The American Idol season 24 finale is set to air on Monday, May 11, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
Grammy Award winner Alicia Keys will be the guest mentor and performer during the finale.
Alicia joins singers like Jennifer Hudson, Paula Abdul, Pat Benatar, and Neil Giraldo, who have served as guest mentors throughout the season.
The American Idol season 24 finale is almost here, and the show is pulling out all the stops.
Fans are gearing up for what the episode has in store when it airs on Monday, May 11, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. And what better way to kick things off than by having a major singer perform?
As the show revealed in a surprise Instagram announcement on April 22, Grammy Award winner Alicia Keys will serve as the guest mentor for the Top 3 during the American Idol season 24 finale. She’ll also take the stage as a performer.
“17-time Grammy Award winner @aliciakeys joins the #AmericanIdol Grand Finale as guest mentor and will perform with the Top 3 on May 11 LIVE on ABC and Disney+, next day on Hulu!” the caption read alongside a photo of Alicia.
Shortly after the news broke, Alicia voiced her thoughts in the comments.
“🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥,” she replied.
Fans couldn’t help but be totally hyped.
“Oh this is about to be good! 👀🤩🔥🎙️,” one person wrote. “AGHHHH!!! Can’t wait omg!” another agreed. “The most ICONIC announcement yet 🔥,” a different follower emphasized.
And let’s not forget—Alicia isn’t the only celebrity who’s graced our screens throughout season 24.
Stars like Pat Benatar, Neil Giraldo, Jennifer Hudson, and Nikki Glaser have also appeared this season, and OG American Idol judges Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul will be on the May 4 episode to share their wisdom with the Top 5.
This is seriously amazing, and we can’t wait to see Alicia.
