American Idol Season 23 just got even more intense. On May 11, during the big Disney Night episode, fans all across the country cast over 20 million votes. Seriously, that’s a lot of people voting. And now, we’ve got our Top 5 contestants. These five are moving on to the semifinals, which is happening tonight, May 12, at 8 PM ET on ABC.
Meet the Top 5 Contestants
Here’s who made it through — and honestly, each one kinda brings something different to the table:
-
Slater Nalley – He’s only 18 and already pulling people in with these really emotional, honest performances. He’s from Atlanta, Georgia, and writes his own songs too, which makes him stand out even more.
-
Breanna Nix – She’s 25 and from Denton, Texas. She’s also a mom and sings this mix of gospel and pop. Her voice? Super powerful. You can just feel the heart in it every time she sings.
-
John Foster – He’s got this old-school country style that people really love. He’s from Addis, Louisiana, and if you’re into traditional country, he’s probably your favorite right now.
-
Jamal Roberts – Used to be a gym teacher in Meridian, Mississippi — now he’s up on stage singing soul like he was born to do it. Every time he performs, it just hits different.
-
Thunderstorm Artis – Yep, that’s his real name. He’s from Hawaii and you might remember him from The Voice a while back. He made the finals there too. You can tell he’s been doing this for a while — every performance feels polished but still emotional.
Who Went Home?
So, the tough part — two contestants didn’t make it through. Mattie Pruitt and Gabby Samone were the ones sent home this time. It’s always hard seeing people leave, especially when they’ve been putting their heart into every song. But they both made an impact, no doubt.
What Happens Now?
Now that it’s down to five, things are heating up. They’ll all be performing again tonight (May 12), and yep — fans are voting again to decide who gets a spot in the finals. At this point, every single song matters. Like, one off night could send someone home. No pressure, right?
So if you’ve got a favorite, this is the time to show up and vote. Because it’s only going to get tougher from here.
How to Watch the Next Episode
You can catch tonight’s semifinal episode live on ABC at 8 PM ET. If you miss it live, don’t worry — you can always stream it later on Hulu. Just don’t wait too long because spoilers are everywhere online.
