Katy Perry decided to save Oliver Steele during the final seconds of Monday’s two-hour episode of American Idol as the field narrowed to the Top 8 on the ABC show.
The 38-year-old judge was the winner of the season 21 Judge’s Song Contest episode and with that had the power to save one of the contestants in the bottom three.
After consulting with the other judges, Katy, 38, announced she picked Oliver to save as Marybeth Byrd and Tyson Venegas were eliminated following the departure of Nutsa and Lucy Love on Sunday‘s episode.
‘Oliver Steele, you are in the top eight!’ Ryan Seacrest, 48, bellowed as the live show concluded.
Oliver, 25, from Mount Juliet, Tennessee, said he was thankful that he would be remaining in the competition.
Contest winner: Katy Perry decided to save Oliver Steele during the final seconds of Monday’s two-hour episode of American Idol as the field narrowed to the Top 8 on the ABC show
Earlier, he had to choose which song to sing after the judges gave him the option of two songs by John Mayer and the Radiohead song High And Dry.
‘I think it’s pretty clear who did not pick a John Mayer song,’ Oliver said, referencing last season when someone suggested Katy picked a John Mayer song and she said to them, ‘I feel like you should Wikipedia me.’
Oliver said he decided to go with Radiohead because it wasn’t the safe option.
Katy, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan gave him a standing ovation after his performance.
‘I think you reinterpreted this Radiohead song as your own,’ Katy said. ‘It was so delicate. It was so angelic. It was like nothing you have done before. You brought everybody in and then you ended it with harmonics. Chef’s kiss.’
‘You owned that song and made it yours,’ Lionel, 73, said.
Ryan also announced that next week Lionel and Katy were off to the UK to perform at the historic coronation of King Charles III.
‘What an honor,’ Ryan said. ‘You are going to check in with us live from Windsor Castle as well.’
Still competing: Oliver, 25, from Mount Juliet, Tennessee, said he was thankful that he would be remaining in the competition
Fan favorite: Katy received a warm welcome from the live audience in Los Angeles as host Ryan Seacrest helped her onto the stage
The judges: Luke Bryan, Katy and Lionel Richie each gave the singers a song to choose
Alanis Morissette, 48, then announced via video that she would be guest judging and mentoring in their absence and also would perform. Ed Sheeran, 32, also announced via video that he would join the show next week and also will perform.
The remaining top 10 during the episode were given three songs picked by the judges and told to choose one to perform. They later had to guess which judge picked the song with the judge who was guessed correctly the most named as the winner.
Zachariah Smith, 20, a grill cook from Armory, Mississippi, was the first contestant. He had to choose between Elton John’s song Crocodile Rock, Bon Jovi’s Wanted Dead Or Alive, and The Temptations Ain’t Too Proud To Beg. He picked Bon Jovi’s song and said he thought it would be a ‘grand slam’ for him. He hoped he could do the song justice.
The crowd screamed when he finished. Zachariah guessed that it was Luke Bryan, 46, who picked the song, but it was actually picked by Lionel.
‘First of all the attitude was perfect,’ Lionel said. ‘Exactly what I imagined. The edge in his voice was incredible.’
Haven Madison, 17, a high school student from Clarksville, Tennessee, went next and got to pick between Paramore’s song The Only Exception, Bishop Briggs’ River and Cuz I Love You by Lizzo. She picked The Only Exception because the song touched her because she was actually in love.
‘I think my queen Katy chose the song for me,’ Haven said when she finished.
Katy told her that she was correct.
In love: Haven Madison, 17, a high school student from Clarksville, Tennessee, picked The Only Exception because the song touched her because she was actually in love
‘I thought this song would be perfect for you because it’s both delicate and beautiful and then has room to soar and that’s exactly what your voice is,’ Katy said.
‘You are such the girl next door,’ Luke said. ‘It’s perfect.’
‘You got that ”it” thing going for you,’ Lionel said.
Chase Beckham, 29, who won the 19th season of the show, returned to perform his newest single Till The Day I Die.
‘Welcome home buddy,’ host Ryan Seacrest, 48, said. ‘And you are going on tour with Luke Bryan!’
Luke came up on the stage to give a plaque that his song 23 that performed on the show and wrote his senior year was officially certified gold single.
‘I’m not going to cry this time,’ Chase said. ‘That’s incredible.’
We Ani, 24, a performer from Harlem, New York, went next and picked a Whitney Houston song and guessed that Lionel chose it. Luke revealed he was one who picked it.
Past champion: Chase Beckham, 29, who won the 19th season of the show, returned to perform his newest single Till The Day I Die
‘I am so proud of you in that performance,’ Luke said. ‘That was one of the most elegant things I’ve ever seen. It was pure beauty, elegance. It was just breathtaking. I’ve never had chills like that.’
