American Idol season 16 (2018)
Aired on ABC from March 11, 2018 to May 21, 2018. 10 finalists and 14 semifinalists, with their show results and what they did after the show.
The 10 finalists (Top 10).
Finalists
| Finalist | Show result | After the show |
|---|---|---|
| WinnerLast competed May 21, 2018 | Maddie Poppe released the independent album Songs from the Basement on June 20, 2016, and Whirlwind with Hollywood Records and 19 Recordings on May 17, 2019. In 2025 she released a cover of Rainbow Connection. | |
| Runner-upLast competed May 21, 2018 | Caleb Lee Hutchinson released a self-titled EP on June 28, 2019, the album Southern Galactic in 2023, and the non-album single One Trick Pony in 2025. | |
| Third placeLast competed May 21, 2018 | Gabby Barrett records for Warner Records Nashville, the name Warner Music Nashville took in November 2025. On June 26, 2026 she released the single "In On It", her first new music of 2026, after the 2025 singles "The Easy Part" and "Ain't Supposed to Be". Her plans for summer 2026 included a headline run and dates on Parker McCollum's tour from July 24. Her latest albums are Chapter & Verse and Carols and Candlelight, both released in 2024. | |
| Eliminated (4th–5th)Last competed May 13, 2018 | By May 25, 2019, Gabby Barrett and Cade Foehner had shared a YouTube cover of Fleetwood Mac's Sara, with Barrett singing the first lead lines. As of that day, his Southern Hallelujah Tour was scheduled to start on May 30, 2019, in Baton Rouge, and an EP was planned for the fall. By April 28, 2022 he was Gabby Barrett's guitarist. He wrote the unreleased song I Love You and sang it during her set at SeaWorld Orlando's Seven Seas Food Festival. | |
| Eliminated (4th–5th)Last competed May 13, 2018 | Michael J. Woodard voiced Arlo in Arlo the Alligator Boy in 2021, signed with Unsub Records in May 2021, and released the EP MJW1 on January 12, 2024. | |
| Eliminated (6th–7th)Last competed May 6, 2018 | Catie Turner released the independent EP The Sad Vegan on June 14, 2019, signed with Atlantic Records on April 29, 2020, and released Grow out of You on October 10, 2025. Audiotree Live followed on March 12, 2026. | |
| Eliminated (6th–7th)Last competed May 6, 2018 | Jurnee, also known as Jurnee Siani, joined the American Idol Live tour after season 16. As of April 2022, she had kept new music private. | |
| Eliminated (8th–10th)Last competed April 29, 2018 | Ada Vox, the stage name of Adam Sanders, finished as runner-up on Queen of the Universe season 1. The season premiered on Paramount+ on December 2, 2021, and the finale was December 30, 2021. By February 14, 2022, three original songs were available to stream: Burn, Because of You, and Tea Time. A March 3, 2022 performance at the Catalina Jazz Club in Los Angeles was scheduled. In 2018 she was the first drag performer in the American Idol top 10. | |
| Eliminated (8th–10th)Last competed April 29, 2018 | Dennis Lorenzo performs as Renzo. He released the single Doin the Most in 2021 and, as RENZØ, a song called Black King. On The Voice season 27 he joined John Legend and finished third on May 20, 2025. | |
| Eliminated (8th–10th)Last competed April 29, 2018 | Sussett released the single Déjalo Ir in 2022, Ten Cuidao in 2023, and Que Significa in 2024, with Sonder House named on each single. |
- Winner
- Runner-up
- Other finalists
Semifinalists
Semifinal round: the Top 24, chosen after the Showcase round and split into two groups of twelve.
