Alicia Keys to Join American Idol as a Guest Mentor and Perform in the Season Finale
Alicia Keys Joins American Idol as Guest Mentor for Season Finale
Seventeen-time Grammy winner Alicia Keys is set to appear as a guest mentor on the season finale of American Idol, where she will also deliver two performances. This highly anticipated episode of the ABC music competition series will air live on Monday, May 11, at 8 PM EDT on ABC and Disney+, with availability on Hulu the following day.
As the Top 3 finalists prepare for their final performances in hopes of securing America’s vote, Keys will guide them on stage. Her appearance coincides with the celebration of the 20th anniversary of her debut album, Songs in A Minor, during which she will also perform alongside the finalists.
Keys will be joined by host Ryan Seacrest and judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Carrie Underwood for the three-hour finale.
Since the release of Songs in A Minor, Keys has achieved remarkable success, selling over 65 million records and accumulating more than 5 billion streams. She is also the creative force behind the original stage musical Hell’s Kitchen, which opened on Broadway at the Shubert Theater on April 20, 2024. The production has garnered critical acclaim, receiving 13 Tony Award nominations, including two wins, and the 2025 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.
Furthermore, Keys has taken on the role of executive producer for the documentary Black Is Beautiful: The Kwame Brathwaite Story, which chronicles the life of photographer and activist Kwame Brathwaite. This documentary highlights his pivotal role in initiating the transformative "Black Is Beautiful" movement, significantly influencing visual culture and Black identity.
American Idol is produced by Fremantle and 19 Entertainment, a division of Sony Pictures Television. Megan Wolflick serves as executive producer and showrunner, while Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman are executive producers for 19 Entertainment. Fremantle is responsible for the worldwide distribution of the series.
