Powerhouse singer Nutsa Buzaladze has been busy performing around the world since making it to the Top 12 on season 21 of “American Idol.” But now the singer has issued an apology to fans who have vowed to stop supporting her following her decision to appear at an event in Russia.

Buzaladze has lived in Dubai for several years and has plans to move to Hollywood, but her journey on “Idol” has turned the 25-year-old into a superstar in her native country of Georgia, where she was already known for winning “X Factor Georgia” in 2015. She recently performed before thousands at a summer music festival, according to Yahoo, and will headline her own concert in the city of Batumi on June 30, 2023.

However, Buzaladze is now awash in controversy after singing at an event in Russia, which has angered many of her fans in Georgia — a small country located on the edge of Europe that shares its northern border with Russia and sits across the Black Sea from Ukraine. The war in Ukraine, ongoing since February 2022, has left many Georgians nervous given their proximity to the violence and experience with being invaded by Russia in the recent past. According to NPR, Russian troops still occupy about 20% of Georgia since attacking the country in 2008.

Georgia president Salome Zourabichvili told NPR in February, “We are in a place in – geostrategically in a place which is under constant … pressure from Russia.”

That’s why many fans are up in arms after video surfaced of Buzaladze singing and celebrating in Russia on June 23, with people calling her a “traitor” and accusing her of betraying her native country. Here’s what you need to know:

Video Surfaces of Nutsa Buzaladze Singing at Event in Russia

On June 24, a video surfaced on Facebook of Buzaladze singing with a group of Georgian and Russian celebrities the night before at an event in Moscow. The video has shocked and angered many fans who’ve flooded social media with rants against the singer for appearing there, with some predicting her career is over and saying that she should not be allowed to re-enter Georgia.

Hundreds of people commented on one of the Facebook posts of the video, expressing their “disgust” and frequently calling Buzaladze and the other singers “traitors.”

“Shame on you all,” one wrote, while another commented, “These Russian rats should be deprived of Georgian citizenship and deported to Russia”

On Twitter, someone wrote, “I can’t believe all those months of stanning Nutsa came to this…”

Another tweeted, “After @AmericanIdol Nutsa Buzaladze @Nutsabuza held a concert in Moscow. Traitors never change.”

The same day the video began circulating, Buzaladze issued an apology to fans on social media in Georgian, which is written Mkhedruli script.

“To all my friends and fans,” the English translation of her message reads, “Today, I’ve broken your heart so much and I feel obligated to explain everything to you because it hurts me.”

“Russia is not a market where I would like to continue my career in the present or in the future,” she continued. “Despite the multiple offers, every project or corporate offer has been turned down. This decision of mine is absolutely firm and thoughtful.”

Buzaladze told fans she has not considered releasing her music in Russia and has been invited to participate a charity concert in Ukraine, adding that she has repeatedly said “Russia is an occupant.”

“However, I have many Georgian friends in Russia,” she explained. “Yesterday was my very close friend’s birthday (he’s like family to me). My friends living in Russia know that I don’t even consider commercial proposals (for performing there). I was invited as a guest at a birthday party. At the end of the night I was asked to sing, which of course I couldn’t turn down to my best friend on her birthday.”

Buzaladze concluded, “I think that the main mistake was to go to Russia … Never thought all of this would result in this. I realize my responsibility and it hurts that I cut off the people who always have my back the most and I want to say sorry to all of you.”

Buzaladze restricted Instagram comments on her apology post, so only five comments were shown, all from people who left heart emojis. But on Facebook, she received nearly 5,000 comments, many from people who were not satisfied with her apology.

“You have to explain to a friend why you can’t sing and visit in an occupant country,” one wrote. “It’s as simple as that! It was better to explain to a friend than to upset the army of fans … Nothing will justify going to Moscow today, yesterday and tomorrow. This is so very sad.”

But some fans are sticking up for the singer, urging others not to “cancel” her after one mistake.

“Nutsa is a world class singer,” someone wrote. “Great patriot of Georgia. She didn’t sing for Russians and even if she sang … her profession demands it.”

Nutsa Buzaladze Has Been Vocal About Her Support of Georgia in the Past

Buzaladze has been vocal over the last 18 months about her support for her native country and her feelings about Russia. At the time of the invasion of Ukraine, on February 25, she wrote an emotional Facebook post about it.

She wrote, “I can’t stop but crying!!!! My heart and soul is with Ukraine and with Ukrainian people! Please be strong ”

Buzaladze continued, “I keep remembering this feeling i had when I was a kid , when Russia had a war with my small countrythey occupied 20% of my country , killed innocent people and burned down our beautiful land , IT IS SOOOO SAD!! My heart is tearing apart everytime I hear news about UkrainePlease god save us and end this war please please please“

On May 26, days after performing on the season finale of “American Idol,” Buzaladze headed to Washington D.C. to perform the Georgian and United States’ national anthems at the Library of Congress in honor of Georgia Independence Day. She posted several photos and videos of the event, where she wore a custom gown reflecting the Georgian flag.

“May 26 is the most precious day for all Georgians,” she wrote in one post. “I wish you to live together in a united, strong and prosperous Georgia! Glory and Honor to those who fought and sacrificed for our country’s freedom! ♥️”

Iam Tongi, who won season 21 of “American Idol” on May 21, 2023, wore his heart on his sleeve throughout the show — including crying over memories of his dad, who died of kidney failure months before the Hawaii native auditioned in front of the celebrity judges. But for the most part, the 18-year-old became known as a laid-back, joyful Hawaii native who mesmerized viewers with his soothing voice and “island vibe.”

So his legions of fans might be surprised to learn that Tongi hasn’t always been as relaxed and worry-free as he seems. In an hour-long profile of the rising star called “I Am Iam” by Hawaii’s KITV4, Tongi and those close to him — including his mom, Lilley — opened up about his struggles with ADHD and anxiety, which has led to severe panic attacks.

They hope that by talking about those challenges, fans who can relate will feel less alone. But an unexpected byproduct of opening up about his struggles and being on “American Idol,” Tongi revealed, is that it’s helped him feel less alone, too. Here’s what you need to know:

Learning to Play Ukulele Helped Iam Tongi With ADHD

Heavy/ABCIam Tongi with his mom, Lilley

KITV4 reporter Mika Miyashima followed Tongi and his family over many weeks of his “Idol” journey, including visiting them at their home in Federal Way, Washington — where they had to move after being “priced out of paradise,” as Tongi told the judges when he auditioned — and witnessing him progress on the show in Los Angeles.

One of the revelations in the special was that Tongi struggled in school growing up due to having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Children with ADHD may have trouble paying attention, controlling impulsive behaviors (may act without thinking about what the result will be), or be overly active.

“Growing up, it was way worse and I used to get in trouble a lot,” Tongi said.

“I would get calls from the office or his teachers,” his mom Lillie recalled, “that he would be in school without a backpack, no pencil, nothing to write with. But he would always have his guitar.”

Tongi always loved to sing, Lillie told KITV4, but it wasn’t until his fifth grade teacher Alison Faleolo, taught him how to play the ukulele that he found something positive he could focus his attention on.

Faleolo said he “struggled with academics,” but when she started to teach her fifth grade class how to play the instrument, she pushed him to keep working on it given his love of music.

“I wasn’t good at all,” Tongi remembered. “Everyone was getting it faster than me and I was like, ‘I don’t want to do it.'”

“He left my classroom crying a lot every day,” Faleolo said, “because I would scold him for needing to try harder and things like that, but he just always came back to school the next day. I was so proud of him for doing that.”

Once Tongi grew to love it, Faleolo tapped into his newfound passion to become an incentive for doing better in school, too.

“Partway through the year, he began finding videos online and so, over the weekend, to encourage him with academics, I’d send a ukulele home with him until he got his own and he would come back playing a new song because he’d seen it online,” she said.

When Iam Tongi’s Dad Got Sick, He Began Experiencing Anxiety Attacks

Tongi’s music-loving dad, Rodney, was thrilled when his son began mastering the ukulele and also challenged him to memorize new songs, which they would then sing together with Rodney singing the harmonies.

“When my husband found out he knew how to play the ukulele, that was around November, he went right away and bought him an expensive guitar, a ukulele,” Lillie told KITV4. “He brought it home and hid it under his bed for his Christmas present.”

Lillie said her son was excited that he’d found something his dad was proud of him for and that they could enjoy together. Rodney eventually bought him a $99 guitar to see if he was serious about mastering that, too, which he was. At that point, he decided to spend his holiday paycheck on an much nicer guitar — the one Tongi played in the early days of his journey on “Idol.”

When Lillie got upset about her husband spending so much money on the instrument when they had other bills to pay, she said Rodney explained his reasoning.

“He said, ‘Why are you upset? I’m investing in Iam. This is Iam’s future,'” she recalled. “I would stress out and he’d be like, ‘You stress too much. You know, we have to invest in the kids. You want them to feel like they are worth something, so we have to spend that much money on it.'”

In 2017, Rodney suffered a stroke and had to stop working as an electrician. The family moved to Washington to live with his sister in 2019, but in 2020, he experienced kidney failure and had to start dialysis. Watching his dad’s health deteriorate had a huge impact on his son’s mental health, Miyashima reported. He developed anxiety and had his first anxiety attack at age 16.

“I was feeling like, my heart starts racing and I don’t know what to do,” Tongi said.

“He just sat there on the bed and he just seemed like he was hyperventilating,” Lillie said, recalling her son saying he couldn’t breathe. His dad skipped his dialysis appointment that day to stay home with his son, who told KITV4 about a conversation they had about his anxiety.

“So, you know, he’s a tough love kind of guy,” Tongi said. “And that day, he took me out and he just, like, said, ‘Son, it’s okay. It’s okay to feel that way.'”

“He was shocked,” Lillie said about her son’s reaction to how much his dad understood. “He didn’t expect to hear from his dad that, you know, ‘It’s okay, like, we’ve all kind of felt some kind of anxiety at some point.'”

She said that after Rodney’s death in December 2021, she’s continued to have heart-to-heart conversations with her son about his anxiety.

“He likes to talk about things with me and he talked about the fear of being alone, about the fear of me not coming home,” Lillie recalled, getting choked up. “I am glad that he trusts me and he’s able to talk about it. And I encouraged him to share it with others, too.”

When the guitar his dad gave him broke before Tongi and fellow contestant Oliver Steele performed their duet during Hollywood Week, the teen broke down onstage, filled with anxiety about being able to play without it. But in hindsight, Tongi told American Songwriter, it feels like a meant-to-be moment.

“I feel like it was a way of my dad telling me I could do it on my own,” he said. “In other rounds, I’ve done it without my guitar because I was trying to break off from that and let my dad know I can do it on my own.”

In a video message posted on TikTok, Tongi encouraged others dealing with anxiety to remember they aren’t alone and to try to focus their energy on doing things they love.

“If you find something that you love, you gotta invest your time in it and it’s gonna take your mind off things,” he said.

Tongi told KITV4 that his journey on “American Idol,” from the connections he made with fellow contestants to the love he’s received from fans worldwide has eased his fears about winding up alone.

“I don’t have to worry anymore,” he said. “I don’t have to think about it. I don’t have to think about losing friends because they’re always gonna be there. Like, I overthought it. I was overthinking it (but) they’re always gonna be there.”

In a full-circle moment, Tongi got caught up enough on his schoolwork to graduate from high school on June 12 and performed for his fellow classmates at the ceremony. Over the summer, has concerts scheduled across the U.S. and New Zealand, and plans to release new music including a single called “Why Kiki?”

Original “American Idol” winner Kelly Clarkson says people don’t give fellow music superstar Mariah Carey enough credit, stating in a new interview that most fans don’t even know the former “Idol” judge is also a prolific songwriter.

In fact, Clarkson revealed, Carey wrote one of her favorite songs about the breakup of a marriage — something the talk show host has experienced recently with her divorce from Brandon Blackstock. Here’s what you need to know:

Kelly Clarkson Wants People to Know Mariah Carey Wrote an ‘Insane Amount of Hits’

While promoting her brand new album, “chemistry,” Clarkson sat down for an interview with Zane Lowe at Apple Music on June 21, 2023. Discussing the process of writing and recording the album, which is full of songs about her marriage and subsequent divorce, the Grammy winner brought up a song she loves by Carey, called “Side Effects.”

Clarkson told Lowe, “Mariah Carey has a song actually that I love, that I come back to, called ‘Side Effects.’ I don’t know if you know it, but that’s a really solid song.”

The up-tempo tune, which appeared on Carey’s 2008 “E=MC²” album, includes the follow lines:

I kept my tears inside ’cause I knew if I
Started I’d keep cryin’ for the rest of my
Life with you I finally built up the strength
To walk away don’t regret it
But I still live with the side effects

Clarkson continued, “People don’t give her enough credit. People give her credit as, like, a singer. I don’t think people give her credit as a writer. People don’t realize she wrote all that sh**.”

Lowe agreed, saying that of Carey’s biggest holiday hits, “All I Want For Christmas,” was written on a little Casio keyboard in seven minutes.

“Totally, I believe it,” Clarkson said, laughing that Carey was like “Ross on ‘Friends'” using a Casio keyboard to plunk out hits.

Lowe said that regardless of how she created it, “She’s second only in passive income to Michael Jordan.” In December, Forbes reported that Carey makes $2.5 to $3 million annually on royalties from that song alone, which was first released in 1994.

“That’s insane,” Clarkson said. “I mean, you know, financially she’s rocking it because of what she’s done. I just mean I think people think of her as a songbird and don’t think of her as, like, a writer. Because we talk about Carole King, we talk about James Taylor … those are all amazing people, yes.”

“But I’m just saying there are a number of hits (she’s written), there’s like an insane amount of hits,” Clarkson continued. “And not even hits. She’s got all these album tracks. I love great writing.”

Kelly Clarkson Professed Her Love for Mariah Carey Years Ago on ‘American Idol’

A longtime fan of Carey, Clarkson has periodically sung her songs on her talk show and during various performances over the years. In 2013, she nervously returned to “American Idol” when Carey was a judge alongside Randy Jackson, Keith Urban and Nicki Minaj to sing the pop star’s tune “People Like Us.”

After her performance, seen in the video above, Clarkson said to host Ryan Seacrest, “It’s so nerve-wracking in front of Mariah Carey.”

“I know, I know, you were nervous about that,” he replied, and as Carey made her way to the stage, Clarkson exclaimed, “Oh my god, I love her.”

Pointing to the remaining season 12 contestants, Clarkson added, “If I had been one of them, having to audition in front of her, I would have vomited on the stage.”

Clarkson then reminded Jackson that he was with her the first time she met Carey, during the first season of “Idol.” She recalled being starstruck when she realized the producer and judge worked with Carey.

