“American Idol” sent two more hopefuls home during the Iconic Idol Moments episode of the ABC reality competition show on Monday, April 29. Contestants Filo and Che were eliminated after a very great show with performances that made it one of the best overall shows of the season.

Advancing to sing another week were Slater Nalley, Gabby Samone, Jamal Roberts, Josh King, John Foster, Canaan James Hill, Thunderstorm Artis, Mattie Pruitt, Breanna Nix, and Kolbi Jordan. The show was a memorable one for the contestants as they were mentored by American Idol Season Three winner Fantasia.

AMERICAN IDOL – 814 (Iconic Idol Moments) – The Top 12 perform unforgettable songs inspired by iconic American Idol moments, honoring the show’s legendary history. Season three winner Fantasia returns to the Idol stage, and artist in residence Jelly Roll joins our live studio audience. MONDAY, APRIL 28 (8:00-10:01 p.m. EDT) on ABC. (Disney/Frank Micelotta)
JAMAL ROBERTS

“[Fantasia] told me I was anointed,” Jamal Roberts said in an interview backstage after the show. ‘She says, “no matter what you say, basically, and telling the story like you are.” Dennis, you made a point to really, really focus on making sure that the soul connect, and that, you know, her whole thing, the biggest thing that she helped me with, putting a modulation the whole performance, and helped me to connect and show emotion. So she, I would say, overall, her biggest, most helpful point was just to always make sure that the arrangement of the song.”

From Mississippi, Jamal learned many songs he sang in the competition for the first time. “I deal with kids all the time, and I’m learning new ways to help them learn PLA or whatever it is, and I just applied it to myself and whatever it takes. I mean, you got to do you got to do going home. So I just keep that mentality, and I just put my best foot forward.”

For John Foster, the 18-year-old college student, the song that was his Idol moment was to sing a song that Carrie did. “I Told You So” was a duet she sang with Randy Travis. Carrie is a fan of the song and John’s rendition of the song put him straight into The Top 10.

“Well, I’m always like when she when I chose this song, initially, I knew that, I mean, I chose it for a reason,” John said. Because of her, you know, she’s the reason for the fact that pressure was on because, you know, she has such a great song. But, um, I knew that I had to sing, sure, and I knew that I had to let America know my passion for the song and music by doing thing with her.

AMERICAN IDOL – 814 (Iconic Idol Moments) – The Top 12 perform unforgettable songs inspired by iconic American Idol moments, honoring the show’s legendary history. Season three winner Fantasia returns to the Idol stage, and artist in residence Jelly Roll joins our live studio audience. MONDAY, APRIL 28 (8:00-10:01 p.m. EDT) on ABC. (Disney/Frank Micelotta)
JOHN FOSTER

For Gabby Samone, who sang “A Song For You” by Donny Hathaway performed by Season Five alum Elliott Yamin, meeting Fantasia was overwhelming, and she talked of her reaction to the judges’ comments.

“What performance tonight was very emotional, not usually that emotional, but this really brought out a lot of childhood memories and things like that, because I didn’t I grew up,” the Baltimore native said. “I grew up super insecure, and even up until a few months ago, I was still insecure. I didn’t know this was something that I was going to have as a career in for the rest of my life. I just wasn’t super confident in myself and my voice and my artist. So this song was about me and about that little girl who was insecure and love herself. And this was emotional for me for the judges to see that.”

Next week American Idol does “Ladies’ Night.”  The show celebrates the Iconic Women of Music, featuring Miranda Lambert, as the Top 10 return hoping to earn a spot in the Top 8. America votes live to decide who moves one step closer to becoming the next American Idol. And on Monday, May 5, “American Idol” continues as the Top 8 become the Top 6 as the show has its annual the judges songs contest. Carrie, Luke, and Lionel pick the songs that the contestants will sing. America votes in the Top 6 and then the judges will save one person leaving us with the Top 7.

“American Idol” airs Sundays and Mondays on ABC, next day on Hulu.

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