Honestly, I’m not totally convinced voting at americanidol.com is the most fair thing ever. Like, I’ve watched so many seasons with friends, and we always joke that whoever has the craziest fanbase just racks up votes like wild. There’s a limit—10 votes per contestant per method—but if you’re on TikTok or Insta hyping your fave up, you can really tip things their way. It’s still fun, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t always feel like the actual best singer wins. Sometimes it comes down to, like, who’s popular in meme circles or which contestant’s hometown goes the hardest that night.

I do appreciate how you can vote online, on the app, or with texts, so it’s accessible for most people. But let’s be real, not everyone’s granny is voting on her phone, you know? So yeah, it’s cool for fans to support, but I’m always a little suspicious about how fair it is for everyone. Would love for there to be more behind-the-scenes info on how votes are counted!