“I love you” — American Idol contestant John Foster gets emotional after performing a tribute to late Maggie Dunn

American Idol season 23 Easter special episode, titled Songs of Faith, was released on April 20, 2025. The contestants had to perform songs symbolizing their faith in hopes of reaching the Top 14. While other contestants performed covers of previously released songs, John Foster sang an original song, showcasing his songwriting skills.

The country singer performed an original song called Tell That Angel I Love Her, which was a tribute to his late friend Maggie Dunn. During the performance, John became teary eyed and said that he had dedicated the song to his friend

“I love you, Maggie,” John Foster said after his performance on the Easter special episode of American Idol.

In an interview with Ryan Seacrest after the performance, John shared the story behind the song. He revealed that Maggie Dunn and another friend, Caroline Gill, had passed away in December 2022. He told Seacreast that Maggie's mother and her friend were in the audience, and went on to call them “the strongest women I know.”

The audience could only vote after the episode ended, and the result will be announced on the upcoming episode on Monday, April 21, 2025.

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What else happened on American Idol season 23 episode 10?

The American Idol judge Lionel Richie opened up the show singing Eternity with other contestants providing the backup. Ryan Seacrest wished everyone a Happy Easter and announced the names of the 20 contestants who would perform on the episode, hoping to reach the Top 14.

After Canaan James Hill performed Better Days by Le'Andria Johnson, the judges praised his performance, noting that it was a standout moment. Carrie felt that he nailed the song, while Lionel thought it was a memorable performance. Luke Bryan, meanwhile, said that he hadn't heard a "voice like yours."

"Make it look a little harder, please." said Bryan added.

Drew Ryn performed Yellow by Coldplay, and Desmond Roberts sang Worship by Jon Batiste next. Both the singers were praised for their renditions by the judges. Filo, a California resident, performed Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel. Carrie noted that he quickly rose from "zero to a million," while Lionel felt that Filo did an excellent job, building from a soft start to a powerful finish.

Josh King performed You Are So Beautiful by Joe Cocker, after which judge Luke performed Jesus 'Bout My Kids. Thunderstorm Artis then performed Reckless Love by Cory Asbury. Carrie noted that he elevated the song, conveying "conviction" and "power." Lionel felt that Artis showed a new side while Luke mentioned that Artis' performance was like a "Christian rock concert."

"You showed up tonight in a very big place. We discovered something about you tonight. Stretch that out some more," said American Idol judge Lionel.

Amanda Barise performed If I Ain't Got You by Alicia Keys while 16-year-old Mattie Pruitt performed Rescue by Lauren Daigle. Olivier Bergeron from Kedgwick, New Brunswick sang Stay by Rihanna. Jelly Roll and Brandon Lake took the stage to sing Hard Fought Hallelujah halfway through.

Although Breanna Nix and Victor Solomon were praised by judges, Baylee Littrell got the recognition of having the "best performances so far" in the episode. Isaiah Misailegalu sang Give You Blue by Allen Stone while Gabby Samone performed I Am Changing from Dreamgirls. Slater Nalley then sang Soulshine by The Allman Brothers Band, and Zaylie Windsor sang Silver Springs by Fleetwood Mac.

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Jamal Roberts, Ché, and Kolbi Jordan completed the night's performances, after which the audiences at home could vote for the Top 14. As mentioned previously, the result will be announced on the upcoming episode of American Idol on April 21 at 8 pm ET on ABC.