Top 10 Singers The Hollywood Reporter

Posted by Brenda Moya on Tuesday, June 11, 2024
[PHOTOS] ‘American Idol’ Season 13: Top 10 Singers – The Hollywood Reporter
  • Season 13’s Top 10

    American Idol's top 10 — Jena Irene, Malaya Watson, Dexter Roberts, Alex Preston, Sam Woolf, Jessica Meuse, Caleb Johnson, Majesty Rose, MK Nobilette, and CJ Harris — will all hit the road for the summer tour.

  • Caleb Johnson

    Caleb Johnson, the rocker from North Carolina, powered his way into the top 10 with a blockbuster worthy version of "Skyfall" by Adele. Impressed, judge Jennifer Lopez said she waited all night for a performance like that.

  • Caleb Johnson

    The Rush fan, who impressed American Idol audiences with his cover of "Working Man," channels his inner rock star. He told THR he promises each week on Idol will be "all killer, no filler." How does he want his first album to sound? "I want it to be real heavy and powerful and convicted and bluesy, but then I also want to add the whole cool mystical thing."

  • Majesty Rose

    North Carolina's Majesty Rose made it into the top 10 after her plucky performances of crowd-pleasers like "Happy" by Pharrell Williams.

  • Majesty Rose

    She has a fan in judge Jennifer Lopez, who told the 22-year old that "you can be an actress, a musical theater star, or … Majesty Rose, the rock star!" But Lopez's projections weren't necessarily the goal. "I wasn't really trying to be a star," the humble singer told THR. "I was just trying to be a light in my own community."

  • MK Nobillette

    MK Nobilette's smooth delivery of "To Make You Feel My Love" earned the San Francisco singer a spot in the top 10. Her other talents include playing the guitar, ukelele, mandolin, and piano. "I was always in schools with good music curriculums," she told THR. "It was a priority for my parents."

  • MK Nobilette

    Also the first openly-gay contestant of the series, her vocals put judge Jennifer Lopez in a "romantic mood," and drew comparisons to KD Lang. Judge Harry Connick Jr. praised the singer as having star-quality.

  • Alex Preston

    Multi-instrumentalist Alex Preston once again showcased his musicianship with a beautiful interpretation of "Falling Slowly" by The Swell. "I love your artistry," said judge Keith Urban.

  • Alex Preston

    He casts a dashing figure, as the New Hampshire singer earned his spot in the top 10 and the tour after impressing judge Harry Connick, Jr. each time he performs. "I never took lessons, but I really got into guitar and bass and from there started learning other instruments," he told THR.

  • Malaya Watson

    Tuba-playing Malaya Watson is an old soul, earning her place in the top 10 with classic choices of songs by Ray Charles, a move that endeared herself to the judges. "It's really hard, especially with me being so young," the 16-year old told THR of her Idol experience so far. "But it's good training for the future."

  • Malaya

    The Idol contender'sperformance of "I Am Changing" solidified her place in the competition as a "belter," according to judge Harry Connick, Jr

  • C.J. Harris

    North Carolina's CJ Harris donned a Pharrell Williams-inspired hat and had the crowd rocking out to "Can't You See" by the Marshall Tucker Band, a move that judge Keith Urban called "killer." Harris told THR, "I just love music, so I really try to find a sound that I really like and just play it."

  • CJ Harris

    CJ Harris was dubbed a frontrunner by judge Jennifer Lopez early. The Alabama native earned a standing ovation after his performance on the show's movie-themed night. 

  • Dexter Roberts

    Dexter Roberts got the audience on their feet with Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama." The ode to Roberts' home state swept the home boy into the top 10. Roberts is a self-taught musician. "I listen with my ear," he told THR.

  • Dexter Roberts

    Dexter Roberts brings his farm-boy charm to the American Idol stage every week. His performance of "Lucky Man" by Montgomery Gentry during the show's "home" themed week was hailed as the "best performance of the night" by Harry Connick, Jr.

  • Jessica Meuse

    Alabama girl Jessica Meuse strapped on a guitar for an introspective take on Simon and Garfunkel's "Sounds of Silence," which landed her a spot in the American Idol top 10. 

  • Jessica Meuse

    The Idol contender has a love of dragons, pink hair and her fans, which she dubbed her Muses. Meuse said she auditioned with her original songs because "I want people to know me for me," she told THR.  "Every song was once an original song. One day, someone is going to cover my song."

  • Jena Irene

    Jena Irene's dramatic cover of Paramore's "Decode" was convincing enough to make it into the American Idol top 10, after judge Jennifer Lopez urged the country to "get on board" and vote for the Detroit teen. 

  • Jena Irene

    Jena Irene's penchant for songwriting began early when she was in the sixth grade. "I kept writing and writing and writing and even if the songs weren't any good, it was practice," she told THR.

  • Sam Woolf

    Florida's Sam Woolf broke out of his shell with The Beatles' "Come Together" and made it into the top 10. Woolf's connection to the Fab Four dates back to his sixth-grade talent show when he first performed "Hey Jude," which became his Idol audition song. "I always wanted to audition for American Idol so I went for it," he told THR.

  • Sam Woolf

    Sam Woolf will celebrate two milestones during his American Idol run: turning 18 and graduating high school. "I'm happy about it," he told THR. "I"m all for education, but high school is not my thing. Like any teenager."

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