Season 24 of “American Idol” has its Top 30 after an intense Hollywood Week. But to get to that lineup, there were some tough cuts during the first two-hour episode, and the same was true on March 2, 2026.
Judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Carrie Underwood had the impossible job of whittling down 127 contestants to just 30, watching a performance from each with the live band backing them and a crowd of 1500 cheering them on. But in the end, some amazing talent had to go home — here are some of the most shocking eliminations of the round.
Two-Time ‘American Idol’ Contestant Mary Jo Young
DisneySinger Mary Jo Young bravely returned to “American Idol” after her memorable attempt in 2021, when she was paired up with Benson Boone — who was also a contestant at the time — and wound up forgetting the words of their song.
Young still made it through Hollywood Week and into the Top 24 before being cut, but she has experienced great success since. She went on to record several singles and open for major acts on tour, including Alex Warren, JVKE, and Jessie Murph. Nevertheless, she returned to audition again for season 24 and seemed like a shoo-in to advance to the later rounds.
But she wound up in a sing-off against Chloe Lauren for the last spot available. Young handled her second Hollywood Week elimination with grace, telling her family that Lauren “killed it.” Can’t wait to see where Young goes from here.
Roelle is Another Surprise Cut After Hollywood Week
Producers spent a great deal of time filming a lengthy segment about 25-year-old singer Roelle’s journey from Puerto Rico to California, where she found a job at a national park that included boarding. Given the amount of attention she received early on, not to mention her velvety voice, we thought Roelle would find her way into the Top 30.
But instead, her rendition of Chapelle Roan’s “California” didn’t impress the judges enough to send her through. After her Hollywood Week performance aired, she wrote a heartbreaking note in her Instagram Stories that said, “ive been singing my whole life. my hollywood week presentation does not reflect that. im sorry to anyone i might have let down, especially myself.”
Trew the Star Holds His Head High After Hollywood Week
We loved 25-year-old Trew the Star’s energy, enthusiasm, and voice during his “American Idol” audition — and so did the judges. His rendition of Al Green’s “Love and Happiness” during Hollywood Week was a joy to watch, but all that dancing may have compromised his voice.
As his elimination was aired, he posted a gracious Instagram update that said, “YALL IM BEYOND HAPPY!!!! UNFORTUNATELY THIS IS WHERE MY JOURNEY ENDS ON IDOL 🥹 THANK YOU TO ALL OF MY NEW SUPPORTERS ☺️ SHOUTOUT TO @americanidol EVERYONE BEHIND THE SCENES I LOVE YALL 🫶🏾 THANK YOU @lionelrichie @carrieunderwood @lukebryan FOR THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY DONT COME WITH THE SAD STUFF LETS CELEBRATE THIS IS AN ACHIEVEMENT 🎉 MORE TO COME YALL 🤫 #AmericanIdol #TrewTheStar”
We Wanted More of Mor Despite Lackluster Hollywood Week
When 22-year-old singer-songwriter Mor from West Virginia auditioned for the judges, all three gave him an instant YES for his original song, “Strong.” He had what it takes to advance — the voice, the look, the humble charm.
But Mor made a risky choice during Hollywood Week, opting not to have the “American Idol” band accompany him as he played another original song. It was lovely, but it didn’t fully showcase his vocal abilities or, as Underwood pointed out, take full advantage of all the resources at his disposal. Still, we were pretty surprised to see him go.
Jayson Arendt Didn’t Hit It Outta the Park During Hollywood Week
Jayson Arendt was another contestant who received lots of attention during the season 24 auditions, since he brought his whole baseball team to cheer him on. The country singer has made a name for himself as the “Entertainment Player” for the Texas Tailgaters baseball team, part of the uber-popular Banana Ball league.
Arendt charmed the judges so much that Bryan got up and line-danced with the team. He earned his golden ticket to Hollywood Week, but his rendition of Blake Shelton’s “Austin” got mixed reviews from the judges, with Bryan urging him to “enunciate” more on the chorus. In the end, his performance just wasn’t a home run and he’s already back to touring with the Tailgaters.
Next up, the Top 30 will head to Hawaii for the new Ohana round, airing on March 9 at 8 p.m. Eastern time on ABC.
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