# American Idol season 12

The twelfth season of American Idol premiered on January 16, 2013, as part of the mid-season of the 2012–13 network television season. Ryan Seacrest returned as host. Randy Jackson returned for his twelfth season as judge and was joined by new judges Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj, and Keith Urban, who replaced Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler.
On May 16, 2013, Candice Glover was crowned the winner, defeating Kree Harrison, who was the runner-up. In a series first, Glover's debut album, Music Speaks, was available for preorder immediately following the finale broadcast. Both Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj left after this season, having only served on the judges panel for one season, to focus on their music careers.

## Changes from previous seasons

After a sharp drop in ratings during the eleventh season, Fox entertainment president Kevin Reilly announced that the show would undergo "some creative tweaking" for the following season. After two seasons, judges Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler announced their exits from the series on July 12 and 13, 2012, respectively. On July 23, Mariah Carey was announced as a judge for the twelfth season. On September 16, returning judge Randy Jackson and new hires Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban were confirmed to also serve on the judges panel. On December 31, 2012, it was announced that Ryan Seacrest had signed on to remain the host for at least two more seasons.
Producer Nigel Lythgoe indicated on January 9, 2013, that during the Hollywood rounds, the men and women would perform on separate weeks, and be matched in equal number right up until the top 10 live shows. He also announced that there would be no Wild Cards. Instead, he instituted a brand new "sudden death" round in which the top 40 had to perform in front of a live audience, and then the judges would choose five out of the ten contestants per show to proceed to the top 20. The number of finalists was limited to ten for the first time since the first season.
This season also introduced the "SuperVote," where viewers were able to cast fifty votes at once online or through the new American Idol app, in addition to the regular voting methods. Voters were able to allocate any number of votes to one contestant or multiple contestants, for a total of fifty votes, across all online voting destinations.
This season also showcased an "Idol Update" segment by bringing back many American Idol alumni to perform or appear as guests in the audience. Alumni performers included Kelly Clarkson, Clay Aiken, Fantasia, Jennifer Hudson, Carrie Underwood, Katharine McPhee, Jordin Sparks, David Cook, Adam Lambert, Lee DeWyze, Scotty McCreery, Lauren Alaina, Phillip Phillips, Colton Dixon, and Jessica Sanchez.

## Regional auditions

In an attempt to refresh the show's audition process, new means to audition were announced. First was the "American Idol Small Town Audition Bus Tour": a ten-town nationwide tour that gave hopefuls who couldn't make it to one of the large audition cities a chance to try out. These cities included Idaho Falls, Idaho; Billings, Montana; Casper, Wyoming; Rock Rapids, Iowa; Iowa City, Iowa; Bowling Green, Kentucky; Clarksdale, Mississippi; Joplin, Missouri; Dodge City, Kansas; and Grand Junction, Colorado. American Idol also began a "Nominate an Idol" program, which allowed friends and family of individuals they think could be the next American Idol to nominate said person in secret by filling out an online form and submitting a video of their nominee singing solo and a cappella. The chosen nominees would then be surprised on location by a film crew and given an opportunity to advance to the next round. Finally, online auditions for the twelfth season were open from August 1 to 14, 2012, and October 12 to November 4, 2012.
Auditions took place in the following cities:
American Idol (season 12) – regional auditions :
| City | Preliminary date | Preliminary venue | Filming date(s) | Filming venue | Golden tickets |
| Los Angeles, California | June 7, 2012 | Dodger Stadium | November 14–15, 2012 | Queen Mary | 50 |
| San Antonio, Texas | June 14, 2012 | Alamodome | November 11–12, 2012 | Sunset Station | Unknown |
| Charlotte, North Carolina | June 19, 2012 | Time Warner Cable Arena | October 2–3, 2012 | Charlotte Motor Speedway | 37 |
| Newark, New Jersey | June 23, 2012 | Prudential Center | September 16–17, 2012 | Jazz at Lincoln Center | 41 |
| Chicago, Illinois | July 12, 2012 | United Center | September 25–26, 2012 | Adler Planetarium | 47 |
| New Orleans, Louisiana | July 17, 2012 | New Orleans Arena | October 5–6, 2012 | Baton Rouge River Center | 35 |
| Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | July 20, 2012 | Chesapeake Energy Arena | November 9–10, 2012 | Devon Boathouse | 45 |
| Total number of tickets to Hollywood | Total number of tickets to Hollywood | Total number of tickets to Hollywood | Total number of tickets to Hollywood | Total number of tickets to Hollywood | 286 |
* ↑ The actual number of golden tickets handed out at this audition city was not announced.

