With the swagger of a seasoned pro and the soul of a country revivalist, American Idol Season 23 runner-up John Foster lit up Nashville during CMA Week with a performance that proved his post-Idol momentum is no fluke—it’s a wildfire.
At the BMG Takeover concert on June 4, held at 6th & Peabody, Foster took the stage alongside a dozen Idol alums for a high-energy showcase that buzzed with anticipation. But when the 18-year-old launched into Alan Jackson’s barroom classic “Don’t Rock the Jukebox,” it became clear: this wasn’t just another Idol cameo. This was a star in the making owning his moment.
From toe-tapping honky-tonk flair to the emotional gut-punch of his original ballad “Tell That Angel I Love Her,” Foster delivered a set that had fans on their feet—and hearts in their throats. His voice, a blend of velvet grit and southern sincerity, filled the Nashville night air with both nostalgia and fresh promise.
The crowd’s reaction said it all. Applause turned into ovations, and strangers turned into fans as they belted lyrics back at him, especially during the emotional closer. One concertgoer was overheard saying, “He’s not just a runner-up. He’s the next big name in country music.”
And the numbers back it up. Just days before the BMG Takeover, Foster dropped a soul-stirring, one-take rendition of “Amazing Grace” on Instagram—complete with a Cajun French chorus. Captioned “It’s His Grace that’s brought me this far,” the video quickly went viral, drawing praise from both longtime fans and music critics alike, who called it “gorgeous,” “authentic,” and “Grammy-worthy.”
That raw, rootsy sound was echoed in Foster’s performance at the Cajun Country Jam in Louisiana over Memorial Day weekend—his first post-Idol show, where he declared: “This is just the beginning.”
“Tell That Angel I Love Her,” Foster’s signature original that first rocked the Idol finale stage, continues to build a life of its own. Fans compare the ballad’s emotional weight to early Vince Gill or George Strait, and the BMG showcase only strengthened its reputation. When Foster sang it in Nashville, the crowd didn’t just listen—they lived it with him.
The BMG Takeover itself marks a powerful new tradition. Once a staple of the American Idol brand, post-season tours faded over the years as the show’s format evolved. But now, with the CMA Fest-adjacent concert and a red-hot lineup of recent finalists—Jamal Roberts, Breanna Nix, and John Foster among them—Idol is rekindling its summer fire.
This year’s showcase didn’t just highlight fresh talent. It cemented the fact that American Idol is producing more than just viral moments—it’s shaping the future of country music.
And Foster? He’s not just riding the wave. He’s steering it. His next stop: the Grand Ole Opry on June 7—fulfilling a lifelong dream and taking one giant step toward legend status.
If Nashville is country music’s heartbeat, John Foster just gave it a brand-new rhythm.
