"All my exes live in Texas" was super disappointing after the sweet tribute Jack gave to his wife! I agree 100%!!!

Roman singing with CeCe Winans was the most inspiring performance and likely more meaningful to him and his testimony to such a huge audience…brings Katy to tears…gorgeous song and backup…well done, good and faithful servant.

When Jack sang ‘All My Ex’s’, I thought, ‘he does not want to win’, and he chose that song on purpose to almost guarantee that! Those lyrics are not him, so his performance wasn’t believable, for the first time! Once he was eliminated, and he sang that duet with Katy, the pressure was off, and he was back to the incredible Jack we have come to know and love. Best two duets of the night were he and Katy and CeCe and Roman. Jack is the ‘winner’ in my book, just not of American Idol. Good luck to him on his musical journey, without ‘American idol Winner’ tied around his neck! Thank you, Clark, for all the breakdowns of the show! You are lucky not to have ‘American Idol Winner’ tied around your neck, as well. You have been able to stand on your own name! Thank you again, Clark Beckham!

Agree, finally the right person won!

one of the coolest wins of idols history! abi killed all season long and she outdid herself on the finale. bed of roses and somewhere were gorgeous! such a consistent and incredible run.

Abi has the range, the personality, the looks, the humility and she’s versatile by showing it every week with different types of music. Absolutely adore her! Please collaborate with her, you two will look and sound so great together!

Way to go Abi!! 🎉🎉So happy she won

1:07 "And then freakin' smiles". Will Moseley was told by one of the judges (I think it was Katy) that he has a million dollar smile and ever since he has milked that smile and more often than not unnaturally! I remember I was annoyed once with one of his smile because of the timing issue and it wasn't during this Bon Jovi song. LOL

So happy that abi won and it happened on Katy’s last season too. Gonna be sad when she leaves, idol won’t be the same without her 😢❤️

The best singer of those 3 won. But there were a whole lot of talented people let go way to soon

My friend, in my opinion, your insights on Idol season 22 finale are 100%. Great stuff, keep it up!!

I'm suspicious about Jack's second song choice. He's always picked great songs, and even when some were flashy, they were never hammy. The Exes in Texas song was just lame. There was nothing for him to connect to. It just didn't feel like he would have chosen that. He might have, but boy was I disappointed. I still feel he should have made Top 2. He was easily the best entertainer left, after KAYKO got booted.

I do have to agree with you that “All my exes live in Texas” was NOT the winning song choice for Jack. Such a shame. I was rooting for him until this song.

I know the focus for the finale was the 3 finalists.....but for me Jayna stole the show with her performances!

Last year it was Megan, this year Quintavious, Jayna and Abi for me. Been a pro musician for 60 years and Yes it's personal preference

So happy for her! This is a much deserved win and she fought so hard throughout the whole competition. I’m so proud of her! Such an incredible way to end this amazing season ❤

Roman and CeCe!!!!!! Highlight of the night 👏❤️🎶🙌

Super happy she won! She EARNED it after fighting for it week after week - well done and what an incredible season its been

I didn't watch this season of Idol until I happen to tune in and hear Abi sing the Evanescence song! She won me over THAT NIGHT. I tuned out again until last night at 7:30pm. I tuned back in to vote for Abi. She was the BEST to me! I'm glad she won! But my ALL TIME FAVORITE IDOL performances were when Fantasia sang Summertime and Clark sang "Every Breath You Take." I STILL get chills when I hear him sing that song! WOW, just WOW!!!

The best singer of the Top 3 won... Jayna proved last night she was easily in the running for best singer of the season and 100% should've been in the Top 3 over Jack and Will.

OMG, my sentiments exactly about Will's delivery of the song. He had a solid voice, and a congenial presence on stage- but it is all about "staying in character.'

I was so hoping for a critque on the performances the returning contestants did with celebrities such as Julia with Jason Mraz or Emma with Wynonna. Are you thinking about making a separate video on this topic??

