‘American Idol’ 2022: Who Made It to the Top 5 and Who Went Home Last Night, May 8?
American Idol 2022 narrowed its contestants down to the Top 5 on Sunday, May 8, during a special Mother’s Day episode. The two-hour night featured twice the performances from the remaining singers, as they each chose a TikTok song and a Mother’s Day dedication — with help from rapper will.i.am. The show did have a bit of a shake-up with two COVID-19 cases — Fritz Hager and Noah Thompson — but they still found ways to deliver incredible performances. Here’s who made it to the Top 5.
[Spoiler alert: The following story contains spoilers for American Idol Season 20 Episode 18, “Top 7.”]
‘American Idol’ 2022 Top 5 revealed after double performances from the contestants
At the start of the episode on Sunday, host Ryan Seacrest announced that Fritz and Noah had both tested positive for COVID-19 within the last few days. Thankfully, both singers remained in good spirits. American Idol showed footage of Fritz’s rehearsals for his performances, while Noah performed in isolation in his hotel room.
Despite being sick, Noah received high praise from judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie for his performances of Sunday Best’s “Painted Blue” and Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide.” In fact, Luke said he delivered some of his best work thus far.
“I’m not going to wish you any bad luck, but you know, when you’re sick … you’re sounding a lot better,” Lionel added.
Fritz blew the judges away with two original songs — “All My Friends” and “The Ocean.” The latter tune brought all three judges to tears and earned Fritz a standing ovation. Luke told Fritz he looked and sounded “like a pro,” while Katy said it was one of the “most beautiful songs” she’s heard.
HunterGirl also stood out during Sunday’s episode. She sang Tate McRae’s viral TikTok hit “You Broke Me First” and Lauren Alaina’s “Like My Mother Does.” After her second performance, Katy told HunterGirl that she proved once again why the judges awarded her with a platinum ticket.
“You still deserve the platinum ticket today,” she said.
Here’s who made it to American Idol 2022’s Top 5:
- Huntergirl
- Noah Thompson
- Fritz Hager
- Nicolina Bozzo
- Leah Marlene
Who was eliminated on ‘American Idol’ last night?
Two American Idol contestants’ journeys came to an end on Sunday: Jay Copeland and Christian Guardino. Jay, another platinum ticket winner, sang Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing” and Boyz II Men’s “A Song For Mama.” Katy noted that Jay has grown as a singer since he performed “Lilac Wine” a few weeks ago. Meanwhile, Lionel said Jay “is finally stepping into his own.”
Christian blew the judges away with his renditions of Justin Bieber’s “Lonely” and Smokie Norful’s “Dear God.” Lionel reminded Christan that his “talent shines through like a diamond.” Katy added that Christian gave some of his best performances of the season. Unfortunately, America’s voters didn’t feel the same way. On the bright side, Christian did receive a special call from Michael Bublé with a promise to perform together soon.
What to expect from ‘American Idol’s next episode
The next episode of American Idol will air next Sunday, May 15. This time, viewers can expect a performance from special guest Finneas. Meanwhile, the Top 5 will perform one more time before the Grand Finale. As always, fans should prepare to vote live coast-to-coast next week via American Idol‘s app, website, and text messaging.
American Idol airs on Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. Stay tuned to Showbiz Cheat Sheet for more updates.
