After beating out 120,000 “American Idol” hopefuls for a shot at stardom in 2025, only three contestants remained as the three-hour, season 23 finale kicked off on May 18, 2025. Finalists John Foster, Breanna Nix, and Jamal Roberts were set to perform again for judges Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, and Lionel Richie — and for millions of viewers tuning in live.
The top 3 singers have less than three hours to earn viewers’ votes (here’s how!) during the star-studded finale. Early votes will determine who lands in third place, announced by host Ryan Seacrest halfway through the show. EntertainmentNow has live coverage throughout the night, with minute-by-minute updates on the night’s performances, feedback, and voting results.
Foster, Nix, and Roberts have lots to navigate during the live finale, reuniting for group performances with the top 14 contestants and duets with huge stars. They kicked off the live show singing Queen’s “We Are the Champions” together. Seacrest then introduced the judges, looking very spiffy for the grand finale, with Richie and Bryan both in tuxedo suits and Underwood in a golden gown.
Artist-in-residence Jelly Roll mentored the top 3 on their first songs of the evening, choosing one tune from their own lists of favorite songs. Here’s how it went:
JOHN FOSTER: From the 18-year-old’s list, Jelly Roll chose Toby Keith’s “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (the Angry American).” As they rehearsed, Foster shared how much he’s loved receiving so much support across the country. All three judges gave Foster a standing ovation for his performance. Richie said it was the “perfect song,” joking that he might be running for office. Underwood said she was “so proud” of him for “pulling out all the stops.” Bryan said Foster’s “whole disposition has changed” since he first auditioned, from his voice to his confidence. At the end, he dedicated his tune to military veterans including his grandfathers, who were in the audience. He also said “it would be the absolute honor of a lifetime if they think this little ‘ol boy from Louisiana” could be the next “American Idol.”
JAMAL ROBERTS: Jelly Roll remembered seeing Roberts sing Teeks’ “First Time” on TikTok in 2024, and teared up hearing the 27-year-old dad of three rehearse the song. Dressed in a white suit, Roberts sauntered past the audience, grabbing fans’ hands as he sang and smiling brightly, as he made his way back to center stage. The judges gave him a standing ovation, too. Underwood told him, “You are just so talented” and that he looked “so at ease,” congratulating him on “being here.” Bryan then asked him, “Will you teach me how to be that smooth?” He said people ask him about Roberts because “everything about you is a star, everything!” Richie told Bryan, “If you have to think about it, it’s wrong. The fella’s not thinking about it!” Richie said that he loves how Roberts is able to “navigate a story,” and then he and Bryan joked about how Roberts even makes his “ooooohs” sound cool. Seacrest noted that Roberts seems to be smiling more, and the singer admitted, “I’m excited!”
BREANNA NIX: Jelly Roll said he chose Katy Nichole’s “In Jesus Name (God of Possible)” for Nix’s first song “because your faith anchors you.” He added that the 25-year-old mom’s vulnerability has inspired so many during the season. Nix said that there “have been a lot of hard times” for her family and the two of them then cried together, with Jelly Roll assuring Nix that no matter what happens, her life is going to be changed. As Nix performed, producers sweetly showed that her four-year-old son Emerson was sound asleep in the audience, much like he was during her audition, sitting in Underwood’s lap. The crowd went wild for Nix’s performance, and Bryan said, “I think they’re saying it for me!” He added that she’s “been so solid” week after the week and encouraged her to “just keep singing the music that you love.” Richie said that the competition has turned into a “slugfest” and that each of the contestants has a huge career ahead of them in the lane that they’re in. Underwood said that Nix has “unashamedly spoken the name of Jesus” throughout the season and thanked her for staying true to herself and her faith.
After a break, the show shifted to show glimpses of the top 3’s hometown visits for family reunions, fan meet-and-greets, parades and a concert in each town. They each are performing second songs, too, before votes are calculated to determine who takes third place.