“And I like, lost my crap,” Clarkson reminded him.

Jackson replied, “That’s right! That’s right! She’s telling the truth! I introduced you at a radio show.”

Clarkson then told Carey she was so relieved that she wasn’t “mean.”

According to Spotify, Carey has written 247 songs on the music charts, including Bryon Tillson’s smash R&B hit “Don’t.” She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2022.

Singer Megan Danielle battled self-doubt throughout her journey on season 21 of  “American Idol,” but advanced all the way to the finale, coming in second place behind winner Iam Tongi. Though the 20-year-old runner-up told the celebrity judges she’d learned to believe in herself through the show, she’s shared on social media that she’s struggled over the last month trying to navigate life after “Idol.”

But Danielle says heading back to sing at her hometown church on June 18, 2023, provided a deeply meaningful moment that got her choked up while she performed for the congregation.

“I heard God telling me everything was going to be okay,” she wrote on Instagram the following day, sharing a video of the words she sang that shifted everything for her.

Megan Danielle Says Words of Worship Song Touched Her Deeply

Danielle has experienced lots of high points over the last month, including appearing on “Good Morning America” and “Live With Kelly and Mark” in New York City, reuniting with some of her castmates for the “19 Takeover” concert in Nashville and watching her first single, “Dream Girl,” climb the charts. She’s also shared on social media that there have been some low points, but that she keeps leaning into her faith whenever she’s feeling down.

“I’ve been struggling a bit,” she wrote over a TikTok video on June 9, which she also uploaded to Instagram, showing her getting ready for bed as “Dream Girl” played in the background.

“And it’s okay if you are too,” she continued. “God is working on something greater that we could ever imagine. Just be patient! This was a sign you were meant to see… You’re so close to your dreams.”

Over the weekend, Danielle says she received that same message while performing at Freedom Church in her hometown of Acworth, Georgia. She shared a brief video of her performing via Instagram, singing two lines of the song “Firm Foundation (He Won’t)” by Cody Carnes and Maverick City Music.

“I was leading this song yesterday at my church and boy did I almost lose it,” Danielle wrote. “I heard God telling me everything was going to be okay in just these couple of lines… 🤍 I’m going to make it through and so are you!”

The lines that Danielle can be heard singing in the video are: “Rain came, wind blew / But my house was built on You / I’m safe with You / I’m gonna make it through”

“Idol” finalist MaryBeth Byrd, who became one of Danielle’s best friends on the show, commented, “I’m so in awe of you. Keep on 🤍”

Fellow contestant Paige Anne wrote, “megan you’re so amazing ily”

Megan Danielle Wants to Sing Christian & Country Music

ABC2023 “American Idol” runner-up Megan Danielle

On “American Idol,” Danielle was vocal about her deep faith from the moment she first stood in front of “Idol” judges Luke Bryan, Katie Perry and Lionel Richie. She chose to sing a song by Christian pop star and “Idol” alum Lauren Daigle for them, unaware that the star — one of her own idols — was right outside the door, about to walk in to accompany her on the tune. The audition has been viewed on YouTube by over 1.3 million people and Daigle returned for the season finale to sing a duet with Danielle.

“Lauren is amazing,” Danielle told TV Insider after the finale. “I always looked up to her. Getting the chance to sing with her was awesome because she is the type of artist I want to be.”

Danielle is slated to perform next at the Alive Festival in mid-July, a three-day music festival in Atwood, Ohio, where Daigle is one of the headliners. On June 21, she shared a behind-the-scenes music video of the making of “Dream Girl.”

Right now, Danielle told TV Insider, she’s trying to figure out her next steps to the kind of artist she wants to be.

“I see myself as a country and Christian artist, but I don’t want to label myself as one thing,” she said. “I love both. I want to find a way to make it all work.”

It’s not always the “American Idol” winner that finds the most success. For Gabby Barrett, she’s finding that out now as she prepares to release her second album by dropping her latest single, “Glory Days.”

Barrett appeared on The Bobby Bones Show where she talked about the meaning behind the song and why she chose to run with that one as the lead single. The former “American Idol” finalist competed on season 16 where she made it to finale before finishing third place. Maddie Poppe was the season 16 winner with Caleb Lee Hutchinson as the runner-up.

Gabby Barrett Says ‘Glory Days’ Is About Enjoying the Moment

The Pittsburgh native unveiled her single on June 9, 2023 to positive reception as fans await her sophomore album. Her first and only album called “Goldmine” came out on June 19, 2020. “Glory Days” is the fifth single she has released with her first two in “I Hope” and “The Good Ones” each reaching No. 1 on the country charts, according to CMT.

She said in her appearance on The Bobby Bones Show that “Glory Days” is meant to be a reminder about living in the moment.

“I wrote Glory Days with a couple of friends and when we wrote it, we just thought about the amount of life I’ve lived in a short amount of time… it’s been quite a bit, not your average,” she said. “We wrote this song just about how being in the glory days and in its presence right now, is something you will look back on and just enjoy the moment of those glory days right now.”

For Barrett, the accelerated life that she mentions has to do with all that has happened to her since her appearance on “Idol.”

Gabby Barrett has Established Her Family While Starting Her Career

Over the last five years, a lot has changed for Barrett, who was a 2021 CMT nominee for Artist of the Year. She discussed that on The Bobby Bones Show, beginning with her music career starting up after her “American Idol” appearance. While there, she found her eventual husband in fellow finalist, Cade Foehner. The two married in October 2019.

Since then, the couple has welcomed two children. Their daughter, Baylah, was born in January 2021 while their son, Augustine “Boone,” was welcomed in October 2022. Bones asked her about what went into those names, to which she said the reason they refer to their son by his middle name is that it’s the same thing with his father who goes by his middle name. She told Bones that Foehner’s first name is Riley.

Bones asked about the “B theme” they have with their children’s names.

“I liked the name Bailey but then I was like,‘Nah, I’ve heard that quite a bit’ so I tried to come up with a spin-off of it and came up with Baylah,” she said in the interview.

Barrett has yet to announce a date for her second album. She shared with Entertainment Tonight in May that she is finishing it up and expects it to come out this year.

Pop star Katy Perry‘s fans want her to focus more on her music and less on fashion. The “American Idol” judge has been flooded with harsh criticism on social media for over-promoting her line of shoes and reigniting a years-long trademark battle with Australian clothing designer Katie Jane Taylor.

“We miss singer Katy Perry…” one fan wrote on an Instagram post promoting the singer’s shoe line on June 13, 2023, echoing a sentiment shared by many in recent weeks about their concerns that the star is more concerned with building her fashion empire than releasing new music.

“I agree with the general consensus here @katyperry you should be the bigger person and leave the Aussie Mum alone,” another fan wrote. “You are probably worth millions, she on the other hand started a business in the hopes of making some money to raise her family.”

So far, Perry has not publicly commented on the complaints about her shoe collection or why she’s reigniting the ongoing lawsuit, but has said she’s working on new music ideas. Here’s what you need to know:

Australian Fans Upset Over Perry’s Lawsuit Appeal

On April 28, Perry lost an ongoing legal battle with Australian designer Katie Taylor, who has run a clothing line branded with her birthname — Katie Perry — since 2007, according to 9News. She sued the singer for selling Katy Perry clothing in Australia, which Taylor said was too close to her own brand’s name.

According to the BBC, a Federal Court judge decided that clothing sold for the singer, whose birth name is Katheryn Hudson, did infringe upon the designer’s trademark with her Katy Perry clothing sold during a 2014 Australian tour and that her company would have to pay still-to-be-determined damages to Taylor, who hailed the decision as a “David vs Goliath” victory.

Taylor first began designing clothes in November 2007 when they were launched at a school charity event, Yahoo reported, and she registered her business and domain name as “Katie Perry.” The pop star didn’t release her first album under the name Katy Perry until 2008, with the hit EP “One of the Boys,” per Discogs. 

The two women have battled for more than a decade over the use of their similar brand names. The singer initially tried to block Taylor from registering and trademarking the name, according to Reuters. Then in 2009, Taylor issued a message to Perry on YouTube, accusing her of stealing her name and brand, and she eventually sued the star in 2019.

On June 13, Perry appealed the Australian judge’s decision and a new court date will be set, according to Yahoo. On her website, Taylor wrote that she will continue to fight for her clothing brand and its name.

“My label is my future, my dream, my livelihood and now there is a chance my trademark could be taken away,” she wrote after the appeal was filed. “It feels like a personal attack.  I have already had trolling on my accounts.”

Perry has also been inundated with comments from disgruntled fans and Taylor’s supporters, especially when the singer promoted her Katy Perry shoe collection on Instagram the day the appeal was announced.

“You’re sick in the head,” one person commented. “Any Aussie’s on here need to Google what sort of person Katy perry really is and unfollow this page and all her pages.”

Another wrote, “It’s absolutely disgusting what you have done to Australian fashion designer Katie Taylor. Shame on you. Australia no longer welcomes you.”

Many Fans Want Katy Perry to Stop Promoting Her Shoe Line

Meanwhile, many of Perry’s fans have expressed frustration over her frequent posts promoting her shoe collection, which first launched in 2017. When the line’s co-owner, Global Brands Group, filed for bankruptcy in 2021, Perry decided to buy the full rights to her collection, according to Footwear News. 

She told the outlet, “I just decided to take complete ownership and level up, find great partners, develop my team and put to practice all of the education I have learned — and just be that CEO boss bitch that I want to be.”

The shoe line was rebranded and relaunched in 2022, and Perry began featuring a new video or photo shoot for new designs in the collection most Tuesdays on social media. On June 20, she gave her 201 million Instagram followers a new series of photos of Pride Month-themed shoes, for which 25 percent of net proceeds will benefit the Hetrick-Martin Institute for LGBTQ+ youth.

Though Perry’s clearly excited about each shoe design she debuts, many of her fans are growing weary of the frequent promotions. They think she should be recording and releasing new music instead, given that her last album was released in 2020.

One wrote on the latest post, “Unfollowing… STOP SUPPORTING THIS AGENDA!”

Another commented, “Girl stop the shoes and focus in Music!!!!!!!”

On June 21, in a People magazine interview to promote another company she co-founded, Del Soi non-alcoholic spritzers, she said she’s working on ideas for new music.

“The creativity and the ideas have never stopped flowing, even if they’re not in the public space,” she told the outlet. When I do put out music in a big way, then I want to go around the world and do a big world tour.”

In August 2022, the Instagram account for Perry’s shoe collection posted a video of her speaking about growing up in a family that did not have money and sometimes relied on food stamps. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Perry’s music, merchandise and other investments have built up her net worth to $330 million in 2023.

Moments after Iam Tongi won season 21 of “American Idol,” the 18-year-old told reporters he couldn’t wait to hit the road and play live concerts.

“I’m looking forward to performing live with my friends, and doing live gigs and stuff,” he told “Extra” after the season finale. “Because I love performing live. It’s like a passion of mine.”

Now, nearly a month later — and days after his graduation from high school — the Hawaii native is about to embark on a just-announced tour that includes his first shows as a headliner and appearances at major music festivals in the U.S. and overseas. He’s also teased new music he’s been working on with hit-making songwriters in Nashville. Here’s what you need to know:

Iam Tongi Reveals 10 Concert Dates With More to Come

ABC“American Idol” Season 21 winner Iam Tongi

On June 19, 2023, Tongi thrilled fans by sharing 10 upcoming concert dates with an “Iam Tongi Live in Concert” graphic on Facebook.

He wrote, “I’ll be seeing you out on the road! Tickets for these shows are available at the link in my bio and more shows will be announced soon Yessah!!”

The tour kicks off this week with a main stage appearance on June 23 at the Beach It! country music festival in Virginia Beach, Virginia. “Idol” judge Luke Bryan is among the festival’s headliners and season 19 winner Chayce Beckham, who’s on tour with Bryan, will also appear.

“That’s just gonna be crazy because my favorite music is country music,” Tongi told Hawaii News Now on June 15. “And we all know that island music is just country music made reggae!”

On July 1, he’ll be back in Oahu, Hawaii, for the Ohana Day music festival at Turtle Bay Resort — the location of his hometown visit on “Idol” where a whopping 14,000 fans showed up to see him. Tongi will headline that day’s concerts, which will also feature Spawnbreezie, one of his favorite island bands. Tongi sang their song “Don’t Let Go” during his Showstopper Round performance on “Idol” and again at his high school graduation last week.

On July 15, Tongi’s just been added to the lineup for the Reggae on the Way festival in Tahoma, Washington, which is less than 20 minutes from where he’s lived with his family for several years, ever since famously getting “priced out of paradise,” as  he told the “Idol” judges during his audition.

According to the graphic he shared, Tongi will then head to California for multiple headlining gigs in smaller venues — most of which haven’t yet officially added him to their schedules, including Ventura Music Hall in Ventura, The Catalyst in Santa Cruz, and two shows at the legendary Troubadour in Los Angeles — a club that has hosted many “Idol” alumni, including David Archuleta, Daniel Seavey, and season 20’s Leah Marlene.

Two other significant gigs scheduled for Tongi in California are a free concert he’ll headline on July 27 at the California Mid State Fair in Paso Robles and a set at the Holo Holo Festival in Sacramento on September 9.

On October 7, Tongi will perform his first concert outside the U.S. at the Eden Festival in Auckland, New Zealand. Even though Tongi won “American Idol,” according to local site Newshub, he has also been “embraced by the Tongan and Samoan communities of New Zealand.”

Earlier this month, on June 7, Tongi was a huge draw at the “19 Takeover” concert in Nashville featuring eight “American Idol” winners and finalists.

Iam Tongi Working With Major Songwriters & Producers on New Music

In addition to preparing for his upcoming shows, Tongi has been busy working with well-known songwriters and producers on new music. On June 2, he posted an Instagram photo of him and Olivier Bassil, tagging the multi-platinum producer and Bassil’s longtime collaborator Clever. Both songwriters are known for their chart-topping hits with rap artists including Post Malone, NBA YoungBoy, Kevin Gates, and Ace Hood among others.

“Back in the studio with some new music, Yessah @olivierbassil and @whoisclever 🔥🤙🏾” Tongi wrote.

Bassil commented, “Can’t wait for the world to hear this 🙌”

On June 16, musician Blessing Offor posted an Instagram photo of himself in a recording space with Tongi and wrote, “I’m such a huge fan of Iam, both the person, and The Voice, or should I say the American Idol 😂 bro the song is straight fire! I can’t wait to see where your career takes you!”

Then, on June 18, Tongi shared a photo in his Instagram Stories of himself at a microphone with headphones on, holding a lyric sheet for a song called “Why Kiki?”

