‘American Idol’ sends 2 home after vote delay and turns back time for ’90s Night

LOS ANGELES (KABC) — After a shocking end to last week’s episode, when no one was eliminated, “American Idol” took a sharper turn Monday night, sending two contestants home as the competition moved into ’90s Week.

In a first for the long-running franchise, an overwhelming number of viewer votes took an extra week to count, forcing the show to begin with a delayed goodbye to Julian Kalel and Jake Thistle.

With 12 contestants remaining, the night opened on a nostalgic note, set to the familiar sounds of ’90s television theme songs that ushered in an era before many of the singers were even born.

The episode doubled as judges’ choice night, adding another twist. Each contestant was given three song options, one selected by each judge, and tasked with choosing the performance they believed gave them the best chance to survive.

Many of the song choices were deep cuts from the 1990s, a challenge for contestants largely born at the tail end of the decade or later.

Lucas Leon performed “It’s Your Love,” a pick from judge Lionel Richie. During the broadcast, host Ryan Seacrest joked about Leon’s age, noting that he was born in 2007.

Daniel Stallworth took on “It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over,” selected by Luke Bryan. Judges praised his ability to deliver a strong performance despite not being familiar with the song beforehand.

After being eliminated, Jesse Findling is heading toward a new beginning.

“Now I can look ahead, and I just want to start saying yes to more things,” he said.

Saved by a diva ballad, Rae Boyd said she’s really happy to still be in Los Angeles another week

“I’m going to own that stage next week, you already know it,” she said.

For the 11 contestants who live to perform another week, they’re ready to go big and rock hard for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Week.

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