Last night, over 20 million votes came in, whittling the top seven contestants on American Idol Season 23 down to the Top 5.
Filmed live at Disneyland, songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda guest-starred, guiding the contestants with their classic Disney-themed performances. Following their arrangements, plus a special Mother’s Day song, the stage lights dimmed, signaling the end of the road for two singers who stood atop.
Here are the Top 5 contestants who are moving forward, ranked in the order we feel they might land.
Who made the Top 5 on American Idol? (Season 23, 2025)
- Breanna Nix
- Jamal Roberts
- John Foster
- Slater Nalley
- Thunderstorm Artis
Last night, Gabby Samone and Mattie Pruitt got axed. Unfortunately, Mattie was in the bottom two last week. The judges saved her, making her elimination this week not very surprising. Gabby, however, was a bit more of a shock, as her progress each week has been steady.
Nevertheless, two singers had to go. To Gabby and Mattie, the sky outside this series remains the limit. Their judges, Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Carrie Underwood, agree.
Luke praised Mattie for the growth she displayed. Lionel agreed, stressing that Mattie had become a star before their eyes. As for Gabby, Luke found her performance to be her best one yet. Likewise, Carrie was in awe of Gabby and her talents throughout this competition-based series, proving we have likely not seen the last of these two talented rising stars.
5. Thunderstorm Artis
Thunderstorm Artis is our wildcard this season on American Idol. Yes, Thunderstorm is talented and smooth. Yet, he almost feels too velvety, like some of his performances are (possibly) overly rehearsed. This aspect makes it hard, at times, to connect with Thunderstorm through this medium.
That said, Thunderstorm has a unique voice. Singing Colors of the Wind from Pocahontas and Out of the Blue, a song Thunderstorm wrote himself in honor of Mother’s Day, the judges agreed that this artist has a bright career ahead. Carrie labeled Thunderstorm a true artist, while Luke sat in awe, thrilled to be a lurker at the Thunderstorm show.
Thunderstorm has the chops to make it to the top three this season on American Idol. However, he needs to better connect (emotionally speaking) with his viewers. Otherwise, Thunderstorm might soon get the axe from Season 23.
4. Slater Nalley
Slater Nalley has barely taken any missteps this season on American Idol, minus one literal unfilmed step that saw him fall during a stage exit several weeks ago. His self-deprecating humor and vibes are tracking with the fans. Likewise, his refined vocal chops are impressive AF, especially when we recall that Slater is still a young lad in high school.
However, Slater had his first UGH night after he flubbed the opening of his Disney selection, Can You Feel the Love Tonight, a song from The Lion King. Unfortunately, Slater forgot the lyrics. He also missed his cue to start this song on time, which the judges clocked. That said, Slater eventually recovered and ended this selection strong, which Luke praised him for at the end of his performance.
Mistakes aside, Slater has the skills to win this competition. Therefore, if his next performance is flawless, he might make it to the American Idol 2025 Top 3.
3. Breanna Nix
Breanna Nix is another wildcard for us this season on American Idol. This young mother could use a win because children are expensive to raise. Thankfully, Breanna has the chops to accomplish this task.
Her voice is flawless and pure, never overtly showy. Likewise, when Breanna sings, her song selections and emotions combine to pull her audience in, often stirring heightened feelings from her massive fan base, both online and in her studio audiences.
However, Breanna does not have the same presence as the other two top contestants on our list. Additionally, her confidence has sometimes waivered on stage, showing she might not be ready for the big leagues. These two faulty aspects are why we are ranking Breanna in the middle of this list. Whether we are right or wrong, Breanna will use this experience to further her career, we are sure.
2. John Foster
John Foster has skills and stage presence for days on American Idol Season 23, earning him a spot in the Top 5.
Every time John performs, we feel moved by his voice, emotions, and overall tone. John is a must-watch contestant, and if we are being honest, we would tie John with our number one spot on this list, as John could steal this season and walk away with a win.
The voting public loves John. His judges feel the same. After he honored Mother’s Day with the song Believe by Brooks & Dunn, the judges rose, offering John their second standing ovation of the night. However, one other singer consistently brings the heat and the unexpected riffs and runs to his performances, threatening to edge this country recording artist in the making out of any potential wins on American Idol Season 23.
1. Jamal Roberts
Jamal Roberts has never shown any cracks in his vocal armor on American Idol Season 23. This world needs music that can heal, and Jamal has the chops to do just so. His vocal skills transcend the stage, commanding our presence and drawing us in, forever hooking us on all things Jamal.
Like us, the judges love Jamal. After he sang Go the Distance from Hercules, Luke praised Jamal for his timing and delivery. Meanwhile, Lionel could only utter three words to the public: “vote, vote, vote.” Following his rendition of A Change Is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke, all mothers everywhere likely picked up their phones, eager to join the masses in voting for Jamal.
Whether Jamal wins or not, mark our words. Jamal will become a household name following American Idol Season 23.
American Idol is streaming on Hulu.
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