There is revival happening on American Idol and any discerning heart who has the Holy Spirit can see it. The new season has seen an influx of Christian singers auditioning. From the very beginning of their American Idol journey these musicians introduced themselves as Christians who are there “to do the will of the Father and to bring Him glory”. The songs that the contestants chose as their audition pieces this year speaks to their love for God and their reverence for the Almighty. During theatre week in Hollywood a worship session broke out backstage and in a shared video by one of the contestants, Riley O’Neil, the finalists can be seen singing an Elevation Worship song, The Blessing.
The growing Christian influence may be attributed to Carrie Underwood joining the judging panel. Underwood, a farm girl from Oklahoma, won Season 4 of American Idol in 2005, and to return as judge 20 years later is a full circle moment. Carrie, who is vocal about her faith in God, has faced her fair share of ridicule in Hollywood.
On Resurrection Sunday American Idol hosted a special three-hour episode titled Songs of Faith. The 20 contestants and the judges sang mainly Gospel songs. The legendary Cece Winans sang her hit song Come Jesus Come with American Idol alumni Roman Collins.
Luke Bryan sang a heartfelt rendition of his song, Jesus ‘Bout My Kids. He says they try to raise their boys in the ways of the Lord. The lyrics to his song resonated with many parents in the audiences and around the world. There is a line in Jesus ‘Bout My Kids that says “I used to talk to my kids about Jesus, now I talk to Jesus ’bout my kids”. This sums up the growing concern that parents have about the safety of their children and their desire for their children to have their own relationship with God. “When the show came to us with the idea of the Easter special, I instantly thought of the song Jesus ‘Bout My Kids that I recorded for my last album. We have tried to raise our boys in a household that understands Jesus and I love that the song really speaks about the journey of being a parent. Every line has a specific meaning and purpose that parents everywhere can relate to,” says Luke.
Carrie Underwood closed the show with a stirring rendition of a Christian classic How Great Thou Art. In 2021 Carrie released a Gospel album titled My Saviour. She has faced ridicule because of her faith, but she has continually taken up her cross and never wavered in her commitment to God. Some viewers have commented that Underwood’s performance of the Christian classic, How Great Thou Art, may be one of the most memorable performance in the show’s history.
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This year American Idol introduced a mentor for the contestants. Jelly Roll is the show’s first Artist in Residence providing mentorship and guidance to the young musicians. He is a perfect choice for these young people as they navigate the unknown, overwhelming world of entertainment. His warm and welcoming cheerleading personality is what brings out the best in every contestant’s performance. Jelly Roll sang a duet; A Heartfelt Hallelujah with Christian artist Brandon Lake. Their performance already has more than four million views on the Instagram page. Carrie Underwood’s and Cece Winans’ performances stand at 14.6 million and 10.8 million views respectively proving Gospel’s massive following.
From the start of auditions viewers have been invested in the contestants’ performances. A number of hopefuls chose Gospel songs for their audition. Canaan James Hill, a 17-year-old musician and aspiring preacher from Dallas, Texas, left the judges speechless after his performance. The legendary Lionel Richie had to get up from his seat during Hill’s performance of Earnest Pugh’s song, I need Your Glory, as he could not continue to sit down as the weight of God’s presence filled the room. Canaan Hill was given one of three platinum tickets allowing him to bypass the first round of theatre week in Hollywood. Canaan James Hill’s audition clip has gone viral. It is one the most viewed Idol auditions this season, attracting views of more than a million since its release. Many are saying Hill is what the world needs at this hour. The calling of God on the young preacher was evident the minute he started singing. He has continued singing Gospel songs at every stage in the competition. A viewer of the show wrote on his Youtube channel: “Canaan does not perform, he ministers, and the American Idol stage is merely his congregation.”
Other notable Christian contestants who have been bold in sharing their faith, whether in their choice of songs or on their social media platforms, are Breanna Nix, a young mother and wife from Denton, Texas, and Rylie O’Neil. The two bonded over their shared passion for their families and a desire to pursue the purpose of God for their lives. They have said that they went to the American Idol stage to glorify God.
The producers introduced the three-hour Songs of Faith special this year for the first time after seeing a growing interest in the show when some of the auditions featuring Christian songs went viral. Many viewers have said that they will be coming back to watch American Idol after not watching for so many years. There is something special about this season. Revival is unfolding. God is bringing His light and He is using one of the biggest stages in entertainment with a massive audience in the millions all over the world.
Simon Lythgoe, original producer and co-creator of American Idol, is a believer. He shared his thoughts with CCM Magazine. “I think it’s incredible that American Idol is doing a three-hour Easter special,” said Lythgoe. “For ABC and Disney to take such a bold stand on this holy day and celebrate worship music is truly inspirational. When I first began working on American Idol during the FOX years, there was an unspoken rule to steer clear of anything overtly religious or faith-based. The goal was to keep the show secular — broad and inclusive — to avoid alienating any viewers.”
He continued, “But I noticed that started to shift the year Carrie Underwood took the stage. It was clear she wasn’t just a remarkable talent — she was a woman of deep faith. That faith came through even more clearly in songs like Jesus, Take the Wheel. The real turning point, though, came in 2008 during the Idol Gives Back charity special when the Top 8 finalists asked to perform Shout to the Lord. I remember getting flooded with calls from Christian friends who were thrilled to hear a worship song performed on primetime television.”
American contestant Thunderstorm Artis, told the Deseret News he was pleasantly surprised that he could share his faith on the show. “If I had a nickel for every time someone told me, ‘Hey, if you take Jesus out of your music, you’d be way more famous, like, I’d be rich,” he said. “There’s so many Christians, from the production team to the people at the top to the people at the bottom. And it’s been amazing. I didn’t know this, that American Idol was a spirit-filled organisation, so it’s been a beautiful experience.”
There is revival and God’s light is permeating through our screens and phones. There is a shift in the atmosphere and we can only pray that these contestants will continue to make Jesus known.
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