American Idol contestants and fans were treated to a couple performances last night, April 8, by some big-name recording artists. Florida Georgia Line and Jason Derulo doubled as this week's mentors/musical guests, with each act performing their newest singles. Iggy Azalea and Idol alumna Jennifer Hudson also stopped by to show off their recent collaboration "Trouble."
The pair sounded spectacular together, but it was Hudson's home turf, so the singer received a jolt in cheers every time she dropped a chorus. Hopefully, the contestants had their notebooks handy, because Azalea and Hudson gave a crash course in nailing a performance. Derulo's showing was a close second while FGL floundered through another bro-country anthem. Check out "Trouble" below.
Azalea's new single is off her debut album reissue Reclassified. The album dropped about seven months after The New Classic last year, featuring other new material like "Heavy Crown" with Ellie Goulding and "Beg for It" featuring MØ. The effort reached 16 on the Billboard 200 chart.
The Australian rapper will hit the road in September after an unfortunate postponement -- The Great Escape Tour was originally scheduled for April and May.
Hudson released her third album, JHUD, last year. Azalea joined the singer for "He Ain't Goin' Nowhere," and T.I. and R. Kelly also made appearances on the album. It peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 and received mostly positive reviews.
"Jennifer Hudson is a hugely gifted singer who has, nonetheless, never established much of a musical identity. That should change with her third album, a time warp that reinvents the late Seventies à la Daft Punk," Rolling Stone wrote.
Hudson was a finalist on Idol in 2004 during the show's third season. Carrie Underwood went on to win the competition that year.
