American Idol Recap: Grace Leer Rounds Out Top 20 Contestants
Who got your vote?
When season 18 of ABC’s American Idol kicked off on February 16, no one could have predicted what lay ahead as the coronavirus swept across the nation. As government officials determined procedures and issued orders, the pre-recorded episodes of Idol continued in the hopes that by the time the Live Rounds were set to start, the world would look a little different.
Unfortunately, that was not the case. All of the contestants, along with host Ryan Seacrest, mentor Bobby Bones and judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie were all sent home while producers determined the best way to proceed with the show following the selection of the Top 20 in Hawaii. Would the show stop? Would it be postponed? Or would it continue virtually?
Fortunately, instead of letting the destiny of the aspiring singers hang in the balance, the producers did develop a plan for the show to continue. Unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures and it was decided that the show would continue…from 25 different locations — one for each of the contestants, one for each of the judges, one for Ryan and one for Bobby.
Before the show did continue, though, there was the minor detail of eliminating the 21st contestant. As you probably remember, Katy, Lionel and Luke were unable to decide between Grace Leer and Lauren Mascitti, so they turned the decision over to the American viewers.
And America chose: GRACE LEER
Here are your American Idol season 18 Top 20
Grace Leer, 27 – Nashville, Tennessee
Nick Merico, 24 – Woodland Hills, California
Dewayne Crocker Jr., 23 – Pensacola, Florida
Louis Knight, 19 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Francisco Martin, 19 – San Francisco, California
Jovin Webb, 29 – Gonzales, Louisiana
Faith Becnel, 20 – Destrehan, Louisiana
Just Sam, 21 – Harlem, New York
Jonny West, 23 – Murrieta, California
Dillon James, 26 – Bakersfield, California
Franklin Boone, 27 – Durham, North Carolina
Julia Gargano, 21 – Staten Island, New York
Aliana Jester, 18 – Tampa, Florida
Sophia Wackerman, 20 – Long Island, New York
Kimmy Gabriela, 17 – Lakeland, Florida
Cyniah Elise, 17 – Atlanta, Georgia
Makayla Phillips, 17 – Temecula, California
Lauren Spencer-Smith, 16 – Vancouver Island
Olivia Ximines, 16 – Menifee, California
Arthur Gunn, 21 – Wichita, Kansas
When Idol returns next week for the first ever live virtual performances.
