'American Idol' Season 18: Arthur Gunn's reggae rendition of 'Kiss The Girl' melts hearts, fans say he'll win
Arthur Gunn was the first contestant to crack the Top 7 on 'American Idol' when the show returned this Sunday night on the ABC network. He made it to the next week of the singing competition along with Dillon James, Julia Gargano, Louis Knight, Francisco Martin, Jonny West and Just Sam.
Tonight's show featured a nostalgic Disney theme, a continuation of sorts of the Disney Family Singalong that had just aired prior to 'Idol' on the previous network timeslot. As one of the show's frontrunners for the 'American Idol' crown, Gunn did not disappoint this week either. He chose to sing 'Kiss The Girl' from 'The Little Mermaid' for this week's remote access home edition.
The talented young Nepali singer from Wichita, Kansas, has earned plenty of praise in previous episodes for channeling the voice, spirit and mannerisms of Bob Marley. And once again, Gunn tapped into the freewheeling charms of the Rastafarian icon by channeling the Jamaican stylings of Sebastian the crab from 'The Little Mermaid'.
His reggae-themed rendition of 'Kiss The Girl' was heartfelt and breezy, showing that as the competition has progressed, the shy, mild-mannered Gunn has gradually grown more comfortable in his own skin in front of the camera. His raspy, raw voice was also on point, as he delivered the song with his signature throaty power and husky inflections, and his family and fans were happily cheering him on as well. Gunn aka Dibesh Pokharel also had a special song lined up later on for his beloved mother. He dedicating his version of Bon Iver's 'Hey Ma' to his mom, along with a sweet and sincere handwritten letter.
The judges were understandably thrilled that Gunn had made it to the Top 7, considering that he is one of the best singers in the competition. Katy Perry said that his choice of songs was perfectly suited to his strengths, and also commented on how Gunn would probably go on to become a successful indie-folk artiste, just like Bon Iver. Luke Bryan also commented on Gunn's exemplary high notes and how he was destined to become a massive recording artiste, while a beaming Lionel Richie was so enamored by Gunn's voice that he said he could even sing the phone book and it would still sound amazing.
His fans on social media definitely agreed with the judges. One fan said, "Arthur Gunn is 10 times better than every other contestant on this show. I'm just gonna go ahead & say it, he is going to win this show. Y'all heard it here first."
Another supporter said, "Arthur Gunn must be in the top 7 cuz he is constantly giving the best performance, n wait.... one thing is undeniable that is his vocal quality."
If you'd like to vote for Gunn, make sure you do that via text message or the American Idol app, because the voting window closes at 9 am ET on May 11. See you next Sunday night at 8 pm ET for more 'American Idol'.