Carrie Underwood predicts the next ‘American Idol’ winner — and we're so glad it's this fan favorite
From winning 'American Idol' to now judging it, Carrie Underwood is the very definition of success. As a former contestant, Underwood does understand the nuances of the competition, which is why her opinion holds significant weight. As the singing reality show inches closer to its finale, Underwood has already shared her prediction for the winner. Additionally, the contestant she picked initially faced skepticism from Luke Bryan until he proved himself wrong with their standout performances.
During Monday, May 12 night's 'American Idol' episode, Underwood couldn't stop heaping praises on contestant John Foster. After his performance of 'Rainbow,' Underwood talked about Foster's journey from audition to finalist and confidently declared, "I felt like I had this diamond in the rough standing right in front of me. I had to do a little convincing on my fellow judges, but I love that you're standing here right now, proving me right. And I'm going to tell you right now, if you aren't real careful, you might just win this whole thing," as per MassLive.
Notably, in the latest round of 'American Idol,' each of the Top 5 contestants performed two of their favorite Disney songs, with Foster singing 'The Bare Necessities' from 'The Jungle Book' and 'Rainbow Connection' from 'The Muppet Movie.' Foster explained that part of his reason for choosing 'Rainbow Connection' was due to his admiration for Willie Nelson, his "favorite artist in the world," who had previously covered the song.
Foster shared, "When I listen to this song, I think about all the dreams that I’ve had as a child... and the fact that some of these dreams have now come true, and I'm on 'American Idol' in the Top 5, is just an ode to the importance of dreaming." Following the performance, the judges praised Foster's growth as an artist. Lionel Richie talked about Foster's unique voice, saying, "I am totally in love with the timbre of your voice. I call it 'instant identity.' I know that's you on your first note. That's what makes an artist. The difference between a singer and a stylist is, I know your voice in three notes."
Talking about Foster's audition, Bryan was unsure about sending him to Hollywood, having little confidence in his vocal abilities. However, after Foster performed George Strait's 'I Cross My Heart' on the show, Bryan admitted his earlier misjudgment. Talking about a clip he saw of himself, Bryan said, "I was doing my TikTok scroll daily, and I saw a clip of me saying I didn't know if you could sing well enough back in your audition, and man, no one has ever proved me more wrong than you," as per MassLive.
That said, Foster successfully secured his place in the 'American Idol' 2025 finals along with Brenna Nix and Jamal Roberts, as per Newsweek. The Season 23 finale airs live on Sunday, May 18, at 8 pm ET on ABC, featuring performances by stars like Josh Groban, Patti LaBelle, Salt-N-Pepa, and Jessica Simpson. The winner will receive a recording contract with Hollywood Records, industry mentorship, national exposure, and a cash prize historically ranging from $125,000 to $250,000.