“Fritz with the originals tonight”: American Idol fans laud Fritz Hager for performing an original song in Episode 18

Episode 18 of American Idol Season 20 aired on ABC this Sunday and had the contestants choose songs to celebrate Mother’s Day.

Fritz Hager’s performance won everyone’s hearts, not just because of his incredible singing voice, but also because he performed an original song. For the Mother’s Day special episode, Hager wrote original lyrics that resonated with viewers.

However, he couldn’t perform live for the audience as he tested COVID-19 positive before the show tonight. A clip from the previous day's rehearsal was played instead, and the judges critiqued his performance based on the video.

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What do fans have to say about Fritz Hager’s performance?

Viewers cheered for Fritz Hager and his original song. It was dedicated to his mother Sarina Hager, his late grandmother, and the beach house where his mom grew up. Before his performance, a short clip was played that featured Hager and his mother.

In the video, Hager showed his mother some memorable clips from her childhood in front of her beach house. She then revealed that the next day marked his grandmother’s fifth death anniversary. Hager stated that it was her mother and grandmother’s wish that he write a song on the beach house, and he did so in Episode 18.

He sang The Ocean and dedicated the song to his grandmother. His mother called the song "an anthem for our family.”

The judges lauded Hager’s performance and called him a “star.” Viewers, too, enjoyed Hager’s voice and praised him on social media. Here's how fans reacted:

Hager performed two of his original songs. For the TikTok round, he chose All My Friends, a track that he created for his TikTok reels. The song was a hit on the iTunes Pop Chart.

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All about American Idol Episode 18

The latest episode of American Idol Season 20 featured seven contestants, including Fritz Hager, Jay Copeland, Noah Thompson, Nicolina Bozzo, Huntergirl, and Christian Guardino. Hager and Thompson didn’t perform live in Episode 18 as they tested positive for COVID-19.

Two contestants are set to leave the competition tonight, giving fans their Top 5. Episode 18 featured two rounds in which the first one had the contestants perform hit TikTok songs, and the second segment was a Mother’s Day special round.

Critically-acclaimed singer will.i.am was the mentor in the latest episode. The official synopsis of American Idol Season 20 Episode 18 reads:

"In a special Mother’s Day episode, the Top 7 dedicate songs to their mother or the mother figure in their lives, as well as perform viral hits made popular on TikTok.”

It continued:

“GRAMMY® Award-winning artist and producer will.i.am returns to American Idol to mentor the remaining contestants vying for a spot in the Top 5.”

The show is hosted by Ryan Seacrest and judged by Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan. American Idol airs Sundays and Mondays on ABC at 8.00 pm Eastern Time (ET) and 5.00 pm Pacific Time (PT). Viewers can also stream episodes on Hulu.