Who Was Eliminated Last Night on ‘American Idol’?

As the competition field narrows on season 23 of “American Idol,” two more talented contestants were sent home on April 27, 2025. For the first time this season, viewers had less than two hours to cast their votes during the live show, during which contestants sang tunes originally performed by Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame inductees.

In the last moments of the episode, host Ryan Seacrest announced that 19 million votes had been cast in that short timeframe and revealed that the two singers with the least amount of votes were Amanda Barise and Desmond Roberts.

Amanda Barise Says Her ‘American Idol’ Journey Has Been ‘Life Changing’

For her April 27 performance, Barise sang a jazz-infused version of Michael Jackson’s “Can’t Help It,” which was a hit with the judging panel but not with viewers. Celebrity mentor James Taylor marveled at her scatting and judge Carrie Underwood called Barise’s rendition “incredible.”

Judge Luke Bryan told her, “Pro moves, pro singing, you went to a new level and crushed it.”

Barise was one of the very first contestants viewers got to know in season 23, as her audition was featured on the March 3 preview episode that aired right after the 2025 Oscars. The 27-year-old jazz, blues, and R&B singer has blown the judges away with each round of competition, but they had to save her from elimination on the April 21 live show when she didn’t receive enough viewer votes to advance to the top 14.

Barise has repeatedly expressed her gratitude for the experience on social media. On April 28, she posted a final thank you note on Instagram, writing in part, “This experience has been nothing short of life-changing. Walking onto that stage week after week, sharing my voice with all of you, and pushing myself further than I ever thought possible — it has transformed me forever. I’m walking away not just a stronger artist, but a stronger human being.”

Barise lives in Manhattan but hails from nearby New Jersey, according to her sE Electronics profile. She started singing at the age of five, per Arts Global, and developed a love for covering Jazz, Blues and R&B/Motown classics. Barise has grown an impressive social media following as she posts various performances of her cover tunes. Her performance of Radiohead’s “Creep” at a Brooklyn house show in June 2024 has been viewed 3.6 million times on TikTok.

Desmond Roberts’ ‘American Idol’ Journey Ends With Commodores Song

Roberts took the risk of performing a Commodores song, “Jesus is Love,” on the April 27 episode, admitting it was “intimidating” to do in front of judge and former Commodores lead singer Lionel Richie.

“I don’t mind you singing the song,” Richie teased Desmond after his performance, “but you found some octaves I didn’t sing! It’s obvious that you’re not only comfortable, but you tried to take my song. That is a very hard song to sing, but you did it – that was really risky.”

Bryan was a bit more critical, telling Desmond, “You have a really dynamic voice. Still, remember to edit – you don’t have to maybe go to all those falsettos. Make sure you don’t go out of your comfort zone all the way.”

Desmond, who grew up in Orange County, California, is a music teacher at the School of Rock in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles. He earned a degree in songwriting from the prestigious Berklee College of Music in 2021 and describes himself in his Instagram profile as a “Professional Sad Boi and Sara Bareilles Fan.”

“American Idol” airs again on April 28 at 8 p.m. Eastern time, when another two contestants will be sent home based on viewers’ votes.