If you’ve watched every episode of American Idol auditions for 2025, by the time you see this, you will have seen the eventual winner of the season. And it could very well be this very last contestant: 17-year-old Canaan James Hill from Dallas, TX, who walked away with the third and final Platinum Ticket.
Despite only being 17, Canaan is a high-school graduate, having finished early so that he could pursue his calling of becoming a preacher.
“What motivated you to graduate high school early?” Luke Bryan asked.
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“So that I can go forward with my gift and do what God has called and chosen me to do,” Canaan responded.
In line with that, Canaan took Luke, Carrie Underwood and Lionel Richie to church with his performance of “I Need Your Glory” by Earnest Pugh. So moving and impressive was Canaan’s performance that Lionel couldn’t sit still. We have never seen him respond like that to a performance in all the seasons of American Idol that he’s judged.
“That was so powerful,” Lionel said. "You are so blessed. That was something so spectacular, I can’t even describe what I heard.”
While Lionel tried to compose himself, Carrie weighed in, saying, “The words velvet, butter, it was smooth but powerful. I was, ‘Where have you been the last 17 years?’ You have a gift. Thank you for bringing your gift to us. I am kind of speechless.”
To which Lionel said, “Hallelujah!”
Related: Watch the American Idol Country Artist Who Luke Bryan Sends to the Grand Ole Opry to Sing With a Former Champ
Luke, too, was awed, saying, “I’ve never seen anything like it. When you sing in church, what do people do? Do they just run to the baptism pit and jump in it and get saved immediately? Carrie said buttery, velvety, all the favorite food groups, butter pecan ice cream, barbecue. It’s a yes!”
It was a yes for Carrie, too, and Luke asked, “Lionel, what are you ready to do?”
Lionel said yes and ran and hugged Canaan.
Luke asked again, “Lionel, what are you ready to do?” And he pointed to the Platinum Ticket on the wall.
But Lionel couldn’t pull the ticket off the wall, so Luke had to go over and rip it off for him.
Handing it to Canaan, Lionel said, “This Platinum ticket means you can bypass the first round of Hollywood, and you get to sit back and watch all the people you are going to slay. I present this to you from the heavens above.”
American Idol airs both Sunday and Monday night this week at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC. Streams next day on Hulu.
Next, Watch the Emotional American Idol Country Audition That Brings Carrie Underwood to Tears
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