Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie made the tough call to cut down the remaining contestants to less than half on Sunday’s tense two-hour episode of American Idol‘s Hollywood Week on ABC.

When the show started 143 contestants were called to perform but only 56 were left by the end of the night after performing in the new Idol Arena.

The auditions started off smooth but by the end of the night the pressure got to some of the contestants.

Triston Harper, 15, a high school student from McIntosh, Alabama was the first contestant to take the stage. He sang for the judges an original song that he wrote and played the guitar.

‘Great job, way to make us smile,’ Luke Bryan, 47, said.

Katy Perry , Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie made the tough call to cut down the remaining contestants to less than half on Sunday’s tense two-hour episode of American Idol ‘s Hollywood Week on ABC.

When the show started 143 contestants were called to perform but only 56 were left by the end of the night after performing in the new Idol Arena

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Triston Harper, 15, a high school student from McIntosh, Alabama was the first contestant to take the stage. He sang for the judges an original song that he wrote and played the guitar

‘Great job, way to make us smile,’ Luke Bryan, 47, said

Next, Quintavious, 21, a vocal coach from Franklin, Tennessee sang Help Me by Court Chavis for the judges.

‘I think it was even better than your audition,’ Luke said.

Hailey Mia, 16, a high school student from Clifton, New Jersey, sang Adele’s Love in the Dark.

She was followed by Loretta Lynn’s granddaughter Emmy Russell, 24, from Kingston Springs, Tennessee, who performed an original song called Like That.

She shared in a confessional that the pressure of being the country legend’s granddaughter affected her and she had an eating disorder growing up.

‘Emmy I love that you are a songwriter,’ Katy, 39, said.

From Dallas, Jack Blocker, 25, a graphic designer, went next. He said the crew convinced Lionel Richie to give him a yes in the first round and he knew he had a lot to prove. He sang Your Cheating Heart by Hank Williams.

‘We are so happy you are with us,’ Luke said.

Next, Quintavious, 21, a vocal coach from Franklin, Tennessee sang Help Me by Court Chavis for the judges.

‘I think it was even better than your audition,’ Luke said

Hailey Mia, 16, a high school student from Clifton, New Jersey, sang Adele’s Love in the Dark

She was followed by Loretta Lynn’s granddaughter Emmy Russell, 24, from Kingston Springs, Tennessee, who performed an original song called Like That.

She shared in a confessional that the pressure of being the country legend’s granddaughter affected her and she had an eating disorder growing up

‘Emmy I love that you are a songwriter,’ Katy, 39, said

From Dallas, Jack Blocker, 25, a graphic designer, went next. He said the crew convinced Lionel Richie to give him a yes in the first round and he knew he had a lot to prove. He sang Your Cheating Heart by Hank Williams

Kayko, 23, a songwriter, played the piano and sang the story that he wrote about his audition and his imposter syndrome feelings.

He originally only came into the auditions playing the piano for his friend Abby Blake when the judges asked him to audition and voted him on.

‘You’re not the accident,’ Katy said. ‘You are the opportunity.’

His friend Abby Blake, 25, a bar singer from Nashville went next and sang Vienna by Billy Joel.

‘I thought it was a step up from your audition,’ Katy said.

Jennifer Jeffries, 17, from Starkville, Mississippi took the stage. Jennifer said she was nervous and played the guitar as she sang her original song about watching her siblings struggle with mental health.

‘It’s a little right, It’s a little dirty, and it’s not perfect but it’s perfect,’ Katy said. ‘I don’t know if you are going to win this thing but you are going to be a star.’

Nya, 28, a Broadway performer from New York blew away Lionel Richie, 74, with her singing of Aretha Franklin’s Natural Woman.

Kayko, 23, a songwriter, played the piano and sang the story that he wrote about his audition and his imposter syndrome feelings

‘You’re not the accident,’ Katy said. ‘You are the opportunity’

His friend Abby Blake, 25, a bar singer from Nashville went next and sang Vienna by Billy Joel

Jennifer Jeffries, 17, from Starkville, Mississippi took the stage. Jennifer said she was nervous and played the guitar as she sang her original song about watching her siblings struggle with mental health.

‘It’s a little right, It’s a little dirty, and it’s not perfect but it’s perfect,’ Katy said. ‘I don’t know if you are going to win this thing but you are going to be a star’

Nya, 28, a Broadway performer from New York blew away Lionel Richie, 74, with her singing of Aretha Franklin’s Natural Woman

‘Wow, wow,’ Lionel said.

Mia, 19, and Jacy Matthews, 17, sisters from Centre, Alabama went next. Jacy went first and sang Up to the Mountain.

‘I really love the purity in your voice,’ Luke said.

Mia performed Mama’s Broken Heart by Miranda Lambert.

‘You came in swinging!’ Lionel said.

KBlocks, 27, from Montgomery, Alabama sang Valerie by Amy Winehouse. Katy told her she was so interesting and fun to watch.

She was followed by McKenna Faith Breinholt, 25, from Gilbert, Arizona, who shared that her birth mother died when she was 15, but she met members of her birth family after her audition.

She said the connection with them has been a great thing for her. She performed Adele’s When We Were Young.

