The show must go on! American Idolbegan whittling down the competition in a big way on Sunday, and this left some viewers with strong feelings about the season.
Sunday’s Idol began a new round of Showstopper Performances, and marked the start of the judges’ unenviable task of cutting the wide field of hopefuls down to just the Top 24.
One of the night’s many lucky ones was 17-year-old Hannah Everhart, who grabbed people’s attention for her uncanny resemblance to Katy Perry, as well as her seemingly unpolished, take-no-gruff personality.
Last week, Everhart made headlines during the duets round when she was paired with Claudia Conway. Together they delivered a cover of “Sign of the Times,” which pushed Everhart to the next round but left Conway packing her bags.
On Sunday’s newest Idol, Everhart stepped out of her country music comfort zone and tried her hand at some pop, with a rendition of Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball.”
While the performance didn’t blow the minds of Perry, Luke Bryan or Lionel Richie — who watched remotely from home after a possible COVID-19 exposure — all three judges saw enough potential in Everhart to give her another chance in the next round.
The singer was so excited by the news that she jumped into a pool fully clothed in head-to-toe denim. Meanwhile, fans on Twitter were more divided.
Later in the evening, however, there was an elimination that seemingly united all the Idol fans together in their total disagreement with the judges.
A singer named Murphy, who became a fan favorite for his fun-loving personality and unique performances, came out and delivered an original tune titled “Am I Still Mine?” The performance came after he revealed that he’s got a degenerative eye condition that will more-than likely leave him blind by the time he’s in his 30s.
Despite the heartfelt original song, the sad backstory and the fact that it was his birthday, the aspiring musician still ended up getting the axe — and this did not sit well with many watching at home.
Murphy, meanwhile, took the bad news in stride and shared a message of positivity and optimism after getting kicked off.
“Thank you for everyone that showed faith in me. Though my journey is over on #AmericanIdol, I’ll still be singing,” he wrote on Instagram alongside a scenic shot of the sun setting on the skyline. “Tomorrow is a new day and the horizon looks very inviting. #Murphyonidol See you soon. :)”
Fans will get a chance to see the next half of this round on Monday night, as the Top 24 is finalized.
