American Idol has formally announced its Top 24 eleventh-season semifinalists and revealed a special twist in which the competition will feature a thirteenth male semifinalist.
ADVERTISEMENT
One night after it unveiled the first 14, American Idol revealed the identities of its 10 remaining semifinalists and ended the dreams of 10 additional hopefuls during Thursday night's one-hour Fox broadcast.
The 10 American Idol semifinalists, consisting of six male and four female singers, were unveiled during last night's "Final Judgment" broadcast after the season's 42 remaining hopefuls took to the stage in Las Vegas and performed one final song of their choice accompanied by only one musician playing one instrument.
The six guys who advanced to American Idol's semifinals were Eban Franckewitz, a 15-year-old from Loveland, OH; Deandre Brackensick, a 17-year-old from San Jose, CA; Aaron Marcellus, a 27-year-old from Atlanta, GA; Chase Likens, a 21-year-old from Point Pleasant, WV; Adam Brock, a 27-year-old from Washington, PA; and Jeremy Rosado, a 19-year-old from Valrico, FL.
The four girls who also made the cut were Hollie Cavanagh, an 18-year-old from McKinney, TX; Hallie Day, a 24-year-old from Baltimore, MD; Skylar Laine, an 18-year-old from Brandon, MS; and Shannon Magrane, a 16-year-old from Tampa, FL.
ADVERTISEMENT
They join Colton Dixon, Creighton Fraker, Reed Grimm, Heejun Han, Joshua Ledet, Phillip Phillips, Baylie Brown, Jen Hirsh, Haley Johnsen, Jessica Sanchez, Chelsea Sorrell, Elise Testone, Erika Van Pelt, and Brielle Von Hugel.
In addition, American Idol judges Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson were shown telling five additional hopefuls -- Jermaine Jones, David Leathers Jr., Scott Dangerfield, Shelby Tweten, and Ariel Sprague -- that they were among the 42 who had made the season's Final Judgment but also among the 18 who hadn't made the semifinals.
Last night's broadcast also featured a "dramatic twist" in which the 12 male semifinalists will be extended to 13, resulting in a Top 25. One of these four contestants -- Jones, Leathers Jr., Johnny Keyser, and Richie Law -- will get a second chance to join the season's male semifinalists, and the lucky contestant will be revealed during Tuesday night's performance episode.
With the selection of the Top 24 now over, American Idol's eleventh season will feature a single semifinals round similar to last season in which the show will air a pair of Tuesday and Wednesday performance shows on February 28 and 29 and a live results show that will reveal the season's finalists on Thursday, March 1.
The 13 male semifinalists -- including one of the four singers who will be selected to re-enter the competition next week -- will perform during Tuesday's broadcast, which will air from 8-10PM ET/PT, while the 12 female semifinalists will perform during Wednesday's episode, which will also air from 8-10PM ET/PT.
ADVERTISEMENT
The results show -- which will be a special live, two-hour broadcast -- will then follow on Thursday and air from 8-10PM ET/PT.
American Idol's 13 male eleventh-season semifinalists -- and their Fox-released biographical information -- are:
- Deandre Brackensick, a 17-year-old from San Jose, CA
- Adam Brock, a 27-year-old from Washington, PA
- Colton Dixon, a 20-year-old from Murfreesboro, TN
- Creighton Fraker, a 28-year-old from Queens, NY
- Eban Franckewitz, a 15-year-old from Loveland, OH
- Reed Grimm, a 26-year-old from Ellsworth, WI
- Heejun Han, a 22-year-old from Flushing, NY
- Joshua Ledet, a 19-year-old from Westlake, LA
- Chase Likens, a 21-year-old from Point Pleasant, WV
- Aaron Marcellus, a 27-year-old from Atlanta, GA
- Phillip Phillips, a 21-year-old from Leesburg, GA
- Jeremy Rosado, a 19-year-old from Valrico, FL
- To be announced: Jermaine Jones, David Leathers Jr., Johnny Keyser, or Richie Law
American Idol's 12 female eleventh-season semifinalists -- and their Fox-released biographical information -- are:
- Baylie Brown, a 22-year-old from Krum, TX
- Hollie Cavanagh, an 18-year-old from McKinney, TX
- Hallie Day, a 24-year-old from Baltimore, MD
- Jen Hirsh, a 25-year-old from Agoura Hills, CA
- Haley Johnsen, a 23-year-old from Beaverton, OR
- Skylar Laine, an 18-year-old from Brandon, MS
- Shannon Magrane, a 16-year-old from Tampa, FL
- Jessica Sanchez, a 16-year-old from San Diego, CA
- Chelsea Sorrell, a 23-year-old from Stokesdale, NC
- Elise Testone, a 28-year-old from Charleston, SC
- Erika Van Pelt, a 26-year-old from South Kingstown, RI
- Brielle Von Hugel, a 17-year-old from Staten Island, NY
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski