Sunday night the eliminations continue on American Idol as judges Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan continue weeding out the hopefuls for the 2025 edition of the singing competition as they narrow down the number of contestants to the Top 24.
Last week saw half of the 144 artists who received a Golden Ticket to Hollywood eliminated, so there’s a ways to go, and Sunday night’s performances could make or break the journey to continue on to Monday night’s intense head-to-head battles.
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In a first-look video that Idol released, 25-year-old MKY from East Los Angeles returned to the stage. MKY won over the judges initially with his audition of “Ooo Baby Baby” by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles.
For his “Showstopper” performance, the third-generation singer – his Uncle Ray was a member of Tierra — returns to his roots for an all-Spanish performance of Luis Miguel’s “Sabor a Mí”
“So much talent from East LA has been overlooked,” MKY says. “I’m always reminded of my Uncle Ray’s story, my grandfather’s story. I feel like this is the time for me. My family means everything to me. They’ve all sacrificed a lot to support me in my dreams. To me, this is an opportunity to give back to them.”
Related: Watch This Third Generation Chicano Singer From East L.A. Romance His Way into the Hearts of Carrie, Luke and Lionel on American Idol
For his performance at the Orpheum Theatre, MKY had a large number of family members in attendance.
Disney/Eric McCandless
“I’m doing it for all of us and I’m going to give it all I’ve got,” he says. “It means a lot to me to be able to sing in Spanish on American Idol. I waited my whole life for this opportunity. I am hoping I can pull it off and show a different side of me.”
This week, American Idol airs on Sunday and Monday at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC. Streams next day on Hulu. Tune in Sunday night to find out if MKY makes it to the next level.
Next, Watch the 17-Year-Old Final American Idol 2025 Platinum Ticket Winner That Has Lionel Richie Out of His Chair
