Just 16 years old, Mattie Pruitt is already drawing comparisons to the original American Idol, Kelly Clarkson. Belting “Because Of You” off Clarkson’s sophomore album Breakaway, Pruitt secured her spot in the Top 10. “I mean, 16 out here going toe-to-toe with everybody… You’re just doing so good,” an awestruck Luke Bryan told the teenager. The Eagleville, Tennessee high schooler continued to demonstrate a talent and gravitas beyond her years with her Top 10 performance.
Tonight marked Ladies Night on American Idol, with the Top 10 finalists performing songs from iconic women in music. Fittingly, country music icon Miranda Lambert served as a mentor, lighting up the stage with a fiery performance of her 2005 hit “Kerosene.”
Taking a leaf out of her mentor’s book, American Idol star Mattie Pruitt delivered an unbelievable cover of Lambert’s sentimental 2009 hit “The House That Built Me.”
Incredible performance by Mattie! Playing the guitar was definitely the move. Such a good song too! #AmericanIdol
— Katelyn Reese (@katkatmarie14) May 5, 2025
Ahead of Sunday’s (May 4) Top 10 episode, Pruitt called her Top 10 performance “the most personal one yet.”
“Nervous? Definitely,” the teen wrote on Instagram. “But I’m ready to share this part of me.”
Monday’s (May 5) episode brings back the Judge’s Song Contest. The Top 8 finalists will perform songs secretly hand-picked for them by judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Carrie Underwood.
[RELATED: 3 Quick Facts About Mattie Pruitt, 16-Year-Old ‘American Idol’ Standout]
Deep in the thick of American Idol season 23, Mattie Pruitt doubted her fellow competitors would remember her 16th birthday on April 15, 2025. So when she walked straight into a birthday surprise backstage, the teenager unsurprisingly burst into tears.
“I walked into the dressing room thinking no one was going to do anything for my birthday… and then some of the contestants and my stepmom surprised me with the sweetest birthday setup ever,” she wrote on Instagram. “Still can’t believe I’m 16 and living this dream — thank you for all the love, support, and votes after last night’s performance. My heart is so full.”
The day before turning 16, Pruitt blew away the Idol judges with a stunning cover of former judge Katy Perry’s “Wide Awake.”
“You’re so good, you’re so good,” gushed Carrie Underwood. “I’m honored just to kind of be along for the ride here with you, Mattie. When you take a song and you make it your own — I mean that’s an iconic, monster of a song — and you really did, you made it your own.”
Featured image by Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty Images
