Megan Danielle Crowned ‘American Idol’ Runner-Up After Covering Keith Urban, Journey, & More
The Georgia native’s ‘American Idol’ journey came to an end.
MEGAN DANIELLE; Photo by ABC/Eric McCandless
Megan Danielle bid farewell to American Idol on Sunday evening (May 21). The Georgia native was revealed as the runner-up on season 21 during the star-studded Idol finale.
Prior to her departure from the show, Megan Danielle performed several times. First, she took the stage with a soaring cover of a Keith Urban hit.
She showcased her incredible vocals with a performance of Keith Urban’s 2020 hit, “God Whispered Your Name.”
Donning a blue shattered glass dress, Megan Danielle commanded the stage as she belted out the angelic lyrics.
“And then God whispered your name/ And that’s when everything changed/ And love came out of the rain/ And talk about being saved,” she sang.
The Georgia native’s performance earned praise from each of the American Idol judges.
“You know there’s some people you kind of have to introduce them to BBQ sauce and then some people just have natural BBQ sauce abilities. The cry in your voice is everything,” Lionel Richie applauded.
Katy Perry complimented Danielle’s growth as an artist and a performer.
“I think you really like this new version of you. It’s a version of you that’s always been inside of you and it’s so comfortable and proud of how far you’ve come and I think our job here is done because that’s the gift,” she proudly shared.
Luke Bryan couldn’t help but to comment on the 20-year-old’s spot-on vocals.
“I don’t know I have not heard you make one bad vocal decision all year. I have not heard you miss a note and through all that you have done it stylistically in your own way,” he said. “Your voice is your own voice and it’s just very inspiring… It’s been inspiring to watch you grow.”
She later returned to the stage to perform a cover of Journey’s “Faithfully,” which brought Katy Perry and Luke Bryan to tears.
“I think this is what parent’s do when their kids graduate,” Katy Perry said, “you aced this class and what you gave us at the end was phenomenal.”
“I love this show because I just cry all the time,” Luke Bryan joked. “The only time I cry and I know people at home are being affected by this too. You just make people feel so many emotions… I’m just happy for you and it was just beautiful from top to bottom.”
The finale also included Danielle performing her debut single, “Dream Girl,” and a duet between the rising star and Lauren Daigle.
Megan Danielle first turned heads on American Idol when she auditioned with Lauren Daigle’s “You Say.” She went on to perform songs such as “Up to the Mountain (MLK Song)” by Patty Griffin, “Always Remember Us This Way” by Lady Gaga, “Easy On Me” by Adele, “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac, “Holy Water” by We The Kingdom, “Thank God I Do” by Lauren Daigle, “Angel from Montgomery” by Bonnie Raitt, “Go Rest High on That Mountain” by Vince Gill, “Head Over Feet” by Alanis Morissette, and more.
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.
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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