Reviewed by:
Find out which American Idol contestants from Alabama made it through to the top 24
Our American Idol hopefuls from Alabama are making their way to the top. To catch you up, all four singers from our state have received their golden tickets and made it through the two elimination challenges of Hollywood Week. On the two-hour Monday, April 4 episode, the judges narrowed the competition down to 24 “Idol” hopefuls. Did your fave contestant make the cut? Let’s find out.
Alabama’s shining stars
In case you missed it, Tristen Gressett of Pell City, Lady K of Montgomery, Tyler Allen of Mobile and Cadence Baker of Muscle Shoals are representing our state well in the popular singing competition.
This past week, two episodes aired that took us into the second round of Hollywood Week and Final Judgement, where the competition was chopped down from 59 to 24 remaining contestants.
After their “Showstopper” performances, where they had one last chance to wow the judges before elimination, three out of four Alabama contestants made it through to the top 24. Now, Lady K, Tristen Gressett and Cadence Baker are off to Hawaii to perform at a Disney resort, mentored by Jimmie Allen and Bebe Rexha.
Lady K
Montgomery native Lady K has come a long way to make it to the “Idol” stage. From growing up homeless to losing her brother to suicide, she’s been through plenty of hardships that brought her to where she is today.
“Growing up in poverty has definitely been a challenge. I’ve been homeless. I’ve been carless. I’ve been jobless. I’m at the breaking point where hopefully this changes everything.”
Lady K
She has consistently wowed the judges with her performances and this week was no different.
Although most of her airtime during Hollywood Week has been reduced to blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments, she’s kept her fans updated on her Facebook page.
For her “Showstopper” performance, Lady K sang the popular ballad I’d Rather Go Blind by Etta James. Lionel Richie said he was very proud of how far she has come when he told her she made it to the top 24.
Cadence Baker
Cadence Baker’s strong family ties have caused her to waver a bit since her standing-ovation-worthy audition.
She has a strong voice, but nerves and being away from her family have had a major impact on her stage presence. Her mother was in attendance for her “Showstopper” performance of The Story by Brandi Carlile, which gave her a little bit of extra support.
When she sat down with the judges, they gave her some tough love.
“I have to be honest with you, when you come on stage lately you have fear written all over your face. I just don’t see the star standing up there and owning it.”
Katy Perry to Cadence Baker
Ultimately, the judges decided to give the Muscle Shoals talent another chance and gave her a spot in the top 24.
Tristen Gressett
At his audition, Pell City teen Tristen Gressett brought a little too much energy to the table. His amazing voice was overshadowed by his rambunctious stage personality, so the judges gave him some sage advice—tone everything down.
In the performances since, he’s certainly listened to their suggestion to take himself seriously. For his “Showstopper” performance, Tyler took on Come Together by The Beatles and laid it all on the floor—literally.
The judges noted that they don’t even recognize the performer that came in to audition, with Katy Perry saying “he’s evolving in real-time.”
“You’re actually turning into the artist that you’ve always wanted to be. I didn’t want you to be a gimmick and you found your identity.”
Lionel Richie to Tristen Gressett
With that, he got the news that he was joining the top 24 in Hawaii.
Tyler Allen
Last but not least, we have to talk about how Tyler Allen has been snubbed. He walked through the American Idol audition doors with a beaming smile, proudly announcing his hometown of Mobile.
Shortly afterward we discovered the unimaginable tragedy he went through when his aunt and one-year-old nephew were killed last April in a terrible car accident.
He wowed the judges by singing I Believe in You and Me by Whitney Houston and got his golden ticket, but since then, he hasn’t gotten any airtime.
We learned from his Facebook page that he made it through Hollywood Week, but unfortunately during Final Judgement, he didn’t make the cut. Hopefully, he continues to shine and use his talents in Mobile.
With the top 24 headed to Hawaii, the judging is in your hands now. Tune in to American Idol on Sundays and Mondays at 7PM (CT) on ABC and vote for your favorites to move on to the next round.
Catch up on our “Idol” coverage so far:
- Watch local Montgomery singer Lady K audition on American Idol this Sunday, March 6
- You’re going to Hollywood!—Watch 4 Alabama singers wow the judges on American Idol
- UPDATE: See which Alabama contestants made it through competitive Hollywood Week on American Idol
For more buzzy news like this delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our free newsletter.