Over the photo, Tongi wrote, “New tunes heading your way” and tagged songwriter and producer Paul Sikes — who’s written songs for artists including Lainey Wilson, Matt Stell, Jimmie Allen, and Billy Ray Cyrus — and singer-songwriter Jake Rose, who’s penned tunes for Florida Georgia Line, Blake Shelton, Keith Urban among others.

Sikes shared Tongi’s Story and wrote, “@wtongi fresh off that American Idol win. Excited to work on this special song with @jakerosemusic”

Tongi’s first single, “I’ll Be Seeing You,” which was released days before the “Idol” finale, shot straight to Number One on the Billboard’s Rock Digital Song Sales chart. His new record label 19 Recordings — an arm of BBR Music — hasn’t announced yet when his new music will be officially released.

Police have released new details after pop star Bebe Rexha was rushed to the hospital on June 18, 2023, injured by a concertgoer who hurled a cell phone at her during a concert at Pier 17 in New York City. Rexha, who mentored contestants during season 20 of “American Idol” and has performed on the show multiple times, can be seen in viral videos falling to her knees onstage after being hit in the eye by the phone — an act the fan told police he thought would be “funny.”

The scary scene was captured by various concertgoers on their cell phones, including one that showed Rexha, 33, being helped by paramedics. The man who threw the phone was arrested and is being charged with assault, according to NBC News.

Rexha, meanwhile, has let fans know she’s okay but has shared photos of her bruised and bandaged face. Here’s what you need to know:

Videos by Concert Attendees Reveal Details of Incident at Bebe Rexha Concert

The morning after Rexha was injured onstage, the “I’m Good (Blue)” singer posted updates on social media with photos of her bruised and bandaged eye, which required stitches, WNBC reported.

“Im good,” she captioned two photos on Instagram. On TikTok, Rexha posted a five-second video of herself singing one line from her hit song — “I’m good, yeah I’m feeling alright” — and removed her sunglasses to reveal her injury.

The video above, taken by a concertgoer and shared on Twitter, shows Rexha walking towards the audience when a cell phone flies threw the air and hits her in the face. In the video, viewed over 3 million times at the time of publication, Rexha immediately turns around and slowly falls to her knees in pain.

Midday on June 19, another fan posted a video on Twitter of a man in the audience admitting to throwing the phone and being escorted away by security as a woman yelled, “That is assault, that is assault!”

A third video taken by another fan showed Rexha being escorted off the stage by EMS personnel as she held her hand over her face. As the crowd chants her name, she raises her other hand in the air to wave goodbye.

According to CBS News, the New York Police Department has confirmed that a 27-year-old New Jersey man named Nicolas Malvagna was arrested for “intentionally” throwing the phone at Rexha. Malvagna’s boss at a luxury dog kennel in New Jersey confirmed to the Daily Mail that he was involved in the incident.

Judy Gorski, owner of K9 Resorts in East Brunswick, told the outlet, “I understand one of our employees was attending the Bebe Rexha concert on his personal time. I was shocked to learn of his arrest. My staff and I do not condone violence in any form, regardless of intent, and this action does not align with our values as a company.”

Late on June 19, The Independent reported that, according to arraignment documents, Malvagna told police, “I was trying to see if I could hit her with the phone at the end of the show because it would be funny.”

Malvagna now faces two charges of assault, one charge of aggravated harassment, one charge of attempted assault and one charge of harassment, the outlet said. He is due in court on July 31.

Bebe Rexha Receives Outpouring of Well Wishes From Fans & Famous Friends

GettyBebe Rexha at the amfAR Cinema Against AIDS Cannes Gala in May 2023

Lots of fans and famous friends left notes of encouragement and frustration on Rexha’s social media posts, including multiple musicians connected to “American Idol” who sent their good wishes on Instagram.

Singer Pia Toscano, a season 10 finalist on “Idol” who now frequently tours with David Foster and Andrea Bocelli, commented, “That was so not cool. I’m so sorry this happened to you”

Kris Pooley, who serves as music director both “American Idol” and judge Katy Perry, wrote, “Dang! Looking pretty tough tho. Speedy recovery! :)”

Another Top 10 finalist, Ada Vox from season 16, wrote, “Ooo mamaaaa. They got you girl… lol So glad you turned out alright! Love you, baby❤️❤️❤️❤️”

Rexha’s next tour stop, supporting her recently-released album “Bebe,” is scheduled for June 20 in Philadelphia. The singer is expected to go on with the show.

“American Idol” season 3 winner Fantasia Barrino is hitting the big screen at the end of the year.

In May, Fantasia shared a trailer of “The Color Purple,” a Warner Bros. movie premiering in theaters on December 25. According to the trailer, it’s “a bold new take on the beloved classic” — which was released in 1985 and starred Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey.

“The Color Purple” was originally a novel written by Alice Walker and published in 1982.  Fantasia stars as Celie, the movie’s central protagonist. The story follows her “life-long struggles” as an “African American woman living in the south during the early 1900s,” according to the new film’s IMDb page. Goldberg originally played Celie.

This movie will also mark Fantasia’s major motion picture debut.

Fantasia Played Celie in ‘The Color Purple’ on Broadway

This isn’t Fantasia’s first experience playing Celie. After winning “American Idol” in 2004, she starred in the Broadway adaption of “The Color Purple” between 2007 and 2008. Fantasia spoke with Playbill at the time about her experience playing Celie.

“If you really put yourself in her shoes, that can be very tiring,” Fantasia said. “It can take a lot of energy out of you. I know when I get off the stage at night from shows, I’m exhausted. I run to my room, and I fall on the couch, and I have to take at least about ten minutes to wind down and to get my thoughts together and come out of the part of Celie.”

The 1985 film was headed by renowned director Steven Spielberg. Blitz Bazawule — known for directing the 2018 thriller “The Burial of Kojo” and Beyoncé’s visual album “Black Is King” —  was charged with directing the new version.

Winfrey returned to “The Color Purple,” this time working off-screen as a producer. Spielberg is also credited as a producer for the film’s remake.

The movie releasing Christmas Day also stars Halle Bailey as Nettie, Danielle Brooks as Sofia, Colman Domingo as Mister, Corey Hawkins as Harpo, H.E.R. as Squeak and Phylicia Pearl Mpasi as Young Celie.

The 1985 classic was nominated for several awards, including several Oscars like 1986’s “Best Picture,” “Best Actress in a Leading Role” and “Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium.”

Fantasia’s ‘When I See U’ Has 194 Million Streams on Spotify

Fantasia has gone on to have a successful music career since winning “American Idol.” She’s released seven studio albums including “Free Yourself,” which she dropped the year she won the reality singing competition show. Her most recent album, “Sketchbook,” came out in 2019.

Fantasia has accumulated millions of streams on Spotify thanks to several singles like “Free Yourself (feat. Missy Elliot),” “Falling In Love Tonight,” “Truth Is” and “Lose to Win.” Her most notable song is “When I See U,” the single she released as part of her “Fantasia” album in 2006. It has just under 200 million plays on the platform.

Fantasia won season 3 of “American Idol” by besting Diana DeGarmo on finale night. The season featured multiple breakout stars, including Jennifer Hudson, LaToya London and “Eli-Mac.”

Taylor Hicks holds a title that only 21 people can lay claim to and that’s the label of being an “American Idol’ winner. The season 5 winner has been absent from the music world for quite a long time but has finally begun releasing new music this year.

Hicks shared in an interview with Parade why he decided to get back into the game after 14 years with no new music. His return is highlighted with his debut at the Grand Ole Opry.

Taylor Hicks Credits The Bobby Bones Show For Return

Hicks told Parade that much of his return can be credited to The Bobby Bones Show. “American Idol” fans will recognize Bones as a former mentor on the series. The radio host brought Hicks on for a segment in February 2023 which saw Hicks debut a new single, “Porch Swing.” The reason Hicks was brought on in the first place was because Bones was such a big fan of his.

“I was obsessed for like five years,” Bones told Hicks in the interview. “When you would perform, I’d be like, ‘That’s the kind of music I like. That’s my guy.’… everything about that dude is what I like musically.”

With Hicks being asked to come on, he figured that would be a good time to bring out some new music. He told AL.com that he’s not currently with a label, which is why he chose his radio interview as a good time to show the world what he had been working on.

While appearing on The Bobby Bones Show, Hicks said he was appreciative for the opportunity, “When you go through the peaks and valleys, you’re very grateful when an opportunity like this comes up.”

Taylor Hicks is Joining the Country Movement

In speaking with Parade, Hicks said the combination of his appearance on The Bobby Bones Show and the “soulful and bluesy” transition into country music has made now the perfect time for him to get back into the world of music.

“I’ve been working on an album now for a little over 10 years,” Hicks said, adding that he’s been recording at Zac Brown’s studio in Nashville.

With the country backing, Hicks said he is able to accomplish what he wants on this record as far as “the representation of the kind of artist and sonically” who he is. Hicks released “Porch Swing” on February 21, 2023 and dropped “Teach Me To Dance” on June 16, 2023. He hasn’t announced officially when his fourth album will come out it’s been a while in between as “The Distance” released on March 10, 2009.

He said those two songs were written within the last 10 years, “The Bobby Bones interest was the catapult to finally let the doves fly, so to speak.” Hicks also had the chance to play “Porch Swing” while appearing as a guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show.

Hicks, who defeated Katherine McPhee in the season 5 finale of ‘Idol,’ said to expect his fourth album in 2024. He will serve as a co-writer for several songs while also adding that he’ll be a solo writer, as well.

Country superstar Luke Bryan surprised one lucky fan — and thousands of concert-goers — with a tear-filled reunion during his concert in Darien Center, New York, on June 16, 2023. The “American Idol” judge invited Shannon Dorvee, a devoted fan who had front row tickets and a shirt that read #LukeSquad, onto the stage to help him sing his patriotic hit, “Country On.”

What she didn’t realize was that she was about to be reunited with her husband, a longtime soldier in the U.S. Army who’d been deployed overseas for over a year. Here’s what you need to know:

Luke Bryan Pulled Off Perfect Surprise for Army Wife

The day after the Dorvees’ unforgettable reunion during Bryan’s second concert at the Darien Lake Amphitheater, the star posted a video of the special moment and wrote, “Glad to be part of this reunion. #CountryOn”

In that video, which was filmed by someone onstage, Bryan could be seen pointing to Shannon in the audience before singing “Country On,” a song that became his 30th Number One hit in December 2022, according to his record label, UMG Nashville.

From the stage, Bryan said to her, “Shannon! You’re Shannon, right? You’re Shannon?”

Then, turning to the crowd, he said, “So, Shannon’s husband has been fighting overseas for a couple of years and I want to get her to help me. Come up here with me right now! Yeah, come here!”

Clearly stunned but smiling widely, she began climbing over a barricade and the camera crew then showed her husband standing in his uniform backstage. As she approached Bryan on stage, he began playing “Country On” and singing the first line of the chorus as the crowd joined in.

“I said, hey, hey, U.S.A.,” he sang before giving Shannon a hug. He continued to sing and she raised her arms in the air. Then, the crowd went wild as they noticed her husband walking out on stage. When Shannon turned around, she instantly burst into tears. The couple embraced for a long time, looked at each other and then hugged again as the audience continued to cheer. Bryan could be seen taking a deep breath, touched by the special moment. His wife, Caroline Boyer Bryan, wrote in the comments, “Damn! 🙌🙌🙌”

In another video of the reunion shared on TikTok and Instagram by local radio DJ Kadie Daye of 106.5 WYRK, Bryan could be heard saying, “Give it up for Jeff right here! Jeff Dorvee, ladies and gentlemen! He just got to surprise his girl tonight!” As the couple walked off the stage, the crowd erupted into a chant of “USA! USA!”

Shannon commented on Daye’s Instagram post, “This is awesome thank you for making this !! We truly appreciate all the love & support for our family 🇺🇸❤️🤍💙 I love this video so much again thank you ❤️”

Shannon Dorvee Kept a Social Media Tally of the Days Her Husband Was Deployed

The day after reuniting with her husband at Bryan’s concert, Shannon posted an Instagram photo of them with their two young sons in the car and wrote, “Reunited and it feels so good ❤️🤍💙 us DAY 368 👨‍👩‍👦‍👦 Mission complete ✅”

Shannon kept a tally on her Instagram account of the days Jeff was away, deployed overseas for a full year. She shared photos from his send off on June 15, 2022, and proceeded to share how many days he’d been gone in many of her subsequent posts. Their family would take a life-sized cut-out of him dressed in his fatigues to special events like the kids’ baseball games and even to see Luke Bryan perform in Las Vegas.

According to Jeff’s Instagram account, his mission was part of a promotion in early 2022 to First Sergeant. He spent most of the last year in East Africa and received an “unexpected” Commendation Medal in March 2023 from the US Navy for “planning and executing” training drills for the Army and Navy. When his mission ended in Africa on June 3, he also received a Joint Defense Meritorious Service Medal.

Though her husband’s missions were clearly successful, Shannon’s made it clear she’s just happy to have him home. She posted another family photo on Father’s Day and wrote, “My heart is finally full again 💕”

Bryan is notorious for finding unique ways to support and lift up members of the military, including teaming up with former Major League Baseball player Adam LaRoche, who founded and runs the E3 Foundation, dedicated “to supporting our military, the fight against human trafficking, and providing for the food insecure.” In recent months, Bryan’s given away his own truck and trips to destination concerts to raise money for their efforts.

In an episode of “Idol”auditiothat aired in February, he and his fellow judges Katy Perry and Lionel Richie were in on a surprise for one of the contestants who auditioned for them, Kaylin Hedges. After the teen shared how much she missed her dad, who’d often been deployed during her childhood and was currently on a mission, he walked in to surprise her and her mom in an emotional reunion.

Bryan shared the moment on Instagram and wrote, “Incredible moment getting to bring Dad home to see his daughter not only sing for us but get the platinum ticket! Thank you for your service and sharing @kaylinhedgesofficial with us.”

Ever since season 20 “American Idol” winner Noah Thompson and runner-up HunterGirl rose to the top two spots on the show in 2022, rumors have been rampant about the two country singers becoming a couple. The buzz escalated after their season finale amid signs that Thompson and his girlfriend Angel Dixon, with whom he shares two-year-old son Walker, had broken up.

Though Thompson has insisted he and HunterGirl were just friends, the rumor mill started churning again in April 2023 when the two singers returned to “Idol” to perform a duet version of his hit song, “One Day Tonight,” which they’ve since released as a single. Thompson has also moved from his hometown of Louisa, Kentucky, to live full-time in Nashville, where HunterGirl also lives.

