During the Sunday, May 3 episode of “American Idol,” host Ryan Seacrest announced that Just Sam was one of the Top 11 contestants who were still in the running to join the reality TV show’s iconic winners list. This 21-year-old performed Bill Withers‘ “Grandma’s Hands'” from home in Los Angeles, California as judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie watched remotely from their locations around the country. If you want Sam to make it into next week’s Top 7, you need to vote before the cutoff time at 9am ET/6am PT on Monday, May 4.
You can cast up to 30 votes for Just Sam across three different platforms: 10 votes on the free “American Idol” app, 10 votes online at americanidol.com/vote or 10 votes via text messages (text the number “19” to 21523). Message and data rates may apply for app download and usage. Voting is open RIGHT NOW, so what are you waiting for?
Sam, who wants nothing more than to make her grandmother “proud,” was clearly one of the judges’ favorites of the night. Luke raved that she’s “so great to listen to” each week. Lionel noted he was “so happy and proud” of Sam for “shining through” yet again. And Katy readily admitted, “When you were singing that song, it actually reminded me of just like being in church and being lost to that rhythm.”
In his “American Idol” live blog, our recapper Denton Davidson had this to say about Sam’s performance: “Tonight she’s singing ‘Grandma’s Hands’ by Bill Withers, dedicated to her grandmother who is in New York. I love how raw this song is and it fits Sam’s voice beautifully. She sounds great vocally, but this performance just doesn’t have much energy. Luke is impressed by her voice, Lionel is proud to see Sam beaming and Katy was reminded of being lost in church.”
Sam previously sang “Rise Up” at her initial audition, “Como la Flor” in the Hawaii showcase round and “I Believe” in the Top 20 remote show. What is your favorite Sam performance so far on “American Idol” Season 18? Sound off down in the comments section.
