Who made it to the Top 7 of American Idol season 23? Details explored
American Idol season 23 aired a new episode on May 6, 2025, featuring the return of the Judge’s Song Contest and the reveal of the Top 7 finalists. The remaining contestants — Breanna Nix, Mattie Pruitt, John Foster, Josh King, Gabby Samone, Jamal Roberts, Thunderstorm Artis, and Slater Nalley — each picked one song out of three options secretly selected by the judges.
Whichever judge’s song was chosen earned a point, and the one with the most points got the power to save a contestant from elimination. By the end of the night, Josh King was eliminated, while Mattie Pruitt was saved by the judges. That meant the Top 7 moving forward are: Breanna Nix, Mattie Pruitt, John Foster, Gabby Samone, Jamal Roberts, Thunderstorm Artis, and Slater Nalley.
The results set the stage for next week’s double Disney Night episodes. As the competition intensifies, each performance continues to impact voting outcomes, and the judges' input remains significant in shaping the finalists’ journeys.
Song picks, tributes, and performances in American Idol
This episode of American Idol opened with a group performance of Lionel Richie’s Dancing on the Ceiling, followed by duets and trios that paid tribute to each judge. Jamal, Gabby, and Josh sang Lionel’s hit; Slater, Thunderstorm, and John teamed up for Luke Bryan’s Huntin’, Fishin’ and Lovin’ Every Day; and Breanna and Mattie closed with Carrie Underwood’s Something in the Water.
Each contestant also gave a solo performance from the three judge-selected options. Thunderstorm performed Faithfully as a tribute to his wife Faith.
“I had chills throughout that performance,” Carrie said.
Jamal delivered I Believe, earning praise from the panel for his emotional control. Meanwhile, Gabby tackled Mariah Carey’s Hero, chosen by Lionel, and Breanna sang Independence Day by Martina McBride, inspired by her mother’s strength. Lionel Richie said that his performance was "phenomenal."
"The reason I picked the songs for everybody is I've been in your shoes, and I feel like I know what will showcase your voice the best and what people out there want to hear and vote for," Carrie said.
Bottom two, judge save, and what’s next
The night’s bottom two contestants were Mattie Pruitt and Josh King. Josh chose to perform Home by Michael Bublé, a song he said he could relate to. However, the performance did not connect strongly enough with voters, leading to his elimination.
Since the Judge’s Song Contest ended in a tie between Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie, they were given the power to save one contestant and they chose to use it on Mattie Pruitt, keeping her in the competition.
Mattie Pruitt sang Always Been You by Jessie Murph, a performance that showcased her vocal strength. While the judges noted that she could have shown more connection to the lyrics, they still considered it solid overall. Mattie credited Luke Bryan for the song choice and acknowledged the judges' support as she continues in the competition.
"Vocally, it was amazing. But still give us more," Luke shared.
The Top 7 contestants of American Idol season 23 — Breanna Nix, Mattie Pruitt, John Foster, Gabby Samone, Jamal Roberts, Thunderstorm Artis, and Slater Nalley — will now prepare for two Disney-themed episodes airing next week. Fans can vote through the American Idol app, website, or by texting their chosen contestant’s number.
American Idol season 23 continues Sundays and Mondays on ABC. The episodes will be available for streaming on Hulu the following day.
