American Idol season 21 episode 16 release date, air time, and plot

Popular reality competition series American Idol season 21 is all set to air a brand new episode on Monday, May 1, 2023, at 8 pm ET on ABC. It will document the Top 10 contestants participating in the Judge's Song Contest round of the competition. They will bring their A-game to ensure they secure enough votes from viewers and keep moving forward.

Episode 16 of American Idol will feature the Top 10 contestants chosen by viewers competing in a brand new round of the competition. Each of them will be performing individually on songs suggested by the judges. Fans will have to wait to find out which of them makes it to the Top 8 and which two contestants get eliminated.

The hit ABC series has been on air for over two decades, and those who have debuted on this stage have often gone on to become successful artists with a flourishing career in the industry.

Season 21 of the competition has seen many talented and aspiring contestants perform in front of the iconic judge trio - pop princess Katy Perry, Oscar-winning singer/songwriter Lionel Richie, and country superstar Luke Bryan.

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What to expect from the upcoming American Idol season 21 episode?

Season 21 of American Idol has seen a lot of talent this time around. Over the past few weeks, many contestants have braved multiple rounds and challenges, including auditions, Hollywood Week, Showstoppers, Top 26, Top 20, and Top 12, to finally make it to the Top 10 round of the competition.

While the judges filtered the best of the best in the initial stages of the competition, it was ultimately up to the viewers to vote for their favorites for the rest of the season. Considering the stiff competition, the contestants also had to put their best foot forward in each round to impress fans and garner enough votes to secure their safety.

The upcoming American Idol episode will have the judges decide and suggest songs for the contestants. Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie have known the singers since the audition rounds and are familiar with their characteristics, personalities, and vocal tones. They will decide on a few songs as suggestions, out of which the artists will choose one to perform.

The official synopsis of the episode, titled Judge's Song Contest, reads:

"The Judge’s Song Contest returns as judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie each suggest songs for the contestants to choose from. America votes for the Top 8 LIVE coast to coast."

Since the beginning of American Idol season 21, the show has called several of its alumni as guest mentors to guide the current batch of contestants. Sunday's episode saw season 8 runner-up Adam Lambert guiding the singers.

The upcoming episode will see season 19 winner Chayce Beckham help the participants with various aspects of their performance, including song selection, stage presence, and vocal abilities. The artist was crowned the winner in 2021 and has gone on to sell out tickets on tours and garnered a massive fan base.

Here's a list of the show's Top 10 contestants:

1. Tyson Venegas
2. Warren Peay
3. Haven Madison
4. Oliver Steele
5. Colin Stough
6. Marybeth Byrd
7. Wé Ani
8. Megan Danielle
9. Zachariah Smith
10. Iam Tongi

This week's American Idol episode on Sunday saw the Top 12 contestants compete against each other for a spot in the Top 10. Unfortunately, Lucy Love and Nutsa were eliminated by the end of the episode, cutting their journey short. Just last week, the judges had saved the two singers from going home.

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Season 21 of the competition has been a pretty interesting watch so far. As the installment progresses, the remaining contestants will face tougher challenges, testing their musical capabilities. Viewers will have to stay tuned to see who will make it to the Top 8 tomorrow.

Don't forget to tune in to a brand new episode of American Idol on Monday, May 1, 2023, at 8 pm ET on ABC.