‘American Idol’: Carrie Underwood & Luke Bryan Reveal Frontrunner Picks in the Top 14

American Idol fans won’t find out which of the Top 14 made the Top 12 until next Monday’s show due to an overwhelming number of votes submitted on different platforms throughout the March 30 episode.

However, two of the show’s judges weighed in on who they think will be making it through to the next round, while the  reality competition series’ third judge shed some insight into the program’s new voting process and why one change in particular is a good thing for the judges.

“We lost some absolute favorites [of mine],” Carrie Underwood told a small group of reporters, including TV Insider, after Monday’s taping. The first one who immediately came to mind for the American Idol Season 4 champion was Madison Madison. “I’ve loved her since day one,” Underwood added. “You never know why [someone doesn’t make it through]. I feel that happened last year, too. Somebody would be voted off and I couldn’t believe it.”

The good news is that everyone who made it to the Top 20 has it on their resumes forever. “It is [true],” Underwood concurred. “Some of my other favorites, Genevieve [Heyward] and Kutter [Bradley], too, [were cut]. I feel like they were the ones I was championing.”

Having said that, Underwood was highly impressed with many of the Top 14, who performed songs of faith earlier this week. “I feel like Hannah [Harper] and Chris [Tungseth] were really surprising,” Underwood enthused. “And Keyla [Richardson], too. I feel like they did a really good job.”

Luke Bryan agreed with Underwood that Hannah hit it out of the park. “I thought the song choice [‘At the Cross (Love Ran Red)’] was perfect,” Bryan notes. “She really, really solidified being deserved [to be here]. ‘Deservedness’ – I guess that’s the word. When you look at her viral moment, the ‘String Cheese‘ song, and she just kind of reinvents more moments.”

He continued, “There were a lot of standouts. Philmon [Lee] really did a good job with ‘Simple Man.’ Jordan [McCullough] singing ‘I Can Only Imagine. I mean, there are a lot of really great moments out there. It’s going to be interesting to see when they tally the votes what happens.”

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Lionel Richie is very happy that the decision is in the hands of the voting public now, which means the judges don’t have to make the decisions anymore. “I’m glad we don’t have to do [that] anymore,” the “Truly” singer said, noting that it could be confusing at times. “You heard me say right in the middle of the show [to a contestant], ‘You’re the one, and you can pick up your prize and go home.’

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“Then, halfway through [the show], five songs later, I’m thinking, ‘Wait a minute, you’re not the one. I like this one over here, too,’” Richie admitted. “So, it’s like [hearing] Bruno Mars or Bob Dylan, which one do you want? They’re two different artists, but they’re two stylists. That’s what makes it difficult. I’m glad we don’t have [as much direct influence] anymore because it’s what style that is going to resonate with the audience [that results in the winner being chosen].”

“You really don’t know who America is going to vote for,” Underwood concluded. “It’s definitely hard, and right now, it’s painful. But there were so many people who tried out, and [the ones we had here tonight] all made it to the Top 20. That’s an incredible thing to say.”

American Idol, Mondays, 8/7c, ABC

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