Full Breakdown
American Idol Season 24 Semifinal Marks 20-Year Reunion with Season-5 Alumni and Dancing with the Stars
5/5/2026, 1:37:00 PM
2006 Reunion Semifinal: A 20-Year Anniversary Celebration
On May 4, 2026, “American Idol” aired its live semifinal at 8 p.m. ET on ABC (simultaneously on Disney+; the episode streamed on Hulu the following day). The show was billed as the “Class of 2006 Reunion” and paired the current Top 5 with original Season-5 alumni and professional dancers from “Dancing with the Stars.”
Background & Context: Season 5’s Legacy and the DWTS Crossover
Season 5, which premiered in 2006, produced winner Taylor Hicks and introduced future stars such as Katharine McPhee. To commemorate the 20-year milestone, the episode incorporated a crossover with “Dancing with the Stars,” featuring pro dancers Jan Ravnik, Gleb Savchenko, Witney Carson and Rylee Arnold.
Returning Judges, Season-5 Alumni, and Current Contestants
Original judges Paula Abdul (guest judge) and Randy Jackson (mentor) returned alongside regular judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and Carrie Underwood. Season-5 alumni who appeared were Taylor Hicks, Paris Bennett, Bucky Covington, Kellie Pickler and Elliott Yamin. The Top 5 contestants were Hannah Harper, Keyla Richardson, Jordan McCullough, Braden Rumfelt and Chris Tungseth.
Performance Highlights and Results
Each contestant performed a solo with a DWTS pro and a duet with a Season-5 alumnus:
- Keyla Richardson opened with “River Deep – Mountain High” (Tina & Ike Turner) alongside DWTS pros, then sang Stevie Wonder’s “Living for the City” with Taylor Hicks.
- Chris Tungseth delivered “Northern Attitude” (Noah Kahan) with DWTS pros and partnered with Bucky Covington for Garth Brooks’s “The Thunder Rolls.”
- Braden Rumfelt performed “Lose Control” (Teddy Swims) with DWTS pros and duetted with Paris Bennett on Queen’s “The Show Must Go On.”
- Hannah Harper sang Peggy Lee’s “Fever” with DWTS pros and teamed with Kellie Pickler for Martina McBride’s “A Broken Wing.”
- Jordan McCullough sang “Footprints in the Sand” (Leona Lewis) with DWTS pros and performed Donny Hathaway’s “A Song for You” with Elliott Yamin.
Audience voting eliminated Braden Rumfelt and Chris Tungseth. Hannah Harper, Keyla Richardson and Jordan McCullough advanced to the three-hour finale on May 11. The episode also marked Kellie Pickler’s first televised appearance since her husband Kyle Jacobs’s death in 2023.
Official Statements & Judges’ Feedback
Paula Abdul praised Keyla’s vocal range (“like a weapon”) and urged a stronger whisper. Lionel Richie highlighted Keyla’s attitude; Carrie Underwood described Jordan’s voice as “otherworldly.” Luke Bryan encouraged Braden to “lose control” of overthinking, while Richie told him to “just relax.” Abdul advised Braden to “own the stage.” Underwood and Richie called the Harper-Pickler duet “the perfect voice blend.” Overall, judges commended risk-taking and stage presence while noting specific areas for improvement.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Your vocal range is like a weapon,” — Paula Abdul, judge
- “Swag it up,” — Luke Bryan, judge
- “I love you. Your gift, what you have, I don’t know where it comes from, but it’s not from here. It’s otherworldly,” — Carrie Underwood, judge
- “That was like a Lamborghini and a Ferrari and I don’t know who’s the Lamborghini and who’s the Ferrari and it doesn’t matter. It was amazing to watch and witness.” — Luke Bryan, judge
- “the perfect voice blend,” — Lionel Richie, judge
- “Your whisper has to be equally as dangerous as your top note.” — Paula Abdul, judge
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Two separate outlets listed different songs for Hannah Harper (“Mean” and “That’s the Way Love Goes”) and for Braden Rumfelt (“Cardigan” and “This Love”), which conflict with the performance list above. No clarification has been issued by the show.
What’s Next: The Season 24 Finale
The finale airs on May 11 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. Alicia Keys will appear as a guest mentor and perform twice, including a collaboration with the three finalists.
