American Idol Season 23: Contestant Eliminations and Controversial Wildcard Selections
On April 21, 2025, Season 23 of American Idol delivered an exciting episode as the Top 20 contestants competed for their chance to advance to the next round. Unfortunately, the night also marked a tough moment for six hopefuls who were eliminated, while others, like Josh King, received the opportunity to continue based on the judges’ decisions.
Format of the Episode
The episode kicked off with host Ryan Seacrest outlining the rules: the ten contestants who accrued the highest votes from viewers would automatically progress, while the other ten found themselves in the “danger zone,”needing to impress the judges to secure a place in the Top 14.
Judges’ Choices and Wildcard Entries
After thrilling performances from the contestants, the judges engaged in deliberations and ultimately decided to retain four artists from the bottom ten as wildcard entries. This included Josh King, who joined fellow contestants Ché, Amanda Barise, and Desmond Roberts in advancing to the next phase.
Controversy Among Fans
While Josh secured his spot, six contestants were sent home: Isaiah Misailegalu, Drew Ryn, Olivier Bergeron, Baylee Littrell, Zaylie Windsor, and Victor Solomon. This decision sparked outrage among fans on social media, particularly regarding the choices made by the judges. Many fans expressed their disappointment, arguing that other contestants were more deserving of advancement.
“Josh King in the Top 14? He’s this seasons clown,”a fan wrote.
“oh that is BS Josh was not good,”another fan commented.
“Josh??? Um why????”a netizen tweeted.
Viewer Reactions
The backlash continued as fans questioned what criteria the judges utilized to select Josh over other perceived stronger competitors. Reactions ranged from disbelief to outright frustration:
“Josh over Drew is a F**KING JOKE,”a user reacted.
“Judges f**ked up pickin Josh n Amanda over Victor n Isiah WTFFFF,”a person commented.
“MKY would’ve tore that stage up but noooo y’all wanted to choose Josh…like I will forever be salty about this,”another fan wrote.
“I must not be getting the memo because WHAT is it in Josh’s voice that is worthy of winning American Idol???”one user posted.
Josh King’s Performance Highlights
In the face of uncertainty, Josh King performed a rendition of Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley, aiming to impress the judges and viewers alike. As he took the stage, Ryan Seacrest emphasized the significance of this moment, highlighting Josh’s determination to advance.
“It is a huge moment right now for Josh, and he is ready to show the judges and you, America, that he’s never gonna give this up, that he’s got what it takes,”Ryan added.
His performance earned a standing ovation from the judges, with Lionel Richie asking for “more of that.”Continuing to build on his momentum, Josh followed up with a heartfelt rendition of You Are So Beautiful by Joe Cocker, again receiving enthusiastic applause and favorable reviews.
Judges’ Praise and Future Prospects
During the judges’ critiques, Carrie Underwood praised Josh’s “sweet and soft”vocal quality, while Luke Bryan referred to him as a “sneaky little devil,”expressing confidence in his potential stardom. Lionel Richie commended Josh for capturing the song’s essence, viewing him as an effective storyteller through his music.
Despite the mixed opinions from fans, the judges chose to retain Josh in the competition, believing in his potential to progress further. American Idol Season 23 is available for streaming on Hulu.