The twenty-first season of American Idol premiered on February 19, 2023, on the ABC television network. Ryan Seacrest returned as host; Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie returned as judges.
Iam Tongi won the season on May 21, 2023, while Megan Danielle was the runner-up, and Colin Stough finished in third place.
Auditions The Idol Across America virtual auditions program returned from the previous two seasons. Remote auditions took place from August 3 to September 14, 2022, as well as a number of open-call auditions, and from these, the producers selected the contestants who were then invited to audition in front of the judges.
The "platinum ticket" also returned from last season. During the audition round, a total of three platinum tickets were awarded, and they gave the recipients the opportunity to advance directly to the second round of Hollywood week as well as choose their partners for that week's duet challenge before the remaining contestants were paired. During the American Music Awards, three contestants advancing to Hollywood week also were given the opportunity to win a fourth platinum ticket. The platinum ticket recipients were Cam Amen, Kaylin Hedges, Elijah McCormick, and Tyson Venegas.
+American Idol (season 21) – auditions City Filming date(s) Filming venue Las Vegas, Nevada September 26–29, 2022 Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas New Orleans, Louisiana October 10–13, 2022 Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans Nashville, Tennessee November 10–13, 2022 Kimpton Aertson Hotel
Hollywood week Hollywood week was filmed December 4–7, 2022, at the Los Angeles Theatre in Los Angeles. There were some changes to the format this season. Instead of having the contestants choose a specific genre, the contestants instead had to choose one area of performance to work on: confidence, songwriting, and stage presence. Contestants were again mentored by American Idol alumni: Clay Aiken and David Archuleta (confidence), Phillip Phillips and Catie Turner (songwriting), and Justin Guarini and Jordin Sparks (stage presence). Those who impressed the judges advanced to the next round. The contestants performed duets and got to pick their duet partners, but Platinum Ticket winners got to pick first, and they could even pick from each other. They were given twelve hours to rehearse, which included consultation with a vocal coach, a stage rehearsal, and 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 55 contestants performing for the judges and a live audience at the Los Angeles Theatre. This round was aired on April 9 and April 10, but only 35 contestants were aired. The judges then narrowed the number of contestants down to 26. The following is a list of the contestants who reached the top 26 and the song they performed. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
+Showstopper round (April 9 & 10) ContestantSong Kaeyra "River" Warren Peay "Whipping Post" Nutsa "Proud Mary" Michael Williams "Angels like You" PJAE "I Want You" Malik Heard "Can We Talk" Wé Ani "Ain't No Way" Zachariah Smith "Don't Stop Me Now" Tyson Venegas "Cuz I Love You" Haven Madison "Bird Set Free" Lucy Love "Flying Without Wings" Paige Anne "California Dreamin'" Megan Danielle "Always Remember Us This Way" Marybeth Byrd "Flat on the Floor" Oliver Steele "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" Emma Busse "Chasing Pavements" Elijah McCormick "Believe for It" Elise Kristine "Feeling Good" Olivia Soli "All by Myself" Dawson Wayne "Flying" Mariah Faith "I Ain't Living Long Like This" Hannah Nicolaisen "I Don't Want to Be" Nailyah Serenity "Superstar" Matt Wilson "Forever" Colin Stough "Cold" Iam Tongi "The Sound of Silence"
