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‘American Idol’ Season 23 Live Blog: Top 12, “Ladies Night”(May 4, 2025)

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Season 23 of American Idol is back with a new episode tonight at 8 pm EST. The remaining 12 contestants will battle it out during “Ladies Night” in hopes of keeping their Idol dreams alive.

You can keep up with all the viral moments and results with American Songwriter’s Season 23 Live Blog below.

Reminder: For the most up-to-date results, refresh the page.

(Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images)

22 hours ago / 9:05 PM CDT

The Top 8 Is In!

All the votes have been tallied, and the lights are dimming for two platinum ticket holders: Kolbi Jordan and Canaan James Hill.

That means that Thunderstorm Artis, John Foster, Josh King, Slater Nalley, Breanna Nix, Mattie Pruitt, Jamal Roberts and Gabby Samone are moving on to the Top 8.

Many viewers were outraged to see Hill and Jordan exit the show. “Y’all really just sent home two incredible artist? I’m sick,” one X/Twitter user wrote.

22 hours ago / 8:57 PM CDT

Gabby Samone Answers the Question on Social Media's Mind

With this being Ladies Night on American Idol, many fans of Gabby Samone had one question on their mind: “Will she sing Beyoncé?”

Now they have their answer, as the 23-year-old pop/R&B singer from Baltimore just absolutely killed Queen Bey’s 2011 ballad “I Was Here.” The performance had both Carrie Underwood and Lionel Richie urging viewers to vote.

Oh Gabby. The superstar that you are. 🔥 @_GabbySamone #AmericanIdol pic.twitter.com/S6NXViO6tV

— Lamont (@LamontJunior)

22 hours ago / 8:41 PM CDT

Jamal Roberts Channels Carrie Underwood

When searching for iconic women in music, you simply can’t overlook the one sitting at American Idol’s judging table. As the season 4 champion, Carrie Underwood is one of American Idol’s greatest success stories. And Jamal Roberts brought the heat to Ladies Night with her 2009 hit “Undo It.”

He didn’t get every single word right, but in the words of Underwood, “Who cares?”

22 hours ago / 8:33 PM CDT

Slater Nalley Brings His "A" Game

Melting hearts during his American Idol audition with a poignant original song, “Traces Of You,” Slater Nalley established himself as a frontrunner early on. Now the 18-year-old from Atlanta, Georgia, is in the Top 10, and as Lionel Richie says, he understands how he got there. Nalley presented a stripped-down version of Reba McEntire’s Grammy-winning 1986 hit “Whoever’s In New England.”

Richie had some simple advice for him: “Just be you,” the “All Night Long” singer said. “It’s fantastic.”

Praising him for taking risks, Carrie Underwood said, “You went for it. I think it paid off.”

23 hours ago / 8:10 PM CDT

Thunderstorm Artis Blows Judges And Viewers Away

Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived at the second Adele moment of the night. The Voice season 18 finalist Thunderstorm Artis delivered a spine-chillingly good rendition of the British siren’s soulful 2015 ballad “When We Were Young.”

“You make cool, cool,” declared judge Lionel Richie. “I’m so in love with what you just did.”

Added Luke Bryan, “Your ability to hold the room — you are amazingly crafty with how you deliver songs. That was my favorite performance you’ve ever done.”

On social media, many viewers agreed. ” It was like a war cry and I got some of those goosebumps that tells me something resonated with my soul,” one fan wrote on X/Twitter.

23 hours ago / 8:00 PM CDT

Canaan James Hill Steps Out of His Comfort Zone

For the first time all season, Canaan James Hill did not perform a gospel song. However, he still took judges and viewers to church with Carrie Underwood’s “Love Wins.”

While visibly uncomfortable at parts, as Luke Bryan said, “You got through it! It was nice to see you challenge yourself. Always continue to push yourself.”

Lionel Richie added, “You made that song a great storytelling moment. What the world needs now is more messages like that.”

 

I think that y’all be forgetting that Canaan is still a teen! That wouldn’t have been my song choice for him but I’m happy to see that have stepped out if his comfort zone #AmericanIdol

— ~*Tavia*~ (@ItsTaviBaby24)

23 hours ago / 7:37 PM CDT

Miranda Lambert Lights Up 'American Idol' Stage With "Kerosene" Performance

Twenty years ago, a 21-year-old country singer from Lindale, Texas, named Miranda Lambert blazed on the Hot Country Top 20 with “Kerosene.” Two decades later, Lambert—now the most-awarded artist in Academy of Country Music history—proved she’s still got that spark, igniting the American Idol stage.

 

The song that started it all! Kersone has got to be one of my favorites growing up. #AmericanIdol

— David Lartey (@DLartey94)

23 hours ago / 7:30 PM CDT

Josh King Gives What Many Are Calling His Best Performance

Ladies Night means a lot of Adele. Josh King just delivered the first Adele cover of the night with a bluesy spin on “Rolling in the Deep.”

Many on social media are hailing it as the 24-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina native’s best performance of the season. ““I love seeing you fighting,” judge Luke Bryan told him. “You are leaving it all out there.”

 

Josh- i just tossed 10 votes to ya!! that was a freakin’ AWESOME arrangement & he fricken sounded great! #americanidol

— Devin Jay (@Djk2695)

23 hours ago / 7:25 PM CDT

Kolbi Jordan's "Amazing" Fleetwood Mac Cover

You can’t have a night dedicated to iconic women in music and leave out Stevie Nicks. Kolbi Jordan took care of that, stepping out of her comfort zone with an incredible cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain.” 

Feeling that Aretha Franklin or Patti LaBelle (her fave) would be too obvious, the 26-year-old Tulsa, Oklahoma singer decided to “shock people.” It appears to have worked on the judges. “You scared ME to death!” exclaimed Lionel Richie. “You had that gangster look.”

I would be perfectly fine w/Kolbi winning #AmericanIdol. I think she’s a huge talent.

I feel the same about a few others tho.

— Team Pajamas (@kfairwrites)

1 day ago / 7:16 PM CDT

John Foster Gives 'Em Something to Talk About

Drawing comparisons to Dwight Yoakum, John Foster has consistently impressed judges and viewers throughout his time on American Idol. For Ladies Night, he put his own spin on Bonne Raitt’s “Something to Talk About.”

“Your charisma meter is peaking off the charts,” an astonished Luke Bryan said.

Carrie Underwood urges Foster to “keep letting loose.” “You are the one that we have watched grow the most,” said the “Before He Cheats” songstress. “You feel more comfortable. Keep leaning into that.”

I think John is a favorite of Carrie’s and that’s super adorable. #AmericanIdol

— Franky (@RKOBlackSwan)

1 day ago / 7:05 PM CDT

Oh Yes, It's Ladies Night…

… and the feeling’s right! Watch the Top 10 honor some of the most memorable ladies in music tonight on American Idol!

Oh yes it’s Ladies Night tonight! #AmericanIdol pic.twitter.com/8NlKIZQho1

— Brooke Parker (@gramfurn)

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