She was my favorite from the beginning!

This season has some great singers & fun entertainers. Glad Abi won, but Jayna was so amazing!!!

Nick could have used some help from his runner up last night 😜. Also, Jayna, what a great talent. I loved all the team singing and special guests. A very entertaining show for sure ❤

Abi was the best all season, some waffled on that, but it was clear from the outset and she delivered again and again and smashed all comers. As Bon Jovi said, she's the total package and NOBODY else was even close. Well done, well deserved... Been a long time since AI got it right, thank goodness it happened!

Thank you for another great season, and your inspiring words! You are right about supporting the artists! It's tough out there! Most of them work hard at their craft, and to please you, so help when you can, if you can!

Jack Blocker will have a much bigger and more significant career!!!

appreciate the videos again this year clark :)

I loved your closing on this video. It was uplifting and encouraging. You are so right! It is up to us to keep these talented souls going by supporting them all the way. Thank You Clark! Another great job👍🏻

Abi and Julia partnership going forward will be amazing.

I bought Roman's digital album on Amazon. Too old--not really sure what it's called. Cecelia and Roman had me in tears. I also really enjoyed Jayna.

There's a handful of former Idols I always download anything they put out and always will... and i when its possible, i go to their shows. Its cuz I REALLY love their stuff. Laci Kaye Booth, Casey Bishop, Cassandra Coleman,Leah Marlene and Hannah Nicolaisen. I've been to Tennessee to see Laci and Leah Marlene. McKenna is definitely added to that group... sucks for me shes on the west coast tho. I dont care where someone came from or where i heard them sing, if they are able to move me, they're special and Im definitely a fan for life

Hi Clark! I loved your videos this season. I mean this in the most supportive way when I say this, but I would suggest keeping your self promotion in each episode to a minimum if you truly want to grow your audience!

I love your comments..you are so good and d l agree about every thing you say..keep up the great work

Hey, Clark! Just wanted to tell you to listen to Abi's actual single. It's an empowerment single that builds and builds and builds. It got cut down to 60 seconds of nothingness for the finale. I was so disappointed because I love the single.

Congratulations Abi. You had an amazing Idol run, and most definitely deserved to win !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Very happy for Abi! I've thoroughly enjoyed her journey on the show. Just thought I'd mention that last year the same thing happened, Clark: you were sure that Iam Tongi wouldn't win because "the best singer never wins" (and I also thought he wouldn't win) and lo and behold, he did. So two years in a row. Perhaps not the best singer of the top 12 or of the season (this year that would have been Jayna), but certainly someone different than "white guy with guitar" (WGWG). And both years the singers are from the West Coast and beyond, which is supposed to be a handicap given when the show is broadcast. Which has me wondering if the demographics for who votes is changing and starting to skew younger, perhaps? i don't suppose there is any way to know? What hasn't changed is that the fandom is primarily white, and as long as that is true, singers like Jayna have to be "twice as good to go half as far", and it's something that we can't have a meaningful, truthful conversation about.

Looking forward to the singles reviews!

I felt too that Abby’s pitch was off on “Somewhere”. Glad you clarified that as I didn’t know why it felt off. A friend and I had a convo about this sort of thing - the impact of out of tune instruments or voice at a concert. Ouch.

I voted consistently for Julia, Jack, and Abi this season, splitting my votes pretty evenly between them for each episode. I am VERY happy that Abi won. She truly deserved it. I love her personality as much as her vocal talent. She had me in tears most of the time she sang! That Fleetwood Mac and Evanescence covers made a very lasting impression.

I was rooting for Jack, but Abi definitely deserved it. Heck, all of them deserved it!

P.S. the guest list was 1 of my favorites. CC and Seal!

Ever since they told Will to smile, he threw them in mostly at weird times. Lol

Abi was on a different level than those two. She is a great musician and very deserving. Thank you so much for all of your commentary throughout the season; I am sorry you didn't get to go on the show and be a vocal impersonator! (Wow what a career and achievement for him.) Perhaps the curse of the best singer doesn't always win is over?

