When Hannah Harper performed the country hit “Heads Carolina, Tails California” on “American Idol” earlier this season, she drew high praise from the show’s judges — and from the original singer herself.
“OK, Hannah, you’re not allowed to sing it better than me,” country star Jo Dee Messina joked in a video shared on social media that shows her watching the performance.
Messina got emotional as Harper continued to sing her signature song, which this year turns three decades.
Now, about a month later, Harper is living out a full-circle moment.
During the Season 24 finale episode, which airs Monday night, viewers will get to see Messina give Harper the surprise of a lifetime when she joins the “American Idol” top three contestant on stage to perform the song.
Jo Dee Messina surprises Hannah Harper on ‘American Idol’
Monday night’s episode of “Idol” will feature clips of the top three contestants visiting and performing in their hometowns.
Harper, a 25-year-old mom of three boys, recently put on her hometown show in Willow Springs, Missouri. At one point during the concert, she performed “Heads Carolina, Tails California” — the song that advanced her to the “American Idol” top 11.
As Harper stood on the stage and kicked off the song, Messina sneaked in from the back and reached the young singer just in time to sing the chorus.
The “Idol” finalist was visibly shocked to see Messina standing beside her — in fact, the second she saw the country star, Harper jumped a little and ran a few steps away from the mic. Harper continued to stand on the stage in disbelief but collected herself enough to introduce Messina to the crowd.
Messina recently shared the moment in an Instagram video that has more than 5 million views. The full clip will appear during Monday night’s episode.
At the end of the episode, which airs at 7 p.m. MDT on ABC, “American Idol” will declare a new winner. The entertainment site Gold Derby predicts Harper will be crowned the champion, with a poll from the outlet showing just over 50% of readers voting for the rising country artist. Jordan McCullough is listed in second with nearly 30% of votes.
Throughout the season, Harper’s performances have consistently garnered more views on YouTube than her competitors. Her higher number of social media followers also points to a potential win, per Parade.
What is Jo Dee Messina up to?
Harper’s moment with Messina on “American Idol” comes as the country star is preparing to release her first album in over a decade.
This summer, Messina, who rose to fame in the ’90s with hits like “Heads Carolina, Tails California” and “Bye Bye,” will release her first album since 2014, as the Deseret News previously reported.
The album, “Bridges,” draws inspiration from the past decade of Messina’s career and life.
“Messina — like all of us — has encountered road bumps both minor and heartbreaking: loss, struggle, and sicknesses that might have wrecked someone without glimmers of light to hold onto. Her music. Her children. Her faith. And all of it is woven throughout Bridges,” reads the bio on her website.
“It’s not about a full transformation,” the singer continued. “It’s about what I’ve gone through and how I’ve gotten through it all. But I’m not done living yet. There’s still a lot more to learn.”
Messina performed some of the new music last summer during a show in Layton, Utah.
She had written the faith-inspired song “If He Knew Jesus” just a few weeks before. Messina got some cheers after the first chorus, and when the song came to an end, she covered her face, visibly touched by the standing ovation she was receiving.
The song is part of Messina’s shift to more faith-driven music — a change she told the Deseret News started about 10 years ago when she “came to know Christ.”
“I think that when Christ comes in and he makes the change in your heart, that changes your desire,” she said. “It’s just what you desire to do. It’s not an effort. ... It’s not a hard shift at all.
“If you really love someone, the best thing you can ever give them is the gospel,” she continued. “And so I try to share that wherever I go because that’s really what I’m about. You don’t see us drinking on stage or being wild. We just share Jesus with people.”
Messina is currently touring, with a busy schedule that extends through early November, per her website.