For those of you who haven’t watched American Idol in a while, some might have thought they tuned into a church service on Monday evening (March 30). But instead, it was the long-running talent show’s second-annual “Songs of Faith” night.
The show — which featured a variety of Christian music, a moment of prayer and multiple expressions of faith in Jesus — opened with judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Ritchie singing “Jesus is Love” with contestants, and Carrie Underwood later singing “How Great Thou Art.”
Expressing gratitude for the opportunity to feature a faith-focused night during Easter week, Underwood gushed at one point how she was ready for her church’s upcoming Easter service. Other contestants expressed excitement about the theme, and some appeared visibly filled with emotion as they spoke with judges after their performances.
‘Incredible’ opportunity
Among Christian songs sang by contestants included Kyndal Inskeep singing “Nothing but the Blood of Jesus,” Lucas Leon singing “Gratitude,” Jordan McCullough singing “I can only Imagine” and Hannah Harper singing “At the Cross.”
“An opportunity to give an invitation on this platform is incredible,” said 25-year-old Harper of Missouri as she wiped away tears.
Underwood told her “I loved your version of that. I could feel your heart in it, and I was right there with you.”
The country star, known for being an outspoken Christian and her popular song “Jesus, take the wheel,” has reportedly, according to various news outlets, been a “big advocate” for the special theme and “pushed to make this night happen.”
‘Unprecedented’ conclusion
The show concluded with an “unprecedented” conclusion when show host Ryan Seacrest said he was unable to announce who made it into the Top 12 because of the overwhelming number of votes still needing to be counted. The announcement meant the results will be revealed next week.
“First time it’s ever happened,” Seacrest said. “Believe me, I’ve been here every night. We want to make sure we get every vote counted.”
Other links:
Carrie Underwood’s ‘American Idol’ Influence Sparks Backstage Buzz -Yahoo!
IDOL: Hannah Harper Moved To Tears By Songs Of Faith Night Performance -Country Rebel
‘American Idol’ Songs of Faith Night: Hannah Harper, Lucas Leon and More Deliver Standout Performances – Country Now
‘American Idol’ Recap: A Last Minute Elimination Update Shocks the Judges & Contestants – TV Insider
The links above are a sampling of headlines related to the story and are not an endorsement of all viewpoints or reporting.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written and compiled by Shawn Hendricks, director of content for TAB Media’s The Baptist Paper and The Alabama Baptist.
