It’s crunch time on American Idol. The long-running reality show is about to crown its latest winner, following weeks of auditions, sing-offs and eliminations.

Now in its 24th season, Idol returned to screens in January with a fresh batch of singers hoping to follow in the footsteps of past winners Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Jordin Sparks.

Just three vocalists remain in this year’s contest following a tense semifinal, which saw original judges Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson return. Two more contestants — Chris Tungseth and Braden Rumfelt — were voted out.

Ahead of the grand finale, here’s all you need to know about the finalists.

When is the ‘American Idol’ final on TV?

The three-hour American Idol final will air on ABC and Disney+ at 8 p.m. ET on May 11, and will be available to stream on Hulu on May 12.

Fans can vote for their winner through the American Idol website, app or social media. A record-breaking 26 million votes were cast in last year’s final, which was won by physical education teacher Jamal Roberts.

Who will perform during the show?

The show’s judges — Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan — will take the stage together and sing Richie’s 1986 hit “Deep River Woman”, according to People.

Bryan will perform solo to promote his new single, “Fish Hunt Golf Drink.” He will also perform a cover of Dwight Yoakam’s “A Thousand Miles from Nowhere” alongside former contestant Julián Kalel.

Underwood — who won Season 4 in 2005 — is set to team up with heavy metal veterans Mötley Crüe for a song.

Other performers will include Season 2 runner-up Clay Aiken, country star Brad Paisley, singer-songwriter Jason Mraz and rapper Nelly.

The star-studded lineup will be rounded out by Tori Kelly, En Vogue, Blues Traveler, Cameron Whitcomb, Lee Ann Womack, Shinedown and Gin Blossoms.

Who are the ‘American Idol’ finalists?

Keyla Richardson

Richardson is a 29-year-old music teacher from Pensacola, Fla.

The gospel singer has been a standout contestant on Season 24 since her audition, when she brought Bryan to tears with her cover of Pink’s “Glitter in the Air.” Richie hailed her rendition of the Beatles’ “With a Little Help From My Friends” during Idol‘s Top 20 show as “the greatest performance I have ever seen on this stage.”

She is no stranger to reality TV, having appeared on BET’s reality competition Sunday Best in 2019. She subsequently topped Billboard’s Gospel Airplay chart with her single “So Good” and made her acting debut in the 2022 film Due Season.

Jordan McCullough

McCullough is a worship leader from Murfreesboro, Tenn.

He first won over the Idol judges during his audition with a soulful rendition of “Goodness of God” by Bethel Music and Jenn Johnson. His musical identity remains grounded in his beliefs. He told Parade that his Christian faith is “always going to be the foundation” of his career, adding that he’s open to exploring multiple styles of music and releasing songs that “inspire.”

McCullough previously auditioned for Season 17 of The Voice in 2019, but none of the coaches turned their chairs — a setback that makes his deep run on Idol all the more notable.

Hannah Harper

Harper is a stay-at-home mother of three from Willow Springs, Mo.

Before Idol, Harper balanced music with family life, working as a worship leader for seven years while raising her children. She initially pursued a career in physical therapy but chose to stay home, never expecting to go beyond performing with her family band.

Her path shifted after she began posting videos on TikTok, where fans encouraged her to focus on singing. She auditioned for Idol with “String Cheese,” an original bluegrass gospel song about postpartum depression, which Underwood called “the most relatable song I think I’ve heard.”