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In a recent conversation with Taste of Country Nights, released on April 26, 2025, country music singer, Craig Campbell, shared details about his daughter's friend, Mattie Pruitt's American Idol audition. While discussing the time Pruitt 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, Craig Campbell 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 narrowed down to the Top 14, with Mattie Pruitt securing a spot. She garnered praise from the judges, including Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan, for her consistent performances.
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What Craig Campbell said about Mattie Pruitt's time on American Idol
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 Pruitt on the set, he shared that they were asked to sit out for several hours doing nothing, 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 the final cut, Campbell mentioned one thing that he thought was "super cool" and didn't air was when Mattie got her ticket. He added that Luke Bryan told Mattie that he thought Craig Campbell was one of the best singers that had ever graced the microphone and asked the country artist 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, Richie came down to shake his hand and tell him that his performance was "amazing." Campbell said that this gesture was "cool" and that he would love to get footage of it.
Lastly, Campbell concluded by giving advice to the aspiring contestants of American Idol, saying:
"Make sure you got your charger for your phone, so you can play solitaire."
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 sing Wide Awake by Katy 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 can follow her on her official Instagram, @mattiepruittofficial.
