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American Idol season 23 moved ahead with a new episode on April 28, 2025. After Desmond Roberts and Amanda Barise missed out on making it to the Top 12, episode 14, titled Iconic Idol Moments, saw the Top 12 contestants recreate iconic performances from the singing competition's past. For this episode, season 3 winner Fantasia Barrino joined the cast as the guest mentor.
At the end of the performances, host Ryan Seacrest appeared on stage to announce America's verdict and reveal the names of those who made it into the Top 10. Two singers were eliminated while ten of the most-voted ones moved on in the competition and got one step closer to clinching the winner's title.
As the competition grew tighter, each artist vowed to put their best foot forward and retain their spot in the competition by garnering votes. However, for Ché and Filo, this week marked the end of their time on American Idol as they could not earn enough votes to advance.
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Which songs did the contestants sing in episode 14 of American Idol season 23?
The American Idol episode started off with Slater Nalley's performance. The 18-year-old Atlanta native presented the judges with his rendition of Angel From Montgomery by John Prine. While Carrie Underwood was convinced Slater was good enough to have his own album released, Lionel Richie praised him for showcasing his confidence on stage.
Slater was followed by 28-year-old Essex resident Ché, who sang Dancing On My Own by Robyn. While reviewing his performance, Carrie said:
"You took a very popular song and made it yours. When you do that, people are going to vote for you. It's all the right package."
American Idol panelist Luke Bryan praised his "intensity," claiming they made the right choice by saving him as a wildcard.
Next came Thunderstorm Artis. The 29-year-old Hawaii resident took on The Animals' House of the Rising Sun. Haley Reinhart once performed it in season 10 of American Idol. Carrie applauded Thunderstorm's song selection, while Luke refused to comment, saying the crowd said everything he wanted to.
Kolbi Jordan came up next. She performed Over the Rainbow by Judy Garland, earning high praise and applause from all three judges.
"That was somewhere over a supernova way out in the galaxy," Luke remarked.
The contestants' acts were interrupted by a solo performance by season 3's winner, Fantasia. She stepped on stage to present the audience her latest single, Have Your Way.
Soon after, the contestants resumed their acts. 23-year-old Filo appeared next and performed And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going by Jennifer Hudson. Carrie encouraged the singer to continue singing the way he did, while Luke and Lionel deemed it Filo's best performance throughout the season.
Mattie Pruitt stepped on stage after Filo and presented her rendition of Because of You by Kelly Clarkson. The Eagleville teen was appreciated by the panelists, as Lionel said:
"That's a heavy lift you just did, but you did it well."
Canaan James Hill was next on the American Idol stage. He sang Goodness of God by CeCe Winans, impressing Carrie, who could only thank him for his act. Meanwhile, Luke commented that Canaan baptized him every time he sang.
Gabby Samone wowed the panelists with her cover of A Song for You by Donny Hathaway. While Lionel was out of words, Carrie called her act "perfection."
The next artist who performed was Josh King. The 24-year-old singer from North Carolina sang Eric Carmen's All By Myself. Carrie praised his ability to resonate with the song and convey the same to the audience. Lionel added:
"There's never been a class this talented. You will never be alone again."
Then came Breanna Nix, who sang Tell Your Heart to Beat Again by Danny Gokey. The American Idol contestant was applauded for "raising the bar," while Luke told her she had what it took to stay in the competition.
The penultimate perfomance was John Foster's. He sang I Told You So by Randy Travis and Carrie Underwood, impressing the latter.
"I'm blushing! Each challenge you push yourself. I love watching you grow," Carrie stated.
The closing act of episode 14 belonged to Jamal Roberts, who wowed the judges with his rendition of Heal by Tom Odell. Carrie and Luke were rendered speechless, while all Lionel could say was "Divine!"
After the performances concluded, Ryan appeared on stage to announce the names of those who had received the fewest votes. Ché and Filo were eliminated from the competition after failing to secure enough votes to move on.
Episodes of American Idol can be streamed on Hulu.
