"So brave" — American Idol fans react to Freddie McClendon's emotional tribute to his late father, Davis McClendon

American Idol season 23 aired a new episode on March 23, 2025. Among the singers who auditioned for a ticket to Hollywood was Freddie McClendon, son of Davis McClendon, who was "killed" on May 7, 2023. While Davis' death became news and a topic of nationwide speculation, Freddie wanted to honor his life. He presented the judges with an original song called You Never Loved Him.

Freddie, a 19-year-old college student from South Carolina, moved the panelists with his emotional tribute to his late father. They praised his performance and advanced him to the next round of the competition. Freddie was joined by his mother and two sisters, who broke down after hearing the judges' verdict.

While speaking to the cameras, the American Idol participant confessed he was glad he could share his father's story and added that he was "beyond blessed" to be a part of the show.

American Idol fans were equally touched by Freddie's act. They took to X to comment on his original song and praise his voice. However, some expressed their dissatisfaction, unimpressed by his vocals.

"Freddie, wow. So brave. So beautiful" a fan wrote.

"Freddie is amazing," another fan commented.

"Freddie made me cry, I miss my dad so much," a netizen tweeted.

Many American Idol fans applauded Freddie's tribute to his late father.

"Omg. Freddie McClendon. Where have you been hiding with that beautiful soulful honest voice?!? Apparently, @BelmontUniv Reminds me of Jeff Buckley. Absolutely haunted by this," a user reacted.

"McClendon you sir have a wonderful tone to your voice and were able to tell such a wonderful story about your idol . Good luck and way to represent SC," a person commented.

"Wow, That was an incredible performance by freddie mcclendon, His original song is amazing, And it was one of the best performances of the night this week during the auditions," another fan wrote.

"He was amazing. The show ended 5 minutes ago and I’m STILL teary eyed," one user posted.

However, some American Idol fans felt Freddie's performance was below par.

"The song was touching, his voice is a no," a person reacted.

"touching story, but he needs to sing a different song. Can’t tell much about his voice," another netizen commented.

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"It was a good song" — American Idol judge Carrie Underwood comments on Freddie McClendon's performance

Before stepping on the stage, Freddie spoke to the American Idol cameras, reminiscing about his father and how he took him to Broadway in Nashville, Tennessee as a child. While introducing himself to the judges, Freddie shared that he would present them with an original song that told the story of his late father's life, not his death which became a "true crime story of the week."

"My dad and I had a great relationship. He was an absolutely wonderful person. He would do anything for anybody. We used to just talk about kind of everything, you know, and he really understood me," Freddie added.

The American Idol contestant stated that not only did his family have to endure the loss but also listen to the nationwide speculations about his father's life. Brief clippings from Davis' trial showed the court sentencing William 'Bud' Ackerman for the murder of Davis. William was the estranged husband of a woman Davis dated for several months after separating from Freddie's mother.

Freddie's performance moved Carrie to tears. She thanked him for sharing his heart and commended his bravery for remembering his late father's story.

"It was a good song and you could just feel your heart behind it. Apart from that, your voice, there's something that's super cool and throwback about it," she added.

Luke Bryan complimented his "honest approach" to music and said he sounded like a "modern-day Paul Simon." Lionel Richie praised the American Idol contestant's ability to translate his feelings into his art and "move people." Soon after, the judges took a vote and gave Freddie a ticket to Hollywood.

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American Idol airs new episodes every Sunday at 8 pm ET exclusively on ABC.