By Adam Graham
“American Idol” is down to two.
As expected, Jena Irene and Caleb Johnson will compete for the “Idol” crown on next week’s two-night finale. And Alex Preston will have to watch from the sidelines, as the New Hampshire singer/songwriter was voted out of the competition during Thursday night’s results show.
Here’s how Thursday’s results went down.
Hometown Visits
The three contestants’ hometown visits were only hinted at during Wednesday’s performance show, but were shown in much greater detail on Thursday. Jena’s visit to Farmington Hills, Michigan, was the most emotional of the three, with the singer breaking into tears after seeing the support from her hometown. “The fact that I made an impact on the community makes me feel so good,” she told the “Idol” cameras. “And I want to win for them now.”
All three participated in hometown parades and concerts. Preston’s was the most low-key of the hometown visits, as he was shown enjoying time with the members of Undertow, his high school band. Caleb’s visit was punctuated by bouts of roughhousing with his little brother, Houston, who despite being younger than Caleb manages to dwarf him in size.
Finale Teases
Viewers were given brief glimpses of the contestants’ potential winning “Idol” singles. Jena Irene’s has an electronic flare and is called “We Are One” and Johnson’s is a straight-up rocker titled “As Long As You Love Me.” Preston’s “I Love This Feeling,” on the other hand, might only be heard by him and the members of Undertow.
Preston did get good news on the show, however: He’ll perform with his BFF Jason Mraz on the finale, while Jena will do a song with Paramore and Caleb will rock out with the members of Kiss. As was revealed Wednesday, John Legend, Jennifer Nettles, Phillip Phillips and Darius Rucker will also perform duets with contestants on next week’s finale.
Alex Goes Home
After a performance by Scotty McCreery, who did his summertime single “Feelin’ It,” the show ended with the not-at-all surprising ouster of Alex Preston. The Jena/Caleb finale has been in the cards for some time, and producers tried pulling shenanigans a few weeks ago to try to make the march toward the finale at least a little more interesting. If you recall, it didn’t work.
Preston closed out his time as a contestant on “Idol” with a performance of his own “Fairytales.” As he finished off the song, he was greeted onstage by members of his family and his fellow finalists, who were celebrating their own trips to “Idol’s” final showdown.
The “American Idol” season 13 finale airs 8 to 9 p.m. Tuesday and 8 to 10 p.m. Wednesday.
What did you think of Thursday’s “Idol” results episode? Who will win the final between Jena and Caleb? Let us know in the comments!
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