Seasons · ABC

Season 24 (2026)

Aired on ABC from January 26, 2026 to May 11, 2026. The 14 finalists (Top 14): the contestants listed for season 24 in the Contestants table of Wikipedia's List of American Idol finalists, the same group as the season's finals and elimination chart. Contestants cut at the Top 20 stage are not finalists.^⁠[1][2]

Finalists

• Winner
• Runner-up
• Other finalists

Season 24 finalists: show result, then career after the show

Finalist	Show result	After the show
Hannah Harper	Winner⁠[1][2] Last competed May 11, 2026	After winning season 24 in May 2026, Hannah Harper released the singles "Married Into This Town" (July 2026) and "Hold Your Horses" (September 2026) through 19 Recordings/Atlantic Outpost. She is touring with her family band on her String Cheese Tour, scheduled to run through November 14, 2026, and was announced for select fall 2026 dates supporting Brad Paisley and Lauren Alaina.⁠[3][4][5][6]
JMJordan McCullough	Runner-up⁠[1][2] Last competed May 11, 2026	Jordan McCullough of Murfreesboro was worship leader at Zeal Church in Nashville as of March 4, 2026. His 2022 release Offering, through Zeal Worship, had passed 150,000 Spotify streams by that date. On The Voice season 17, which aired in 2019, he sang Let Me Love You and did not turn a chair. On American Idol season 24 he received a Golden Ticket for Goodness of God and a Platinum Ticket for Grandma’s Hands, and he finished as runner-up to Hannah Harper.⁠[7][8][9][10][11]
KRKeyla Richardson	Third place⁠[1][2] Last competed May 11, 2026	Keyla Richardson of Pensacola was a season 9 finalist on Sunday Best in 2019 and signed with Uncle G Records. So Good, released November 1, 2019, reached No. 1 on Billboard Gospel Airplay, Mediabase Gospel Radio, and the Billboard Gospel Indicator chart. She performed the song at the 2020 Stellar Awards. An eight-track album titled So Good came out on September 25, 2020. She finished third on American Idol season 24 and, as of May 12, 2026, teaches music at Life Shifting Learning Academy in Pensacola.⁠[12][13][14][15]
JFJesse Findling	Eliminated (12th)⁠[1][2] Last competed April 6, 2026	Jesse Findling of Massapequa Park won a Golden Ticket on American Idol with Benson Boone’s In the Stars. The season premiered on January 26, 2026. He graduated from Massapequa High School in 2023, played musical theater there, and was a biology major at Binghamton University. By April 19, 2026 he had reached the top 12. In the week before that date he sang the national anthem at the New York Islanders’ season finale at UBS Arena. He said his goal is to learn guitar and write his own songs.⁠[10][16][17]
BRBraden Rumfelt	Eliminated (4th–5th)⁠[1][2] Last competed May 4, 2026	Braden Rumfelt is from Murphy, North Carolina. His commercial recordings are American Idol performances on 19 Recordings and Atlantic, beginning with Love On The Brain on March 17, 2026. On April 27, 2026, in the Top 7 round, he sang Cardigan and This Love. He was eliminated in the Top 5 round on May 4, 2026, and at the May 11 finale he sang Rewind and Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me with Clay Aiken.⁠[18][19][20]
CTChris Tungseth	Eliminated (4th–5th)⁠[1][2] Last competed May 4, 2026	Chris Tungseth is a construction worker from Fergus Falls, Minnesota. He graduated from Grand Canyon University in spring 2025 with a degree in exercise science. He wrote Lonely Road after his father died in 2023 and sang it at his American Idol audition. Idol recordings on 19 Recordings and Atlantic begin with Apologize on March 23, 2026. He was eliminated in the Top 5 round on May 4, 2026, and at the May 11 finale he sang Cruise with Nelly. Lonely Road came out on June 5, 2026.⁠[20][21][22][23]