JOHN FOSTER: Foster returned to Addis, Louisiana, where he returned to his high school and saw the mom of Maggie Dunn, his dear friend who died in a car crash in 2022. He said he wrote his song “Tell That Angel I Love Her” on the day she died; the song is now the single he released with “American Idol” on the eve of the finale. During a nighttime concert, he played the song for a packed audience and broke down crying, seeing everyone’s lighters in the air, in memory of Maggie. After that touching moment, the show then shifted back to the live studio, where Foster performed “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver. The judges were back on their feet after his rousing delivery. Richie said it’s still hard to believe he’s only 18, and Underwood said “of course the country boy” would have a wonderful hometown welcome. Bryan said the piece “was wonderfully done” and joked about the giant crawfish that Foster got to ride in his hometown parade.
JAMAL ROBERTS: Heading home to Meridian, Mississippi, Roberts got to meet his newborn and spend time with his little girls. He surprised the students at Crestwood Elementary, where he’s a physical education teacher, and treated the kids to day and promised them he’d still be around, no matter what happens. Roberts had fun at a family cookout, and was then the center of attention at a parade and a concert that drew a crowd of 20,000. He told producers that his goal is to “bring love and peace and unity” to the city, and thanked everyone he could for the experience. Back in the “Idol” studio, he performed The Temptations’ “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me).” Underwood marveled at his “incredible ability” to make any song feel “fresh and fun.” Bryan said, “I cannot believe you’ve been in a schoolroom teaching kids, and you go from that to what you’re able to do in front of us,” calling him “one of the most amazing people I’ve ever seen on this show.” Richie joked that he’s 200 years old and said that he didn’t think he could see anything “new,” but that Roberts seems “divinely guided” and is something he’s never seen before.
BREANNA NIX: Returning to Denton, Texas, allowed Nix to reflect on the amazing journey she’s been on, noting that the show is the “best thing to happen” to her other than the birth of he son. Nix got to ride through the town in a pink limo, wowed to see her name and fans everywhere — including at an ice cream shop that created a flavor in her honor. Nix reunited with her family at her sister’s house, where she recalled going through some hard times and said it was incredible to be there feeling so good. Moms from the area also gave her a “mommy makeover” to thank Nix for being an inspiration. Nix admitted she felt like “a nobody” when she left Denton and that the voice in her head now says that she is “enough.” Back in the studio, Nix performed “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus. After a standing ovation from the judges, Bryan told her it was a “perfect song choice” and that “you just took me on an unbelievable ride — what a feeling you just gave me!” Richie agreed, it was a “perfect song with a perfect voice.” Underwood called Nix a “gorgeous, wonderful inspiration” to people and that there’s no way they couldn’t connect with her after her performance.
After an hour of the show and medley performance by Salt-n-Pepa and the “ladies of the top 14,” as Seacrest called them (with Underwood dancing and singing along at the judge’s table!), Seacrest brought the top 3 out on stage to reveal how the votes cast so far had stacked up.
The singer with the least number of votes cast for them during the first live hour would land in third place. So — who took 3rd place? BREANNA NIX. That means Foster, who was the first one Seacrest said had earned a spot in the top 2, and Roberts will move on in the finale, vying for the top spot.
After a commercial break, Good Charlotte performed — with Richie rocking out at the judges’ table, given that one of the twin brothers, Joel Madden, is his son-in-law. The guys from the top 14, joined the rockers for an ensemble performance of “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.”
Following that performance, Bryan took the stage — suddenly dressed down in head-to-toe denim — to sing one of his recent hits, “A Country Song Came On.” He then introduced Foster to the stage to sing with him on Randy Travis’ “Deeper Than the Holler.”
After a break, season 21 winner Noah Thompson appeared briefly with the judges and was surprised by Underwood, who mentored him during his season, with the announcement that he’s going to become a member of the Grand Old Opry. There were then performances by gospel great Kirk Franklin and multiple contestants, including Canaan James Hill, and the Goo Goo Dolls with finalist Mattie Pruitt.
Next up, contemporary Christian artist Brandon Lake hit the stage with Breanna Nix to sing “Daddy’s DNA,” back after learning she’d gotten third place. She performed one of his tunes during Hollywood Week, and also appeared with Jelly Roll during the Easter Sunday show, so it was likely a meaningful moment for Nix.
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