My mind is made up — American Idol star Breanna Nix was more worthy of John Foster's spot in the Top 2

The 23rd season of American Idol finally concluded on May 18, 2025, declaring 27-year-old P.E. teacher, from Meridian, Mississippi, Jamal Roberts, its winner. He won the title defeating 18-year-old Addis resident, John Foster, who competed against him in the Top 2. Brenna Nix, one of the Top 3 contestants, was eliminated early in the finale, unable to beat her opponents in votes.

The 25-year-old stay-at-home mother from Denton, Texas, reached the finale by outperforming some of the most formidable singers in the competition. However, she fell short of making it into the Top 2 when pitted against John and Jamal, arguably two of the most popular contestants of season 23.

While the public voted John into the last leg of the contest, I strongly believe his spot belonged to Breanna. As much as Jamal, the winner of American Idol, was worthy of his position in the Top 2, John was not. Breanna, to me, was a far better contender compared to John, not only in terms of vocals but also as a performer with a stage presence.

Based on the performances in the finale alone, Breanna was more deserving of the place next to Jamal. She not only has a powerful voice and a noteworthy vocal range but also has a better stage presence than John.

While John is not a bad singer, he was not up to the mark compared to Breanna. Unlike Breanna, who could stand out and sing a variety of songs, John's voice seemed bland and mediocre.

The fact that John became so popular and Breanna did not, even though she was also a Top 3 finalist, shows American Idol's relationship with country singers. Unlike Jamal, John lacked the qualities needed to become a winner. Consequently, I believe Breanna should have been in John's position, and then the competition would have been fairer.

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American Idol's John Foster is talented, but lacks stage presence and the ability to stand out

While there is no debate about the fact that John Foster is talented, he still lacks what it takes to stand out. To me, he sounds like another country singer. Although his performances were appreciated by the American Idol judges, I believe some better singers got eliminated before him, potentially because they were not as popular as him.

In my opinion, Slater Nalley is one such example who failed to make it to the Top 3. If keeping a country singer was a priority, I strongly believe Slater would have been a better contender than John. He was more versatile, more dynamic with his performances, and had more grit in his voice that was pleasing to hear.

Similarly, according to me, Breanna was a better choice than John as Jamal's opponent. Not only did she show her versatility, singing a variety of songs, but she also grew as an artist throughout the competition. However, John's performances, in my opinion, were predictable, as he seldom stepped out of his comfort zone.

It is interesting to note that during the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame-themed episode, judge Carrie Underwood told contestant Canaan James Hill to do the "unexpected" and sing something other than gospel music. However, the same advice was never conveyed to John. While John continued on a safer route, Breanna took on many challenging numbers, showcasing her versatility and ability to adapt.

In the opening performance of the finale of American Idol season 23, where John, Jamal, and Breanna sang Queen's We Are the Champions, Jamal and Breanna overpowered John, who appeared uncomfortable and mediocre, singing something out of his comfort zone.

Jamal flaunted his runs and range, and Breanna showcased her stage presence, but John could not overstep them vocally.

When Breanna was eliminated, American Idol fans on X were surprised and disappointed by the outcome. One said:

"Breanna not making it to the final 2 is shocking! Im not surprised John made it because country does so well on this show but I think he shouldve been the one eliminated. Smh."

Another expressed a similar sentiment:

"I honestly think Breanna should’ve been in the top two alongside Jamal if we’re talking vocals. Butttt, that’s just me."

For their solo performances, Breanna presented a noteworthy rendition of In Jesus Name (God of Possible) by Katy Nichole, whereas John sang Courtesy of The Red, White and Blue (The Angry American) by Toby Keith. For their second solo act, Breanna switched genres, singing Miley Cyrus' The Climb, which succinctly described her journey and was the most appropriate song choice of the night.

On the other hand, John sang Take Me Home, Country Roads by John Denver. The reason why Breanna, according to me, deserved that spot John took is because her performances were dynamic and fresh, whereas John's were predictable and not finale-worthy.

I strongly believe that, between John and Breanna, John was voted through because he was more popular among the American Idol voters, not because he was vocally superior, which was a disservice to Breanna's talent. She deserved to compete against Jamal.

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