“American Idol” contestants are banking on faith, trust, and a little pixie dust to get to the next round. After taking a break last week for the Oscars, the ABC reality singing competition returned Sunday with a live show that saw the top ten perform songs from Disney movies.
The singers usually got feedback from judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Katy Perry, who celebrated the night’s theme by dressing as Tinker Bell from “Peter Pan.” In a virtual Q&A after the show, Perry opened up about the inspiration behind her costume, revealing she borrowed her prosthetic ears from partner Orlando Bloom, who played Legolas in “Lord of the Rings.”
“I just love that she has a little bit of sass and a sense of humor,” the singer said of Tinker Bell. “She’s always scrappy, so I resonate with that character. I always want to be playful, believe in magic, and find the best in every single person.”
At the top of the episode, Ryan Seacrest revealed which past contestant earned enough votes after the comeback show to return to the competition and round out the top ten. That singer was Arthur Gunn, who came in second place last year. (Because bringing back a recent runner-up is fair to the current contestants… right?) Fans voted for who they wanted to see in the top seven during the show, which aired live coast-to-coast. Here’s what went down, including which three were eliminated:
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Caleb Kennedy
Caleb Kennedy stuck to his rugged, country wheelhouse, singing “Real Gone” from “Cars.” Channeling her inner Tinker Bell, Perry told the 16-year-old high school student, “This thing is Peter Pan-ing out for you.” “You’ve got real-life fire on the stage,” she continued. “Every time you engage us, we lean in.” Richie said Kennedy’s energy is “what performing is all about.” “It has to radiate off the stage, and that was a radiating performance,” he added.
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Willie Spence
Willie Spence, 21, used his powerful voice in a rousing performance of “Circle of Life” from “The Lion King.” “You have that voice. You can sing the phone book and make it yours,” Richie told him. “God bless you, man. God bless you.” Perry offered more Tinker-Bell-inspired support: “Willie, you’re not a lost boy anymore. You’re a bonafide idol.”
Deshawn Goncalves
Deshawn Goncalves, 20, gave a jazzy performance of “When You Wish Upon a Star” from “Pinocchio,” starting the song by playing the piano and later getting up to bust some smooth moves. All three judges complimented the college student for becoming more comfortable on stage. “That’s show business,” Richie said. “You nailed it.” Bryan said he was “grinning so big” watching Goncalves come out of his shell. “You are not the same person that showed up at auditions,” he noted.
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Casey Bishop
Proving once again she’s no typical teenybopper, high school student Casey Bishop, 16, stunned with a haunting rendition of “When She Loved Me” from “Toy Story 2.” The judges complimented the teen, who usually performs rock songs, on her range.
“Your vocals will take you to infinity and beyond,” said Perry. “I love that you can do almost anything. You can do anything. You have to believe.” Bryan added he certainly believes in Bishop. “I just believe you are a superstar in the making,” he said.
Chayce Beckham
Chayce Beckham, who revealed post-show he was going to sing “On My Way” from “Brother Bear” before switching at the last minute, took the soft “Baby Mine” from “Dumbo” and gave it some edge with his gravelly voice.
“That performance is just so you,” Bryan told the 24-year-old heavy machinery operator. “It was awesome on the ears.” Perry also praised Beckham for transforming the lullaby. “Listen, I think all you need is a little faith, trust, and pixie dust,” she added, tossing some glitter in the air.
Alyssa Wray
Rocking a sparkling ball gown, college student Alyssa Wray dazzled with a magical performance of “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes” from “Cinderella.” Richie and Bryan said they were happy to see Wray save her belt and vocal acrobatics for the song’s end, while Perry called the singer “elegant and elevated.” “You are a permanent princess,” she added. “You will never turn back into a pumpkin.”
Arthur Gunn
Aiming to remind “Idol” fans of his vocal prowess, former runner-up Arthur Gunn sang “Remember Me” from “Coco.” “That was one of your best performances I’ve ever seen,” Perry told the 23-year-old musician. “It was amazing, and I always love when you do your own thing because that’s who you are.” Bryan complimented Gunn on his authenticity, while Richie said the musician owns his sound. “It is the greatest part of being a stylist when you can take any song and make it yours,” he added.
Cassandra Coleman
Cassandra Coleman has been open on the show about her struggles with nerves. But the coffee shop manager channeled her inner hero, belting “I Can Go The Distance” from “Hercules.” Bryan said Coleman delivered her “most solid vocal from top to bottom” and was the “most comfortable we’ve seen you.” “Your confidence has gone from zero to hero for sure, and any other doubts you have, you just leave them in the fairy dust,” added Perry, continuing to keep her feedback on the theme.
Hunter Metts
Before taking the stage, Hunter Metts, 22, opened up about his emotional performance during the last episode, where he fumbled the lyrics at the end of his song. “To mess up the words at the very end, I thought I was going home,” said the software developer, adding that the experience was a “hard pill to swallow.”
Post-show, Metts said he was determined not to make the same mistake. “I can’t tell you the number of times over the last week I just sat and read my lyrics and wrote my lyrics out,” he said. “There’s something about that fear of it happening again.” The practice paid off — Metts soared through “You’ll Be in My Heart” from “Tarzan,” earning high praise from the judges. Perry even threw out one more attempt at a clever pun. “It was so great to see you on stage like that with a full smile,” she said. “You swung that one.”
Grace Kinstler
Grace Kinstler, 20, closed the show with a powerful rendition of “Into the Unknown” from “Frozen II.” The college student said the song speaks to how she feels performing on “Idol” and the uncertainty of entering the music industry. Post-show, Kinstler said she wanted to choose a theme that spoke to what she and all of the “Idol” contestants are feeling at this competition stage.
“With our performance, it’s really about what I can show our audience about me,” she said. “It was so important for me to sing that song because it represents a lot of how we’re feeling going into this industry, choosing this path.” Bryan told Kinstler she has “the eye of the tiger.” “You had the whole room controlled with your voice,” Perry added. “It was awesome.”
Who went home?
At the end of the episode, Seacrest revealed who was safe, in no particular order. The final spot in the top 7 went to Gunn, meaning the end of the road for Wray, Coleman, and Goncalves. The three eliminated contestants reflected on their “Idol” journeys post-show, saying their “Idol” experiences boosted their confidence.
“I came into this competition thinking that I just wasn’t worth anything,” said Wray. “These people, this competition, America — they’ve truly taught me that I am worth so much more than I could ever dream of and that I don’t have to do anything but be myself. I have to do what I love, which is enough.”
And the singers said you hadn’t seen the last of them: Coleman plans to put out an album, Goncalves wants to win a Grammy, and Wray has set her sights on achieving EGOT status. “Idol” returns Sunday at 8 EST with a Coldplay and Mother’s Day-themed episode.
