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‘American Idol’ 2026 winner is picked tonight. Alicia Keys to perform
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After a season of inspiring covers, powerful ballads and upbeat anthems, Season 24 of “American Idol” will conclude tonight with a three-hour-long finale. However, there are still great performances to come Monday, May 11.
Alicia Keys will serve as a guest mentor and performer to close out the season, according to an ABC. The judges, Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and former “Idol” winner Carrie Underwood, will also sing during the finale, alongside some pretty big names.
Here’s everything we know about the “American Idol” Season 24 finale performances.
Keyla Richardson performs ‘American Idol’ homecoming show in Pensacola
“American Idol” finalist Keyla Richardson performed a filmed homecoming concert in Pensacola on May 6, revisiting several songs from the show.
Who’s in the ‘American Idol’ Top 3 2026?
- Keyla Richardson (Pensacola, Florida)
- Hannah Harper (Willow Springs, Missouri)
- Jordan McCullough (Murfreesboro, Tennessee)
After making the Top 3, all three finalists returned home for a hometown heroes-style parade and concert filmed by the Idol production team that will air in the show’s finale.
Richardson’s hometown visit included many familiar sights for Pensacola locals, including the Blue Angels, the Blue Wahoos, the Pensacola Beach water tower, a Mardi-Gras style parade and second line, and an outdoor concert at the Hunter Amphitheater outside Maritime Park.
Alicia Keys, Nelly to perform on ‘American Idol’ finale tonight
There will be a variety of special guest performers during the 2026 “American Idol” finale, including eliminated Top 5 contestants Braden Rumfelt and Chris Tungseth.
Here’s who else will take the stage on Monday, May 11:
- Alicia Keys
- Special group performance by judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and Carrie Underwood
- Carrie Underwood and Mötley Crüe
- Additional performances by Brad Paisley, Blues Traveler and Gin Blossoms, Cameron Whitcomb, Clay Aiken, En Vogue, Jason Mraz, Lee Ann Womack, Luke Bryan, Nelly, Shinedown and Tori Kelly
When is ‘American Idol’ finale 2026? Where to watch
The Season 24 finale of “American Idol” airs at 7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET on Monday, May 11.
ABC airs “American Idol” at 7 p.m. CDT every Monday. If you don’t have cable, paid streaming platforms also show episodes in real time, such as YouTube TV, DirecTV, Fubo, Sling, Hulu + Live TV and more.
Watch “American Idol” on Disney+
If you miss it, the episode is available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu the next day.
How to vote on ‘American Idol’
There are three ways to vote on American Idol: on the American Idol website, via text message, and the newly introduced social media voting method, using Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
For voting on the American Idol website, visit AmericanIdol.com/Vote once the voting window opens.
For text message voting, text the number of the finalist you would like to vote for to “21523.” Richardson’s voting number will be 20.