It’s not all glitz and glamour—here’s what ‘American Idol’ contestants really earn behind the scenes

Ever wondered what lifestyle the contestants of 'American Idol' lead? Where do they live? Do they get a salary to perform?  These are questions you might often ask as you're watching the iconic show. Well, the answers are not that simple and require a detailed explanation. If you're wondering where the contestants stay, once they "come to Hollywood," as reported by MSNBC back in 2005, the contestants all stayed together in a mansion. However, that changed as the producers then moved the contestants to an apartment complex to give them more privacy. They even had a curfew: 10 pm before live shows and 11 pm on usual days. Since then, the accommodation for 'Idol' contestants has changed again, as they now stay in pairs of two in hotel rooms, as seen in a TikTok posted by Abi Carter, the winner of 'American Idol' Season 22.

Since an entire season of 'American Idol' can last for 3-4 months, spanning the auditions to the finale, the question does arise if the contestants get paid. Various contestants throughout different seasons of 'American Idol' have chimed in on this question. Margie Mays, a contestant in seasons 17 and 18, said as per the above outlet, "You don’t get paid until you make it to the live rounds, and then you can be paid."