Watch' American Idol''s John Foster Deliver Tearful Tribute to Late Friend Maggie
On Sunday, April 20, American Idol contestant Foster, 18 — who made the Top 20 — took the stage to perform an original song, "Tell That Angel I Love Her."
'Though we may not know the reason / It's not for us to understand / Lord, won't you tell that angel I love her / As soon as you can," he sang.
At the end of the performance, Foster said "I love you Maggie" and wiped away tears from his face.
As the judges provided their feedback, Carrie Underwood asked him what he was going through — and Foster explained that he wrote the song for his late friend Maggie Dunn, who died suddenly in 2022.
"There's something so wonderfully throwback about your voice, about your style. I think it's something that's lacking in country music today, to be honest," said Underwood, 42,
Related: American Idol to Air Easter Sunday Episode Featuring Performances by Jelly Roll, Brandon Lake and the Judges (Exclusive)
She continued, "We have a lot of outlaw country, we have a lot of new country, and I love that you keep it very traditional. I feel like that's who you are. I love that in this song we go to hear a sweet, tender side of your voice that honestly I didn't know you had.'
Luke Bryan added, 'You've kind of been a wildcard for me the whole time, but what you just did there removed all doubts in my mind that you deserve to be here."
"When you open your mouth on this song, you're country, but you're also storytelling country," judge Lionel Richie told Foster. "Now whether that's old, new, happening now, later, whatever the case may be, it was so believable and I heard every word of every part of your story and that's what great music is about."
Per WAFB, Dunn was killed alongside her friend, Caroline Gill, on New Year's Eve in Louisiana when a police officer hit their car while speeding through an intersection.
Related: Carnie Wilson's Daughter Lola Brings Mom and Aunt Wendy Along to Audition for American Idol with 'Hold On'
Sunday's nearly three-hour episode also featured special Easter performances, including Richie who performed "Eternity," Bryan who sang 'Jesus "'Bout My Kids' and Underwood who sang 'How Great Thou Art.'
The Top 20 will be narrowed down to the Top 14 on Monday, April 21. Idol airs at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
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