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American Idol – Season 3, Finale
By: Dustin Bradley
ABC’s “American Idol” has come to an end this season! After what has been a wild ride this season with the format change up due to this pandemic, we have finally found a winner for Season 3 (18th overall). With all the talent left in the Top 7 this season, it was really anyone’s prize to win and the winner honestly surprised me. At the top of the show it was announced that Louis Knight and Julia Gargano have been voted off and are leaving the competition. This means that our Top 5 are Arthur Gunn, Just Sam, Francisco Martin, Jonny West and Dillion James.
Round 1: Celebration Songs
Dillon James- “Change the World” by Eric Clapton; Dillon is a bonafide talent! He continues to get better and better with each performance he gives us. The judges all adore him. Let’s see how far he goes. Even if he doesn’t win, he will be making excellent music for years to come.
Francisco Martin- “Adore You” by Harry Styles; Francisco has grown so much! No longer the shy and perpetually nervous kid we first met, instead he now has the confidence of a great performer. This performance was perfectly suited for his voice. The judges love it! This is gonna be a hard decision for America.
Just Sam-“Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” by Kelly Clarkson; Just Sam is performing a song by one of Idol’s best alum and she slays! This song was suited not only for her voice but for her whole vibe. Like Francisco, the judges are amazed by how much she has grown vocally and confidence wise.
Arthur Gunn- “I Don’t Want to Be” by Gavin DeGraw; Well, this is a song I never thought we’d hear Arthur sing but boy am I glad he chose it! This was an excellent showcase for his voice and it’s ability to mix genres. He’s been a fan favorite to win since his audition and you can tell why every time he performs because he’s magnetic. The judges love this performance!
Jonny West- “You Can’t Keep a Good Man Down” by James & Bobby Purify; Jonny can’t ever go wrong with just him and a piano! That’s truly when he shines and this performance was one of his best. The judges have fallen in love with the future Mr. Margie Mays and it’s easy to see why! Again, I don’t know how American even made a choice here.
Round 2: Potential Singles
Dillon James- “The Times They Are A-Changin'” by Bob Dylan; One of my favorite songs to her and see Dillon perform! The way he performs this iconic Bob Dylan song and finds a way to completely make it his own is astonishing. His voice really shines through. I can’t wait to hear some new original music from him eventually!
Francisco Martin- “Alaska” by Maggie Rogers; Well, well Francisco from San Francisco! Francisco is performing one of his audition songs and giving us a fuller performance and it’s better than I remember. His voice is perfect and his performance is so excellent it attracts neighbors on their balconies cheering him on! I wish he performed the original song he sang at his audition again but this song was definitely a winner. Hopefully he doesn’t stop trying to make music anytime soon and can release some originals as soon as possible!
Just Sam- “Rise Up” by Andra Day; Compare this performance to her audition and it’s night and day. Just Sam has gone from tearing up and being so scared and anxious to being a full diva in the best sense of the word. What a wonderful performance! I can’t wait to one day get original music.
Arthur Gunn- “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” by Creedence Clearwater Revival; Well, third times the charm for Arthur and this now iconic cover song for him. The fact that he can sing this song for a third time and yet make it feel like it’s his first time ever singing it…It is just a perfect song for him! Hopefully, this version gets released soon!
Jonny West- “Makin’ Love” by Jonny West; The only contestant to sing an original tune and boy is it good! This song was just as impressive this time around as it was when he first performed it. He’s a star in the making! This song needs to be heard by the mainstream.
Luke Bryan performance
I’m big a huge country fan, but this was a fun time and made great use of the green screen technology. Luke remains adorable! Watch him sing “One Margarita” below!
Doug Kiker and Rascal Flatts
The producers have Luke ask back the garbage man to get to sing his audition song, which amassed more than thirty million views with the original artist. What a great full circle moment! Watch them perform “Bless the Broken Road” down below!
Katy Perry performance
Oh my goodness! Speaking of making use of technology! Katy was able to step into a complete VR room with new and impressive technology and perform her new single “Daises.” Enjoy her performance down below
Just Sam and Top 11 Females with Lauren Daigle
Another full circle moment for Just Sam! This time she gets to perform one of her audition songs that she couldn’t make it through with the artist who originated the song. They are joined by the Top 11 females. Watch the performance down below!
Aretha Franklin Tribute
Sadly, this performance isn’t on the official “American Idol” YouTube channel or Cynthia Erivo’s channel. But Cynthia was joined by the many of the Top 11 contestants to pay tribute to the Queen of Soul! This was such a great tribute and a wonderful performance all around. You can watch it if you stream the episode online or on-demand.
The Reveal!
The moment we all have been waiting for all season! Just Sam was announced the winner with Arthur Gunn being the runner-up. Just Sam deserved the win and I’m so happy for her! The great thing about this year’s Top 5 is that unlike any previous year, all the contestants in it were completely worthy of the title of winner and I fully believe that they will all walk away with a record deal and continue to make marks on the industry. Congrats Just Sam!
Lionel Richie performance
Lionel was joined by not only the Top 11, but by “Idol” alums such as Alejandro Aranda aka Scarypoolparty, Fantasia Taylor, Gabby Barrett, Jordin Sparks, Katharine McPhee, Kellie Pickler, Laine Hardy, Lauren Alaina, Phillip Phillips, Ruben Studdard and Scotty McCreery! This marks the first time since he originally wrote this song that he’s performing it on television. It was a great way to end the season and a beautiful message in this scary time. Watch the performance down below!
Well, guys. That’s it for this season of American Idol! Join us back here next year or whenever Idol airs again for more Idol fun! Thank you all for reading and watching along with me!
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