It’s been less than a year since Abi Carter, Will Moseley, Jack Blocker, Emmy Russell, and Triston Harper heard “American Idol” host Ryan Seacrest call out their names as the show’s top five contestants in May 2024.
After rising to the top of the heap among tens of thousands of hopefuls who auditioned for season 22, the top five singers each got to record and release singles. They also flew to Orlando to spend time with family members at Disney World and work with mentor Ciara on their performances for Disney Week.
The five finalists’ lives have changed drastically since they were thrust into the spotlight. As a new season of the show kicks off on March 9, 2025, here’s on update on where last year’s Top 5 are today.
Emmy Russell is a New Wife & Mom, With Big Shows Coming Up
GettySinger-songwriter Emmy Russell’s life looks totally different after “Idol” than it did when she first auditioned for the judges with her vulnerable song “Skinny,” about her struggles with disordered eating.
Shortly after heading home to Nashville after “Idol” ended, Russell — who is the granddaughter of country icon Loretta Lynn — learned she was expecting her first child with her beau, Song House founder Tyler Ward. On January 31, the couple welcomed daughter Taylor Ray. A month later, on February 28, Russell confirmed to People that she and Ward secretly got married in 2024.
Despite the whirlwind of starting a family, the 26-year-old’s music career hasn’t slowed down. Russell and Ward released a duet inspired by their daughter, “London Bridges.” She is also due to open for country star Megan Maroney’s Knoxville concerts in April.
Country Singer Triston Harper Has Started a Family, Too
ABCRussell isn’t the only one adjusting to starting a family. Country singer Triston Harper, who’s now 16, surprised fans in November by announcing on Facebook that he and his high school sweetheart, Paris Reed, were married. Two days later, his mom revealed that the couple was expecting a child.
Since “Idol,” Harper — who hails from McIntosh, Alabama — has performed concerts in multiple states but his family has struggled at times to make ends meet. In October, he asked fans via social media for financial help, writing that the home he lived in with his mom had “no sheet rock or installation or wiring, no flooring no furniture we have one mattress and a blowup mattress.”
Harper’s story touched many viewers during his “Idol” journey as he shared some of the hardships he’d experienced in his short life, from homelessness to domestic abuse. One viewer even set up a GoFundMe campaign for Harper and his family, which remains open for donations. Meanwhile, Reed has shared an Amazon baby registry, hoping to collect items ahead of the baby’s July due date.
Jack Blocker Moved to Nashville, Where He’s Working on New Album
ABCJack Blocker had a rocky audition, after which the crew of “American Idol” convinced the judges to reconsider after Lionel Richie and Katy Perry turned the Texas singer-songwriter away. Perry was particularly concerned about Blocker’s facial expressions as he sang, but many fans found his authenticity and passion endearing — enough so that he made it all the way to the Top 3.
During his hometown visit on the show, back to the Dallas area, Blocker got to play during halftime at a Dallas Mavericks game, but it was a whirlwind visit. He was invited back in November to debut a new song and told the team, “(On ‘Idol’) it was like 100 miles an hour all the time, so this has been slower and honestly cooler to take it all in.”
Blocker, now 26, and his wife Georgia have since moved to Nashville, per Creative Loafing, where he’s been working on an album set for a 2025 release. He is currently on tour, too, opening for country artists Drake Milligan and Justin Wells.
‘Idol’ Runner-Up Will Moseley is Touring With Big-Name Country Acts
ABCSeason 22 runner-up Will Moseley, 25, hit the ground running after the “Idol” finale and hasn’t slowed down. The Hazelhurst, Georgia, native signed with the show’s record label partner 19 Recordings and has released several new country tunes, including “Everything But Me” in early December and a cover of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You.”
Moseley, who’s still with his longtime girlfriend Ryleigh Colter, has been on the road a lot since the “Idol” finale, opening for Zac Brown Band — including performing his first arena concert with the band on New Year’s Eve in Atlanta — and co-headlining a tour with season 21 finalist Colin Stough.
In March and April, Moseley is on tour again, opening for big country names like Clint Black and the Marshall Tucker Band. He’s also set to release his next single — “Mechanic” — on March 28.
2024 ‘Idol’ Winner Abi Carter is Touring to Promote Her 1st Album
ABCMoseley and season 22 winner Abi Carter bonded over their wild ride to the top and have stayed in touch, recently catching up over lunch, she told EntertainmentNOW on March 6 for our full update on her life today. Like him, the 22-year-old powerhouse singer has been busy working on music, but opted to work as an independent artist rather than signing with a label right out of the gate.
In the 10 months since her big win, Carter has moved into her own apartment in Los Angeles, begun honing her craft as a songwriter, built a support team to help her pursue her music goals, and released her first album, “ghosts in the backyard,” full of vulnerable and poignant songs, including the emotionally raw “some people need drugs.”
Carter is currently relishing being on her first U.S. tour, telling EntertainmentNOW, “Honestly, it’s been a lifelong goal of mine to be able to sing one of my own songs that I’ve written into a crowd and have them sing the lyrics back to me. It’s happening, and so I’m just walking on cloud nine at this point.”
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Who Were the 2024 ‘American Idol’ Finalists? Big Updates on the Top 5