Mia, 19, and Jacy Matthews, 17, sisters from Centre, Alabama went next. Jacy went first and sang Up to the Mountain

Mia performed Mama’s Broken Heart by Miranda Lambert

She was followed by McKenna Faith Breinholt, 25, from Gilbert, Arizona, who shared that her birth mother died when she was 15, but she met members of her birth family after her audition.

‘Great job,’ Luke said.

Ajii, 27, from Brooklyn who works as a nursing home security guard, performed Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Simple Man and dedicated it to his mother. The judges gave him a standing ovation.

‘That was a fabulous performance,’ Lionel said.

Madai Chakell, 22, a content creator from Springfield, Massachusetts sang Tattooed Heart by Ariana Grande but got off track from the beginning. She asked the judges if she could start again.

‘My pianist completely just flipped the script on what we practiced,’ Madai said after she left the stage.

Madai went backstage and said that wasn’t the song they practiced and it felt like the piano started in the middle of the song.

‘I want you to be able to walk away from this and feel like you didn’t just throw the towel and walk out,’ a producer said to Madai.

Madai was given another shot to perform. Luke said he wanted her to be comfortable and Madai asked for a chair because she was feeling shaky.

Madai Chakell, 22, a content creator from Springfield, Massachusetts sang Tattooed Heart by Ariana Grande but got off track from the beginning. She asked the judges if she could start again

‘Probably not winning the audience with that one,’ Luke said after she left the stage.

‘A lot of people can sing, but can you sing under pressure?’ Lionel said to the camera. ‘Pressure is part of the game.’

Camila Galavis, 14, a high school student from Miami, and former Bachelor Juan Galavis’s daughter, sang next.

She was followed by Isabella Mercier, 20, a college student from Oxford, Mississippi; and then Amanda Morass, 24, from Milford, Massachusetts who forgot some of the words on stage.

Luke said historically they have seen that Hollywood week can make kids crumble under pressure.

Kaibrienne ‘K.B’. Richins, 20, from Henefer, Utah sang an emotional song How Could You by Jessie Murphy.

She broke down crying singing it and brought members of the audience to tears. The judges gave her a standing ovation.

‘I’m very proud of what you were doing,’ Lionel said.

‘I don’t know whoever the guy or the person that hurt you,’ Luke said. ‘You could tell that you really channeled that in that song.’

Camila Galavis, 14, a high school student from Miami, and former Bachelor Juan Galavis’s daughter, sang next.

She was followed by Isabella Mercier, 20, a college student from Oxford, Mississippi; and then Amanda Morass, 24, from Milford, Massachusetts who forgot some of the words on stage.

‘I’m very proud of what you were doing,’ Lionel said.

Will Moseley, 23, from Hazelhurst, Georgia performed Whiskey and You by Chris Stapleton.

‘You are authentic country,’ Katy said. ‘What you deliver is so solid and gritty.’

‘I am glad I made it when I did because these kids coming up were armed for winning,’ Lionel said.

Roman Collins, 24, a car cleaner from Long Beach, California, sang Gravity by John Mayer. He was followed by Mackenzie Sol, 23, a content creator from Las Vegas and then Blake Proehl, 24, a former pro football player from Charlotte, North Carolina; and Justice Murphy, 21, a college student from Forrest City, Arkansas.

Kennedy Reid, 23, a mortician from New Albany, Indiana, performed How Great Thou Art.

‘This has been a great day by the way,’ Luke said.

The final contestant of the night was Ziggy, 23, a reality star from the Netherlands. He said he wanted to show the world that it was okay to be different. He said he had worked on repairing his relationship with his father, but that his father died suddenly from a stroke. Ziggy dedicated his song All I Want by Kodaline to his late father.

‘That was awesome,’ Katy said.

Will Moseley, 23, from Hazelhurst, Georgia performed Whiskey and You by Chris Stapleton

Roman Collins, 24, a car cleaner from Long Beach, California, sang Gravity by John Mayer

He was followed by Mackenzie Sol, 23, a content creator from Las Vegas

Blake Proehl, 24, a former pro football player from Charlotte, North Carolina, also performed

Justice Murphy, 21, a college student from Forrest City, Arkansas also performed

The final contestant of the night was Ziggy, 23, a reality star from the Netherlands

‘I was thinking of my dad,’ Ziggy said. ‘I saw him. I saw a father who was really proud.’

At the end of the night, the judges had to cut 80 people. Mia, Kayko, Quintavious, KBlocks, Mackenzie, Jennifer Jeffries, Will Mosley, Triston, K.B, Nya, Kennedy, Ajii, Max Dasher, McKenna, Jack Blocker, Layla Dasher, Amy Russell, Blake, and Ziggy were some of the contestants told that they were told they were going on.

Abby Blake, Noah Peters, Connell, Kyra, Meggie, Madai, Bethany,Kimmy, C.J. Rislov and Jacy Matthews all were told they were going home.

At the end of the night only 56 singers were left on the stage.

‘You have finally made it through the biggest and the toughest cut in Idol history,’ Katy said.

‘We are so confident that we have found the best of the best,’ Lionel said.

Luke told them they were going down to 24 contestants by tomorrow.

American Idol will return next Monday on ABC.