American Idol judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan eliminated three contestants from the Top 20 after 10 hopefuls took the stage and performed duets with celebrity singers.

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The first round of the Top 20 performed duets on Sunday night with some of the best singers in the music industry.

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"How are we going to let anyone go?!" Katy asked her fellow Idol judges during the night of incredible performances.

"It's not fair or fun for us," Luke noted.

"It's going to be the hardest decision of our lives. I feel I'm watching a great show... and everyone is walking out here like a pro, but it's a competition," Lionel explained.

It was a very difficult decision, but the judges ultimately chose to eliminate Shawn Robinson, Cristina "Bumbly" Contreras, and Kate Barnette from the Season 17 competition, sending the other seven artists to the Top 14.

The Top 14 finalists now includes Walker Burroughs, Riley Thompson, Uchechukwu "Uche" Ndubizu-Egwimis, Madison Vandenburg, Ashley Hess, Laci Kaye Booth and Laine Hardy.

The first celebrity duet of the night was Walker, a 20-year-old college student and resident assistant from Birmingham, AL, and Jason Mraz.

The pair sang Jason's song "Have It All," and the judges gave them a standing ovation.

Luke said Walker did "a great job" singing the harmony parts of the song and it seemed like the duo were meant to be onstage together. Luke added that Walker always makes the judges smile and never lets them down.

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Lionel called Walker "sexy" and said he had "a perfect performance," and then Katy added the singer was "so cool and composed."

Kate, a 23-year-old nanny from Kennesaw, GA, performed Pat's song "Heartbreaker" with Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo.

Katy thought Kate was "a really great complement" to the amazing Pat, and Luke acknowledged the song took Kate out of her comfort zone and she probably learned a lot about herself.

Lionel advised Kate to use what she learned from working with Pat in the rest of her career.

Riley, a 16-year-old high school student from Mabank, TX, took the stage with Brett Young and the pair performed Brett's song "Like I Loved You."

Right after the performance, Luke could be heard whispering to his fellow judges, "Our job just got tougher."

"That just messed me up, right?" Lionel told Katy and Luke.

Lionel noticed immense growth in the 16-year-old, saying she was handling the pressure of the competition "so well."

Katy admitted to the young vocalist, "Our jaws were all on the floor." Katy thought Riley only had a breathy, soultry sound to her voice but she had heard a completely different side to her voice in this performance.

"You've had this other gear this whole time and now you're just playing it?! Good gosh, it's amazing. I'm really impressed!" Katy noted.

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Luke called it Riley's best performance yet and said she looked seasoned and natural onstage. Luke concluded that Riley showed up.

Uche, a 24-year-old wedding singer from Sugar Land, TX, was up next, and he wowed with his performance of "I Need Your Love" with Shaggy.

Katy loved Uche's vibe and said the performance was "so fun," but she advised him to be careful with his runs.

Luke noticed Uche had "a little slip vocally," but he was having so much fun onstage that it was contagious and no one really cared. Luke also appreciated the energy and excitement Uche brought to the stage.

Madison, a 17-year-old high school student from Cohoes, NY, belted out "We Belong" with Pat and Neil for her celebrity duet.

Luke commended the 17-year-old for going toe-to-toe with Pat.

"It was incredible. You don't know how to hit a wrong note," Luke said.

Lionel then pointed out Madison took the song "to the next level," and Katy told Madison she looked "flawless" and "like a star."

Katy told Madison that her voice is a Ferrari and she should never be scared to show it off.

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Shawn, a 22-year-old hardware store associate from Atlanta, GA, and Elle King performed a slower rendition of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Proud Mary."

Shawn sang a little too early at one point, but Lionel praised Shawn's recovery and explained his voice was "on point."

Katy loved the intro to the song and was in love with Shawn's deep, alto, strong voice. She said he "shined" on the stage.

And Luke was impressed by Shawn's run at the end of the performance, saying he should be proud of himself for a great vocal performance.

Ashley, a 27-year-old dental hygienist from Fremont, CA, decided to reinvent "I'm Yours" for their duet, and Katy loved her "fresh" take on things.

Katy complimented Ashley on how locked she was with Jason on his lyrics and notes.

And Luke said the entire performance simply felt "right" and "comfortable" so he could just sit back, relax and just enjoy it rather than try to critique it.

Bumbly, a 27-year-old subway singer from New York, NY, took the stage with Shaggy and the pair sang his song "Angel."

Luke gushed Bumbly had a "really, really great vocal," and then Lionel added, "I love what you did."

Katy also loves listening to Bumbly's voice, saying her performance is true to her name.

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Laci Kaye, a 23-year-old college student from Livingston, TX, performed a rendition of Brett's hit song "Mercy" with the country singer.

Lionel said her performance was "incredible" and "believable."

"I actually thought I was watching a serious love affair on that stage because it was delivered so well," Lionel explained. "I applaud you 100 percent. This is going to be big for you."

And the other judges were blown away as well. Katy said Laci Kaye "sprinkles star dust" every time she steps onstage, and the judge felt like she was watching the Grammy Awards.

Katy doesn't want to play favorites, but she made it clear Laci Kaye was her favorite in the competition.

Luke added that Laci Kaye has "an amazing gift."

And the last celebrity duet of the night belonged to Laine, an 18-year-old musician from Livingston, LA, and Elle King. They sang "The Weight" by The Band.

Katy noted Laine looked and sounded like a total rock star, and Lionel pointed out he has established himself into a real artist.

Luke added that he loves the rasp, grit and growl in Laine's voice.

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Luke said he looks forward to seeing what else Laine will perform in the competition.

The next set of 10 contestants from American Idol's Top 20 for Season 17 will perform on Monday, April 8 on ABC, and three more will be ousted by the end of the episode.


About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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