The American Idol judges – Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood, and Luke Bryan, teamed up for a performance of Richie’s “Stuck On You” during the Season 23 American Idol grand finale on Sunday (May 18).
Richie led the performance of the tender ballad, taking to the center of the Idol stage to deliver the first verse. As he swayed along to the gentle guitar strums, Underwood entered the stage.
“That’s mighty pretty girl, mighty pretty,” Richie smiled, praising Underwood’s pristine vocals.
Luke Bryan was the last to join in singing, “I’m stuck on you/ Been a fool too long I guess it’s time for me to come on home/ Guess I’m on my way.”
Together, the Idol judges traded lyrics throughout the remainder of the song as the crowd lifted their hands in the air and swayed along.
Fans adored the performance and took to the comments section on YouTube to praise the Idol judges.
“This performance was absolutely amazing, especially with one of the best songs of all time! Lionel Luke and Carrie are very talented singers,” one user wrote.
Another shared, “Love these three (& as judges) together! Lionel still sounds his same great self & love Luke & Carrie is a great addition this season! It couldn’t have been any better!”
“Stuck On You” was written solely by Lionel Richie and became his debut country single upon its release in June of 1984. To mark the occasion, Richie even sported a cowboy hat for the song’s single art. The track climbed to No.24 on the country radio charts.
As a native of Alabama, Richie has a deep appreciation for country music. In early 2012, the four-time GRAMMY winner teamed up with a slew of country music’s biggest stars to release Tuskegee, an album that included reinterpretations of some of his biggest hits with country artists. He recreated “Stuck On You” with Darius Rucker, and teamed up with Jason Aldean on “Say You, Say Me,” Kenny Chesney on “My Love,” Shania Twain on “Endless Love,” Willie Nelson on “Easy,” and more.
Sunday’s American Idol grand finale was packed with special guests, including a surprise appearance from Cody Johnson, plus Jessica Simpson, Jelly Roll, Good Charlotte, the Goo Goo Dolls, The War and Treaty, and more.
At the conclusion of the show, it was revealed that Jamal Roberts was crowned the newest American Idol.
In an emotion-filled social media post following the finale, Roberts admitted he was “still trying to process” his big win.
“From my first step on that stage to this unbelievable moment, I never dreamed a kid from my hometown would one day be called American Idol. This journey has been bigger than me, and I’m so grateful for every person who believed in me when I was just chasing a dream,” he wrote.
He dedicated his win to “his girls” and shared his hope that they will “know that with faith, hard work, and heart, anything is possible.”
In conclusion, he promised, “But this isn’t the end… it’s just the beginning. From the bottom of my heart…. THANK YOU! None of this happens without y’all.”
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