Some of Thompson’s most rabid fans have even expressed anger toward HunterGirl, wanting her to “stay away” from him. But the 25-year-old singer has now addressed the latest buzz in a new interview, laughing off the rumors and maintaining that they’ve never had a romantic relationship. Here’s what you need to know:

HunterGirl Replies to Rumors of Romance With Noah Thompson: ‘We Were Never Together’

Shortly after season 20 of “Idol” ended, Thompson posted photos and videos of himself in Nashville for writing sessions, record label meetings and hangouts with friends including HunterGirl, which was enough for some fans to suspect their friendship had turned romantic. Their subsequent concert tour and his apparent breakup with the mother of his son in the summer of 2022 further fueled the rumors.

Thompson has never officially confirmed his breakup with Dixon, who appeared multiple times on “Idol” during his run on the show, but they stopped following each other on social media in July 2022 and he deleted all photos of her in his Instagram feed. The rising country star moved to Nashville in early 2023, but did appear in photos Dixon posted on Facebook of a birthday celebration for their son on May 9. She now follows both Thompson and HunterGirl on Instagram, but he still doesn’t follow her.

With the release of Thompson and HunterGirl’s duet, which is a new version of his first hit single, fans have been increasingly suspicious of their relationship. On May 15, Thompson posted an Instagram video in which HunterGirl peeks around a lamp post to tease their duet. While many of Thompson’s fans were thrilled to see them team up on a tune, there were also many who were upset about the pairing, wanting him to have nothing to do with her.

“Hunter girl needs to go away,” one wrote on the post, while another commented, “Noah can go on his own way without stupid Hunter.”

HunterGirl isn’t letting any of the rumors or backlash faze her. In an interview on Evan Paul’s  “Taste of Country Nights” radio show released on June 12, he played a clip for her of Thompson replying in August 2022 to the swirling rumors about them.

He said, “We had our trailers side-by-side, that’s not something we picked. We became close, man. We talked about how one person was feeling this way, or I was feeling this way, whatever. You know, man, she was just kind of there for me and I was there for her. We just became best friends, man, and I love her to death. But we not together by no means.”

After listening to the audio clip, Paul asked HunterGirl if there had ever been “any sort of intimacy whatsoever” between them.

“No,” she replied, “we were never together. I think it was just being the top two (on “Idol”) and then coming off into that tour and stuff. You know, there’s always going to be people talking and stuff, but no. No.”

“He’s such a good guy,” HunterGirl continued. “He’s one of my really good friends and, honestly, it was good to have somebody to talk to coming off the show and coming back to Nashville and trying to figure your life out.”

HunterGirl Has Grown Used to ‘People Being Mean’ Online

With a year of fame under her belt, HunterGirl has grown accustomed to online rumors and social media trolls picking her apart for everything from her relationship with Thompson to her “fluffy” eyebrows, she told Paul during their interview.

HunterGirl said, “Oh my god, it was funny just because some people were commenting like, ‘Yo, what’s going on with your eyebrows?’ I’m like, ‘Dude, I’ve always had, like, thicker eyebrows. I can’t help it!’ I looked up to Brooke Shields as a kid! People are just being mean and I was like, ‘Dude … I’m comfortable with it.’ I was like, ‘I’m good with it, like, I’m not mad about it!'”

The singer-songwriter, who released the new single “Lonely Outta You” in May with a tongue-in-cheek music video, said she’s found a great deal of support from her peers in Nashville, telling Paul that stars like Mitchell Tenpenny and Lainey Wilson have been particularly helpful.

She said, “I think Nashville is such a cool place because it feels like everybody’s cheering you on and if something’s going wrong, or anything happens, they’re just like everybody’s a phone call away.”

According to her record label BBR, which also represents Thompson, HunterGirl is hitting the road this summer for concert dates with country superstars Parmalee, Josh Turner and Luke Combs as well as “Idol” judge Luke Bryan.

Carrie Underwood is returning to her Las Vegas residency. The season 4 “American Idol” winner will start back up with “Reflection” on June 21.

She has held her Sin City residency since 2021. Underwood’s show is held at Resorts World, a place that also hosts two other ‘Idol’ connected musicians in Katy Perry and Luke Bryan.

Carrie Underwood Calls Her Residency A ‘Blast’

In an interview with Extra in which she took Alecia Davis behind the scenes of her Vegas location, Underwood expressed how this venture differs from being on tour.

“I feel like when you’re in a gorgeous theater like this and you stay here, you can just do things that you can’t really do when you’re touring,” she said.

Underwood pointed out the “bigger set pieces” that they’re able to take advantage of because of the location and not having to transport like they would while on the road. There’s also one other perk to staying in one location and performing, “It’s just nice playing a show and then going back up to your room.”

She will begin her third year at Resorts World on June 21 and runs through December. According to Billboard, she recently added a few more dates at the end with the inclusion of December 13 and December 15-16. Billboard also describes her show as “a chronicling of her numerous hits from the past 15 years.”

Calling it a “fun show,” Underwood’s 90-minute performances continue to be a popular ticket. To date, Underwood has released nine albums with her first one, “Some Hearts,” coming out in 2005. She has also headlined seven tours in addition to her residency.

“I know I have to say that, but we have a blast and I look out on the audience, and it seems like they have a blast every night,” she said in the Extra interview.

Carrie Underwood Has Had Plenty of Good News Lately

For anyone following the former “American Idol” winner, Underwood’s name has frequently popped up in the news. That’s because she recently launched her own SiriusXM station, Carrie’s Country, on June 9. The station is on Channel 60.

“Music and radio has always been such a huge part of my everyday life and now I have my own channel on @SIRIUSXM where I can play whatever I want and talk about the things I’m passionate about,” she wrote in a Twitter post on June 10. “Excited is an understatement!”

In addition to her new radio station and her resumption of her residency, she also revealed her “Denim & Rhinestones” deluxe album that is scheduled to release on September 22 with six more tracks. The original recoed came out in June 2022.

The country star also revealed that she will be joining Guns N’ Roses on their North America 2023 Tour for select dates in August. She will link up with them for three shows, two of which in Canada and the third being in Nashville.

“It definitely is just kind of a dream that I never could have dreamed because it’s just too massive,” she said in her interview with Extra.

Two-year-old Rennie Foster has two superstar musicians for parents, but their celebrity friends and fans on social media say the toddler’s percussion skills are stunning for his age, with some calling the talented tot a “child prodigy.” The son of former “American Idol” runner-up Katharine McPhee Foster and her husband, legendary music producer David Foster, Rennie — born in February 2020 — has periodically appeared on his parents’ social media accounts playing his various drum sets, much to fans’ delight.

But the newest video, posted by his famous dad on June 15, 2023, is generating lots of buzz and questions about the toddler’s skills. McPhee Foster has said she keeps thinking their child will lose his passion for percussion and move onto something else, but that so far he’s still “obsessed” with literally marching to his own beat.

Fans Wowed by New Video of Rennie Foster Drumming at Age 2

On June 15, Foster — who first met his wife when he was a celebrity guest on “American Idol” in 2006, per People — posted an Instagram video of Rennie from behind, wearing noise cancelling headphones as he played a Rogue drum set at home.

The proud dad wrote, “PROGRESS!! 2 yrs 3mon” and quickly drew thousands of reactions.

One amazed fan wrote, “How does this even happen? Are there lessons involved? When my son was 2 he took a class where we sat in a circle and banged sticks together. Lol”

Another parent responded, “when my son was two he could almost walk in a straight line. 🤣”

Multiple people asked if Rennie has had lessons, but McPhee Foster replied to one, ”

McPhee Foster’s sister Adriana McPhee, who’s a vocal coach on “American Idol,” wrote, “I taught him everything he knows. Obvi. 🤓”

Many famous friends commented on Rennie’s impressive drum playing, too.

Famed TV director Ryan Murphy wrote, “Astonishing! I love this.”

“The Talk” co-host Amanda Kloots, whose four-year-old son also loves playing the drums, wrote, “Oh Elvis is going to LOVE this video! We have to get them together to play!!”

Robin McGraw, wife of talk show host Dr. Phil, wrote, “Omg!!! Soooo cute!!!!!”

Musician Brandon Jenner, son of Olympic champion and reality star Caitlyn Jenner, commented, “I can’t even wrap my head around this!! 😆🙌🏼🙌🏼”

Michael Orland, who was the musical director on “American Idol” for many years, wrote, “Wow!!!!!!! Most amazing thing ever!!!!!”

Could Katharine McPhee Foster & David Foster’s Son Be a Child Prodigy?

Foster, who’s won 16 Grammy Awards and has launched the careers of music greats including Celine Dion and Michael Bublé, has periodically posted videos of their young son’s prowess for percussion, including the one above featuring him drumming with chopsticks, which has been liked over 335,000 times.

The first video he shared was in August 2022, featuring Rennie using an electronic drum pad. Foster wrote, “Is this normal for a 17 month old?”

In the latest video, multiple fans asked in the comment section whether Rennie has had drum lessons. McPhee Foster replied to one, “Not yet 😍”

“Wow! He’s 100% a child prodigy! Incredible,” someone wrote, echoing a sentiment written by many.

According to music psychology expert Michael Woody, per Psychology Today, a child prodigy is a “young performer whose abilities are exceptional” and not typical for their age. While some children exhibit incredible talent early on, he wrote, it’s “very difficult for young children to maintain their comparative supremacy as they grow up because their peers naturally become more capable themselves.”

“We keep on saying, like, one day he’s gonna drop it and not be into it, but he’s just obsessed, so we’ll see,” McPhee Foster told “Access Hollywood” in December.

“I’d prefer he’s a tennis player, to be honest,” Foster quipped. “Roger Federer or Tommy Lee? I’ll take Roger Federer! No offense to Tommy Lee.”

When country star Luke Bryan was offered a seat at the judges’ table on “American Idol” in 2018, his wife of 16 years, Caroline Boyer Bryan, was not a fan of the idea. On June 11, 2023, she and her mother-in-law, LeClaire Bryan, sat down for an interview in front of a live audience for the “Got It From My Momma” podcast, during which they talked about what it’s been like to be the support system for Bryan during his red-hot career.

LeClaire said one of the biggest perks of being the country star’s mom is getting to travel to exotic locations, including going to Hawaii with “American Idol.” But one of the downsides, the duo said, was the stress of deciding whether he should join the show back in 2018, with Caroline saying she was “scared” of the idea. Here’s what you need to know:

Luke Bryan’s Mom Recalls His Wife Worrying About ‘Idol’

Bryan joined the cast of “American Idol” in 2018, when ABC rebooted the show a year after FOX cancelled the long-running series. Though Ryan Seacrest continued as host, ABC hired a new panel of judges with Bryan, Lionel Richie and Katy Perry, who have stuck together for six seasons. Though there’s been no official announcement as to whether they’re all returning for season 22, all three have said in interviews that it’s likely.

“I don’t see the reason why I wouldn’t come back with my fellow judges,” Bryan told Access Hollywood in May. “We have a great time doing this and it feels good.”

When podcast host Jennifer Vickery Smith asked LeClaire and Caroline what they thought when Bryan was first offered the role on “American Idol,” his mom said it did not sit well with his wife. She recalled a discussion about it while visiting their beach house in Florida.

“I was at Luke and Caroline’s at the beach and I was sitting down in my little camper,” LeClaire explained. “They bought me a little camper and that was my private bedroom. And Caroline was down there and she said, ‘Mama, I just don’t know about Luke doing this ‘American Idol’ stuff. What do you think?'”

She continued, “I said, ‘Luke is doing this because he’s always wanting to make things better for y’all. It’s not about Luke.’ It was about the family and doing stuff to make it better for them.”

Though it’s not known how much the judges currently make per season, the Wall Street Journal reported in 2018 that Bryan would earn $12 million for the first season he served as a judge.

“And everybody loves it,” his mom told Smith on the podcast. “I know it’s hard on Caroline not having (him around), but it’s been hard on Caroline since she married Luke! I mean, Luke’s gone. She’s there with the children and she’s been amazing.”

On the same day his mom and wife were appearing on the podcast, Bryan told “Entertainment Tonight” that he’s well aware how much his job has kept him away from his family, including his 12- and 15-year-old sons, especially this year.

“I’m not really balancing it that well this year,” he said, adding that he’d admitted as much to Caroline. “I’m like, ‘Baby, this is a rough year, let’s just get through it and then we’ll find a boat and go to the Caribbean or something.'”

The Bryans live on a 150-acre farm outside of Nashville, according to Velvet Ropes. But Bryan hasn’t been there a lot this year, between filming “Idol” and being on tour, with many more concert dates to come this summer.

Caroline Bryan Says She Was ‘Scared’ About Husband Luke Bryan Joining ‘American Idol’

When Smith asked, during the podcast taping, about Caroline’s trepidations surrounding “Idol,” she said, “Well, anytime you involve the whole L.A. stuff, you just get a little … I mean, I was scared. But it’s gone smoother than I ever thought. But you know, I was scared, I was. But then, it’s been fine.”

At an artist panel at the 2021 Country Radio Seminar, Bryan said that he had his own concerns about joining the show, including being worried his fans thought he was moving on from country music, according to Taste of Country. So he leaned on some famous friends for advice — Blake Shelton, who just left “The Voice” after 23 seasons, and his “Idol” predecessor on the judging panel, Keith Urban.

“My biggest thing with ‘Idol’ is, ‘Well, will it affect my music career?'” Bryan said, and then joked,  “I had some talks with Blake Shelton, which I would never recommend, “and I even called Keith Urban up.”

Before the season 21 finale, during which Urban returned to perform and mentor the contestants, Bryan told Access Hollywood about leaning on him for advice.

“He was one of the first phone calls I made when I was thinking about being a judge on ‘American Idol,’ and he was so supportive of it,” he recalled. “He told me I’d be a fool not to!”

Despite her early concerns, Caroline has even appeared on the show. In 2022 when she pulled a prank on her husband as he and his fellow judges taped auditions, dressing up like a member of the cleaning crew. In between auditions, Caroline walked onto the set disguised in a wig, hat and surgical mask and began loudly cleaning the piano.

“Aggressive on the piano,” Bryan quietly said to Perry, who was in on the joke.

Once someone pretending to be a contestant started auditioning, Caroline stood in the background and made other loud noises, from letting her phone ring to opening a bag of chips, causing the judges to stop production. Bryan was floored once he figured out it was all a prank, which the couple loves to play on each other.

In addition to touring and “Idol,” Bryan has also been working on a new album. According to American Songwriter, his newest single, “But I Got a Beer in My Hand,” is the first release from an unfinished EP.

With season 21 of “American Idol” in the rearview mirror, Top 8 finalist Oliver Steele is opening up not only about life after “Idol,” but also what life was life during the show.

