To the delight of her fans, country star Kellie Pickler made a rare public appearance on “American Idol” for a special performance.
Kellie Pickler makes rare appearance on ‘American Idol’
Pickler, who rose to fame on Season 5 of “American Idol” 20 years ago, returned to the show Monday night to perform a duet of Martina McBride’s “A Broken Wing” with top three contestant Hannah Harper.
It marked somewhat of a full circle moment for the “Red High Heels” singer, who auditioned for “Idol” back in 2006 with the McBride hit. Pickler, who ended up placing sixth on “Idol,” was one of several contestants from Season 5 to return for the 20th anniversary episode.
Ahead of the performance, Pickler praised Harper’s talent and encouraged the 25-year-old singer from Missouri to do her best: “This is your moment, so own it,” she said.
The pair’s performance of “A Broken Wing” got a standing ovation from all of the judges.
“The two of you together make one dynamic performance,” Lionel Richie said. “Incredible.”
Pickler’s return to the spotlight this week is significant. The singer has largely kept out of the spotlight since the death of her husband, Kyle Jacobs, in 2023.
“One of the most beautiful lessons my husband taught me was in a moment of a crisis, if you don’t know what to do, ‘do nothing, just be still,’” Pickler said in a statement at the time, per People. “I have chosen to heed his advice.”
Prior to her recent appearance on “Idol,” her last performance was two years ago during a Patsy Cline tribute at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, per E! News.
Pickler’s performance with Harper marks the first new piece of content on the singer’s official Instagram in four years.
“I’m an antique ‘Idol’ dustin’ off,” she said on the show after the performance, telling Harper, “Being able to share the stage with you has been such a blessing.”
Fans were quick to share their excitement about Pickler’s return to the stage.
“My heart burst when I saw @kelliepickler back on stage,” one user commented on the Instagram post of the performance.
“It’s so good to see Kellie 🫶🫶 We miss seeing you @kelliepickler,” another user wrote. “Glad to hear you sing.”
Who is in the ‘American Idol’ top 3?
At the end of Monday night’s episode, “American Idol” revealed the top three singers who will be competing in the Season 24 finale:
- Hannah Harper, who went viral with her original song about motherhood, “String Cheese,” during her audition.
- Jordan McCullough, who previously auditioned for “The Voice” in 2019 and didn’t get a single chair turn.
- Keyla Richardson, a 29-year-old music teacher from Florida whose son, Drew, has been by her side cheering and singing along since her audition.
The “American Idol” finale airs next Monday at 7 p.m. MDT.