## Hollywood & Las Vegas

For the first time, the Hollywood rounds were held in the Valley Performing Arts Center in Northridge, California. The contestants were separated by gender, with the men performing in the first week and the women the next. There were three rounds each week: an a cappella performance, a group performance, and a solo performance. Unlike previous seasons, the groups were chosen by the producers, although each group was able to select a song from a list of twenty songs to perform. The men performed on February 6 and 7 and the women performed on February 13 and 14. The judges selected 20 men and 20 women to perform in front of a live studio audience at Love by Cirque De Soleil at The Mirage in Las Vegas. Only twenty contestants moved on from this round. The contestants were divided into four gender-separated groups of ten, with the women's performances airing on Wednesdays and the men's performances airing on Thursdays. Contestants performed in front of the judges and a studio audience, and received critiques from the judges at the end. After all of the contestants had performed, they were called one at a time to face the judges, who decided whether they would move on to the semifinals or not.
Color key:

### Group 1

Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
Female contestants (February 20) :
| Contestant | Song | Result |
| Jenny Beth Willis | "Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love" | Eliminated |
| Tenna Torres | "Soulmate" | Advanced |
| Adriana Latonio | "Ain't No Way" | Advanced |
| Brandy Hotard | "Anymore" | Eliminated |
| Shubha Vedula | "Born This Way" | Eliminated |
| Kamaria Ousley | "Mr. Know It All" | Eliminated |
| Kree Harrison | "Up to the Mountain (MLK Song)" | Advanced |
| Angie Miller | "Nobody's Perfect" | Advanced |
| Isabelle Pasqualone | "God Bless the Child" | Eliminated |
| Amber Holcomb | "My Funny Valentine" | Advanced |
Male contestants (February 21) :
| Contestant | Song | Result |
| Paul Jolley | "Tonight I Wanna Cry" | Advanced |
| Johnny Keyser | "I Won't Give Up" | Eliminated |
| JDA | "Rumour Has It" | Eliminated |
| Kevin Harris | "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" | Eliminated |
| Chris Watson | "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" | Eliminated |
| Devin Velez | "Listen" | Advanced |
| Elijah Liu | "Talking to the Moon" | Advanced |
| Charlie Askew | "Rocket Man" | Advanced |
| Jimmy Smith | "Raining on Sunday" | Eliminated |
| Curtis Finch, Jr. | "Superstar" | Advanced |

### Group 2

Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
Female contestants (February 27) :
| Contestant | Song | Result |
| Melinda Ademi | "Nobody's Perfect" | Eliminated |
| Candice Glover | "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" | Advanced |
| Juliana Chahayed | "Skyscraper" | Eliminated |
| Jett Hermano | "Only Girl (In the World)" | Eliminated |
| Cristabel Clack | "No One" | Eliminated |
| Aubrey Cleland | "Sweet Dreams" | Advanced |
| Rachel Hale | "Nothing but the Water" | Eliminated |
| Breanna Steer | "Bust Your Windows" | Advanced |
| Janelle Arthur | "Just a Kiss" | Advanced |
| Zoanette Johnson | "Circle of Life" | Advanced |
Male contestants (February 28) :
| Contestant | Song | Result |
| Mathenee Treco | "A Little Less Conversation" | Eliminated |
| Gurpreet Singh Sarin | "Nothing Ever Hurt Like You" | Eliminated |
| Vincent Powell | "Cause I Love You" | Advanced |
| Nick Boddington | "Say Something Now" | Advanced |
| Josh Holiday | "I'm Better with You" | Eliminated |
| David Oliver Willis | "Fever" | Eliminated |
| Bryant Tadeo | "New York State of Mind" | Eliminated |
| Burnell Taylor | "This Time" | Advanced |
| Lazaro Arbos | "Tonight I Wanna Cry" | Advanced |
| Cortez Shaw | "Titanium" | Advanced |