Warren Peay, 24, an appliance repairman from Bamberg, South Carolina, Colder Weather by the Zac Brown Band to show his range. He guessed that Luke picked the song for him.
Ryan asked if Luke was going to tie with Katy for correct guesses.
‘I will not be tying up Katy right now,’ said Luke, who then realized his awkward statement. ‘That didn’t sound great.’
Luke started laughing and Katy sat there stunned.
‘Luke of all the things you are not supposed to say,’ Lionel said. ‘Don’t tie up Katy on television.’
‘Of all the Freudian slips,’ Katy said. ‘It could go either way, love or hate.’
‘It was amazing,’ Lionel said. ‘I love that performance.’
‘I’m just thinking about how my meeting with HR right after the show is going to go,’ Luke said. ‘I enjoyed this run on American Idol, thank you.’
Iam Tongi, 18, a high school student from Kahuku, Hawaii, went next and picked What A Wonderful World. The crowd cheered for him when finished. Iam guessed that Lionel picked the song for him but it turned out to actually be Luke.
‘I prayed you would do that for us and I’m so glad you did,’ Luke said. ‘You knocked it out of the park as you always do.’
‘You are very, very special,’ Lionel said.
‘The only thing I could say is it is a wonderful world because you are in it,’ Katy said.
The show also showed clips of the Top 12 traveling to Stagecoach to see Luke perform on stage. Luke met with them and told them to get inspired.
‘Dream big,’ Luke said. ‘I never thought I’d do show’s like this.’
Luke took the group on his tour bus and told him when he first started that he and his wife had their first child and he turned the back lounge of the bus into a makeshift bed.
‘Don’t outrun your dreams and take a step back to enjoy the simple things,’ Luke said to them.
Marybeth Byrd, 22, a radio host from Armorel, Arkansas, picked Morgan Wallen’s song Wasted On You because she connected with the song’s message. She got emotional during her singing and the judges gave her a standing ovation when she finished.
‘That was really, really hard for me,’ Marybeth said.
She guessed it was Luke that picked the song for her.
‘I feel like you are besties with Morgan,’ Marybeth said.
Lionel said he picked it.
‘You needed to fight,’ Lionel said. ‘You needed to get out of your comfort zone.’
Lionel said he wanted her to leave her emotions on the stage and was so happy that he delivered.
‘That was your stand out moment,’ Luke said.
Tyson Venegas, 17, a high school student from Vancouver, British Columbia, said his first concert was with Lionel and showed the T-shirt he got at the event. Tyson had to pick between Bruno Mars’ When I Was Your Man, Adele’s Someone Like You and Lewis Capaldi’s Someone You Loved. He picked Someone You Loved.
Platinum ticket: Tyson Venegas, 17, a high school student from Vancouver, British Columbia picked Someone You Loved
Tyson guessed that Katy picked that song for him. Katy told him that he was correct and also declared that he was the ‘whole package’ to her.
Megan Danielle, 21, a server from Douglasville, Georgia, picked Go Rest High On That Mountain by Vince Gill because she sang it at her grandfather’s funeral. She said he wanted to honor him and thought it was the perfect way. The audience and the judges gave her a standing ovation.
‘You definitely honored him,’ Ryan said. ‘That was beautiful.’
Megan said she thought Lionel picked it, but it turned out to be Luke.
‘You said you wanted to hug whoever picked it, so come get your hug,’ Luke said. ‘I just felt in my heart that I couldn’t pick a better one for you and that song has meant a lot to me and you were perfect.’
‘You have the amazing ability to touch,’ Lionel told Megan.
‘I don’t think Luke chose that song,’ Katy said. ‘I think your grandpa chose that song. And I think he’s trying to tell you that you are exactly where you are meant to be right now. And you deserve this moment Megan and it’s a wonderful confirmation. I don’t believe in any coincidences. We couldn’t have known any of that so I think that was heaven sent.’
Colin Stough, 18, an HVAC technician from Armory, Mississippi, picked It’s Been Awhile by Staind because it reminded him of home. Colin thought that Katy picked that song for him.
Emotional performance: Megan Danielle, 21, a server from Douglasville, Georgia, picked Go Rest High On That Mountain by Vince Gill because she sang it at her grandfather’s funeral
Good guess: Colin Stough, 18, an HVAC technician from Armory, Mississippi, picked It’s Been Awhile by Staind because it reminded him of home and correctly guessed that Katy picked it
‘I’m not happy because I won, I’m happy because you’re a star,’ Katy said. ‘You picked the right song because you took yourself out of the box. You listened to your intuition.’
Ryan after the performances announced that Megan, Hayden, Warren, We, Colin, Iam and Megan would be moving on in the competition as a result of viewer voting.
MaryBeth and Platinum Ticket winner Tyson finished in the bottom three and were eliminated when Katy decided to save Oliver.
American Idol will return Sunday on ABC.
SRC: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/
