‘American Idol’ Recap: The Final Judgement Brings Tough Cuts After The Top 40 Performs

The first half of the top 40 performs during the March 29 episode of ‘American Idol,’ and with the contestant pool being cut in half, the judges are forced to send some talented singers home.

The top 40 contestants head to Hawaii on the March 29 episode of American Idol, and it’s time to give their biggest performances yet. After singing during the showcase, they meet with the judges individually for a final judgement, where they find out if they’re in the top 20. Up first is Nick Merico, who sings Bruno Mars’ “When I Was Your Man.” Nick and Lionel didn’t hit it off during the auditions, and the young singer has come a long way. He impresses the judges with his performance and earns a spot in the top 20.

Makayla Brownlee, who was briefly hospitalized due to a seizure during Hollywood Week, takes the stage next. She gives a stunning performance of “More Hearts Than Mine” by Ingrid Andress. She drastically changes the arrangement of the song to try and show a more upbeat side to herself, and unfortunately, the judges don’t think it worked. It takes a toll on her fate in the competition, as Makayla is eliminated.

Next, Dewayne Crocker Jr. sings “Old Town Road,” with a reggae twist. The judges admittedly had a tough time deciding what to do with Dewayne, but in the end, they decide to keep him around — and he makes the top 20! The next performer is Camryn Leigh-Smith, who sings a worship song called “Break Every Chain.” It’s a risky song choice for this point in the competition, and unfortunately, the judges don’t feel much of a connection with the performance. Camryn is eliminated at the final judgement.

After that, Devon Alexander performs Demi Lovato’s “Tell Me You Love Me,” Jordan Jones sings “Redbone” by Donald Glover and Geena gets the crowd going with a performance of “Finesse” by Bruno Mars. They all sound great, but tough cuts have to be made, and all three singers are eliminated. The next artist is Louis Knight, who struggles to connect to his song, “Castle on the Hill,” by Ed Sheeran, during rehearsals. The judges agree that it’s not Louis’ best performance, but they decide to give him one more chance and send him through to the top 20.

Francisco Martin, who is dealing with a lot of nerves throughout the competition, is up next. He sings “Falling” by Harry Styles, and the judges love it so much, that they jump out of their seats to applaud him. It’s no surprise that Francisco earns a spot in the top 20! Next, Jovin Webb gives another amazing performance onstage. Although the judges admit that Jovin didn’t hit all the notes, they agree that he deserves to be in the top 20, and he’s moving on!

The next artist is Faith Bechnel, who belts out “Ain’t Nobody.” The judges let Faith know that her performance wasn’t a ‘step up,’ but her personality helps her land a spot in the top 20. Following Faith is Amber Fielder. She performs “Good Kisser,” and shows off a lot of personality in her performance. Unfortunately, with so much talent left in the competition, Amber will not be moving onto the top 20 this year.

Just Sam is the next artist to hear her fate. She sings “Como La Flor” by Selena. She absolutely slays her performance, and it’s no surprise when she’s announced as the next member of the top 20. Next, Johnny West, whose girlfriend, Margie Mays, was eliminated during Hollywood Week, takes the stage. He plays piano while singing The Fray’s “You Found Me,” and he gets a standing ovation from the judges. The performance earns him a spot in the top 20.

The final performer of the night is Dillon James, who sings “The Times They Are A-Changin'” by Bob Dillon. He plays guitar while he performs, as well. The judges are super into it, but we won’t find out Dillon’s fate until next week’s episode. The rest of the top 40 will perform and learn their fate, as well, during the next episode of American Idol on Sunday, April 5.