'American Idol' finale left the long-time fans excited. So, who is the champion of this season of the longest-running show? Let's have a look at the finale night!
After months of auditions, eliminations and voting, ABC's longest-running show, American Idol's 24th season, has come to an end. The show began with a massive pool of 127 contestants, who auditioned to grab an opportunity to be on the show. Well, only 30 contestants were selected for season 24's semifinal, and through voting, the number has come down to 14, and now it has ended at 2.
It was on May 11, 2026, when the finale of American Idol season 24 took place with three finalists Hannah Harper, Jordan McCullough, and Keyla Richardson. With a shoulder-to-shoulder fight, the trio gave their best, but only one can be the champion and have the crown. And before the final official results, predictions are thoroughly run, which turned out to be true only. Amid this, another report about a surprising elimination hit the headlines, leaving two people to fight for the crown. So, who wins? Let's have a look!
In the finale, the contestants had to perform Alicia Keys' songs along with another song that was meaningful to them. Before even the finale began, the predictions were ongoing, and America could vote in the first hour of the finale. Sites like Kalshi and Polymarket had their predictions up for the winner of American Idol season 24. As per the predictions, Keyla Richardson had only a 6 per cent chance to win American Idol 2026, while Hannah had an 82 per cent chance to win, and Jordan had a 14 per cent chance to emerge as the crown owner of the show.
Well, ahead of the official result, in the middle of the finale, Keyla Richardson was eliminated, keeping the fight between Hannah Harper and Jordan McCullough going. Well, later it was announced that Hannah Harper won the 24th season of American Idol. She took to her social media account and dropped a post, announcing her massive achievement. She thanked her fans for the love and support she has gotten throughout.
Hannah also revealed that she would soon start her tour. To mention, Hannah is 25 years old, and she grew up in a family that is deeply tied to music, courtesy of her family band, The Harper Collective. She has been married to Devon Mendenhall since 2018, and they are parents to three kids.
Speaking of Hannah Harper, she, along with Lee Ann Womack, performed the latter's iconic hit, I Hope You Dance. Hannah Harper has been one of the strongest performers on the show, American Idol, since the time she auditioned. During her audition, she sang an original song, String Cheese, which showed her battle with postpartum depression after the birth of her child.
Jordan McCullough has emerged as the runner-up of the 24th season of the show. He joined season 9 contestant Tori Kelly and collaborated on the mashup duet of her songs Control and Confetti. Speaking of Jordan, he got rejected on The Voice, while now, as per predictions, he emerges as the runner-up of American Idol's 24th season. Hannah sang Alicia Keys' No One during the finale, Jordan sang, If I Ain't Got You. All three singers also sang her song, Lovin' U, together as a group.
Congratulations, Hannah!