live results show on Monday, April 12. Paula Abdul served as a guest judge on April 12 after Luke Bryan tested positive for COVID-19.
Color key:
Contestants are listed in the order they performed. +Top 16 (April 11) Contestant Song Result Alyssa Wray "Killing Me Softly with His Song" Safe Graham DeFranco "That's Life" Wild Card Grace Kinstler "Elastic Heart" Safe Alanis Sophia "The Story" Wild Card Willie Spence "Set Fire to the Rain" Safe Deshawn Goncalves "Feeling Good" Safe Wyatt Pike "Use Somebody" Withdrew Cassandra Coleman "Wicked Game" Safe Caleb Kennedy "Midnight Train to Memphis" Safe Colin Jamieson "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" Wild Card Casey Bishop "Black Hole Sun" Safe Madison Watkins "Gravity" Wild Card Beane "Searching for a Feeling" Wild Card Hunter Metts "Skinny Love" Safe Ava August "2002" Safe Chayce Beckham "Waiting in Vain" Safe+ Results show (April 12)ContestantSongResult Casey Bishop "The House of the Rising Sun" Safe Colin Jamieson "Waves" Eliminated Deshawn Goncalves "Higher Ground" Safe Cassandra Coleman "Light On" Safe Caleb Kennedy "Nowhere" Safe Madison Watkins "Hotline Bling" Saved by the judges Ava August "Love of My Life" Safe Beane "Grow as We Go" Saved by the judges Chayce Beckham "What Brings Life Also Kills" Safe Alyssa Wray "Greatest Love of All" Safe Alanis Sophia "Heart Attack" Eliminated Willie Spence "Diamonds" Safe Grace Kinstler "Dangerous Woman" Safe Hunter Metts "I Can't Make You Love Me" Safe Graham DeFranco "Cover Me Up" Eliminated
Top 12 Color key:
Top 12 – Oscar-nominated songs (April 18) Each contestant performed one Oscar-nominated song. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
+Top 12 (April 18) Contestant Song Film Result Grace Kinstler "Happy" Despicable Me 2 Safe Ava August "City of Stars" La La Land Eliminated Caleb Kennedy "On the Road Again" Honeysuckle Rose Safe Hunter Metts "Falling Slowly" Once Safe Madison Watkins "Run to You" The Bodyguard Eliminated Chayce Beckham "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves Safe Beane "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" Dirty Dancing Eliminated Alyssa Wray "This Is Me" The Greatest Showman Safe Deshawn Goncalves "The Way We Were" The Way We Were Safe Casey Bishop "Over the Rainbow" The Wizard of Oz Safe Cassandra Coleman "Writing's on the Wall" Spectre Safe Willie Spence "Stand Up" Harriet Safe
The Comeback (April 19) Ten contestants from last season were brought back to compete for a second chance since last season's production was forced to go entirely remote because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Only one was allowed to re-enter the competition. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
+ The Comeback (April 19) Contestant Song Result Cyniah Elise "Edge of Midnight (Midnight Sky Remix)" Eliminated Nick Merico "City Lights" Eliminated Aliana Jester "I'll Never Love Again" Eliminated Franklin Boone "Meant to Live" Eliminated Faith Becnel "Cry Baby" Eliminated Arthur Gunn "Iris" Re-entered DeWayne Crocker, Jr. "Voice of God" Eliminated Makayla Phillips "Anyone" Eliminated Olivia Ximines "Say Yes" Eliminated Louis Knight "Maybe That" Eliminated + Non-competition performances Performers Song Lionel Richie "Say You, Say Me" Harry Connick Jr. "Alone With My Faith""Old Time Religion" Lauren Daigle "Look Up Child"
Top 10 – Disney (May 2) John Stamos was a guest mentor for the week. Each contestant performed one song from a Disney movie. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
+ Top 10 (May 2) Contestant Song Disney film Result Caleb Kennedy "Real Gone" Cars Safe Willie Spence "Circle of Life" The Lion King Safe Deshawn Goncalves "When You Wish Upon a Star" Pinocchio Eliminated Casey Bishop "When She Loved Me" Toy Story 2 Safe Chayce Beckham "Baby Mine" Dumbo Safe Alyssa Wray "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" Cinderella Eliminated Arthur Gunn "Remember Me" Coco Safe Cassandra Coleman "Go the Distance" Hercules Eliminated Hunter Metts "You'll Be in My Heart" Tarzan Safe Grace Kinstler "Into the Unknown" Frozen II Safe + Non-competition performances Performers Song Top 9with Sofia Carson "A Whole New World"(from Aladdin) Jon Batiste "It's All Right"(from Soul)
Top 7 – Coldplay & Mother's Day (May 9) Chris Martin served as a guest mentor this week. Each contestant performed two songs: one song from the Coldplay discography and one song in honor of Mother's Day. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
+Top 7 (May 9, 2021) Contestant Order Song Result Casey Bishop 1 "Paradise" Safe 8 "Ironic" Chayce Beckham 2 "Magic" Safe 9 "Mama" Willie Spence 3 "Yellow" Safe 10 "You Are So Beautiful" Caleb Kennedy 4 "Violet Hill" Safe 11 "Mama Said" Arthur Gunn 5 "In My Place" Eliminated12"Simple Man" Grace Kinstler 6 "Fix You" Safe 13 "When We Were Young" Hunter Metts 7 "Everglow" Eliminated 14 "The River" + Non-competition performances Performers Song Coldplay "Higher Power"
Top 4 (May 16) Finneas served as a guest mentor this week. Each contestant performed four songs: one song from their personal idol, their winner's single, a repeat of their favorite performance from the season, and one song from the Finneas discography performed as a duet with a fellow contestant.
+Top 4 (May 16)ContestantOrderSongResult Chayce Beckham 1 "Colder Weather" Safe5 "23" "You Should Probably Leave" Casey Bishop 2 "Wish You Were Gay" Eliminated6 "Love Me, Leave Me" "Live Wire" Grace Kinstler 3 "A Moment Like This" Safe8 "Love Someone" "Father" Willie Spence 4 "Glory" Safe9 "Never Be Alone" "I Was Here" Grace Kinstlerand Willie Spence 7 "What They'll Say About Us" Chayce Beckhamand Casey Bishop 10 "Break My Heart Again" + Non-competition performances Ashe and Finneas "Till Forever Falls Apart" Luke Bryan "Waves"
Top 3 – Finale (May 23)