In a wide-ranging interview on the “American Idol Unaired” podcast, posted on June 12, 2023, Steele talked about the tight bond formed among the contestants behind-the-scenes as they dealt with everything from fame to food choices, becoming a “family” in the process. Here’s what you need to know:

Oliver Steele Says Season 21 Contestants Became a ‘Family’

Judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie repeatedly said on-air that they’d never seen a more talented group of contestants. Steele told “Unaired” host Bennett Scheer that producers also said they were the most deeply bonded group of contestants they’d ever seen. After the Top 26 who made it through Hollywood Week and the Showstopper Round in Hawaii waited at home to return to Los Angeles for the live shows, Steele said producers held a Zoom call with them.

He recalled, “They started off the Zoom call by saying, ‘Hey guys, we just want you all to know that in the history of the show, we have never had a group of contestants that has shown so much, like, love and support towards each other. Like, you are so kind and so loving with each other and we have never seen that.'”

“And we were just like, ‘Yeah, we know,'” Steele continued. “I mean, the thing about it is most of us understood that this is a shared experience that not very many people go through in life. First of all, it’s an opportunity in and of itself for one person alone, but for all of us to go through this thing together, there’s gotta be a bond. Like, we are a family. And that’s the word we used, was family.”

The group got so close and spent so much time together, in fact, that on June 9, after watching some of his castmates perform in Nashville, Steele shared on Instagram that he was having a hard time adjusting to life without them.

“Truth be told, I’ve been having a bit of a rough time since the end of the show,” he wrote, adding that he realized it wasn’t just having to deal with a death in his family, getting sick, and not being sure what steps to take next after the season finale, but that he was missing his “Idol” family.

“I haven’t felt the same,” he wrote. “There’s been a constant feeling of something missing. I thought maybe I felt stuck, like things weren’t happening fast enough for me, despite trying to remind myself to be patient. But after the incredible show at @thevalentinenashville last night, I realized something.”

Realizing life hadn’t felt the same without their “crazy little family,” Steele wrote, “I guess I didn’t account for making so many incredible friends and forging such strong bonds. We went from seeing each other every single day, to now hardly seeing one another at all!”

Steele isn’t the only one who’s been singing the praises of that newfound “family.” Fellow finalist MaryBeth Byrd posted on Instagram after the May 23 season finale about how grateful she was for them, including her newfound besties Colin Stough and runner-up Megan Danielle.

“I can’t even express how blessed I feel to have chased my dreams along side such an amazingly talented group of artist,” she wrote. “I’m so proud of my idol family!”

On May 14, Top 5 contestant Wé Ani told Heavy that in addition to leaning on support from family and friends back home, “the support we have for each other (on the show) is just like family too. It’s a wild ride.”

Season 21 Contestants — and Jelly Roll — Bonded Over Food & Fame

ABCTop 26 “American Idol” Season 21 contestants celebrate in Hawaii

During his “American Idol Unaired” interview, Steele said behind-the-scenes of the show, life was not always glamorous and that basic needs — like what they were going to eat next — was always top-of-mind. After discussing Steele’s recent impromptu performance while eating at a Whataburger restaurant with “Idol” winner Iam Tongi, who became his closest friend on the show, Scheer said he assumed food was probably the last thing on their minds while filming the “Idol.”

Steele countered, “Oh no. It’s absolutely on the beginning of our priority list. Because we’re starving when we wake up. We’re hungry — like, ‘When’s breakfast?’ and then we’re like, ‘Alright, when’s lunch? What is for lunch?’ Someone like me, I’m like, ‘What are we having to eat today?'”

Steele said he and his castmates frequently went out to eat in Los Angeles or had food brought in. So often, in fact, that they started getting tired of eating food from the same quick-serve restaurants.

He said, “We ate at In-N-Out, we had WABA (Grill) a lot — that’s what they would feed us on set with WABA or California Pizza Kitchen. And we got tired of it all. Chipotle was a popular destination, it was like, right by our hotel. Starbucks. I think we had Shake Shack a couple of times, which is okay. I’ll be honest, there weren’t a lot of great options around where we were at.”

Steele recalled a funny moment at an In-N-Out Burger joint when a staffer there was excited to see Tongi but said nothing to Steele about being on “Idol.”

“Like, I’m standing next to him,” he laughed. “I’m like, ‘I was his duet partner.’ Like, I don’t actually care. It makes me so happy when so many people show their love to him. Like, it fills me up with so much pride. Everywhere we would go, he’d get recognized.”

In addition to forming a close bond with his fellow castmates, Steele has also felt grateful for the connections he’s made with stars who appeared on the show, from his own music idol Ed Sheeran to country star Jelly Roll, who recently invited Steele to join him onstage for a duet in Nashville, per Billboard.

“Man, Jelly’s cool as hell,” Steele said on the “Unaired” podcast. “He took me out to eat, like me and MaryBeth (Byrd) and him, like two nights in a row in L.A.”

Steele said one night, he was salivating over a steak on the menu, but it was the most expensive item. So he asked Jelly Roll if he’d mind if he ordered it.

“He goes, ‘I don’t give a damn if you order five of them, dude! It’s tax deductible!’ He’s like, ‘You get whatever you want’ … That dude is so cool and is experiencing a wave of success that is just like, I see that and I’m like, ‘I want to be that successful one day.’ And he keeps his people close around him, and he knows how to give back.”

Now that Steele is back home in Tennessee, he’s still adjusting to life after “Idol,” he said.

“It’s just hard not being able to see, like, my brothers and sisters I met on the show,” he said. “I don’t know what the future holds and I’m not supposed to. None of us are supposed to know, and that’s something that brings me peace when I think about it.”

If fans want to see “American Idol” season 9 alum Todrick Hall sing his hits live, then his upcoming tour is a great time to do so as the “I Like Boys” singer said it’ll be his “last tour for a while.”

Hall, who made it into the top 16 before his elimination on “American Idol” in 2010, leveraged his time on the show to carve out a successful career in multiple avenues. He’s released several albums since his first, 2010’s “Somebody’s Christmas,” which include 2016’s “Straight Outta Oz” and 2021’s “Femuline.” Hall’s also built a large YouTube following which he’s been cultivating for over a decade. His channel currently sits at 3.6 million subscribers with over 700 videos published.

Further, Hall’s had an extensive television career since “American Idol.” His credits include hosting HGTV’s “Battle of the Bling” and competing on “Celebrity Big Brother” season 3.

Todrick Hall Is ‘Hoping to Transition Back to Theater for a While’

However, it’s Hall’s love of theater that’s drawing him away from live touring.

Hall is preparing for his “Velvet Rage” tour that comes on the heels of his newest album, “Roach Killaz,” which was released in early May. The North American tour begins on September 9 in Portland, Oregon, and it’ll wrap on October 21 in Toronto, Ontario. In an Instagram post shared on June 14, Hall asked his fans for suggestions on what songs he should perform during his shows. And he also informed them that he’d be focusing on his theater roots after the “Velvet Rage” finishes.

“Hey babes, prepping for my new tour, which is now only a few months away,” Hall wrote on a pad with paper. “I’m thinking of doing a lot of my old songs. Maybe ‘It Gets Better’ or ‘Haters.’ I dunno… I want to know what songs you want to hear. This will be my last tour for a while as I’m hoping to transition back to theater for a while. So, get your tickets and let’s celebrate the last 15 years of content and close to a billion views on YouTube. Always, Todrick Hall.”

Hall has performed in several Broadway plays including “The Color Purple” alongside “American Idol” season 3 winner Fantasia in 2008, “Cats” in 2014 and “Waitress” in 2019.

Suggestions for His Tour Came Pouring In

The 38-year-old artist got what he was looking for in the comment section of the Instagram post. Several fans threw ideas for his “Velvet Tour,” with many pointing to his “Straight Outta Oz” as a classic album to choose from.

“I would love for straight out of oz to make another tour my kids LOVE it,” one person commented.

“Oh we talking old Todrick?” One fan wrote. “Like ToddyRockstar Todrick? *crack knuckles* let’s see we need: beauty and the beat BOOTZ, splits on trees, wind it up (the original), epic love, it gets better, just love, who let the freaks out, you unfollowed me, they say (what yall know about that?), 90s disney, 4beyonce, water guns, your american idol audition song, TODRICK MTV theme song, STEAK AND EGGS!!!, HATERZ, and last but not least WIG WIG WIG WIG WIG!!!!!!”

Hall has garnered millions of streams on Spotify. “Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels” from his “Haus Party, Pt. 1” album is his most listened-to song on the platform with over 88 million plays. “I Like Boys” from the same album sits at No. 2 with over 37 million streams and “Forbidden’s” “Dem Beats” is his No. 3 most-played song on Spotify with nearly 26 million plays.

Hall is scheduled to headline “Pr!de in London” on July 1 alongside “American Idol” season 8 runner-up Adam Lambert.

Ryan Seacrest, the longtime “American Idol” host, is reportedly being considered as the replacement for Pat Sajak on “Wheel of Fortune.”

Multiple outlets have sparked this rumor, most notably TMZ and Bloomberg. The latter was the first to bring up this idea, listing Seacrest as a candidate, according to a tweet from Bloomberg reporter Lucas Shaw.

“The host has been talking to the producers of Wheel of Fortune,” his tweet read. “Some sources say he’s the frontrunner. Others say he is just one of many interested.”

TMZ reported on June 14 that Seacrest and the show are in “early discussions” after Sajak announced his retirement on June 12. TMZ adds that there’s also a “field of unnamed candidates” in addition to Seacrest who are under consideration.

There have been no comments from Seacrest or any of his reports since these reports have come out.

Ryan Seacrest Has a Connection to ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Creator

The man behind the iconic game show, Merv Griffin, is someone who also became very close with Seacrest before his passing in 2007. The “Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy” creator died of prostate cancer at the age of 82.

After his passing, Seacrest provided an endearing statement to PEOPLE about the impact he had.

“Merv was a dear friend, a mentor and my idol,” he said. “He gave my my first break into show business, and for that I will forever be grateful. Merv is a true legend and will continue to be an inspiration.”

That opportunity Seacret mentioned was when he was hired by Griffin to host “Click,” which was a short-lived game show that aired for two seasons from 1997-1999. Seacrest led the show as his first big break and had two separate co-hosts during his time there.

Ryan Seacrest Has Hosted “American Idol” Since the Start

While his time on “Click” didn’t last so long, his run on “American Idol” has been a different story. His most recognizable job to date, Seacrest just wrapped up his 21st season with ‘Idol’ as he’s been the only original member to stay with the franchise since its inception.

When Seacrest joined, he was accompanied with three judges in Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, and Paula Abdul.

With his “Idol” fame, he also went on to host “Live With Kelly and Ryan” from 2017 to 2023 while operating his “On Air With Ryan Seacrest” radio show 2004.

Pat Sajak Said His ‘Time Has Come’

Sajak has hosted “Wheel of Fortune” since 1981 when he took over for the show’s original host, Chuck Woolery. He shared his reason for deciding to walk away from the game after 41 seasons in a post to Twitter on June 12.

“Well, the time has come,” he wrote. “I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last. It’s been a wonderful ride, and I’ll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all.”

Recently, “Wheel of Fortune” has become a family affair for the Sajaks. His daughter, Maggie Sajak, has been featured on the show. She responded to his retirement post on Twitter with some kind words, “It’s so much fun working with my dad, and we’re looking forward to even more fun in Season 41.”

She added a separate tweet on June 14 with backstage photo of her and her father, “Legendary host, even more legendary father.”

Grace Leer captured the hearts of country fans during “American Idol” season 18 on her way to finishing in the Top 11. In a recent interview, Leer looked back at her time on the ABC singing competition and shared the moment that she realized her life would change forever.

Leer, who auditioned in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with “Crowded Table” by The Highwomen, was among a group of four contestants were eliminated inside the Top 11 as ‘Idol’ formed its Top 7. She was sent home along with Makayla Phillips, Sophia James, and Jovin Webb.

Season 18 eventually saw Just Sam come out victorious with Arthur Gunn as the runner-up. Francisco Martin, who has been busy writing music for ‘Idol’ contestants, was in the Top 5 that season.

Grace Leer Recalls Her Top 40 Performance

There’s a defining moment for most contestants who go through “American Idol.” For Leer, she believes her time came in the Top 40 which took place at Disney’s Aulani Resort in Hawaii. In an interview with The Travel Addict, Leer referred to it as her “favorite moment.”

Her Top 40 performance saw her step onto the stage and belt out “Natural Woman” by Aretha Franklin.

“I’ll never forget that moment because it was in that moment that I knew I was going to quit my day job and really finally go after music full on,” she said. “I remember getting off the stage and feeling like it was time.”

She continued, “It was such a wonderful trip, you can’t go wrong at the beach.”

After her Top 40 effort, Luke Bryan said that she “checked off all the boxes.” Katy Perry also was impressed with her song as she felt she shined brighter than anyone who went before her, “She literally came out here and made everyone look like they were on a talent show.”

Grace Leer Recently Released ‘My Mind’s Made Up’

Leer has been busy lately. She recently performed at the 19 Takeover in Nashville on June 7. She was joined by fellow “American Idol” contestants, including season 21 winner Iam Tongi who stole the show. Others who were in attendance from season 21 were Colin Stough and Megan Danielle, as well as Haven Madison. Past performers from ‘Idol” included Fritz Hager, HunterGirl, and season 20 winner Noah Thompson, who also just had a recent accomplishment with his debut EP album.

Success has been coming for Leer as she recently shared that her single, “My Mind’s Made Up,” surpassed 110,000 listens on Spotify. At the time of her June 7 posting, the track had 110,796 all-time streams. Her song came out on May 26.

She explained the thought-process behind the song in an interview with The Travel Addict. The Nashville native said that “everyone has been there at one point in their life.” She wanted to put out a track that reminded people they were “heard and seen.”

In an interview with Country Now, Leer spoke to the impact of “American Idol,” noting that her appearance there came at the “perfect time” for her as she discovered who she was as a person and as an artist. She praised the show for the “visibility” it brought to her, “American Idol was one of those things that just helped me stand out a little bit.”

Despite missing the last two months of his senior year due to his “American Idol” schedule, Season 21 winner Iam Tongi was able to graduate from Decatur High School in Federal Way, Washington, on June 12, 2023. The 18-year-old singer, whose first single has already topped the Billboard charts, returned home after an eventful weekend at CMA Fest in Nashville for the ceremony and even serenaded the crowd. Here’s what you need to know:

Iam Tongi Dedicates Song to Classmates at Graduation Ceremony

Fresh off his appearances during CMA Fest in Nashville, including a reunion concert with some of his fellow “Idol” contestants, Tongi made it home to Federal Way to receive his diploma. Dressed in a navy blue cap and gown, the singer posted several videos in his Instagram Stories of him and his friends driving to the ceremony, celebrating afterward and also one of him singing the school song for Kahuku High School in Hawaii, where he received an honorary diploma in May.

