By the end of the night, there will be a new American Idol.

After an emotional Mother’s Day tribute and two nights of Disney magic last Sunday and Monday, just three contestants remain in the competition, and one of them will be crowned the winner during tonight’s finale.

The star-studded three-hour episode will see the Top 3 perform with music legends and top stars, per an ABC release.

Though the 23rd season ends tonight, fear not; it’s already been announced that American Idol will return for its 24th season next year and auditions for the new season are already open.

Is American Idol On Tonight?

Yes! A new episode of American Idol airs tonight, May 18, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT only on ABC. The episode will air live coast-to-coast.

How to Watch American Idol for Free:

The only way to watch American Idol live without cable is by using a live TV streaming service, particularly one with a free trial. We recommend DIRECTV, which includes ABC in its base plan and comes with a five-day free trial.

fuboTV is another great free option that’s also offering great savings on the first month — $20 off, to be exact, after a seven-day free trial.

Is American Idol on Hulu?

American Idol does not stream live on Hulu, but subscribers will be able to watch tonight’s episode on Hulu beginning tomorrow morning.

It’s the most cost-effective way to tune in to American Idol if you’re fine not watching it live.

American Idol Top 3:

These three contestants survived both halves of Disney Night to make it to American Idol‘s Season 23 grand finale.

• John Foster
• Breanna Nix
• Jamal Roberts

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This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Writer/Reporter for Decider. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, how to watch your favorite sports teams and movies on each streaming service and the very best in tech, like soundbars, to enhance your viewing experience. Not only does Angela test and compare the services, devices and merch she writes about, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech and pop culture. Prior to joining Decider and the New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews. 

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