During Monday night’s episode of “American Idol,” judges Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan offered the Top 8 contestants suggestions about which songs to perform. In return, the remaining “Idol” hopefuls thanked the judging panel with three heartfelt tributes to their careers.
The evening’s episode marked the return of the “Judges’ Song Contest,” a round of the competition where each judge anonymously recommends one song for each contestant to perform, based on what they know about the Top 8’s individual vocal abilities and performance styles. Singers must then choose among the three predetermined options, and perform their selection on air.
In between the official competition songs, the Top 8 split into two trios and a duo and performed one tune by each judge.
Gabby Samone, Jamal Roberts and Josh King sang Richie’s jam “Dancing on the Ceiling,” the title track of his 1986 solo album. The trio appeared in glimmering outfits and pumped the song with spunk and soul, leaving Richie visibly elated.
“I am telling you, it was amazing,” he said. “Do it again!”
Two of this season’s remaining country crooners, Slater Nalley and John Foster, teamed up with Thunderstorm Artis to celebrate Luke Bryan with a performance of his song “Huntin’, Fishin’, and Lovin’ Every Day.” Each member of the trio strummed an acoustic guitar and traded twangy verses, an approach that Bryan appreciated.
‘I’ll have to take y’all hunting and fishing now,” he said. “I’ll let y’all deal with the ‘lovin’’ part.”
“You out-sang me, quite frankly,” Bryan added on a serious note.
Breanna Nix and Mattie Pruitt rounded out the tributes with a performance of Underwood’s song “Something in the Water.” The judge and former “Idol” winner called the performance “beautiful,” adding that the duet partners looked “very at ease.”
Artist-in-residence Jelly Roll, who was in the audience during Monday night’s episode, also chimed in with a compliment for the duo.
“It didn’t even feel like they were in the middle of the biggest night of their career,” he said. “It felt like a big sister and a little sister just singing about how they felt about life to each other in front of a bunch of people.”
The end of Monday’s episode sent home Josh King; the remaining seven contestants will compete in a “two-night Disney celebration” during next Sunday and Monday’s episodes.