| Semifinalist | Show result | After the show |
|---|---|---|
| Eliminated in the Top 14Last competed April 23, 2018 | No career summary yet. | |
| Eliminated in the Top 14Last competed April 23, 2018 | No career summary yet. | |
| Eliminated in the Top 14Last competed April 23, 2018 | No career summary yet. | |
| Eliminated in the Top 14Last competed April 23, 2018 | No career summary yet. | |
| Eliminated in the Top 24 (Group 2)Last competed April 16, 2018 | After her season 16 run ended at the top 24, Alyssa Raghu took several classes and auditioned again. On the April 1, 2024 episode she was sent home from season 22, short of the top 24, after a sing-off with Kaibrienne Richins. It was her third time on the show, after a top 24 result in 2018 and a top 8 result in 2019. | |
| Eliminated in the Top 24 (Group 2)Last competed April 16, 2018 | No career summary yet. | |
| Eliminated in the Top 24 (Group 2)Last competed April 16, 2018 | No career summary yet. | |
| Eliminated in the Top 24 (Group 2)Last competed April 16, 2018 | No career summary yet. | |
| Eliminated in the Top 24 (Group 2)Last competed April 16, 2018 | No career summary yet. | |
| Eliminated in the Top 24 (Group 1)Last competed April 9, 2018 | No career summary yet. | |
| Eliminated in the Top 24 (Group 1)Last competed April 9, 2018 | No career summary yet. | |
| Eliminated in the Top 24 (Group 1)Last competed April 9, 2018 | No career summary yet. | |
| Eliminated in the Top 24 (Group 1)Last competed April 9, 2018 | No career summary yet. | |
| Eliminated in the Top 24 (Group 1)Last competed April 9, 2018 | No career summary yet. |
Sources
- List of American Idol finalists — Wikipedia, June 10, 2026.
- American Idol season 16 — Wikipedia, July 21, 2026.
- Maddie Poppe — Wikipedia, August 24, 2026.
- Caleb Lee Hutchinson — Wikipedia, August 24, 2026.
- Gabby Barrett's new single "In On It" turns life's biggest questions into an anthem of hope — Music Matters Magazine, June 27, 2026.
- Cris Lacy Named Chair & President of Newly Rebranded Warner Records Nashville — PR Newswire (Warner Records Group), November 11, 2025.
- Gabby Barrett — Wikipedia, July 24, 2026.
- Watch Gabby Barrett, Cade Foehner Cover Fleetwood Mac Classic — Taste of Country, May 25, 2019.
- Cade Foehner Honors Wife Gabby Barrett With Beautiful Song, I Love You — Wide Open Country, April 28, 2022.
- Michael J. Woodard — Wikipedia, November 28, 2025.
- Catie Turner — Wikipedia, July 5, 2026.
- MusicBrainz release groups for Catie Turner — MusicBrainz.
- American Idol Live! 2018 Tour Kicks Off July 11 – Interview with Jurnee — Music Existence, July 6, 2018.
- What Ever Happened to American Idol Standout Jurnee? — Talent Recap, April 7, 2022.
- Ada Vox — Wikipedia, September 11, 2025.
- Queen of the Universe season 1 (Wikipedia revision 1352320698) — Wikipedia, May 3, 2026.
- Ada Vox is our Queen of the Universe — Socialite Life, February 14, 2022.
- The Queen with the Golden Voice — OutClique, March 29, 2022.
- The Voice (American TV series) season 27 — Wikipedia, September 24, 2026.
- American Idol's Dennis Lorenzo Bounces Back After Controversial Elimination — Talent Recap, March 30, 2022.
- Former Homeless American Idol Contestant Gets A New Outlook On Life After Becoming A Dad — Talent Recap, January 1, 2021.
- Apple album lookup for artist 1352848303 — Apple.
- Michelle Sussett Presenta Ten Cuidao — El Fiesta.
- American Idol season 17 — Wikipedia, October 3, 2026.
- “American Idol” Contestant Alyssa Raghu Doesn't Make Top 24 in Second Chance on the Show: 'Incredible Journey' — Yahoo News Australia (People), April 2, 2024.
- 'I sang for my life': Utah singer wins sing-off to advance to 'American Idol' top 24 — Deseret News, April 2, 2024.