## Semifinals

The top 20 semifinalists performed in front of a live studio audience at Love by Cirque De Soleil at The Mirage in Las Vegas. The three-night event marked the first week viewers were allowed to cast votes. The women performed on the first night and the men on second night. On the third night, the show moved back to Los Angeles, and the top five men and top five women were announced. As each contestant walked out on stage, they performed their victory song. After the results were announced, Ryan Seacrest revealed that there would be a sing-off the next week between the sixth-place man and the sixth-place woman to determine who would be invited to join the top 10 on the 2013 summer.
Color key:
Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
Female contestants (February 20) :
| Contestant | Song | Result |
| Zoanette Johnson | "What's Love Got to Do with It" | Eliminated |
| Breanna Steer | "Flaws and All" | Eliminated |
| Aubrey Cleland | "Big Girls Don't Cry" | Eliminated (6th place) |
| Janelle Arthur | "If I Can Dream" | Advanced |
| Tenna Torres | "Lost" | Eliminated |
| Angie Miller | "Never Gone" | Advanced |
| Amber Holcomb | "I Believe in You and Me" | Advanced |
| Kree Harrison | "Stronger" | Advanced |
| Adriana Latonio | "Stand Up for Love" | Eliminated |
| Candice Glover | "Ordinary People" | Advanced |
Male contestants (February 21) :
| Contestant | Song | Result |
| Elijah Liu | "Stay" | Eliminated |
| Cortez Shaw | "Locked Out of Heaven" | Eliminated |
| Charlie Askew | "Mama" | Eliminated (6th place) |
| Nick Boddington | "Iris" | Eliminated |
| Burnell Taylor | "I'm Here" | Advanced |
| Paul Jolley | "Just a Fool" | Advanced |
| Lazaro Arbos | "Feeling Good" | Advanced |
| Curtis Finch, Jr. | "I Believe I Can Fly" | Advanced |
| Devin Velez | "Somos Novios (It's Impossible)" | Advanced |
| Vincent Powell | "End of the Road" | Eliminated |
Aubrey Cleland and Charlie Askew each finished in sixth place, so they faced off against each other on March 14 to determine who would be invited to join the top 10 on the 2013 American Idol summer tour.
Victory songs :
| Contestant | Victory song |
| Paul Jolley | "Alone" |
| Burnell Taylor | "Ready for Love" |
| Curtis Finch, Jr. | "So High" |
| Devin Velez | "The Power of One (Change the World)" |
| Lazaro Arbos | "Bridge over Troubled Water" |
| Janelle Arthur | "Home" |
| Candice Glover | "I'm Going Down" |
| Angie Miller | "I Was Here" |
| Amber Holcomb | "I'm Every Woman" |
| Kree Harrison | "Evidence" |

## Top 10 finalists

* Candice Glover (born November 22, 1989) was from Beaufort, South Carolina. She auditioned in Charlotte with "Syrup & Honey". She had previously auditioned in the ninth and eleventh seasons. She performed Alicia Keys's "Girl on Fire" as her final solo in the Hollywood rounds and "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" at the sudden death round, where she received high praise from the judges. She performed "Ordinary People" at the semifinals.
* Kree Harrison (born May 17, 1990) was from Woodville, Texas. She auditioned in Oklahoma City. She performed "Sin Wagon" in Hollywood. Harrison performed "Stars" as her final solo in Hollywood, where she received praise from the judges. She then sang "Up to the Mountain (MLK Song)" in the sudden death round and "Stronger" at the semifinals.
* Angie Miller (born February 17, 1994) was from Beverly, Massachusetts. She auditioned in New York City with "Mamma Knows Best." She stated at her audition that she was partially deaf with twenty percent hearing loss in her right ear and forty percent in her left ear. Miller performed her original composition, "You Set Me Free," as her final solo in Hollywood, where she received a standing ovation from the judges. She sang Jessie J's "Nobody's Perfect" in Las Vegas and "Never Gone" at the semifinals.
* Amber Holcomb (born March 17, 1994) was from Houston, Texas. She had originally auditioned in the eleventh season, but was cut in the Las Vegas round. She performed "My Funny Valentine" in Las Vegas, where she received a standing ovation from the judges. Holcomb performed "I Believe in You and Me" at the semifinals, where she also received a standing ovation from the judges.
* Janelle Arthur (born December 12, 1989) was from Oliver Springs, Tennessee. She auditioned in Charlotte with "Where the Blacktop Ends". She had auditioned twice before, in the tenth and eleventh seasons. She performed "I Told You So" in Hollywood, "Just a Kiss" in Las Vegas, and "If I Can Dream" at the semifinals.
* Lazaro Arbos (born December 27, 1990) was originally from Cuba, but has lived in Naples, Florida, since he was ten years old. He auditioned in Chicago with "Bridge over Troubled Water". He sang "The Edge of Glory" in Hollywood as his final solo. He then performed "Tonight I Wanna Cry" in Las Vegas and "Feeling Good" at the semifinals.
* Burnell Taylor (born April 14, 1993) was from New Orleans, Louisiana. He auditioned in Baton Rouge with "I'm Here," where he received a standing ovation from the judges. He sang "Jar of Hearts" in Hollywood and "This Time" in Las Vegas.
* Devin Velez (born April 22, 1994) was from Chicago, Illinois, where also auditioned. He sang "What a Wonderful World" in Hollywood "Listen" in Las Vegas, and "Somos Novios (It's Impossible)" in the semifinals.
* Paul Jolley (born January 27, 1990) was from Palmersville, Tennessee. He auditioned in Baton Rouge with "I Won't Let Go". He sang Carrie Underwood's "Blown Away" in Hollywood, "Tonight I Wanna Cry" in Las Vegas, and "Just a Fool" in the semifinals.
* Curtis Finch, Jr. (born January 16, 1988) was from St. Louis, Missouri. He had previously auditioned in the fourth and eleventh seasons. He performed "Jar of Hearts" as his final solo in Hollywood and "Superstar" in Las Vegas. He performed "I Believe I Can Fly" in the semifinals.

