American Idol Season 23 delivered its most jaw-dropping twist Sunday night, as voters booted both remaining platinum ticket holders faster than you can say “seacrest out.” The May 4 shocker (aired May 5) saw 17-year-old gospel powerhouse Canaan James Hill and 26-year-old vocal dynamo Kolbi Jordan eliminated after “Ladies Night” performances.
Their exits complete what fans across social media are dubbing “The Platinum Curse” – all three special advantage recipients sent packing in three consecutive weeks. The first platinum holder, Filo, was eliminated April 28. (Remember when platinum tickets were supposed to be a good thing?)
Risk-taking proved fatal for both contestants. Hill abandoned his church roots to perform judge Carrie Underwood’s “Love Wins” – like bringing salad to a barbecue, it wasn’t what his fanbase ordered. Jordan, meanwhile, swapped her R&B comfort zone for Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain,” a switch that folded faster than crypto currency in 2022.
The eliminations proved especially stunning since both received standing ovations from judges. Perhaps a previous night’s backstage tension between Seacrest and Underwood (after that awkward introduction snub) was an omen of the elimination shock to come.
The platinum ticket – Idol’s golden parachute designed to help contestants skip the brutal first round of Hollywood Week – has become the reality TV equivalent of being on a magazine cover: certain doom. Across four years of awarding these advantages, only Season 22’s Abi Carter managed to avoid the curse.
Both eliminated contestants still have bright futures based on past Idol trajectories. Hill’s church-rooted vocals position him perfectly for Christian music success, while Jordan’s versatility and powerful vocal range give her the chops to navigate the industry’s choppy waters.
The remaining eight contestants return tonight for the high-stakes “Judges’ Song Contest,” where they’ll perform tracks secretly selected by the panel. In a twist that might have saved Hill or Jordan had it arrived a week earlier, judges will have one save to deploy.
As Breanna Nix, Mattie Pruitt, Jamal Roberts, John Foster, Josh King, Gabby Samone, Slater Nalley, and Thunderstorm Artis prepare for their next performances, they’re likely eyeing their fallen platinum colleagues as a warning: on American Idol, even golden advantages can’t save you from America’s fickle voting finger.
American Idol airs Sundays and Mondays at 8/7c on ABC, with episodes hitting Hulu the next day.
