Murrieta Native Makes It To American Idol Grand Finale

MURRIETA, CA — A 23-year-old piano teacher from Murrieta is among three Californians competing to be crowned the newest winner of American Idol in Sunday's season finale.

Jonny West, 23, is a piano teacher who grew up in Murrieta and now lives in Studio City, Los Angeles. He told ABC7 that he entered the competition hoping to "push the envelope with art."

"As far as I'm concerned, we're all winners," he said of the competition. "And our job is to just entertain people and help them escape their reality for a bit."

The other Californians left in American Idol's Top 7 are Francisco Martin, who lives in Daly City, and Dillon James, hailing from Bakersfield.

American Idol's finale — its 18th season overall, and third on ABC — airs Sunday, May 17 on ABC. The series has been airing remotely-produced shows since April 26.

The two-hour broadcast will begin with the revealing of the vote reducing the field to five.

The Top 5 will each then perform two songs. The first will celebrate their induction into the Top 5, and the second will be a previously performed song and their new "American Idol" single.

The winner will be determined by a vote of viewers of the live East Coast broadcast.

Sunday's episode will also include Lionel Richie and fellow judges Katy Perry and Luke Bryan joining such past "American Idol" contestants as Katharine McPhee, Jordin Sparks, Kellie Pickler, Ruben Studdard and Scotty McCreery in the first television performance of "We Are The World" in 35 years.

Richie joined Michael Jackson in writing the 1985 charity single for African famine relief.

Perry will perform her new single "Daisies" in its television debut. Bryan will perform his new single "One Margarita."

The country band Rascal Flats will be joined by Doug Kiker, a garbage collector from Alabama who was eliminated during the Hollywood Round, in singing "Bless The Broken Road."

The Grammy-winning contemporary Christian singer Lauren Daigle and the Top 5 will perform her three-time platinum song, "You Say."

Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo and the Top 11 will perform a medley of Aretha Franklin songs.