Tongi grew up in Kahuku, on the island of Oahu, but he famously told celebrity judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan during his “Idol” audition that his family had been “priced out of paradise.” They had to move to Federal Way — located about 40 minutes from Seattle — when he was a freshman in high school. During his “Idol” hometown visit on May 16, he stopped by Kahuku High School, where he would have graduated from had he not moved to Washington. The school’s principal, Dr. Donna Lindsey, gave Tongi an honorary diploma and red cap and gown.

At the June 12 ceremony, after receiving his official diploma from Decatur High School, Tongi performed two songs for the crowd and his classmates. KITV-4 Island News reporter Mika Miyashima posted an Instagram video from the ceremony, and a video of Tongi receiving his diploma and singing was also shared on YouTube, as seen above.

“I just wanted to thank all the staff, all the teachers,” Tongi said before singing. “Thank you guys for everything and for supporting on this journey. And I wanted to dedicate this song to all of my classmates.”

“When I won ‘American Idol’ I sang this song as my last song,” he continued. “I want to sing this song for you guys ’cause we’re all winners today. That was kinda corny, but yeah!”

He then began to play Spawnbreezie’s “Don’t Let Go,” but started to laugh and exclaimed, “Restart, restart!” Members of his class and the crowd screamed through much of his performance, as well as when he walked across the stage to receive his diploma.

Teachers Helped Iam Tongi Make Sure He Had Enough Credits to Graduate

ABCIam Tongi performs on “Live With Kelly and Mark” on May 23, 2023

Tongi missed a significant amount of school to appear on “American Idol,” since he had to attend initial auditions in the fall of 2022, Hollywood Week, time in Hawaii filming the Showstopper Round, and then competing on the live shows in April and May.

ABC does provide tutoring for minors with on-set teacher Lena L. Liu, but keeping up with homework can be challenging given the busy schedule. During Season 21, 17-year-old contestant Haven Madison shared photos in her Instagram Stories of working with Liu — and a post with her dog Romeo – in between rehearsals and fittings. But since Tongi was already 18 while filming, it’s not clear if he was required to attend tutoring sessions.

On May 25, his English teacher at Decatur High School, Matt Vaeena, told the Seattle Times that the staff was working to help Tongi graduate with his classmates. 

“We’ve built a plan for him to be able to meet the graduation requirements that he needed to and have the opportunity to walk with his class,” he said.

But Vaeena also added that Tongi was “definitely a kid that I had to wrangle a couple times and really get on for getting things done, but he was able to get everything he needed to get done in the first semester and I’m sure in the next couple of days he’ll be able to wrap up the second semester as well.”

As for Tongi’s musical prowess, that came as no surprise to his teacher and friends.

“The kid walked around the school hallways with his guitar,” Vaeena said. 

Country star Luke Bryan’s music career has him busier than ever, but that’s made it hard to spend enough quality time with his family this year. The “American Idol” judge said in a new interview that he’s looking for ways to reconnect with his wife and kids in between touring and other gigs, but he’s likely going to have to slow down and back off certain commitments next year. Here’s what you need to know:

Luke Bryan Tries to Make Time With Family ‘Really, Really Count’

During a Nut House fan club party at his Nashville bar on June 11, 2023, Bryan told “Entertainment Tonight” that his work-life balance is definitely off these days.

“I’m not really balancing it that well this year,” he said, adding that he admitted as much to his wife of 16 years, Caroline Boyer. “I’m like, ‘Baby, this is a rough year, let’s just get through it and then we’ll find a boat and go to the Caribbean or something.'”

When ET reporter Rachel Smith teased him, “You always say that,” Bryan laughed, “That’s what she says!”

After season 21 of “American Idol” wrapped in late May, Bryan went on to appear at CMA Fest and started prep for his new Country On concert tour, which kicks off June 15 in Syracuse, New York. He’ll play 29 dates plus perform at multiple summer festivals before starting a Las Vegas residency on August 30 at the new Resorts World Theatre. After that, he’ll play his annual Farm Tour dates, on five family farms around the country.

In the midst of his chaotic schedule, Bryan has found a bit of time to bond with his sons — Thomas “Bo” Boyer Bryan, 15, and Tatum “Tate” Christopher Bryan, 12. In 2017, he and Caroline also adopted his nephew and two nieces — Til, Jordan and Kris — who were parentless when Bryan’s brother-in-law died, 10 years after Bryan’s sister did. Right after the “Idol” finale, Bryan flew with Til, Bo and Tate to see a Miami Heat playoff game, and he said they’ve also gone golfing and fishing in between his kids’ travel baseball games.

“You just try to make your time with them at home really, really count,” he told ET.

And though Bryan loves “to get out there and work” and still plans to be “real active” in 2024, he said to ET that he’s also “gonna slow down a few things.” It’s not yet clear whether that includes his involvement with “American Idol,” which has not yet confirmed that all three judges are returning. In fact, Bryan said in May that he may want to take a break or two from the show during the next season, should he return.

Luke Bryan Says He’s Also Preparing New Album

Bryan has also been working on a new album, figuring out how he wants it to sound. According to American Songwriter, his newest single, “But I Got a Beer in My Hand,” is the first release from an unfinished EP.

“We’re kinda going, hearing songs, writing songs, and when we get what we like, we go in the studio,” he explained to ET. “I’ve got some songs that I’m really proud of and I’ve got some new vocal things that I’ve done that I think fans have never heard … Got some other little tricks up my sleeve.”

With 12.5 million albums sold and over 13 billion streams of his songs, according to UMG Nashville, Bryan has established a fairly simple process for making hit records.

He told ET, “I just try to go in the studio, find the best songs I can, write the best songs and sing them and make the best music I can and, you know, thankfully it’s worked for years and (I’m) just always excited to roll new music out.”

Phillip Phillips, the season 11 winner of “American Idol,” made his big return to the world of music on June 9, 2023 when he released his latest album, “Drift Back.” He will continue to dive headfirst into his return as he is set to head out on tour beginning October 5, 2023. He announced the news on June 13.

His fourth album marked his first in five years as his third album, “Collateral,” was released back in 2018. His first two albums, “The World from the Side of the Moon” and “Behind The Light” came out in 2012 and 2014, respectively.

Phillip Phillips Will Make 22 Stops on his ‘Drift Back’ Tour

The 32-year-old posted on Instagram that he would be hitting the road later this year. He revealed the dates for 22 stops as part of the “Drift Back 2023 Tour.” This will be his seventh headlining tour with his most recent coming in 2022 with the “Where We Came From Fall Tour.”

“It’s been so fun seeing how much you love the new album, that I’m bringing the fun to a city near you,” he wrote on Instagram. “I’m going on TOUR!”

He will begin the tour on October 5 in Washington, DC at the Lincoln Theatre as part of four-straight shows that will see him go from the nation’s capital to Hartford, Connecticut, New York City and then Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

His tour will wrap up on November 11 in New Orleans, Louisiana. This will be a coast-to-coast tour that will also see him hitting major cities like Chicago, Illinois on October 12 and Los Angeles on November 2.

The public on-sale will be available on June 16 and there will be ways for fans to get early access if they’re signed up for his official newsletter.

“These are going to be some special shows,” he wrote on Instagram. “It’s been so long since I’ve toured with NEW MUSIC! Hope to see you there.”

The Fans Are Excited to Have New Phillip Phillips Music

In his June 9 Instagram post in which he shared his thoughts on the new album, Phillips received a lot of compliments from his fans after his hiatus. The Georgia native called it an “exciting” time to be able to “drift back” to what he loves to do as the album “reflects the wins and losses” he has experienced in the years in between albums.

One comment said, “Just downloaded this album. Somehow you managed to create a perfect balance of a new sound and feel along with your sound that we all know and love. Perfection.”

Another fan even got a response from Phillips after saying how his album was “everything” this fan needed as they both are going through “some waves at the same time.” Phillips commented, “Thank you for that. I love hearing stories how people connect with my music. Makes me feel happy that you like this record.”

Phillips, who rose to fame after his season 11 “American Idol” win and his coronation song of “Home,” also responded to many other fans who mentioned their favorite song from the album as well as how happy they were to have new music of his after five years away.

Country music star Luke Bryan is backing his fellow “American Idol” judge, Katy Perry, amid fan criticism.

The international superstar, who has served as a judge alongside Bryan since ABC revived “American Idol” in 2018, has been accused by some fans of mistreating contestants with harsh remarks while in the role. However, Bryan said he fully supports Perry.

A few weeks after season 21 wrapped and Iam Tongi was crowned the winner, Bryan attended CMA Fest in Nashville, Tennessee. And in an interview posted by Fox News on June 12, Bryan said being a judge will inevitably land someone in hot water with fans — it’s the nature of the job.

“Katy Perry’s been dealing with stuff like that her whole career,” Bryan said. “We all get it. … I mean we’re judging kids that people at home fall in love with. … We’re not gonna bat 1,000 as judges.”

“I think we get set up,” the “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)” singer continued. “As judges, you know, we kinda fall on the sword a lot of times. And get set up to where people can get very vocal on socials and stuff.”

Whether it be Perry, Lionel Richie or himself, Bryan said they’re “doing the best” they can as faces of “American Idol.”

‘American Idol’ Contestant Sara Beth Liebe Said Katy Perry Made an Unkind Joke During Her Audition

Sara Beth Liebe, who made it to Hollywood Week during last season’s “American Idol,” took issue with a comment Perry made during her audition. Liebe entered the competition as a 25-year-old mother of three. Before she performed, all three judges agreed she looked 16, not 25. Then, when Liebe revealed that she had three children, Perry stood up and leaned against the desk in shock.

“If Katy lays on the table, I think I’m going to pass out,” Liebe said. Then, Perry replied: “Honey, you’ve been laying on the table too much.” The audition went on as normal and Liebe made it through to the next round by receiving a “Yes” from Bryan, a “No” from Richie and a “Yeah, I guess,” from Perry.

In a now-deleted TikTok video, Liebe addressed Perry’s table comment, saying that “mom-shaming is super lame.”

“At the start of my audition before I sang, I mentioned that I had three children and was a young mother, and Katy Perry made a joke that wasn’t super kind,” she said.

“I mean, it was embarrassing to have that on TV, and it was hurtful and that’s that,” Liebe continued. “But I did want to take this opportunity to just say that I think that women supporting and uplifting other women is so cool. And I think that mom-shaming is super lame and I think that it’s hard enough to be a mom, and it’s hard enough to be a woman.”

Luke Bryan: ‘Sometimes You Just Gotta Say Stuff’

During the same interview at CMA Fest, Bryan went on to say that sometimes they had to take a risk to create a “fun moment.” “You can’t be so safe in the moment that you’re so homogenized, you can’t ever go for a joke,” Bryan said. “Or go for a fun moment.”

“Sometimes you just gotta say stuff,” Bryan continued. “It may be my year, next year.”

As of right now, it appears Perry, Bryan and Richie will all return to “American Idol” next year alongside longtime host Ryan Seacrest.

A pair of “American Idol” season 21 performers met up around Nashville, Tennessee, and jammed out at a Whataburger fast-food restaurant. On June 11, Oliver Steele posted an Instagram video with the backstory of how he and season 21 winner, Iam Tongi, got together over the weekend and broke out into song at the fast-food chain.

Throughout the competition, Tongi and Steele became close friends. Steele shared during one episode after he was eliminated in the Top 8 that he and Tongi had become very good friends and that he predicted Tongi would go on to be the winner of the season. Tongi eventually followed through as the victor with Megan Danielle and Colin Stough rounding out the Top 3.

Iam Tongi Was in Nashville for the 19 Takeover

The reason that Tongi, who recently just had a Billboard No. 1 song, was present in the Music City was due to his appearance at the 19 Takeover. The event was held at The Valentine in Nashville on June 7. The free show featured a collection of ‘Idol’ contestants from season 21 and prior iterations.

Finalists Stough and Danielle were among the group, as was season 21 Top 8 finalist Haven Madison. Past ‘Idol’ contestants also included season 20 Top 5 finalist Fritz Hager, season 18 Top 11 singer Grace Leer, and season 20 winner Noah Thompson along with that year’s runner-up, HunterGirl.

At the event, Tongi was given a runaway of eight songs to perform while the others each took on four tracks.

Oliver Steele and Iam Tongi Jam at a Whataburger

While Steele didn’t participate in the 19 Takeover, he did end up meeting Tongi while he was in the neighborhood. He shared their interaction on Instagram, explaining how he gave the 18-year-old a call to see what he was up to. That’s when Tongi said he was at Whataburger in Madison, Tennessee, which is a suburb of Nashville, before inviting Steele to stop down.

Steele said he was met by Tongi and his family before the two ended up breaking out into song.

“I brought my guitar with me, and of course, it led to us jamming in the middle of a fast food restaurant,” Steele wrote on Instagram. “Shoutout to Iam’s family and friends for treating me like one of their own and being so loving.”

He continued, “Moral of the story is, any time [Iam Tongi] has a guitar, he sets the vibe and the mood. Proud of you Toko! It was good to see you again! Come back tot he 615 soon.”

Steele previously shared a group photo from the Valentine in Nashville where he was joined by the season 21 contestants who were in attendance, including Tongi to his right. Tongi also posted a photo of himself with Steele and Stough from his visit on his Instagram.

Since his appearance on “American Idol,” Steele has also reunited with someone who he met on the show. He recently joined rising country music star Jelly Roll on stage at the 2023 Billboard Country Live In Concert on June 7. The two performed “You’re Still The One” by Shania Twain. They originally met at the “Idol” finale where they sang Jelly Roll’s “Need A Favor.”

Season 21 “American Idol” finalist Lucy Love is reeling after the tragic death of her brother, Montreal “New Money” Cox. The single mom from Holly Grove, Arkansas — who made it to the Top 12 and returned to perform with TLC on the season finale — revealed the devastating loss on social media.

In a Facebook post on June 8, 2023, Love shared videos and photos of her and Cox, a father and aspiring rapper, accompanying his sister to her “Idol” audition in Las Vegas and as she competed in Hawaii, during which viewers saw him cheering his sister on from the audience.

