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<\/div>\n<\/div>\nRyan Seacrest’s tip for remembering which show he’s filming<\/p>\n
Ryan Seacrest lets us in on how he remembers whether he’s hosting “Wheel of Fortune” or “American Idol,” which he’s hosted for 24 seasons.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Daniel Stallworth<\/a> is chasing a dream on \u201cAmerican Idol<\/a>.” And he doesn\u2019t want the ride to end anytime soon.<\/p>\n The Mississippi native is currently in the show\u2019s Top 9<\/a>, heading into the Monday, April 20, episode. The field is expected to narrow quickly in the coming weeks, with the season finale set for May.<\/p>\n On a scale of 1\u201310, Stallworth says he\u2019s loving the experience \u201c1,000%.\u201d<\/p>\n Support from fans at home means a lot. Stallworth grew up in Moss Point, and he said seeing people across Mississippi support him makes him feel really special.<\/p>\n Stallworth moved to the Houston area a few months ago. He teaches music at River Pines Elementary School in Humble, Texas.<\/p>\n Past and current students are excited to see him on the show. Seeing how they believe in him “melts my heart,” he said.<\/p>\n As the competition<\/a> intensifies, Stallworth said his focus is simple: keep advancing each week and keep showing “America my best.”<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what to know about his time on \u201cAmerican Idol<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n Working with celebrity mentors has been a highlight so far, Stallworth said.<\/p>\n He was recently paired with Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo\u00a0for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame<\/a>\u00a0Week. Giraldo shared advice that stuck with him about handling nerves on stage.<\/p>\n Focus on a strong delivery, he was told. Don\u2019t forget the audience entirely \u2014 just don\u2019t let the pressure take over.<\/p>\n Stallworth added that time spent bonding with other contestants each week has also been a standout part of his experience.<\/p>\n Stallworth said his favorite performance came during the March 16 episode, when he sang judge Lionel Richie<\/a>\u2019s \u201cAll Night Long.\u201d<\/p>\n Becoming \u201cMr. ‘All Night Long’\u201d was fun and unexpected. He said he especially loved seeing how much others enjoyed the song.<\/p>\n After the performance, Richie praised Stallworth for making the song his own.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat that performance just showed me is you might be the best singer in this competition,\u201d judge Luke Bryan<\/a> said.<\/p>\n Richie later joked that he never expected to share ownership of his signature hit. He said people kept stopping him after that episode to talk about Stallworth’s performance.<\/p>\n \u201cNow, you are ‘Mr. \u2018All Night Long,\u2019’\u201d Richie told him.<\/p>\n He sang judge\u00a0‘s song “All Night Long”\u00a0on the March 16 episode. It’s become his favorite performance of the season.<\/p>\n Being in Hawaii for Ohana rounds was “icing on the cake,” Stallworth said.<\/p>\n Being strategic about song selection has been one of the biggest challenges, Stallworth said.<\/p>\n He recommends that anyone auditioning come prepared with a personal catalog of songs. There isn\u2019t much time to learn new material each week.<\/p>\n Stallworth said he\u2019d heard Bon Jovi\u2019s \u201cLivin’ on a Prayer\u201d many times and had played it with groups before, but learning it as a lead singer was new.<\/p>\n \u201cYou really have to lock in,\u201d he said, noting that contestants often have just a few days to prepare.<\/p>\n The schedule leaves little room for downtime, including time with family.<\/p>\n \u201cBe prepared for the lifestyle,\u201d Stallworth said.<\/p>\n Two “American Idol” winners are from Mississippi.<\/p>\n Jamal Roberts<\/a>, of Meridian, won Season 23 in 2025. Trent Harmon<\/a>, of Amory, took the Season 15 title in 2016. La’Porsha Renae<\/a>, of McComb, was the Season 15 runner-up.<\/p>\n Several other Mississippi contestants have made deep runs on the show, including Colin Stough<\/a>, of Gattman, who placed third in Season 21. Amory resident Zachariah Smith also reached the Top 5 that year.<\/p>\n Skylar Laine<\/a>, of Jackson, was also a Top 5 finalist on Season 11.<\/p>\n \u201cAmerican Idol\u201d airs at 7 p.m. CT on Mondays on ABC. Episodes are available to stream the next day on Hulu.<\/p>\n Voting is only open during live broadcasts of \u201cAmerican Idol.\u201d It opens at the start of the show and closes during the final commercial break of the live simulcast.<\/p>\n Viewers can vote for each finalist up to 10 times per method, for a maximum of 50 total votes per week.<\/p>\n There are five ways to vote this season:<\/p>\n Social media voting posts will be pinned at the top of the show’s official accounts.<\/p>\n Stallworth said his name has to be spelled properly to count as a vote. Comments like “Danielx10” won’t count for 10 votes. Each one has to be separate.<\/p>\n The “American Idol” voting FAQ<\/a> also explained that each comment only counts for one finalist. If you name multiple people, only the first one counts.<\/p>\n “I do want everybody to vote for me,” Stallworth laughed.<\/p>\n Bonnie Bolden<\/a>\u00a0is the Deep South Connect reporter for Mississippi with USA TODAY Network. Email her at\u00a0bbolden@gannett.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\nWhat’s Stallworth’s favorite part of the show?<\/h2>\n
What’s Stallworth’s favorite performance so far?<\/h2>\n
What’s the hardest part of ‘American Idol’?<\/h2>\n
What Mississippi singers won American Idol?<\/h2>\n
When can you watch American Idol?<\/h2>\n
How to vote for Daniel Stallworth up to 50 times per week<\/h2>\n
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