Eliminated American Idol 2024 Top 10 Singers KAYKO and Mia Matthews reveal their Judges Song Contest picks
Earlier this week, American Idol eliminated fan favorite contestants Kayko and Mia Matthews from the Top 10 on Sunday. The contestants sang songs from the year they were born, as country icon Shania Twain mentored. Because the show aired back to back episodes on Sunday (April 29) and Monday (April 30) the Top 10 all rehearsed songs for Monday’s Judges Song Contest episode that the two eliminated contestants from the night before would not get the opportunity to sing.
And as it turned out KAYKO and Mia received the lowest numbers of votes of the Top 10, and did not move on to the Top 8 Judges Song Contest. Both singers, however, revealed to their fans on social media what songs they planned to perform if they had made the cut. For the Judges Song Contest, each of the judges–Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan–chose a song for each of the Top 10. The contestants picked one song out of three choices to sing. The judge with the most picks won the contest. Katy chose four and emerged victorious.
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Katy Perry chose “You Will Be Found” from Dear Evan Hansen for KAYKO (TIME TO BE MAD ALL OVER AGAIN!)
Kayko posted an intimate performance of the song Katy Perry picked for him to sing. “You Will Be Found” from the Broadway musical, Dear Evan Hansen. He filmed an intimate rendition of the song for social media, and it’s beautiful! If he had the opportunity to sing it, hopefully the band wouldn’t have drowned him out. His phrasing is so poignant and emotional in this acoustic version of the song.
It’s the kind of show stopping performance that could have propelled him into the Top 7. Or maybe Katy would have saved HIM if need be. Host Ryan Seacrest mentioned several times during the Top 10 episode that the vote was very close VERY close. By the Top 10, the talent pool was so intense, that any elimination would have hurt.
One outraged fan wrote in comments, “AMERICA DESERVED TO SEE THIS ON THE BIG SCREEN WITH THE LIGHTS AND FOG AND KATY PERRY TEARS!!!!!” Ah. What could have been!
Kayko mentioned in comments that the other song choices were “Comethru” by Jeremy Zucker and “The Way I Am” by Charlie Puth.
KAYKO is the talented instrumentalist and songwriter who accompanied his friend to her audition. After the requested he audition as well, they handed both singers tickets to Hollywood. While the friend was eliminated in Hollywood, Kayko made it to the live shows. Voters eliminated Kayko after he sang “Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus for his birth year song.
Mia Matthews sang Wynona Judd’s “No One Else on Earth” as her Judges Song Contest pick.
Mia posted a clip of her rehearsal for Top 8 night. She revealed that she picked “No One Else on Earth” by Wynona Judd, but didn’t say which judge chose it for her. In a comment, Mia explained how and why rehearsals are filmed, “This was filmed on a monitor behind the band…” Mia wrote, “The actual purpose of the video was for me to see when and where the cameras cut to me, so during my actual performance, I could look at them to play with the audience at home.”
She discussed the “fake” judges. They are stand-ins who resemble the real thing somewhat. “Lionel” even stands during the performance! “The fake judges are there so the producers can practice and time when they cut the cameras to them,” Mia explained.
A fan in comments offered what she called “constructive” criticism for Mia, for the “next time when you go for American Idol.” Sister Jacy piped in, “I promise u there is no “next time” LMFAO.” OK then!
Jacy also commented, “Bet you would have remembered the lyrics!” Mia left the competition after performing “No One Needs to Know” by Shania Twain at the top of the show, while also forgetting a few of the lyrics. Mia had been delivering terrific performances before. Tight competition and a bad break did her in.
Mia auditioned in front of the American Idol judges with her younger sister Jacy. The country singer nabbed a golden ticket, but the younger Jacy did not. (Mia, Jacy and their mom competed on The Voice a few seasons back as trio Worth the Wait.).
