"He sounds FABULOUS"— American Idol fans divided by John Foster singing I Cross My Heart as he advances to the Top 7

American Idol season 23's John Foster performed I Cross My Heart during Monday's episode of the ABC reality show. The cast member, who was given a choice between three songs by the judges, chose the George Strait song to sing in front of the judges.

He also noted that he wanted to dedicate the rendition to his girlfriend, Brooklyn, who had accompanied the contestant for Monday's episode and cheered him on as an audience member. At the end of the episode, it was announced that John Foster had received enough votes to be one of the Top 7 contestants of season 23.

Fans of American Idol season 23 commented on his performance and his advancement in the competition online.

"Aw, John has a little love connection! He sounds FABULOUS," one person wrote on X.

"Wow !! He sings like an Angel," a fan commented.

"Awesome performance from the guys! John and Slater will both be stars in Nashville. They’re awesome and Thunderstorm did great too," a tweet read.

While several people praised him online, others were unhappy with John Foster's latest performance.

"Just not a lot of energy again tonight. Some people were complaining that he just has a prop guitar. I didn’t think much of it. But tonight, he litterally strummed it once. I think he was resting his arms on it. Would love to see him really tear into something. We’ll see," a person wrote.

"You were right Luke he can only sing one kind of song. They tell everyone else they have to push themselves but they keep letting him sing old country songs that don't expose his lack of vocal talent," a fan commented.

"John is so boring," a tweet read.

Other American Idol viewers said:

"Oh my, John Foster is gonna be the second coming of George Strait! Carrie you did awesome on picking his song! Get on the phone everybody and keep Foster in this competition! Let’s make him the next American Idol! #FosterTop7 America Idol," a person wrote.

"i’m sorry, but who is voting for john on #americanidol?" a fan commented.

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John Foster's dedication to his girlfriend, Brooklyn, earns him applause on American Idol season 23

In American Idol season 23's latest episode, which aired on Monday, May 5, 2025, John Foster dedicated his rendition of I Cross My Heart by George Strait ahead of the Top 7 reveal.

After he stated his two truths and a lie in a confessional, John expressed how excited he was to sing the George Strait song in front of the judges.

"And Brooklyn, this one's for you," he said.

After the song ended, the judges gave him a standing ovation as Ryan Seacret asked Brooklyn, who was in the audience how it felt. She said she didn't know because it was "so good." When the host asked the American Idol season 23 contestant's girlfriend if he was charming, she said, "Very."

Ryan diverted his attention to John and asked him who he thought had picked the song, and he correctly guessed Carrie Underwood. Ryan asked how he knew and the singer said he and the judge both loved the "old country" music and he did a "process of elimination" that got him his answer.

Carrie told John she picked the song she did because she knew what would showcase his talents in the best possible way and what people would want to listen to. She noted she was right and called his performance "absolutely perfect."

However, fans online had a varied reaction. While some of them agreed with the judges' feedback, others felt that John's performance wasn't the best one yet.

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Tune in on Sunday, May 11, to see whether John Foster receives enough votes to move on to the next phase of American Idol season 23 on ABC at 8 pm ET.