Joined this season around Top 10 week, and immediately I saw there was one standout performer and that was Abi Carter, hands down. (I didn't see her audition until later, on KZfaq, but had I, I'd agree with Luke and Lionel... I'd've called it for her, right then and there, she's that good.) Will Mosely will do great in Country, but I think he could be the second coming of Bob Seger as well. McKenna can go on to a Katherine McPhee like career. Kaibrienne is the other singer who can connect emotionally with the audience. When she is pushed, and throws caution to the wind, she can really deliver. I think she just needs to gain some confidence, because she has the talent and the gift. The one person I missed, and I'm so happy they gave him his moment in the finale is Roman Collins. I think that guy really delivers the goods and I'm sure he'll have a great career. He's a great performer. All that said, Katy was right. This year, for the first time in many years, American Idol had a bumper crop of talent. So many of them have the talent to go pro. The class of 2024 (Idol Season 22) really have set the bar very high for all those who come after. As the saying goes, they are going to be a very tough act to follow.

After his AI season, I went to see Christian Guardino in his home town in Long Island NY but I don’t think he has done anymore concerts since. I would love to see him perform again.

I don't think I'd call "I'll Be There for You" a deep cut. It was a number 1 hit for them. Geez

Abi was so up and down for me all season. I think if she gets some training she can live up to the potential of her audition. I still believe McKenna and KB were more consistent and Jayna is spectacular. Just remember Jennifer Hudson came in 7th in AI and look at her now! Going to be interesting to see where the top 10 are in a year.

Wkmhere the live link

Clark, please sing with Jayna! It'd be epic!!! ❤🔥

Thought it was an entertaining finale! Loved the Bon Jovi intro (have they ever had a mentor on the finale tho; that seemed weird). Jayna Elise was a straight up PRO singing w/Seal…wow! Hope she makes it far. Keiko was great w/NKOTB! That boy needs to write/perform musicals for Broadway! Fradiani sounds so much like Neil Diamond! 😮 Loved Katie Perry’s dress w/all the faces of the contestants this year! She was a very good Idol judge. Wonder who they will get next? Loved Billie Eilish’s sweet message to Abi ❤ Congrats to Abi…so glad she won! 🎉Hope she goes on to make great music. As you said Clark, support these artists by seeing their shows, and streaming their music

The song Jack was singing during his hometown visit was the original song he got from American Idol. So he couldn't have sung that one for the second round.

I think Jack was the best singer, the most innovative and original. I like Abi, but technical ability isn’t all there is to art. It is also about feeling and commitment. Jack stretched himself the most of all of them. He was the most versatile and took the most risks. I can’t wait for his career to unfold. I look forward to seeing what Abi does as well. I see them both pulling away from how they were raised and what they are expected to do. I wish them both the best. Jack just has my vibe. He is Punch Brothers, Civil Wars, Watch House, I’m With Her. The contemporary old folk sound. I think he just turned corny country at the end to try and capture the country block. That was a mistake. Will was always going to win that. I wished he’d stayed more true to himself. He was the best. His duet with Katy was the best song of the show. I wish the voting had continued through that moment. He may have been the winner.

5:45 😐 Clark... "All My Exes Live in Texas" is a HUGE hit for LEGENDARY Country artist George Strait... Huge hit... Huge beloved Country artist. but yes. Wrong song. Good God, what was he thinking!? IF he wanted to go George Strait there's songs like "I Cross My Heart" or "You Look So Good In Love" (two more songs that you don't know) that would have “slain”.

I need you to react to Ado, Crime and Punishment

Please do a duet with Jayna!!!!

I actually thought she was related to the Carter (aka June Carter Cash) family😄

Thought for sure Triston would be top 3. After he was eliminated voted for Jack.

