How to Vote for Thunderstorm Artis: ‘American Idol’ Top 3

With less than two hours to vote and determine which “American Idol” contestants will make it into the top 3, fans of Thunderstorm Artis will have to act fast on May 12, 2025. Voting opens coast-to-coast at 8 p.m. Eastern time and closes during the last commercial break, around 9:50 p.m. Eastern time.

If Artis makes it through, the 29-year-old dad of two boys will get to head home — either to Hawaii or his current home base, Nashville — for celebrations, a live concert and a little time with his family and friends before competing in next week’s finale. Here’s how viewers can vote for Artis…

Three Ways to Vote for Thunderstorm Artis on May 12, 2025

Viewers have three ways to vote on May 12, 2025. You can cast up to 10 votes for Artis on each platform — totaling up to 30 votes.

The first way to vote is through ABC’s website. The second way is via the “American Idol” app, either via Apple for iPhones or via Google for Androids. Both the site and app require you to sign in to vote; you can create a free account that works for both platforms or use an existing MyDisney account. On the site and the app, find where Artis is listed among the contestants and choose how many votes you want to cast for him (up to 10 votes in each place).

On the website and app, you do not have to wait until Artis performs to cast your votes. But if you change your mind as the show goes on, you can change the number of votes and who you vote for, as long as you click to “save” your changes before voting ends.

The third way to vote for Artis is by texting his unique contestant number — 23 — to 21523 on your cell phone. As with the other voting options, you can cast up to 10 votes for Artis there, too.

Thunderstorm Artis Said He’s Received ‘Nasty Messages’ After Top 5 Vote

After Artis made it into the top 5 on May 11, he shared two Instagram posts thanking fans for voting and celebrating making it through.

“Top 5 I can’t believe it,” he wrote in one post hours before the May 12 show. “I am filled with just so much gratitude y’all! Thanks for believing in me. Let’s shoot for Top 3 tonight I believe we can do it”

But in another post after that, he shared that he had received lots of “nasty messages” after advancing, from fans of the two contestants who didn’t make it through — Gabby Samone and Mattie Pruitt — telling fans that “sometimes, even on your best night, the enemy will come at you.”

“Last night was such a highlight moment for me,” Artis continued, “but it’s been crazy because I’ve received a lot of, you know, crazy and nasty messages and whatnot.”

But, Artis said, it reminded him of when he decided to do “American Idol,” he felt guided by God to do so, noting that “he wanted me to be confident in the identity that he has placed inside of me.”

The May 12 show will be the second Disney-themed night in a row, so each contestant will sing two selections from the Disney catalog. They each worked with guest mentor Lin-Manuel Miranda on their selections, and he’s expected to be in-studio to cheer them on and provide feedback.