Celebrity favorite Gabby Samone, who made it into the top 10 of “American Idol” season 23, vied for viewers’ votes again on May 4, 2025, singing “I Was Here” by Beyoncé. Contestants performed songs made famous by “iconic women in music,” the theme of the episode that aired live from coast-to-coast. Viewers had less than two hours to vote for their favorites during the show, determining who would make it through to the top 8 of season 23.
SPOILER ALERT: Do not continue reading if you do NOT want to know whether Samone made it into the top 8.
After voting closed during the final commercial break, host Ryan Seacrest was ready to reveal which members of season 23’s top 10 would advance to the top 8. So did Samone make it through?
Yes! She made it through!
And here’s a breakdown of tonight’s full results.
If celebrity endorsements were the key ingredient for winning “American Idol,” Samone would be a lock. The 23-year-old Baltimore native’s soulful delivery and talent has drawn cheers — and social media shares — from superstars ranging from “Idol” alum Jennifer Hudson to supermodel Naomi Campbell.
During the April 13 episode, Samone even got Celine Dion’s attention, delivering a stirring rendition of one of the icon’s biggest hits, “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now.”
Sharing her story of growing up as the youngest of eight in a family that frequently couldn’t make ends meet, Samone brought Jelly Roll to tears as she brought new meaning to Dion’s song. The judges, who’ve previously highlighted Samone as one of their favorites, also celebrated her performance.
After the show, the “American Idol” Instagram account shared a clip in its Stories, captioning it “@gabbysamonemusic stuns singing @celinedion 🤩” and Dion shared it in her own Stories.
Posting a screenshot of Dion’s share, Samone wrote, “Still trying to wrap my head around this… am I dreaming?? If I am, please don’t wake me up! One of my greatest inspirations—@celinedion—just reposted my American Idol performance of her song, and I’m completely overwhelmed.”
She continued, “Ms. Celine, I am one of your students! Your voice, your passion, your legacy… you’ve shaped so much of who I am as an artist. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for seeing me. This moment means more than words can express. I am crying while typing this.”
Samone headed into season 23 of “American Idol” with another powerful celebrity endorsement, from Hudson, who has become an EGOT winner since competing on the third season of the show in 2004. Hudson discovered an Instagram video of Samone singing several years ago and invited her to perform on “The Jennifer Hudson Show” in 2022.
The two kept in touch and when Samone considered auditioning for “Idol,” Hudson cheered her on, even recording a video for her once she’d made it through to Hollywood.
“My first season here, I got a chance to highlight a phenomenal singer named Gabby Samone,” Hudson said in her video. “She is a rising star and was featured on ‘American Idol.’ I am super proud of her! She even gave me a shout-out!”
After showing the clip of Samone’s audition, Hudson said, “Aw, it warms my heart to see her doing so well! I love supporting and celebrating people. Seeing her was such a gift. Good luck, Gabby! I will be cheering you on!”
