In the April 28, 2025 episode of American Idol, host Ryan Seacrest announced the Top 10 contestants one by one as they performed on stage. By the end, it was revealed that America voted for Ché and Filo to be eliminated from the competition.
While every elimination might be hard to take in for fans of the contestants as the competition nears its conclusion, according to the sources at The Sun, Filo's elimination shocked not only fans but judges as well. The article published on April 29, 2025, stated that Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie were all visibly upset by Filo's elimination on American Idol.
The camera didn't show the judges' reactions during the live show; rather, it showcased the reactions of the eliminated contestants as Ryan Seacrest wished them luck. According to that insider, the studio's reaction as a whole was like taking a collective gasp. Carrie Underwood was especially affected by the result, as she remained silent for several moments.
“All three were clearly upset by the results but Carrie appeared the most struck by it. Oh, she was not happy. She seemed really angry and also sad about it. She had a 'WTF' facial expression," stated the insider about the American Idol elimination.
American Idol live audience allegedly reacts to Filo's elimination in shock
When Ryan Seacrest announced the Top 10 contestants, Filo was part of the last three along with Breanna Nix and Ché. With nine names already being announced, only one could move forward. Ryan called out Breanna's name while Ché and Filo embraced each other in disappointment.
Meanwhile, according to The Sun's source, the American Idol studio audience began chanting Filo's name as soon as his elimination was announced. The chanting continued for a minute or two, even after the cameras stopped rolling, in order to show their support.
“The crowd was chanting 'Filo, Filo, Filo!' for a minute or two even when cameras stopped rolling," revealed the source.
As per the insider, Filo's elimination ignited a strong reaction from the American Idol audience, unlike the reactions received by other contestants. The insider further revealed that people in the audience section felt that Breanna didn't deserve to advance over Filo, and some even expressed their frustration online.
As mentioned earlier, the American Idol episode aired on April 28, in which the Top 12 contestants performed throughout the night. Winner of season 3, Fantasia Barrino, came out as the guest mentor for the contestants. She had won the competition in 2004, during which she gave a performance of Summertime from Porgy and Bess.
In the episode, Slater Nalley covered Angel From Montgomery by John Prine. The eliminated contestant, Ché, performed Dancing On My Own by Robyn. Thunderstorm Artis sang a cover of the famous song House of the Rising Sun by The Animals. Kolbi Jordan sang Over the Rainbow by Judy Garland. Filo performed And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going by Jennifer Hudson.
Mattie Pruitt did a cover of the season 1 winner, Kelly Clarkson's song, Because of You. Canaan James Hill sang Goodness of God by CeCe Winans. Gabby Samone performed A Song for You by Donny Hathaway. Josh King covered All By Myself by Eric Carmen.
One of the bottom three contestants, Breanna Nix, sang Tell Your Heart to Beat Again by Danny Gokey. John Foster sang I Told You So by Randy Travis & Carrie Underwood. And the final performance was by Jamal Roberts, who sang Heal by Tom Odell.
New American Idol episodes air on ABC on Sundays and Mondays at 8 pm ET. The same episode can be streamed on Hulu.