‘American Idol’ contestant wasn’t a fan favorite, but his ‘selfless’ move before elimination won hearts
'American Idol' Season 23 premiered on March 9, 2025, and is set to come to an end on May 18, 2025, with only seven contestants remaining in the show. While the competition up until the Top 7 was definitely cutthroat, certain contestants were more beloved than the others. It's hard to understand what it is that the fans really want when there is a whole barrage of opinions on the internet. Something similar happened with Josh King, who was despised by everyone as he reached the top 7. One user on X (formerly Twitter) even wrote, "Do you all feel sorry for Josh or something?? Please stop voting for him."
That said, the tide has changed in favor of King, but ironically enough, this happened after King's elimination from 'American Idol'. On the Top 8 episode of 'Idol,' eight singers—that is, Breanna Nix, Gabby Samone, Jamal Roberts, John Foster, Josh King, Mattie Pruitt, Slater Nalley, and Thunderstorm Artis all competed to stay in the show, as reported by the US Sun. However, one person was supposed to get eliminated from the show.
The judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Carrie Underwood were set to decide who would make that elimination. As the performances ended, Mattie Pruitt and Josh King ended up in the bottom two, putting both in danger of elimination. Pruitt performed her rendition of 'Always Been You' by Jessie Murph while King sang 'Home' by Michael Bublé. As the decision was being made by the judges on who to eliminate, King made a subtle gesture, nodding in the direction of Pruitt, indicating that she should be the one to advance.
Josh King + Mattie Pruitt as Bottom 2, I used to pray for times like this #idol #americanidol pic.twitter.com/1HXeZuVMrH
— Ava (@HelloAva) May 6, 2025
Whether it was owing to King's gesture or the judges' decision, the end result saw Pruitt make it through to the Top 7 while King was eliminated. Fans were absolutely devastated over this decision. "I don’t understand the judges. We were so close to having Mattie eliminated, and yet they saved her from going home when Josh King serenaded us with a Michael Bublé classic. She better not send home Breanna, Gabby, or Jamal," a fan made a tweet.
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Another user posted on Instagram, "Great performance by you, but my heart burst with joy when you kept signaling for the judges to choose Maddy! That was so unselfish! You have a promising future ahead, Josh," while another user added, "You are so humble! I love the way you wished Mattie through!" While King had the fans polarized over his performance while he was in the show, he definitely went home winning everyone's hearts.
