10,000+ FANS VOTED… AND THE RESULTS LEFT EVERYONE TALKING🔥
10,000+ FANS VOTED… AND THE RESULTS LEFT EVERYONE TALKING. 🔥
A major American Idol fan poll revealed who viewers thought deserved to win before the finale.
Now, fans are comparing those predictions with what actually happened on live TV — and the debate isn’t slowing down.
👇 One ranking surprised almost everyone
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The release of the Gold Derby user poll results during the high-stakes Top 5 week of American Idol Season 24 explicitly mapped out the closing trajectory of the 2026 competition. Navigating a jam-packed thematic layout—which featured a “Class of 2006” reunion duet alongside Dancing with the Stars pros—the voting metrics solidified a clear division between the true frontrunners and the final contestants facing imminent elimination.
The data collected from thousands of hardcore reality television tracking fans exposed a deep divide between who audiences predicted would win versus who they believed should take home the recording contract.
The Unshakeable Lead: Hannah Harper
Throughout the entire polling cycle, country singer-songwriter Hannah Harper maintained a dominant, statistically staggering lead over her competitors. Bringing an immensely loyal, pre-established social media fanbase to the live shows, Harper’s narrative as a dedicated mother of three raising her family in Missouri resonated deeply with the core demographic of the traditional Idol voting base.
The Audition Momentum: Her early performance of her original viral composition, “String Cheese,” which focused heavily on her personal battles with postpartum depression, established her as an authentic, radio-ready artist right out of the gate.
The Final Prediction Consensus: Gold Derby poll respondents overwhelmingly anticipated her victory, with early tracking metrics placing her win probability at over 65%.
The Duet Performance High: Her pairing with Idol alum Kellie Pickler for a powerful rendition of Martina McBride’s “A Broken Wing” effectively cemented her status as the contestant to beat heading into the finale.
The Vocal Juggernauts: Jordan McCullough and Keyla Richardson
Positioned directly behind the country frontrunner, worship leader Jordan McCullough and gospel powerhouse Keyla Richardson locked down the remaining positions in the projected Top 3. While Harper dominated the raw statistical prediction curves, McCullough emerged as the critical darling of the Gold Derby community.
In the “Who Should Win” data tracks, McCullough actually edged past Harper, securing over 46% of the passionate fan vote. His dynamic stage presence and emotional delivery reached an absolute peak during the Top 5 broadcast when he teamed up with Elliott Yamin for a universally praised cover of Donny Hathaway’s “A Song for You.”
Keyla Richardson firmly held onto the third-place slot, praised consistently by poll analysts for her unmatched ability to completely command a live stage. Even during weeks where her vocal runs threatened to overpower the arrangement, her star power remained undeniable. Her high-octane performance of Stevie Wonder’s “Living for the City,” alongside Season 5 winner Taylor Hicks, served as a brilliant reminder of her exceptional musicality, keeping her comfortably ahead of the bottom-tier contestants.
The Final Cut: Braden Rumfelt and Chris Tungseth
The bottom of the Top 5 rankings pointed toward a swift, inevitable exit for the remaining two contestants, Braden Rumfelt and Chris Tungseth. Despite demonstrating consistent growth over the course of the shortened season, both singers lacked the massive, unified voting blocs pulling for the top three.
Braden Rumfelt managed to turn heads during the previous week by executing a polished, emotional cover of Taylor Swift’s “Cardigan,” but his theatrical presentation was deemed a mismatch for the fierce competition of the semi-finals. His subsequent rock duet with Paris Bennett on “The Show Must Go On” was not enough to save him from the cutting block.
Similarly, pop-oriented singer Chris Tungseth found himself sitting at the absolute bottom of the weekly rankings. While analysts commended his recent improvement arc and clear pop identity, his awkward country-pop pairing with Bucky Covington on “The Thunder Rolls” ultimate sealed his fate. The tracking results proved perfectly accurate, as the nationwide vote mirrored the Gold Derby layout, cutting Rumfelt and Tungseth to leave Harper, McCullough, and Richardson standing as the official Season 24 Top 3 finalists.