Love captioned her post, “Rest well brother My Angel Now” 

The following day, June 9, Love posted a photo on Instagram of her brother smiling and simply wrote, “I can’t cope 🙏🏾💔”

When a friend expressed her shock on her Instagram post, Love replied, “I know V 😭😭😭💔 I’m absolutely crushed & confused . I’ts hard mane …”

Though Love hasn’t addressed the cause of Cox’s death, multiple friends on social media have alluded to him being the victim of gun violence. In May, the R&B singer asked for prayers for her brother days before she appeared on the May 21 “Idol” season finale. Here’s what you need to know:

Lucy Love’s Brother Was Hospitalized Before Her Appearance on ‘American Idol’ Season Finale

Love was a favorite of the “Idol” judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan from her first audition, when she got them to their feet and brought Perry to tears with an emotional rendition of Donny Hathaway’s “A Song For You.”

Love rose through the competition, making it to the Top 12 when the judges used their “saves” on her and fellow contestant Nutsa Buzaladze. But the following week, during the April 30 live episode, neither captured enough viewer votes to advance to the Top 10. The 28-year-old singer returned home to Holly Grove, a community of 602 residents that helped raise funds for her travels during the show and for a banner that celebrates being the “Home of Lucy Love.”

Cox also lived in Holly Grove, but Love has not addressed the specific circumstances surrounding her brother’s death. She began sharing on Facebook in mid-May that he had been hospitalized but that his “condition and information is confidential.”

On May 12, she wrote on Facebook, “Keep fighting brother 🙏🏾❤️ Positive Prayers for my right hand @Montreal NewMoney Cox”

Two days later, Love wrote, “Thank you to everybody who has genuinely checked on my brother. I’m sure that he would appreciate you ❤️ God is STILL keeping him ! Also, My brother’s Visitation is limited to immediate family & friends of the family. His condition & information , is confidential .We ask that you only send positive prayers up for him for & allow him time & space to try & recover. You will have plenty of time for visits & updates . Let’s just allow him that privacy while sparing details❤️”

On May 18, Love seemed hopeful about her brother’s condition, sharing on Facebook, “Breathing machine requirement was 100% now it’s 70% DONT TELL ME GOD WONT DO IT ! My brother slowly shaking back !!! 💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾”

Love was already back in Los Angeles by that point, preparing for her performances on the “Idol” season finale. It’s not clear if Cox remained hospitalized until his death or if a separate incident occurred, but on June 8, one of the siblings’ cousins, Angela Artis, posted a tribute to Cox on Facebook that seemed to confirm he’d been out of commission for many weeks.

She wrote, “My Virgo cousin, I been missin your voice since March 27th we talked about no sin being greater than the other. The kids kept seeing you on tv. We call you Big Money!!! The kids said that our family is rich. You told them we gone be rich one day… and we will. Then you went on Beale street and that was it.”

Artis continued, “I’ll miss your hard core persona on the outside but having experienced that you’re really a big teddy bear on the inside. Money’s soul was so different.”

In addition, on Love’s June 9 Instagram post, a local police officer shared that she had been the first responder to tend to Cox.

TeErra Foster, a Holly Grove police officer wrote, “I was the first responding officer on scene💔💔.. I just want to start off by saying, I never knew any of his family to send out my condolences… So im sorry for your loss love❤️‍🩹 if there was more that I could’ve done to save him at that moment I definitely would’ve 💔”

Officer Foster continued, “Just know he was an awesome guy! One day someone from Atlanta hit a deer about 3AM coming through town to head to Pinebluff. Your brother is the only person that I could trust this guy with so I went to wake him up and he took the guy to Pinebluff for me.. and didn’t want any money from him…A Good Samaritan at heart and I will never forget him because of that🕊️💙 Fly high Mon🥺🙏🏾 Stay strong Lucy!! Everything you do, let him be your motivation🙏🏾”

Fans & Contestants Flood Lucy Love as She Faces Latest Hardship

ABCRyan Seacrest with Lucy Love and her daughter on “American Idol”

Love has received supportive messages on social media from family members and friends stunned by his death along with Love’s fans and fellow “Idol” contestants.

On Love’s June 9 Instagram photo of her brother, Top 5 finalist Wé Ani wrote, “My love to my absolute soul sister! I love you so much!!!” and Love replied, “🙏🏾I love you 😭💔”

Elijah McCormick, a Platinum Ticket recipient who was Love’s duet partner during Hollywood Week, wrote, “Praying for you sis!! Love you ❤️🙏🏽”

Contestant Trey “Tre from the Fe” Louis, who made a lasting impact on many viewers with his story of surviving a school shooting, wrote, “My heart is with you Lucy Love. Your brother was so proud of you. Praying for your family.”

There’s also been an outpouring of love from friends and fans, including from one who wrote, “I’m so glad he got to accompany you on your American Idol journey! He was and truly is your angel. 🙏🏾❤️”

Another wrote, “Because of you, he got a chance to experience fame and fortune. I know he was proud of you.”

During Love’s journey on “Idol,” Love was open about the hardships she and her family have faced, from not growing up with a dad to struggling with poverty. During her audition, she told the judges that she was determined to escape that “generational cycle” and create a better life for her two young children, Noah and Nia.

“You’re gonna show those babies to never, ever give up on their dreams,” Perry told her.

During the Top 20 episode, Love told producers, “I come from a very strong and supportive family. We just didn’t have anything growing up, that’s all. I know about that. I know about wearing the same outfit for two and three weeks. I know about gluing my shoes back, clothes when they would tear up.”

That night, Love sang an original song called “Boulders” that she wrote while stranded on the side of the road, determined to be a “survivor” of her story. Inspired and moved, the judges loved her song and Perry told her she’d do more than survive her circumstances.

“You’re gonna thrive and you’re gonna show and you’re going to be a leader,” she said.

Phillip Phillips began his music journey back in 2011 when he auditioned for “American Idol” season 11. Since winning that season, the Georgia native has released four albums with his most recent one, “Drift Back,” coming out on June 9 after a five-year gap between his third and fourth album.

Phillips penned a message on Twitter in which he expressed what this album means to him after making his return. His fourth album called “Collateral” came out in 2018.

‘Drift Back’ Covers the ‘Wins & Losses’ for Phillip Phillips

Phillips, who is best known for hits like “Gone, Gone, Gone” and “Home,” released “Drift Back” on June 9. On the album are 10 songs with the lead track being “Dancing With Your Shadows.”

“The years that have passed since my last album have truly been life changing,” Phillips wrote on Twitter. “The world tilted on its axis. I became a Dad. I grew in my marriage. I learned to parent and be a husband during a pandemic.”

Phillips and his wife, Hannah, got engaged in 2014 and tied the knot on October 24, 2015. Their first child, Patch, was born on November 10, 2019.

He continued, “This album reflects the wins and losses I have experienced during those years. I have learned, loved, and lived.”

Phillip Phillips is ‘Excited’ About ‘Drift Back’

With his fourth album, Phillips is “excited” to make his return to music as he put a hold on his career amid his new marriage and the birth of his son. He released his first album called “The World From The Side of The Moon” in 2012 and followed that up two years later with “Behind The Light.”

He wrote in his Twitter post that he’s happy to be back doing what he loves.

“I am excited to drift back to what I’ve always loved with my fans and that is music,” he wrote. “I am so proud of this album and how it puts my soul into song and brings you all into my life a little bit, for better or worse.”

Phillips, who recently sang the National Anthem at Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals on on June 8, concluded by adding, “Let’s drift back to the good stuff.”

Phillip Phillips Won ‘American Idol’ Season 11

As the season 11 winner of “American Idol,” Phillips began his journey with an audition in Savannah, Georgia where he sang “Superstition” by Stevie Wonder. At the time, the judges were Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez, and Randy Jackson.

Jessica Sanchez finished as runner-up to Phillips, who performed “Home” as his coronation song which became his debut single. At the finale, he also sang Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me” and “Movin’ Out” by Billy Joel.

Phillips’ debut album earned a 2013 Billboard Music Awards nomination for Top Rock Album as well as Top Rock Song for “Home,” according to Ace Showbiz. In 2014, he won a BMI Pop Music Award for Award-Winning Songs as a songwriter for “Raging Fire.” The track was featured on his second album.

Since winning ‘Idol,’ Phillips has headlined six tours, including his most recent one in 2022 called “Where We Came From Tour.” He

If it hadn’t been for music superstar and “American Idol” judge Luke Bryan, fellow country artist and Season 10 “Idol” runner-up Lauren Alaina says she probably wouldn’t have met her fiancé, Cam Arnold.

After keeping the identity of her beau a secret for over two years, Alaina finally revealed him to the world — on the Grand Ole Opry stage — after he proposed in November 2022. But on June 7, 2023, she told Entertainment Tonight that she has Bryan to thank for finding her true love. Here’s what you need to know:

Lauren Alaina Met Her Future Husband Backstage at Luke Bryan Show

In her Entertainment Tonight interview, Alaina said she and Arnold are a perfect match in part because of their Georgia upbringings and that it only made sense that a fellow Georgian, Bryan, would be connected to their first meeting.

“If you spend five minutes with (Cam), you’d be like, ‘I get it,'” Alaina said. “I mean, he’s from Georgia. We’re both from Georgia. Actually, fun fact, we met in Mexico at the Crash My Playa (concert festival) that Luke Bryan has every year. Luke Bryan brought us together.”

Bryan has hosted Crash My Playa in Mexico each winter for the last eight years, according to Taste of Country. The four-day, all-inclusive event features a concert lineup of some of country music’s biggest stars. Alaina met Arnold while backstage at the festival as she chowed down on tacos, she told Entertainment Tonight, and she was taken by his sense of humor.

“He’s friends with Luke’s niece and her husband, so he was backstage and we were at the taco stand,” Alaina explained. “And apparently I ate my tacos really fast and he was like, ‘Nobody’s gonna take those tacos away from you!’ First thing he ever said to me. And that was when I knew.”

But she wasn’t the only one who felt a spark. Alaina gave Arnold her number, she said, and later learned that he went home knowing he’d found “the one.”

She said, “I gave him my number, but he came home and told his best friend, ‘I met the woman I’m gonna marry. And I did not leave Mexico feeling that way, but he was right. I’m gonna marry him.”

Alaina, 28, told Entertainment Tonight that her main reasons for marrying Arnold are that he’s “funny and hot.” When she shared their engagement on Instagram in November, she was a bit more effusive about their connection.

She wrote, “My best friend, @arnold.cam, asked me to marry him, and I announced it at my favorite place in the world, @opry. I didn’t know happiness and excitement like this existed. I can’t wait to be Mrs. Cameron Scott Arnold.”

Lauren Alaina Just Released New Album While Planning Her Wedding

GettyLainey Wilson and Lauren Alaina perform together during CMA Fest on June 8, 2023

Alaina has been busy performing at CMA Fest in Nashville and promoting her new album, called “Unlocked,” while juggling all that goes into planning a wedding.

In March, she told the morning show on Audacy’s K-FROG in Riverside, California, that Arnold had been tagging along and offering ideas as she planned their big day.

“I’m fully immersed,” she told the hosts about wedding planning. “Venue is booked, yesterday I had a full day of meeting with florists and caterers and photographers. He went to all of it.”

Meanwhile, she told Entertainment Tonight, “I’m actually getting my dress made and my mom and I went to New York and we tried on all these dresses. It was so sweet. One of my favorite memories ever, and my mom is thriving with this wedding.”

Though Alaina kept the identity of her beau quiet while they dated, Arnold actually revealed their relationship in an Instagram post on August 4, 2021, when he shared a photo of them dining at The Continental, a restaurant located within the Hyatt Hotel Nashville. Joking that his girlfriend had just found a job, he revealed in the post that it was their one-year anniversary of dating.

During an interview on Audacy’s Rob + Holly Show in February, Alaina excitedly described Arnold as “just a regular guy. He’s a business guy, goes to work every day in a suit.”

According to LinkedIn, Arnold earned his undergraduate degree at Auburn University in Alabama and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Middle Georgia State University. He moved to Nashville in 2015 and currently works as the Vice President of Sales for an insurance company based there.

The couple has not announced the date of their wedding — or if Luke Bryan’s invited.

For the second time in less than a month, “American Idol” alumni and celebrity mentor Jimmie Allen has been sued for sexual assault. According to court documents reviewed by Heavy, an accuser who wished to remain anonymous filed a lawsuit in Tennessee federal court on June 9, 2023, claiming that the country star not only continued their sexual encounter against her will after she asked him to stop, but also secretly filmed the assault. The new lawsuit comes after a whirlwind of bad news for the Grammy-nominated artist.

In mid-April, Allen and his wife, Alexis Gale, shared since-deleted Instagram posts to announce their separation and that they were expecting a third child together. On April 28, the couple quietly filed for divorce, according to Entertainment Tonight.

Less than two weeks later, on May 11, Variety revealed that Allen was being sued by his day-to-day manager for assault and sexual abuse. Allen denied any allegations of wrongdoing, per E! News, but admitted to having a sexual relationship with the woman, who was named “Jane Doe” in the filing.

In addition to watching his marriage implode, Allen’s record label, BBR Music Group, quickly decided to “suspend all activity with him, effective immediately,” per Billboard. Allen was also pulled from the CMA Fest lineup and dropped by his public relations agency, booking agency and new management company. Many of his summer concerts have also been canceled, too. Hours after news broke of the second lawsuit, according to Variety, BBR officially dropped him from the label, releasing a statement to say it no longer represents him.

New Accuser Took Jimmie Allen’s Phone & Turned It Into Police

GettyJimmie Allen and his wife Alexis Gale attended the 2023 MusiCares Persons of the Year gala in February 2023

In the newly filed lawsuit reviewed by Heavy, a woman identified as “Jane Doe 2” says that she was approached by Allen on a flight in May 2022. Allen’s bodyguard later found her in the airport to ask for her phone number, the lawsuit states, and that night in Nashville, she and her friends met up with the musician “for a fun evening on the town.”

After that, Allen and the woman communicated via FaceTime and multiple texts a day, she alleges, after Allen told her that he and Gale had separated.

According to the lawsuit, Allen led Jane Doe 2 to believe he was “currently separated from his wife, he loved Plaintiff, he wanted to marry her and have children with her, and he thought she would be a good stepmother for his children.” After two months of long-distance communication, the two agreed to meet in Las Vegas in July 2022, while he was in town for multiple public appearances.

“Allen offered to pay for her trip,” the lawsuit states, “however, Plaintiff insisted that she pay for her own plane ticket and requested that Allen book her a separate hotel room.”

Once in Las Vegas, she accompanied him during eight hours of public appearances, during which Allen repeatedly introduced her as his “girlfriend,” the lawsuit states, adding that later that night at the hotel, Allen and his bodyguard “enticed Plaintiff to come to Allen’s hotel room while they waited for her room” to be ready.

