American Idol shook things up in a big way for Season 24. This year, all auditions were held at Belmont University in Franklin, Tennessee, and Hollywood Week was replaced by a Nashville-based round. By the end of “Nashville Week,” the competition was narrowed down to 30 contestants, who advanced to the newly introduced Ohana Round.
The next phase of the competition was filmed at Disney’s Aulani Resort in Hawaii, where the judges—Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan, and Carrie Underwood—were joined by host Ryan Seacrest. Adding another twist, a panel of “Industry Tastemakers” helped evaluate performances and even selected three Platinum Ticket recipients from the Top 30.
The Ohana Round spans three weeks. Country superstar Brad Paisley served as a guest mentor for the Top 20, and Dancing With the Stars pro Sasha Farber was also spotted in Hawaii. Week one features the Top 30 performing in front of the tastemakers, fellow contestants, and close family members. After the judges selected the Top 20, those finalists performed across two additional nights, likely for America’s vote.
According to The Futon Critic, the episodes will air March 9 (Top 30), March 16, and March 23 (Top 20 Parts 1 and 2).
Trusted sources have provided spoiler lists for both the Top 30 and Top 20, though details—especially song choices—may still change. Fans can expect more updates as the season continues.