"Biased garbage"— American Idol fans react to the judges' critique of Breanna's This Will Be

American Idol season 23 returned to screens with another Disney Night special this week on Monday, May 12, 2025. The episode featured the Top 5 — Breanna Nix, Thunderstorm Artis, John Foster, Slater Nalley, and Jamal Roberts — taking to the stage once again with songs from Disney movies.

One of the songs that the only remaining female contestant, Breanna Nix, performed was This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) from The Parent Trap. The audience cheered her on, but the judges had mixed critiques of her performance.

However, fans online were upset with Carrie Underwood telling the singer to have fun in her next performance. One person wrote on X:

"Getting sick of the judges not giving Breanna enough credit, biased garbage..her voice is one of the best ever on #AmericanIdol."

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"BREANNA GETS ALL MY VOTES! Only woman left up against a lot of mediocre men, and the judges want to criticize her and not the ones who actually need the criticism. F*ck right off," a fan commented.

"why are we criticizing Breanna but praising Thunderstorm every time??? she’s the only woman in the top 5 & in an industry that’s focused on men artists, give her the credit she deserves. She’s incredible!!!!" a tweet read.

Fans of American Idol season 23 disagreed with the judges' criticism of Brenna's performance:

"What are these judges talking about? Breanna was great. They say this to her and praise some of the ones they do. Please," a person wrote.

"Breanna sang my favorite song so far tonight! And she absolutely killed it that high note at the end!!!" a fan commented.

"Why do they hate Breanna? When she got in to top Luke so obviously gave the raised eyebrow 2 Carrie. Her voice is great! Even Amer Idol keeps daily tweeting bout John & pushing him.They've been trying 2 get rid of her from start. Stop trying 2 throw competition," a tweet read.

Fans of American Idol season 23 further said:

"very nite the judges try 2 criticize Breanna. U need 2 stop being nervous, U need 2 do this or that. Carrie will talk about generic stuff rather than Breanna.Did same thing 2 “Adele” singer who started song on floor but shuda won. They want John & its so obvious," a person wrote.

"Sick of Carrie & her sh*t with Breanna..always trying to claim she could do better when she was great, the subtle sabatoge is obvious Carrie, give it a rest.." a fan commented.

"Just have fun"— Carrie Underwood urges Breanna Nix not to let the pressure get to her during American Idol season 23 episode 18

In American Idol season 23 episode 18, the Top 5 contestants sang more Disney songs as the audience voted for the Top 3, with the results set to be announced at the end of the episode.

As part of her first performance of the night, Breanna Nix sang This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) from The Parent Trap and impressed the studio audience. While the judges also seemed to enjoy her performance, they had some negative criticism to share with the singer.

Carrie Underwood told the American Idol season 23 contestant that people watching didn't understand how much went on with the contestants while on the show. She noted that they performed back-to-back on Sunday and Monday and were also preparing for the finale simultaneously.

"There's just a lot going on so just, your next performance, just have fun," Carrie added.

Luke Bryan agreed with Carrie's feedback, but said that he loved her "vibe." Lionel Richie said that it was a "perfect" song because it didn't give away her being nervous if that was the case.

Keep watching to see who makes it to the Top 3 of American Idol season 23 on ABC.

About the author

Sukriti is a Reality TV writer for the pop culture division of Sportskeeda. A graduation in Political Science initially sparked her interest in journalism; however, over time, she found herself drawn to combining her passion for writing with her fascination for pop culture. With a diverse background spanning 4 years, she likes to maintain dignity and accuracy in her work, ensuring that sensitive matters are reported with integrity and using credible sources.

Sukriti appreciates how reality television offers unique insights into the lives of celebrities and influential personalities, showcasing both their triumphs and vulnerabilities. She is a big fan of Ariana Madix from Vanderpump Rules, for her ability to navigate challenging situations gracefully.

She has had the privilege of interviewing prominent cast members from popular shows like Squid Game: The Challenge such as Charles ‘Chaz’ Roquemore, Jinwoo Oak, Radhika, Mutty B. Mark Gilloffo, along with the cast members from Love at First Lie - Monica Bulnes and Josh Riquelme.

Outside of work, Sukriti finds joy in traveling to offbeat destinations, particularly in the hills, and spending quality time with her cats. She also remains engaged with current affairs, seeking to educate herself on social and political developments worldwide.

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Edited by Sukriti Makhija