Skip to main content

The votes are in: Abi Carter is this year’s American Idol winner. The California native wowed this season’s judges from the get-go, earning one of their coveted Platinum Ticket awards before the show even started. And Carter proved her worth all season long, receiving constant praise — and votes — from everyone who watched.

Fans are reacting to Carter’s win, and spoiler alert: Fans are pretty excited.

Abi Carter was crowned the season 22 winner of ‘American Idol’

Carter’s audition was hard to forget. She took to the piano and sang her own version of Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” which practically left the judges stunned. Carter referred to herself as coming from a “very religious family” and explained throughout the show that she was finding music types that she never even listened to as a child. The show proved to be a turning point for her, and she wound up exploring new fashion and hairstyles in addition to new music.

Throughout the show, Carter continued to leave the judges speechless with her countless perfectly pitched performances—no matter the song. And when she was crowned the winner, anyone following throughout the season likely was not surprised; fans took to Reddit to express their sheer joy.

“Most talented and commercially viable singer in YEARS!” one user wrote about Carter.

“I’ve had multiple of her performances on repeat. She’s an incredibly deserving winner, and seems like a great person too,” someone else commented.

“Usually I’m so mad after the finale and it’s such a weird awesome feeling. I knew from her audition she could win it all and she actually did it!” another person added.

Many people suggested that Carter was their favorite contestant in recent years and that her talent was greater than that of many previous winners.

Related

‘American Idol’: Katy Perry Reinforces Her Icon Status With Powerful ‘What Makes a Woman’ Performance

Will Moseley and Jack Blocker rounded out the ‘American Idol’ top 3

Carter wasn’t standing alone on stage during most of the finale. Rather, she was alongside the no. 2 and no. 3 contestants, Will Moseley and Jack Blocker. Moseley has a rugged country sound, somewhat comparable to someone like Luke Combs, while Blocker also has a country voice but slightly more soothing. Both men were loved by fans, and the judges think both have bright futures.

Blocker was eliminated about halfway through the show, so Moseley and Carter stood during the show’s final moments to learn their fates. Moseley gave Carter a big hug when host Ryan Seacrest announced her as the new winner.

Carter was joined by all of the season’s previous contestants while singing her finale song “What Was I Made For?” — a full-circle moment from when she sang it at her audition.