American Idol just crowned its 2025 winner and it happened after a crazy night full of music, emotions and record-breaking votes
Season 23 of American Idol is officially over with the naming of a new champion!
The American Idol season finale took place at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday night (May 18). The 3-hour televised show was jam-packed with performances from the finalists and guest stars before a winner was eventually crowned.
This year’s finalists, John Foster, Jamal Roberts, and Breanna Nix, had their work cut out for them with four performances each during the show. Each performance was another chance for the hopeful to earn votes from America during the 3-hour voting window that opened when the show started and closed during the last commercial break.
Ahead of the finale, the finalists returned to their hometowns to perform for, reunite with, and meet new fans who have supported their Idol journey.
About the American Idol Season 23 Finalists
John Foster, an 18-year-old from Addis, Louisiana, started his Idol adventure with the support of Carrie Underwood who fought for him to get a Golden Ticket. The talented teen first stood before the judges during his audition to sing Alan Jackson’s “Don’t Rock the Jukebox.” Carrie Underwood was convinced of his talent, but wanted to hear him sing something “that showcases your vocals a little more.”
Foster then performed Conway Twitty’s “Goodbye Time,” a song that convinced Carrie Underwood and Lionel Richie that there may be a place for him in the competition. It was Luke Bryan who was hesitant about Foster’s ability to stand out and make it through many rounds of competition.
As the season progressed, John Foster proved time and time again that he was this season’s standout country singer. He even changed Luke Bryan’s mind, leaving the “Drink A Beer” singer admitting he was happy to have been wrong about Foster.
“I saw a clip of me saying I didn’t know if you could sing good enough back in your audition. And, man, no one has ever proved me more wrong,” Luke told John after his Top 8 performance of “I Cross My Heart” by George Strait. “I am so proud of you.”
Jamal Roberts, a dad of three and a physical education teacher from Meridian, Mississippi, earned three votes of approval from the judges following his audition performance of Rick James’ “Mary Jane.” Throughout the season, Roberts continued to wow with his performances and accumulated an impressive social media following.
During the last half of the season, videos of Roberts’ performances were viewed across all social media platforms more than any other artist this season, with John Foster close behind. The night before the season finale, the Top 3 released their new singles to streaming platforms. Jamal Roberts’ cover of Tom Odell’s “Heal” shot to #8 on the all-genre iTunes top songs chart. He performed the song during the Top 10 round, and that video has been viewed nearly 1 million times on YouTube alone.
Regardless of the finale outcome, it’s clear that Jamal Roberts has a bright future ahead of him.
Breanna Nix brought one of the most emotional auditions of the season when she performed Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus Take The Wheel.” Nix brought her husband and son along to her audition, and her son memorably fell asleep on Carrie Underwood’s lap as his mom sang.
Viewers will remember that Nix introduced herself as “just a stay-at-home mom,” a statement that elicited a strong response from Carrie Underwood.
“Never say, ‘I’m just a stay-at-home mom,’” Carrie chided her. “That’s such an amazing job. You have the most important job.”
Throughout the season, Breanna was outspoken about her faith and brought that faith to many of her performances. She consistently delivered powerful performances and earned praise from the judges.
Their Final Performances
The Top 3 performed four times during the finale, including duets with judges and performances of their new singles. For their solo performance, the finalists stayed true to their roots with John Foster bringing country performances of “Take Me Home, Country Roads” and “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue,” Breanna Nix taking viewers to church with “In Jesus Name (God of Possible)” and “The Climb” covers, and Jamal Roberts delivering plenty of soul with “First Time” and “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me).”
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