## Finals

There were ten weeks of the finals and ten contestants competing. At least one contestant was eliminated every week based on the public's votes, although the judges could veto one elimination through the use of the "judges' save." The judges ultimately did not save anyone this season, and one week featured a non-elimination as a result.
Color key:

### Top 10 – American Idols

Contestants performed one song each that had been performed by a previous winner of American Idol, and are listed in the order they performed.
| Contestant | Song | American Idol | Result |
| Curtis Finch, Jr. | "I Believe" | Fantasia | Eliminated |
| Janelle Arthur | "Gone" | Scotty McCreery | Safe |
| Devin Velez | "Temporary Home" | Carrie Underwood | Bottom two |
| Angie Miller | "I Surrender" | Kelly Clarkson | Top three |
| Paul Jolley | "Amazed" | Scotty McCreery | Safe |
| Candice Glover | "I (Who Have Nothing)" | Jordin Sparks | Top three |
| Lazaro Arbos | "Breakaway" | Kelly Clarkson | Safe |
| Kree Harrison | "Crying" | Carrie Underwood | Top three |
| Burnell Taylor | "Flying Without Wings" | Ruben Studdard | Safe |
| Amber Holcomb | "A Moment Like This" | Kelly Clarkson | Safe |
Non-competition performance :
| Performers | Song |
| Top 10 | "Shine Your Way" |
| Bon Jovi | "Because We Can" |
| Phillip Phillips | "Gone, Gone, Gone" |
Before the results were announced, Charlie Askew and Aubrey Cleland, who each finished in 6th place in the semifinals, were each given a chance to perform, vying for the opportunity to join the top 10 on the 2013 summer. The following week, it was announced that Aubrey Cleland won the sing-off and was invited to join the tour.
American Idol 2013 tour competition :
| Contestant | Song | Result |
| Charlie Askew | "Sky Blue Diamond" | Lost sing-off |
| Aubrey Cleland | "Out Here on My Own" | Won sing-off |

### Top 9 – The Beatles

Contestants performed one song each from the Beatles discography, and are listed in the order they performed.
| Contestant | Beatles song | Result |
| Kree Harrison | "With a Little Help from My Friends" | Safe |
| Burnell Taylor | "Let It Be" | Safe |
| Amber Holcomb | "She's Leaving Home" | Bottom three |
| Lazaro Arbos | "In My Life" | Safe |
| Candice Glover | "Come Together" | Safe |
| Paul Jolley | "Eleanor Rigby" | Eliminated |
| Angie Miller | "Yesterday" | Safe |
| Devin Velez | "The Long and Winding Road" | Bottom three |
| Janelle Arthur | "I Will" | Safe |
Non-competition performance :
| Performers | Song |
| Top 9 men | "Got to Get You into My Life" |
| Top 9 women | "Here, There and Everywhere" |
| Casey Abrams | "I Saw Her Standing There" |
| Jessica Sanchez, featuring Ne-Yo | "Tonight" |

### Top 8 – Motown

Smokey Robinson served as a guest mentor this week. Contestants performed two songs each: one solo and either one duet with a fellow contestant or one trio with two fellow contestants. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
| Contestant | Order | Motown song | Result |
| Candice Glover | 1 | "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" | Safe |
| Lazaro Arbos | 3 | "For Once in My Life" | Bottom three |
| Janelle Arthur | 4 | "You Keep Me Hangin' On" | Safe |
| Devin Velez | 5 | "The Tracks of My Tears" | Eliminated |
| Burnell Taylor | 7 | "My Cherie Amour" | Bottom three |
| Angie Miller | 8 | "Shop Around" | Safe |
| Amber Holcomb | 9 | "Lately" | Safe |
| Kree Harrison | 11 | "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)" | Safe |
| Janelle Arthur & Kree Harrison | 2 | "Like a Prayer" | |
| Candice Glover, Amber Holcomb & Angie Miller | 6 | "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" | |
| Lazaro Arbos, Burnell Taylor & Devin Velez | 10 | "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" | |
Non-competition performance :
| Performers | Song |
| Top 8 | "Old Time Rock and Roll" |
| Colton Dixon | "Love Has Come For Me" |
| Katharine McPhee with OneRepublic | "If I Lose Myself" |
| Keith Urban | "Long Hot Summer" |

### Top 7 – Rock music

Contestants performed two songs each: one solo and either one duet with a fellow contestant or one trio with two fellow contestants. Ballads were not permitted this week. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
| Contestant | Order | Rock song | Result |
| Burnell Taylor | 1 | "You Give Love a Bad Name" | Eliminated |
| Kree Harrison | 3 | "Piece of My Heart" | Top three |
| Janelle Arthur | 5 | "You May Be Right" | Bottom two |
| Lazaro Arbos | 6 | "We Are the Champions" | Top three |
| Candice Glover | 8 | "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" | Safe |
| Amber Holcomb | 9 | "What About Love" | Safe |
| Angie Miller | 10 | "Bring Me to Life" | Top three |
| Lazaro Arbos & Angie Miller | 2 | "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" | |
| Candice Glover & Burnell Taylor | 4 | "The Letter" | |
| Janelle Arthur, Kree Harrison & Amber Holcomb | 7 | "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" | |
Non-competition performance :
| Performers | Song |
| Top 7 | "Somebody to Love" |
| Casey James | "The Good Life" |
| Carrie Underwood | "See You Again" |