Not really🥺It should have been JACK. ❤️🇩🇰

The whole season needed more season. I don't know how this show survived this year

Jack’s second song wasn’t great, but I don’t think it cost him many votes. Most people know who they want to vote in by this point and aren’t going to waffle because of a single song choice.

SO THRILLED!!!!♥

Yes, Abi's finale song was totally off pitch. She was emotional though so it was probably hard to sing it on pitch. Jake lost due to song choice. His best is when he makes you feel.

Love the content Clark, but a suggestion going forward, maybe don’t put the winner in the thumbnail. As someone who can’t watch the show live, definitely got the finale spoiled after seeing this.

I think will is great. I knew abi would win because they kept encouraging the applause to go on by not commenting quickly like they did with will and Jack. Abi is okay but I think part of it was people complaining about country singers winning so I believe that there was some manipulation in the final vote.

Abi I think her best performance was her suditon

My feeling is the producers assigned him that last song. Also, Jack, who is pretty country, and Will, who is deep country, split the country vote with 65% for Will and 35% for Jack. Yes, Abi's a fine singer, but they wanted Jack in here to make it easy for Abi to win. I really don't trust AI producers--too many anomalies in the past. Thetop 3 were all fine, but I still feel Jack should have won. No matter, they'll all be successful!

She has been my favorite since day one. She is another level. I have been disappointed by most IDOL winners. I think Kelly and Adam are the only ones I have liked. There is a incredible singer named Lucy Thomas from England who I felt Abi resembled. Why don't you do singers outside Idol.??Asia has the best singers in the world. You have never covered Dimash who is thought by many coaches the best in the world past and present. I would love to hear your thoughts on singers outside IDOL.

Abi is like if Haley Reinhart won. Justice has been served indeed.

Actually, I'm thinking there is a possibility that Jack chose a less good second song deliberately. The whole performance felt like it wasn't him, that he didn't put the Swagger into it. And he's done that in every single song before that song. It doesn't make sense that if he was told to do that song that he still wouldn't have killed it avd made it more Jack Blocker. But there is a possibility that he actually decided it would be better for his career to not win. Get himself voted off before top 2. Either that or he just didn't see any point in the effort because he was forced to sing a song that he didn't relate and could see that they were pushing Abi as the winner. They have from the first moment. She's a very worthy winner, though. I fully agree with Will's smile in between lines!

Review Haley reinhart!

In the face of this whole entire show competition, I said at the beginning of auditions that a woman would win the entire season and behold my prediction was truth

Mckenna, Julia, and others were so much better. However, it was obvious the producers of Idol wanted her to win. Why, is beyone me? I doubt she'll ever amount to more than a lounge singer, but if I'm wrong, I'll go to a show (of Mckenna's and Julia's). She was pitchy throughout the night. Oh well, I'll go listen to Beethoven and get over myself...

Abi was the best of the night in all three rounds for me! Jack was great on both songs but kinda underwhelming. He was at least better than Will so I'm happy with that since Abi and Jack were my top 2. I like Will but he was really underwhelming in the finale as well. I find his song choices too safe and predictable. Jack was more unpredictable than him. I don't think Will would have ever been in my top 3 or top 2 regardless of how he performed. I just loved others a lot more in terms of songs and performances.

Jayna flexing on them bums

I thought for sure Abby would win.

My favorite moments from the finale... McKenna singing w/ James Bay and KB... Abi's Bed Of Roses...That slice of Pizza Katy had... 2 second shot of McKenna in the background... Abi with Bishop Briggs... McKenna singing again... Abi lookin like lady liberty... 2.5 second shot of McKenna in the background... Abi Winning Idol. Loved listening to everything Abi sang and McKenna is friggin hott.

