PHOTOS: ‘American Idol’s’ Colin Stough, Megan Danielle, Iam Tongi, Oliver Steele, And More Reunite At All-Star Nashville Showcase
Steele penned a heartfelt message about the reunion and compared seeing his fellow Idol alums to “family.”
Jon Wayne Hatfield, Haven Madison, Colin Stough, Megan Danielle, Iam Tongi, Oliver Steele; Photo via Instagram
American Idol standouts Jon Wayne Hatfield, Haven Madison, Colin Stough, Megan Danielle, Oliver Steele, and winner, Iam Tongi, recently reunited in Nashville.
The Idol alumni gathered at The Valentine, a multi-level bar and music venue, located on Lower Broadway in the heart of Music City, for “19 Takeover,” during the week of CMA Fest.
The Season 21 contestants were also joined by Season 20 champion, Noah Thompson, HunterGirl (Season 20), Fritz Hager (Season 20), and Grace Leer (Season 18).
Several of the Idol alums performed at the event and others came by to hang out with the friends they made on the show.
Steele, who resides just outside of Nashville in Mt. Juliet, documented the reunion on social media where he shared several photos and a heartfelt message.
“Truth be told, I’ve been having a bit of a rough time since the end of the show. Whether it’s been getting sick, watching family pass away suddenly, or feeling stuck, I haven’t felt the same,” Steele admitted. “There’s been a constant feeling of something missing. I thought maybe I felt stuck, like things weren’t happening fast enough for me, despite trying to remind myself to be patient. But after the incredible show at @thevalentinenashville last night, I realized something.”
Steele went on to share that he realized that “nothing has felt the same, because nothing IS the same.”
He compared the bonds he made with his fellow contestants to family and lifted his friends up as he reflected on the life-changing American Idol experience.
“These incredible artists that make up a crazy little family, this group of people who all went through the same shared experience? They’ve taken flight. We all knew that the experience of being on the show would come to an end. I guess I didn’t account for making so many incredible friends and forging such strong bonds,” Steele continued. “We went from seeing each other every single day, to now hardly seeing one another at all! But that’s okay. My new family is soaring high and reaching new heights all of us never dreamed of. And I shed tears of joy last night watching them shine on stage, getting to tell them how good it was to see them, and just laughing together like old times.”
The Top 10 contestant closed his post with a sweet revelation about the show.
“Going on @americanidol means more than just competing,” he said. “It’s more than a trophy or a record deal. It’s finding family you never thought you’d have. Forging memories that will last a lifetime.”
Thompson, Tongi, HunterGirl, Danielle, Stough, Madison, Hager, and Leer performed during the “19 Takeover” event.
Season 21 winner, Iam Tongi, runner-up Megan Danielle, and third-place finalist, Colin Stough are fresh off the memorable American Idol finale, which took place on May 21, 2023. The finalists released their debut singles during their time on the show.
Tongi turned heads with the emotional “I’ll Be Seeing You,” Danielle inspired listeners with “Dream Girl,” and Stough tugged at heartstrings with “I Still Talk To Jesus.”
Meanwhile, Thompson, who was crowned the winner of American Idol Season 20, released his debut EP, Middle Of God Knows Where, on June 9. Season 20 runner-up, HunterGirl, is currently riding on the success of her latest release, “Lonely Outta You.”
Leer, a Top 11 contestant from Season 18, recently released her new single, “My Mind’s Made Up.”
ABC recently revealed that American Idol will return for another season, however, the network has yet to confirm if Bryan, Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Ryan Seacrest will come back for another season.
It appears Luke Bryan is open to the idea of returning to the judges’ panel.
“My future with Idol [will continue] as long as the show is growing and popping, and we feel like we’re doing beautiful work as a show,” Bryan recently told Taste of Country and other outlets.
The “Born With A Beer In My Hand” singer added, “We felt like this year was what we had all worked together to get to. As long as the vibe feels like we’re moving onward and upward — and we’re getting emotionally moved, we’re telling the stories of kids and the American spirit, and it’s a show that kids [and] parents can cry and laugh together and have fun [watching] — it’s gonna be a tough show for me and Lionel and Katy to walk away from.”
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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