American Idol
Viral TikTok Babysitter Delivers an ‘Amazing’ Sia Cover on ‘American Idol’: Watch
So, you’ve discovered your babysitter is an amazing singer. Pros? Going viral on TikTok. Cons? Your babysitter gets scooped up by American Idol, meaning you have to find someone else to watch the kids Friday nights. That’s what happened to Nicki Unplugged, a TikTok “momfluencer” who took a sneaky video of Delaney Renee belting out The Little Mermaid‘s “Part of Your World” while looking after her daughter. So many viewers loved the 18-year-0ld’s voice that the video has since raked in over 16 million views, catapulting her to an impressive appearance on Idol’s Sunday (Feb. 27) season 20 premiere, with Nicki cheering her on from the wings. Explore Explore Sia See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Renee sang a soft but mighty version of Sia‘s “Opportunity” for ...
‘American Idol’ Hopeful Wows Judges With ‘Powerful’ Original Song About Ahmaud Arbery & Breonna Taylor: Watch
American Idol‘s 20th season kicked off on Sunday (Feb. 27), and saw a bevy of singers auditioning for a chance to compete on the show. Though most hopefuls sing songs by popular artists for judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan, Taylor Fagins used his time in front of the panel to sing a powerful piano ballad titled “We Need More” that he wrote about the killings of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “Ahmaud Arbery, you went for a run because you probably felt free/ Ahmaud Arbery, your run had an end that nobody could see/ Little Black boys don’t run outside or play with water guns at night/ They run away from red and white blue lies/ And little Black boys don’t go to stores or use their pockets anymore/...
Former American Idol Finalist Charged with Felony DUI Following Fatal Crash
17-year-old Caleb Kennedy, who reached the top five of American Idol last year before withdrawing under a cloud of controversy, has been charged with a felony DUI resulting in death after his vehicle allegedly struck a building and killed a man inside. WYFF reports that Kennedy was driving a 2011 Ford pick-up truck around 12:40 in the afternoon in Spartanburg, South Carolina when he veered off the road and into a building. The 54-year-old victim, Larry Duane Parris, was pronounced dead at a local hospital three hours later. Kennedy was expected to appear in court for a hearing Wednesday morning. Last year, a then-16-year-old Kennedy made a deep run on American Idol Season 19. But after reaching the final five he abruptly left the competition after one of his old so...
Former ‘American Idol’ Contestant Caleb Kennedy Charged With DUI in Fatal Crash
Former American Idol top five finalist Caleb Kennedy has been charged with DUI in a fatal crash in which he allegedly hit a man inside a building with his Ford pick-up truck. According to a statement from the South Carolina Highway Patrol, on Tuesday (Feb. 8), a man inside the residential building sustained a fatal injury when the truck driven by Kennedy drove onto a private driveway and struck the structure. WYFT reported that the victim, Larry Duane Parris, 54, was pronounced dead at a local hospital three hours after the crash. Explore See latest videos, charts and news The driver, identified as Kennedy, 17, was charged with felony DUI resulting in death; at press time a spokesperson for the South Carolina Highway Patrol said no further information was available as the crash is still un...
Clay Aiken Running for Congress in North Carolina
American Idol star Clay Aiken is running for Congress. On Monday (January 10th) the singer and self-proclaimed “loud and proud Democrat” announced his campaign for a congressional seat in North Carolina’s 6th District. “Can you believe it’s been almost 20 years since I first got to share my voice with you?” the 2003 American Idol runner-up wrote across social media. “That’s a long time. A LOT has changed! We need powerful voices more than ever, so I’m running for Congress.” A native of Raleigh, North Carolina, Aiken ran for Congress in the state’s 2nd District in 2014. Although he won in the Democratic primary, he was defeated in the general election by Republican incumbent Renee L. Ellmers. Now, he seeks a seat in the redrawn 6th District, a more liberal area that includes Durha...
‘American Idol’ Judges Imagine Alternate Careers In Season 20 Promo: Watch
American Idol returns on Feb. 27, marking its 20th season overall and fifth season on ABC. Ahead of the milestone year, a promo for Idol‘s new season will air during Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2022 on ABC, and Billboard has an exclusive preview of the clip. The 90-second video finds Idol judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan, as well as host Ryan Seacrest, imagining what life would be like had they never been discovered. Richie’s alternate career in sculpting is suspiciously reminiscent of the video for his Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 “Hello,” while Perry’s mirror universe job involves her selling the explosive namesake of one of her Hot 100 toppers. Bryan’s non-musical gig involves tending bar while serving up some of the lyrics to his 2020 single and Cou...
