Overview
- Lionel Richie, who won the ’90s-themed Judges’ Song Contest on Monday, used the one-time save to keep Rae, which sent Jesse Findling home.
- The contest works by having each judge quietly pick songs for every singer, earning a point when a contestant chooses their pick, and the points leader gets the save power.
- Explaining his call, Richie said he “chose vibe” and stage presence over technical performance and praised Rae’s live command of “Love Will Lead You Back.”
- Carrie Underwood called the choice “impossible,” and Luke Bryan said Rae has sung solidly all season, with both judges publicly supporting Richie.
- The competition now moves to a Top 11 round with songs by Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees next week, after earlier cuts to Julián Kalel and Jake Thistle.