"You slayed and killed it": Ava Maybee stuns viewers with her unusual song choice on American Idol

ABC's American Idol aired a fresh new episode on Sunday. The show saw some incredible performances by the Top 20 contestants, along with expert guidance from the judges (country superstar Luke Bryan, pop princess Katy Perry, and Oscar-winning singer/songwriter Lionel Richie). The participants will once again compete against each other to win America's votes.

The first contestant for the second group to make her way into the Top 20 of the competition was Ava Maybee. Her unusual song choice and delivery impressed both judges and viewers. One fan tweeted:

Last week's episode saw the Top 24 of American Idol showcase their talents to win the country's heart with the guidance of a special guest, American singer and songwriter Bebe Rexha. They performed in front of a live audience at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, Hawaii. Viewers were in for a surprise when host Ryan Seacrest announced that frontrunner Kenedi Anderson withdrew her participation from the competition.

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Fans react to American Idol contestant Ava Maybee's performance

Ava Maybee dedicated her American Idol performance to her mother, who has been an integral part of the contestant's musical journey. In a confessional, the participant said:

"I had terrible stage fright.. and she gave me the confidence to be like, no, no, no... Like you should share this gift with people... I feel very lucky to have her in my life. This is totally full circle."

Ava performed Demi Lovato's Anyone. The judges complimented her for an unusual song choice and also applauded her interpretation of the song. Katy Perry said that the contestant continually inspired her. Luke Bryan said that the participant showed a different side of herself, with "a great performance in a very tough situation."

Here's what fans had to say about the contestant's performance:

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American Idol will find its Top 20 this week

Episode 12 of American Idol Season 20, titled Season 20's Top 20, aired on April 17, 2022 at 8.00 pm ET. The show saw some incredible performances by contestants Emyrson Flora, Mike Parker, Nicolina Bozzo, Jay Copeland, and many others.

In the Top 20 episode, America will vote for their favorite contestants. The episode also featured performances from the show's alumni: Season 11 winner Phillip Phillips, Season 17 runner-up Alejandro Aranda, and current winner Chayce Beckham.

The official synopsis of the episode reads:

“The competition heats up as the top 24 American Idol hopefuls return to Hollywood for a shocking night of reveals. Last week’s votes are in, and season 20’s Top 20, hand-picked by America, will be revealed. All 20 remaining contestants will perform for superstar judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie, and viewers at home will vote once again to determine who will make it to the next round.”

So far, the contestants who have made it to the Top 20 are Emyrson Flora, Mike Parker, Tristen Gresset, Sage, Jay Copeland, Nicolina Bozzo, Jacob Moran, HunterGirl, Ellie Rowe, and Dan Marshall.

Ava Maybee is the first contestant from the second group to be in the Top 20. Some of the other contestants in the Top 20 are Allegra Miles, Noah Thompson, Leah Marlene, and Christian Guardino.

The two contestants who had to head home from the first group were Scarlet (who was the only contestant from Massachusetts to make it to the Top 24) and 17-year-old high school student Danielle Finn.

After America gets its Top 20 tonight, the contestants will aim to give spectacular performances on Monday to secure their place in the Top 14 of American Idol. The going will surely get tougher as the participants move forward in the competition.

Who will be in the Top 14? Readers can tune in to American Idol on Monday, April 18, 2022 at 8.00 pm ET on ABC.