WATCH: Caleb Lee Hutchinson and Maddie Poppe Join Perform The Greatest Country Duet Of All Time On ‘Idol’

Fan-favorite American Idol contestants Caleb Lee Hutchinson and Maddie Poppe reprised one of country music’s most iconic duets during The…

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Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

May 2, 2022

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9:28 pm

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Caleb Lee Hutchinson, Maddie Poppe; Photo by ABC, American Idol

Fan-favorite American Idol contestants Caleb Lee Hutchinson and Maddie Poppe reprised one of country music’s most iconic duets during The Great Idol Reunion on Monday. 

Prior to their performance, Hutchinson and Poppe opened up about their Idol journeys and recalled how their time on the show brought them together. 

Caleb Lee Hutchinson, Maddie Poppe; Photo by ABC, American Idol
Caleb Lee Hutchinson, Maddie Poppe; Photo by ABC, American Idol

“Honestly, I’m so honored to be back,” Poppe admitted ahead of the show. “This show jumpstarted everything. I can’t believe it’s been four years man.”

“Maddie and I kind of live parallel lives even before meeting in a lot of ways,” Hutchinson added. “Going through the Idol thing together, we were pretty inseparable. There was so script on how I was going to tell the world about our love. Just the fact that it started here, it’s crazy.” 

The real-life couple took to the American Idol stage to perform “Islands In The Stream,” a duet written by the Bee Gees and made famous by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton.

Hutchinson and Poppe, who rose to fame on season 16 of Idol, effortlessly worked the stage while singing along to the chart-topping hit. Their chemistry was unmatched, making for a memorable rendition of the duet.   

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Poppe was the season 16 champion, while Hutchinson placed second. Throughout the season, the contestants performed duets such as  “Somewhere Over The Rainbow,” “What A Wonderful World,” and “A Whole New World” from Disney’s Aladdin. 

After competing on American Idol, Poppe released her debut album, Whirlwind and a holiday release, Christmas From Home.” Her new single, “The One That Got Away,” is out now. Hutchinson released two EPs, including his latest project, Slot Machine Syndrome

Caleb Lee Hutchinson, Maddie Poppe; Photo by ABC, American Idol
Caleb Lee Hutchinson, Maddie Poppe; Photo by ABC, American Idol

The Great Idol Reunion featured a series of duets, where former Idol winners and contestants paired up with fellow Idol alum for one-of-a-kind collaborations.

In addition to Hutchinson and Poppe, Laci Kaye Booth, Laine Hardy, Jordin Sparks, Ruben Studdard, Scotty McCreery, Lauren Alaina, David Cook, Kris Allen, Willie Spence, David Archuleta, William Hung, Justin Guarini, and Grace Kinstler also returned to the Idol stage for performances during the show.

Former Idol judges Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson also made special appearances during the special.

American Idol airs every Sunday and Monday at 8/7c on ABC.

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Lauren Jo Black

Written by

Lauren Jo Black

Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.