American Idol Shake-Up: Meet the Shocking Top 3 Finalists—Fan Favorite Eliminated in Stunning Twist!

Here are the final three contestants on season 23 of ‘American Idol’

Canaan James Hill, Gabby Samone, Josh King and John Foster on American Idol.Credit : Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty

Season 23 of American Idol is heating up!

After the May 12 episode of the beloved singing competition show, three contestants remain.

The top five contestants all sang their hearts out to two songs from the Disney universe with the help from guest mentor Lin-Manuel Miranda. Iam Tongi, who won season 21 of American Idol, returned to sing “Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride.”

Judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and season 4 winner Carrie Underwood — who replaced Katy Perry as a judge ahead of the season — applauded all of the contestants for their performances.

After an intense episode, Thunderstorm Artis and Slater Nalley were eliminated. The three remaining contestants, John Foster, Jamal Roberts and Breanna Nix, will battle it out to be crowned the season 23 champion in the finale on Sunday, May 18.

Keep scrolling to meet the three remaining contestants hoping to be crowned the winner of American Idol season 23 in the finale.

John Foster

John Foster on American Idol.Christopher Willard/Disney via Getty

John Foster quickly became a fan favorite as the country heartthrob of the season.

Foster, who was 18 years old at the time of his audition, is from Addis, La., according to his website. He graduated from Brusly High School in 2024, when he was named the valedictorian of his class. He even gave a little insight into his hometown by giving the judges Cajun food during his audition.

The country singer describes his music style as “Neo-Traditional” and draws inspiration from artists like Willie Nelson and George Strait.

Foster had an emotional performance on April 20 when he sang an original song called “Tell That Angel That I Love Her.” He got emotional while explaining that he wrote the song after two of his classmates died in 2022. Underwood comforted him and applauded him for showing a “tender” side.

“There’s something so wonderfully throwback about your voice, about your style,” Underwood said after the performance. “I think it’s something that’s lacking in country music today, to be honest. We have a lot of outlaw country, we have a lot of new country, and I love that you keep it very traditional.”

To secure his spot in the finale, Foster sang “The Bare Necessities” from The Jungle Book and “Rainbow Connection” from The Muppet Movie. The night prior, he performed “Believe” by Brooks & Dunn and “Almost There” from The Princess and the Frog.

Jamal Roberts

Jamal Roberts on American Idol.Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty

Jamal Roberts has gone from a gym teacher to a serious singer.

Roberts, who was 27 years old at the time of his audition, hails from the town of Meridian, Miss., where he is a gym teacher at a local elementary school, according to the Clarion Ledger.

Roberts has two daughters, Lyrik and Harmoni, who were both present when he got his golden ticket to go to Hollywood during his audition.

“You’ve got the voice and you know how to tell a story,” Richie told him during his audition.

On the May 12 episode, Roberts scored his spot in the finale after he belted out “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell and “Beauty and the Beast” from the movie of the same name. The night before, he sang “A Change Is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke and “Go the Distance” from Hercules.

Breanna Nix

Breanna Nix on American Idol.Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty

Breanna Nix hasn’t shied away from singing her emotions.

Nix, who was 25 years old at the time of her audition, is a stay-at-home mom from Denton, Texas. The faith-forward singer initially brought Underwood to tears with her performance of Underwood’s hit song “Jesus Take the Wheel.”

The famed singer has previously called Nix “solid,” while Bryan has praised her for her “purity.”

Nix told PEOPLE in April 2025 that American Idol is “the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

“It’s taught me who I am. It’s taught me what I’m capable of,” she said. “I think I’m starting to believe in myself, which is really weird because for my whole life I didn’t think I was worth anything. But I really like it.”

To advance to the finale, Nix performed “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)” by Natalie Cole and “You’ll Be In My Heart” by Phil Collins from Tarzan. On May 11, Nix sang Lauren Alaina’s “Like My Mother Does” and “Reflection” from Mulan.

Who has been eliminated from American Idol?

Slater Nalley

Slater Nalley on American Idol.Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty

Slater Nalley had been making judges and viewers alike fall in love with him from the beginning.

Nalley, who was 18 years old at the time of his audition, is a high school student from Atlanta. He’s a country singer who looks up to artists like Tyler Childers, Jason Isbell and Nathaniel Rateliff.

“For as long as I can remember; I actually can’t remember my life without singing,” Nalley told his high school paper, The OnLion, in September 2023.

He began his American Idol journey by bringing Underwood to tears during his audition. The teenager performed an original song, “Traces of You,” about the death of one of his teacher’s sons.

“Every single person that hears that can fill in that memory with somebody that’s in themselves, and I couldn’t have imagined you doing that any better,” Underwood told him through tears.

Nalley couldn’t secure enough votes on the May 12 episode and was eliminated ahead of the finale. He sang “Born To Be Wild” by Steppenwolf and “You’ve Got a Friend In Me” from Toy Story. The night prior, he performed “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from The Lion King and “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” by Bob Dylan, securing himself a spot in the top five.

Thunderstorm Artis

Thunderstorm Artis on American Idol.Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty

Thunderstorm Artis knows how to sing with a passion.

Artis, who was 28 years old at the time of his audition, was born and raised in Oahu, Hawaii, per his website. He is no stranger to competing in singing shows, as he was previously a finalist on season 18 of The Voice in 2020.

