Disney Night on American Idol brought two hours of Disney-themed performances from the Top 9 contestants.
American Idol brought back their popular Disney Night for Season 24. Viewers heard hits from Aladdin, Hannah Montana: The Movie, Cars, The Lion King, and more. Idol alum Jennifer Hudson returned to the show as a mentor and fourth judge.
One of the most anticipated performances of the night came from Hannah Harper, who emerged as an early frontrunner following her viral audition.
Harper, a mom of three from Missouri, chose to sing “Almost There” from The Princess and the Frog. During rehearsals, Hannah addressed the criticism she received for her lack of movement on stage. She admitted that it’s out of her comfort zone to dance around the stage, and said that she had choreography planned for her “Heads Carolina, Tails California” performance a few weeks prior, but froze when she went on stage.
“As soon as I got online, everyone’s like, ‘Her voice is okay, but she sucks at performing.’ I was like, ‘Yes, she does. They’re not wrong,’” Hannah told Jennifer Hudson.
Harper hoped that her performance this week would give her some redemption, despite feeling embarrassed by her onstage movements. Jennifer encouraged Hannah to imagine she was singing to her children, something Hannah often does at home.
Hannah took the advice and delivered an incredible cover of “Almost There” that earned her a standing ovation from the judges, her fellow competitors, and the audience.
Hannah’s upbeat song choice gave viewers a glimpse of a different side of her voice. The judges praised her performance, with Luke Bryan saying, “I loved it! I loved it! It made my heart smile. It made me smile watching you … grow into your character.” He called it one of his favorite performances he’s seen from Hannah.
Was Hannah’s performance enough to keep her in the competition? Throughout Monday’s episode (April 20), viewers cast their votes via text and social media comments. At the end of the show, two more hopefuls will be sent home, leaving the Top 7 to advance into next week’s episode.
See Hannah Harper sing “Almost There” in the video below.
