Hannah Harper Looks Ahead to Life After ‘American Idol’ as Season 24 Nears Its Finale [Exclusive]

Season 24 of American Idol is quickly heading toward its finale, where a winner will be crowned and each of the Top 5 contestants are vying for that title. Hannah Harper has continued to build on her early momentum, which led her to secure a spot in the Top 5 during last week’s episode. Now, she is envisioning what life will look like after the show, whether her journey continues after tonight’s reveal of the Top 3 or comes to an end.

When she’s not on stage performing her heart out in front of the judges, live audience and viewers at home, Harper has been planning her future behind the scenes. She explained to Country Now, that her hope is to take her music on the road “as soon as possible” and tour with her husband and her children by her side.

“We’re going to take a couple weeks to chill, but as soon as June hits, we have several appearances lined up for the rest of the year to share music,” Harper revealed.

Along with touring, the Missouri native is looking forward to releasing some original music and maybe even dropping an album. Throughout Hollywood week, she continued to write on her own as well as in writing rooms. As a result, she has now compiled enough material to put together a full-length project that she is “excited to share with the world.”

From her original audition song, “String Cheese,” to the powerful covers she’s delivered week after week, Hannah Harper has shown fans a clear passion for storytelling. She shared plans to carry that same intention into her songwriting moving forward because lyrics that move people is something more valuable to her than being a powerhouse performer.

“I think it’s challenged me as a songwriter to be extremely mindful moving forward in writing songs that only have purpose in that way. I want to write fun stuff, but more than anything, the songs that speak to people, they will remember them,” said Harper. “If you jumped around on stage and put on a good performance, they’ll remember it for a while, but they’ll remember something more that made them feel a certain way. And I think that’s what I’ve learned the most is to continue to stay true to that part of who I am as an artist.”

Also on her list of dreams to cross off is to one day perform at Nashville’s coveted venue, the Grand Ole Opry.

“The Opry is the goal. After that, I can just quit,” she joked. “The Opry is, I mean, that’s the biggest stage in country music in my eyes, the most honored and that it would just make my whole life to Get to perform on that stage would be a huge honor, but that is definitely the goal.”

Last week, viewers saw her put her own spin on Taylor Swift’s “Mean” during a night celebrating the pop star. Harper will return to the stage tonight, as part of the Class of 2006: Reunion episode.

Longtime Idol fans will be treated to a very special evening full of special guests. Idol alums Kellie Pickler, Taylor Hicks, Paris Bennett, Bucky Covington, and Elliott Yamin will return to duet with this season’s Top 5 contestants: Chris Tungseth, Hannah Harper, Braden Rumfelt, Keyla Richardson, and Jordan McCullough. Former judges Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson will also be joining Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan, and Carrie Underwood.

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Plus, a select group of Dancing with the Stars pros will perform alongside the finalists before the Top 3 is revealed during the live vote.

American Idol airs live at 8/7c on ABC or stream it live on Disney+. New episodes can be streamed the next day on Hulu.