The curtain is about to fall on season 22 of American Idol, but not before the show crowns a winner. Will it be Abi Carter, Will Moseley or Jack Blocker?
These three finalists will perform on the star-studded finale on Sunday, March 19. The grand finale will feature Jon Bon Jovi as the guest mentor and performer and will also feature performances by Jason Mraz, James Bay, CeCe Winans, Nick Fradiani, Wynonna Judd, Seal, Cody Johnson, Bishop Briggs, New Kids on the Block and Hootie & The Blowfish.
The season 22 closer will also bid a fond farewell to Katy Perry. After seven seasons judging on Idol, Perry said in February that itâs time to âgo out and feel that pulse to my own beat.â Perry has served alongside fellow judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie since ABC revived the series in 2018. While Perryâs replacement hasnât been announced, Richie hopes that an equally powerful singer like Taylor Swift or Kelly Clarkson will replace her. Perry has also endorsed Jelly Roll to take over her spot.
Before that all can be done, Perry will join Bryan and Richie and all the American Idol voters to crown a winner.
Ahead of the finale, scroll down for a quick recap of the finalistsâ journeys:
Abi Carter
Carter hails from Californiaâs Coachella Valley. Her websiteâs bio states that she is the second of seven kids and grew up in a musical household. Carter got her start singing in church, talent shows and local competitions. Her bio also refers to her as ânear virtuosicâ when it comes to playing the piano. She was preparing to attend college to study psychology when she first auditioned for American Idol.
Carterâs performance of Billie Eilishâs âWhat Was I Made For?â during the general auditions earned her a Platinum Ticket, securing her a place in the competition. Sheâs also the only one of the finalists to win such an award.
Carterâs performance of Cherâs âIf I Could Turn Back Timeâ in the Showstopper round subsequently earned her a space in the Top 24 of contestants. The following week, she performed the worship song âOceans (Where Feet My Fail)â in the first round of public voting. Viewers threw their support behind Carter, and she earned a place in the Top 20. Carter showed versatility in this round, performing My Chemical Romanceâs âWelcome to the Black Paradeâ and Yebbaâs âMy Mind.â
For the âRock and Roll Hall of Fameâ week, Carter channeled Elton John for a performance of âGoodbye Yellow Brick Road.â In the âBillboard #1 Hitsâ round, Carter gave love to Swift by performing the original-length version of âAll Too Well.â The performance helped her make it to the Top 10, in which she performed Coldplayâs 2003 hit âClocks.â (It was âBirth Yearâ week, in which contestants had to pick a song from the year they were born.)
After Carter made it to the Top 8, she had to perform Evanescenceâs âBring Me to Lifeâ (She also covered Perryâs âWide Awakeâ alongside her fellow contestants McKenna Faith Breinholt, Julia Gagnon and Kaibrienne).
The performance kept her chances of Idol glory alive, as she made it to the next round (where she performed Adeleâs âHelloâ and Fall Out Boyâs âLight Em Upâ). In the Top 5, Carter performed two songs featured in Disney movies: âPart of Your Worldâ from The Little Mermaid and Fleetwood Macâs âThe Chain,â which was part of the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 soundtrack.
She cites Swift, Gracie Abrams, Sara Bareilles and Lizzy McAlpine as influences. Amidst her American Idol success, Carter released her debut single, âItâs All Love.â
Will Moseley
Hailing from Hazlehurst, Georgia, Moseley is a former football player who spent his college years playing for East Tennesseeâs Maryville College. He finished up his education in 2023, graduating from Georgia Southern University. After one too many concussions, Moseley decided to put down the pigskin and pick up the guitar, according to Knox News.
Moseley performed an original song, âGone for Good,â during the general auditions. It secured him a spot in the Showstopper round, where he performed a version of Bill Withersâ âAinât No Sunshine.â As part of the Top 24, Mosley continued his trek through the classics by performing a version of Otis Reddingâs â(Sittinâ On) the Dock of the Bay.â
Moseley leaned into his country roots while competing in the Top 20, performing Drake Whiteâs âMakinâ Me Look Good Again,â and a reprise of his âGone for Good.â
Moseleyâs run on Idol has featured plenty of southern hospitality. For âRock and Roll Hall of Fameâ week, Moseley performed Bob Segerâs âNight Moves.â He did Chris Stapletonâs âStarting Overâ for the âBillboard #1 Hitsâ week and a version of Travis Trittâs âModern Day Bonnie and Clydeâ for the Top 10 round.
When in the Top 8, Moseley turned into a modern-day âMan in Black,â covering Johnny Cashâs âFolsom Prison Blues.â He also had the pleasure of performing a version of Bryanâs âWhat Makes You Countryâ alongside Triston Harper.
When it came to Dance Songs / Adele Songs week, Moseley got into it with âRolling in the Deepâ and a version of Lynyrd Skynyrdâs âGimme Three Steps.â He revisited Stapleton for the Top 5, performing his âBallad of the Lonesome Cowboyâ (from Toy Story 4) and Steppenwolfâs âBorn to Be Wildâ (from D3: The Mighty Ducks) for the Disney week.
Moseley announced his new song, âGood Book Bad,â on Monday, May 13. âSo, through this whole journey, I came across a once-in-a-lifetime song and was lucky enough to get to have a hand in sharing it with the world. âGood Book Badâ is released on Friday 5/17,â he wrote via Instagram.
Jack Blocker
The stars of Texas are shining for Blocker. Blocker represents North Texas, hailing from Richardson and graduating from Trinity Christian Academy in Addison. Blocker was a shy kid but soon discovered a love of sports, writing, art and music, according to ABC 8 WFAA. As a teen, he decided to push through his shyness and enter the spotlight. In 2022, he and his wife relocated from Dallas to Nashville, Tennessee, so he could pursue music full-time.
Blocker almost missed out on the Idol competition. Two of the judges initially voted against him moving forward, but the production crew chimed in, calling for a re-vote. Blocker got his second shot and a golden ticket to Hollywood.
During the competition, Blocker (who also works as a graphic designer) showed a range of musical influences along with his vintage style. His Showstopper round choice was Nathaniel Rateliffâs Americana track âYou Shouldâve Seen the Other Guy.â In the Top 24, he performed Kacey Musgravesâ âRainbow.â
Blocker celebrated Jim Croce while in the Top 20, performing âYou Donât Mess Around With Jimâ before performing a version of Post Maloneâs âFeeling Whitney.â For the âRock and Roll Hall of Fameâ week, he did a rendition of Bob Dylanâs âDonât Think Twice, Itâs All Right.â
When it came time for the âBillboard #1 Hitsâ week, Blocker covered The Weekndâs âBlinding Lights.â To celebrate his 1998 birth year for the Top 10 week, he covered Cherâs âBelieve.â That week, he and Emmy Russell celebrated judge Richie by covering âHello.â
For the week of dance tracks and Adele songs, Blocker did âLong Tall Sallyâ â made famous by Little Richard â and Adeleâs âOne and Only.â The following week, when the field was whittled down to the Top 5, Blocker showed a sly selection of songs from Disney movies.
He covered David Bowieâs âSpace Oddity,â used in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Blocker also performed a version of Brad Paisleyâs âNobodyâs Fool,â which was on the soundtrack to Cars 2.
Blocker also has a song arriving on Friday, May 17. Fans can presave âAll of Yours (To Give All of Mine).â