### Top 6 – Burt Bacharach/Hal David & songs the contestants wish they'd written

Each contestant performed two songs, one of which was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David.
| Contestant | Order | Song | Result |
| Angie Miller | 1 | "Anyone Who Had a Heart" | Safe |
| Angie Miller | 7 | "Love Came Down" | Safe |
| Amber Holcomb | 2 | "I Say a Little Prayer" | Safe |
| Amber Holcomb | 8 | "Love On Top" | Safe |
| Lazaro Arbos | 3 | "(They Long to Be) Close to You" | Eliminated |
| Lazaro Arbos | 9 | "Angels" | Eliminated |
| Kree Harrison | 4 | "What the World Needs Now Is Love" | Top two |
| Kree Harrison | 10 | "Help Me Make It Through the Night" | Top two |
| Janelle Arthur | 5 | "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" | Safe |
| Janelle Arthur | 11 | "The Dance" | Safe |
| Candice Glover | 6 | "Don't Make Me Over" | Top two |
| Candice Glover | 12 | "Lovesong" | Top two |
Non-competition performance :
| Performers | Song |
| Top 6 | "You'll Never Get to Heaven (If You Break My Heart)" "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me" "This Girl's in Love with You" "One Less Bell to Answer" "A House Is Not a Home" "That’s What Friends Are For" |
| Scotty McCreery | "See You Tonight" |
| Kelly Clarkson | "People Like Us" |

### Top 5 – Contestants' birth year & divas

Each contestant performed two songs: one released the year they were born, and one from a diva. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
| Contestant | Order | Song | Birth year | Diva | Result |
| Candice Glover | 1 | "Straight Up" | 1989 | Mariah Carey & Whitney Houston | Safe |
| Candice Glover | 6 | "When You Believe" | 1989 | Mariah Carey & Whitney Houston | Safe |
| Janelle Arthur | 2 | "When I Call Your Name" | 1989 | Dolly Parton | Eliminated |
| Janelle Arthur | 7 | "Dumb Blonde" | 1989 | Dolly Parton | Eliminated |
| Kree Harrison | 3 | "She Talks to Angels" | 1990 | Céline Dion | Safe |
| Kree Harrison | 8 | "Have You Ever Been in Love" | 1990 | Céline Dion | Safe |
| Angie Miller | 4 | "I'll Stand by You" | 1994 | Beyoncé | Safe |
| Angie Miller | 9 | "Halo" | 1994 | Beyoncé | Safe |
| Amber Holcomb | 5 | "Without You" | 1994 | Barbra Streisand | Safe |
| Amber Holcomb | 10 | "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?" | 1994 | Barbra Streisand | Safe |
Non-competition performance :
| Performers | Song |
| Top 5 | "Last Dance" "Heaven Knows" "Dim All the Lights" "She Works Hard for the Money" |
| Clay Aiken | "Bridge over Troubled Water" |
| Fantasia | "Lose to Win" |

### Top 4 (April 25)

Each contestant performed three songs: two solos and one duet with a fellow contestant. Contestants are listed in the order they performed. There was no elimination this week, because the judges had not used their "judges' save" before it expired. The votes cast for this week were combined with the following week's votes.
| Contestant | Order | 1980s song | Result |
| Amber Holcomb | 1 | "The Power of Love" | Bottom two |
| Amber Holcomb | 7 | "MacArthur Park" | Bottom two |
| Candice Glover | 2 | "Find Your Love" | Bottom two |
| Candice Glover | 8 | "Emotion" | Bottom two |
| Kree Harrison | 3 | "It Hurt So Bad" | Safe |
| Kree Harrison | 9 | "A Whiter Shade of Pale" | Safe |
| Angie Miller | 4 | "Who You Are" | Safe |
| Angie Miller | 10 | "Cry Me a River" | Safe |
| Kree Harrison & Amber Holcomb | 5 | "Rumour Has It" | |
| Candice Glover & Angie Miller | 6 | "Stay" | |
Non-competition performance :
| Performers | Song |
| Top 4 | "Girl on Fire" |
| Stefano Langone | "Yes to Love" |
| Lee DeWyze | "Silver Lining" |