Though Jane Doe 2 was initially willing to be intimate with Allen, the lawsuit alleges that she was clear that she wanted him to use a condom, and that she said she was never told that he would be filming their encounter. When “Allen told Plaintiff he wanted to get her pregnant,” the lawsuit states, “Plaintiff said no.”

The lawsuit claims that Jane Doe 2 repeatedly asked Allen to stop during their sexual interaction, but he would not. When Allen “passed out,” she tried to quietly escape but noticed a phone propped up in the closet, recording their interaction. She tried to wake him to get him to delete the video, the lawsuit claims.

“Crying, shaking, and in a panic, Plaintiff took the phone with her,” the lawsuit says, and then called a friend who helped her find a new hotel. Once she flew home from Vegas, she turned Allen’s phone into her local police department. Authorities there reported the incident to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police, which has confirmed to People that a report was, indeed, filed.

Jane Doe 2 is now suing Allen for battery, assault, invasion of privacy and emotional distress. She is also suing his bodyguard and the company that his bodyguard worked for.

Lawyer Elizabeth Fegan, who specializes in representing victims of sexual abuse, now represents both women who have filed lawsuits against Allen. The second one decided to come forward after her friend heard news reports about the first. Fegan told Variety that detectives have contacted Jane Doe 2 to investigate. She also said she has heard from more accusers and suspects there will be additional lawsuits against Allen.

Jimmie Allen Denied First Round of Allegations

GettyJimmie Allen, Lionel Richie, and Smokey Robinson attend the 2022 American Music Awards in November 2022

After the first lawsuit was filed and became public in May, Allen deleted most of his Instagram posts, issued a public apology to Gale, and denied the allegations in the first lawsuit, which accused him of repeatedly assaulting the young woman who’d been hired as his day-to-day manager, including raping her during a trip to Los Angeles in March 2021 after he filmed an episode of “American Idol” as a celebrity guest, per Variety.

Allen was originally a contestant on “American Idol” during Season 10 in 2011, and though he was eliminated before the live rounds, he became close with fellow contestant Scotty McCreery, who eventually won the season. McCreery brought Allen on his 2018 concert tour as his opening act, per Taste of Country, and Allen eventually landed his own record deal. In recent years, he has been featured on “Idol” as a performer and, in 2022, as a celebrity mentor to contestants.

In March, he wrapped up many months of opening for “Idol” winner Carrie Underwood on her “Denim & Rhinestones” tour, during which they frequently appeared together onstage for a duet and choreographed dance.

Before their last show in Seattle on March, Music Mayhem Magazine reported that she wrote in her Instagram stories, “I’m sitting in our dressing room right now before our very last show on the Denim & Rhinestones Tour. It’s very bittersweet and it’s been an absolutely incredible run that we’ve had. The fans have been amazing beyond words. Thank you to the band, crew and Jimmie Allen, his people.”

Weeks later, after Allen was hit with the first sexual assault lawsuit in May, he issued a statement denying all wrongdoing, per E! News.

“It is deeply troubling and hurtful that someone I counted as one of my closest friends, colleagues and confidants would make allegations that have no truth to them whatsoever,” he said in the statement. “I acknowledge that we had a sexual relationship—one that lasted for nearly two years.”

Despite the swift implosion of his music career and personal life, Billboard reported that on May 17, Allen upload an Instagram Story that read, ““We Gonna Be Alright … This Too Shall Pass.” Allen has since posted periodic song clips and, on June 1, a photo of him doing a yoga pose on a large rock next to Lake Tahoe in Nevada. At the time of publication, he had not publicly addressed the latest lawsuit.

After winning season 20 of “American Idol,” Noah Thompson has finally released his first EP album called “Middle of God Knows Where” on June 9, 2023.

The album, which is published under the 19 Recordings label, is comprised of six songs, including the fourth track which shares the album namesake. “One Day Tonight” kicks off the EP with “She Gets It From Me” and “Us No More” following. The last two songs are “Make You Rich” and “Stay.”

‘American Idol’ Fans Will Recognize ‘Stay” From Noah Thompson

There’s usually one or two songs from ‘Idol’ winners during their respective seasons that serve as their most recognizable moments. For the country-singing Thompson, it was actually a song that was out of his comfort zone, but with that, he changed to fit his style in Rihanna’s “Stay.”

He performed the R&B song during the season 20 Showstoppers round, which earned him a spot in the Top 24 and set him up for his eventual win. In an interview with Taste of Country, Thompson explained what it is about that track that resonates with him so much.

“I just think the lyrics and everything are so beautiful,” Thompson said to the outlet. “Anybody can connect with that song, man. You know what I’m saying, with their significant other, whatever…That’s just a beautifully written song. I love the lyrics of that song. It’s just very deep and meaningful.”

Thompson also sang the song on finale night in which he heard his name read off by Ryan Seacrest as the winner over runner-up HunterGirl. In that interview with Taste of Country Nights, he expressed how “pumped” he was when his label asked him to include his own country version of “Stay” on his EP, nothing that everyone with the record company was “down for it.”

Noah Thompson is Getting Good Early Response From Fans on His EP

 

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On the night ahead of his midnight release of “Middle of God Knows Where,” Thompson shared a message on Instagram where he shared his gratitude for this milestone moment.

“Tonight’s the night y’all, hard to believe I’m putting out my very first project for you guys,” he wrote. “My life has changed so much in such a short matter of time and it’s all because of you, can’t thank you all enough for supporting me.”

The early response from his fans are overwhelmingly positive. His Instagram post that announced that the album was released is flooded with comments approving the debut EP. One fan wrote, “Love them all, can’t wait to buy the vinyl record someday. You will go far.”

Another wrote under the post, “Congratulations Noah. You are doing awesome and you are definitely teaching your son to reach for his goals. I’m super happy for you my friend and love all your music.”

In addition to releasing his album on June 9, Thompson has been in attendance at the 50th CMA Fest in Nashville with various performances, including a June 7 appearance with former “American Idol” singers as part of the 19 Takeover. The festival runs from June 8 to June 11.

Eight recent “American Idol” winners and finalists took the stage at The Valentine in Nashville on June 7, 2023, which was so packed that some fans couldn’t get into the venue. The main draw for the audience seemed to be this year’s Top 3 — third-place finisher Colin Stough, runner-up Megan Danielle, and winner Iam Tongi.

Rounding out the roster of performers at the “19 Takeover” concert, put on by “Idol’s” record label partner 19 Entertainment, were Season 21 Top 8 finalist Haven Madison, Season 20 Top 5 finalist Fritz Hager, Season 18 Top 11 contestant Grace Leer, Season 20 winner Noah Thompson, and Season 20 runner-up HunterGirl, who also served as emcee for the concert, joking that she got the gig because Ryan Seacrest couldn’t make it.

The Valentine — a four-story bar, restaurant, and music venue in Nashville’s Lower Broadway district — streamed the concert live on Instagram, though the audio and visual quality were spotty throughout the evening. Stough and Danielle’s performances captured the bustling crowd’s attention, to be sure, but it was Tongi, crowned the Season 21 winner less than three weeks ago, who truly stole the show as fans screamed and showered him with gifts throughout his set. While the other “Idol” stars played four songs each, the 18-year-old wound up singing seven.

In addition to fans who packed two stories of the venue to catch a glimpse of the new stars, several Season 21 contestants attended the special concert and posted social media photos from behind the scenes, including Austin Markham, Jon Wayne Hatfield, Top 20 contestant Hannah Nicolaisen, and the Top 8’s Oliver Steele. Heavy’s got the highlights — here’s what you need to know:

Noah Thompson, HunterGirl & Others Performed New Music

Heavy/Getty

A backup band accompanied all eight of the performers during the “19 Takeover” concert, which served as an informal kickoff to CMA Fest, happening in Nashville through June 11. The show kicked off with Season 20 contestant Fritz Hager, who finished in the Top 5 but has since landed a record deal with 19 Entertainment.

Wearing a striped black shirt, black pants and high-top sneakers, the 21-year-old Texas native told the crowd he moved to Nashville in January, but that this was his first live concert in town since settling in. Electric guitar in hand, the alternative-pop singer-songwriter rocked out to his recent single, “Two Step,” as well as his previously-released “Secret’s Out,” “Caroline,” and a song called “Bad Day” that he said he hopes to release soon.

“Thank you guys so much or having me,” he yelled at the end of his set, blowing kisses to the crowd. “You’ve been amazing!”

Next up was Season 18’s Grace Leer, wearing a bright red sleeveless top and jean shorts. The country singer, whose newest single “My Mind’s Made Up” is gaining steam on the charts, sweetly gave a shout out to her dad in the crowd. In addition to her new song, Lee’s set included a tune called “Somethin’ About” and her previously released “Ones Before Me” about women in country music.

Season 20 runner-up HunterGirl — dressed in a short black dress with a denim jacket and white cowboy boots — re-introduced herself and performed four songs with the band, including her “Idol” single “Red Bird” and a new song called “Lonely Out of You,” prompting the crowd to sway their hands in the air during the chorus.

The fifth performer was high school student Haven Madison from nearby Clarksville, Tennessee. Dressed in a crop top with gold shimmering pants and black Doc Marten boots, the singer performed her original tune “15,” which captured the judges attention on Season 21 of “Idol.” She also told the crowd she’d always wanted to be a musician but that “I live in a town where you gotta be in a sport or you’re nothin.'”

Madison played the powerful ballad she wrote for her brother, “Still Need You,” and got the crowd to sing along to Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On a Prayer,” which she also performed on “Idol.” Next up, Madison will headline a concert in Clarksville on June 11 with fellow Top 8 contender Steele.

After a quick intro from Leer, Season 20 winner Noah Thompson took the stage holding a drink, which he didn’t let go of throughout his set. Thompson touted the June 9 release of his first EP several times in between singing the title track, “Middle of God Knows Where,” as well as “She Gets It From Me” and his biggest hit thus far, “One Day Tonight,” which has over 23 million streams on Spotify alone.

Before signing autographs for the front row and leaving the stage, Thompson told the audience, “You guys changed my life. I mean that from the bottom of my heart. I appreciate y’all, everything you do for me, your support.”

Season 21’s Colin Stough & Megan Danielle Were Nervous But Kept Crowd Cheering

ABCMegan Danielle & Colin Stough sing a duet on “American Idol”

Both Stough and Danielle showed some nerves on stage, but the crowd loved them regardless. In fact, before HunterGirl could even introduce Stough, who performed in between Grace Leer and HunterGirl, many in the audience screamed at the sight of his white cowboy hat as he approached the side of the stage.

Wearing a t-shirt, jeans and leather vest, the 18-year-old from Mississippi was talkative during his first-ever show in Nashville. A third of the way through his first song, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Simple Man,” Stough missed a line and laughed, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I messed that up!” He then encouraged the audience to sing along on “Stone” by Whiskey Myers, a tune he preformed on “Idol” that the celebrity judges raved about.

Before playing his new single, “I Still Talk to Jesus,” co-written by “Idol” alum Francisco Martin, the buzzing crowd quieted down as he got introspective about what the song means to him.

“As a human being, I’ve had some hard times in my life,” Stough said. “I know everybody has hard times. Adversity is supposed to happen, everybody. It’s supposed to happen. This song got put in front of me to cut and record and I did and I almost didn’t. And man I’m glad I did, ’cause we’re sitting at five million plays. I didn’t do that – all y’all did it!”

As the crowd cheered, Stough went on to briefly talk his belief in God and that everything happens for a reason, telling the crowd, “It took a long time for me to put that in my head, but when I did, this song got brought my way. And who knew that it would be on the Billboard charts!”

The crowd was enthralled with the grit in Stough’s vocals and falsetto notes on the song, with one attendee heard on the livestream saying, “This guy’s amazing!” The teen got choked up at the end of the tune and shared, “I told my manager that it’s gonna be hard for me to do it live. It hits me deep every single time – I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it.”

Stough also sang a song he wrote with a buddy in his basement called “Bad Day” before appearing on “Idol” and reflected about how much his life had changed since then. He laughed, “If you took a fish that knows how to swim and you put him on land and he had to learn how to walk, that’s me right here!”

Meanwhile, Danielle wowed the crowd with her vocals, too, playing four songs after Thompson’s set. She walked up to the mic with a cheat sheet of lyrics, which she set on a stool next to her, and admitted that “literally ever time I come on stage, I’m shaking!”

But the nerves didn’t show as she belted out Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” and John Prine’s “Angel From Montgomery,” both songs she also performed on “Idol.” Danielle also sang her new single, “Dream Girl,” telling the crowd that it reminds her “anything is possible” with her faith in and relationship with God. She wrapped up her set with Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain.”

On June 8, Danielle posted a series of photos on Instagram from the concert and wrote, “Last night @thevalentinenashville I had so much fun. Thank you God.”

A fan who was at the concert replied, “Best show ever. So fortunate to have met you and get a pick with you. Thank you so much!! You are such a sweet person.”

Fans Swoon Over Iam Tongi, Delivering Gifts & Shouting Their Love During Concert

ABCIam Tongi performs on “Live With Kelly and Mark” on May 23, 2023

While all of the “Idol” alumni got warm receptions from the audience, there was a palpable difference in the reaction to Tongi — dressed in shorts, flip-flops, and a dark t-shirt under a white button-up short-sleeve shirt — as the crowd screamed for him before he appeared. Once he was on the stage, the Hawaii native smiled, leaned into the microphone and gave them his signature “Yessah!”

As the laid-back 18-year-old prepared to sing his first single, “I’ll Be Seeing You,” various people yelled out that they loved him. When he replied, “Love you guys,” the crowd went wild. He had the audience’s rapt attention as he sang the song, with many people filming the moment on their phones. At the end of the song, the crowd screamed wildly again and several fans at the front gifted him with necklaces or leis.

Tongi also sang “Cool Down” by Kolohe Kai, which he said was one of his favorite tunes her performed on “American Idol,” and he did a reprise of “Monsters,” the James Blunt song he famously performed during his audition, viewed on YouTube by over 19 million people, and on the finale.

Tongi then performed three original tunes he said he’d written but had yet to release or share with anyone. In one ballad about a lost love, he sang: Love is nothing like the movies, they were selling lies / Still love you anyways but to you, I was just some other guy / You just wasted my time, you wounded my pride / And the love I thought we had, I guess it was all in my mind.

As the band wrapped up their gear, Tongi played one last song to appease the crowd, which clearly didn’t want his set to end. Before singing “Cover Me Up” by Morgan Wallen, he dedicated it to his “Idol” friends Stough and Steele, who was filming him on his phone in the front row and held up lyrics to the song for him.

All eight of the “Idol” alumni who appeared during the concert are also performing during CMA Fest, which will not only be a first for the Top 3, but for Thompson, too, who is scheduled to appear on the Chevy Vibes Stage on June 10, per WYMT.