Following the Season 24 finale of American Idol on May 11, 2026, finalist Keyla Richardson’s mother claimed that her daughter was robbed after finishing in third place.
Hannah Harper won the contest, while Jordan McCullough finished as the runner-up. However, Richardson’s mother made it clear in a Facebook post that she disagreed with the rankings.
Keyla Richardson’s mother says she was ‘robbed’ in American Idol Season 24
American Idol Season 24 concluded on May 11, 2026, with Hannah Harper winning the competition and Jordan McCullough finishing as the runner-up. However, finalist Keyla Richardson’s mother appeared disappointed with the results.
Katja Richardson took to Facebook to share her opinion about the outcome of the competition. She claimed that her daughter was “robbed.”
“My baby was robbed. She did not fail. She was robbed, I’m sorry I’m gonna say it!!” Katja Richardson wrote after the results were announced on May 11. The post received mixed reactions online, with many pointing out that reaching the finals of American Idol Season 24 was itself a major achievement for Keyla and that she still has a promising future ahead as a singer.
Keyla performed Un-Thinkable (I’m Ready) by Alicia Keys during the finale, followed by “I Love The Lord” for the hometown round. Despite the strong performances, she narrowly missed out on a top-two finish.
However, Keyla appeared to have a different reaction to the results than her mother. Following the finale, she met with fellow American Idol alum Breanna Nix, who also finished in third place during the previous season of the show. The two posed together in a photo that Keyla later shared on Instagram.
“Season 23 & Season 24 3rd place finalist! It’s NOT BAD AT ALL, it’s actually GREAT. I’m excited about what’s coming, It’s only up from here! Love you.”
As of now, Keyla has not publicly responded to her mother’s comments.
:quality(85):upscale()/2026/05/11/678/n/1922564/5eada73d6a01f2d3b10453.48636618_.jpg "Met Gala Red Carpet | PS Fashion")
