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Is Mia Matthews in top 20? ‘American Idol’ Season 22 fans dub singer’s tribute to father ‘not so favourite’ performance

Mia Matthew is one of the most loved contestants of 'American Idol' Season 22 so far

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Mia Matthews was among the first two contestants out of the 24 'American Idol' hopefuls to be announced as part of the top 20 for the season.  As Mia took the stage, reminiscing about singing with her mom and sister, she expressed how her journey on American Idol had been incredibly empowering.

During her performance, Mia sang 'Wildflowers and Wild Horses' by Lainey Wilson, captivating the audience with her heartfelt rendition. Her voice echoed through the auditorium, weaving a tapestry of emotions as she poured her heart into every note.

Some fans of the show felt that Mia's performance wasn't her strongest compared to her previous ones. They noted that she has a tendency to gravitate towards the country genre, which they felt limited her versatility as a performer. "not my favorite mia performance," wrote a user. "if its country luke will like it ... such awful judge ... mia," said another. "Mia Matthews wasn't that great. Stop lying," added one. "Mia is not very good. This is a weak field," added another. 

Jelly Roll praises Mia Matthews for her tribute to her 'father' 

In a heartfelt moment during her last performance, mentor Jeyy Roll commended Mia for her moving rendition dedicated to her father. He praised her for staying true to her emotions and delivering a powerful performance despite the pressure to conform to the up-tempo genre.

“It was as emotional as it was in rehearsal. To see you get emotional at the end and really let that loose, it was so special. Your decision that you didn’t care if the other 11 were doing up-tempo music, you were here to honor your father because this was his birthplace. You sang with conviction because of it. I felt it, they felt it. I think you slide into the Top 20 easy money," he said. 

Jelly Roll deeply touched by Mia Matthews' story

During Mia's performance, Jelly Roll, who is nineteen, was deeply touched by her story. Singing "Daddy's Hands" by Holly Dunn, Mia honored her late father, who never got the chance to show her his birthplace in Hawaii. The emotional impact of Mia's performance was evident during rehearsal, as she moved Jelly Roll to tears.

Sharing his own experience of losing his father in 2019, Jelly Roll expressed admiration for Mia's bravery in choosing such a poignant song. Despite the tears, there was a moment of lightness as Mia thanked him for his emotional response, to which he jokingly replied, "Thanks for making me cry. I hate you," followed by an affectionate "I love you!" from Mia.

'American Idol' Season 22 airs on Sundays and Mondays at 8 pm ET on ABC