John Foster stunned with “Tell That Angel I Love Her,” turning a quiet Idol night into an unforgettable emotional moment.
On the April 20, 2025, episode of American Idol, 18-year-old John Foster delivered a deeply moving performance of his original song, “Tell That Angel I Love Her”. The heartfelt tribute to his late friend Maggie Dunn resonated with both the audience and judges, marking a standout moment in the competition.
Clad in denim and boots, with a well-worn acoustic guitar in hand, John stood under the spotlight and made time stand still. The performance was intimate, emotional, and entirely his own.
His voice—raw, raspy, and full of longing—told a story of loss, love, and hope beyond the grave. But it was the quiet whisper in the final chorus—“Tell her I ain’t stopped loving her, not one day…”—that brought the room to silence.
The judges were visibly shaken.
Luke Bryan’s voice cracked as he said,
“I’ve heard a lot of country on this stage… but that was timeless. Son, you’ve got the heart of George Strait and the soul of Chris Stapleton.”
Lionel Richie summed it up simply:
“You don’t teach that kind of storytelling. That’s God-given.”
Hailing from Lubbock, Texas, John Foster is a self-taught musician who grew up listening to Willie Nelson and Alan Jackson on long drives with his dad. He started writing songs at age 13, often inspired by stories from his late grandfather, a Vietnam veteran.
Before Idol, John played small-town bars and county fairs, often performing to crowds of just a dozen people. But he says he never stopped dreaming big.
“I’ve always felt like country music chooses you,” John said in a backstage interview. “And tonight, I just wanted to honor the angels we miss.”
His younger sister, Emily Foster, who lost her twin in a tragic car accident five years ago, was in tears during the performance.
“That song… it was for her. For all of us still missing someone,” she told reporters.
Even country icon Trisha Yearwood tweeted:
“John Foster just took us to church and back. The future of country music is in safe hands.”
“Tell That Angel I Love Her”… and tell Nashville he’s coming.
As the stage faded to black, John tipped his hat to the sky—no words, no gestures, just reverence.
One thing’s for sure: America may have just witnessed the birth of its next great country star.