Abi deserved the win - Kudos to her and I will definitely buy a ticket to her concert! The old-fashioned arrangement behind "Somewhere" underwhelmed me: Abi herself could have done a pared-down and more modern piano arrangement, that probably would have been more touching and I would have loved to hear it. I hope to hear more of her original arrangements on her future albums and tours. I loved how enthusiastic Billie Eilish was about her! What an endorsement! Oh, and the duet with Bishop Briggs was killer: rocker Abi is here to stay.🤩

7:21 Here’s my thought: even if Jack didn’t know when his hometown promo would be played, he still chose to sing a very basic song for our final impression of him. No disrespect to him or George Strait, it’s a good song, but it lacks lyrical complexity, and doesn’t provide him with any emotional foothold for the audience to connect with. Jack is talented and will have a successful career regardless, but I would have loved to hear him sing literally anything else.

Let's see who is more marketable. Adam and Chris didn't win but sooo much better than the winner

Why are you putting spoilers in your thumbnail?

Jack couldn’t sing the song he wrote for Georgia, that’s his new release, he would’ve sang it in the next round

😢 I don't think he chose that song every song he chose he made them his own he couldn't do anything with that song

Will's song is good.

No, No and No! The most talented Artist was 3rd.

Why would Jack sing all my exes live in Texas. Terrible song choice. They should change all the judges. The voice changes judges often. They are adding Snoop and Michael Buble. America got it right, im very surprised the country vote didn't win.

Most of George Straight’s other songs would have been better for Jack for the finale. I agree that was the wrong song for him.

How shall I say this? I believe that Jack would have won if he had made it to the final two. His fan base was split between the two but up against either one of them he would have won. The Southern country vote would have preferred him Abi, and the sing songer - teen girl fandom would have allowed him to beat Will. Weirdest game of rock, paper, scissors.

The BEST singer sang with Seal. Who screwed that up?

Finally, a woman wins against the “white boy with guitar” that usually wins.

JACK SHOULDA WON

Do you think Jack's second song was his choice or somebody else gave him that bad advice? Agree that Jack likely did himself out of a spot in the Top 2.

The sound crew didn't do Abi any favors. I could only understand her when she was loud. People just standing there like statues singing hasn't been ideal since the 1970s. Singers have to put the show in show business. They are going to need a lot of A&R work to get that stage work down. Slash just put out a blues covers album with a host of guest speakers and it shows how has these contestants need to be before people will hire them on the national level.

"Justice" LMAO. It's called American Idol not American Singer. You have never understood this.

I believe Will should have won. He'll do well regardless.

I agree that the best singer won and was even crying happy tears for her when seeing how emotional she was. Jack had been my favorite for most of the season, but started loosing me when doing the old, throwback country look and more country songs. I like some country music, but I think everyone who fell in love with him liked a different image of him - the one he had the first 3/4 of the season. He was definitely not as country as he was when the season was coming to an end. Idol has a weird way of changing contestants' already cool vibe and look and seems to create a new image of them that always comes off like they are becoming some sort of "character" for a roll they are playing instead of just allowing them to be who they already are. It's like they want them to fit a certain image, then stay in that box as their image that everyone already loved fizzles out. There's a fakeness that comes off when they do it, as I feel they did with Jack and inevitably they seem to always be voted out soon after this happens. I loved when he did songs and change them or add some "Jackness" to it that made it really cool. But "All my exes live in Texas" was definitely not one of his better choices or performances. I don't know why he or the show would want to promote 2 country singers, knowing votes from country-loving fans would be split, lowering either his or Will's chance to win. Unless - I hate to say it - but if that was the show's plan in order to increase Abi's chance of winning. 🤷‍♀

I was rooting for Jack, but he did kind of shoot himself in the foot with his last song choice. Something more heartfelt would have been better. Each year I watch American Idol, I get more and more disappointed that the person I was pulling for, didnt win. It hit me hard this year, for Jack, and it hit me hard a couple years ago, with Fitz. I know it’s just a show, but it’s still rather disappointing for me. Next year, I dont really know if I’ll be watching or not, because I cant handle getting really invested in someone, just for them to not succeed.

Your self promo can be absolutely suffocating in these vids

THEY told him to smile...lol...I agree....Best singer did win!! last couple years..I didn't agree with...but...they got this one right!! IMHO