When "American Idol" airs live on the TV schedule, we’ll kick off the finals of its 23rd season, with the Top 14 taking the stage to honor the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees. It was not an easy road to pare the 144 contestants who made it past auditions down to just 14, and it sounds like Katy Perry’s replacement, Carrie Underwood, may have struggled more than her counterparts when it came to sending artists home.
On the April 21 episode, which included a huge Ryan Seacrest gaffe that might have already had Carrie Underwood upset, the field was cut from 20 singers down to 14. Fan votes determined the first 10, then Underwood, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan were tasked with picking the last four. That meant crushing six artists’ dreams all at once, which the Season 4 champion said was nearly too much for her.
