TV

'American Idol' judges to perform during virtual finale

By Annie Martin   |   May 11, 2020 at 12:09 PM
"American Idol" judge Katy Perry will perform during the show's Season 18 finale Sunday. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI "American Idol" judge Luke Bryan will perform during the show's Season 18 finale Sunday. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI "American Idol" judge Lionel Richie will perform during the show's Season 18 finale Sunday. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI

May 11 (UPI) -- American Idol judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie will perform during the show's first-ever virtual finale.

ABC announced in a press release Monday that Perry, Bryan and Richie will take the stage Sunday, May 17 during the Season 18 finale.

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Perry will perform her new single "Daisies" for the first time on TV. The singer and television personality will release the song Friday.

Bryan will perform his new single "One Margarita," released in April. The song appears on his forthcoming seventh studio album, Born Here Live Here Die Here, slated for release Aug. 7.

Richie will perform his song "We are the World," originally released for charity in 1985. Perry, Bryan and other members of the American Idol family, including Jordin Sparks, Katharine McPhee, Lauren Alaina, Phillip Phillips and Ruben Studdard, will join Richie for the performance.

The finale will also feature Rascal Flatts and Doug Kiker, performing "Bless the Broken Road," Cynthia Erivo and the top 11, performing a medley of Aretha Franklin songs, and Lauren Daigle and the top 5, performing "You Say."

The Season 18 top 7 finalists are: Arthur Gunn, Dillon James, Francisco Martin, Jonny West, Julia Gargana, Just Sam and Louis Knight. The top seven will be narrowed down to the top 5 before the winner is crowned.

American Idol aired its first at-home episode in April amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.