On Wednesday, John Foster was home — and Louisiana made sure he knew just how loved he is.
The 18-year-old American Idol finalist kicked off his whirlwind Hometown Visit with a morning stop at the elementary school where his 4-year-old sister, Presley, is a student. From there, it was on to Brusly High School, where he served as co-valedictorian just a year ago.
Awaiting him on the football field was a full-fledged John Foster pep rally. The marching band played. The cheerleaders danced. And even under the scorching 90-degree sun, the energy was electric.
“We love Brusly!”
“Geaux, John Foster!”
Chants rang out across the field. Despite the heat, no one’s spirit wilted.
“It’s nice to be in the news for something happy,” said school secretary Aimee Rabalais, referencing the heartbreaking loss of cheerleaders Maggie Dunn and Caroline Gill in 2022. “We’ve had so much sorrow.”
Foster took the mic, delivering words of encouragement that exceeded his years:
“If you wish to lead a successful life, if you wish to leave a greater legacy, listen to your teachers.”
A Capitol Salute to a Hometown Star
After the rally, Foster crossed the Mississippi River to the Louisiana State Capitol, where the House of Representatives adopted a resolution in his honor.
“I think sometimes they get tired of me talking about Louisiana so much,” he joked to lawmakers. “But it’s who I am.”
Applause filled the chamber.
Then it was back across the river to Addis, where the streets filled with supporters for a festive John Foster parade. At the center of it all: Foster himself, standing atop a giant crawfish float, tossing beads and holding onto his cowboy hat as the wind whipped around him.
“John Foster! Number one!” paradegoers chanted.
Fans lined La. Highway 1, waved from the banks of Bayou Plaquemine, and even watched from decorated boats on the water — many donning homemade signs and unofficial Foster merch.
“If George Strait is the King of Country, John Foster has to be the PRINCE!” read one sign held by superfan Dempsey Stassi, who’s followed Foster since his pre-Idol gigs around Louisiana and Mississippi.
A Sunset Concert on the Bayou
As the sun set, thousands gathered at Bayou Plaquemine Waterfront Park. Blankets dotted the lawn, sno-cones were in high demand, and three flags — the U.S., Louisiana, and one bearing Foster’s image — waved in the breeze.
Foster arrived by boat just after 8 p.m., greeted by chants of his name and a sea of waving hands. As he stepped onto the dock, a line of excited kids cheered, and grown-ups wiped away tears.
“I’ve played many places,” Foster said once on stage. “But nothing like this.”
After a brief ceremony featuring proclamations, local dignitaries, and a key to the city, the music began.
He opened with Alan Jackson’s “Don’t Rock the Jukebox,” followed by a rousing rendition of Elvis Presley’s “Jailhouse Rock.” He slowed things down with Randy Travis’ “I Told You So,” and followed it up with Brooks & Dunn’s “Neon Moon.”
“I’m going to go back to my roots for a second,” he said, introducing his original, “Tell That Angel I Love Her” — written in memory of Dunn and Gill.
The crowd fell silent. Foster grew emotional mid-song, wiping away tears.
“Sorry about that,” he said softly. “There’s so many emotions.”
He ended the night on a high note with Garth Brooks’ Louisiana anthem, “Callin’ Baton Rouge.”
“I love y’all so much,” he told the crowd. “Thank you so much.”
As he departed on the same boat he’d arrived on, fans waved and shouted. Foster responded with a heart shape made with his hands — followed by a thumbs-up.
The Final Countdown
Foster will compete in the live finale of American Idol on Sunday, May 18, on ABC. Voting will be open only during the live show from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. CST, and fans can cast up to 30 votes across the American Idol app, website, and text.
For Louisiana, the competition is more than just a TV show — it’s personal. And whether or not John Foster takes home the title, he’s already a winner in the hearts of his hometown