BBrooks	Eliminated (6th–7th)⁠[1][2] Last competed April 27, 2026	Brooks, also known as Brooks Rosser, is from Bel Air, Maryland. Before his fall 2025 American Idol audition he had never sung in public, he had played guitar at a couple of gigs, and he worked as a dementia care technician. A back injury in his freshman year of high school ended a plan to play soccer professionally, and he later took up the guitar. Idol recordings on 19 Recordings and Atlantic begin with Dancing On My Own on March 17, 2026. Knockin' On Heaven's Door came out on July 24, 2026. By September 2, 2026 the Harford County Council had presented him a proclamation.⁠[24][25][26]
DSDaniel Stallworth	Eliminated (6th–7th)⁠[1][2] Last competed April 27, 2026	Daniel Stallworth is from Moss Point, Mississippi. His American Idol performance recordings on 19 Recordings and Atlantic begin with All Night Long (All Night) on March 17, 2026. A free concert at Jerry D. Alexander Stadium was scheduled for May 5, 2026. On May 31, 2026 he sang as a guest artist at a church anniversary in Hattiesburg and said to stay tuned on new projects. A homecoming concert at Riverfront Park in Moss Point was scheduled for September 19, 2026.⁠[27][28][29][30][31]
KIKyndal Inskeep	Eliminated (8th–9th)⁠[1][2] Last competed April 20, 2026	Kyndal Inskeep, from Indiana, is a singer and songwriter based in Nashville. In 2019 she was on The Voice season 17, joined Team Gwen, and reached the Top 20 before elimination. She then released the single Letter on January 10, 2020. Honest, with Song House, came out on April 8, 2022, and Parachute on July 8, 2022. On American Idol season 24 she received a platinum ticket.⁠[10][32][33][34]
LLLucas Leon	Eliminated (8th–9th)⁠[1][2] Last competed April 20, 2026	Lucas Leon, from Gallatin, Tennessee, left American Idol season 24 in the top 9 round on April 20, 2026. On May 11 he sang with Brad Paisley at the finale, and Paisley invited him to the Grand Ole Opry. 19 Recordings released The Crazy Kind that day and Fall In Love Someday on July 24. He was scheduled to play in Nashville on October 8 and October 17, 2026.⁠[2][35][36][37]
PLPhilmon Lee	Eliminated (10th–11th)⁠[1][2] Last competed April 13, 2026	Philmon Lee, from LaGrange, Georgia, was eliminated from American Idol season 24 on April 13, 2026, after singing Hot Blooded. On May 11 he sang with Shinedown at the finale. Epic Records has released his music since 2020, including the EP 706 in 2021 and Baby Don't Cry, featuring Young Thug, in 2023.⁠[2][38][39][40]
RRae	Eliminated (10th–11th)⁠[1][2] Last competed April 13, 2026	Rae Boyd, who performs as Rae, is from Frederick, Maryland, and lives in Towson. She was eliminated from American Idol season 24 on April 13, 2026, then sang with En Vogue at the May 11 finale. She headlined the music slate of the SilverVox Film and Music Festival in Frederick, June 18–21, 2026.⁠[2][41][42]
JTJake Thistle	Eliminated (13th–14th)⁠[1][2] Last competed April 6, 2026	Jake Thistle self-released Down the Line in late 2020 and released the 7-track album The Half Left Out on November 17, 2023. Joe Riccitelli signed him to Gold’n Retriever Entertainment, a subsidiary of Red Light Management. Sessions with Butch Walker yielded the 2025 singles The City Whispers and Alone, Together. He reached the Top 14 of American Idol in 2026, had graduated from Rutgers University by July 6, 2026, and released the 13-song album A Stranger By Design on September 25, 2026. The Half Left Out and A Stranger By Design are each described as his sophomore album.⁠[43][44][45][46][47][48][49]
JKJulián Kalel	Eliminated (13th–14th)⁠[1][2] Last competed April 6, 2026	Julián Kalel Almanzán performs as Julián Kalel. He received a golden ticket on American Idol season 23 and did not continue to Hollywood Week while he was struggling with his mental health. He returned for season 24, reached the top 14, and was eliminated with Jake Thistle during Songs of Faith. He released Surrender on August 23, 2024 and Lone Guitar on September 1, 2025. In 2025 he partnered with the National Alliance on Mental Illness around Lone Guitar. On May 11, 2026 he performed at the season 24 finale and released Heartstrings.⁠[50][51][52]

