GettySign at "American Idol" open auditions in 2006
Fans of “The Voice” who tune into season 21 of “American Idol” next year may recognize several familiar faces and voices. According to several fan and spoiler sites tracking contestants’ progress, at least seven “Voice” alumni have advanced past initial auditions and have been spotted taping performances for season 21 of “American Idol.” Here’s a rundown of the “Voice” alums who are still in the running on ABC’s “American Idol,” which premieres on February 19, 2023.
‘American Idol’ is Filming New Season in Hollywood
Getty“American Idol” judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan in April 2022
Just like with “The Voice,” filming for the next season of “American Idol” is well underway. In the fall of 2022, those who advanced through virtual try-outs were then invited to one of three cities — Nashville, New Orleands or Las Vegas — to audition for celebrity judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie.
Anyone who received golden tickets at those auditions — typically at least 100 contestants — moved on to the show’s famously intense “Hollywood Week,” which took place in early December. Singers have to work through multiple rounds of competition in just one week — including group performances and duets.
According to spoiler site The Idol Pad, which has received and reported anonymous tips from crew members, contestants’ families, and others behind the scenes for the last decade, a total of 55 contestants then qualified for the Showstopper round, getting to perform solo in front of a live audience and the judges. Heavy reported previously that “Idol” was recruiting audience members for the show, which took place at the Los Angeles Theater on December 11, 2022.
As of December 15, The Idol Pad had secured the names of 52 of the 55 performers who made it through to the Showstopper round, including seven alumni from “The Voice.”
Spoiler Alert: If you do not want to know any of the contestants who will be moving forward on “American Idol” in 2023, do not read past this point.
Seven ‘Voice’ Alumni Spotted During the ‘Idol’ Showstopper Round
NBC“The Voice” season 21 contestant Samuel Harness hopes to advance on “American Idol”
Of the 52 Showstopper contestants that The Idol Pad has received tips on, seven are former “Voice” contestants. Not all singers will wind up appearing on the series, though, especially if they got cut following their December 11 performance.
But here are the former “Voice” contestants to watch for when season 21 of “Idol” kicks off on ABC — and how they fared on “The Voice.” Keep in mind that none of them are allowed to personally confirm how they’ve fared on “Idol” until the show airs.
Samuel Harness, who was an early fan-favorite on season 21 of “The Voice,” made it to the Top 20 on the show. The Fort Wayne, Indiana, native was voted off on November 9, 2021, despite his coach, John Legend, saying his performance was “incredible,” “powerful” and his best of the season. He released a new single, “Where Were You,” on November 5.
Singer and college student Marybeth Byrd of Armorel, Arkansas landed on John Legend’s team in 2019, making it all the way to the Top 8 during season 17 of “The Voice.” According to her website, the 21-year-old has since enrolled at Arkansas State University as an online student.
Wé McDonald, who also goes by Wé Ani, blew the “Voice” coaches away at just 17-years-old during the Blind Auditions on season 11. The Harlem, New York, singer was on Alicia Keys’ team and placed third. On December 12, she posted photos of herself but was careful not to reveal she’d been in Hollywood for “Idol.” She wrote, “I’m sorry I’ve been MIA! I just got a lot of….stuff/surprises going on.”
R&B singer Malik Heard appeared on “The Voice” in 2016 at age 19 and has continued to pursue music. On November 30, he told his Instagram followers that he had “big things planned for 2023, so stay locked in,” adding that he’d have an “announcement coming soon.”
According to Talent Recap, Christian singer and songwriter Megan Danielle of Douglasville, Georgia, tried out for “The Voice” four times before finally getting onto the show and receiving a chair turn from Kelly Clarkson in 2020 at age 18. Danielle made it to the Top 9 before being eliminated alongside four other season 18 contestants. On October 20, 2022, she shared on Instagram that she was thrilled for the chance to audition for “Idol” in front of Perry, Bryan and Richie.
Michael Williams appeared at age 18 on “The Voice” in the midst of lockdowns in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to WVXU, the Cincinnati singer was part of Nick Jonas’ team but contestants had to compete on the show from their homes. Williams lost the wild card round trying to make it into the Top 9.
Michigan native Rebecca Brunner made it onto Blake Shelton’s team in 2017 at age 22, but was cut during the Battle Rounds against former NFL player Esera Tuaolo, according to the Lansing State Journal. She’s been working hard on her music career; she released a single called “Round Hole” in May.
On the Idol Forums website, fans expressed surprise that season 16 Team Kelly finalist Presley Tennant was not included in the list of 49 confirmed Showstopper contestants. In November, the MJS Big Blog confirmed that Tennant had auditioned for the next season of “Idol.”
Liv Lane is an entertainment writer who covers the Hallmark Channel, HGTV, American Idol and The Voice for Heavy. Based in Minneapolis, she has three decades of experience as a local and national radio host, columnist and publicist, interviewing and working with a wide range of celebrities over the years, from Deepak Chopra to Lil Nas X. More about Liv Lane
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