Kellie Pickler Makes Triumphant Return to ‘American Idol’, Delivers Emotional Martina McBride Cover With Hannah Harper

Kellie Pickler is back on the American Idol stage! Twenty years after she competed on the series, the country star returned to perform a duet with season 24 finalist Hannah Harper.

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The pair teamed up to sing Martina McBride’s “A Broken Wing,” giving the crowd a performance for the ages.

“I just feel so incredibly blessed to be able to share the stage with talent,” Pickler told host Ryan Seacrest after her time on stage. “… It’s like this Idol family club, and I’m blessed to be a part of it.”

Pickler wasn’t the only familiar face to pop up on the latest Idol episode. The latest installment was dubbed the Class of 2006: Reunion, and welcomed back four other past contestants. In addition to Pickler, winner Taylor Hicks returned along with Paris Bennett, Bucky Covington, and Elliott Yamin.

During season 5 of American Idol, Yamin was the second runner-up, behind Hicks and Katharine McPhee. Chris Daughtry came in fourth place, while Bennett went home in the fifth position. Pickler was eliminated after making the Top 6, while Covington was sent home on the Top 8 episode.

Just like Pickler did, the remaining former contestants are set to team up with a current hopeful to perform a duet. The season 24 field has been narrowed down to just five people: Harper, Jordan McCullough, Keyla Richardson, Braden Rumfelt, and Chris Tungseth.

Original Idol judges Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul are also back for the show’s big reunion. Both returning superstars will mentor the contestants in the Top 5, and the latter one will join the judges’ panel alongside Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Carrie Underwood.

At the end of the episode, America’s votes will be tallied to determine the Top 3 contestants of season 24.

What Kellie Pickler Has Been Up to Since American Idol

After Pickler competed on American Idol in 2006, she went on to release four LPs, most recently The Woman I Am in 2013.

Pickler also toured alongside stars including Rascal Flatts, Brad Paisley, and Taylor Swift. Additionally, she won season 16 of Dancing With the Stars.

Tragedy struck for Pickler in 2023 when her husband, Kyle Jacobs, died by suicide. Just over one year later, Pickler returned to the stage for the first time. She performed as part of a Patsy Cline tribute at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.

Pickler’s Idol appearance marked just her second public event since her husband’s death.

American Idol airs Mondays on ABC.

Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images