‘American Idol’ Crowns 2021 Champion
Beckham is the 12th male winner of American Idol, following in the footsteps of Ruben Studdard (season 2), Taylor Hicks (season 5), David Cook (season 7), Kris Allen (season 8), Lee DeWyze (season 9), Scotty McCreery (season 10), Phillip Phillips (season 11), Caleb Johnson (season 13), Nick Fradiani (season 14), Trent Harmon (season 15) and Laine Hardy (season 17). There have been seven female winners to date, starting with Kelly Clarkson (season 1) and followed by Fantasia (season 3), Carrie Underwood (season 4), Jordin Sparks (season 6), Candice Glover (season 12), Maddie Poppe (season 16) and Just Sam (season 18). This is the only the sixth season that the top two finalists have both been male contestants, after season 2 (Studdard and Clay Aiken), season 7 (Cook and David Archuleta), se...
Claudia Conway to Audition on Latest Season of ‘American Idol’
Later, introducing herself to judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie, who look surprised, Conway introduces herself by saying, “I’m Claudia Conway. My parents are high-profile political figures.” In the ad, Perry tells her, “We want an American Idol.” Conway first suggested that she would appear on the show in a TikTok video last fall. Idol‘s new season will premiere at Feb. 14 on ABC. Conway made headlines in January after posting a series of videos appearing to show her mother yelling at her, insulting her and seemingly hitting her on TikTok. At the time, Conway said Kellyanne was “physically, mentally, and emotionally abusive.” Conway has occasionally posted about her disagreements with her mother on the social media pla...
Nikki McKibbin, ‘American Idol’ Season 1 Contestant, Dies at 42
“Even at the end she is still giving. She was so loved that I know thousands of you will be grieving with us. There are only a few hours left for me to hold her hand and kiss her forehead,” Sadler wrote. He added that McKibbin was a longtime fans of Stevie Nicks and that Fleetwood Mac‘s 1975 song “Landslide” would be played for her before doctors performed her final surgery. “If you are able, you can pause at 3:00 wherever you are and listen to it with her,” Sadler wrote. “She will know that you’re sharing her farewell. She loved so many of you and I know you loved her too.” McKibbin is best known for placing third on the debut season of American Idol in 2002, finishing behind runner-up Justin Guarini and champion Kelly Clarkson. ...
‘American Idol’ Alum Chris Sligh Has COVID-19
Chris Sligh, a finalist in season six of American Idol, is battling with COVID-19-related pneumonia. The contemporary Christian singer on Monday posted a picture of himself appearing unwell in a medical facility, with the caption, “My world right now. Covid suuuuucks.” His condition hasn’t improved. “I’ll try to reach out to as many people as I can individually, but publicly let me say thank you for the prayers & kind words,” he writes in a new Instagram post. “I have Covid that has devolved into pneumonia. Breathing without pain or coughing is difficult & I didn’t get much sleep last night, but hopefully the antibiotics do their work fast.” Thanks to his deep run in the 2007 season of Idol, Sligh has enjoyed a notable chart career. His album Empty Me from 2008 peaked at No. 9 on t...
Lionel Richie Leads All-Star ‘Idol’ Rendition of ‘We Are The World’: Watch
If you lived through the ‘80s, you’ll remember “We Are The World” was just about the biggest number of them all. Featuring a “Dream Team” of pop stars, the song dropped in 1985 to shine a light on famine in Africa. Written by Lionel Richie and the late Michael Jackson, the charity single ruled the Billboard Hot 100 for four successive weeks after its release, and an all-star Artists for Haiti remake in 2010 was also a hit. Sunday night (May 17) during the American Idol finale, Richie assembled an all-star Idol lineup for a lockdown-era rendition of the blockbuster. Joined by his fellow judges, Richie led a cast that included 2020 winner Just Sam, Alejandro Aranda aka Scarypoolparty, Fantasia, Gabby Barrett, Jordin Sparks, Katharine McPhee, Kellie Pickler, Laine Hardy, Lauren Alaina, Philli...
Katy Perry Debuts ‘Daisies’ on ‘American Idol’ Finale: Watch
The American Idol finale had some massive moments, not all of them involved the contestants. Idol judge Katy Perry delivered her debut live performance of “Daises,” inside of a spectacular digitally-enhanced environment. Wearing a pink dress, no shoes and showing her baby bump, Perry looked like Alice in her animated wonderland, as walls and cartoon furniture appear around her and steep falls appear under her feet. “Daises” dropped last week, a triumph against the haters. Watch the performance below. [embedded content]
