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Hannah Harper Crowned American Idol Champion!
12 May
Summary
- Hannah Harper won American Idol's 24th season finale on May 11, 2026.
- Keyla Richardson was surprisingly eliminated before the final two.
- Harper's powerful audition song String Cheese detailed her postpartum depression.
The 24th season of American Idol concluded on May 11, 2026, with Hannah Harper emerging as the champion.
The finale featured the remaining contestants performing songs by Alicia Keys. Predictions had heavily favored Hannah Harper, assigning her an 82% chance of winning, while Jordan McCullough had 14% and Keyla Richardson only 6%.
In a surprising turn of events during the finale, Keyla Richardson was eliminated, narrowing the competition to Hannah Harper and Jordan McCullough. Ultimately, Hannah Harper was declared the winner.
Hannah Harper, 25, comes from a musical family and has been married since 2018 with three children. Her impactful audition performance of her original song 'String Cheese' highlighted her battle with postpartum depression.
Runner-up Jordan McCullough collaborated with season 9 contestant Tori Kelly. Harper's winning performances included Alicia Keys' 'No One,' while McCullough performed 'If I Ain't Got You.' All three finalists also performed 'Lovin' U' as a group.
