Who made the Top 8 on American Idol season 23? Details explored

American Idol season 23 episode 15, Ladies' Night, premiered on ABC on May 4. The episode featured live performances from the Top 10, hitting the stage to celebrate the music made by the iconic women in the industry.

After the live performances, Kolbi Jordan and Canaan James Hill received the least number of votes and were eliminated from the competition. Meanwhile, the contestants who entered the Top 8 included Breanna Nix, Mattie Pruitt, Jamal Roberts, John Foster, Josh King, Gabby Samone, Slater Nalley, and Thunderstorm Artis.

Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie returned to the panel to resume their role as the judges and were joined by guest judge Miranda Lambert, while Jelly Roll stepped in as the artist in residence.

American Idol season 23 Top 8 contestants' performances explored

John Foster

John Foster kicked off American Idol season 23 episode 15 with his live performance. Before he made the stage, he was show being mentored by Miranda Lambert, who he admitted was his first crush.

Foster was visibly nervous during his rehearsals; however, after interacting with his mentor and getting some tips, he was ready to perform Bonnie Raitt's Something to Talk About in front of the live audience.

Underwood praised his performance and highlighted how much he had grown over the season. Meanwhile, Bryan pointed out the singer's "peaking" charisma.

Josh King

During the rehearsal, as Josh was practicing Adele’s Rolling in the Deep, mentor Lambert noticed that the singer was doing too much and was “all over the place” initially; however, she encouraged him to dig deeper into his bluest side.

The audience was captivated by King’s energetic performance, while Lionel Richie commended him for skillfully moving across the stage as he played both the piano and harmonica.

“I can tell tonight, everyone is singing for their lives. Once you see a few of your super incredibly talented friends go home, that lights a fire. Everyone’s bringing their A-game tonight and you are no exception,” Underwood added.

Breanna Nix

Breanna Nix was initially confused about which song to perform and asked for Lambert’s help.

Lambert suggested that the American Idol season 23 contestant sing Adele’s Water Under the Bridge, while adding some “sass” into her performance.

Underwood praised the song choice and noted that it was a “perfect moment” for the particular performance, as the judge believed Nix was able to portray the part of a diva.”

Thunderstorm Artis

Lambert was unsure when Thunderstorm Artis picked that he wanted to play piano while singing When We Were Young by Adele.

However, Artis was determined to follow through with his vision and performed a stripped-down version of the song behind the grand piano.

Artis's risk paid off, and he received a standing ovation from the judges. Richie praised his "cool" performance, sharing that he was in love with how he used his voice.

Slater Nalley

Slater Nalley decided to sing Reba McEntire’s Whoever’s in New England, a song he admitted was the toughest for him. With just an acoustic guitar by his side, Nalley was able to deliver and master the vulnerable tune.

“Great song choice, it’s got such a beautiful melody for it, and you went for it. I think it paid off,” Underwood told Slater.

Jamal Roberts

Jamal Roberts paid homage to the judge Underwood and sang her song Undo It. With the help of mentor Lambert, the American Idol contestant was able to add his own flair to the country song.

Richie called his stage presence "mesmerizing," while Underwood told the singer that it didn’t matter if he forgot any words since his performance was "so much fun."

Mattie Pruitt

Mattie Pruitt was initially scared of performing Lambert's The House That Built Me in front of the crowd. While she choked up toward the end of her performance, Richie noted that the singer was perfectly able to hold up her emotions.

“We were hanging on every single note. Every single word. That was really quite brilliant, I think. Toward the end I was trying to hold my own tears in. That was really great, Mattie,” Underwood added.

Gabby Samone

The American Idol episode ended with Gabby Samone's performance of I Was Here by Beyoncé. The rendition was strong enough to bring Lambert to tears during the rehearsal.

“You’re why this show exists. Just to watch your growth from the girl we met at auditions to now is just amazing,” American Idol judge Bryan commented.

Watch new episodes of American Idol season 23 every Sunday-Monday on ABC. Stream them on Hulu a day later.

About the author

Mohsin Nakade is a Reality TV writer at Sportskeeda. Although he graduated with a B-Tech IT degree, it was Mohsin’s passion for movies and TV shows that led him to become a pop culture writer. He has previously worked at Otakukart and was a movie script analyst at First Draft Film Works. He has also led a team of eight content writers in the entertainment category, as it is his favorite industry.

Mohsin's love for reality TV writing is rooted in the high-octane drama of the shows. Additionally, because he enjoys writing, reality shows provide him with the best content to work with. Mohsin maintains credibility by conducting extensive research and fact-checking. Additionally, he makes sure his writing is transparent by refraining from giving misleading information.

Apart from watching TV series, reality shows, and writing about them, Mohsin also loves making story-based short videos and has a deep love for cinema, much like his idol, Timothée Chalamet.

Know More

Edited by Prem Deshpande