American Idol: How Fritz Hager & Noah Thompson Sang With COVID
American Idol season 20 hopefuls Fritz Hager and Noah Thompson may have contracted COVID-19 ahead of the Top 7 live performances, but here's how the two contestants were still able to perform. Since 2000, American Idol has entertained millions of viewers and has allowed hundreds of hopefuls to kick off their singing careers. From starting as a show hosted on FOX to moving to ABC, the original judging panel of Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson has now been replaced with Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan.
American Idol has changed even more since the show's early seasons, especially due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While seasons 19 and 20 had select open audition dates in person, the majority were held virtually via Idols Across America to reduce unnecessary exposure. American Idol season 20 is also the first time the Platinum ticket was introduced, which was given to HunterGirl, Jay Copeland, and Kenedi Anderson, who withdrew ahead of the Top 20 results. While the singing competition used to last roughly six months, the show has been reduced to about three, with multiple eliminations per week instead of one. With a tight schedule and numerous health precautions in place, fans were immediately concerned when it was announced that Fritz and Noah tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of the May 8 live show.
Related: American Idol: What Happened To Paula Abdul After Judging
Luckily, Fritz and Noah were still able to compete for spots in the Top 5. Sunday night's show, which starred will.i.am as the guest mentor, required contestants to perform twice: one song that was uploaded or gone viral on TikTok and another dedicated to Mother's Day. As Fritz was not able to sing in front of the judges, American
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