Top 26 (April 16 & 17) The top 26 contestants were split into two groups of thirteen and performed one solo each at the Aulani resort in Kapolei, Hawaii. The first group aired on April 16, and the second group on April 17. Allen Stone served as a guest mentor for the first group, and Noah Cyrus for the second group. Three contestants from each group were eliminated based on the public vote, and the rest advanced to the top 20. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
Color key:
+ Group 1 (April 16)ContestantSongResult Elise Kristine "Holding Out for a Hero" Eliminated Oliver Steele "Better Together" Safe Matt Wilson "Speechless" Safe Kaeyra "Don't Let Go (Love)" Safe PJAE "Golden" Eliminated Zachariah Smith "Lucille" Safe Mariah Faith "You Should Probably Leave" Safe Emma Busse "Lay Me Down" Eliminated Warren Peay "Set Fire to the Rain" Safe Nailyah Serenity "Lovin' You" Safe Haven Madison "The Middle" Safe Lucy Love "What's Love Got to Do with It" Safe Iam Tongi "Don't Let Go" Safe+ Group 2 (April 17)ContestantSongResult Elijah McCormick "Good Vibes" Eliminated Paige Anne "Wrecking Ball" Safe Marybeth Byrd "Heart Like a Truck" Safe Wé Ani "Edge of Midnight (Midnight Sky Remix)" Safe Michael Williams "Tuesdays" Safe Dawson Wayne "Copycat" Eliminated Hannah Nicolaisen "Glitter in the Air" Safe Megan Danielle "The Chain" Safe Malik Heard "Ain't It Fun" Eliminated Olivia Soli "Emotions" Safe Colin Stough "Midnight Train to Memphis" Safe Tyson Venegas "It Will Rain" Safe Nutsa "Paris (Ooh La La)" Safe
+ Non-competition performance (April 16) Performer Song Allen Stone "Is This Love" + Non-competition performance (April 17) Performer Song Noah Cyrus "Everybody Needs Someone"
Top 20 (April 23 & 24) The top 20 performances aired on Sunday, April 23, followed by the live results show on Monday, April 24.
Color key:
Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
+Top 20 (April 23) Contestant Song Result Zachariah Smith "I Want to Know What Love Is" Safe Matt Wilson "Say You Won't Let Go" Wild Card Nailyah Serenity "Baby Love" Wild Card Warren Peay "Up There Down Here" Safe Kaeyra "Bruises" Wild Card Mariah Faith "Cry to Me" Wild Card Iam Tongi "The Winner Takes It All" Safe Haven Madison "Mean Girls" Safe Oliver Steele "Too Soon" Safe Lucy Love "Boulders" Wild Card Hannah Nicolaisen "Somebody to Love" Wild Card Olivia Soli "I Surrender" Wild Card Marybeth Byrd "People Pleaser" Safe Michael Williams "Lose You to Love Me" Wild Card Paige Anne "Say Something" Wild Card Nutsa "Un-Break My Heart" Wild Card Tyson Venegas "180" Safe Megan Danielle "Holy Water" Safe Colin Stough "Pretty Heart" Safe Wé Ani "Skyfall" Safe + Top 20 (April 24)ContestantSongResult Wé Ani "This Is Me" Safe Michael Williams "Golden Hour" Eliminated Hannah Nicolaisen "Royals" Eliminated Warren Peay "It's Not My Time" Safe Mariah Faith "If It Hadn't Been for Love" Eliminated Haven Madison "15" Safe Nailyah Serenity "Alive" Eliminated Paige Anne "I Am Here" Eliminated Matt Wilson "For Tonight" Eliminated Tyson Venegas "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" Safe Colin Stough "Dancing on My Own" Safe Marybeth Byrd "Cover Me Up" Safe Kaeyra "If I Were Your Woman" Eliminated Oliver Steele "You're Still the One" Safe Olivia Soli "God Is a Woman" Eliminated Iam Tongi "Stuck on You" Safe Zachariah Smith "Hold the Line" Safe Lucy Love "Radioactive" Saved by the judges Megan Danielle "Thank God I Do" Safe Nutsa "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" Saved by the judges + Non-competition performances Performers Song Smokey Robinson "I Second That Emotion""If We Don't Have Each Other" Noah Thompson & HunterGirl "One Day Tonight"
Finals Color key:
Top 12 – Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (April 30) Adam Lambert served as a guest mentor this week. Each contestant performed one song from inductees of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
