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American Idol Cuts Braden Rumfelt After Queen Duet

5/5/2026

50 9 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Braden Rumfelt, a 23-year-old western North Carolina singer, was eliminated from American Idol Season 24 on May 4, 2026.
His set, featuring Dancing with the Stars pros Witney Carson and Jan Ravnik, included a duet with Paris Bennett on Queen’s “The Show Must Go On.”
Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson mentored the Top 5 while the three-hour finale with Hannah Harper, Keyla Richardson and Jordan McCullough airs May 11, 2026, rebroadcast on WLOS at 8 p.m.

History

Historical Context

American Idol debuted on June 11 2002 on Fox, quickly becoming the top non-scripted primetime show and driving Fox to lead the ratings from 2005-2012. The 2026 Season 24 finale, with 23-year-old Brien Rumfelt performing alongside Dancing with the Stars alumni Witney Carson and Jan Ravnik, continues the franchise’s tradition of high-profile cross-show collaborations that began with Simon Cowell’s blunt judging style and audience-voting format.

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Story summary

Braden Rumfelt, a 23-year-old western North Carolina singer, was eliminated from American Idol Season 24 on May 4, 2026.
His set, featuring Dancing with the Stars pros Witney Carson and Jan Ravnik, included a duet with Paris Bennett on Queen’s “The Show Must Go On.”
Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson mentored the Top 5 while the three-hour finale with Hannah Harper, Keyla Richardson and Jordan McCullough airs May 11, 2026, rebroadcast on WLOS at 8 p.m.

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