American Idol is raising the stakes in Season 24 with a brand-new voting format and a reimagined Ohana Round — and spoilers are already stirring major buzz online ahead of the official Top 20 reveal.
Three-week Ohana Round in Hawaii
Filmed at Disney’s Aulani Resort in Hawaii, the Ohana Round will air over three weeks:
- March 9 – Top 30 perform in the Ohana Round
- March 16 – Top 20, Part 1
- March 23 – Top 20, Part 2
Designed as the ultimate focus group, the Ohana Round blends peer respect, emotional support, and professional insight before the competition moves on to America’s Vote.
In this new round, the Top 30 perform for industry tastemakers including Sasha Farber, Loren Gray, Cheryl Porter and Kelly Sutton, as well as their fellow contestants, family members and friends. The added layer of feedback gives singers a rare chance to impress both professionals and the people who know them best.
After the Top 30 performances, judges Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan narrow the field down to 20 contestants.
The new voting twist
Here’s the major change: instead of waiting until later live shows, the Top 20 will perform across two pre-taped nights, and those performances will launch America’s Vote earlier than usual.
That means viewers at home will have a say sooner, making the Ohana Round even more intense. Every note now carries extra weight as contestants fight to secure enough support before the competition moves forward.
Country superstar Brad Paisley also joins as a guest mentor for the Top 20, helping guide them through one of the most important stages of the season.
From 127 to 30: a brutal Hollywood Week
Before heading to Hawaii, the show made one of its biggest cuts ever. Out of 127 contestants who advanced to Hollywood Week, only 60 survived the tense “golden room” round. That group was then cut in half to form the Top 30.
Host Ryan Seacrest warned contestants that “anything could happen,” while the judges admitted how painful the decisions were.