Sources

52 sources

1. List of American Idol finalists — Wikipedia, updated June 10, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 6, 2026.
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   • Contestants table, the 14 rows with Season 24
   • Contestants table, row Hannah Harper: Season 24, Place finish Winner
   • Contestants table, row Jordan McCullough: Season 24, Place finish Runner-up
   • Contestants table, row Keyla Richardson: Season 24, Place finish 3rd
   • Contestants table, row Jesse Findling: Season 24, Place finish 12th
   • Contestants table, row Braden Rumfelt: Season 24, Place finish 4th-5th
   • Contestants table, row Chris Tungseth: Season 24, Place finish 4th-5th
   • Contestants table, row Brooks: Season 24, Place finish 6th-7th
2. American Idol season 24 — Wikipedia, updated July 18, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 6, 2026.
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   • Finals section (Top 14 to Finale tables); Elimination chart
   • Lead section: “Hannah Harper won the season on May 11, 2026, while Jordan McCullough was the runner-up, and Keyla Richardson finished in third place.”
   • Lead section; Top 3 – Finale (May 11) section and table; Elimination chart, row Hannah Harper: Pl. 1, 5/11 Winner; ratings table, episode 16 Grand Finale, May 11, 2026: “Hannah Harper won the season on May 11, 2026”
   • Lead section; Top 3 – Finale (May 11) table; Elimination chart, row Jordan McCullough: Pl. 2, 5/11 Runner-up: “Jordan McCullough was the runner-up”
   • Lead section; Top 3 – Finale (May 11) section and table (Third place); Elimination chart, row Keyla Richardson: Pl. 3, 5/11 Third place: “After Richardson was eliminated in third place, the remaining two reprised their audition songs, after which Harper was announced as the winner.”
   • Top 12 – 90s Judges' Song Contest (April 6) table (Eliminated); Elimination chart, row Jesse Findling: Pl. 12, 4/6 column
   • Top 5 – Class of 2006 Reunion (May 4) table (Eliminated); Elimination chart, row Braden Rumfelt: Pl. 4, 5/4 column
   • Top 5 – Class of 2006 Reunion (May 4) table (Eliminated); Elimination chart, row Chris Tungseth: Pl. 4 (shared), 5/4 column
3. Hannah Harper offers 'Hold Your Horses' — The Music Universe, published September 4, 2026. News report. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
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   • Article body: “Rising country singer-songwriter Hannah Harper drops her latest single, 'Hold Your Horses,' available everywhere now via 19 Recordings/Atlantic Outpost.”
   • Article body: “Harper and her family band, The Harper Family, are celebrating the release with a packed tour schedule that includes headline shows, select dates supporting Brad Paisley, and more.”
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   • Article body: “Rising country singer-songwriter Hannah Harper drops her eagerly awaited new single, 'Married Into This Town,' available everywhere now via 19 Recordings/Atlantic Outpost.”
5. Hannah Harper Signs With WME For Worldwide Representation — Booking Agent Info, published June 24, 2026. News report. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
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   • Article body: “She'll join Brad Paisley's Live 2026 Tour and Lauren Alaina's The Stages Tour this fall.”
6. 'American Idol' Winner Hannah Harper Sets Grand Ole Opry Debut and String Cheese Tour — Country Now, published May 19, 2026. News report. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
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   • Article body: “String Cheese Tour, which kicks off with her Opry performance and runs through November 14”
7. Middle Tennessee’s Jordan McCullough on Current Season of American Idol — The Murfreesboro Pulse, published March 4, 2026. News report. Retrieved October 8, 2026.
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   • Article: “Murfreesboro native”
   • Article: “worship leader”
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   • Offering: “2022 release through Zeal Worship”
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   • Season dates: “Start date|2019|09|23”
   • Other shows: “failed to turn a chair”
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    • Top 20: “Kyndal Inskeep (voted by musicians and industry figures)”
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12. Keyla Richardson’s Debut Single So Good Lands At No. 1 At Gospel Radio — The Christian Beat, published August 20, 2020. News report. Retrieved October 8, 2026.
