What happened to Hunter Metts? 'American Idol' singer tears up on stage, fans say 'it's OK to be nervous'

Hunter Metts broke down in tears and wished he didn't 'mess it up', but fans and judges assured him this was one of his best performances on the show
UPDATED APR 19, 2021
Hunter Metts broke down in tears during the Oscar special episode of 'American Idol' (ABC)
Hunter Metts broke down in tears during the Oscar special episode of 'American Idol' (ABC)

Hunter Metts on 'American Idol' has received mixed reactions from the judges in the past couple of weeks. But this week, all three judges maintained a united front as the former software developer crooned the Oscar-nominated song 'Falling Slowly' from the movie 'Once'. 

Metts was so immersed in his performance that he ended up forgetting a couple of lyrics from the song. This happened at the very end after he had delivered a pitch-perfect performance that the judges and the studio audiences were thoroughly enjoying.

RELATED ARTICLES

Who is Hunter Metts? Meet 'American Idol' contestant from Tennessee who judges say could be in Top 10

Who is Benson Boone? Here's why 'American Idol' contestant and TikTok star from Monroe could 'win' the season



 

What happened to Hunter Metts?

Metts immediately broke down in tears after fumbling with the lyrics and watching him do so, the audiences cheered and applauded for him a little louder than they already were. Katy Perry wasted no time and chimed in to help Metts calm down. Perry had a couple of issues with her during the all-star duets and solos episode where Metts had teamed up with Jewel. 

She said she sensed "a little fear" in the Metts' eyes and Jewel was quick to disagree with Perry's comment. "What?" she exclaimed while watching Katy give feedback backstage. "No! I really thought he gave a lot more." Perry also asked him to stop being intimidated by the other singers in the competition and to believe in himself.



 

When Metts "messed up" on Sunday (April 18) night's episode, Perry was the first to help him understand that making mistakes is a human tendency and "perfection is an illusion". Judge Luke Bryan who is back on the show following a Covid-19 scare that kept him out of the episode last week also assured Metts that his performance was flawless. Lionel Richie detailed a similar incident that happened to him and how his audiences chimed in to sing the lyrics for him. 

Not just judges, even the fans watching from home too sent a lot of love, support, and virtual hugs for Metts after his crying bout. "I am now the founder of hunter metts protection squad i am ready to take kneecaps #AmericanIdol," read a tweet. "AMERICAN IDOL - Hunter Metts ("Falling Slowly" from ONCE): The first star performance of the night. It's OK to be nervous if you deliver when it counts on stage. Way to take the audience on a journey! Originally matters. #AmericanIdol" another tweet read. "I thought Hunter just got emotional. I didn't even notice that he forgot the words. Voting for the man," read another tweet. 



 



 



 



 

"Aww Hunter I wanna give him a hug so bad, you’re okay don’t cry my dude !!! don’t be sorry it was a beautiful performance #AmericanIdol" read another tweet. "I wanna run through my screen and hug hunter right now, that performance was so good regardless of that little mistake #americanidol" another fan wrote. 



 



 

'American Idol' airs Sunday and Monday at 8 pm ET on ABC.

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

Netflix dropped the entire Season 2 of 'Beef' on Thursday for the perfect binge watch, and now fans want to know whether there will be another season.
51 minutes ago
Camilla Ludington opened up about what the audience can expect from 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 22 finale in a recent interview.
1 hour ago
The latest edition of the Netflix anthology 'Beef' follows three pairs of characters with distinct issues, all of which converge into a major mess.
2 hours ago
With the 'Tracker' Season 3 finale closing in, truths about Colter’s past start to crack open, setting the stage for tougher choices in Season 4.
3 hours ago
'Beef' Season 2 is set against the backdrop of Monte Vista Point, a prestigious country club
5 hours ago
‘The White Lotus’ Season 4 begins filming as HBO reveals new plot, cast and new setting, with the story unfolding during Cannes Festival.
6 hours ago
A familiar agent returns to New York for high-risk cases, but a new partner and rising threats may push even a seasoned team to its limits
7 hours ago
All three shows will go on their final break ahead of their upcoming finales, scheduled to air on May 13
8 hours ago
‘Doc’ Season 2 finale delivers an emotional twist for Dr. Joan Ridley, leaving fans heartbroken while teasing a possible return in Season 3.
21 hours ago
While it can be described as a filler episode of sorts, 'The Boys' Season 5 Episode 3 sets the tone of what to expect in the remaining five episodes.
1 day ago