ABC/Eric McCandless
On Sunday night’s edition of American Idol, the remaining five contestants — Laine Hardy, Wade Cota, Alejandro Aranda, Madison VanDenburg and Laci Kaye Booth — will each perform three songs. Laci was actually voted out last week, but judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie saved her. She lives to sing another day, but what does she need to do to remain in the competition? Katy Perry has some ideas.
Katy tells ABC Radio, “Laci, I believe, if she picks the right songs that pull at people’s heartstrings — like, y’know, Dolly Parton‘s ‘I Will Always Love You’ or ‘I Can’t Make You Love Me’ by Bonnie Raitt — something that is very in her lane but just makes people emotionally invested in her, I think that would give her an up.”
While Katy’s advice may be sound, she admits that at this point in the competition there’s only so much she, Luke and Lionel can do to help the contestants.
“I really care about these kids and try and give them constructive criticism, but really, it’s out of my hands,” Katy tells ABC Radio. “It’s out of their hands sometimes. It’s timing, it’s luck, it’s written in the stars…it’s a lot of different things, so we just do the best we can.”
Of those three songs the finalists will sing, one will be an Elton John tune — and the contestants will even get an early screening on Elton’s upcoming biopic, Rocketman, to help them prepare. A second song will be chosen for them by American Idol’s in-house mentor, Bobby Bones, and a third will be dedicated to the contestants’ “heroes,” in honor of Mother’s Day.
American Idol airs Sunday night at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. The finale airs Monday, May 20.
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