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American Idol season 23 continued with a new episode on April 28, 2025. After Desmond Roberts and Amanda Barise missed their chance to make it to the Top 12, episode 14, titled Iconic Idol Moments, featured the Top 12 contestants recreating legendary performances from the competition's history. For this episode, season 3 winner Fantasia Barrino joined the cast as the guest mentor.
At the end of the performances, host Ryan Seacrest took the stage to announce America's verdict and reveal the names of those who made it into the Top 10. Two singers were eliminated, while the ten most-voted contestants advanced further in the competition, getting one step closer to winning the title.
As the competition intensified, each artist vowed to put their best foot forward and maintain their place in the competition by garnering votes. However, for Ché and Filo, this week marked the end of their time on American Idol, as they failed to earn enough votes to progress.
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Which songs did the contestants sing in episode 14 of American Idol season 23?
The American Idol episode began with Slater Nalley's performance. The 18-year-old Atlanta native presented the judges with his rendition of Angel From Montgomery by John Prine. While Carrie Underwood believed Slater had what it takes to release his own album, Lionel Richie praised him for showcasing his confidence on stage.
Following Slater was 28-year-old Essex resident Ché, who sang Dancing On My Own by Robyn. While reviewing his performance, Carrie remarked:
"You took a very popular song and made it yours. When you do that, people are going to vote for you. It's all the right package."
American Idol panelist Luke Bryan praised his "intensity," asserting that they made the right choice by saving him as a wildcard.
Next was Thunderstorm Artis. The 29-year-old Hawaii resident tackled The Animals' House of the Rising Sun, which Haley Reinhart once performed on season 10 of American Idol. Carrie commended Thunderstorm's song selection, while Luke refused to comment, saying the crowd said everything he wished to say.
Kolbi Jordan followed, performing Over the Rainbow by Judy Garland, which earned her high praise and applause from all three judges.
"That was somewhere over a supernova way out in the galaxy," Luke remarked.
The contestants' acts were interrupted by a solo performance from Season 3's winner, Fantasia. She stepped onto the stage to present her latest single, Have Your Way, to the audience.
Soon after, the contestants resumed their acts. 23-year-old Filo appeared next and performed And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going by Jennifer Hudson. Carrie encouraged him to keep singing like that, while Luke and Lionel declared it Filo's best performance of the season.
After Filo, Mattie Pruitt took the stage and presented her rendition of Because of You by Kelly Clarkson. The Eagleville teenager received high praise from the panel, with Lionel stating:
"That's a heavy lift you just did, but you did it well."
Canaan James Hill was next on the American Idol stage. He sang Goodness of God by CeCe Winans, impressing Carrie, who could only thank him for his performance. Meanwhile, Luke remarked that Canaan baptizes him every time he sings.
Gabby Samone wowed the panelists with her cover of A Song for You by Donny Hathaway. While Lionel was at a loss for words, Carrie described her performance as "perfection."
The next artist to perform was Josh King. The 24-year-old singer from North Carolina sang Eric Carmen's All By Myself. Carrie praised his ability to resonate with the song and convey that to the audience. Lionel added:
"There's never been a class this talented. You will never be alone again."
Next, Breanna Nix took the stage to perform Danny Gokey's Tell Your Heart to Beat Again. The American Idol contestant received praise for "raising the bar," and Luke encouraged her by saying she had what it takes to remain in the competition.
The penultimate performance was John Foster's. He sang I Told You So by Randy Travis and Carrie Underwood, impressing the latter.
"I'm blushing! Each challenge you push yourself. I love watching you grow," Carrie stated.
The closing act of episode 14 belonged to Jamal Roberts, who wowed the judges with his rendition of Heal by Tom Odell. Carrie and Luke were rendered speechless, while all Lionel could say was "Divine!"
After the performances concluded, Ryan appeared on stage to announce the names of those who had received the fewest votes. Ché and Filo were eliminated from the competition after failing to secure enough votes to move on.
All episodes of American Idol can be streamed on Hulu.
