American Idol season 21: Who are the top 20 contestants?

American Idol's top 20 contestants for season 21 were announced on Sunday, April 23, on ABC. The network released a three-hour special where the top 20 contestants sang in front of an audience after a brutal challenge amongst the top 26 competitors on April 16 and 17. The singers were chosen by the audience via online votes on the official website.

The top 20 singers in this season of American Idol are:

1. Colin Stough
2. Iam Tongi
3. Hannah Nicolaisen
4. Haven Madison
5. Kaeyra
6. Lucy Love
7. Mariah Faith
8. Marybeth Byrd
9. Matt Wilson
10. Megan Danielle
11. Michael Williams
12. Nailyah Serenity
13. Nutsa
14. Olivia Soli
15. Oliver Steele
16. Paige Anne
17. Tyson Venegas
18. Warren Peay
19. Wé McDonald
20. Zachariah Smith

The six eliminated singers are:

• Dawson Wayne
• Elijah McCormick
• Elise Kristine
• Emma Busse
• Malik Heard
• PJAE

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Which songs did the top 26 perform on American Idol?

After the showstopper round, where 55 performers sang in front of the judges, only 26 moved on in the tough singing competition. The top 26 were then divided into two groups of 13 and had to secure audience votes for themselves with their performances on April 16 and 17.

The American Idol contestants sang on the following songs:

1. Colin Stough: Midnight Train to Memphis
2. Dawson Wayne: Copycat
3. Elijah McCormick: Good Vibes
4. Elise Kristine: Holding Out for a Hero
5. Emma Busse: Lay Me Down
6. Hannah Nicolaisen: Glitter in the Air
7. Haven Madison: The Middle
8. Iam Tongi: Don’t Let Go
9. Kaeyra: Don't Let Go (Love)
10. Lucy Love: What's Love Got to Do with It
11. Malik Heard: Ain't It Fun
12. Mariah Faith: You Should Probably Leave
13. Marybeth Byrd: Heart Like a Truck
14. Matt Wilson: Speechless
15. Megan Danielle: The Chain
16. Michael Williams: Tuesdays
17. Nailyah Serenity: Lovin' You
18. Nutsa: Paris (Ooh La La)
19. Oliver Steele: Better Together
20. Olivia Soli: Emotions
21. Paige Anne: Wrecking Ball
22. PJAE: Golden
23. Tyson Venegas: It Will Rain
24. Warren Peay: Set Fire to the Rain
25. Wé Ani: Edge of Midnight (Midnight Sky Remix)
26. Zachariah Smith: Lucille

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Recap of American Idol season 21 episode 13

The top 20 contestants tried to give their best performance in the episode as the audience now have to vote for the top 12. Some singers also chose to perform on their own songs:

1. Colin Stough: Pretty Heart
2. Hannah Nicolaisen: Somebody to Love
3. Haven Madison: Mean Girls
4. Iam Tongi: The Winner Takes It All
5. Kaeyra: Bruises
6. Lucy Love: Boulders
7. Mariah Faith: Cry to Me
8. Marybeth Byrd: People Pleaser
9. Matt Wilson: Say You Won't Let Go
10. Megan Danielle: Holy Water
11. Michael Williams: Lose You to Love Me
12. Nailyah Serenity: Baby Love
13. Nutsa: Un-Break My Heart
14. Oliver Steele: Too Soon
15. Olivia Soli: I Surrender
16. Paige Anne: Say Something
17. Tyson Venegas: 180
18. Warren Peay: Up There Down Here
19. Wé Ani: Skyfall
20. Zachariah Smith: I Want to Know What Love Is

Fans can vote for their favorite singer on the show's application or official website. The voting closes at 9 am ET on Monday, April 24.

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The results of the battle between the top 20 for the 12 final spots will be revealed on the next episode of American Idol, which airs on ABC on Monday, April 24, at 8 pm ET. After this, the competition will move onto the top 10 performers, top 7 performers, top 5 performers, and then the finalists. The winner of the competition will get a $250,000 cash prize and a record deal.