"More votes than Ché and Filo??"— American Idol fans react to Mattie making it to the Top 10

American Idol season 23 aired episode 14 on Monday, April 28, 2025, by the end of which, the Top 10 were revealed. One of the people who made it to the next stage of the competition was Mattie Pruitt, who sang Because Of You by Kelly Clarkson during the segment.

Fans of American Idol season 23 commented on Mattie advancing to the Top 10 over Filo and Ché and were upset by the results.

"Who in their right mind keeps voting for mattie on american idol?? You’re telling me she really got more votes than ché and filo?? PLEASE!!! Where are these voters at, I just wanna talk," one person wrote on X.

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"Josh , Mattie, Breanna, Thunder, & Slater were all available options…..NOT Che or Filo! Ughhhhhh," a fan commented.

"Who keeps voting for Josh and Mattie? Seriously?! Filo and Che did not deserve to go home, especially Filo," a tweet read.

Fans of American Idol season 23 commented on Mattie's performance:

"That was a train wreck. Poor girl. I felt bad for her. She needed way more work on that," a person wrote.

"She is very young, she does not connect with the songs because she needs to live them! She doesn't have the interpretive strength for that because she needs experience. She has talent, she needs time to polish it, I felt bad, but her performance was not good at all," a fan commented.

"Since when does a 16 year old need to have more "sass"? What a ridiculous comment. Stage presence is something you get better at as your get older. Mattie crushed this song vocally FOR A 16 YEAR OLD!" a tweet read.

American Idol season 23 fans further said:

"ATTN JOSH KING + MATTIE PRUITT VOTERS Please stop. Other contestants are being eliminated that far exceed them in vocal availability and stage presence They made it to top 10 - now enough," a person wrote.

"I think Filo certainly should have stayed over Josh, but dont lump Mattie in with JOsh. She has her own lane and shes great. But at this point every one being booted out is going to hurt. Thats the nature of the game !!" a fan commented.

"Literally intimidating"— Mattie Pruitt chimes in on covering a Kelly Clarkson song on American Idol season 23 episode 14

In American Idol season 23 episode 14, Mattie met with Fantasia ahead of her performance and spoke to the alum about singing a song by the first-ever winner of American Idol.

"Covering a Kelly Clarkson song is literally intimidating," Mattie said in a confessional.

The season 23 contestant said that if she were able to make it her own, she would get a kick out of being compared to her. When Fantasia asked how Mattie related to the song, the participant revealed that members of her family struggled with addiction, and she didn't want to go down the same "dark path" as they did.

While speaking about her uncle Billy, Mattie said he struggled his whole life but had recovered over the past five years. She added that he was helping others through the same thing.

Fantasia told the singer to add emotion to her performance because people wanted to feel it. In a confessional, the American Idol season 23 mentor noted that a lot of people were probably going through a similar situation, and she wanted Mattie to lose herself in the song.

As Fantasia advised on how to move while on stage, Mattie said that she could see the emotion and felt like she needed to bring her A game to the stage. She added that she felt inspired by the season 3 winner.

Fans online reacted to Mattie's rendition of the Kelly Clarkson song and her advancing to the next stage of the competition over Filo and Ché, and were unhappy about the same.

Mattie and the other Top 10 contestants are set to perform once again on Sunday, May 4, 2025, 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