After months of auditions, emotional eliminations, surprise saves, and live voting blunders, it all comes down to this.
The American Idol Season 24 finale airs live Monday night as finalists Hannah Harper, Jordan McCullough, and Keyla Richardson battle for America’s final vote and the chance to become the next champion of the long-running singing competition.
The three-hour event promises a packed night of superstar collaborations and nostalgic performances, with Alicia Keys serving as both mentor and performer ahead of Ryan Seacrest’s final results reveal. Judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Carrie Underwood will also take the stage together for a special group performance, while Underwood teams up with legendary rock band Mötley Crüe for one of the night’s most unexpected pairings.
Additional performances throughout the finale include Brad Paisley, Blues Traveler, Gin Blossoms, Clay Aiken, En Vogue, Jason Mraz, Lee Ann Womack, Nelly, Shinedown, Tori Kelly, and viral breakout star Cameron Whitcomb.
Read on for our full American Idol Season 24 finale recap, including all of tonight’s performances and the live winner reveal.
The winner revealed
“Dim the lights!”
Ryan Seacrest reveals the final results based on America’s live vote. The contestant finishing in third place is Keyla Richardson. The runner-up is. Jordan McCullough And your 2026 American Idol is Hannah Harper
Top 3 live performances (updating live beginning at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT)
Hannah Harper
Age: 25
Hometown: Willow Springs, Mo.
Performance: “No One”
Carrie’s comments: “I love how your voice makes everything sound beautiful and tender and like a lullaby.”
Luke’s comments: “Your voice is like walking in the outdoors. It’s like walking in a beautiful garden.”
Lionel’s comments: “You’ve taken an Alicia Keys song and turned it into your song so fast only because you have that identifiable voice that we’ve all come to love… you look so comfortable.”
Keyla Richardson
Another American Idol season has come to an end after a note-worthy finale.
Host Ryan Seacrest announced Hannah Harper as the winner of the competition series May 11, as judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and Carrie Underwood celebrated. Hannah, who became a standout during season 24 after her “String Cheese” original song debut, claimed the top spot over finalist Jordan McCullough, as well as Keyla Richardson, who was eliminated earlier in the night.
Of course, in Idol fashion, it was a star-studded finale, with Alicia Keys joining Luke, Lionel and Carrie as a guest mentor and performer. (Brad Paisley, En Vogue, Nelly and Tori Kelly were also among the artists to take the stage during the episode, along with former Idol contestant Clay Aiken, who debuted the song “Rewind,” his first new single in 18 years.)
Prior to the finale, many Idol legends—including Carrie and Ryan—reflected on the competition show’s decades-long legacy.
“American Idol is the ultimate real-life Cinderella story,” Carrie, winner of Idol‘s fourth season, shared with Good Morning America in an interview published May 8. “I learned so much on the show that set me up for everything that would follow.”
While Ryan, who co-hosted the first season with Brian Dunkleman in 2002 before Dunkleman’s Idol exit, noted, “There’s history, heritage in the show, and it’s pivoted with the times. And I think that’s the beauty of the history and the legend that is American Idol.”
Disney/Eric McCandlessLegendary indeed. In late April, Idol alum Jennifer Hudson returned to the show as a guest judge, a milestone moment for the singer.
“To be on the other side of everything is insane,” the Jennifer Hudson Show host told E! News ahead of her appearance, “but it puts how much time has passed into perspective.”
Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty ImagesAs she continued, “I’m like, ‘Wow. Idol was 22 years ago. Dreamgirls was 20 years ago.'”
From her POV, the timing made sense, even as she works on a major Broadway revival. “OK, yes, I can return as a judge or mentor on Idol,” Jennifer said of her mindset, “and then be on the production side of Dreamgirls to see someone else get a chance.”
While we wait for another season of American Idol, keep reading to learn the secrets behind the show.
Christopher Willard/ABC via Getty ImagesDo American Idol Contestants Get Paid for Being on the Show?
“You don’t get paid until you make it to the live rounds,” Margie Mays, who competed on seasons 17 and 18 of American Idol, shared in a 2020 TikTok, “and then you can be paid.”
The singer noted she did get paid to appear in American Idol commercials and to return for a finale performance after she was eliminated.
“When they take you to places like Hawaii, obviously, they pay for that and then there’s things like a per diem for, like, eating while you’re in Hawaii,” she added. “But they’re not paying you to be a contestant. That’s the sacrifice you make to try to win.”
But if you do win, there is a big prize.
“You do get $250,000, but not really because of taxes,” season 16 champion Maddie Poppe told Business Insider in 2022. “And you get half of it before you complete your record, and then the second half you get after you complete the record. So it’s just like an advance from the record deal, but I’m pretty sure I have to recoup it.”
M Becker/American Idol 2008/Getty Images for FoxDo American Idol Contestants Audition for the First Time in Front of the Judges?
In a word, nope.
In fact, season seven winner David Cook told Business Insider his audition in front of then-judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson was his fifth round.
There are a number of ways to audition for producers, including through open calls, live virtual auditions and social media. However, American Idol‘s guidelines state that singers who get a callback during the audition process must arrange their own travel.
“Once you get to Hollywood Week, they put you up [and] cover flights and all that,” David continued, “but yeah, for the city auditions segment, you’re on your own pocket.”