### Top 4 (May 2) – Music from now & then

Harry Connick, Jr. served as a guest mentor this week. Each contestant performed three songs: one hit song from 2013, one song from the Great American Songbook, and one song with all four contestants. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
| Contestant | Order | Song | Result |
| Angie Miller | 1 | "Diamonds" | Safe |
| Angie Miller | 5 | "Someone to Watch Over Me" | Safe |
| Amber Holcomb | 2 | "Just Give Me a Reason" | Eliminated |
| Amber Holcomb | 6 | "My Funny Valentine" | Eliminated |
| Candice Glover | 3 | "When I Was Your Man" | Safe |
| Candice Glover | 7 | "You've Changed" | Safe |
| Kree Harrison | 4 | "See You Again" | Safe |
| Kree Harrison | 8 | "Stormy Weather" | Safe |
| Candice Glover, Kree Harrison, Amber Holcomb & Angie Miller | 9 | "Wings" | |
Non-competition performance :
| Performers | Song |
| Top 4 | "Crazy in Love" |
| David Cook | "Laying Me Low" |
| will.i.am | "Bang Bang" |
| Harry Connick, Jr. | "Every Man Should Know" |

### Top 3

Each contestant performed three songs: one chosen by mentor Jimmy Iovine, one chosen by the judges, and one chosen by the producers. Contestants are listed in the order they performed.
| Contestant | Order | Song | Result |
| Kree Harrison | 1 | "Fuckin' Perfect" | Safe |
| Kree Harrison | 6 | "Here Comes Goodbye" | Safe |
| Kree Harrison | 8 | "Better Dig Two" | Safe |
| Candice Glover | 2 | "One" | Safe |
| Candice Glover | 4 | "Next to Me" | Safe |
| Candice Glover | 9 | "Somewhere" | Safe |
| Angie Miller | 3 | "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" | Eliminated |
| Angie Miller | 5 | "Try" | Eliminated |
| Angie Miller | 7 | "Maybe" | Eliminated |
Non-competition performance :
| Performers | Song |
| Top 3 | "Who Says" |
| Lauren Alaina | "Barefoot and Buckwild" |
| Mariah Carey, featuring Miguel | "#Beautiful" |
| Alicia Keys | "Tears Always Win" |
* 1 2 3 Song chosen by Jimmy Iovine.

### Top 2 – Finale

Each contestant performed three songs, one of which was chosen by producer Simon Fuller, and are listed in the order they performed.
| Contestant | Order | Song | Result |
| Kree Harrison | 1 | "Angel" | Runner-up |
| Kree Harrison | 3 | "All Cried Out" | Runner-up |
| Kree Harrison | 5 | "Up to the Mountain (MLK Song)" | Runner-up |
| Candice Glover | 2 | "Chasing Pavements" | Winner |
| Candice Glover | 4 | "I Am Beautiful" | Winner |
| Candice Glover | 6 | "I (Who Have Nothing)" | Winner |
* 1 2 Song chosen by Simon Fuller.
Non-competition performance :
| Performers | Song |
| Carly Rae Jepsen | "Take a Picture" |
| Top 10 | "Glad You Came" |
| Janelle Arthur with The Band Perry | "Done" |
| Curtis Finch, Jr., Paul Jolley, Devin Velez, Burnell Taylor & Lazaro Arbos | "Let's Hang On!" "Walk Like a Man" "Who Loves You" |
| Curtis Finch, Jr., Paul Jolley, Devin Velez, Burnell Taylor & Lazaro Arbos with Frankie Valli | "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" "Grease" |
| Mariah Carey & Randy Jackson | "Vision of Love" "Make It Happen" "My All" "Hero" "We Belong Together" "#Beautiful" |
| Amber Holcomb with Emeli Sandé | "Next to Me" |
| Psy | "Gentleman" |
| Keith Urban | "Little Bit of Everything" |
| Candice Glover with Jennifer Hudson | "Inseparable" |
| Angie Miller with Adam Lambert | "Titanium" |
| Angie Miller with Jessie J | "Domino" |
| Kree Harrison with Travis Barker, Randy Jackson & Keith Urban | "Where the Blacktop Ends" |
| Janelle Arthur, Amber Holcomb, Angie Miller, Kree Harrison & Candice Glover with Aretha Franklin | "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" "Respect" "Think" |
| Jennifer Lopez & Pitbull | "Live It Up" |
| Candice Glover & Kree Harrison | "One Less Bell to Answer" "A House Is Not a Home" |
| Candice Glover | "I Am Beautiful" |
* ↑ Performed on the May 15 episode.

