Louisiana singer John Foster took it home on Monday night's "American Idol" with a song dear to many a Capital City resident — "Callin' Baton Rouge."
"I haven't really shown America or the judges what I can do with a really energetic song. I'm usually a slow, sad ballad guy," Foster told guest mentor Josh Groban prior to taking the stage.
"Listen, you're talking to the slow, sad ballad king," Groban ("Broken Vow," "Falling Slowly") said. "Don't be afraid to lean into the pocket and trust yourself."
Both Groban and "Idol" artist-in-residence Jelly Roll encouraged Foster to consider putting down his guitar at times and stretching his vocals even more.Â
Performing the Dennis Linde-written "Callin' Baton Rouge," a hit for country star Garth Brooks in the 1990s, did nudge Foster to swing his guitar to his side, moving around the stage while giving a lively, solid performance. The crowd and judge Carrie Underwood immediately sang along.
Foster, 18, and LSU student Baylee Littrell, who performed on Sunday's show, are competing for a spot in "Idol's" top 20.
Voting has ended for Littrell, 22, and fans had until 5 a.m. Tuesday to cast votes for Foster.
Individuals may vote up to 10 times using each of the following voting methods (that's 30 possible votes total):
- Texting "4" to 21523
- ³Õ¾±²õ¾±³Ù¾±²Ô²µÌý
- Using the "American Idol" app
Announcement of who's moving on in the competition will be part of Sunday's special three-hour "Idol" episode beginning at 7 p.m. on ABC. The series also streams on Hulu.