The rigorous process of pruning the number of contestants on American Idol further unfolds this Sunday night as panelists Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood, and Luke Bryan tirelessly continue to evaluate the talent pool for the 2025 season. The frontrunners are eagerly striving to make it to the coveted Top 24. The previous week was marked by the departure of half of the 144 aspirants who had been honored with a Golden Ticket to Hollywood, suggesting there’s much ground to be covered prior to reaching the final shortlist. The performances this Sunday bear significant weight, as they could pave the way for contestants’ participation in Monday night’s intense face-to-face challenges.
As part of a preview video shared by Idol, the audience sees the return of 25-year-old MKY, hailing from East Los Angeles. MKY initially captured the panel’s attention with his rendition of ‘Ooo Baby Baby,’ originally performed by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles. The so-called ‘Showstopper’ performance sees him reverting to his musical lineage as he offers an all-Spanish rendition of Luis Miguel’s ‘Sabor a Mí’.
‘East LA has repeatedly bypassed a plethora of talents,’ MKY expresses. ‘The experiences of my Uncle Ray and my grandfather are constant reminders. I believe it’s my time now. The allegiance I have towards my family is profound. They have given up so much to let me pursue my dreams. To me, this is not merely a competition, it’s a chance to express gratitude to them.’
The stage at Orpheum Theatre saw MKY’s performance enlivened by the presence of a large part of his family. He confirms with fervor, ‘This endeavor is for every single one of us and I intend to put my heart and soul into it. Performing in Spanish on a platform like American Idol holds a special place in my heart. I have been patiently waiting for this chance my entire life. I earnestly hope to nail this and present a different facet of myself.’
The aspirants’ fight for survival on American Idol will unfold this week, with the show scheduled for broadcast on Sunday and Monday at 8 pm ET/PT on ABC.
The impending eliminations on American Idol gear up as the judges — Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood, and Luke Bryan continue their task of filtering out the prospective talents for the 2025 iteration of the singing contest. Their aim? To zero in on the Top 24 contestants. The previous week witnessed a massive cut, seeing half of the 144 talented individuals who secured a Golden Ticket to Hollywood, sadly sent home. The journey remains long and Sunday night’s performance is likely to dictate their fate to continue on to the thrilling face-offs slated for Monday night.
An advance sneak peek video shared by the Idol team lets the audience glimpse into the comeback of MKY, a 25-year-old natural talent from East Los Angeles. The judges had originally been enthralled by MKY’s audition with ‘Ooo Baby Baby,’ a hit by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles. MKY’s ‘Showstopper’ performance takes him back to his origins as he embraces an all-Spanish rendition of the song ‘Sabor a Mí’ by Luis Miguel.
‘East LA is teeming with undiscovered talents,’ MKY reflects. ‘I am constantly reminded of the stories of my Uncle Ray and my grandfather. I believe my time is now. The support from my family is invaluable and they’ve made enormous sacrifices to see me chase my dreams. To me, this is more than just a competition — it is a chance to give back to them.’
Performing at the Orpheum Theatre, MKY was cheered on by a big number of family members. With determination marking his words, MKY shares, ‘I’am doing this for all of us and I’m ready to give my best shot. It means the world to me to get the chance to sing in Spanish on a prominent stage like American Idol. I’ve been dreaming about this moment all my life. I hope to navigate this successfully and present the world with a distinct aspect of my personality.’
This week, the American Idol will continue to echo with the vocals of these talented singers. The show is set to go on air on Sunday and Monday at 8 p.m. ET/PT on American Broadcasting Company (ABC).
American Idol prepares to further trim the pool of contestants as the journey advances into the next phase. The judging panel comprising Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood, and Luke Bryan are working tirelessly to shortlist the deserving candidates for the 2025 entry of the legendary singing competition. Their pursuit to whittle down to the Top 24 is on. The competition faced a narrowing last week when half of the 144 golden ticket holders were bid goodbye. There is still a long way to go, with the Sunday evening performance being a determinant factor in whether they will advance to the high octane duels scheduled for Monday night.
In a teaser video aired by Idol, the audience is given a glimpse of the return of East Los Angeles resident, the 25-year-old MKY. The artist first caught the attention of the judges with his version of the disc ‘Ooo Baby Baby’ by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles. With his next ‘Showstopper’ performance, he harks back to his heritage with an all-Spanish rendition of Luis Miguel’s classic ‘Sabor a Mí’.
‘Over the years, many talented artists from East LA have gone unnoticed,’ recounts MKY. ‘I find myself consistently drawn back to the narrative of my Uncle Ray and my grandfather. I have an intuition that my time has come. The importance of my family in my life cannot be overstated. They have consistently forfeited a lot to see me chase my dreams. I regard this as a golden chance for me to reciprocate.’
MKY’s performance at the Orpheum Theatre was especially poignant as it was witnessed by a multitude of his family members. With determination fueling his aspirations, he states, ‘Every note I hit is for each one of us, and I am committed to giving it my best shot. The opportunity to perform in Spanish on such a grand platform as American Idol is overwhelmingly significant for me. I have been longing for such an opportunity all my life. I am hopeful I can navigate through this and unveil a unique side of myself.’
The thrilling saga of American Idol continues this week as aspiring singing talents vie for their place in the competition. The two-part episodes are scheduled to air on Sunday and Monday at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.
The post American Idol 2025: Nailing the Next Phase appeared first on Real News Now.
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