The singer-songwriter, who has since moved to Nashville, Tenn., explained to Parade in April 2025 that he is a “very different” person from who he was five years ago.

“I felt like I was in a very different season,” he explained. “I have two kids now. I have a wonderful wife, and I am in a different season of life, so I wanted to come on here and really showcase my artistry in a way that I didn’t get to do on the last show with some original music.”

The judges have all raved about Artis over the last two months. After his April 14 performance of “Is This Love,” Richie told him, “You have something extremely unique. Because just you, your voice and the guitar, your expression and your interpretation of a song, is just mind blowing.”

Artis also didn’t secure enough votes and was sent home after the May 12 episode. During the episode, he sang “Find Yourself” by Brad Paisley from Cars and “A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes” from Cinderella. The night prior, he performed “Colors of the Wind” from Pocahontas and his original song, “Out of The Blue.”

Mattie Pruitt

Mattie Pruitt on American Idol.Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty

Mattie Pruitt was the youngest contestant on season 23 of American Idol.

Pruitt was 15 years old when she auditioned and is a high school student from Eagleville, Tenn. She mainly gravitates towards country songs with hints of pop, rock and soul and is influenced by artists like Chris Stapleton and Teddy Swims, as her parents told The Murfeesboro Pulse.

“From the time she could talk, Mattie Pruitt has been singing,” her dad, Justin Pruitt, wrote. “Watching her grow into the young woman she is today—so devoted to her craft, so passionate about her music—has been one of the greatest blessings God has given me. Her dedication, heart and talent shine in everything she does, and now she’s stepping onto an even bigger stage.”

Pruitt started her journey on American Idol with a bang by bringing in country singer Craig Campbell — who was in Bryan’s band — to play piano for her.

Pruitt received praise from the judges for her “great voice,” while Underwood also encouraged her to find “some sass.”

On May 11, the young singer performed “Remember Me” from Coco and Lauren Alaina’s “Those Kind of Women.” Unfortunately, she didn’t receive enough votes and was eliminated at the end of the episode.

Gabby Samone

Gabby Samone on American Idol.Christopher Willard/Disney via Getty

Gabby Samone brought the house down each week.

Samone, who was 23 years old at the time of her audition, is a singer hailing from Baltimore, who describes her style as “a dash of gospel with a serving of soul into a heaping helping of Pop & R&B,” per her website.

Samone began her singing career when she was growing up, singing for her local church’s choir.

“American Idol has really made me hone in on my gift and my artistry, so I’m ready,” she told Baltimore’s local ABC news in April 2025. “I feel like this was development, and I’m ready to continue to develop and, and I can’t wait to drop this music and just be more involved with my fans and grow as an artist.”

The judges complimented Samone for her growth. Bryan even gave her a massive shout-out when he said her rendition of “Saving All My Love for You” was “one of the best things I’ve ever seen sitting in this chair.”

Samone belted out “How Far I’ll Go” from Moana and “Home” from the musical The Wiz on May 11, but it marked her last performance, as she was sent home at the end of the episode.

Josh King

Josh King on American Idol.Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty

Josh King is a multi-talented singer and musician.

King, who was 24 years old when he auditioned, is a singer and songwriter from Charlotte, N.C., per his website. In addition to being a powerhouse singer, he also plays the piano, diatonic harmonica and chromatic harmonica.

King has been practicing music for most of his life and was even mentored by the late Blues legend James Cotton. When he’s not performing on American Idol, King volunteers as a singer in Charlotte hospitals and at the airport.

The judges have previously complimented King’s talent, with Underwood saying he has a “beautiful” voice and Bryan applauding him for being “totally locked in” to the competition.

During the May 4 episode, King stayed safe by performing Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep.” The following day, after he performed “Home” by Michael Bublé and gracefully pleaded with the judges to keep Pruitt, King was eliminated.

Kolbi Jordan

Kolbi Jordan on American Idol.Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty

Kolbi Jordan wowed the judges from the start.

Jordan, who was 26 at the time of her audition, hails from Tulsa, Okla. She works in human resources at a dental company but has been singing for most of her life. She performed in many of her school musicals and even sang at her high school’s graduation ceremony, according to The Oklahoman.

Jordan snagged a platinum ticket for her performance of “Epiphany” during her audition. In addition to receiving the honor, she also got to virtually meet her idol, Patti LaBelle, when Richie called her.

“My dream is to have the two of you standing side by side,” Richie told LaBelle and Jordan at the time. “I can’t even imagine what that’s going to be.”

Unfortunately, Jordan’s rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain” did not win her enough votes to continue to the top eight. She was eliminated on May 4.

Canaan James Hill

Canaan James Hill on American Idol.Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty

Canaan James Hill has pipes.

Hill, who was 17 years old at the time of his audition, is an aspiring preacher from Dallas. He is a gospel singer who learned to sing from his grandfather and has continued choosing songs that focus on his faith.

“I am a Christian, I sing, preach, and give encouraging words. I love to encourage people to trust God because he can do more with it than we can,” Hill wrote in his YouTube bio.

When he belted out “I Need Your Glory” for his audition, he received one of three rare platinum tickets, which allowed him to skip the first round of Hollywood Week cuts.

Richie has called his singing “unbelievable” and “spectacular,” while Underwood has called his voice “smooth but powerful.”

On May 4, though, Hill did not receive enough votes to continue to the top eight after his performance of Underwood’s “Love Wins.”