Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie Deliver Powerful ‘Jesus Is Love’ Performance With ‘American Idol’ Top 20

Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie joined forces with the American Idol Top 20 for a powerful performance of “Jesus Is Love” on Monday evening (March 30).

The moment took place during American Idol’s first live show of Season 24 on ABC. The special “Songs of Faith” episode featured the Top 14 contestants delivering heartfelt, inspirational performances centered around faith. The Top 14 was determined through a combination of viewer votes, including texts, online submissions, and social media responses tied to the Top 20’s “Ohana Week” performances. By the end of the night, the competition narrowed once again, with just 12 finalists advancing to the next round based on America’s vote.

Richie opened the performance with the first verse, setting a soulful and emotional tone before Bryan joined in shortly after. As the song built, members of the Top 20 gradually filled the stage behind them, creating a moving, choir-like atmosphere that elevated the performance and emphasized the song’s powerful message.

“Jesus Is Love” is a gospel classic written by Richie and originally recorded by his band, Commodores, for their 1980 album Heroes.

The night also marked the first time this season that the judges took the stage. Carrie Underwood delivered a powerful performance of “How Great Thou Art” alongside 2025 Platinum Ticket winners Filo, Canaan James Hill, and Kolbi Jordan.

The “Songs of Faith” episode was first introduced during Season 23 in 2025 in recognition of the Easter season.

“It was a discussion that started at a dinner with the judges, some people from ABC, and myself,” Idol showrunner and executive producer Megan Michaels Wolflick told Rolling Stone.

“We watch myriad Christmas specials. We don’t ever see a faith-based spring Easter-style show. So we kind of embraced that. It was a special show, and people loved it; the ratings were pretty amazing,” she revealed.

Following the success of last year’s episode, producers decided to bring it back again this year.

American Idol will return to ABC on April 6 with the “’90s Judges Song Contest” episode, where contestants will perform iconic ‘90s hits secretly selected by Bryan, Richie, or Underwood. The episode will also feature a nostalgic twist, as stars from ABC’s “TGIF” ‘90s lineup join the hopefuls in the lounge while America votes for the Top 11.