+ Top 12 (April 30) Contestant Song Result Tyson Venegas "For Once in My Life" Safe Warren Peay "The House of the Rising Sun" Safe Haven Madison "Livin' on a Prayer" Safe Lucy Love "All Night Long (All Night)" Eliminated Oliver Steele "Georgia on My Mind" Safe Colin Stough "Midnight Rider" Safe Marybeth Byrd "Dancing Queen" Safe Wé Ani "Something's Got a Hold on Me" Safe Nutsa "The Show Must Go On" Eliminated Megan Danielle "Angel from Montgomery" Safe Zachariah Smith "Don't Bring Me Down" Safe Iam Tongi "Bring It On Home to Me" Safe + Non-competition performance Performer Song Adam Lambert "I Can't Stand the Rain"
Top 10 – Judges' song contest (May 1) The judges chose songs for each of the contestants to perform. Katy Perry had the most song choices selected by the contestants, and was able to save one contestant from elimination. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
+ Top 10 (May 1) Contestant Song Selected by Result Zachariah Smith "Wanted Dead or Alive" Lionel Richie Safe Haven Madison "The Only Exception" Katy Perry Safe Wé Ani "I Have Nothing" Luke Bryan Safe Oliver Steele "High and Dry" Katy Perry Saved by Katy Perry Warren Peay "Colder Weather" Lionel Richie Safe Iam Tongi "What a Wonderful World" Luke Bryan Safe Marybeth Byrd "Wasted on You" Lionel Richie Eliminated Tyson Venegas "Someone You Loved" Katy Perry Eliminated Megan Danielle "Go Rest High on That Mountain" Luke Bryan Safe Colin Stough "It's Been Awhile" Katy Perry Safe + Non-competition performance Performer Song Chayce Beckham "Till The Day I Die"
Top 8 – Alanis Morissette & Ed Sheeran (May 7) Alanis Morissette served as a guest mentor this week, and also served as a guest judge along with Ed Sheeran. Each contestant performed two songs: one solo from the Alanis Morissette discography and one song from the Ed Sheeran discography performed as a duet with a fellow contestant. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
+ Top 8 (May 7)ContestantOrderSongResult Warren Peay 1 "All I Really Want" Eliminated Zachariah Smith 2 "Ironic" Safe Haven Madison 4 "You Learn" Eliminated Colin Stough 6 "Hand in My Pocket" Safe Megan Danielle 8 "Head over Feet" Safe Iam Tongi 9 "Guardian" Safe Wé Ani 10 "Uninvited" Safe Oliver Steele 12 "You Oughta Know" Eliminated Oliver Steele& Iam Tongi 3 "Photograph" Wé Ani &Warren Peay 5 "Perfect" Haven Madison &Zachariah Smith 7 "Thinking Out Loud" Megan Danielle& Colin Stough 11 "Dive" +Non-competition performancesPerformerSong Alanis Morissette "Thank U" Ed Sheeran "Eyes Closed"
Top 5 – Disney (May 14) Sofia Carson served as a guest mentor this week. Each contestant performed two songs from Disney films. Contestants are listed in the order they performed. + Top 5 – Disney (May 14) Contestant Order Song Disney film Result Wé Ani 1 "Into the Unknown" Frozen II Eliminated 6 "The Climb" Hannah Montana: The Movie Zachariah Smith 2 "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" The Lion King Eliminated 7 "Life Is a Highway" Cars Colin Stough 3 "Real Gone" Cars Safe 8 "Nobody Knows" Pete's Dragon Megan Danielle 4 "You Can't Stop the Girl" Maleficent: Mistress of Evil Safe 9 "Carried Me with You" Onward Iam Tongi 5 "Lava" Lava Safe 10 "Father and Son" Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 +Non-competition performancesPerformersSong Top 5with Sara Bareilles "When You Wish Upon a Star"(from Pinocchio) Halle Bailey "Part of Your World"(from The Little Mermaid)
Top 3 – Finale (May 21) Each contestant performed two songs – one from the Keith Urban discography and one dedicated to their hometowns – before the contestant who had the fewest votes up to that point was eliminated, thereby finishing in third place. The remaining two contestants performed one last song as voting continued. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
+ Finale (May 21) Contestant Order Song Result Megan Danielle 1 "God Whispered Your Name" Runner-up 4 "Faithfully" 7 "Dream Girl" Iam Tongi 2 "Making Memories of Us" Winner 5 "Cool Down" 8 "I'll Be Seeing You" Colin Stough 3 "Stupid Boy" Third place 6 "Either Way"