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While American Idol season 23 is ongoing, some of its star contestants such as Mattie Pruitt are giving interviews about their experience on the show. In a recent conversation with Taste of Country Nights, released on April 26, 2025, Mattie's father and country music singer, Criag Campbell, shared the details about the filming of American Idol.
While discussing the time his daughter spent on the set, he said:
"They chiseled it down to three minutes from 14 hours of just sitting around and twiddling our thumbs."
For the unversed, Mattie Pruitt's father is the past master Craig Campbell who is well-known for his hits like Outskirts of Heaven, Family Man, and more.
In the latest episode of American Idol, released on April 21, the contestants pool was reduced down to Top 14 and Mattie Pruitt was one of them. She garnered praises from the judges, including Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan, for her consistent performances.
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What American Idol star Mattie Pruitt's father Craig Campbell said about the show?
Craig Campbell told Taste of the Country Nights that what viewers saw at home wasn't everything that went down on the set of American Idol. As he accompanied his daughter on the set, he shared that they were asked to sit out for so many hours doing nothind, adding:
"It was two days, from morning 'til, the sun was down when we left."
When asked if there were any particular scenes of Mattie that were shot but didn't make it to the final cut, Campbell said one thing that he thought was "super cool" and didn't air was when Mattie got her ticket. He mentioned that Luke Bryan said to Mattie that he thought Craig Campbell was one of the best singers that had ever graced the microphone and asked the country singer to perform for them.
Opening up about his situation, Campbell said that in that moment he didn't know what to do. He thought to himself that he should sing Stuck on You by Lionel Richie but he changed his mind as he decided to go for his own classic, Outskirts of Heaven.
He added that after he was done playing a little, Lionel came down the stage to shake his hand and tell him that his performance was "amazing." Campbell said that the gesture by Lionel was "cool" and that he would love to get footage of that.
Lastly, Campbell concluded by giving an advice to the aspiring contestants of American Idol, saying:
"Make sure you got your charger for your phone, so you can play solitaire."
His daughter Mattie Pruitt's journey on the show started with singing How Could You by Jessie Murph during the auditions. She presented her rendition of It's a Man's Man's Man's World by James Brown in the Showstopper round.
For the Top 24 performances that took place in the American Idol signature Disney Aulani Resort in Hawaii, Mattie chose to sang Wide Awake by Katie Perry. She then performed Rescue by Lauren Daigle when she was selected to be in the Top 20.
For more updates on Mattie Pruitt, American Idol season 23 fans could follow her on her official Instagram, @mattiepruittofficial
