Yahoo News American Idol Finale Recap: Did the Right Singer Win Season 22?
Three singers. Three hours. One winner. This… is the American Idol Season 22 finale.
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Heading into ABC’s full-night event, Abi Carter was the favorite to win among TVLine readers, with 40% expecting her to be left standing under all that falling confetti. Jack Blocker followed closely behind, earning 35% of our readers’ votes, with the remaining 25% going to presumed third-placer Will Moseley.
Our official prediction differed slightly from that of our readers; we expected Jack to be crowned the next American Idol, followed by Will in second place and Abi in third. But with the finalists’ fates in the hands of the fickle voting public, there was no way of knowing how things would turn out. (Spoiler alert: We were way off!)
This finale was especially bittersweet, as it marked Katy Perry’s last episode as an American Idol judge after seven seasons. She announced her exit ahead of the premiere, giving fans a few months to prepare for her departure, but that didn’t make Sunday’s farewell any less emotional.
Not one to go quietly, Katy took to the stage on Sunday with a performance of “What Makes a Woman,” joined by a surprise guest. Fellow judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie also performed “Love You, Miss You, Mean It” and “Running With the Night,” respectively.
So, how did things shake out between Abi, Jack and Will? Read on for a breakdown of Sunday’s results, then drop a comment with your thoughts. Did the right person win American Idol Season 22
Will Moseley (Rounds 1 & 2)
ROUND 1: Will began the finale with confidence, performing Bon Jovi’s “It’s My Life,” a song he chose the second he found out that the artist would be mentoring the Top 3. It was the perfect choice for a finale song, a powerful declaration of where Will stands after fighting to make it this far in the competition. He had a big ol’ smile plastered on his face the whole time, and he even managed to work in a few rock moves throughout the performance.
TVLINE’S GRADE: “A”
ROUND 2: He returned in the second round with Montgomery Gentry’s “My Town,” a song that genuinely sounded like it could have been written by Will himself. (We know that’s an overused phrase on this show, but it was true this time!) A small-town hero with big-time talent, Will really won us over with this performance; his musicianship has always been undeniable, but his homecoming segment peeled back the curtain and exposed his playful side.
TVLINE’S GRADE: “A”
Jack Blocker (Rounds 1 & 2)
ROUND 1: Jack picked a slightly lesser-known Bon Jovi hit for his first song, turning “I’ll Be There For You” into a cool, countrified jam that solidified him as the competition’s king of surprises. Fully in his element, the charming crooner had the audience eating from the palm of his hand from start to finish.
TVLINE’S GRADE: “A”
ROUND 2: First of all, how dare Jack make us fall even more in love with him? From his performance at the Dallas Mavericks game (his dad was so proud!) to his beautiful relationship with his wife, it was a really enjoyable hometown visit. George Strait’s “All My Exes Live in Texas” was an admittedly jarring song to watch Jack perform after hearing him gush about his wife, but we’ll be darned if he didn’t two-step his way right around that little hiccup, delivering one of his best performances of the season. He also acknowledged the awkward juxtaposition in the best way possible: “I don’t even have any exes!”
TVLINE’S GRADE: “A”
Abi Carter (Rounds 1 & 2)
ROUND 1: “Bed of Roses” was an unexpected (yet spot-on) pick for Abi, but we never doubted her for a minute. Seated confidently at her piano, the Indio, Calif. native delivered a gorgeous rendition of the under-appreciated Bon Jovi ballad, nailing every emotional beat and absolutely crushing that final high note. The tears were flowing as she soaked in the audience’s overwhelming love — and that was before Ryan Seacrest surprised her with a congratulatory message from Billie Eilish!
TVLINE’S GRADE: “A+”
ROUND 2: We can’t lie, Abi’s hometown segment was giving big winner energy, and we weren’t mad about it. She just came across as a very cool, chill California girl who occasionally has town-wide parades thrown specifically in her honor. And “Somewhere” from freaking West Side Story?! If she hadn’t already established herself as a star, this would go down as her star-making moment. That was an absolutely stunning performance.
TVLINE’S GRADE: “A+”
FIRST ELIMINATION: Jack Blocker
Before revealing the first results of the night, Idol treated us to some epic team-ups. Julia Gagnon and Jason Mraz? Jayna Elise and Seal?! Come on now. We also appreciated seeing Season 3 winner Fantasia Barrino back on the Idol stage, bestowing powerful words of encouragement to the finalists.
Then came the first elimination: Jack Blocker — a bit of a surprise if you ask us. We had this guy pegged to go all the way, so we definitely weren’t anticipating a third-place finish.
Will Moseley (Final Round)
Returning to the stage for the final round, Will was the first to present his debut single “Good Book Bad,” delivering his most vulnerable performance to date. Soft and thoughtful, then suddenly powerful and commanding, it’s a great vessel for Will’s many talents, keeping it pure country throughout.
TVLINE’S GRADE: “A”
Abi Carter (Final Round)
Abi followed that up with a stunning performance of her debut single “This Isn’t Over,” an empowering ballad that had everyone in the audience on their feet. It was essentially the opposite of “What Was I Made For,” the song that first made America fall for her in the audition round.
TVLINE’S GRADE: “A+”
SECOND PLACE: Will Moseley
“It was a very tight race, I have to tell you that,” Ryan began, before revealing Will Moseley to be this season’s runner-up.
WINNER: Abi Carter
And that makes Abi Carter your next American Idol!
The show’s latest champion then closed out the night with a bombastic performance of Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For,” bringing the whole season full-circle.
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