## Elimination chart

Color key:
American Idol (season 12) - Eliminations :
| Contestant | Pl. | Top 20 | Sing–off | Top 10 | Top 9 | Top 8 | Top 7 | Top 6 | Top 5 | Top 4 | Top 4 | Top 3 | Finale |
| Contestant | Pl. | 3/7 | 3/14 | 3/14 | 3/21 | 3/28 | 4/4 | 4/11 | 4/18 | 4/25 | 5/2 | 5/9 | 5/16 |
| Candice Glover | 1 | Safe | N/A | Top three | Safe | Safe | Safe | Top two | Safe | Bottom two | Safe | Safe | Winner |
| Kree Harrison | 2 | Safe | N/A | Top three | Safe | Safe | Top three | Top two | Bottom two | Safe | Safe | Safe | Runner-up |
| Angie Miller | 3 | Safe | N/A | Top three | Safe | Safe | Top three | Safe | Safe | Safe | Safe | Eliminated | |
| Amber Holcomb | 4 | Safe | N/A | Safe | Bottom three | Safe | Safe | Bottom two | Safe | Bottom two | Eliminated | | |
| Janelle Arthur | 5 | Safe | N/A | Safe | Safe | Safe | Bottom two | Safe | Eliminated | | | | |
| Lazaro Arbos | 6 | Safe | N/A | Safe | Safe | Bottom three | Top three | Eliminated | | | | | |
| Burnell Taylor | 7 | Safe | N/A | Safe | Safe | Bottom three | Eliminated | | | | | | |
| Devin Velez | 8 | Safe | N/A | Bottom two | Bottom three | Eliminated | | | | | | | |
| Paul Jolley | 9 | Safe | N/A | Safe | Eliminated | | | | | | | | |
| Curtis Finch, Jr. | 10 | Safe | N/A | Eliminated | | | | | | | | | |
| Aubrey Cleland | | Eliminated | Won sing-off | | | | | | | | | | |
| Charlie Askew | | Eliminated | Lost sing-off | | | | | | | | | | |
| Nick Boddington | | Eliminated | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Zoanette Johnson | | Eliminated | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Adriana Latonio | | Eliminated | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Elijah Liu | | Eliminated | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Vincent Powell | | Eliminated | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Cortez Shaw | | Eliminated | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Breanna Steer | | Eliminated | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Tenna Torres | | Eliminated | | | | | | | | | | | |
* ↑ The week of April 25 featured a non-elimination round. Votes from that week were carried over to the next week.
* 1 2 Aubrey Cleland and Charlie Askew faced off to determine who would be invited to join the top 10 finalists on the summer tour. Aubrey won this sing-off.

## Mariah Carey–Nicki Minaj feud

A video was leaked to TMZ in October 2012 which showed Nicki Minaj erupting in a tirade against Mariah Carey during the audition in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was also claimed that Minaj was heard saying off-camera, "If I had a gun, I would shoot that bitch." Minaj, however, denied that she had made the threat. Ryan Seacrest said that the dispute "went a little too far," while Keith Urban jokingly said "I was the UN," and the feud elicited a comment from President Barack Obama that Carey and Minaj would "sort it out." In an interview with Barbara Walters on The View that aired on January 7, 2013, Carey said that due to Minaj's threats, it "felt like an unsafe work environment," and claimed that she had boosted her personal security. Minaj stated that Barbara Walters never attempted to contact her for any comment regarding her side of the story. Carey also said that she has since made up with Minaj. Carey's then-husband Nick Cannon claimed that the feud was used by American Idol producers to generate interest and ratings. Producer Nigel Lythgoe, however, denied that he was responsible for leaking the video or that it was a publicity stunt, and said that he had no plans to use the footage in advance of or during the season. Fox executive Mike Darnell described the buzz due to the feud as being great. The aired episode of the Charlotte audition did not show the tirade and what was shown appeared to have no real linear connection with the leaked footage.
In April 2013, Carey noted during an episode of American Idol that Minaj had not had a number-one song on the US Billboard Hot 100. The next day, Minaj took to Twitter to post what have been described as "extremely harsh" insults against Carey. She labeled the singer "insecure" and "bitter," while also referencing a widely spread rumor that the producers of American Idol wanted to bring Jennifer Lopez back to the judges panel after a significant decline in ratings this season. "All dem #1s but JLo phone ringin? Lol. I guess having a personality, being a secure woman, and giving genuine critique still trumps that," Minaj tweeted. In November 2013, Carey stated that "American Idol was like going to work every day in hell with Satan."

