Here's why I believe John Foster will win American Idol season 23, although Jamal Roberts deserves it more

*The following American Idol article is based on the writer's opinion. Reader discretion is advised.*

American Idol season 23 revealed its Top 3 contestants this week on Monday, May 12, 2025. The episode saw the Top 5 — Breanna, John, Jamal, Slater, and Thunderstorm take to the stage once more as the public voted for their favorites.

At the end, Slater and Thunderstorm were eliminated from the competition, leaving Breanna, John, and Jamal to compete to become the winner of the ABC reality show. However, if you ask me, the winner is pretty evident, but someone else deserves it more.

John Foster has been a fan favorite since he first auditioned for the show, as have the other two. However, in the latest episode, he was the only one out of the remaining contestants who didn't receive negative feedback from the judges. While Breanna was told not to let the pressure of performing get to her, Carrie Underwood told Jamal that he missed an opportunity to move around the stage and entertain.

However, both of their performances earned high praise from fans online as well, while fans termed John Foster's performance boring. Moreover, in the show's history, there have been more predominantly country singers who have taken home the crown as compared to singers who preferred other genres.

Examples include American Idol season 23 judge and season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood herself, Chayce Beckham, who won the show in 2021, Scotty McCreery from season 10, and more.

Other notable names of American Idol winners whose genre is Country include Noah Thompson, Trent Harmon, Phillip Phillips, Taylor Hicks, and Kelly Clarkson. At least eight out of the show's 22 past winners have been Country singers, while the others have been scattered across genres such as pop, R&B, and more.

I firmly believe John Foster's name will be added to the list of country singers who have won American Idol.

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Comparing judges' feedback for Jamal Roberts and John Foster's latest American Idol season 23 performances

In American Idol season 23's Disney Night part 2, John Foster sang The Bare Necessities from The Jungle Book and Rainbow Connection from The Muppet Movie. Jamal Roberts sang Ain't No Mountain High Enough from Remember the Titans and Beauty and the Beast from Beauty and the Beast.

For John's first performance of the night, Carrie Underwood told the American Idol season 23 singer that he took a "fun song" and made it his own and that it was "just a good time." Meanwhile, Lionel told the singer that people liked him, and Luke Bryan said that he had the viewers "right where" he wanted them.

After his second performance of the night, Carrie predicted that John Foster could win the show.

"I love that you're standing here right now proving me right. If you ain't real, careful, you might just win this whole thing," she said.

Lionel told him he was "in love with the timbre" in the American Idol season 23 contestant's voice and said he could recognize him from just his voice. Luke said the singer was authentic and praised him for a job well done.

When Jamal Roberts took to the stage with his Remember the Titans song, all three judges praised his performance, but Carrie had a note that she wanted to share. She told him that they knew his voice was "incredible" and told him that he had an "incredible gift."

"But you missed an opportunity to move around and entertain," she added.

The judge further encouraged the singer and told him they knew he had it in him. Lionel praised Jamal and told him that he could "Jamal-orize everything," while Luke praised how far he had come from the day he had auditioned for the show.

For his second performance of the night, the judges had no feedback apart from Lionel praising the "soul" in his rendition.

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Jamal Roberts, John Foster, and Breanna Nix will compete to become the next winner of American Idol on Sunday, May 18, 2025.