Although spending time with their families at Disneyland was magical for the remaining season 23 “American Idol” contestants, several members of the top seven — especially those who are parents to young kids — have admitted on social media how stressed and tired they are heading into the Disney themed shows, airing live coast-to-coast on May 11 and 12, 2025.
Shortly after the May 5 live show wrapped, the top seven contestants had to quickly finish packing so they could be transported that night to Disneyland, finalist Jamal Roberts shared in a brief post-show Facebook Live.
Since their trip to Anaheim — about an hour’s drive from the show’s Red Studios in Hollywood — he and others have expressed how stressful it’s been to learn and rehearse multiple songs while also juggling the gift of spending family time at Disneyland.
Breanna Nix Says She’s Operating on 3 Hours of Sleep Per Night While Preparing for ‘American Idol’ Live Shows
The top 7 worked with guest mentor Lin-Manuel Miranda while at Disneyland, each choosing multiple songs from Disney’s catalog. They’ll each perform one song on the Mother’s Day show, per ABC, and they must be prepared to sing two more the next night if they make it through to the top 5.
The contestants got to spend time with their families in between filming at Disneyland on May 6 and 7, but were back in Hollywood on May 8, “hitting it hard” in the studio, 25-year-old Breanna Nix shared during an Instagram Live that day.
“I feel a little bit stressed, just to be honest with you guys,” she admitted after her Disneyland trip with husband Austin and their four-year-old son, Emerson. “Even though Disneyland was so fun, it took a couple days off (from rehearsals) and we have four songs to sing Sunday and Monday and then we have the finale, which is like, right after that. It’s like seven songs that we have to learn.”
Even those who are eliminated will have be prepared to perform during the May 19 live finale. Many fan-favorite contestants are returning to Hollywood this week to rehearse for the show.
Nix revealed that one of the Disney songs she had chosen to sing was also selected by two other contestants, so they had to do a drawing to decide which person would get to perform it — and she lost.
“I had prepared that song, had it together, and now I have to sing a whole completely different song,” she said wide-eyed, “and the song I picked is actually very hard.”
But Nix laughed about the mix-up, saying that she’s just praying for the best. She also said her voice is “very tired” from a lack of sleep, noting that she’d had a total of six hours of sleep over the previous two nights.
Jamal Roberts & Thunderstorm Artis Are Balancing Being Dads & Competing on ‘American Idol’
Roberts also spent time this week juggling spending quality time with his two young daughters at Disneyland and preparing for the next shows, including learning new songs from a list that producers provide, he told WTOK on May 9.
He explained, “If you’re like me, a church kid, you’re looking at that list like, ‘Okay what is this?’ So I’m going through the list just listening to see which one will fit me, which one I can make my own. Most of the songs I’ve sung so far, I didn’t know. I had to really just learn it, and that is stressful.”
But the stress is far outweighed by the joy he’s seen on his kids’ faces, he told fans on Instagram. Sharing a photo of his daughters on the teacup ride, he wrote, “These girls are having the time of their life 😍😍. Thank you, World, and thank you, American Idol, for making my girls’ dream come true. I can’t even explain how making them smile makes me feel inside.”
Thunderstorm Artis, whose wife Faith and their two young boys have frequently been in the “Idol” audience, told the Deseret News on May 10 that while balancing family life with the show, he’s trying to stay grateful despite the stress of it all.
“I’m blessed that I’m still here in the top seven, to be able to do this week after week, even though it’s a lot of work,” he told the paper. “I have to remind myself that I get to do this. This is a blessing. I could be doing a million different things, but I get to stand on stage and do something I’m really passionate about in front of millions of people in the world that are invested in my journey.”
The next rounds of “American Idol” air live coast-to-coast on May 11 and 12, starting at 8 p.m. Eastern time both nights.
Comments
‘American Idol’ Finalists ‘Stressed’ Heading Into Disney Nights With Little Sleep & Huge Pressure