The “American Idol” season 24 finale is right around the corner, where the top three finalists will compete to win the coveted honor of becoming an emerging voice of America.
Performing — and competing — in the “American Idol” finale on Monday, May 11, are contestants Keyla Richardson, Hannah Harper and Jordan McCullough.
As the three finalists prepare to grace the stage with their musical talents, former “American Idol” judge Paula Abdul provided a helpful heaping of advice to encourage the contestants in their final moments on the “American Idol” stage.
Speaking with the host of “American Idol Official Podcast,” Danielle Fishel, Abdul candidly walked the “Boy Meets World” actress through what she’d say to the final three singers as they prepare for the finale.
Paula Abdul’s Advice for ‘American Idol’ Finalists
“Embrace the strengths that you have. Keep those near and dear to your heart and rely on them. And the things that you need to work on, work even harder in those areas so that it becomes second nature,” Abdul advised.
Abdul went on to reference her work with Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson, where she utilized her dance expertise to choreograph several numbers for the iconic Jackson stars in the late 80s.
“Even when I would work with Michael and Janet, it was consistently with rehearsals. And I mean, if we mess up, we’re starting from square one. And once you get it all the way right through, you’re gonna do it three more times,” the entertainer shared. “The way you leave the stage is more important even than how you came on the stage. So, you better sing your butt off…and make people remember.”
During her tenure as an “American Idol” judge, Abdul witnessed a good deal of iconic wins. From Kelly Clarkson (season 1) to Fantasia Barrino (season 3), Jordin Sparks (season 6), and more, Abdul’s ears for talent have not been forgotten in the world of music, where many “Idol” winners from her day continue to thrive.
Abdul, an original judge on “American Idol,” worked alongside former judges Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson as a staple in the hit ABC competition show from 2002 to 2009.
When she exited the competition series after season 8, Abdul continued to coach others looking to evolve into the world of entertainment by becoming a judge on several competition shows, including “Live to Dance” (2011), “The X Factor” (2011) and “So You Think You Can Dance” (2013-2016).
From August 2019 to January 2020, Abdul also performed at the Flamingo Las Vegas for over 20 shows during her “Paula Abdul: Forever Your Girl” residency.
Paula Abdul Shares Why She Left ‘American Idol’ After 8 Seasons
In a TV Guide interview, reported on by PEOPLE, the “Cold Hearted” hitmaker opened up about what led her to leave the “American Idol” judges’ table, explaining that it was simply her time to move on.
“I stand on principle where many stand on money,” the entertainer said. “I’m a hard-working artist. I’ve lasted in this business for 23 years. And you can’t do that unless you are good at what you do.”
At the time, Abdul, who strongly believes in the creativity of others, noted that she was interested in hosting a talk show as she continued to head into the later years of her career.
“I definitely want to do a talk show because it would be different,” she shared. “It would be a lot of fun variety with a ton of unexpected stuff and tributes to everyday [people] getting their big chance.”
To see how the top three finalists of “American Idol” season 24 implement Abdul’s advice, fans can tune into ABC on Monday, May 11, at 8/7c for the three-hour finale.
