‘American Idol’ Chooses Its Top 40, And A Surprise Engagement Produces The “Ugliest Cry” Of Katy Perry’s Life
American Idol‘s Hollywood Week is over, and the 40 contestants left standing are going not to Hollywood, but to Hawaii, where the next phase of the competition will take place.
One contestant is going with an unexpected bonus: an engagement ring. Contestant Johanna Jones — the blonde who works at In-and-Out burger — was speechless when, following her excellent performance of Chris Isaak‘s “Wicked Game,” her boyfriend Matt appeared onstage.
“I haven’t been here because of exams, but I couldn’t wait another day,” said Matt, dropping to one knee and pulling out a ring. “Johanna, you’re the love of my life. Will you marry me?”
A sobbing Johanna said yes, of course, as a sobbing Katy Perry dropped to her knees behind the judges’ table and started bawling right along with her. Some of it was for effect, but she did have real tears running down her face.
“Why won’t someone love me like that?” Katy wailed. Here’s hoping the episode was recorded before last month, when Katy’s boyfriend, Orlando Bloom, put a ring on it.
Posting a GIF of her face contorted with emotion on Twitter Monday night, Katy wrote, “[Johanna] and Matt, that was such a beautiful moment, but it may have been the ugliest cry of my life.”
Aside from the wedding bells, here’s what else happened Monday night on American Idol:
The group rounds wrapped up with the conclusion of Sunday night’s cliffhanger with Nate Walker. When last we saw him, he was being rushed to the hospital in an ambulance. He returned two hours later much improved, but his voice still wasn’t back. After his group’s performance of Billy Joel’s “The Longest Time,” the judges noted that Nate had only sung for 20 seconds, instead of the required 45, so they made him do it again — and it wasn’t great. But he and the rest of the group, aptly named Ain’t Goin’ Home, made it through anyway.
At the end of the group rounds, 70 contestants were left, with 30 still left to be cut. The solo rounds began, with each contestant taking the stage with a full band. Some singers decided to perform original songs, with mixed results, while others impressed by sticking to the hits. Among the standout performances, all of whom made it through to the next round:
-Madison VanDenburg, who ditched the original song idea at the last minute in favor of singing Adele’s “All I Ask.”
–Walker Burroughs, who did a great rendition of Elton John’s “Your Song.”
-Laci Kaye Booth, who delivered a knockout performance of “Stars,” by Grace Potter.
-Uché, who showed a tender side by dedicating Alessia Cara‘s “Scars to Your Beautiful” to his little sister.
-Returning contestant Alyssa Raghu, who impressed with her take on Pink’s “What About Us.”
-Drake McCain, the redheaded kid with the high-top fade and 10 brothers and sisters, who delivered a great performance of “Always on My Mind.”
-Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon, who blew everyone away with his take on Roberta Flack‘s “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.”
After the solo rounds, it was time for the traditional “three rooms” stunt, where the contestants anxiously waited for the judges to come and try to fake them out by making it sound like they were being cut, when actually, they were continuing on. Rooms one and three made it through, and that means Mya Tran, Shayy, Kai the Singer, Walker Burroughs, Eddie Island, Riley Thompson, Alejandro Aranda, and Margie Mays are moving on.
The occupants of room two — which contained contestants like Juan Pablo, “country Justin Bieber“ Austin Michael Robinson, Gaba and Katie Belle — were sent home.
The 40 remaining contestants — most of whom are, no surprise, the ones with whom we’ve spent the most time over the last few weeks — are now going to Disney’s resort in Hawaii, where they’ll perform in front of a live audience on the beach, and then find out if they’ve made the top 20.
You can watch that unfold Sunday night when American Idol returns on ABC at 8 p.m. ET.
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