The stage is set for the “American Idol” season 24 finale! During the two-hour live show on May 4, 2026, viewers decided which of the Top 5 would be moving on to become the Top 3.
Braden Rumfelt and Chris Tungseth were sent packing, which means Keyla Richardson, Hannah Harper, and Jordan McCullough are the 2026 Top 3. They’ll each head back to their hometowns for epic celebrations, then return to Los Angeles for a three-hour star-studded finale on May 11, during which viewers will vote live for the 2026 winner. Here’s a bit about each talented contestant.
Keyla Richardson is the Oldest ‘American Idol’ Finalist of 2026
Keyla Richardson of Pensacola, Florida, is the oldest of Season 24 finalists at 29 and knew this was her last shot at trying out for “American Idol.” The single mom works as a music teacher at a school run by her parents, and is raising her adorable nine-year-old son, Drew, who can often be seen singing along in the audience when she performs.
When she was competing with the Top 20 in Hawaii, Keyla told Billboard that she felt like she was growing with every week on “Idol,” explaining, “I’m learning how to be a different kind of artist. That’s not easy, because you come in one way and now you have to learn a way to be versatile, to reach whoever you’re trying to reach. I’ve learned to be patient and I just learned control, like controlling my emotions. I’m still working on that, but I feel like every performance is going to get better and better because I’m taking it in.”
Keyla has been a favorite of the judges since her audition, when little Drew stole the show with his love for his mom and music. She sang Jason Mraz’s “I Won’t Give Up” for them back then, and Mraz is scheduled to appear on the finale — could a duet be in the works?
Jordan McCullough is a Church Worship Leader & One of 7 Boys
Jordan McCullough, 27, is a church worship leader in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, but told Billboard that he grew up listening to country music artists like George Strait and Randy Travis with his dad and R&B groups like Xscape and Boyz II Men with his mom. He has astounded the judges every week with his powerful voice and unique arrangements, including his last performance of the May 4 show — a duet with season five Top 3 contestant Elliott Yamin.
He also chose to sing “Footprints in the Sand” for his first performance of the night, getting choked up as shared with producers that he was dedicating the tune to his six younger brothers, so touched that they’ve been so proud of him during his “Idol” run.
Before the May 4 show, McCullough told TVLine, “Monday nights are my favorite nights of the week because I’ve waited for this. This is what my dream has been, performing on the ‘Idol’ stage, so I’m not necessarily nervous to perform. There are a lot of other things at stake, but once I step on that stage, it’s game over in my mind. All bets are off. I’m just up there performing my heart out.”
Hannah Harper is a Stay-at-Home Mom With Big Dreams
Hannah Harper, 25, is a stay-at-home mom from Poplar Bluff, Missouri, where she lives with her husband and three boys, as well as a big extended family. She grew up touring the country with her family, playing and singing bluegrass.
Hannah’s original song “String Cheese,” inspired by her own struggle with postpartum depression, went viral after she sang it for her “American Idol” audition, with more than 100 million views. She’s brought her family with her on her “Idol” journey, including to Hawaii, where she told Billboard that juggling being a mom and a contestant hadn’t been easy, revealing, “Each morning when I leave for call time, I can hear them hollering all the way to the elevator because they want me.”
“It wouldn’t be doable if I didn’t have a village of people making it happen,” she conceded. “I have family members coming out each week to help my husband, who is here. My husband is a full-time dad now. He quit his job so that I could pursue this and so if you have a team of people backing you and the Lord behind you, then it’s going to happen, but it’s definitely a challenge.”
The “American Idol” season 24 finale kicks off at 8 p.m. Eastern time on May 11, on ABC and Disney+.
