'American Idol' finalists perform inspirational 'showstopper' songs

Lauren Daigle returns to ‘American Idol’ as celebrity guest mentor

The stakes are high as the remaining “American Idol” finalists sing their hearts out in hopes of winning America’s vote and advancing to the next phase of the competition.

In Sunday’s episode, each contestant will perform one inspirationally powerful “showstopper” song, with the help of former “American Idol” hopeful and now Grammy Award-winning artist, Lauren Daigle, who serves as celebrity guest mentor. Each finalist will also take on a song performed at the famed Woodstock music festival in 1969, which remains one of the most historic moments in popular music history.

This show will be the final opportunity for the judges to use their coveted save on one contestant this season. Last season’s second runner-up and powerhouse vocalist, Gabby Barrett, returns to the “American Idol” stage to perform her latest song, “I Hope,” claiming her the No. 1 spot on Radio Disney Country’s Top 50 chart and continuing to rise to the top 3 on SiriusXM’s “The Highway.”

The journey to find the next superstar continues  May 5 (8-10:01 p.m. EDT), on The ABC Television Network, streaming and on demand.

After making history last season as the first reality competition series on American television to allow viewers to watch and vote from coast to coast simultaneously, “American Idol” continues its simulcast once again in all time zones across the country. For this episode, viewers will be able to vote by text, via AmericanIdol.com/vote and on the “American Idol” app during the show. Results will be revealed at the end of the show in real time, across all time zones. The episode will be rebroadcast during its normal time slot on Sunday at 8 p.m. PDT on the West Coast.

Helping to determine the next singing sensation are music industry legends and all-star judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie. Emmy Award-winning host and producer Ryan Seacrest hosts the beloved series, while famed multimedia personality Bobby Bones acts as in-house mentor.