## U.S. Nielsen ratings

The Wednesday episodes had an average viewer number of 15.04 million with a 4.6 rating in the 18/49 demo, while the Thursday episodes had an average viewer number of 14.64 million and a 4.3 in 18/49 demo. The average figure represents a 23% drop from the previous year.
Episode list :
| Show | Episode | Air date | Ratings | Share | Rating/share 18–49 | Viewers (millions) | Weekly rank |
| 1 | "New York City Auditions" | January 16, 2013 | 10.2 | 15 | 6.0/16 | 17.93 | 4 |
| 2 | "Chicago Auditions" | January 17, 2013 | 9.2 | 14 | 5.6/15 | 16.28 | 6 |
| 3 | "Charlotte Auditions" | January 23, 2013 | 9.3 | 14 | 5.5/15 | 16.07 | 1 |
| 4 | "New Orleans Auditions" | January 24, 2013 | 8.7 | 13 | 5.2/14 | 15.65 | 2 |
| 5 | "San Antonio and Los Angeles Auditions" | January 30, 2013 | 9.2 | 14 | 5.5/15 | 15.78 | 7 |
| 6 | "Oklahoma City Auditions" | January 31, 2013 | 7.9 | 12 | 4.5/13 | 13.80 | 9 |
| 7 | "Hollywood Round, Part 1" | February 6, 2013 | 8.4 | 13 | 4.6/13 | 14.27 | 6 |
| 8 | "Hollywood Round, Part 2" | February 7, 2013 | 7.7 | 12 | 4.1/12 | 13.28 | 8 |
| 9 | "Hollywood Round, Part 3" | February 13, 2013 | 7.9 | 12 | 4.3/12 | 13.45 | 4 |
| 10 | "Hollywood Round, Part 4" | February 14, 2013 | 7.4 | 12 | 3.7/12 | 12.59 | 5 |
| 11 | "Las Vegas, Girls Perform" | February 20, 2013 | 8.5 | 13 | 4.1/11 | 14.37 | 7 |
| 12 | "Las Vegas, Guys Perform" | February 21, 2013 | 7.9 | 12 | 3.9/10 | 13.66 | 9 |
| 13 | "Las Vegas, Girls Perform 2" | February 27, 2013 | 7.9 | 12 | 3.9/11 | 13.30 | 3 |
| 14 | "Las Vegas, Guys Perform 2" | February 28, 2013 | 7.5 | 12 | 3.8/11 | 12.56 | 4 |
| 15 | "Semifinalists Girls Perform" | March 5, 2013 | 6.9 | 10 | 3.5/10 | 11.72 | 8 |
| 16 | "Semifinalists Boys Perform" | March 6, 2013 | 7.6 | 12 | 3.8/10 | 12.84 | 7 |
| 17 | "Finalists Chosen" | March 7, 2013 | 7.7 | 12 | 3.6/10 | 13.12 | 6 |
| 18 | "Top 10 Perform" | March 13, 2013 | 8.0 | 13 | 3.8/10 | 13.44 | 3 |
| 19 | "Top 10 Results" | March 14, 2013 | 6.9 | 12 | 3.1/10 | 11.93 | 8 |
| 20 | "Top 9 Perform" | March 20, 2013 | 7.7 | 12 | 3.6/10 | 12.94 | 4 |
| 21 | "Top 9 Results" | March 21, 2013 | 7.3 | 12 | 2.9/9 | 11.65 | 5 |
| 22 | "Top 8 Perform" | March 27, 2013 | 7.4 | 12 | 3.2/9 | 12.33 | 7 |
| 23 | "Top 8 Results" | March 28, 2013 | 6.8 | 12 | 2.8/9 | 11.43 | 9 |
| 24 | "Top 7 Perform" | April 3, 2013 | 7.0 | 11 | 3.1/9 | 11.76 | 12 |
| 25 | "Top 7 Results" | April 4, 2013 | 7.0 | 11 | 2.9/9 | 11.72 | 13 |
| 26 | "Top 6 Perform" | April 10, 2013 | 7.4 | 12 | 3.2/9 | 12.23 | 9 |
| 27 | "Top 6 Results" | April 11, 2013 | 7.7 | 13 | 3.2/10 | 13.19 | 6 |
| 28 | "Top 5 Perform" | April 17, 2013 | 7.5 | 12 | 3.4/10 | 12.71 | 5 |
| 29 | "Top 5 Results" | April 18, 2013 | 7.5 | 12 | 3.0/10 | 12.42 | 7 |
| 30 | "Top 4 Perform" | April 24, 2013 | 7.5 | 12 | 3.3/9 | 12.46 | 9 |
| 31 | "Top 4 Results" | April 25, 2013 | 6.9 | 12 | 2.8/9 | 11.40 | 12 |
| 32 | "Top 4 Redux Perform" | May 1, 2013 | 7.1 | 12 | 2.9/9 | 11.08 | 10 |
| 33 | "Top 4 Redux Results" | May 2, 2013 | 6.8 | 11 | 2.6/9 | 11.27 | 9 |
| 34 | "Top 3 Perform" | May 8, 2013 | 6.7 | 11 | 2.9/8 | 11.11 | 10 |
| 35 | "Top 3 Results" | May 9, 2013 | 7.0 | 12 | 2.9/9 | 11.57 | 8 |
| 36 | "Top 2 Perform" | May 15, 2013 | 7.2 | 12 | 3.0/10 | 12.11 | 6 |
| 37 | "Finale" | May 16, 2013 | 8.3 | 14 | 3.6/11 | 14.31 | 3 |