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    • Article: “Pensacola, Florida native”
    • Article: “Season 9 Sunday’s Best finalist”
    • Article: “Uncle G Records”
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    • Article: “finalist in 2019”
    • Article: “third place”
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    • Article: “Golden Ticket to Hollywood Week”
    • Article: “In the Stars”
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    • Article: “top 12”
    • Date: “April 19, 2026”
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    • Hometown: “Murphy, North Carolina native”
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    • Love On The Brain: "releaseDate":"2026-03-17T07:00:00Z"
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    • Top 7 (April 27) table: “|+ Top 7 (April 27)”
    • Top 7 (April 27) table, Braden Rumfelt rows: “| "[[Cardigan (song)|Cardigan]]"”
    • Top 7 (April 27) table, Braden Rumfelt rows: “| "[[This Love (Maroon 5 song)|This Love]]"”
    • Top 5 heading: “===Top 5 – Class of 2006 Reunion / ''American Idol'' X ''Dancing with the Stars'' (May 4)===”
    • Top 5 (May 4) table, Braden Rumfelt row: “| "[[Lose Control (Teddy Swims song)|Lose Control]]"”
    • Top 5 (May 4) table, Braden Rumfelt row: “rowspan="2" style="background:#FF91A4;"| Eliminated”
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    • Job and town: “construction worker from Fergus Falls”
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    • Degree: “graduated from GCU in spring 2025”
    • Field: “degree in exercise science in 2025”
    • Song: “Lonely Road”
    • Year: “in 2023, his father passed away”
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    • Apologize: "releaseDate":"2026-03-23T07:00:00Z"
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    • Name and town: “Brooks is a singer from Bel Air, Maryland”
    • Audition: “audition in the fall of 2025”
    • Public singing: “had never sung in public before”
    • Gigs: “done a couple gigs”
    • Injury: “When Brooks was a freshman in high school, he broke his back while playing soccer”
25. Harford County honors Bel Air's Brooks Rosser, American Idol finalist — The Baltimore Sun, published September 2, 2026, updated September 2, 2026. News report. Retrieved October 8, 2026.
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    • Job: “dementia care technician before his audition”
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    • Hometown: “Moss Point native”
    • Concert: “Tuesday, May 5, at 7 p.m. at Jerry D. Alexander Stadium”
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    • All Night Long: "releaseDate":"2026-03-17T07:00:00Z"
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    • Guest: “On Sunday, Stallworth was a guest artist”
    • Date: “Published : May 31, 2026”
    • Projects: “stay tuned”
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    • Homecoming: “homecoming Lawn Party”
31. Arts in Moss Point; River City Guitar sculpture revealed, concert series to begin Saturday — WLOX, published August 21, 2026. News report. Retrieved October 8, 2026.
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    • About: “a singer-songwriter from Gallatin, Tennessee”
    • On tour: “Thu, Oct 8 6th & Peabody, Nashville”
    • On tour: “Sat, Oct 17 The Listening Room Cafe, Nashville”
36. Brad Paisley Performs Incredible Duet With Teenage American Idol Phenom During Finale — American Songwriter, published May 12, 2026, updated May 12, 2026. News report. Retrieved October 8, 2026.
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    • Opry invite: “Can we hang out at the Grand Ole Opry?”
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    • Name: “Rae's last name is Boyd, but she goes by the stage name Rae”
    • Home: “Rae is from Frederick, Maryland, but now lives in Towson, Maryland”
42. SilverVox Film and Music Festival Concludes Inaugural Run — IndieWrap, published July 7, 2026, updated July 7, 2026. News report. Retrieved October 8, 2026.
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    • Music slate: “a music slate headlined by American Idol breakout Rae Boyd”
    • Dates: “from June 18–21, drawing nearly 4,000 attendees”
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    • Article: “Heartstrings”
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