American Idol Names Its Top 3 as Dancing With the Stars Crossover Steals the Season 24 Finale Spotlight

Well, after weeks of ballads, confetti cannons, and random on-stage dance breaks, American Idol Season 24 is down to its final three contestants. We're in the home stretch, folks—the finale is coming up fast, and the latest episode tossed in a crossover twist with Dancing With the Stars that was, frankly, both entertaining and a little chaotic.

The Final Three (and How They Got Here)

First, the big news: Hannah Harper, Jordan McCullough, and Keyla Richardson have grabbed the top three spots. If you've been following along, you know that's no small feat—especially since they had to sing their hearts out during a live episode that was basically one giant Idol/DWTS mashup party.

What Went Down This Week

So, here's the rundown: On Saturday night (May 4), we started with a Top 5. The episode's official title was kind of a mouthful—'Class of 2006: Reunion/Idol X DWTS'—but the basic idea was Idol hopefuls teaming up with Idol alumni, while pro dancers from DWTS did their thing in the background. Lots going on. Depending on your tolerance for reality TV spectacle, it was either a fever dream or a blast.

Solo Performance Round: Each singer kicked things off with a solo, while a few DWTS pros (Witney Carson, Jan Ravnik, Rylee Arnold, Gleb Savchenko) spun and twirled around them. For reference, here’s what each of the Top 5 picked:

• Keyla Richardson: ‘River Deep, Mountain High’ (Ike & Tina Turner)
• Chris Tungseth: ‘Northern Attitude’ (Noah Kahan)
• Braden Rumfelt: ‘Lose Control’ (Teddy Swims)
• Hannah Harper: ‘Fever’ (Peggy Lee)
• Jordan McCullough: ‘Footprints in the Sand’ (Leona Lewis)

Duet Round: Next, Idol alums dropped by to do duets with the contestants—so yes, we had a Taylor Hicks sighting, plus Kelly Pickler, Paris Bennett, Bucky Covington, and Elliott Yamin. The line-up:

• Keyla Richardson & Taylor Hicks: ‘Living for the City’ (Stevie Wonder)
• Chris Tungseth & Bucky Covington: ‘The Thunder Rolls’ (Garth Brooks)
• Braden Rumfelt & Paris Bennett: ‘The Show Must Go On’ (Queen)
• Hannah Harper & Kelly Pickler: ‘A Broken Wing’ (Martina McBride)
• Jordan McCullough & Elliott Yamin: ‘A Song for You’ (Donny Hathaway)

Who Got the Boot?

Not everyone made it through the live voting. Braden Rumfelt and Chris Tungseth both put up some strong performances, but didn’t quite snag enough of America’s votes to survive into the final three. It’s always a little brutal at this stage—one minute you’re getting high-fived by Lionel Richie, the next you’re getting nothing but a polite ‘goodbye’ montage.

Judges' Panel and Special Guests

If you’re wondering who was sitting behind the desk, it was business as usual with Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie all on hand, tossing around compliments like confetti. Paula Abdul was back as a guest judge, while Randy Jackson took on mentor duties for the episode—just to add a little extra nostalgia to the chaos.

"The level of talent this year is through the roof. Each of you just gave America a finale-level performance." — Carrie Underwood (and honestly, she’s not wrong)

Season Finale: Coming Up Fast

So, where does that leave us? The grand finale airs Monday, May 11. One of these three—Hannah, Jordan, or Keyla—will walk away with the title, plus all the confetti ABC can fit in its budget.

If you’ve got a favorite, now’s the time to start making their case to your friends, because after this next episode, American Idol’s most surprising, occasionally confusing, but always entertaining season will officially be a wrap.