Colin Stough’s ‘American Idol’ Journey Comes To An End
Where did Colin Stough land in the ‘American Idol’ competition?
Colin Stough; Photo Courtesy ABC, American Idol
Colin Stough’s American Idol journey came to an end on Sunday (May 21) after he covered Keith Urban’s “Stupid Boy” during the season 21 finale of American Idol.
Stough, who is a longtime fan of Keith Urban, was thrilled to learn that Urban was a guest mentor.
“By far my favorite mentor we’ve had… This is someone who I grew up to listening to his music.” he excitedly shared.
A Keith Urban Cover
Stough took the stage with his electric guitar in hand. Wearing a cowboy hat, a white western-style shirt and a brown vest, the Mississippi native owned the stage as he sang, “She laid her heart and soul right in your hands/ And you stole her every dream and you crushed her plans/ She never even knew she had a choice/ And that’s what happens when the only voice she hears is telling her she can’t/ Stupid boy/ Stupid boy, oh.”
Following Colin Stough’s performance, Luke Bryan took a moment to reflect on Stough’s Idol journey.
“Colin, you being you baby, you being you, it’s been a pleasure just seeing how you’ve navigated this competition and how you’ve grown. You’ve developed into your artistic look and your style,” he told him. “You got moments where you look gritty and you’ve got moment where you tender it up and sing softer and sing louder. So man, you’ve just come so far from the kid that walked in at auditions and kudos to you buddy, kudos.”
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Lionel Richie also praised Stough’s growth.
“I remember when you first came in and you went through the first half of the competition, you said ‘who me?’ and I’m saying ‘yes, you’ and then as time goes on… Now, you’ve got a little attitude about yourself and you’re singing love songs and the girls are screaming. All I want you to know is enjoy the ride, we are very proud of you,” he shared.
Katy Perry referenced Stough’s role as a former HVAC repair main when it was her turn to speak.
“Well that was tenderoni pepperoni… it was so sweet Colin,” she said. “I think when we met you, you were doing HVAC, you know making sure, keeping it cool and stuff… I feel like when you were here with us in the very beginning you were at like 10% and now I think you’re at like 60-70%. You hear when you give them a twirl how they react… When you hit 100% out in the real world, watch out buddy it’s gonna be hot and you’re going to need your own air conditioning.”
Colin Stough later returned to the stage to perform a cover of Chris Stapleton’s “Either Way.”
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“What I love about you is you are so much better than I originally thought you were,” Luke Bryan admitted. “The reason that made me go that way is your ability to that with you and your guitar. When you can do that, you’ve got it kicked in the rear buddy. You’ve got it. Just love seeing you grow buddy, congratulations, great performance.”
“I loved what you just gave us. I think that is your sweet spot when you can just bring everybody in and sing to them like they’re the only people in the room. You just play like you play and then you just give them that grit like you know how to do it,” Katy Perry said.
The fast-rising country singer’s fate was revealed in the midst, when host Ryan Seacrest announced the Top 2 as Iam Tongi and Megan Danielle.
Colin Stough auditioned for American Idol with Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Simple Man.”
After his audition, Colin Stough went on to sing songs such as “Cold” by Chris Stapleton, “Midnight Train To Memphis” by The SteelDrivers, “Pretty Heart” by Parker McCollum, “Dancing On My Own” by Robyn, “Midnight Rider” by The Allman Brothers, “It’s Been While” by Staind, “Hand In My Pocket” by Alanis Morissette and more.
His debut single, “I Still Talk To Jesus,” is out now.
Live from Hollywood, the three-hour Season 21 finale of American Idol also featured performances from the Idol judges, Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie, as well as the top 3 finalists: Megan Danielle, Colin Stough, and Iam Tongi.
Additionally, Ellie Goulding, Jelly Roll, Pitbull, TLC, Lil Jon, James Blunt, Jazmine Sullivan, REO Speedwagon’s Kevin Cronin, Kylie Minogue, Lainey Wilson and Lauren Daigle also performed throughout the broadcast.
American Idol alums Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken also returned to the show.
Keith Urban Was A Guest Mentor
Country superstar Keith Urban, who served as an American Idol judge during seasons 12 to 15, was on hand to mentor the top 3.
“To be able to come in as a mentor, and play as well, is incredible,” he told PEOPLE. “That was home for me for several seasons, and the mentoring part is probably one of the things I always enjoyed the most, getting to work with the artist one-on-one.”
During the show, several other fan-favorite contestants returned to the American Idol stage, including Haven Madison, Olive Steele, Wé Ani, Zachariah Smith, Warren Peay, and more.
Hosted by Ryan Seacrest, the American Idol season 21 finale aired on Sunday, May 21 at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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