‘American Idol’ Finalist Will Moseley Bids Emotional Farewell: ‘This Is Just The Launch Pad Of My Music Career’

Will Moseley wrapped up his time on American Idol during the Season 22 finale on Sunday, May 19. Throughout the live show, he delivered a string of unforgettable performances and was ultimately named the runner-up alongside his fellow finalists, Jack Blocker who took third place, and Abi Carter who was crowned the next “American Idol.” 

For his first performance of the evening, Moseley wowed the Idol judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie in his delivery of Jon Bon Jovi’s iconic tune, “It’s My Life.” Being that the first round was dedicated to rock icons, it was only fitting that Bon Jovi provided some guidance to each of the Top 3 contestants before they took the stage. 

Their mentorship session consisted of Bon Jovi pulling out a more confident side to Moseley, as he encouraged him to give the tune a whole lot more power. Moseley did just that and more when he appeared in front of the live audience. 

Judges Share Their Thoughts

Richie was the first to commend Moseley on his stellar performance. With pride beaming from his voice, Richie said, “All I’m gonna say to you is, you’re there. Let it go from now on to the rest of your career. Let it go and enjoy yourself.”

Perry also had nothing but excitement and praise for the contestant. Plus, she and Bryan made note of the fact that this performance was a rare moment for Moseley as his guitar did not accompany him on stage. 

“From the moment we met you behind the guitar, kind of shy…and now you’re singing at a huge register, you sound like Jon Bon Jovi, and you’re giving like air guitar, you’re totally free, Will,” Perry shared. 

“It’s just fun to watch you. I wouldn’t have thought you would have never not had a guitar in the front of the season because that was kind of your deal,” Bryan added. “But just to get out here and really take Jon bon Jovi’s advice…and that thing had some teeth on it. You were making it count. Great Job, way to start the night off.”

Moseley Returns To Hometown In Georgia

Round two kicked off with “Hometown Dedications,” which documented the moments when Blocker, Carter and Moseley each returned to their respective communities for a “hero’s welcome.” During their visits, the aspiring singers also got to perform, reunite with friends and family, and surprise each of their local music programs with the news that CMA Foundation and ABC pledged to donate $20,000 to these organizations that had such an impact on the finalists when they were growing up. 

Up first was Moseley, who started off his clip by reflecting on the fact that just one year ago, he was graduating from Georgia Southern University and had made it his mission to give music his full attention. 

“I gave myself a year to try and make music a career, and it looks like it’s working out,” he shared. 

He was welcomed back to Hazlehurst, GA with open arms by family members and friends while starting out his visit at his childhood home. The support continued when Moseley gave viewers a tour of the small-town community, visited some of his “youngest supporters” at his former primary school and finally, performed a gratitude-filled concert at the local high school football stadium.  

“I think if there’s one thing that I could tie this whole day up on, I just hope people see who I am, how much love is in my heart, and why its there. It’s because of this community, it’s the best place in the world. I’ll never believe any different,” he shared at the end of the video. 

For one last tribute to Hazlehurst, GA, the 23-year-old took to the Idol stage to deliver a cover of Montgomery Gentry’s “My Town.”

Other Performances Throughout The Night

Moseley performed several more times during the star-studded evening, thus allowing the depth of his vocals to shine throughout various genres. He joined the Season 22 Top 12 contestants in performing “Running With The Night” with Idol judge, Lionel Richie, then came back out with only the Male contestants to sing Neil Diamond’s “America” alongside past Idol WINNER Nick Fradiani. His final collaboration took place with Hootie & The Blowfish, who appeared for a soulful rendition of “Let Her Cry.”

Debuted Latest Single, “Good Book Bad”

As the show neared the end, the Top two contestants, Moseley and Carter got to have a very special moment with the audience when they each took the stage to debut their brand-new singles. Moseley put his heart on the line and displayed a tremendous amount of emotion while singing the lyrics to his song titled “Good Book Bad.” This original track was penned by Thomas Archer, Jordan Walker and Lalo Guzman and was official released Friday, May 14 via 19 Recordings / BMG Nashville.

“‘Good Book Bad’ is a song that just instantly connects,” Moseley shared in a recent release. “From the first time I heard a demo of the song I knew the guys that wrote it had something very special, and I was honored to be a part of it. It’s a song that takes you through bad decisions, unexpected blessings, and the trials of life while always reminding you where the answers are found. I’ve had friends in these exact situations and have had my fair share of screw-ups and I think that’s what makes the song so special to me.”

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A post shared by Will Moseley (@willmoseleymusic)

The talented singer celebrated the end of his journey by taking to social media to reflect on his time on Idol, and revealed that this is “just the beginning” of his career.  

“Feeling incredibly blessed to have been a part of this amazing journey. Finishing this journey on a high note and this is just the beginning! Get ready America, because this is just the launch pad of my music career. Here comes Will #idol,” he wrote in the post.