‘He may win’: Luke Bryan predicts big things for Braden Rumfelt during ‘American Idol’ Hollywood Week

Hollywood Week has arrived in Music City — and the lights feel brighter than ever. With a live band behind them and 1,500 fans packed into the audience, 127 American Idol hopefuls take the stage knowing they have just one song — one shot — to prove they belong.

For many, it’s the first time performing with a full band. For all of them, it’s a make-or-break moment.

Throughout the day, judges Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie deliberate between performances, facing the toughest cuts of the season so far. By night’s end, the competition will deliver the largest Hollywood Week cut in franchise history.

Those who survive advance to the all-new Golden Room — where the only thing harder than singing is waiting — still technically in the race for the Top 30. But nothing is final. The decision that matters most won’t come until the very end of the round.

But even on a night this intense, a few singers managed to stand out — and one of them had Luke making a pretty bold prediction.

“He may win”

Luke Bryan might have just called it.

Braden Rumfelt, a 22-year-old from Murphy, N.C., earned a standing ovation for his smooth take on Sam Smith’s “I’m Not the Only One,” instantly separating himself from the pack.

Before performing, Braden revealed he’s undergone two knee surgeries in the past year. In his intro package, he shared how the recovery sparked severe anxiety and intrusive thoughts that eventually led him to therapy.

“I kind of developed contamination OCD,” he said. “It’s really debilitating. I’ve made huge strides to getting a lot better. Hollywood Week — that’s good for me. I can focus on putting my energy into something that is real.”

Onstage, he looked completely at ease — and Luke noticed. “We knew you were special in your audition,” Luke told him. “You picked the perfect song.”

After Braden left the stage, Luke turned to Carrie and Lionel and made it official: “He may win.”

Golden performances

Check out all the best performances from the “Hollywood Week in Music City – Part 1” episode below and see who advanced to the Golden Room.

Abayomi
Age: 16
Hometown: San Francisco
Performance: “Make It Rain” by Foy Vance
Lionel: “The notes that came out were amazing. I loved your performance.”

Trace Casanova
Age: 23
Hometown: Charlotte, N.C.
Audition: “Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osbourne
Lionel: “You killed it, Trace.”
Carrie: “Thank you, Trace!”
Luke (to Lionel and Carrie): “Are y’all on drugs?”

Michael Garner
Age: 16
Hometown: Forrest City, Ark.
Performance: “Wanna Be Loved” by The Red Clay Strays
Luke: “You’re doing impressive stuff. You should be very proud.”

Hannah Harper
Age: 25
Hometown: Wilson Springs, Mo.
Performance: “A Little Past Little Rock” by Lee Ann Womack
Carrie: “You just nailed that.”

Kiera Howell
Age: 16
Hometown: Geneva, Ala.
Performance: N/A

Philmon Lee
Age: 25
Hometown: Lagrange, Ga.
Performance: “Lose Control” by Teddy Swims
Lionel: “You walk out, open your mouth, and turn into somebody else. And I’m telling you, that somebody else — we love!”

Lucas Leon
Age: 17
Hometown: Gallatin, Tenn.
Performance: “Georgia on My Mind” by Ray Charles
Luke: “Seventeen years old — you did great.”

Makiyah
Age: 24
Hometown: Pine Bluff, Ark.
Performance: “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here” by Deborah Cox
Lionel: “I don’t know where you’re going to be in the stars, but you are a star.”

Jordan McCullough
Age: 27
Hometown: Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Performance: “Higher Ground” by Stevie Wonder
Lionel: “You have found some new notes on ‘Higher Ground.’ Excellent!”

Madison Moon
Age: 21
Hometown: Orlando
Performance: “Alone” by Heart
Carrie: “You are the only person on planet Earth who has ever raised the key on that song. All I got to say is, dang.”

Keyla Richardson
Age: 29
Hometown: Pensacola, Fla.
Performance: “I Won’t Give Up” by Jason Mraz
Luke: “I love your look, I love the song. You just slayed that.”

Roelle
Age: 25
Hometown: Dorado, Puerto Rico
Performance: “California” by Chappell Roan
Lionel: “You have a natural stage presence that you can’t teach.”

Bryant Thomas
Age: 26
Hometown: Mobile, Ala.
Performance: “Champagne Problems” by Taylor Swift
Carrie: “Bryant, you are as showman. I love your vibe, your style. I love that you picked that song. I feel like you’re going to keep us on our toes. You’ve got a great voice on top of it. It’s so soulful.”

Cliffhanger

The following contestants were left in limbo at the end of tonight’s episode, so we won’t know if they’ve made it through until next week.

Chloe Lauren
Age: 25
Hometown: Warrenville, S.C.
Performance: “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper
Luke: “You have one of the most original-sounding voices in the whole competition.”

Jake Thistle
Age: 21
Hometown: Paramus, N.J.
Performance: “Seventeen Going Under” by Sam Fender
Luke: “You’re so ready for this. Go win this thing, make an album, hit the road, get a band.”

Chris Tungseth
Age: 27
Hometown: Fergus Falls, Minn.
Performance: “Jealous” by Labrinth
Carrie: “That was captivating. I was hanging on every word wondering what you were going to do with it. You’re mesmerizing.”

Brianna Yancey
Age: 18
Hometown: Alpharetta, Ga.
Performance: N/A

Eliminated contestants

With the largest Hollywood Week cut in franchise history, not every performance was shown onscreen. Below are the singers confirmed to have exited the competition, though additional hopefuls were sent home without their performances airing.

Brett Carlisle
Age: 28
Hometown: Birmingham, Ala.
Audition: “Still of the Night” by Great White
Carrie: “You know I’m in your corner, but I feel like we had a few hiccups in there.”

Brett CarlisleDisney/Connie Chornuk

Khloe Grace
Age: 16
Hometown: Jacksonville, Fla.
Performance: “Stay” by Sugarland
Luke: “It sounded like you were pretty nervous, but toward the end you really started locking in and hitting your stride.”

Khloe GraceDisney/Connie Chornuk

Livy
Age: 22
Hometown: Shinnston, W.Va.
Performance: “Versace on the Floor” by Bruno Mars
Lionel: “It is clear that you are doing something entertaining, but song choice will be the master here. We know you have a voice in there, next time show it off.”

LivyDisney/Connie Chornuk

Carmen Lorell Martin
Age: 20
Hometown: El Dorado Hills, Calif.
Performance: “Heartbreaker” by Pat Benatar
Carrie: “It looked like you were about to pass out towards the end.”

Carmen LorellDisney/Connie Chornuk

Noah Orion
Age: 24
Hometown: Spokane, Wash.
Performance: “Sharp Dressed Man” by ZZ Top
Carrie: “You’re just a good time, Noah. I don’t come down to the Broadway bars, but I would come down if you were playing.”

Noah OrionDisney/Connie Chornuk

Vika
Age: 22
Hometown: Spokane, Wash.
Performance: “You Know I’m No Good” by Amy Winehouse
Luke: “You look like a star and you have such a big, big voice, but I had trouble picking up a lot of those lyrics.”

VikaDisney/Connie Chornuk

Next Week

In “Hollywood Week — Part 2,” the remaining hopefuls take the stage in Nashville as the judges finalize the biggest cut in Hollywood Week history and reveal the Top 30.