American Idol

Ranking the Top 3 on American Idol

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The American Idol Season 21 Top 3 of Colin Stough, Megan Danielle and Iam Tongi (ABC Photo)

The American Idol Season 21 Top 3 of Colin Stough, Megan Danielle and Iam Tongi (ABC Photo)

 

Iam Tongi, Megan Danielle and Colin Stough enjoyed their hometown visits on Tuesday.

On Sunday, they’ll be competing for the Season 21 title on American Idol.

Idol hasn’t yet announced all the details for Sunday’s show.

But in Season 20, the Top 3 each took the stage three times, twice with solos, once for a celebrity duet.

Once a third-place finisher was announced, the Top 2 returned to the stage one last time before voting ended for the night.

Over the course of the three-hour finale, we’ll almost certainly hear each finalist perform their new singles.

Those songs will drop at midnight Thursday. Sneak peeks, which you can check out below, have already dropped.

Here’s how I’m ranking the Top 3. Last week’s rankings appear in parenthesis.

1. Iam Tongi (2): It’s been years since an Idol contestant has attracted such an avid following. Check out Iam’s “Sounds of Silence” of “Stuck on You,” and you’ll see that the adoration is well deserved.

My advice to Iam fans, take nothing for granted. Remember Idol history (three male country winners in the five years since ABC started airing the show). And vote regardless of where you are. I say that because Iam’s hometown fans from Hawaii will be voting between 2 and 5 p.m. there.

2. Megan Danielle (3): At age 17, in the spring of 2020, Megan finished Top 9 on The Voice. She didn’t release a debut single until a year and a half later and has only two songs out to date.

Hopefully, she’ll be more prepared to capitalize on her American Idol popularity. She seems to have a bright future as a Christian country artist. And her confidence has clearly gotten a boost from her time on Idol.

3. Colin Stough (4): When Colin’s audition aired, I remember thinking, “Wow, he sounds better than (Season 20 champ) Noah Thompson.” There have been some bumps along the way, but Colin wouldn’t be an undeserving champ.

Two weeks ago, he did the best job of making a Alanis Morissette song fit his style. On Sunday, with a spot in the finals on the line, he did the best job of picking crowd-pleasers, then delivering them with conviciton.

Anyway, that’s how I’m ranking the Top 3.

Do I expect them to finish in that order?

Nope. My predicted finish is:

1. Iam Tongi

2. Colin Stough

3. Megan Danielle

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16 Comments

  1. Denise May 17, 2023 at 12:37 pm -  Reply

    You’re wrong. Colin will win!

    • Mark Franklin May 17, 2023 at 7:38 pm -  Reply

      You might very well be right.

      • Diane Paecht May 18, 2023 at 6:30 am -  Reply

        Voting for Iam all the way !!

  2. Pat B May 17, 2023 at 1:12 pm -  Reply

    I I like Megan Danielle, she’s a good singer. But for me, I think Colin has slightly edged her out. They are both decent si gers, but Megan is really going to hit it out of the ball park on Sunday. But either way, Iam Tongi is the winner. From the first time I saw Iam perform, I thought WOW, this guy might just win. All three are good, and I’m sure they all have long careers ahead, but I think it’s going to be Iam all the way. Just my opinion.

  3. TiredofTripe May 17, 2023 at 4:25 pm -  Reply

    Both “American Idol” and “The Voice” are about the judges/coaches and the gimmicks.

    The last successful “Idol” winner, Phillip Phillips (Season 11), sued to get out of his “Idol” contract two years later.

    There hasn’t been a single winner or runner up from “The Voice” who has a successful career.

    Each show has been facing outcries of rigged voting and producers’ manipulations.

    • Idol Girl May 17, 2023 at 10:08 pm -  Reply

      It dawned on me recently that the type of music that many of the contestants on these singing shows are interested in isn’t the type of music that is popular or topping the charts. Turn on your local top 40 station and you won’t hear anyone doing anything like jazz or blues or folk. The only ones who seem to have any chance at charting are country singers.

  4. Kk May 17, 2023 at 7:46 pm -  Reply

    Colin
    All the way

  5. Lynn May 17, 2023 at 7:47 pm -  Reply

    ima Tongi, #1 all the way!!!!

  6. Michelle s May 18, 2023 at 2:16 am -  Reply

    Iam all the way!!

  7. Diane Paecht May 18, 2023 at 6:31 am -  Reply

    Let’s go Iam Next American Idol!

  8. Peggy Depuy May 18, 2023 at 6:13 pm -  Reply

    Ism is good but he is not a variety singer he is a Don Ho singer! He is a story teller.
    Collin can sing anything! Megan is good but colon is the American Idol!!

  9. Dianne May 18, 2023 at 8:19 pm -  Reply

    Iam is no where close to Colin and Megan. He needs to go back to Hawaii. People are just feeling sorry for him, that’s no way to vote. Talent like Colin and Megan!!!!

  10. Jill May 18, 2023 at 9:23 pm -  Reply

    Iam can sing but has zero stage presence. He never moves.

  11. Lynn May 21, 2023 at 5:27 pm -  Reply

    Iam will win all the way.

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