'American Idol' Bringing Back Some of Its Biggest Alums for Star-Studded Performance
American Idol's 20th birthday is going to be a real party! The ABC singing competition announced its Great Idol Reunion celebration on May 2 ahead of the Showstoppers round, bringing back some fan-favorite alums to celebrate two decades of Idol, reports Deadline. Returning for the reunion to sing on the Idol stage are Ruben Studdard, Jordin Sparks, Lauren Alaina, Scotty McCreery, David Cook, Kris Allen, Laine Hardy, Laci Kaye Booth, Maddie Poppe, Caleb Lee Hutchinson, Willie Spence and Grace Kinstler.
Studdard, who won the second season of American Idol, will be singing alongside Sparks, who won the sixth season of the musical competition. Alaina, who was runner-up in Season 10, will be singing with McCreery, who won that same season. Cook, who won Season 7, will be duetting with Allen, who was the winner of Season 8. Hardy, the winner of Season 17, will sing alongside Laci Kaye Booth, who was in the top five that same season. Season 16 winner Poppe will sing along with her year's runner-up, Hutchinson, and Spence, who was on Season 19, will perform with Kinstler, who came third place just last year.
"It's a testament to this show's incredible legacy that we are able to celebrate 20 years of American Idol in this extraordinary way," showrunner and executive producer Megan Michaels Wolflick said in a statement. "We are so thrilled to welcome back some of our most beloved alumni from over the years to reunite on the Idol stage. American Idol continues to create superstars just as it has done since 2002 and bringing back these Idol Icons is the perfect way to herald the next generation."
Judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan are combing through even more talented singers at the moment during Hollywood Week on Idol. The judges certainly have their work cut out for them paring down this superstar group, choosing in a shocking move during Sunday's show to save both Nicolina and Christian Guardino after their stunning duet to Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion's "The Prayer."
"I have to tell you, when you can stand on a stage under pressure, and we're mesmerized just watching how you play off each other, it has all the makings of something so special," Richie told the pair after their Duet Night performance. "You're growing." When it came time to choose a winner, Richie couldn't choose, telling the two, "When you have a duel, somebody gets shot. When you have voices of this power, it's who cut through. I think it's quite obvious – you both cut through. You're both going to the next round." American Idol airs Sundays and Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.